Structural characterization of novel new 2D material : FeS2 and FeOS on Au(111)

The scope of this proposal is to demonstrate that metals like Fe and Ni can form 2D X-M-X (X=S,Se,Te, M = Fe or Ni) type transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) that do not exist in nature. We propose that the strong stabilizing interactions on a suitable substrate like Au(111) makes the synthesis possible via combined physical and chemical (PVD/CBE) vapour deposition. We aim to benchmark synthesis strategies for pure (sulfides) and Janus (oxysulfides) 2D TMDCs of Fe and Ni, which are expected to exhibit new physico-chemical properties such as catalytic, magnetic, piezoelectric, optical and electronic conduction properties. In situ atomic structural characterization using Grazing Incidence Surface X-ray Diffraction (GI-SXRD), Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) will be done at ESRF/BM32 and complemented by Scanning Tunelling Microscopy (STM) and Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) lab measurements at Néel Institute.