Abstract
Using elastic neutron scattering on single crystals of MoTe2 and Mo1−xWxTe2 (x≲0.01), the temperature dependence of the recently discovered T∗d phase, present between the low-temperature orthorhombic Td phase and high-temperature monoclinic 1T′ phase, is explored. The T∗d phase appears only on warming from Td and is observed in the hysteresis region prior to the 1T′ transition. This phase consists of four layers in its unit cell, and is constructed by an “AABB” sequence of layer stacking operations rather than the “AB” and “AA” sequences of the 1T′ and Td phases, respectively. Though the T∗d phase emerges without disorder on warming from Td, on cooling from 1T′ diffuse scattering is observed that suggests a frustrated tendency toward the “AABB” stacking.
