Optical two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy of excitons in transition-metal dichalcogenides

Exciton physics in atomically thin transition-metal dichalcogenides(TMDCs)holds paramount importance for fundamental physics research and prospective applications.However,the experimental exploration of exciton physics,including excitonic coherence dynamics,exciton many-body interactions,and their optical properties,faces challenges stemming from factors such as spatial heterogeneity and intricate many-body effects.In this perspective,we elaborate upon how optical two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy(2DCS)emerges as an effective tool to tackle the challenges,and outline potential directions for gaining deeper insights into exciton physics in forthcoming experiments with the advancements in 2DCS techniques and new materials.

High-throughput screening of phase-engineered atomically thin transition-metal dichalcogenides for van der Waals contacts at the Schottky–Mott limit

A main challenge for the development of two-dimensional devices based on atomically thin transition-metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)is the realization of metal–semiconductor junctions(MSJs)with low contact resistance and high charge transport capability.However,traditional metal–TMD junctions usually suffer from strong Fermi-level pinning(FLP)and chemical disorder at the interfaces,resulting in weak device performance and high energy consump-tion.By means of high-throughput first-principles calculations,we report an attractive solution via the formation of van der Waals(vdW)contacts between metallic and semiconducting TMDs.We apply a phase-engineering strategy to create a monolayer TMD database for achieving a wide range of work func-tions and band gaps,hence offering a large degree of freedom to construct TMD vdW MSJs with desired contact types.The Schottky barrier heights and contact types of 728 MSJs have been identified and they exhibit weak FLP(-0.62 to-0.90)as compared with the traditional metal–TMD junctions.We find that the interfacial interactions of the MSJs bring a delicate competition between the FLP strength and carrier tunneling efficiency,which can be uti-lized to screen high-performance MSJs.Based on a set of screening criteria,four potential TMD vdW MSJs(e.g.,NiTe_(2)/ZrSe_(2),NiTe_(2)/PdSe_(2),HfTe_(2)/PdTe_(2),TaSe_(2)/MoTe_(2))with Ohmic contact,weak FLP,and high carrier tunneling probability have been predicted.This work not only provides a fundamental understanding of contact properties of TMD vdW MSJs but also renders their huge potential for electronics and optoelectronics.

Synthesizability of transition-metal dichalcogenides:a systematic first-principles evaluation

Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)are a class of materials with various useful properties,and it is worthwhile to have a thorough evaluation of the characteristics of the TMDs,most importantly,their structural stability and exfoliability,in a systematic fashion.Here,by employing high-throughput first-principles calculations,we investigate the vast phase space of TMDs,including 16 bulk phases and 6 monolayer phases for all possible TMD combinations[comprising(3d,4d,5d)transition-metal cations and(S,Se,Te)anions],totaling 1386 compounds.Through the‘bird-view’of the as-large-as-possible configurational and chemical space of TMDs,our work presents comprehensive energy landscapes to elucidate the thermodynamic stability as well as the exfoliability of TMDs,which are of vital importance for future synthesis and exploration towards large-scale industrial applications.

Ordering phenomena in ternary transition-metal dichalcogenides:Critical role of lattice symmetry and vdW interaction

Concentrated solid solution materials with huge compositional design space and normally unexpected property attract extensive interests of researchers.In these emerging materials,local composition fluctuation such as short-range order(SRO),has been observed and found to have nontrivial effects on material properties,and thus can be utilized as an additional degree of freedom for material optimization.To exploit SRO,its interplay with factors beyond element-level property,including lattice symmetry and bonding environment,should be clarified.In this work by using layered transition-metal dichalcogenide Mo(X0.5X00.5)2(X/X0=O,S,Se,or Te)with mixed element in the non-metal sublattice as the platform,the ordering phenomena are systematically studied using multiscale simulations.As expected,electronegativity difference between X and X0 strongly regulates SRO.Additionally,SRO and long-range order(LRO)are observed in the 2H and T/T0 phase of MoXX0,respectively,indicating a strong influence of lattice symmetry on SRO.More importantly,as vdW interaction is introduced,the SRO structure in 2HMoXX0 bilayer can be re-configured,while the LRO in T/T0-MoXX0 remains unchanged.Electronic insights for SRO and the resultant property variation are obtained.This work presents a thorough understanding of SRO in bonding complex systems,benefiting the SRO-guided material designs.

