Direct growth of single-chiral-angle tungsten disulfide nanotubes using gold nanoparticle catalysts.

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanotubes offer a unique platform to explore the properties of TMD materials at the one-dimensional limit. Despite considerable efforts thus far, the direct growth of TMD nanotubes with controllable chirality remains challenging. Here we demonstrate the direct and facile growth of high-quality WS and WSe nanotubes on Si substrates using catalytic chemical vapour deposition with Au nanoparticles. The Au nanoparticles provide unique accommodation sites for the nucleation of WS or WSe shells on their surfaces and seed the subsequent growth of nanotubes. We find that the growth mode of nanotubes is sensitive to the temperature. With careful temperature control, we realize ~79% WS nanotubes with single chiral angles, with a preference of 30° (~37%) and 0° (~12%). Moreover, we demonstrate how the geometric, electronic and optical properties of the synthesized WS nanotubes can be modulated by the chirality. We anticipate that this approach using Au nanoparticles as catalysts will facilitate the growth of TMD nanotubes with controllable chirality and promote the study of their interesting properties and applications.