Bridging the gap between atomically thin semiconductors and metal leads

Electrically interfacing atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors (TMDSCs) with metal leads is challenging because of undesired interface barriers, which have drastically constrained the electrical performance of TMDSC devices for exploring their unconventional physical properties and realizing potential electronic applications. Here we demonstrate a strategy to achieve nearly barrier-free electrical contacts with few-layer TMDSCs by engineering interfacial bonding distortion. The carrier-injection efficiency of such electrical junction is substantially increased with robust ohmic behaviors from room to cryogenic temperatures. The performance enhancements of TMDSC field-effect transistors are well reflected by the low contact resistance (down to 90 Ωμm in MoS2, towards the quantum limit), the high field-effect mobility (up to 358,000 cm²V^-1s^-1 in WSe2), and the prominent transport characteristics at cryogenic temperatures. This method also offers possibilities of the local manipulation of atomic structures and electronic properties for TMDSC device design.