Probing the Electronic Properties of Monolayer MoS2 via Interaction with Molecular Hydrogen

Abstract

© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim This work presents a detailed experimental investigation of the interaction between molecular hydrogen (H2) and monolayer MoS2 field effect transistors (MoS2 FET), aiming for sensing application. The MoS2 FET exhibits a response to H2 that covers a broad range of concentration (0.1–90%) at a relatively low operating temperature range (300–473 K). Most important, H2 sensors based on MoS2 FETs show desirable properties such as full reversibility and absence of catalytic metal dopants (Pt or Pd). The experimental results indicate that the conductivity of MoS2 monotonically increases as a function of the H2 concentration due to a reversible charge transferring process. It is proposed that such process involves dissociative H2 adsorption driven by interaction with sulfur vacancies in the MoS2 surface (VS). This description is in agreement with related density functional theory studies about H2 adsorption on MoS2. Finally, measurements on partially defect-passivated MoS2 FETs using atomic layer deposited aluminum oxide consist of an experimental indication that the VS plays an important role in the H2 interaction with the MoS2. These findings provide insights for future applications in catalytic process between monolayer MoS2 and H2 and also introduce MoS2 FETs as promising H2 sensors.