Laser-Assisted Thermomechanical Thinning of MoTe2 in Nanoscale Lateral Resolution

Abstract

A key feature of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDCs) is that their properties are strongly dependent on their thickness, typically appearing in ultrathin mono- or few- layers. Thus, precise control of functional nanostructure is critical for fundamental research and applications in 2D-TMDCs. Here, atomic layer precision thinning of molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) at nanoscale lateral resolution by introducing laser irradiated hot tip is demonstrated. The contact of the hot tip on MoTe2 surface promotes oxidation at nanoscale resolution which is simultaneously removed by thermomechanical scribing. This process completes the atomic layer precision thinning of MoTe2 while maintaining the high crystallinity of thinned MoTe2 flake. Further, the electrical properties of the MoTe2 flake are intact after thinning, which proves that the thinned MoTe2 flake obtained by these methods can potentially be utilized for device fabrication. It is believed that the work will enable applications of 2D-TMDCs that require nanoscale resolution with controlled thickness.