Deterministic Thermal Sculpting of Large-Scale 2D Semiconductor Nanocircuits

2D transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductor (TMDs) nanocircuits are deterministically engineered over large-scale substrates. This original additive nanolithography approach combines large-area physical growth of 2D TMDs layer with high resolution thermal-scanning probe lithography, to reshape the ultra-thin semiconducting layers at the nanoscale level. The additive nanofabrication of few-layer MoS2 nanostructures of controlled thickness, grown in the 2H-semiconducting phase, is demonstrated as shown by their Raman vibrational fingerprints and by their optoelectronic response. The electronic signatures of the MoS2 nanostructures are locally identified by Kelvin probe force microscopy providing chemical and compositional contrast at the nanometer scale. Finally, the potential role of the 2D TMDs nanocircuits as building blocks of deterministic 2D semiconducting interconnections is demonstrated by high-resolution local conductivity maps showing the competitive transport properties of these large-area nanolayers. This work thus provides a powerful approach to scalable nanofabrication of 2D nano-interconnects and van der Waals heterostructures, and to their integration in real-world ultra-compact electronic and photonic nanodevices.

Automated summary

This research achieves deterministic engineering of large-scale 2D transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductor nanocircuits by combining physical growth and high-resolution lithography. It demonstrates their potential role as 2D semiconductor interconnections.