Nanowire-to-Nanoribbon Conversion in Transition-Metal Chalcogenides: Implications for One-Dimensional Electronics and Optoelectronics

The dominant quantum confinement and edge effects in one-dimensional (1D) transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) nanoribbons have given rise to physical properties useful in electronic, optoelectronic, and catalytic applications. Numerous methods of synthesizing TMDC nanoribbons via top-down or bottom-up methods have already been developed. However, controlling the mass growth of these materials remains challenging. We herein describe a predefined growth of zigzag-type TMDC nanoribbons using WTe atomic wires as template precursors. Bundles of WTe wires were annealed in the presence of chalcogen vapors to induce structural transformation into nanoribbons of layered WS₂, WSe₂, or WTe₂. Depending on the stacking arrangement of the WTe wires, vertically or horizontally aligned nanoribbons were generated, forming random or unidirectional networks. The resultant WSe₂nanoribbons showed anisotropic optical responses in Raman and photocurrent measurements, indicating their 1D nature. The present results provide a path for not only the possible structural engineering of TMDC nanoribbons but also their application in sophisticated 1D electronic and optoelectronic devices.