Interfacial nondegenerate doping of MoS2 and other two-dimensional semiconductors

Controlled nondegenerate doping of two-dimensional semiconductors (2DSs) with their ultraconfined carriers, high quantum capacitance, and surface-sensitive electronics can enable tuning their Fermi levels for rational device design. However, doping techniques for three-dimensional semiconductors, such as ion implantation, cannot be directly applied to 2DSs because they inflict high defect density. In this issue of ACS Nano, Park et al. demonstrate that interfacing 2DSs with substrates having dopants can controllably inject carriers to achieve nondegenerate doping, thus significantly broadening 2DSs' functionality and applications. Futuristically, this can enable complex spatial patterning/contouring of energy levels in 2DSs to form p-n junctions, integrated logic, and opto/electronic devices. The process is also extendable to biocellular-interfaced devices, band-continuum structures, and intricate 2D circuitry.