Fabricating van der Waals Heterostructures

Abstract

The isolation of single layer graphene in 2004 by Geim and Novoselov introduced a method that researchers could extend to other van der Waals materials. Interesting and new properties arise when we reduce a crystal to two dimensions where they are often different from their bulk counterpart. Due to the van der Waals bonding between layers, these single sheets of crystal can be combined and stacked with diferent sheets to create novel materials. With the goal to study the interesting physics associated to these stacks, the focus of this work is on the fabrication and characterization of van der Waals heterostructures. In this work, we first present a brief history of 2D materials, the fabrication of heterostructures, and the various tools used to characterize these materials. We then give a description of the custom-built instrument that was used to assemble various 2D heterostructures followed by the findings associated with the optimization of the cleanliness of the stack's interface and surface. Finally, we discuss the results related to the twisting of adjacent layers of stacked MoS2 and its relation to the interlayer coupling between said layers.