Article Title

Fast and reliable identification of atomically thin layers of TaSe₂ crystals

Authors

Andres Castellanos-Gomez, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
Efrén Navarro-Moratalla, Instituto Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), Univ. Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, E-46980, Paterna, Spain
Guillermo Mokry, Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada (C–III). Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Jorge Quereda, Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada (C–III). Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Elena Pinilla-Cienfuegos, Instituto Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), Univ. Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, E-46980, Paterna, Spain
Nicolás Agrat, Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada (C–III). Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain Instituto Madrileo de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia IMDEA-Nanociencia, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
Herre S. J. van der Zant, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
Eugenio Coronado, Instituto Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), Univ. Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, E-46980, Paterna, Spain
Gary A. Steele, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
Gabino Rubio-Bollinger, Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada (C–III). Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain

Keywords

atomically thin layer, metal dichalcogenide, layered superconductor, TaSe2, optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Deposition of clean and defect-free atomically thin two-dimensional crystalline flakes on surfaces by mechanical exfoliation of layered bulk materials has proven to be a powerful technique, but it requires a fast, reliable and non-destructive way to identify the atomically thin flakes among a crowd of thick flakes. In this work, we provide general guidelines to identify ultrathin flakes of TaSe2 by means of optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, we determine the optimal substrates to facilitate the optical identification of atomically thin TaSe2 crystals. Experimental realization and isolation of ultrathin layers of TaSe2 enables future studies on the role of the dimensionality in interesting phenomena such as superconductivity and charge density waves.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-013-0295-9

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Andres Castellanos-Gomez,Efrén Navarro-Moratalla,Guillermo Mokry,Jorge Quereda,Elena Pinilla-Cienfuegos,Nicolás Agraït,Herre S. J. van der Zant,Eugenio Coronado,Gary A. Steele,Gabino Rubio-Bollinger, Fast and reliable identification of atomically thin layers of TaSe2 crystals. NanoRes.2013, 6(3): 191–199