Edge-Bound Doping Effect in Oxidation-Etched CVD MoS₂

The prevailing model for the oxidative doping of MoS₂is conventionally viewed oxygen incorporation occurs primarily on its basal plane. Here, we report a dominant edge-bound doping effect in the oxidation etching (OE) of chemical vapor deposited (CVD) MoS₂, where oxygen and the oxides (MoS_xO_y/MoO₃) are preferentially incorporated at etched edge sites. Integrated theoretical and experimental analyses confirm that this one-dimensional edge-bound doping causes localized electron depletion via a synergy of donor-level oxygen passivation and cascade hole injection from the oxides. The electron depletion magnitude can be adjusted by the OE time, allowing for deterministic tuning of the electrical properties in OE-MoS₂ field-effect transistors (FETs)-shifting its n-type threshold toward positive gate voltage and even to a complete p-type transition. This work demonstrates a definitive strategy for spatial doping and electronic precision-tuning in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs), advancing their prospects for functional devices.