Localized and Continuous Tuning of Monolayer MoS2 Photoluminescence Using a Single Shape-Controlled Ag Nanoantenna

The ECL enhancement of MBene QDs with nanoparticle-on-mirror structure for sensitive detection of exosomal miRNA

Thyroid cancer is the most prevalent endocrine malignancy. The development of sensitive and reliable methods to detect the thyroid cancer is the currently urgent requirement. Herein, we developed an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor based on MBene derivative quantum dots (MoB QDs) and Ag NP-on-mirror (NPoM) nanocavity structure. On the one hand, MBene QDs as a novel luminescent material in the ECL process was reported for the first time, which can react with H2O2 as co-reactant. On the other hand, the NPoM nanostructure was successfully constructed with the Ag mirror and Ag NPs to provide highly localized hot spots. The NPoM structure had high degree of light field confinement and electromagnetic field enhancement, which can amplify the ECL signal as the signal modulator. Therefore, the synergistic effect of the nanocavity and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) mode in the NPoM facilitated the enhancement of the ECL signal of MoB QDs over 21.7 times. Subsequently, the proposed ECL biosensing system was employed to analyze the expression level of miRNA-222-3p in the thyroid cancer exosome. The results indicated the relative association between miRNA-222-3p and BRAFV600E mutation. The MoB QDs/NPoM biosensor displayed the ideal potential in assessing thyroid cancer progression for advancing clinical diagnosis applications.

Photoluminescence Enhancement of Monolayer WS2 by n-Doping with an Optically Excited Gold Disk

In nanophotonics and quantum optics, we aim to control and manipulate light with tailored nanoscale structures. Hybrid systems of nanostructures and atomically thin materials are of interest here, as they offer rich physics and versatility due to the interaction between photons, plasmons, phonons, and excitons. In this study, we explore the optical and electronic properties of a hybrid system, a naturally n-doped monolayer WS2 covering a gold disk. We demonstrate that the nonresonant excitation of the gold disk in the high absorption regime efficiently generates hot carriers via localized surface plasmon excitation, which n-dope the monolayer WS2 and enhance the photoluminescence emission by regulating the multiexciton population and stabilizing the neutral exciton emission. The results are relevant to the further development of nanotransistors in photonic circuits and optoelectronic applications.

Novel Nano-Electroplating-Based Plasmonic Platform for Giant Emission Enhancement in Monolayer Semiconductors

Two-dimensional semiconductors such as monolayer MoS2 have attracted considerable attention owing to their exceptional electronic and optical characteristics. However, their practical application has been hindered by the limited light absorption resulting from atomically thin thickness and low quantum yield. A highly effective approach to address these limitations is by integrating subwavelength plasmonic nanostructures with monolayer semiconductors. In this study, we employed electron beam lithography and nanoelectroplating techniques to develop a gold nanodisc (AuND) array plasmonic platform. Monolayer MoS2 transferred on top of the AuND array yields up to 150-fold photoluminescence enhancement compared to a gold film without normalization with respect to plasmonic hot spots. In addition, the unique protocol of nanoelectroplating helps to get flat-top cylindrical discs which enable less tear during the delicate wet transfer of monolayer MoS2. We explain our experimental findings based on electromagnetic simulations.

Substrate engineering of plasmonic nanocavity antenna modes

Plasmonic nanocavities have emerged as a promising platform for next-generation spectroscopy, sensing and photonic quantum information processing technologies, benefiting from a unique confluence of nanoscale compactness and integrability, ultrafast functionality and room-temperature viability. Harnessing their unprecedented optical field confinement and enhancement properties for such diverse application domains, however, demands continued innovation in cavity design and robust strategies for engineering their plasmonic mode characteristics, with the aim of optimizing spatial and spectral matching conditions for strong light-matter interaction involving embedded quantum emitters. Adopting the canonical gold bowtie nanoantenna, we show that the complex refractive index, n + ik, of the substrate material provides additional design flexibility in tailoring the properties of plasmonic nanocavity modes, including their resonance wavelengths, hotspot locations, intracavity field polarization and radiative decay rates. In particular, we predict that highly refractive (n ≥ 4) or highly absorptive (k ≥ 4) substrates provide two complementary approaches to engineering nanocavity modes that are especially desirable for coupling two-dimensional quantum materials, featuring namely an elevated hotspot with a dominantly in-plane polarized near-field, as well as a strongly radiative character. Our study elucidates the benefits and intricacies of a largely unexplored facet of nanocavity mode manipulation, beyond the widely practiced synthetic control over the cavity topology or physical dimensions, and paves the way for plasmonic cavity quantum electrodynamics with two-dimensional excitonic matter.

