(223d) In Situ Characterization of the Effect of Plasma Treatment on Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are layered materials with unique material properties that make them attractive choices for electronic and optoelectronic devices. Although plasma processing is commonly used in the fabrication of these devices, the inherent consequences of this treatment have not been fully explored. In this work, in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to investigate the effect of mild plasma treatment on the chemical composition and material properties of MoS₂ and WeS₂. These results shed light on recent advances in the device performance of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), demonstrating how defect engineering can be exploited to improve electronic properties for next-generation devices.