Robert Boyd

Date of Award

January 2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Physics & Astrophysics

First Advisor

Nuri Oncel

Abstract

Since the discovery of graphene and its various unique mechanical and electrical properties, the study of 2D materials has been at the forefront of material research. Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) are often at the epicenter of research due to their chemically inert nature. In addition, their lack of dangling bonds and reliance on van der Walls interactions ease cleaning/exfoliation. Making them ideal candidates for various applications ranging from electronics to energy storage and lubrication. Sn has two allotropes α-Sn and β-Sn. α-Sn is a low-temperature phase, a semiconductor with sp hybridized covalent bonds. On the other hand, β-Sn is metallic with a body-centered tetragonal structure and is stable at room temperatures. In this study, we explore the possibility of growing Sn layers on freshly exfoliated MoS2 samples at room temperature. First, we deposit Sn from resistively heating a tungsten (W) filament covered with Sn under Ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions. Then, we measure Scanning Tunneling Microscopy/Spectroscopy (STM/STS) data of the surface. The motivation behind the proposed research is to explore the possibility of growing Sn on MoS2 and study its physical and electronic properties.

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