Surface plasmon enhancement in the different spatial distributions of nanowire and two-dimensional material

Surface plasmon (SP) nanostructures have been widely researched to improve the low light absorption of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). However, the impact of the different coupling forms of them,...

Single-particle studies on plasmon enhanced photoluminescence of monolayer MoS2 by gold nanoparticles of different shapes

Plasmon-exciton interactions between noble metal nanostructures and two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides have drawn great interest due to their significantly enhanced optical properties. Plasmon resonance of noble metal nanoparticles and plasmon-exciton interactions are strongly dependent on the particle morphology. Single-particle spectroscopic studies can overcome the ensemble average effects of sample inhomogeneity to unambiguously reveal the effects of the particle morphology. In this work, plasmon modulated emission of MoS₂ in various plasmon-MoS₂ hybrid structures has been studied on the single-particle level. Gold (Au) nanoantennas of different shapes including nanosphere, nanorod, nanocube, and nanotriangle with similar overall dimensions, which have different sharp tips and contact areas with MoS₂, have been chosen to explore the particle shape effects. Different extent of enhancement in photoluminescence (PL) of MoS₂ was observed for Au nanoantennas of different shapes. It was found that Au nanotriangles gave the highest enhancement factor, while Au nanospheres gave the lowest enhancement factor. The numerical simulation results show that the dominant contribution arises from an increased quantum yield, while enhanced excitation efficiency just plays a minor role. The quantum yield enhancement is affected by both the sharp tips and contact mode of the Au nanoantenna with MoS₂. Polarization of the MoS₂ emission was also found to be modulated by the plasmon mode of the Au nanoantenna. These single-particle spectroscopic studies allow us to unambiguously reveal the effects of the particle morphology on plasmon enhanced PL in these nanohybrids to provide a better understanding of the plasmon-exciton interactions.

Wrapping Plasmonic Silver Nanoparticles inside One-Dimensional Nanoscrolls of Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides for Enhanced Photoresponse

The low light absorption of transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) nanosheets hinders their application as high-performance optoelectronic devices. Rolling them up into one-dimensional (1D) nanoscrolls and decorating them with plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) are both effective strategies for enhancing their performance. When these two approaches are combined, in this work, the light-matter interaction in TMDC nanosheets is greatly improved by encapsulating silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in TMDC nanoscrolls. After the silver nitrate (AgNO₃) solution was spin-coated on monolayer (1L) MoS₂ and WS₂ nanosheets grown by chemical vapor deposition, Ag NPs were homogeneously formed to obtain MoS₂-Ag and WS₂-Ag nanosheets due to the TMDC-assisted spontaneous reduction, and their size and density can be well controlled by tuning the concentration of the AgNO₃ solution. By the simple placement of alkaline droplets on MoS₂-Ag or WS₂-Ag hybrid nanosheets, MoS₂-Ag or WS₂-Ag nanoscrolls with large sizes were obtained in large area. The obtained hybrid nanoscrolls exhibited up to 500 times increased photosensitivities compared with 1L MoS₂ nanosheets, arising from the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag NPs and the scrolled-nanosheet structure. Our work provides a reliable method for the facile and large-area preparation of NP/nanosheet hybrid nanoscrolls and demonstrates their great potential for high-performance optoelectronic devices.

