An AFM study of a laboratory-grown single-crystal MoS2 surface following radio-frequency oxygen plasma treatment

The surface topography of a laboratory-grown MoS2 following radio frequency (RF) oxygen plasma treatment was studied using atomic force microscopy (AF M). At relatively low power levels, the etched material surface breaks into nano-scale linear troughs extending in two surface directions. In contrast , higher power plasma creates nano-scale hillocks and etched pits. The basa l-plane-contraction effect resulting from the substitution of sulphur by ox ygen during etching and the sputtering and redeposition of surface material s by bombardment by energetic particles present in plasma are believed to b e responsible for thr surface topography formed in different ranges of plas ma power. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.