Interlayer dislocations in multilayer and bulk MoS₂

Dislocations in van der Waals materials are linear defects confined to the interfaces between consecutive stoichiometric monolayers of a bulk layered crystal. Here, we present a mesoscale model for the description of interlayer dislocations in thin films of transition metal dichalcogenides. Taking 2H-MoS₂ as a representative material, we compute the dependence of the dislocation energy on the film thickness, from few-layer MoS₂ to the bulk crystal, and analyse the strain field in the layers surrounding a dislocation. We also analyse the influence of strain field on the band edge profiles for electrons and holes, and conclude that the resulting energy profiles are incapable of localising charge carriers, in particular at room temperature.