Plasmonic Hybrids of MoS2 and 10-nm Nanogap Arrays for Photoluminescence Enhancement

Monolayer MoS₂ has attracted tremendous interest, in recent years, due to its novel physical properties and applications in optoelectronic and photonic devices. However, the nature of the atomic-thin thickness of monolayer MoS₂ limits its optical absorption and emission, thereby hindering its optoelectronic applications. Hybridizing MoS₂ by plasmonic nanostructures is a critical route to enhance its photoluminescence. In this work, the hybrid nanostructure has been proposed by transferring the monolayer MoS₂ onto the surface of 10-nm-wide gold nanogap arrays fabricated using the shadow deposition method. By taking advantage of the localized surface plasmon resonance arising in the nanogaps, a photoluminescence enhancement of ~20-fold was achieved through adjusting the length of nanogaps. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of a giant photoluminescence enhancement for this hybrid of MoS₂/10-nm nanogap arrays, promising its further applications in photodetectors, sensors, and emitters.

Enhancement of exciton emission in WS2 based on the Kerker effect from the mode engineering of individual Si nanostripes

Coupling between nanostructures and excitons has attracted great attention for potential applications in quantum information technology. Compared with plasmonic platforms, all-dielectric nanostructures with Mie resonances are more practical because of low-loss, low-cost and CMOS compatibility. However, weak field enhancements in single element dielectric nanostructures hinder their applications in both strong and weak coupling regimes. The Kerker effect arising from the far-field electro-magnetic interactions in dielectric nanostructures brings a new mechanism to realize effective coupling with excitons. Until now, it still remains unsolved whether effective Mie-exciton coupling can be realized based on pure far-field Kerker effect. Therefore, we proposed a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated Mie resonator with a 135 nm top oxide layer to exclude the near-field coupling between excitons and silicon (Si) nanostripes. Through tuning the widths of Si nanostripes to obtain highly directional photoluminescence (PL) emission under Kerker conditions, strong PL enhancements can be observed, whose enhancement factors are comparable to the reported best performances of single all-dielectric or even plasmonic nanostructures coupling with 2D excitons. Our findings bring new strategies for strong light-matter interactions with near-zero heating loss and make it possible to construct 2D materials-silicon hybrid integration for future nanophotonic and optoelectronic devices.

Dielectric Nanowire Hybrids for Plasmon-Enhanced Light-Matter Interaction in 2D Semiconductors

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with a direct band gap are suitable for various optoelectronic applications such as ultrathin light emitters and absorbers. However, their weak light absorption caused by the atomically thin layer hinders more versatile applications for high optical gains. Although plasmonic hybridization with metal nanostructures significantly enhances light-matter interactions, the corrosion, instability of the metal nanostructures, and the undesired effects of direct metal-semiconductor contact act as obstacles to its practical application. Herein, we propose a dielectric nanostructure for plasmon-enhanced light-matter interaction of TMDs. TiO₂ nanowires (NWs), as an example, are hybridized with a MoS₂ monolayer on various substrates. The structure is implemented by placing a monolayer MoS₂ between a TiO₂ NW for a photonic scattering effect and metallic substrates with a spacer for the plasmonic Purcell effect. Here, the thin dielectric spacer is aimed at minimizing emission quenching from direct metal contact, while maximizing optical field localization in ultrathin MoS₂ near the TiO₂ NW. An effective emission enhancement factor of ∼22 is attained for MoS₂ near the NW of the hybrid structure compared to the one without NWs. Our work is expected to facilitate a hybridized platform based on 2D semiconductors for high-performance and robust optoelectronics via engineering dielectric nanostructures with plasmonic materials.

