Moiré pattern in LEED obtained by van der Waals epitaxy of lattice mismatched WS2/MoTe2(0001) heterointerfaces

Thin films of WS2 have been grown by van der Waals epitaxy (vdWE) on the basal planes of 2H-MoTe2(0001). Despite a lateral mismatch of 10.3%, epitaxial growth is achieved by metal organic vdWE (MOvdWE). In low energy electron diffraction (LEED) measurements a Moiré-like superstructure is observed originating from and correlated to the lateral mismatch between film and substrate. I–V LEED investigations in the course of sequential film growth reveal an undulation of the lattice at the interfaces as the origin of the Moiré-like structure rather than simple multiple scattering between overlayer and substrate.