Lateral heterostructures of 2D materials have several interesting properties and potential applications, and they are usually fabricated by chemical vapor deposition. However, it still remains a great challenge to fabricate 2D lateral heterostructures with well-controlled patterns and sharp interfaces. Herein, we found that the 2D α-MoC crystal, a recently emerging 2D superconductor, experiences a phase transition from the α phase to β phase on electron beam irradiation in a transmission electron microscope because of the migration of carbon atoms among the molybdenum octahedrons. Combined with first-principles calculations, the carbon atom migration paths and the corresponding energy barriers were discussed. Utilizing this unique phase transition property of 2D α-MoC crystal, we demonstrated the precise in situ construction of the lateral heterostructure of 2D superconducting α/β MoC with a well-controlled pattern and sharp interface using advanced aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Monolayer circular graphene platelets with a grain structure gradient in the radial direction are synthesized by chemical vapor deposition on immiscible W-Cu substrates. Because of the different interactions and growth behaviors of graphene on Cu and tungsten carbide, such substrates cause the formation of grain size and orientation gradients through the competition between Cu and tungsten carbide in graphene growth.