MoS2 growth using physical vapor deposition

Semiconductor transition metal di-chalcogenides 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 (∼50μm²) exhibit well defined hexagonal edges which are likely to be self passivated. However, smaller triangular structures (∼2μm²), seen previously only in MoS₂ nanoscopic scale clusters, are probable sources of recombination centers.