High-performance p-type two-dimensional transistors enabled by weak disorder engineering

High-performance field effect transistors (FETs) demand efficient charge doping alongside superior charge transport, which has proven challenging for p-type two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors. Conventional substitutional impurity doping often induces severe lattice damage and deep-level acceptor states within 2D semiconductors, severely deteriorating carrier transport. Here, we demonstrate weak disorder engineering (WD)—a mild two-step procedure involving sulfur vacancy creation and subsequent oxygen passivation—to simultaneously achieve efficient hole doping and exceptional hole transport in 2D semiconductors (e.g., MoS2 and WS2, collectively denoted as MS2). First-principles calculations reveal that oxygen-passivated sulfur vacancies suppress deep trap states while preserving near-valence-edge occupied states (NVOS), rationalizing the simultaneous hole doping and high hole mobility. Photoelectron spectroscopy indicates the Fermi level (EF) of WD-MS2 is shifted by ~ 240 meV toward the valence band. Structural and Raman characterizations show that the mild process preserves the lattice integrity of 2D semiconductors and introduces compressive strain. Owing to NVOS‑induced efficient hole doping, suppressed deep‑trap states, preserved lattice integrity, and engineered compressive strain, the p‑type 2D WD‑MS2 FETs deliver high hole mobilities, high on/off ratios, and large current densities. Furthermore, high‑gain, low‑power 2D Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) inverters are constructed by integrating p‑type WD-WS2 FETs. Stable p-type doping of 2D semiconductors remains an important challenge towards the development of complementary 2D electronics. Here, the authors report a procedure involving sulphur vacancy creation and subsequent oxygen passivation to realize high-performance 2D MoS2 and WS2 p-type transistors.