Abstract
The present work was aimed on utilizing the solid state microwave synthetic method for the growth of molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) and tungsten disulphide (WS2) in powder as well as in the form of thin films. It was observed that the microwave exposure of simple powder mixture of Mo (or W) and S could not lead to the formation of MoS2 (or WS2).
Therefore the work was pursued by the study of the possibility to use this technique to grow thin films. Either Mo or W in the form of thin foils or Mo layers deposited by sputtering onto glass substrates was used as metal source. These metal samples were introduced with some sulphur into a Pyrex tube and sealed under vacuum. After microwave oven exposure the formation of polycrystalline 2H-WS2 with well-defined grains was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Mo foil as well as Mo layers deposited on glass showed formation Of MoS2 under the limit of our experimental conditions that is to say homogeneous thin films can be achieved only as small surface films. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.