Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The full utilization of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) faces several challenges, among which is realizing uniform material deposition on the 2D surface. Typical strategies to enable material growth lead to a poor interface quality, degrading the 2D TMDC’s properties. In this work, a sacrificial, graphene oxide-based seeding layer is used (1) as passivation layer, protecting the underlying 2D TMDC and (2) as nucleation layer, enabling uniform material growth. Graphene is transferred on monolayer WS<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>, establishing a high-quality van der Waals interface. After transfer, the polymeric residues on graphene are cleaned via a combination of wet- and dry treatments and functionalized via dry UV/O<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> oxidation. The rate of graphene oxidation is shown to be substrate dependent, which is explained by UV light-induced ultrafast charge transfer between the graphene and WS<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> monolayer. The carbon-oxygen functionalities serve as nucleation sites in a subsequent HfO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> ALD process, achieving more uniform dielectric growth and faster layer closure compared to direct deposition. The graphene-based nucleation- / passivation approach offers adaptability, allowing for tailored surface chemistry to enable any alternative material growth, while maintaining a prefect van der Waals interface.</jats:p>