Vapor phase synthesis of TaS2 nanocrystals with iodine as transport agent

TaS2 is a transition metal dichalcogenide material with a layered two-dimensional crystal structure and physically interesting behavior. 1T-TaS2 in particular exhibits a complex interaction between electron–electron and electron–lattice, as well as unique two-dimensional charge density wave characteristics with varying phase transitions depending on the temperature range. However, few reports exist on the synthesis of TaS2 crystals, and a relatively long time is required for the synthesis of TaS2 nanostructures. Here, we present an efficient method for 1T-TaS2 synthesis by chemical vapor deposition using iodine as a transport agent. We successfully synthesized 1T-TaS2 nanocrystals or thin films in a short processing time of a few hours, and their structural and chemical properties were characterized.