Electrical Tuning of Interlayer Exciton Gases in WSe2 Bilayers

Large-Area Epitaxial Growth of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Over the past decade, research on atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has expanded rapidly due to their unique properties such as high carrier mobility, significant excitonic effects, and strong spin-orbit couplings. Considerable attention from both scientific and industrial communities has fully fueled the exploration of TMDs toward practical applications. Proposed scenarios, such as ultrascaled transistors, on-chip photonics, flexible optoelectronics, and efficient electrocatalysis, critically depend on the scalable production of large-area TMD films. Correspondingly, substantial efforts have been devoted to refining the synthesizing methodology of 2D TMDs, which brought the field to a stage that necessitates a comprehensive summary. In this Review, we give a systematic overview of the basic designs and significant advancements in large-area epitaxial growth of TMDs. We first sketch out their fundamental structures and diverse properties. Subsequent discussion encompasses the state-of-the-art wafer-scale production designs, single-crystal epitaxial strategies, and techniques for structure modification and postprocessing. Additionally, we highlight the future directions for application-driven material fabrication and persistent challenges, aiming to inspire ongoing exploration along a revolution in the modern semiconductor industry.

Electrically tunable layer-hybridized trions in doped WSe2 bilayers

Doped van der Waals heterostructures host layer-hybridized trions, i.e. charged excitons with layer-delocalized constituents holding promise for highly controllable optoelectronics. Combining a microscopic theory with photoluminescence (PL) experiments, we demonstrate the electrical tunability of the trion energy landscape in naturally stacked WSe2 bilayers. We show that an out-of-plane electric field modifies the energetic ordering of the lowest lying trion states, which consist of layer-hybridized Λ -point electrons and layer-localized K-point holes. At small fields, intralayer-like trions yield distinct PL signatures in opposite doping regimes characterized by weak Stark shifts in both cases. Above a doping-asymmetric critical field, interlayer-like species are energetically favored and produce PL peaks with a pronounced Stark red-shift and a counter-intuitively large intensity arising from efficient phonon-assisted recombination. Our work presents an important step forward in the microscopic understanding of layer-hybridized trions in van der Waals heterostructures and paves the way towards optoelectronic applications based on electrically controllable atomically-thin semiconductors.

Collective Charge Excitations between Moiré Minibands in Twisted WSe_{2} Bilayers Probed with Resonant Inelastic Light Scattering

We establish low-temperature resonant inelastic light scattering (RILS) spectroscopy as a tool to probe the formation of a series of moiré bands in twisted WSe_{2} bilayers by accessing collective inter-moiré-band excitations (IMBEs). We observe resonances in RILS spectra at energies in agreement with inter-moiré-band transitions obtained from an ab initio based continuum model. Transitions between the first and second moiré band for a twist angle of about 8° are reported and between the first and the third, and higher bands for a twist of about 3°. The signatures from IMBE for the latter highlight a strong departure from parabolic bands with flat minibands exhibiting very high density of states in accord with theory. These observations allow one to quantify the transition energies at the K point where the states relevant for correlation physics are hosted.

Revealing the Optical Transition Properties of Interlayer Excitons in Defective WS2/WSe2 Heterobilayers

Manipulation of physical properties in multidimensional tunable moiré superlattice systems is a key focus in nanophotonics, especially for interlayer excitons (IXs) in two-dimensional materials. However, the impact of defects on IXs remains unclear. Here, we thoroughly study the optical properties of WS2/WSe2 heterobilayers with varying defect densities. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) characterizations reveal that the low-energy IXs are more susceptible to defects compared to the high-energy IXs. The low-energy IXs also show much faster PL quenching rate with temperature, faster peak width broadening rate with laser power, shorter lifetime, and lower circular polarization compared to the low-energy IXs in the region with fewer defects. These effects are attributed to the combined effects of increased electron scattering, exciton-phonon interactions, and nonradiative channels introduced by the defects. Our findings aid in optimizing moiré superlattice structures.

Control of Hybrid Exciton Lifetime in MoSe2/WS2 Moiré Heterostructures

Hybrid excitons, characterized by their strong oscillation strength and long lifetimes, hold great potential as information carriers in semiconductors. They offer promising applications in exciton-based devices and circuits. MoSe2/WS2 heterostructures represent an ideal platform for studying hybrid excitons, but how to regulate the exciton lifetime has not yet been explored. In this study, layer hybridization is modulated by applying electric fields parallel or antiparallel to the dipole moment, enabling us to regulate the exciton lifetime from 1.36 to 4.60 ns. Furthermore, the time-resolved photoluminescence decay traces are measured at different excitation power. A hybrid exciton annihilation rate of 8.9 × 10-4 cm2 s-1 is obtained by fitting. This work reveals the effects of electric fields and excitation power on the lifetime of hybrid excitons in MoSe2/WS2 1.5° moiré heterostructures, which play important roles in high photoluminescence quantum yield optoelectronic devices based on transition-metal dichalcogenides heterostructures.