Directional radiation and photothermal effect enhanced control of 2D excitonic emission based on germanium nanoparticles

Dielectric nanostructures with Mie resonances have shown promising applications for building nanoantennas and metasurfaces. Coupling between Mie resonators and transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) monolayers is of great significance, because the existence of Mie resonances can modulate phases and radiation directions effectively. Recently, monolayer binary and ternary TDMCs have drawn more attention owing to the intriguing and tunable excitonic states from visible to near infrared. However, the coupling mechanism between monolayer TMDCs and Mie resonators has not been well studied. Moreover, it is still a great challenge to realize the control of excitonic emission wavelength and intensity simultaneously. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that germanium nanoparticles (Ge NPs), a typical high refractive index dielectric Mie resonator, are capable of controlling both the intensity and direction of PL emissions in the near-infrared from monolayer WSe_2(1-x)Te_2x. Through putting Ge NPs below or above monolayers, we observed the obvious emission directivity because of the higher refractive index and higher loss of Ge than silicon. Besides, higher absorption in Ge NPs brings photothermal effects during the interaction with TMDCs. These findings indicate that Ge-based Mie resonators may guide the design of new type nanophotonics devices in the future.

Investigating the Redox Properties of Two-Dimensional MoS2 Using Photoluminescence Spectroelectrochemistry and Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy

Control over photophysical and chemical properties of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is the key to advance their applications in next-generation optoelectronics. Although chemical doping and surface modification with plasmonic metals have been reported to tune the photophysical and catalytic properties of 2D TMDs, there have been few reports of tuning optical properties using dynamic electrochemical control of electrode potential. Herein, we report (1) the photoluminescence (PL) enhancement and red-shift in the PL spectrum of 2D MoS₂, synthesized by chemical vapor deposition and subsequent transfer onto an indium tin oxide electrode, upon electrochemical anodization and (2) spatial heterogeneities in its photoelectrochemical (PEC) activities. Spectroelectrochemistry shows that positive electrochemical bias causes an initial ten-fold increase in the PL intensity followed by a quick decrease in the enhancement. The PL enhancement and spectrum red-shift are associated with the decrease in nonradiative decay rates of excitons formed upon electrochemical anodization of 2D MoS₂. Additionally, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) study shows that the 2D MoS₂ crystal is spatially sensitive to PEC oxidation at positive potentials. SECCM also shows a photocurrent increase caused by spatially heterogeneous edge-type defect sites of the crystal.

Hybridizing Plasmonic Materials with 2D-Transition Metal Dichalcogenides toward Functional Applications

Recently, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have become intriguing materials in the versatile field of photonics and optoelectronics because of their strong light-matter interaction that stems from the atomic layer thickness, broadband optical response, controllable optoelectronic properties, and high nonlinearity, as well as compatibility. Nevertheless, the low optical cross-section of 2D-TMDs inhibits the light-matter interaction, resulting in lower quantum yield. Therefore, hybridizing the 2D-TMDs with plasmonic nanomaterials has become one of the promising strategies to boost the optical absorption of thin 2D-TMDs. The appeal of plasmonics is based on their capability to localize and enhance the electromagnetic field and increase the optical path length of light by scattering and injecting hot electrons to TMDs. In this regard, recent achievements with respect to hybridization of the plasmonic effect in 2D-TMDs systems and its augmented optical and optoelectronic properties are reviewed. The phenomenon of plasmon-enhanced interaction in 2D-TMDs is briefly described and state-of-the-art hybrid device applications are comprehensively discussed. Finally, an outlook on future applications of these hybrid devices is provided.

In situ scattering of single gold nanorod coupling with monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides

We investigated in situ the interaction between a single gold nanorod and monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) by atomic force microscopy nanomanipulation and single-particle spectroscopy. We observed that the resonant scattering peak of the hybrid redshifted, the full width at half maximum of the scattering resonance narrowed and the scattering intensity increased compared with those of the same nanorod before coupling with monolayer TMDCs. These results were understood with the aid of finite-difference time-domain simulations, the Fano model, and the classical oscillator model. Also, the spectral features varied with the distance between the nanorod and TMDCs, and the interaction was mainly attributed to the resonant energy transfer effect. Our findings clarify the influence of TMDCs on the plasmonic resonance and contribute to a deeper understanding of the plasmon exciton interaction. These results are beneficial for the optimization of plasmonic nanostructure-TMDC hybrids and their corresponding applications.

