Engineering of Layered Metal Dichalcogenides: Introducing Imperfections to Make it Perfect

In the past decade, the surge in research of layered metal dichalcogenides (LMD) has already demonstrated the tremendous potentiality of this particular category of materials towards technology. But in parallel, it is also established that to make them technology-perfect meticulous engineering to impose ‘imperfections’ within the materials is inevitable. So exploring different LMD with inexorable and appropriate engineering techniques for the enhancement of their functionality is the burning issue for materials scientists. This review comprehensively focuses on different pathways of introducing ‘imperfections’ within various LMDs, mainly by engineering the thickness, morphology, defect, doping and phase. Based on recent progress thickness and shape engineering of LMDs have been discussed with their success and modulation by defect has been examined in detail. Doping and phase engineering of LMDs have also been illustrated with the light of development till now. Finally, challenges and opportunities associated with this research direction are highlighted.