Selenization of V$_2$O$_5$/WO$_3$ Bilayers for Tuned Optoelectronic Response of WSe$_2$ Films

TL;DR

This study presents a scalable method to dope WSe$_2$ with vanadium via selenization of V$_2$O$_5$/WO$_3$ films, significantly enhancing hole conduction and inducing an insulator-to-metal transition.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, scalable doping technique for WSe$_2$ using V$_2$O$_5$/WO$_3$ selenization, enabling precise control of electronic properties.

Findings

Drain current increased by nearly three orders of magnitude with V doping.

Varying V content induces an insulator-to-metal transition in WSe$_2$.

Photoconductive gain decreases, indicating enhanced recombination effects.

Abstract

Scalable and controlled doping of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides is essential for tuning their electronic and optoelectronic properties. In this work, we demonstrate a robust approach for substitution of vanadium in tungsten diselenide (WSe$_2$) via the selenization of pre-deposited V$_2$O$_5$/WO$_3$ thin films. By adjusting the thickness of the vanadium oxide layer, the V concentration in W$_{1-x}$V$_x$Se$_2$ is systematically varied. Electrical measurements on field-effect transistors reveal a substantial enhancement in hole conduction, with drain current increasing by nearly three orders of magnitude compared to undoped WSe$_2$. Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity indicates a clear insulator-to-metal transition with increasing V content, likely due to band structure modifications. Concurrently, the photoconductive gain decreases, suggesting enhanced recombination and charge screening effects. These results establish vanadium doping via selenization of V$_2$O$_5$/WO$_3$ films as a scalable strategy for modulating the transport and photoresponse of WSe$_2$, offering promising implications for wafer-scale optoelectronic device integration.