MoS2 growth using physical vapor deposition

Semiconductor transition metal di-chalchogenides exhibit band gaps in the range 1-2 eV, steep absorption edges and long minority carrier diffusion lengths. Efficient solar cells based on these semiconductors depend critically on the ability to produce films of the correct texture with a minimum of recombination centers. We describe a technique based upon physical vapor deposition that produces MoS2 films of the desired texture over a large area. The crystallites (similar to50mum(2)) exhibit well defined hexagonal edges which are likely to be self passivated. However, smaller triangular structures (similar to2mum(2)), seen previously only in MoS2 nanoscopic scale clusters, are probable sources of recombination centers.