Digital laser-induced printing of MoS₂

Due to their atomic-scale thickness, handling and processing of two-dimensional (2D) materials often require multistep techniques whose complexity hampers their large-scale integration in modern device applications. Here we demonstrate that the laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) method can achieve the one-step, nondestructive printing of the prototypical 2D material MoS₂. By selecting the optimal LIFT experimental conditions, we were able to transfer arrays of MoS₂ pixels from a metal donor substrate to a dielectric receiver substrate. A combination of various characterization techniques has confirmed that the transfer of intact MoS₂ monolayers is not only feasible, but it can also happen without incurring significant defect damage during the process. The successful transfer of MoS₂ shows the broad potential the LIFT technique has in the emerging field of printed electronics, including printed devices based on 2D materials.