Electrical Control and Transport of Tightly Bound Interlayer Excitons in a MoSe_{2}/hBN/MoSe_{2} Heterostructure

Controlling interlayer excitons in Van der Waals heterostructures holds promise for exploring Bose-Einstein condensates and developing novel optoelectronic applications, such as excitonic integrated circuits. Despite intensive studies, several key fundamental properties of interlayer excitons, such as their binding energies and interactions with charges, remain not well understood. Here we report the formation of momentum-direct interlayer excitons in a high-quality MoSe_{2}/hBN/MoSe_{2} heterostructure under an electric field, characterized by bright photoluminescence (PL) emission with high quantum yield and a narrow linewidth of less than 4 meV. These interlayer excitons show electrically tunable emission energy spanning ∼180  meV through the Stark effect, and exhibit a sizable binding energy of ∼81  meV in the intrinsic regime, along with trion binding energies of a few millielectronvolts. Remarkably, we demonstrate the long-range transport of interlayer excitons with a characteristic diffusion length exceeding 10  μm, which can be attributed, in part, to their dipolar repulsive interactions. Spatially and polarization-resolved spectroscopic studies reveal rich exciton physics in the system, such as valley polarization, local trapping, and the possible existence of dark interlayer excitons. The formation and transport of tightly bound interlayer excitons with narrow linewidth, coupled with the ability to electrically manipulate their properties, open exciting new avenues for exploring quantum many-body physics, including excitonic condensate and superfluidity, and for developing novel optoelectronic devices, such as exciton and photon routers.

Highly tunable ground and excited state excitonic dipoles in multilayer 2H-MoSe2

The fundamental properties of an exciton are determined by the spin, valley, energy, and spatial wavefunctions of the Coulomb-bound electron and hole. In van der Waals materials, these attributes can be widely engineered through layer stacking configuration to create highly tunable interlayer excitons with static out-of-plane electric dipoles, at the expense of the strength of the oscillating in-plane dipole responsible for light-matter coupling. Here we show that interlayer excitons in bi- and tri-layer 2H-MoSe2 crystals exhibit electric-field-driven coupling with the ground (1s) and excited states (2s) of the intralayer A excitons. We demonstrate that the hybrid states of these distinct exciton species provide strong oscillator strength, large permanent dipoles (up to 0.73 ± 0.01 enm), high energy tunability (up to ~200 meV), and full control of the spin and valley characteristics such that the exciton g-factor can be manipulated over a large range (from -4 to +14). Further, we observe the bi- and tri-layer excited state (2s) interlayer excitons and their coupling with the intralayer excitons states (1s and 2s). Our results, in good agreement with a coupled oscillator model with spin (layer)-selectivity and beyond standard density functional theory calculations, promote multilayer 2H-MoSe2 as a highly tunable platform to explore exciton-exciton interactions with strong light-matter interactions.

Resonant Band Hybridization in Alloyed Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterobilayers

Bandstructure engineering using alloying is widely utilized for achieving optimized performance in modern semiconductor devices. While alloying has been studied in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, its application in van der Waals heterostructures built from atomically thin layers is largely unexplored. Here, heterobilayers made from monolayers of WSe2 (or MoSe2) and MoxW1 - xSe2 alloy are fabricated and nontrivial tuning of the resultant bandstructure is observed as a function of concentration x. This evolution is monitored by measuring the energy of photoluminescence (PL) of the interlayer exciton (IX) composed of an electron and hole residing in different monolayers. In MoxW1 - xSe2/WSe2, a strong IX energy shift of ≈100 meV is observed for x varied from 1 to 0.6. However, for x < 0.6 this shift saturates and the IX PL energy asymptotically approaches that of the indirect bandgap in bilayer WSe2. This observation is theoretically interpreted as the strong variation of the conduction band K valley for x > 0.6, with IX PL arising from the K - K transition, while for x < 0.6, the bandstructure hybridization becomes prevalent leading to the dominating momentum-indirect K - Q transition. This bandstructure hybridization is accompanied with strong modification of IX PL dynamics and nonlinear exciton properties. This work provides foundation for bandstructure engineering in van der Waals heterostructures highlighting the importance of hybridization effects and opening a way to devices with accurately tailored electronic properties.

Core/Shell-Like Localized Emission at Atomically Thin Semiconductor-Au Interface

Localized emission in atomically thin semiconductors has sparked significant interest as single-photon sources. Despite comprehensive studies into the correlation between localized strain and exciton emission, the impacts of charge transfer on nanobubble emission remains elusive. Here, we report the observation of core/shell-like localized emission from monolayer WSe2 nanobubbles at room temperature through near-field studies. By altering the electronic junction between monolayer WSe2 and the Au substrate, one can effectively adjust the semiconductor to metal junction from a Schottky to an Ohmic junction. Through concurrent analysis of topography, potential, tip-enhanced photoluminescence, and a piezo response force microscope, we attribute the core/shell-like emissions to strong piezoelectric potential aided by induced polarity at the WSe2-Au Schottky interface which results in spatial confinement of the excitons. Our findings present a new approach for manipulating charge confinement and engineering localized emission within atomically thin semiconductor nanobubbles. These insights hold implications for advancing the nano and quantum photonics with low-dimensional semiconductors.

Field-Induced Hybridization of Moiré Excitons in MoSe_{2}/WS_{2} Heterobilayers

We study experimentally and theoretically the hybridization among intralayer and interlayer moiré excitons in a MoSe_{2}/WS_{2} heterostructure with antiparallel alignment. Using a dual-gate device and cryogenic white light reflectance and narrow-band laser modulation spectroscopy, we subject the moiré excitons in the MoSe_{2}/WS_{2} heterostack to a perpendicular electric field, monitor the field-induced dispersion and hybridization of intralayer and interlayer moiré exciton states, and induce a crossover from type I to type II band alignment. Moreover, we employ perpendicular magnetic fields to map out the dependence of the corresponding exciton Landé g factors on the electric field. Finally, we develop an effective theoretical model combining resonant and nonresonant contributions to moiré potentials to explain the observed phenomenology, and highlight the relevance of interlayer coupling for structures with close energetic band alignment as in MoSe_{2}/WS_{2}.

