Synthesis of molybdenum-doped rhenium disulfide alloy using aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition

Abstract Polycrystalline thin films of molybdenum-doped rhenium disulphide (Mo-doped ReS2) alloys were synthesised by aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) using precursor solutions containing (1) [Re(S2CC6H5)(S3CC6H5)2], and (2) [Mo(S2CNEt2)4]. Synthesised thin films were characterised using powder X-Ray diffraction (p-XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX). The p-XRD shows that interlayer spacing increases with increasing Mo content in the ReS2 matrix, and (001) plane becomes broad and weak as the molybdenum increases in the doped films. The destruction of the vibrational modes of ReS2 on increasing the Mo content and a clear shift in the Eg vibrational and Ag-like modes were also observed by Raman analysis. The presence of Mo in the ReS2 matrix was detected by ICP-OES. It was observed that the Mo content in the final material was 7.61 at% compared to the initial feed of 15 at%. The SEM images of the doped alloy films revealed nano crystal morphology, and the morphology changed when there was an increase in the Mo portion into the ReS2 crystal structure.