Constructing Metallic Nanoroad on MoS2 Monolayer via Hydrogenation

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides recently emerge as a new family of two-dimensional material potentially suitable for numerous applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices due to the presence of finite band gap. Many proposed applications require efficient transport of charge carriers within these semiconducting monolayers. However, how to construct a stable conducting nanoroad on these atomically thin semiconductors is still a challenge. Here we demonstrate that hydrogenation on the surface of MoS2 monolayer induces a semiconductor-metal transition, and strip-patterned hydrogenation is able to generate a conducting nanoroad. The band-gap closing arises from the formation of in-gap hybridized states mainly consisting of Mo 4d orbitals, as well as the electron donation from hydrogen to the lattice host. Ballistic conductance calculations reveal that such a nanoroad on the MoS2 surface exhibits an integer conductance, indicating small carrier scattering, and thus is ideal for serving as a conducting channel or interconnect without compromising the mechanical and structural integrity of the monolayer.