Photoluminescence enhancement of monolayer MoS2 using plasmonic gallium nanoparticles

2D monolayer molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) has been the focus of intense research due to its direct bandgap compared with the indirect bandgap of its bulk counterpart; however its photoluminescence (PL) intensity is limited due to its low absorption efficiency. Herein, we use gallium hemispherical nanoparticles (Ga NPs) deposited by thermal evaporation on top of chemical vapour deposited MoS₂ monolayers in order to enhance its luminescence. The influence of the NP radius and the laser wavelength is reported in PL and Raman experiments. In addition, the physics behind the PL enhancement factor is investigated. The results indicate that the prominent enhancement is caused by the localized surface plasmon resonance of the Ga NPs induced by a charge transfer phenomenon. This work sheds light on the use of alternative metals, besides silver and gold, for the improvement of MoS₂ luminescence.

Enhanced Light-Matter Interactions in Self-Assembled Plasmonic Nanoparticles on 2D Semiconductors

Two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers of versatile material library are spotlighted for numerous unexplored research fields. While monolayer TMDs exhibit an efficient excitonic emission, the weak light absorption arising from their low dimensionality limits potential applications. To enhance the light-matter interactions of TMDs, while various plasmonic hybridization methods have been intensively studied, controlling plasmonic nanostructures via self-assembly processes remains challenging. Herein, strong light-matter interactions are reported in plasmonic Ag nanoparticles (NPs) hybridized on TMDs via an aging-based self-assembly process at room temperature. This hybridization is implemented by transferring MoS₂ monolayers grown via chemical vapor deposition onto thin-spacer-covered Ag films. After a few weeks of aging in a vacuum desiccator, the Ag atoms in the heterolayered film diffuse to the MoS₂ layers through a SiO₂ spacer and self-cluster onto MoS₂ point defects, resulting in the formation of Ag-NPs with an estimated diameter of ≈50 nm. The photoluminescence intensities for the Ag-NP/MoS₂ hybrids are enhanced up to 35-fold compared with bare MoS₂ owing to the local field enhancement near the plasmonic Ag-NPs. The localized surface plasmon resonances modes of this hybrid are systematically investigated via numerical simulations and dark-field scattering microscopy.

Gap-Mode Surface-Plasmon-Enhanced Photoluminescence and Photoresponse of MoS2

2D materials hold great potential for designing novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, 2D material can only absorb limited incident light. As a representative 2D semiconductor, monolayer MoS₂ can only absorb up to 10% of the incident light in the visible, which is not sufficient to achieve a high optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency. To overcome this shortcoming, a "gap-mode" plasmon-enhanced monolayer MoS₂ fluorescent emitter and photodetector is designed by squeezing the light-field into Ag shell-isolated nanoparticles-Au film gap, where the confined electromagnetic field can interact with monolayer MoS₂ . With this gap-mode plasmon-enhanced configuration, a 110-fold enhancement of photoluminescence intensity is achieved, exceeding values reached by other plasmon-enhanced MoS₂ fluorescent emitters. In addition, a gap-mode plasmon-enhanced monolayer MoS₂ photodetector with an 880% enhancement in photocurrent and a responsivity of 287.5 A W^-1 is demonstrated, exceeding previously reported plasmon-enhanced monolayer MoS₂ photodetectors.

Plasmon-modulated bistable four-wave mixing signals from a metal nanoparticle-monolayer MoS2 nanoresonator hybrid system

We present a study for the impact of exciton-phonon and exciton-plasmon interactions on bistable four-wave mixing (FWM) signals in a metal nanoparticle (MNP)-monolayer MoS₂ nanoresonator hybrid system. Via tracing the FWM response we predict that, depending on the excitation conditions and the system parameters, such a system exhibits 'U-shaped' bistable FWM signals. We also map out bistability phase diagrams within the system's parameter space. Especially, we show that compared with the exciton-phonon interaction, a strong exciton-plasmon interaction plays a dominant role in the generation of optical bistability, and the bistable region will be greatly broadened by shortening the distance between the MNP and the monolayer MoS₂ nanoresonator. In the weak exciton-plasmon coupling regime, the impact of exciton-phonon interaction on optical bistability will become obvious. The scheme proposed may be used for building optical switches and logic-gate devices for optical computing and quantum information processing.

