Interfacial defect engineering and photocatalysis properties of hBN/MX2 (M = Mo,W, and X = S,Se heterostructures

Van der Waals (VDW) heterostructures have attracted significant research interest due to their tunable interfacial properties and potential applications in many areas such as electronics, optoelectronic, and heterocatalysis. In this work, the influences of interfacial defects on the electronic structures and photocatalytic properties of hBN/MX₂ (M = Mo, W, and X=S, Se) are studied using density functional theory calculations. The results reveal that the band alignment of hBN/MX₂ can be adjusted by introducing vacancies and atomic doping. The type-I band alignment of the host structure is maintained in the heterostructure with n-type doping in the hBN sublayer. Interestingly, the band alignment changed into the type-II heterostructrue due to V_B defect and p-type doping is introduced into the hBN sublayer. This can conduce to the separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs at the interfaces, which is highly desired for heterostructure photocatalysis. In addition, two Z-type heterostructures including hBN(Be_B)/MoS₂, hBN(Be_B)/MoSe₂, and hBN(V_N)/MoSe₂ are achieved, showing the decreasing of band gap and ideal redox potential for water splitting. Our results reveal the possibility of engineering the interfacial and photocatalysis properties of hBN/MX₂ heterostructures via interfacial defects.     

Mechanical properties of lateral transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures

Transition metal dichalcogenide(TMD)monolayers attract great attention due to their specific structural,electronic and mechanical properties.The formation of their lateral heterostructures allows a new degree of flexibility in engineering electronic and optoelectronic dervices.However,the mechanical properties of the lateral heterostructures are rarely investigated.In this study,a comparative investigation on the mechanical characteristics of 1H,IT'and 1H/1T'heterostructure phases of different TMD monolayers including molybdenum disulfide(M0S₂)molybdenum diselenide(MoSe₂),Tungsten disulfide(WS₂),and Tungsten diselenide(WSe₂)was conducted by means of density functional theory(DFT)calculations.Our results indicate that the impact of the lateral heterostructures has a relatively weak mechanical strength for all the TMD monolayers.The significant correlation bet ween the mechanical properties of the TMD monolayers and their structural phases can be used to tune their stiffness of the materials.Our findings,therefore,suggest a novel strategy to manipulate the mechanical characteristics of TMDs by engineering their structural phases for their practical applications.     

Energy band alignment of 2D/3D MoS2/4H-SiC heterostructure modulated by multiple interfacial interactions

The interfacial properties of MoS₂/4H-SiC heterostructures were studied by combining first-principles calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Experimental (theoretical) valence band offsets (VBOs) increase from 1.49 (1.46) to 2.19 (2.36) eV with increasing MoS₂ monolayer (1L) up to 4 layers (4L). A strong interlayer interaction was revealed at 1L MoS₂/SiC interface. Fermi level pinning and totally surface passivation were realized for 4H-SiC (0001) surface. About 0.96e per unit cell transferring forms an electric field from SiC to MoS₂. Then, 1L MoS₂/SiC interface exhibits type I band alignment with the asymmetric conduction band offset (CBO) and VBO. For 2L and 4L MoS₂/SiC, Fermi level was just pinning at the lower MoS₂ 1L. The interaction keeps weak vdW interaction between upper and lower MoS₂ layers. They exhibit the type II band alignments and the enlarged CBOs and VBOs, which is attributed to weak vdW interaction and strong interlayer orbital coupling in the multilayer MoS₂. High efficiency of charge separation will emerge due to the asymmetric band alignment and built-in electric field for all the MoS₂/SiC interfaces. The multiple interfacial interactions provide a new modulated perspective for the next-generation electronics and optoelectronics based on the 2D/3D semiconductors heterojunctions.     