Non-volatile electrical polarization switching via domain wall release in 3R-MoS2 bilayer

Understanding the nature of sliding ferroelectricity is of fundamental importance for the discovery and application of two-dimensional ferroelectric materials. In this work, we investigate the phenomenon of switchable polarization in a bilayer MoS2 with natural rhombohedral stacking, where the spontaneous polarization is coupled with excitonic effects through asymmetric interlayer coupling. Using optical spectroscopy and imaging techniques, we observe how a released domain wall switches the polarization of a large single domain. Our results highlight the importance of domain walls in the polarization switching of non-twisted rhombohedral transition metal dichalcogenides and open new opportunities for the non-volatile control of their optical response.

Ultraviolet interlayer excitons in bilayer WSe2

Interlayer excitons in van der Waals heterostructures are fascinating for applications like exciton condensation, excitonic devices and moiré-induced quantum emitters. The study of these charge-transfer states has almost exclusively focused on band edges, limiting the spectral region to the near-infrared regime. Here we explore the above-gap analogues of interlayer excitons in bilayer WSe2 and identify both neutral and charged species emitting in the ultraviolet. Even though the transitions occur far above the band edge, the states remain metastable, exhibiting linewidths as narrow as 1.8 meV. These interlayer high-lying excitations have switchable dipole orientations and hence show prominent Stark splitting. The positive and negative interlayer high-lying trions exhibit significant binding energies of 20-30 meV, allowing for a broad tunability of transitions via electric fields and electrostatic doping. The Stark splitting of these trions serves as a highly accurate, built-in sensor for measuring interlayer electric field strengths, which are exceedingly difficult to quantify otherwise. Such excitonic complexes are further sensitive to the interlayer twist angle and offer opportunities to explore emergent moiré physics under electrical control. Our findings more than double the accessible energy range for applications based on interlayer excitons.

Bright and Dark Quadrupolar Excitons in the WSe_{2}/MoSe_{2}/WSe_{2} Heterotrilayer

Transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures have been extensively studied as a platform for investigating exciton physics. While heterobilayers such as WSe_{2}/MoSe_{2} have received significant attention, there has been comparatively less research on heterotrilayers, which may offer new excitonic species and phases, as well as unique physical properties. In this Letter, we present theoretical and experimental investigations on the emission properties of quadrupolar excitons (QXs), a newly predicted type of exciton, in a WSe_{2}/MoSe_{2}/WSe_{2} heterotrilayer device. Our findings reveal that the optical brightness or darkness of QXs is determined by horizontal mirror symmetry and valley and spin selection rules. Additionally, the emission intensity and energy of both bright and dark QXs can be adjusted by applying an out-of-plane electric field, due to changes in hole distribution and the Stark effect. These results not only provide experimental evidence for the existence of QXs in heterotrilayers but also uncover their novel properties, which have the potential to drive the development of new exciton-based applications.

Quadrupolar-dipolar excitonic transition in a tunnel-coupled van der Waals heterotrilayer

Strongly bound excitons determine light-matter interactions in van der Waals heterostructures of two-dimensional semiconductors. Unlike fundamental particles, quasiparticles in condensed matter, such as excitons, can be tailored to alter their interactions and realize emergent quantum phases. Here, using a WS2/WSe2/WS2 heterotrilayer, we create a quantum superposition of oppositely oriented dipolar excitons-a quadrupolar exciton-wherein an electron is layer-hybridized in WS2 layers while the hole localizes in WSe2. In contrast to dipolar excitons, symmetric quadrupolar excitons only redshift in an out-of-plane electric field. At higher densities and a finite electric field, the nonlinear Stark shift of quadrupolar excitons becomes linear, signalling a transition to dipolar excitons resulting from exciton-exciton interactions, while at a vanishing electric field, the reduced exchange interaction suggests antiferroelectric correlations between dipolar excitons. Our results present van der Waals heterotrilayers as a field-tunable platform to engineer light-matter interactions and explore quantum phase transitions between spontaneously ordered many-exciton phases.

Enhanced Homogeneity of Moiré Superlattices in Double-Bilayer WSe2 Homostructure

Moiré superlattices have emerged as a promising platform for investigating and designing optically generated excitonic properties. The electronic band structure of these systems can be qualitatively modulated by interactions between the top and bottom layers, leading to the emergence of new quantum phenomena. However, the inhomogeneities present in atomically thin bilayer moiré superlattices created by artificial stacking have hindered a deeper understanding of strongly correlated electron properties. In this work, we report the fabrication of homogeneous moiré superlattices with controllable twist angles using a 2L-WSe2/2L-WSe2 homostructure. By adding extra layers, we provide additional degrees of freedom to tune the optical properties of the moiré superlattices while mitigating the nonuniformity problem. The presence of an additional bottom layer acts as a buffer, reducing the inhomogeneity of the moiré superlattice, while the encapsulation effect of the additional top and bottom WSe2 monolayers further enhances the localized moiré excitons. Our observations of alternating circularly polarized photoluminescence confirm the existence of moiré excitons, and their characteristics were further confirmed by theoretical calculations. These findings provide a fundamental basis for studying moiré potential correlated quantum phenomena and pave the way for their application in quantum optical devices.

