Metal configurations on 2D materials investigated via atomic resolution HAADF stem

The behaviour of palladium & nickel deposited on mechanically exfoliated samples of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (MoS2, WS2, and WSe2) via e-beam evaporation was investigated.Sputtering of metals on the flakes allowed for interaction of the metal and TMD to be investigated on the Å scale in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope. By low energy sputtering metals can be deposited on 2D materials without causing damage to the thin flakes. The materials interaction is investigated on the atomic scale via high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy in high angle annular dark field imaging. Initially, the effect of thermal annealing on the stability of the Pd-2D interaction was investigated, revealing the remarkable difference in particle stability between the 2D materials. Nickel deposition however only resulted in oxidised amorphous particles. The oxide particles’ cross-sectional area and circularity were independent of the TMD substrate thickness or type, and deposition rate.