Passivating 1T'-MoTe₂ multilayers at elevated temperatures by encapsulation

Several-layer 1T'-MoTe₂ decomposes very little during heating up to ∼550 °C under flowing argon when encapsulated by multilayer hBN, as monitored by Raman scattering and optical microscopy, but largely decomposes at much lower temperatures in incompletely covered and uncovered regions. In covered regions there are small amounts of tellurium product above ∼250 °C.