Controllable Synthesis of Crystalline ReS2(1-x)Se2x Monolayers on Amorphous SiO2/Si Substrates with Fast Photoresponse

Re-based transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and alloys have many unusual features such as in-plane anisotropic optical, electrical, and phonon properties and thus receive increasing research interest. However, the distorted 1T structure and the weaker interlayer coupling easily cause anisotropic growth and out-of-plane growth, making it particularly challenging to produce Re-based TMD and alloy monolayers on amorphous SiO2/Si substrates. Here, a reliable method is developed for the synthesis of high-quality and large-size ReS2(1-x)Se2x monolayer crystals on SiO2/Si substrates by NaCl-assisted, confined-space chemical vapor deposition. The synergy of salt assistance with the confined reaction space facilitates the formation of intermediate metal oxychlorides and creates a relatively stable growth environment, finally leading to the successful synthesis of ReS2(1-x)Se2x monolayer crystals on SiO2/Si substrates. The as-grown ReS2(1-x)Se2x monolayer alloys exhibit continuously variable composition, high crystal quality, and uniform distribution of Re, S, and Se elements. Furthermore, the ReS2(1-x)Se2x based photodetectors display good photoresponse to visible and near-infrared light with a fast response of less than 15 ms. The salt-assisted, confined-space chemical vapor deposition provides a reliable way for the synthesis of large-scale low-lattice symmetry 2D materials on amorphous SiO2/Si substrates and opens up new prospects for Re-based TMDs and alloys in optoelectronic devices.