碳纳米管/二硒化钼有机玻璃的非线性吸收、非线性散射和光限幅特性

MoSe₂的禁带宽度较窄（1.1–1.5 eV）,且具有可调谐的激子光电效应,这样使其在光致发光、光电晶体管、太阳能电池和光学非线性等方面具有潜在的应用价值.然而,纯的MoSe₂的光生电子空穴复合率较高,限制了其在某些光学领域中的应用.通过设计MoSe₂的复合材料,可以降低材料的光生电子空穴复合率,从而扩展其应用领域.首先,通过热溶剂法合成CNT/MoSe₂复合材料;然后,通过浇铸法将其分散在甲基丙烯酸甲酯（MMA）中制备成有机玻璃,其中MMA会聚合成聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯（PMMA）,并利用改进的Z-扫描技术首次对CNT/MoSe₂/PMMA有机玻璃的非线性吸收、非线性散射和光限幅特性进行了研究.研究表明,随着输入能量的变化,通过调节输入能量,CNT/MoSe₂/PMMA有机玻璃表现出饱和吸收（SA）和从SA到反饱和吸收的转变.结合材料特性及应用条件要求,可以得到CNT/MoSe₂/PMMA有机玻璃在光学设备,如光学限制器和锁模/调Q激光器等方向具有较好的应用前景.     

Interfacial properties of 2D WS2 on SiO2 substrate from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles calculations

Two-dimensional (2D) WS₂ films were deposited on SiO₂ wafers, and the related interfacial properties were investigated by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and first-principles calculations. Using the direct (indirect) method, the valence band offset (VBO) at monolayer WS₂/SiO₂ interface was found to be 3.97 eV (3.86 eV), and the conduction band offset (CBO) was 2.70 eV (2.81 eV). Furthermore, the VBO (CBO) at bulk WS₂/SiO₂ interface is found to be about 0.48 eV (0.33 eV) larger due to the interlayer orbital coupling and splitting of valence and conduction band edges. Therefore, the WS₂/SiO₂ heterostructure has a Type I energy-band alignment. The band offsets obtained experimentally and theoretically are consistent except the narrower theoretical bandgap of SiO₂. The theoretical calculations further reveal a binding energy of 75 meV per S atom and the totally separated partial density of states, indicating a weak interaction and negligible Fermi level pinning effect between WS₂ monolayer and SiO₂ surface. Our combined experimental and theoretical results provide proof of the sufficient VBOs and CBOs and weak interaction in 2D WS₂/SiO₂ heterostructures.     

Te掺杂单层MoS2的电子结构与光电性质

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算,研究了Te掺杂对单层MoS₂能带结构、电子态密度和光电性质的影响。结果表明,本征单层MoS₂属于直接带隙半导体材料,其禁带宽度为1.64 eV。本征单层MoS₂的价带顶主要由S-3p态电子和Mo-4d态电子构成,而其导带底则主要由Mo-4d态电子和S-3p态电子共同决定;Te掺杂单层MoS₂为间接带隙半导体材料,其禁带宽度为1.47 eV。同时通过Te掺杂,使单层MoS₂的静态介电常数增大,禁带宽度变窄,吸收光谱产生红移,研究结果为单层MoS₂在光电器件方面的应用提供了理论基础。     

二硫化钼/石墨烯异质结的界面结合作用及其对带边电位影响的理论研究

采用基于色散修正的平面波超软赝势方法研究了二硫化钼/石墨烯异质结的界面结合作用及其对电荷分布和带边电位的影响.研究表明二硫化钼与石墨烯之间可以形成范德瓦耳斯力结合的稳定堆叠结构.通过能带结构计算,发现二硫化钼与石墨烯的耦合导致二硫化钼成为n型半导体,石墨烯转变成小带隙的p型体系.并通过电子密度差分图证实了界面内二硫化钼附近聚集负电荷,石墨烯附近聚集正电荷,界面内形成的内建电场可以抑制光生电子-空穴对的复合.石墨烯的引入可以调制二硫化钼的能带,使其导带底上移至-0.31 eV,提高了光生电子还原能力,有利于光催化还原反应.     