Strong-coupling superconductivity induced by calcium intercalation in bilayer transition-metal dichalcogenides

We theoretically investigate the possibility of achieving a superconducting state in transition-metal dichalcogenide bilayers through intercalation, a process previously and widely used to achieve metal- lization and superconducting states in novel superconductors. For the Ca-intercalated bilayers MoSs and WS2, we find that the superconducting state is characterized by an electron-phonon coupling constant larger than 1.0 and a superconducting critical temperature of 13.3 and 9.3 K, respectively. These results are superior to other predicted or experimentally observed two-dimensional conventional ＇superconductors and suggest that the investigated materials may be good candidates for nanoscale su- perconductors. More interestingly, we proved that the obtained thermodynamic properties go beyond the predictions of the mean-field Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer approximation and that the calculations conducted within the framework of the strong-coupling Eliashberg theory should be treated as those that yield quantitative results.

Hidden spin polarization in the 1T-phase layered transition-metal dichalcogenides MX_2(M = Zr, Hf; X = S, Se, Te)

The recent discovery of hidden spin polarization emerging in layered materials of specific nonmagnetic crystal is a fascinating phenomenon, though hardly explored yet. Here, we have studied hidden spin tex- tures in layered nonmagnetic 1 T-phase transition-metal dichalcogenides MX2 （M = Zr, Hf; X = S, Se, Te） by using first-principles calculations. Spin-layer locking effect, namely, energy-degenerate opposite spins spatially separated in the top and bottom layer respectively, has been identified. In particular, the hidden spin polarization of 13-band can be easily probed, which is strongly affected by the strength of spin-orbit coupling. The hidden spin polarization of k-band locating at high symmetry M point （conduction band minimum） has a strong anisotropy. In the bilayer, the hidden spin polarization is preserved at the upmost Se layer, while being suppressed if the ZrSe2 layer is taken as the symmetry partner. Our results on hidden spin polarization in 1 T-phase dichalcogenides, verifiable by spin-resolved and angle-resolved photoemis- sion spectroscopy （ARPES）, enrich our understanding of spin physics and provide important clues to search for specific spin polarization in two dimensional materials for spintronic and quantum informa- tion applications.

Pulsed laser interference patterning of transition-metal carbides for stable alkaline water electrolysis kinetics

We investigated the role of metal atomization and solvent decomposition into reductive species and carbon clusters in the phase formation of transition-metal carbides(TMCs;namely,Co_(3)C,Fe_(3)C,TiC,and MoC)by pulsed laser ablation of Co,Fe,Ti,and Mo metals in acetone.The interaction between carbon s-p-orbitals and metal d-orbitals causes a redistribution of valence structure through charge transfer,leading to the formation of surface defects as observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.These defects influence the evolved TMCs,making them effective for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions(HER and OER)in an alkaline medium.Co_(3)C with more oxygen affinity promoted CoO(OH)intermediates,and the electrochemical surface oxidation to Co_(3)O_(4)was captured via in situ/operando electrochemical Raman probes,increasing the number of active sites for OER activity.MoC with more d-vacancies exhibits strong hydrogen binding,promoting HER kinetics,whereas Fe_(3)C and TiC with more defect states to trap charge carriers may hinder both OER and HER activities.The results show that the assembled membrane-less electrolyzer with Co_(3)C∥Co_(3)C and MoC∥MoC electrodes requires~2.01 and 1.99 V,respectively,to deliver a 10 mA cm−2 with excellent electrochemical and structural stability.In addition,the ascertained pulsed laser synthesis mechanism and unit-cell packing relations will open up sustainable pathways for obtaining highly stable electrocatalysts for electrolyzers.

Two-dimensional noble transition-metal dichalcogenides for nanophotonics and optoelectronics:Status and prospects

An emerging subclass of transition-metal dichalcogenides(TMDs),noble-transition-metal dichalcogenides(NMDs),has led to an increase in nanoscientific research in two-dimensional(2D)materials.NMDs feature a unique structure and several useful properties.2D NMDs are promising candidates for a broad range of applications in areas such as photodetectors,phototransistors,saturable absorbers,and meta optics.In this review,the state of the art of 2D NMDs research,their structures,properties,synthesis,and potential applications are discussed,and a perspective of expected future developments is provided.

