Directed growth of electrically self-contacted monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides with lithographically defined metallic patterns

Abstract

Methods and materials for growing TMD materials on substrates and making semiconductor devices are described. Metal contacts may be created prior to conducting a deposition process such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to grow a TMD material, such that the metal contacts serve as the seed/catalyst for TMD material growth. A method of making a semiconductor device may include conducting a lift-off lithography process on a substrate to produce a substrate having metal contacts deposited thereon in lithographically defined areas, and then growing a TMD material on the substrate by a deposition process to make a semiconductor device. Further described are semiconductor devices having a substrate with metal contacts deposited thereon in lithographically defined areas, and a TMD material on the substrate, where the TMD material is a continuous, substantially uniform monolayer film between and on the metal contacts, where the metal contacts are chemically bonded to the TMD material.