Two dimensional GeO2/MoSi2N4 van der Waals heterostructures with robust type-II band alignment

Constructing two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) can expand the electronic and optoelectronic applications of 2D semiconductors. However, the work on the 2D vdWHs with robust band alignment is still scarce. Here, we employ a global structure search approach to construct the vdWHs with monolayer MoSi₂N₄ and wide-bandgap GeO₂. The studies show that the GeO₂/MoSi₂N₄ vdWHs have the characteristics of direct structures with the band gap of 0.946 eV and type-II band alignment with GeO₂ and MoSi₂N₄ layers as the conduction band minimum (CBM) and valence band maximum (VBM), respectively. Also, the direct-to-indirect band gap transition can be achieved by applying biaxial strain. In particular, the 2D GeO₂/MoSi₂N₄ vdWHs show a robust type-II band alignment under the effects of biaxial strain, interlayer distance and external electric field. The results provide a route to realize the robust type-II band alignment vdWHs, which is helpful for the implementation of optoelectronic nanodevices with stable characteristics.     

(Cu,N)共掺杂TiO2/MoS2异质结的电子和光学性能:杂化泛函HSE06

在密度泛函理论的基础上,系统地研究了Cu/N（共）掺杂的TiO₂/MoS₂异质结体系的几何结构、电子结构和光学性质.计算发现,TiO₂/MoS₂异质结的带隙相比于纯的TiO₂（101）表面明显变小,Cu/N（共）掺杂TiO₂/MoS₂异质结体系的禁带宽度也明显地减小,这导致光子激发能量的降低和光吸收能力的提高.通过计算Cu/N（共）掺杂TiO₂/MoS₂的差分电荷密度,发现光生电子与空穴积累在掺杂后的TiO₂（101）表面和单层MoS₂之间,这表明掺杂杂质体系可以有效地抑制光生电子-空穴对的复合.此外,我们计算了在不同压力下TiO₂/MoS₂异质结的几何、电子和光学性质,发现适当增加压力可以有效提高异质结的光吸收性能.本文结果表明,Cu/N（共）掺杂TiO₂/MoS₂异质结和对TiO₂/MoS₂异质结加压都能有效地提高材料的光学性能.     

Tuning band alignment and optical properties of 2D van der Waals heterostructure via ferroelectric polarization switching

Favourable band alignment and excellent visible light response are vital for photochemical water splitting. In this work, we have theoretically investigated how ferroelectric polarization and its reversibility in direction can be utilized to modulate the band alignment and optical absorption properties. For this objective, 2D van der Waals heterostructures (HTSs) are constructed by interfacing monolayer MoS₂ with ferroelectric In2Se3. We find the switch of polarization direction has dramatically changed the band alignment, thus facilitating different type of reactions. In In₂Se₃/MoS₂/In₂Se₃ heterostructures, one polarization direction supports hydrogen evolution reaction and another polarization direction can favour oxygen evolution reaction. These can be used to create tuneable photocatalyst materials where water reduction reactions can be selectively controlled by polarization switching. The modulation of band alignment is attributed to the shift of reaction potential caused by spontaneous polarization. Additionally, the formed type-II van der Waals HTSs also significantly improve charge separation and enhance the optical absorption in the visible and infrared regions. Our results pave a way in the design of van der Waals HTSs for water splitting using ferroelectric materials.     

Enhanced photoluminescence of monolayer MoS2 on stepped gold structure

Different MoS₂/Au heterostructures can play an important role in tuning the photoluminescence (PL) and optoelectrical properties of monolayer MoS₂. Previous studies of PL of MoS₂/Au heterostructures were mainly limited to the PL enhancement by using different Au nanostructures and PL quenching of monolayer MoS₂ on flat Au surfaces. Here, we demonstrate the enhanced excitonic PL emissions of monolayer MoS₂/Au heterostructures on Si/SiO₂ substrates. By transferring the continuous monolayer MoS₂ onto a stepped Au structure consisting of 60-nm and 100-nm Au films, the MoS₂/Au-60 and MoS₂/Au-100 heterostructures exhibit enhanced PL emissions, each with a blue-shifted PL peak in comparison with the MoS₂/SiO₂. Furthermore, the PL intensity of MoS₂/Au-60 is about twice larger than that of MoS₂/Au-100. The different enhanced excitonic PL emissions in MoS₂/Au heterostructures can be attributed to the different charge transfer effects modified by the stepped Au structure. This work may provide an insight into the excitonic PL and charge transfer effect of MoS₂ on Au film and yield novel phenomena in MoS₂/Au heterostructures for further study of PL tuning and optoelectrical properties.     