Polaritonic Probe of an Emergent 2D Dipole Interface

The use of work-function-mediated charge transfer has recently emerged as a reliable route toward nanoscale electrostatic control of individual atomic layers. Using α-RuCl3 as a 2D electron acceptor, we are able to induce emergent nano-optical behavior in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) that arises due to interlayer charge polarization. Using scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM), we find that a thin layer of α-RuCl3 adjacent to an hBN slab reduces the propagation length of hBN phonon polaritons (PhPs) in significant excess of what can be attributed to intrinsic optical losses. Concomitant nano-optical spectroscopy experiments reveal a novel resonance that aligns energetically with the region of excess PhP losses. These experimental observations are elucidated by first-principles density-functional theory and near-field model calculations, which show that the formation of a large interfacial dipole suppresses out-of-plane PhP propagation. Our results demonstrate the potential utility of charge-transfer heterostructures for tailoring optoelectronic properties of 2D insulators.

Tunable phononic coupling in excitonic quantum emitters

Engineering the coupling between fundamental quantum excitations is at the heart of quantum science and technologies. An outstanding case is the creation of quantum light sources in which coupling between single photons and phonons can be controlled and harnessed to enable quantum information transduction. Here we report the deterministic creation of quantum emitters featuring highly tunable coupling between excitons and phonons. The quantum emitters are formed in strain-induced quantum dots created in homobilayer WSe2. The colocalization of quantum-confined interlayer excitons and terahertz interlayer breathing-mode phonons, which directly modulates the exciton energy, leads to a uniquely strong phonon coupling to single-photon emission, with a Huang-Rhys factor reaching up to 6.3. The single-photon spectrum of interlayer exciton emission features a single-photon purity >83% and multiple phonon replicas, each heralding the creation of a phonon Fock state in the quantum emitter. Due to the vertical dipole moment of the interlayer exciton, the phonon-photon interaction is electrically tunable to be higher than the exciton and phonon decoherence rate, and hence promises to reach the strong-coupling regime. Our result demonstrates a solid-state quantum excitonic-optomechanical system at the atomic interface of the WSe2 bilayer that emits flying photonic qubits coupled with stationary phonons, which could be exploited for quantum transduction and interconnection.

Electrically tunable dipolar interactions between layer-hybridized excitons

Transition-metal dichalcogenide bilayers exhibit a rich exciton landscape including layer-hybridized excitons, i.e. excitons which are of partly intra- and interlayer nature. In this work, we study hybrid exciton-exciton interactions in naturally stacked WSe2 homobilayers. In these materials, the exciton landscape is electrically tunable such that the low-energy states can be rendered more or less interlayer-like depending on the strength of the external electric field. Based on a microscopic and material-specific many-particle theory, we reveal two intriguing interaction regimes: a low-dipole regime at small electric fields and a high-dipole regime at larger fields, involving interactions between hybrid excitons with a substantially different intra- and interlayer composition in the two regimes. While the low-dipole regime is characterized by weak inter-excitonic interactions between intralayer-like excitons, the high-dipole regime involves mostly interlayer-like excitons which display a strong dipole-dipole repulsion and give rise to large spectral blue-shifts and a highly anomalous diffusion. Overall, our microscopic study sheds light on the remarkable electrical tunability of hybrid exciton-exciton interactions in atomically thin semiconductors and can guide future experimental studies in this growing field of research.

Correlated insulator of excitons in WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattices

A panoply of unconventional electronic states has been observed in moiré superlattices. Engineering similar bosonic phases remains, however, largely unexplored. We report the observation of a bosonic correlated insulator in WSe₂/WS₂ moiré superlattices composed of excitons, i.e., tightly bound electron-hole pairs. We develop a pump probe spectroscopy method that we use to observe an exciton incompressible state at exciton filling ν_ex = 1 and charge neutrality, indicating a correlated insulator of excitons. With varying charge density, the bosonic correlated insulator continuously transitions into an electron correlated insulator at charge filling ν_e = 1, suggesting a mixed correlated insulating state between the two limits. Our studies establish semiconducting moiré superlattices as an intriguing platform for engineering bosonic phases.

Electrical control of hybrid exciton transport in a van der Waals heterostructure

Interactions between out-of-plane dipoles in bosonic gases enable the long-range propagation of excitons. The lack of direct control over collective dipolar properties has so far limited the degrees of tunability and the microscopic understanding of exciton transport. In this work we modulate the layer hybridization and interplay between many-body interactions of excitons in a van der Waals heterostructure with an applied vertical electric field. By performing spatiotemporally resolved measurements supported by microscopic theory, we uncover the dipole-dependent properties and transport of excitons with different degrees of hybridization. Moreover, we find constant emission quantum yields of the transporting species as a function of excitation power with radiative decay mechanisms dominating over nonradiative ones, a fundamental requirement for efficient excitonic devices. Our findings provide a complete picture of the many-body effects in the transport of dilute exciton gases, and have crucial implications for studying emerging states of matter such as Bose-Einstein condensation and optoelectronic applications based on exciton propagation.

