Emergent layer stacking arrangements in c-axis confined MoTe2

James L. Hart, Lopa Bhatt, Yanbing Zhu, Myung-Geun Han, Elisabeth Bianco, Shunran Li, David J. Hynek, John A. Schneeloch, Yu Tao, Despina Louca, Peijun Guo, Yimei Zhu, Felipe Jornada, Evan J. Reed, Lena F. Kourkoutis and Judy J. Cha ()
Additional contact information
James L. Hart: Cornell University
Lopa Bhatt: Cornell University
Yanbing Zhu: Stanford University
Myung-Geun Han: Brookhaven National Laboratory
Elisabeth Bianco: Cornell University
Shunran Li: Yale University
David J. Hynek: Yale University
John A. Schneeloch: University of Virginia
Yu Tao: University of Virginia
Despina Louca: University of Virginia
Peijun Guo: Yale University
Yimei Zhu: Brookhaven National Laboratory
Felipe Jornada: Stanford University
Evan J. Reed: Stanford University
Lena F. Kourkoutis: Cornell University
Judy J. Cha: Cornell University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The layer stacking order in 2D materials strongly affects functional properties and holds promise for next-generation electronic devices. In bulk, octahedral MoTe2 possesses two stacking arrangements, the ferroelectric Weyl semimetal Td phase and the higher-order topological insulator 1T′ phase. However, in thin flakes of MoTe2, it is unclear if the layer stacking follows the Td, 1T′, or an alternative stacking sequence. Here, we use atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy to directly visualize the MoTe2 layer stacking. In thin flakes, we observe highly disordered stacking, with nanoscale 1T′ and Td domains, as well as alternative stacking arrangements not found in the bulk. We attribute these findings to intrinsic confinement effects on the MoTe2 stacking-dependent free energy. Our results are important for the understanding of exotic physics displayed in MoTe2 flakes. More broadly, this work suggests c-axis confinement as a method to influence layer stacking in other 2D materials.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40528-y

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