Monolayer MoS2 Dendrites on a Symmetry-Disparate SrTiO3 (001) Substrate: Formation Mechanism and Interface Interaction

Dendritic patterns generated in non‐equilibrium growth processes are prevalent in nature while their formation mechanisms are far from fully understood. Here, we report a coverage‐dependent fractal degree evolution of monolayer 2H‐MoS2 dendrites synthesized on a symmetry‐disparate substrate of SrTiO3 (001). Surprisingly, various characterizations have revealed that the monolayer dendrites featured with orthogonal backbones are single crystalline, possessing both peculiar adlayer‐substrate interaction and abnormal indirect bandgap on SrTiO3 (001). Further theoretical calculations indicate that a prominent diffusion anisotropy of monomer precursors, combined with the disparate adlayer‐substrate symmetry, determine the diffusion‐limited aggregation of MoS2 towards dendritic shapes. This work provides brand‐new insights in the morphological engineering of two‐dimensional atomic crystals, and contributes greatly to an in‐depth understanding of the detailed dynamics in non‐equilibrium crystal growth. A morphologically engineered growth of monolayer MoS2 dendrites is reported. Such diffusion‐limited aggregation behavior is proposed to be mediated by a prominent diffusion anisotropy of monomer MoS x precursors on SrTiO3 (001), in combination with the symmetry disparity of MoS2 adlayer and SrTiO3 substrates.