Strain-Induced Indirect-to-Direct Bandgap Transition, Photoluminescence Enhancement, and Linewidth Reduction in Bilayer MoTe2

Two-dimensional (2D) layered materials provide an ideal platform for engineering electronic and optical properties through strain control because of their extremely high mechanical elasticity and sensitive dependence of material properties on mechanical strain. In this paper, a combined experimental and theoretical effort is made to investigate the effects of mechanical strain on various spectral features of bilayer MoTe₂ photoluminescence (PL). We found that bilayer MoTe₂ can be converted from an indirect to a direct bandgap material through strain engineering, resulting in a photoluminescence enhancement by a factor of 2.24. Over 90% of the PL comes from photons emitted by the direct excitons at the maximum strain applied. Importantly, we show that strain effects lead to a reduction of the overall linewidth of PL by as much as 36.6%. We attribute the dramatic decrease of linewidth to a strain-induced complex interplay among various excitonic varieties such as direct bright excitons, trions, and indirect excitons. Our experimental results on direct and indirect exciton emission features are explained by theoretical exciton energies that are based on first-principles electronic band structure calculations. The consistent theory-experimental trend shows that the enhancement of PL and the reduction of linewidth are the consequences of the increasing direct exciton contribution with the increase of strain. Our results demonstrate that strain engineering can lead to a PL quality of the bilayer MoTe₂ comparable to that of the monolayer counterpart. The additional benefit of a longer emission wavelength makes the bilayer MoTe₂ more suitable for silicon-photonics integration due to the reduced silicon absorption.

Discovery of Type II Interlayer Trions

In terms of interlayer trions, electronic excitations in van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) can be classified into Type I (i.e., two identical charges in the same layer) and Type II (i.e., two identical charges in the different layers). Type I interlayer trions are investigated theoretically and experimentally. By contrast, Type II interlayer trions remain elusive in vdWHs, due to inadequate free charges, unsuitable band alignment, reduced Coulomb interactions, poor interface quality, etc. Here, the first observation of Type II interlayer trions is reported by exploring band alignments and choosing an atomically thin organic-inorganic system-monolayer WSe₂ /bilayer pentacene heterostructure (1L + 2L HS). Both positive and negative Type II interlayer trions are electrically tuned and observed via PL spectroscopy. In particular, Type II interlayer trions exhibit in-plane anisotropic emission, possibly caused by their unique spatial structure and anisotropic charge interactions, which is highly correlated with the transition dipole moment of pentacene. The results pave the way to develop excitonic devices and all-optical circuits using atomically thin organic-inorganic bilayers.

Exciton density waves in Coulomb-coupled dual moiré lattices

Strongly correlated bosons in a lattice are a platform that can realize rich bosonic states of matter and quantum phase transitions¹. While strongly correlated bosons in a lattice have been studied in cold-atom experiments^2-4, their realization in a solid-state system has remained challenging⁵. Here we trap interlayer excitons-bosons composed of bound electron-hole pairs, in a lattice provided by an angle-aligned WS₂/bilayer WSe₂/WS₂ multilayer. The heterostructure supports Coulomb-coupled triangular moiré lattices of nearly identical period at the top and bottom interfaces. We observe correlated insulating states when the combined electron filling factor of the two lattices, with arbitrary partitions, equals [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. These states can be interpreted as exciton density waves in a Bose-Fermi mixture of excitons and holes^6,7. Because of the strong repulsive interactions between the constituents, the holes form robust generalized Wigner crystals^8-11, which restrict the exciton fluid to channels that spontaneously break the translational symmetry of the lattice. Our results demonstrate that Coulomb-coupled moiré lattices are fertile ground for correlated many-boson phenomena^12,13.

Generating intense electric fields in 2D materials by dual ionic gating

The application of an electric field through two-dimensional materials (2DMs) modifies their properties. For example, a bandgap opens in semimetallic bilayer graphene while the bandgap shrinks in few-layer 2D semiconductors. The maximum electric field strength achievable in conventional devices is limited to ≤0.3 V/nm by the dielectric breakdown of gate dielectrics. Here, we overcome this limit by suspending a 2DM between two volumes of ionic liquid (IL) with independently controlled potentials. The potential difference between the ILs falls across an ultrathin layer consisting of the 2DM and the electrical double layers above and below it, producing an intense electric field larger than 4 V/nm. This field is strong enough to close the bandgap of few-layer WSe₂, thereby driving a semiconductor-to-metal transition. The ability to apply fields an order of magnitude higher than what is possible in dielectric-gated devices grants access to previously-inaccessible phenomena occurring in intense electric fields.

The application of electric fields >1 V/nm in solid state devices could provide access to unexplored phenomena, but it is currently difficult to implement. Here, the authors develop a double-sided ionic liquid gating technique to generate electric fields as large as 4 V/nm across few-layer WSe₂, leading to field-induced semiconductor-to-metal transitions.

Ultrafast pseudospin quantum beats in multilayer WSe2 and MoSe2

Layered van-der-Waals materials with hexagonal symmetry offer an extra degree of freedom to their electrons, the so-called valley index or valley pseudospin, which behaves conceptually like the electron spin. Here, we present investigations of excitonic transitions in mono- and multilayer WSe₂ and MoSe₂ materials by time-resolved Faraday ellipticity (TRFE) with in-plane magnetic fields, B_∥, of up to 9 T. In monolayer samples, the measured TRFE time traces are almost independent of B_∥, which confirms a close to zero in-plane exciton g factor g_∥, consistent with first-principles calculations. In contrast, we observe pronounced temporal oscillations in multilayer samples for B_∥ > 0. Our first-principles calculations confirm the presence of a non-zero g_∥ for the multilayer samples. We propose that the oscillatory TRFE signal in the multilayer samples is caused by pseudospin quantum beats of excitons, which is a manifestation of spin- and pseudospin layer locking in the multilayer samples.

