Identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy
Abstract Stacking orders and topological defects substantially influence the physical properties of 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials. However, the inherent features of 2D materials challenge the effectiveness of single characterization techniques in identifying stacking sequences, necessitating corr...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | npj 2D Materials and Applications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41699-025-00575-z |
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| author | Xin Zhou Tobias Dierke Mingjian Wu Shengbo You Klaus Götz Tobias Unruh Philipp Pelz Johannes Will Janina Maultzsch Erdmann Spiecker |
| author_facet | Xin Zhou Tobias Dierke Mingjian Wu Shengbo You Klaus Götz Tobias Unruh Philipp Pelz Johannes Will Janina Maultzsch Erdmann Spiecker |
| author_sort | Xin Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Stacking orders and topological defects substantially influence the physical properties of 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials. However, the inherent features of 2D materials challenge the effectiveness of single characterization techniques in identifying stacking sequences, necessitating correlative approaches. Using bilayer MoS2 as a benchmark, we differentiate its polytypism and specific dislocations through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Perfect and partial dislocations were revealed in TEM, which are closely linked to the stacking sequences, thus indirectly indicating the 2H and 3R polytypes. Quantitative analysis of reciprocal lattice from 3D electron diffraction and low-frequency Raman spectroscopy further validated these polytypes owing to their reliance on crystal symmetry. Surprisingly, we unexpectedly resolved both polytypes despite starting with 2H bulk crystal, pointing to a possible phase transition during mechanical exfoliation. The correlative TEM-Raman approach can be extended to other 2D materials, paving the way for property alteration via stacking and defect engineering. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7afe9e2159c7434ebbb6774cf0de0efe |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2397-7132 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj 2D Materials and Applications |
| spelling | doaj-art-7afe9e2159c7434ebbb6774cf0de0efe2025-08-20T03:03:28ZengNature Portfolionpj 2D Materials and Applications2397-71322025-07-01911810.1038/s41699-025-00575-zIdentification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopyXin Zhou0Tobias Dierke1Mingjian Wu2Shengbo You3Klaus Götz4Tobias Unruh5Philipp Pelz6Johannes Will7Janina Maultzsch8Erdmann Spiecker9Institute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research & Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, IZNFDepartment of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergInstitute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research & Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, IZNFInstitute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research & Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, IZNFInstitute for Crystallography and Structural Physics (ICSP), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergInstitute for Crystallography and Structural Physics (ICSP), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergInstitute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research & Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, IZNFInstitute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research & Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, IZNFDepartment of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergInstitute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research & Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, IZNFAbstract Stacking orders and topological defects substantially influence the physical properties of 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials. However, the inherent features of 2D materials challenge the effectiveness of single characterization techniques in identifying stacking sequences, necessitating correlative approaches. Using bilayer MoS2 as a benchmark, we differentiate its polytypism and specific dislocations through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Perfect and partial dislocations were revealed in TEM, which are closely linked to the stacking sequences, thus indirectly indicating the 2H and 3R polytypes. Quantitative analysis of reciprocal lattice from 3D electron diffraction and low-frequency Raman spectroscopy further validated these polytypes owing to their reliance on crystal symmetry. Surprisingly, we unexpectedly resolved both polytypes despite starting with 2H bulk crystal, pointing to a possible phase transition during mechanical exfoliation. The correlative TEM-Raman approach can be extended to other 2D materials, paving the way for property alteration via stacking and defect engineering.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41699-025-00575-z |
| spellingShingle | Xin Zhou Tobias Dierke Mingjian Wu Shengbo You Klaus Götz Tobias Unruh Philipp Pelz Johannes Will Janina Maultzsch Erdmann Spiecker Identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy npj 2D Materials and Applications |
| title | Identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy |
| title_full | Identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy |
| title_fullStr | Identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy |
| title_short | Identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer MoS2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy |
| title_sort | identification of polytypism and their dislocations in bilayer mos2 using correlative transmission electron microscopy and raman spectroscopy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41699-025-00575-z |
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