Transition metal dichalcogenide metamaterials with atomic precision.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Two-dimensional (2D) materials like graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have unique properties. Studying their one-dimensional edges is crucial for advancing flatland physics. Edges possess distinct properties compared to planes and bulk materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a precise and scalable method for fabricating TMD metamaterials. To enable the study and design of materials with controlled edge-plane ratios and tailored properties.

Main Methods:

• A facile and controllable anisotropic wet etching technique was employed. This method allows for etching TMDs along specific crystallographic axes with atomic precision.

Main Results:

• The etching method produces nearly atomically sharp and exclusively zigzag-terminated edges. This results in the scalable fabrication of hexagonal nanostructures, including nanoribbons and nanojunctions, with predefined order and complexity.

Conclusions:

• The developed anisotropic wet etching method provides atomic precision control over TMD metamaterial structures. This breakthrough enables future investigations into a wide range of TMD metamaterials with engineered edge-plane-bulk characteristics.