Evidence for moiré intralayer excitons in twisted WSe2/WSe2 homobilayer superlattices

Recent advances in twisted van der Waals heterostructure superlattices have emerged as a powerful and attractive platform for exploring novel condensed matter physics due to the interplay between the moiré potential and Coulomb interactions. The moiré superlattices act as a periodic confinement potential in space to capture interlayer excitons (IXs), resulting in moiré exciton arrays, which provide opportunities for quantum emitters and many-body physics. The observation of moiré IXs in twisted transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterostructures has recently been widely reported. However, the capture and study of the moiré intralayer excitons based on TMD twisted homobilayer (T-HB) remain elusive. Here, we report the observation of moiré intralayer excitons in a WSe₂/WSe₂ T-HB with a small twist angle by measuring PL spectrum. The multiple split peaks with an energy range of 1.55-1.73 eV are different from that of the monolayer WSe₂ exciton peaks. The split peaks were caused by the trapping of intralayer excitons via the moiré potential. The confinement effect of the moiré potential on the moiré intralayer excitons was further demonstrated by the changing of temperature, laser power, and valley polarization. Our findings provide a new avenue for exploring new correlated quantum phenomena and their applications.

Dynamic Tuning of Moiré Superlattice Morphology by Laser Modification

In artificial van der Waals (vdW) layered devices, twisting the stacking angle has emerged as an effective strategy to regulate the electronic phases and optical properties of these systems. Along with the twist registry, the lattice reconstruction arising from vdW interlayer interaction has also inspired significant research interests. The control of twist angles is significantly important because the moiré periodicity determines the electron propagation length on the lattice and the interlayer electron-electron interactions. However, the moiré periodicity is hard to be modified after the device has been fabricated. In this work, we have demonstrated that the moiré periodicity can be precisely modulated with a localized laser annealing technique. This is achieved with regulating the interlayer lattice mismatch by the mismatched lattice constant, which originates from the variable density of sulfur vacancy generated during laser modification. The existence of sulfur vacancy is further verified by excitonic emission energy and lifetime in photoluminescence measurements. Furthermore, we also discover that the mismatched lattice constant has the equivalent contribution as the twist angle for determining the lattice mismatch. Theoretical modeling elaborates the moiré-wavelength-dependent energy variations at the interface and mimics the evolution of moiré morphology.

Long-range transport of 2D excitons with acoustic waves

Excitons are elementary optical excitation in semiconductors. The ability to manipulate and transport these quasiparticles would enable excitonic circuits and devices for quantum photonic technologies. Recently, interlayer excitons in 2D semiconductors have emerged as a promising candidate for engineering excitonic devices due to their long lifetime, large exciton binding energy, and gate tunability. However, the charge-neutral nature of the excitons leads to weak response to the in-plane electric field and thus inhibits transport beyond the diffusion length. Here, we demonstrate the directional transport of interlayer excitons in bilayer WSe2 driven by the propagating potential traps induced by surface acoustic waves (SAW). We show that at 100 K, the SAW-driven excitonic transport is activated above a threshold acoustic power and reaches 20 μm, a distance at least ten times longer than the diffusion length and only limited by the device size. Temperature-dependent measurement reveals the transition from the diffusion-limited regime at low temperature to the acoustic field-driven regime at elevated temperature. Our work shows that acoustic waves are an effective, contact-free means to control exciton dynamics and transport, promising for realizing 2D materials-based excitonic devices such as exciton transistors, switches, and transducers up to room temperature.

Electrically Switchable Intervalley Excitons with Strong Two-Phonon Scattering in Bilayer WSe2

We report the observation of QΓ intervalley exciton in bilayer WSe₂ devices encapsulated by boron nitride. The QΓ exciton resides at ∼18 meV below the QK exciton. The QΓ and QK excitons exhibit different Stark shifts under an out-of-plane electric field due to their different interlayer dipole moments. By controlling the electric field, we can switch their energy ordering and control which exciton dominates the luminescence of bilayer WSe₂. Remarkably, both QΓ and QK excitons exhibit unusually strong two-phonon replicas, which are comparable to or even stronger than the one-phonon replicas. By detailed theoretical simulation, we reveal the existence of numerous (≥14) two-phonon scattering paths involving (nearly) resonant exciton-phonon scattering in bilayer WSe₂. To our knowledge, such electric-field-switchable intervalley excitons with strong two-phonon replicas have not been found in any other two-dimensional semiconductors. These make bilayer WSe₂ a distinctive valleytronic material with potential novel applications.

Exciton Emissions in Bilayer WSe2 Tuned by the Ferroelectric Polymer

In this work, a hybrid structure of multilayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and a ferroelectric polymer is designed to achieve passive control of optical properties in situ. The electrical polarization in the ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) polymer can regulate the photoluminescence (PL) in bilayer WSe₂. The total PL emission intensity is substantially suppressed or enhanced under large gate voltage in bilayer WSe₂. This is because electrons transfer between the conduction band K valley and the conduction band Λ valley by the electrostatic field in the P(VDF-TrFE) polymer. This electron transfer further adjusts the proportion of direct and indirect excitons and, in turn, changes the overall optical radiation efficiency. We also illustrate that the engineered PL originates from the external electric-field-dependent transferred electron effect. The theoretical result matches the experimental data well. This work demonstrates a device platform in which passive regulation is achieved using 2D TMDs modulated by polarized ferroelectric materials.