2D Binary Plasmonic Nanoassemblies with Semiconductor n/p-Doping-Like Properties

The electronic, optical, thermal, and magnetic properties of an extrinsic bulk semiconductor can be finely tuned by adjusting its dopant concentration. Here, it is demonstrated that such a doping concept can be extended to plasmonic nanomaterials. Using two-dimensional (2D) assemblies of Au@Ag and Au nanocubes (NCs) as a model system, detailed experimental and theoretical studies are carried out, which reveal collective semiconductor n/p-doping-like plasmonic properties. A threshold doping concentration of Au@Ag NCs is observed, below which p-doping dominates and above which n-doping prevails. Furthermore, Au@Ag NC dopants can be converted into corresponding Au seed "voids" dopants by selectively removing Ag without changing the overall structural integrity. The results show that the plasmonic doping concept may serve as a general design principle guiding synthesis and assembly of plasmonic metamaterials for programmable optoelectronic devices.

Single layer molybdenum disulfide as an optical nanoprobe for 2 photon luminescence and second harmonic generation cell imaging

More recently, tremendous progress has been achieved in the development of two-dimensional semiconductor materials applied in catalyst, energy application, sensor device and bioengineering since the birth of graphene isolated from graphite. Layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂ ) as an indirect gap semiconductor can efficiently emit photoluminescence (PL) excited by visible light, which shows a great potential in adaptive biological imaging. However, 1 photon PL of MoS₂ for cell imaging purposes suffers from strong autofluorescence and ion-induced PL quenching. Herein, we report single layer small chitosan decorated MoS₂ nanosheets as a nonbleaching, nonblinking optical nanoprobe under near infrared femtosecond laser excitation and their applications for strong 2 photon luminescence (TPL) and strong second harmonic generation (SHG) bioimaging. Furthermore, the TPL can resist the ion-induced quenching on the cellular membrane. The proposed TPL and SHG of single-layer MoS₂ show great potential for real-time, deep, multiphoton and three-dimensional bioimaging under low-power laser excitation.

Synergetic photoluminescence enhancement of monolayer MoS2via surface plasmon resonance and defect repair

The weak light-absorption and low quantum yield (QY) in monolayer MoS₂ are great challenges for the applications of this material in practical optoelectronic devices. Here, we report on a synergistic strategy to obtain highly enhanced photoluminescence (PL) of monolayer MoS₂ by simultaneously improving the intensity of the electromagnetic field around MoS₂ and the QY of MoS₂. Self-assembled sub-monolayer Au nanoparticles underneath the monolayer MoS₂ and bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide (TFSI) treatment to the MoS₂ surface are used to boost the excitation field and the QY, respectively. An enhancement factor of the PL intensity as high as 280 is achieved. The enhancement mechanisms are analyzed by inspecting the contribution of the PL spectra from A excitons and A⁻ trions under different conditions. Our study takes a further step to developing high-performance optoelectronic devices based on monolayer MoS₂.

A synergistic strategy is reported to obtain a highly enhanced photoluminescence (PL) of monolayer MoS₂ by simultaneously improving the intensity of the electromagnetic field around MoS₂ and the QY of MoS₂.

Greatly enhanced light emission of MoS2 using photonic crystal heterojunction

We present theoretical study on developing a one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal heterojunction (h-PhC) that consists of a monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) structure. By employing the transfer matrix method, we obtained the analytical solution of the light absorption and emission of two-dimensional materials in 1D h-PhC. Simultaneously enhancing the light absorption and emission of the medium in multiple frequency ranges is easy as h-PhC has more modes of photon localization than the common photonic crystal. Our numerical results demonstrate that the proposed 1D h-PhC can simultaneously enhance the light absorption and emission of MoS2 and enhance the photoluminescence spectrum of MoS2 by 2-3 orders of magnitude.

