Two-Dimensional Crystal Growth of MoS2 Thin Films from Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Micellar Solutions and Wettability Between Solution and Substrate

In this study, the growth of 2D MoS2 thin films on SiO2/Si substrates was investigated using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar solutions, and the effects of SDS concentration and substrate treatment on crystal growth were evaluated. By increasing the SDS concentration, the wettability was improved, and uniform MoS2 crystal growth was promoted by micellar formation. When the SDS concentration exceeded 10−4 mol/L, the static contact angle sharply decreased, indicating uniform 2D material growth. The optimal conditions that enabled a uniform supply of Mo-based precursors were as follows: SDS concentration of 3.5 × 10−4 mol/L; Na2MoO4·2H2O concentration of 1.7 × 10−2 mol/L. The results indicate that solution-based processes using SDS are effective for 2D material growth, and they may be a valuable technique in future thin film device fabrication processes.