Tuning Phase Transitions in 1T-TaS₂ via the Substrate

Phase transitions in 2D materials can lead to massive changes in electronic properties that enable novel electronic devices. Tantalum disulfide (TaS₂), specifically the "1T" phase (1T-TaS₂), exhibits a phase transition based on the formation of commensurate charge density waves (CCDW) at 180 K. In this work, we investigate the impact of substrate choice on the phase transitions in ultrathin 1T-TaS₂. Doping and charge transfer from the substrate has little impact on CDW phase transitions. On the contrary, we demonstrated that substrate surface roughness is a primary extrinsic factor in CCDW transition temperature and hysteresis, where higher roughness leads to smaller transition hysteresis. Such roughness can be simulated via surface texturing of SiO₂/Si substrates, which controllably and reproducibly induces periodic strain in the 1T-TaS₂ and thereby enables the potential for engineering CDW phase transitions.