Plasmonics of 2D Nanomaterials: Properties and Applications

Plasmonics has developed for decades in the field of condensed matter physics and optics. Based on the classical Maxwell theory, collective excitations exhibit profound light-matter interaction properties beyond classical physics in lots of material systems. With the development of nanofabrication and characterization technology, ultra-thin two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials attract tremendous interest and show exceptional plasmonic properties. Here, we elaborate the advanced optical properties of 2D materials especially graphene and monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), review the plasmonic properties of graphene, and discuss the coupling effect in hybrid 2D nanomaterials. Then, the plasmonic tuning methods of 2D nanomaterials are presented from theoretical models to experimental investigations. Furthermore, we reveal the potential applications in photocatalysis, photovoltaics and photodetections, based on the development of 2D nanomaterials, we make a prospect for the future theoretical physics and practical applications.

Exciton Emission Intensity Modulation of Monolayer MoS2 via Au Plasmon Coupling

Modulation of photoluminescence of atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenide two-dimensional materials is critical for their integration in optoelectronic and photonic device applications. By coupling with different plasmonic array geometries, we have shown that the photoluminescence intensity can be enhanced and quenched in comparison with pristine monolayer MoS2. The enhanced exciton emission intensity can be further tuned by varying the angle of polarized incident excitation. Through controlled variation of the structural parameters of the plasmonic array in our experiment, we demonstrate modulation of the photoluminescence intensity from nearly fourfold quenching to approximately threefold enhancement. Our data indicates that the plasmonic resonance couples to optical fields at both, excitation and emission bands, and increases the spontaneous emission rate in a double spacing plasmonic array structure as compared with an equal spacing array structure. Furthermore our experimental results are supported by numerical as well as full electromagnetic wave simulations. This study can facilitate the incorporation of plasmon-enhanced transition metal dichalcogenide structures in photodetector, sensor and light emitter applications.

Improving the luminescence enhancement of hybrid Au nanoparticle-monolayer MoS2 by focusing radially-polarized beams

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have grown as fantastic building blocks for optoelectronic applications, owing to their direct band gap, transparency, and mechanical flexibility. Since the luminescence of monolayer TMDs suffers from low light absorption and emission, surface plasmons, which confine light at subwavelength and enhance the local electric field, are utilized to boost both excitation and emission fields of TMDs, enabling strong light-matter interaction at the nano-scale. Meanwhile, radially-polarized beams (RPBs) as new and attractive excitation source have found many applications in surface plasmon polaritons, optical tweezer and so on. Here, by using RPBs, we demonstrate the photoluminescence (PL) enhancement of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) hybridized with 210 nm-diameter gold nanoparticle (AuNP) is improved by about 1.37-fold compared with linearly-polarized beams (LPBs). Besides, the PL enhancement with RPBs depends on the size of AuNP as well. With 210nm-diameter AuNP, the PL enhancement is more than 1.5-fold higher than that with 60nm-diameter AuNP. This study highlights that RPBs are superior to LPBs for tuning the near-field system response and shows that RPBs drive a valuable avenue to further study the emerging two-dimentional materials.

Optical Gain in MoS2 via Coupling with Nanostructured Substrate: Fabry-Perot Interference and Plasmonic Excitation

Despite the direct band gap of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), their optical gain remains limited because of the poor light absorption in atomically thin, layered materials. Most approaches to improve the optical gain of TMDs mainly involve modulation of the active materials or multilayer stacking. Here, we report a method to enhance the optical absorption and emission in MoS2 simply through the design of a nanostructured substrate. The substrate consisted of a dielectric nanofilm spacer (TiO2) and metal film. The overall photoluminescence intensity from monolayer MoS2 on the nanostructured substrate was engineered based on the TiO2 thickness and amplified by Fabry-Perot interference. In addition, the neutral exciton emission was selectively amplified by plasmonic excitations from the local field originating from the surface roughness of the metal film with spacer thicknesses of less than 10 nm. We further demonstrate that the quality factor of the device can also be engineered by selecting a spacer material with a different refractive index.