Enhanced Field-Emission Behavior of Layered MoS2 Sheets

Field emission studies are reported for the first time on layered MoS2 sheets at the base pressure of ∼1 × 10−8 mbar. The turn‐on field required to draw a field emission current density of 10 μA/cm2 is found to be 3.5 V/μm for MoS2 sheets. The turn‐on values are found to be significantly lower than the reported MoS2 nanoflowers, graphene, and carbon nanotube‐based field emitters due to the high field enhancement factor (∼1138) associated with nanometric sharp edges of MoS2 sheet emitter surface. The emission current–time plots show good stability over a period of 3 h. Owing to the low turn‐on field and planar (sheetlike) structure, the MoS2 could be utilized for future vacuum microelectronics/nanoelectronic and flat panel display applications. Field emission studies of few‐layer MoS2 sheets show that the turn‐on field required to draw a current density of 10 μA/cm2 is 3.5 V/μm. The turn‐on value is comparable with MoS2 nanoflower‐, graphene‐, and carbon nanotube‐based field emitters. The low turn‐on field value is due to the high field‐enhancement factor (∼1138) associated with the nanometric sharp edges of the MoS2 sheets. It is possible to orient the layered MoS2 sheets for achieving a higher field enhancement factor, resulting in a high current density obtainable at the lower field.