Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy of Atomically Thin Semiconductors and Heterostructures

Rupp, Anna; Goeser, Jonas; Li, Zhijie; Altpeter, Philipp; Bilgin, Ismail and Hoegele, Alexander (2022): Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy of Atomically Thin Semiconductors and Heterostructures. In: Physical Review Applied, Vol. 18, No. 6, 64061

Abstract

We report the implementation of energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy for high-resolution inspection of layered semiconductors in the form of atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides down to the monolayer limit. The technique is based on a scanning electron microscope equipped with a silicon drift detector for energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. By optimizing operational parameters in numerical simulations and experiments, we achieve layer-resolving sensitivity for few-layer crystals down to the monolayer, and demonstrate elemental composition profiling in vertical and lateral heterobilayers of transition metal dichalcogenides. The technique can be straightforwardly applied to other layered two-dimensional materials and van der Waals heterostructures, thus expanding the experimental toolbox for quantitative characterization of layer number, atomic composition, or alloy gradients for atomically thin materials and devices.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Physics
• Research Centers: Center for NanoScience (CENS)
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics; 500 Science > 500 Science
• ISSN: 2331-7019
• Language: English
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 390814868