Defect-engineered two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides towards electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction

Recently,two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)demonstrated their great potential as cost-effective catalysts in hydrogen evolution reaction.Herein,we systematically summarize the existing defect engineering strategies,including intrinsic defects(atomic vacancy and active edges)and extrinsic defects(metal doping,nonmetal doping,and hybrid doping),which have been utilized to obtain advanced TMD-based electrocatalysts.Based on theoretical simulations and experimental results,the electronic structure,intermediate adsorption/desorption energies and possible catalytic mechanisms are thoroughly discussed.Particular emphasis is given to the intrinsic relationship between various types of defects and electrocatalytic properties.Furthermore,current opportunities and challenges for mechanical investigations and applications of defective TMD-based catalysts are presented.The aim herein is to reveal the respective properties of various defective TMD catalysts and provide valuable insights for fabricating high-efficiency TMD-based electrocatalysts.

Current advances of transition metal dichalcogenides in electromagnetic wave absorption:A brief review

Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)show great advantages in electromagnetic wave(EMW)absorption due to their unique structure and electrical properties.Tremendous research works on TMD-based EMW absorbers have been conducted in the last three years,and the comprehensive and systematical summary is still a rarity.Therefore,it is of great significance to elaborate on the interaction among the morphologies,structures,phases,components,and EMW absorption performances of TMD-based absorbers.This review is devoted to analyzing TMD-based absorbers from the following perspectives:the EMW absorption regulation strategies of TMDs and the latest progress of TMD-based hybrids as EMW absorbers.The absorption mechanisms and component-performance dependency of these achievements are also summarized.Finally,a straightforward insight into industrial revolution upgrading in this promising field is proposed.

Recent advances of transition-metal metaphosphates for efficient electrocatalytic water splitting

Sustainable production of H2 through electrochemical water splitting is of great importance in the foreseeable future.Transition-metal metaphosphates(TMMPs)have a three-dimensional(3D)open-framework structure and a high content of P(which exists as PO3-),and therefore have been recognized as highly efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and the bottleneck of electrochemical water splitting.Furthermore,TMMPs can also contribute to hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in alkaline and neutral media by facilitating water dissociation,and thus,overall water splitting can be achieved using this kind of material.In this timely review,we summarize the recent advances in the synthesis of TMMPs and their applications in OER and HER.We present a brief introduction of the structure and synthetic strategies of TMMPs in the first two parts.Then,we review the latest progress made in research on TMMPs as OER,HER,and overall water-splitting electrocatalysts.In this part,the intrinsic activity of TMMPs as well as the current strategy for improving the catalytic activity will be discussed systematically.Finally,we present the future opportunities and the remaining challenges for the application of TMMPs in the electrocatalysis field.

Environmental Analysis with 2D Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide-Based Field-Effect Transistors

Field-effect transistors(FETs)present highly sensitive,rapid,and in situ detection capability in chemical and biological analysis.Recently,two-dimensional(2D)transition-metal dichalcogenides(TMDCs)attract significant attention as FET channel due to their unique structures and outstanding properties.With the booming of studies on TMDC FETs,we aim to give a timely review on TMDCbased FET sensors for environmental analysis in different media.First,theoretical basics on TMDC and FET sensor are introduced.Then,recent advances of TMDC FET sensor for pollutant detection in gaseous and aqueous media are,respectively,discussed.At last,future perspectives and challenges in practical application and commercialization are given for TMDC FET sensors.This article provides an overview on TMDC sensors for a wide variety of analytes with an emphasize on the increasing demand of advanced sensing technologies in environmental analysis.

MoiréDirac fermions in transition metal dichalcogenides heterobilayers

Monolayer group-VIB transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)feature low-energy massive Dirac fermions,which have valley contrasting Berry curvature.This nontrivial local band topology gives rise to valley Hall transport and optical selection rules for interband transitions that open up new possibilities for valleytronics.However,the large bandgap in TMDs results in relatively small Berry curvature,leading to weak valley contrasting physics in practical experiments.Here,we show that Dirac fermions with tunable large Berry curvature can be engineered in moirésuperlattice of TMD heterobilayers.These moiréDirac fermions are created in a magnified honeycomb lattice with its sublattice degree of freedom formed by two local moirépotential minima.We show that applying an on-site potential can tune the moiréflat bands into helical ones.In short-period moirésuperlattice,we find that the two moirévalleys become asymmetric,which results in a net spin Hall current.More interestingly,a circularly polarized light drives these moiréDirac fermions into quantum anomalous Hall phase with chiral edge states.Our results open a new possibility to design the moiré-scale spin and valley physics using TMD moiréstructures.

