New Mo6Te6 Sub-Nanometer-Diameter Nanowire Phase from 2H-MoTe2

A novel phase transition, from multilayered 2H-MoTe2 to a parallel bundle of sub-nanometer-diameter metallic Mo6Te6 nanowires (NWs) driven by catalyzer- free thermal-activation (400-500 degrees C) under vacuum, is demonstrated. The NWs form along the <11-20> 2H-MoTe2 crystallographic directions with lengths in the micrometer range. The metallic NWs can act as an efficient hole injection layer on top of 2H-MoTe2 due to favorable band-alignment. In particular, an atomically sharp MoTe2/Mo6Te6 interface and van der Waals gap with the 2H layers are preserved. The work highlights an alternative pathway for forming a new transition metal dichalcogenide phase and will enable future exploration of its intrinsic transportation properties.