Valence band offset of GaN/diamond heterojunction measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

XPS was used to measure the energy discontinuity in the GaN/diamond heterostructure. The valence band offset (VBO) was determined to be 0.38 ± 0.15 eV and a type-II heterojunction with a conduction band offset (CBO) of 2.43 ± 0.15 eV was obtained.     

Electronic and optical properties of 3N-doped graphdiyne/MoS2 heterostructures tuned by biaxial strain and external electric field

The construction of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures by stacking different two-dimensional layered materials have been recognised as an effective strategy to obtain the desired properties. The 3N-doped graphdiyne (N-GY) has been successfully synthesized in the laboratory. It could be assembled into a supercapacitor and can be used for tensile energy storage. However, the flat band and wide forbidden bands could hinder its application of N-GY layer in optoelectronic and nanoelectronic devices. In order to extend the application of N-GY layer in electronic devices, MoS₂ was selected to construct an N-GY/MoS₂ heterostructure due to its good electronic and optical properties. The N-GY/MoS₂ heterostructure has an optical absorption range from the visible to ultraviolet with a absorption coefficient of 10⁵ cm^-1. The N-GY/MoS₂ heterostructure exhibits a type-Ⅱ band alignment allows the electron-hole to be located on N-GY and MoS₂ respectively, which can further reduce the electron-hole complexation to increase exciton lifetime. The power conversion efficiency of N-GY/MoS₂ heterostructure is up to 17.77%, indicating it is a promising candidate material for solar cells. In addition, the external electric field and biaxial strain could effectively tune the electronic structure. Our results provide a theoretical support for the design and application of N-GY/MoS₂ vdW heterostructures in semiconductor sensors and photovoltaic devices.     

Ultrafast interlayer photocarrier transfer in graphene–MoSe_2 van der Waals heterostructure

We report the fabrication and photocarrier dynamics in graphene–MoSe_2 heterostructures. The samples were fabricated by mechanical exfoliation and manual stacking techniques. Ultrafast laser measurements were performed on the heterostructure and MoSe_2 monolayer samples. By comparing the results, we conclude that photocarriers injected in MoSe_2 of the heterostructure transfer to graphene on an ultrafast time scale. The carriers in graphene alter the optical absorption coefficient of MoSe_2. These results illustrate the potential applications of this material in optoelectronic devices.     

Growth behaviors and emission properties of Co-deposited MAPbI3 ultrathin films on MoS2

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite thin films have attracted much attention in optoelectronic and information fields because of their intriguing properties. Due to quantum confinement effects, ultrathin films in nm scale usually show special properties. Here, we report on the growth of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) ultrathin films via co-deposition of PbI₂ and CH₃NH₃I (MAI) on chemical-vapor-deposition-grown monolayer MoS₂ as well as the corresponding photoluminescence (PL) properties at different growing stages. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy measurements reveal the MoS₂ tuned growth of MAPbI₃ in a Stranski-Krastanov mode. PL and Kelvin probe force microscopy results confirm that MAPbI₃/MoS₂ heterostructures have a type-II energy level alignment at the interface. Temperaturedependent PL measurements on layered MAPbI₃ (at the initial stage) and on MAPbI₃ crystals in averaged size of 500 nm (at the later stage) show rather different temperature dependence as well as the phase transitions from tetragonal to orthorhombic at 120 and 150 K, respectively. Our findings are useful in fabricating MAPbI₃/transition-metal dichalcogenide based innovative devices for wider optoelectronic applications.     

Chemical effects of Ne bombardment on the MoS2(0001) surface studied by high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy

