Synthesis of monolayer 2D MoS₂ quantum dots and nanomesh films by inorganic molecular chemical vapor deposition for quantum confinement effect control

Bandgap engineering is an important prerequisite for various applications of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD). A reduction in the dimension from 2D has been one of the methods to control the electronic structure, by which a quantum confinement effect in the additional axis(es) can result in the widening of band structures. A vapor-phase process for synthesizing monolayer MoS₂ nanomesh film or MoS₂ quantum dot is developed based on the inorganic molecular chemical vapor deposition. The vapor-phase process can control MoS₂ coverage by adjusting growth times. Therefore, the formation of nanostructures can be confirmed based on the growth time. The quantum confinement effect in monolayer MoS₂ nanomesh films and MoS₂ quantum dots is also confirmed via spectroscopic investigations, which induce a blue shift, indicating bandgap widening. Consequently, this approach can be used to synthesize lower-dimensional TMD materials for bandgap engineering, which is an essential process in optical or optoelectrical applications.