title: Mechanical properties of freely suspended semiconducting graphene-like layers based on MoS2.
abstract: We fabricate freely suspended nanosheets of molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) which are characterized by quantitative optical microscopy and high-resolution friction force microscopy. We study the elastic deformation of freely suspended nanosheets of MoS2 using an atomic force microscope. The Young's modulus and the initial pre-tension of the nanosheets are determined by performing a nanoscopic version of a bending test experiment. MoS2 sheets show high elasticity and an extremely high Young's modulus (0.30 TPa, 50% larger than steel). These results make them a potential alternative to graphene in applications requiring flexible semiconductor materials.PACS, 73.61.Le, other inorganic semiconductors, 68.65.Ac, multilayers, 62.20.de, elastic moduli, 81.40.Jj, elasticity and anelasticity, stress-strain relations.
authors.affiliation: Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, Delft 2628, CJ, The Netherlands. a.castellanosgomez@tudelft.nl.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castellanos-Gomez
authors.forename: Menno
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poot
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: Herre Sj
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: van der Zant
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agraït
authors.forename: Gabino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rubio-Bollinger