V. P. L, N. M, Nayak PK. Twist-Dependent Tuning of Excitonic Emissions in Bilayer WSe2

Monolayer (ML) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have been rigorously studied to comprehend their rich spin and valley physics, exceptional optical properties, and ability to open new avenues in fundamental research and technology. However, intricate analysis of twisted homobilayer (t-BL) systems is highly required due to the intriguing twist angle (t-angle)-dependent interlayer effects on optical and electrical properties. Here, we report the evolution of the interlayer effect on artificially stacked BL WSe2, grown using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), with t-angle in the range of 0 ≤ θ ≤ 60°. Systematic analyses based on Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies suggest intriguing deviations in the interlayer interactions, higher-energy exciton transitions (in the range of ∼1.6-1.7 eV), and stacking. In contrast to previous observations, we demonstrate a red shift in the PL spectra with t-angle. Density functional theory (DFT) is employed to understand the band-gap variations with t-angle. Exciton radiative lifetime has been estimated theoretically using temperature-dependent PL measurements, which shows an increase with t-angle that agrees with our experimental observations. This study presents the groundwork for further investigation of the evolution of various interlayer excitons and their dynamics with t-angle in homobilayer systems, critical for optoelectronic applications.

An ultrafast photodetector driven by interlayer exciton dissociation in a van der Waals heterostructure

Ultrafast photodetectors based on two-dimensional materials suffer from low responsivities and high dark currents. Interlayer exciton dissociation in type-II vertical heterojunctions of transition metal dichalcogenides is a viable mechanism for achieving higher responsivities with picosecond response times. Here, we propose a novel device concept based on these structures, with potential for self-powered photodetector applications characterized by an unprecedented trade-off between speed and responsivity with zero dark current. In order to assess the realistic performance to be expected in the proposed device, we have purposely devised a simulation approach able to provide a detailed investigation of the physics at play, while showing excellent predictive capabilities when compared with experiments on interlayer exciton transport available in the literature. The proposed high-performance photodetectors with tunable responsivities are at reach with available fabrication techniques and could help in paving the way towards monolithically integrated artificial neural networks for ultrafast machine vision in speed sensitive applications.

Electrically Switchable Amplified Spontaneous Emission from Lead Halide Perovskite Film

Electrically tunable optical devices that allow for modulation and detection of the optical signals would be extremely beneficial for the next photonic and electronic technologies. Perovskite materials as an emerging excitonic one provide promising platforms because they offer excitons manipulated by an external electrical field and efficient coupling to light. However, so far, electrically modulated switches based on perovskite amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) still remain unexplored. Here, we prepared perovskite films on indium tin oxide substrates by a spin-coating method and characterized their ASE behaviors. Based on it, we designed and fabricated electrically switchable ASE devices of perovskite film based on a light-emitting diode device configuration. Under the externally applied current, this device exhibits good controllable optoelectronic switching behaviors. Furthermore, this photoelectric response can be modulated by the different current densities. Our strategy for electrically switchable perovskite ASE will promote integrated applications in optoelectronic devices and provide valuable experience for the development of electrically pumped perovskite lasers.

Electrochemically probing exciton transport in monolayers of two-dimensional semiconductors

Two-dimensional semiconductors (2DSCs) are attractive for a variety of optoelectronic and catalytic applications due to their ability to be fabricated as wide-area, monolayer-thick films and their unique optical and electronic properties which emerge at this scale. One important class of 2DSCs are the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which are of particular interest as absorbing layers in ultrathin optoelectronic devices. While TMDs are known to exhibit excellent photovoltaic properties at the bulk level, it is not yet clear how carriers are transported in these materials at thicknesses approaching the monolayer limit, where distinct changes in band structure and the nature of photogenerated carriers occur. Here, it is demonstrated that electrochemical microscopy techniques can be employed as powerful tools for visualizing these processes in 2DSCs, even within individual monolayers. Carrier generation-tip collection scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (CG-TC SECCM), which utilizes spatially-offset optical and pipet-based electrochemical probes to locally generate and detect photogenerated carriers, was applied to visualize carrier generation and transport within well-defined n-WSe₂ samples prepared via mechanical exfoliation. Data from these experiments directly reveal how carrier transport varies within complex 2DSC structures as layer thicknesses approach the monolayer limit. These results not only provide valuable new insights into carrier transport within monolayer TMD materials, but also demonstrate electrochemical imaging to be a powerful, yet underutilized approach for visualizing solid-state processes in semiconducting materials.

Giant anisotropic photonics in the 1D van der Waals semiconductor fibrous red phosphorus

A confined electronic system can host a wide variety of fascinating electronic, magnetic, valleytronic and photonic phenomena due to its reduced symmetry and quantum confinement effect. For the recently emerging one-dimensional van der Waals (1D vdW) materials with electrons confined in 1D sub-units, an enormous variety of intriguing physical properties and functionalities can be expected. Here, we demonstrate the coexistence of giant linear/nonlinear optical anisotropy and high emission yield in fibrous red phosphorus (FRP), an exotic 1D vdW semiconductor with quasi-flat bands and a sizeable bandgap in the visible spectral range. The degree of photoluminescence (third-order nonlinear) anisotropy can reach 90% (86%), comparable to the best performance achieved so far. Meanwhile, the photoluminescence (third-harmonic generation) intensity in 1D vdW FRP is strong, with quantum efficiency (third-order susceptibility) four (three) times larger than that in the most well-known 2D vdW materials (e.g., MoS2). The concurrent realization of large linear/nonlinear optical anisotropy and emission intensity in 1D vdW FRP paves the way towards transforming the landscape of technological innovations in photonics and optoelectronics.

