Order-disorder phase transitions in the two-dimensional semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide alloys Mo1−xWxX2 (X = S, Se, and Te)

Liyong Gan, Qingyun Zhang, Yu-Jun Zhao, Yingchun Cheng, Udo Schwingenschlögl

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Abstract

A combination of density functional theory, an empirical model, and Monte Carlo simulations is used to shed light on the evolution of the atomic distribution in the two-dimensional semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide alloys Mo1−xWxX2 (X = S, Se, and Te) as a function of the W concentration and temperature. Both random and ordered phases are discovered and the origin of the phase transitions is clarified. While the empirical model predicts at x = 1/3 and 2/3 ordered alloys, Monte Carlo simulations suggest that they only exist at low temperature due to a small energetic preference of Mo-X-W over Mo-X-Mo and W-X-W interactions, explaining the experimental observation of random alloy Mo1−xWxS2. Negative formation energies point to a high miscibility. Tunability of the band edges and band gaps by alteration of the W concentration gives rise to a broad range of applications.
Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalScientific Reports
Volume4
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 21 2014

Bibliographical note

KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01
Acknowledgements: This work was supported by a KAUST CRG grant and computational resources were provided by KAUST HPC. Research reported in this publication was supported by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

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