Synthesis and Characterization of Novel TMD: Rhenium Disulfide

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are exciting new materials that have received much attention due to their semiconducting properties in the direct bandgap. Well-studied TMDs, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten diselenide (WSe2), exhibit a direct bandgap in the monolayer form, but an indirect bandgap in the bulk form. Rhenium disulfide (ReS2), on the other hand, is a new TMD that is unique in its ability to retain a direct bandgap independent of thickness. By using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), few-layer ReS2 is synthesized and characterized by optical methods such as Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence. We also show characterization results for atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and electrical transport to determine thickness, crystallinity, homogeneity, and electrical characteristics for use in future flexible electronics.