Mechanical lubricants are used in a wide range of applications, some of them involving high temperatures. Thanks to its improved friction properties, MoS2 molybdenum disulfide is used as a solid lubricant in the form of a thermally resistant coating. In particular, it is applied to the surface of certain metal oxides by thermal thin-film deposition processes such as ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition).

However, studies have shown that the use of the following two precursors, molybdenum hexafluoride MoF6 and hydrogen sulfide H2S, enables better control of the thermal deposition of atomic layers of molybdenum disulfide. Indeed, the reaction of these two precursors with the metal oxide enables the nucleation and growth of MoS2 layers.

The study also showed that the deposition temperature has an influence on the fraction of MoS2 present in the deposited films. Temperature also plays an important role in film morphology. The results obtained provide a better understanding of molybdenum disulfide nucleation, as well as insights into surface preparation for the deposition of multilayer films.