Lithographically patterned metallic conduction in single-layer MoS₂ via plasma processing

Tailoring the electrical transport properties of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides can enable the formation of atomically thin circuits. In this work, cyclic hydrogen and oxygen plasma exposures are utilized to introduce defects and oxidize MoS₂ in a controlled manner. This results in the formation of sub-stochiometric MoO_3−x, which transforms the semiconducting behavior to metallic conduction. To demonstrate functionality, single flakes of MoS₂ were lithographically oxidized using electron beam lithography and subsequent plasma exposures. This enabled the formation of atomically thin inverters from a single flake of MoS₂, which represents an advancement toward atomically thin circuitry.