Role of substrate interface energy in the synthesis of high quality uniform layered ReS2.

ReS 2 is an emerging member from the family of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and has interesting optical and electrical properties due to its weak interlayer coupling. Systematically, layered ReS 2 structures were successfully synthesized by hydrogen assisted controlled chemical vapor deposition method. DFT calculations were performed to determine the interface energies between ReS 2 layer and SiO 2 /Si, sapphire and mica substrates. Calculated interface energy and % strain are lower for mica as compared to SiO 2 /Si and sapphire, which helps to grow smooth layers on mica substrate as compared to SiO 2 /Si. At atmospheric pressure, larger interface strains are produced between substrate and growing layers which transforms the 2D layered structure to 3D flower-like structures. Under the controlled conditions, substrates surface energy is playing a key role and mica with the freshly clean surface is probably facilitating the atoms to grow along in-plane direction to form smooth films. Finally, photo-detector measurements were made under the extreme conditions (high energy and intense light with large voltage sweep) to check the stability and reliability of the devices. The good stability, sensitivity (217 mAW−1) and fast response (T rise = 0.61 s, T decay = 1.59 s) of the devices reflects the quality of the synthesize product for their use in the future optoelectronic devices. • ReS 2 is an emerging member in layered transition metal dichalcogenides due to its weak interlayer coupling. • Hydrogen assisted CVD method was used to synthesize high quality ReS2 films for photodetectors. • Role of interface energy between ReS 2 and growth substrates in 1D, 2D and 3D type's growth of ReS 2 was studied. • Interface energy and % strain are lower for mica than SiO 2 /Si and sapphire, which helps to grow smooth layers. • The good stability, sensitivity and fast response of devices reflect their use in the future optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]