Thermal properties of transition-metal dichalcogenide

Beyond graphene, the layered transition metal dichalcogenides （TMDs） have gained considerable attention due to their unique properties. Herein, we review the lattice dynamic and thermal properties of monolayer TMDs, including their phonon dispersion, relaxation time, mean free path （MFP）, and thermal conductivities. In particular, the experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the TMDs have relatively low thermal conductivities due to the short phonon group velocity and MFP, which poses a significant challenge for efficient thermal management of TMDs-based devices. Importantly, recent studies have shown that this issue could be largely addressed by connecting TMDs and other materials （such as metal electrode and graphene） with chemical bonds, and a relatively high interracial thermal conductance （ITC） could be achieved at the covalent bonded interface. The ITC of MoS2/Au interface with chemical edge contact is more than 10 times higher than that with physical side contact. In this article, we review recent advances in the study of TMD-related ITC. The effects of temperature, interfacial vacancy, contact orientation, and phonon modes on the edge-contacted interface are briefly discussed.

Thermal transport properties of two-dimensional boron dichalcogenides from a first-principles and machine learning approach

The investigation of thermal transport is crucial to the thermal management of modern electronic devices.To obtain the thermal conductivity through solution of the Boltzmann transport equation,calculation of the anharmonic interatomic force constants has a high computational cost based on the current method of single-point density functional theory force calculation.The recent suggested machine learning interatomic potentials(MLIPs)method can avoid these huge computational demands.In this work,we study the thermal conductivity of two-dimensional MoS_(2)-like hexagonal boron dichalcogenides(H-B_(2)VI_(2);V I=S,Se,Te)with a combination of MLIPs and the phonon Boltzmann transport equation.The room-temperature thermal conductivity of H-B_(2)S_(2)can reach up to 336 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1),obviously larger than that of H-B_(2)Se_(2)and H-B_(2)Te_(2).This is mainly due to the difference in phonon group velocity.By substituting the different chalcogen elements in the second sublayer,H-B_(2)VIV I′have lower thermal conductivity than H-B_(2)VI_(2).The room-temperature thermal conductivity of B2STe is only 11%of that of H-B_(2)S_(2).This can be explained by comparing phonon group velocity and phonon relaxation time.The MLIP method is proved to be an efficient method for studying the thermal conductivity of materials,and H-B_(2)S_(2)-based nanodevices have excellent thermal conduction.

Growing Biomorphic Transition Metal Dichalcogenides and Their Alloys Toward High Permeable Membranes and Efficient Electrocatalysts Applications

3D architecratured transition metal dichalcogenides constructed by atomically thin layers are appealing building blocks in various applications,such as catalysts,energy storage,conversions,sensors,and so on.However,the direct growth of 3D transition metal dichalcogenides architectures with high crystal quality and well-controlled size/thickness remains a huge challenge.Herein,we report a facile,highly-repeatable,and versatile chemical vapor deposition strategy,for the mass production of high-quality 3D-architecratured transition metal dichalcogenides(e.g.,MoS_(2),WS_(2),and ReS_(2))and their alloys(e.g.,W_(x)Mo(1–x)S_(2)and Rex Mo_((1–x))S_(2))nanosheets on naturally abundant and low-cost diatomite templates.Particularly,the purified transition metal dichalcogenides products exhibit unique and designable 3D biomorphic hierarchical microstructures,controllable layer thicknesses,tailorable chemical compositions,and good crystallinities.The weak interlayer interactions endow them with good dispersity in solutions to form stable additive-free inks for solution-processing-based applications,for example,high-permeable and high-stable separation membranes for water purification,and efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions.This work paves ways for the low-cost,mass production of versatile transition metal dichalcogenides powder-like materials with designable structures and properties,toward energy/environmental-related applications and beyond.