The effect of 1 keV Ne⁺ bombardment on the clean MoS₂(0001)-1 × 1 surface with fluences between 4 × 10¹⁴ and 4 × 10¹⁶ Ne⁺/cm² was studied using high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy excited with synchrotron radiation. Spectra of the Mo 3d and S 2p core levels were measured with photon energies that ensured that the kinetic energy of the photoelectrons was the same, resulting in the same depth being probed for both core levels. For lower fluences (i.e., 2 × 10¹⁵ Ne⁺/cm²), S vacancy defect formation occurs in the MoS₂ lattice, with the concurrent formation of a small amount (< 10%) of dispersed elemental molybdenum [Mo(0)]. For fluences greater than l × 10¹⁶ Ne⁺/cm², the Mo(0) is the predominant species in the surface region, while the remaining species consist of amorphous MoS_2−x and polysulfide species. Valence band spectra taken with photon energies of 152 and 225 eV were consistent with the core level results. The movement of the valence band maximum toward the Fermi level indicated the formation of a metallic surface region. Annealing the sample to temperatures up to 1000 K resulted in the formation of metallic Mo coexisting, in approximately equal amounts, with reformed MoS₂ in a surface with no long-range order as determined by LEED. Finally, a qualitative depth distribution of the chemical species present after Ne⁺ bombardment was determined by varying the photon energies used for the core level spectra. The results indicate that the preferential sputtering of sulfur over molybdenum occurs predominantly through a mechanism involving chemical bonding effects, specifically, through the preferential emission of polysulfide ions over other species in the bombarded region.     

Thermally induced band hybridization in bilayer-bilayer MoS_2/WS_2 heterostructure

Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs), being valley selectively, are an ideal system hosting excitons. Stacking TMDs together to form heterostructure offers an exciting platform to engineer new optical and electronic properties in solid-state systems. However, due to the limited accuracy and repetitiveness of sample preparation, the effects of interlayer coupling on the electronic and excitonic properties have not been systematically investigated. In this report, we study the photoluminescence spectra of bilayer-bilayer MoS_2/WS_2 heterostructure with a type Ⅱ band alignment. We demonstrate that thermal annealing can increase interlayer coupling in the van der Waals heterostructures, and after thermally induced band hybridization such heterostructure behaves more like an artificial new solid, rather than just the combination of two individual TMD components. We also carry out experimental and theoretical studies of the electric controllable direct and indirect infrared interlayer excitons in such system. Our study reveals the impact of interlayer coupling on interlayer excitons and will shed light on the understanding and engineering of layer-controlled spin-valley configuration in twisted van der Waals heterostructures.     

Graphene versus MoS2: A short review

Graphene and MoS₂ are two well-known quasi two-dimensional materials. This review presents a comparative survey of the complementary lattice dynamical and mechanical properties of graphene and MoS₂, which facilitates the study of graphene/MoS₂ heterostructures. These hybrid heterostructures are expected to mitigate the negative properties of each individual constituent and have attracted intense academic and industrial research interest.     

The unique carrier mobility of Janus MoSSe/GaN heterostructures

Heterostructure is an effective approach in modulating the physical and chemical behavior of materials. Here, the first-principles calculations were carried out to explore the structural, electronic, and carrier mobility properties of Janus MoSSe/GaN heterostructures. This heterostructure exhibits a superior high carrier mobility of 281.28 cm²·V⁻¹·s⁻¹ for electron carrier and 3951.2 cm²·V⁻¹·s⁻¹ for hole carrier. Particularly, the magnitude of the carrier mobility can be further tuned by Janus structure and stacking modes of the heterostructure. It is revealed that the equivalent mass and elastic moduli strongly affect the carrier mobility of the heterostructure, while the deformation potential contributes to the different carrier mobility for electron and hole of the heterostructure. These results suggest that the Janus MoSSe/GaN heterostructures have many potential applications for the unique carrier mobility.     

Band alignment between NiO_x and nonpolar/semipolar GaN planes for selective-area-doped termination structure

Band alignment between NiO_x and nonpolar GaN plane and between NiO_x and semipolar GaN plane are measured by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. They demonstrate that the maximum value of the valence band in the unintentional-doped a-plane, m-plane, and r-plane GaN are comparable to each other, which means that all the substrates are of n-type with similar background carrier concentrations. However, the band offset at the NiO_x/GaN interface presents obvious crystalline plane dependency although they are coated with the same NiO_x films. By fitting the Ga 3 d spectrum obtained from the NiO_x/GaN interface, we find that relatively high Ga–O content at the interface corresponds to a small band offset. On the one hand, the high Ga–O content on the GaN surface will change the growth mode of NiO_x. On the other hand, the affinity difference between Ga and O forms a dipole which will introduce an extra energy band bending.