title: Tungsten Ditelluride: a layered semimetal.
abstract: Tungsten ditelluride (WTe2) is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) with physical and electronic properties that make it attractive for a variety of electronic applications. Although WTe2 has been studied for decades, its structure and electronic properties have only recently been correctly described. We experimentally and theoretically investigate the structure, dynamics and electronic properties of WTe2, and verify that WTe2 has its minimum energy configuration in a distorted 1T structure (Td structure), which results in metallic-like transport. Our findings unambiguously confirm the metallic nature of WTe2, introduce new information about the Raman modes of Td-WTe2, and demonstrate that Td-WTe2 is readily oxidized via environmental exposure. Finally, these findings confirm that, in its thermodynamically favored Td form, the utilization of WTe2 in electronic device architectures such as field effect transistors may need to be reevaluated.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [2] Center for 2-Dimensional and Layered Materials, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [3] Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, United States.
authors.forename: Chia-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for 2-Dimensional and Layered Materials, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [2] Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.
authors.forename: Eduardo Cruz
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: 1] Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, United States [2] Research Computing and Cyberinfrastructure, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.
authors.forename: Lazaro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calderin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.
authors.forename: Minh An T
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, The Pennsylvania University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [2] Center for 2-Dimensional and Layered Materials, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [3] Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, United States.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bersch
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [2] Department of Chemistry, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Mallouk
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [2] Center for 2-Dimensional and Layered Materials, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States [3] Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, United States.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Robinson