Hydrogenic donor impurity states and intersubband optical absorption spectra of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides in dielectric environments

The hydrogenic donor impurity states and intersubband optical absorption spectra in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides(ML TMDs) under dielectric environments are theoretically investigated based on a two-dimensional(2D)nonorthogonal associated Laguerre basis set. The 2D quantum confinement effect together with the strongly reduced dielectric screening results in the strong attractive Coulomb potential between electron and donor ion, with exceptionally large impurity binding energy and huge intersubband oscillator strength. These lead to the strong interaction of the electron with light in a 2D regime. The intersubband optical absorption spectra exhibit strong absorption lines of the non-hydrogenic Rydberg series in the mid-infrared range of light. The strength of the Coulomb potential can be controlled by changing the dielectric environment. The electron affinity difference leads to charge transfer between ML TMD and the dielectric environment, generating the polarization-electric field in ML TMD accompanied by weakening the Coulomb interaction strength. The larger the dielectric constant of the dielectric environment, the more the charge transfer is, accompanied by the larger polarization-electric field and the stronger dielectric screening. The dielectric environment is shown to provide an efficient tool to tune the wavelength and output of the mid-infrared intersubband devices based on ML TMDs.

Atomically Substitutional Engineering of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Layers for Enhancing Tailored Properties and Superior Applications

Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)are a promising class of layered materials in the post-graphene era,with extensive research attention due to their diverse alternative elements and fascinating semiconductor behavior.Binary MX2 layers with different metal and/or chalcogen elements have similar structural parameters but varied optoelectronic properties,providing opportunities for atomically substitutional engineering via partial alteration of metal or/and chalcogenide atoms to produce ternary or quaternary TMDs.The resulting multinary TMD layers still maintain structural integrity and homogeneity while achieving tunable(opto)electronic properties across a full range of composition with arbitrary ratios of introduced metal or chalcogen to original counterparts(0–100%).Atomic substitution in TMD layers offers new adjustable degrees of freedom for tailoring crystal phase,band alignment/structure,carrier density,and surface reactive activity,enabling novel and promising applications.This review comprehensively elaborates on atomically substitutional engineering in TMD layers,including theoretical foundations,synthetic strategies,tailored properties,and superior applications.The emerging type of ternary TMDs,Janus TMDs,is presented specifically to highlight their typical compounds,fabrication methods,and potential applications.Finally,opportunities and challenges for further development of multinary TMDs are envisioned to expedite the evolution of this pivotal field.

Photodetectors based on junctions of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides

Transition metal dichalcogenides （TMDCs） have gained considerable attention because of their novel properties and great potential applications. The flakes of TMDCs not only have great light absorption from visible to near infrared, but also can be stacked together regardless of lattice mismatch like other two-dimensional （2D） materials. Along with the studies on intrinsic properties of TMDCs, the junctions based on TMDCs become more and more important in applications of photodetection. The junctions have shown many exciting possibilities to fully combine the advantages of TMDCs, other 2D materials, conventional and organic semiconductors together. Early studies have greatly enriched the application of TMDCs in photodetection. In this review, we investigate the efforts in photodetectors based on the junctions of TMDCs and analyze the properties of those photodetectors. Homojunctions based on TMDCs can be made by surface chemical doping, elemental doping and electrostatic gating. Heterojunction formed between TMDCs/2D materials, TMDCs/conventional semiconductors and TMDCs/organic semiconductor also deserve more attentions. We also compare the advantages and disadvantages of different junctions, and then give the prospects for the development of junctions based on TMDCs.

Electronic structures and elastic properties of monolayer and bilayer transition metal dichalcogenides MX_2(M= Mo,W;X= O,S,Se,Te):A comparative first-principles study

First-principle calculations with different exchange-correlation functionals, including LDA, PBE, and vd W-DF functional in the form of opt B88-vd W, have been performed to investigate the electronic and elastic properties of twodimensional transition metal dichalcogenides（TMDCs） with the formula of MX2（M = Mo, W; X = O, S, Se, Te） in both monolayer and bilayer structures. The calculated band structures show a direct band gap for monolayer TMDCs at the K point except for MoO2 and WO2. When the monolayers are stacked into a bilayer, the reduced indirect band gaps are found except for bilayer WTe2, in which the direct gap is still present at the K point. The calculated in-plane Young moduli are comparable to that of graphene, which promises possible application of TMDCs in future flexible and stretchable electronic devices. We also evaluated the performance of different functionals including LDA, PBE, and opt B88-vd W in describing elastic moduli of TMDCs and found that LDA seems to be the most qualified method. Moreover, our calculations suggest that the Young moduli for bilayers are insensitive to stacking orders and the mechanical coupling between monolayers seems to be negligible.