Electrical tuning of optically active interlayer excitons in bilayer MoS2

Interlayer (IL) excitons, comprising electrons and holes residing in different layers of van der Waals bonded two-dimensional semiconductors, have opened new opportunities for room-temperature excitonic devices. So far, two-dimensional IL excitons have been realized in heterobilayers with type-II band alignment. However, the small oscillator strength of the resulting IL excitons and difficulties with producing heterostructures with definite crystal orientation over large areas have challenged the practical applicability of this design. Here, following the theoretical prediction and recent experimental confirmation of the existence of IL excitons in bilayer MoS₂, we demonstrate the electrical control of such excitons up to room temperature. We find that the IL excitonic states preserve their large oscillator strength as their energies are manipulated by the electric field. We attribute this effect to the mixing of the pure IL excitons with intralayer excitons localized in a single layer. By applying an electric field perpendicular to the bilayer MoS₂ crystal plane, excitons with IL character split into two peaks with an X-shaped field dependence as a clear fingerprint of the shift of the monolayer bands with respect to each other. Finally, we demonstrate the full control of the energies of IL excitons distributed homogeneously over a large area of our device.

Evidence for Moiré Trions in Twisted MoSe2 Homobilayers

Moiré superlattices of van der Waals structures offer a powerful platform for engineering band structure and quantum states. For instance, Moiré superlattices in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene, ABC trilayer graphene have been shown to harbor correlated insulating and superconducting states, while in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) twisted bilayers, Moiré excitons have been identified. Here we show that the effects of a Moiré superlattice on the band structure are general: In TMD twisted bilayers, excitons and exciton complexes can be trapped in the superlattice in a manner analogous to ultracold bosonic or Fermionic atoms in optical lattices. Using twisted MoSe₂ homobilayers as a model system, we present evidence for Moiré trions. Our results thus open possibilities for designer van der Waals structures hosting arrays of Fermionic or bosonic quasiparticles, which can be used to realize tunable many-body states crucial for quantum simulation and quantum information processing.

Valley manipulation in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides and their hybrid systems: status and challenges

Recently, the emerging conceptual valley-related devices have attracted much attention due to the progress on generating, controlling, and detecting the valley degree of freedom in the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers. In general, it is known that achieving valley degree of freedom with long valley lifetime is crucial in the implementation of valleytronic devices. Here, we provide a brief introduction of the basic understandings of valley degree of freedom. We as well review the recent experimental advancement in the modulation of valley degree of freedom. The strategies include optical/magnetic/electric field tuning, moiré patterns, plasmonic metasurface, defects and strain engineering. In addition, we summarize the corresponding mechanisms, which can help to obtain large degree of polarization and long valley lifetimes in monolayer TMDs. Based on these methods, two-dimensional valley-optoelectronic systems based on TMD heterostructures can be constructed, providing opportunities for such as the new paradigm in data processing and transmission. Challenges and perspectives on the development of valleytronics are highlighted as well.

Excitons in Bilayer MoS_{2} Displaying a Colossal Electric Field Splitting and Tunable Magnetic Response

van der Waals heterostructures composed of transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers (TMDCs) are characterized by their truly rich excitonic properties which are determined by their structural, geometric, and electronic properties: In contrast to pure monolayers, electrons and holes can be hosted in different materials, resulting in highly tunable dipolar many-particle complexes. However, for genuine spatially indirect excitons, the dipolar nature is usually accompanied by a notable quenching of the exciton oscillator strength. Via electric and magnetic field dependent measurements, we demonstrate that a slightly biased pristine bilayer MoS_{2} hosts strongly dipolar excitons, which preserve a strong oscillator strength. We scrutinize their giant dipole moment, and shed further light on their orbital and valley physics via bias-dependent magnetic field measurements.

Tuning layer-hybridized moiré excitons by the quantum-confined Stark effect

Moiré superlattices offer an unprecedented opportunity for tailoring interactions between quantum particles^1-11 and their coupling to electromagnetic fields^12-18. Strong superlattice potentials generate moiré minibands of excitons^16-18-bound pairs of electrons and holes that reside either in a single layer (intralayer excitons) or in two separate layers (interlayer excitons). Twist-angle-controlled interlayer electronic hybridization can also mix these two types of exciton to combine their strengths^13,19,20. Here we report the direct observation of layer-hybridized moiré excitons in angle-aligned WSe₂/WS₂ and MoSe₂/WS₂ superlattices by optical reflectance spectroscopy. These excitons manifest a hallmark signature of strong coupling in WSe₂/WS₂, that is, energy-level anticrossing and oscillator strength redistribution under a vertical electric field. They also exhibit doping-dependent renormalization and hybridization that are sensitive to the electronic correlation effects. Our findings have important implications for emerging many-body states in two-dimensional semiconductors, such as exciton condensates²¹ and Bose-Hubbard models²², and optoelectronic applications of these materials.

Giant Stark splitting of an exciton in bilayer MoS2

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) constitute a versatile platform for atomically thin optoelectronics devices and spin-valley memory applications. In monolayer TMDs the optical absorption is strong, but the transition energy cannot be tuned as the neutral exciton has essentially no out-of-plane static electric dipole^1,2. In contrast, interlayer exciton transitions in heterobilayers are widely tunable in applied electric fields, but their coupling to light is substantially reduced. In this work, we show tuning over 120 meV of interlayer excitons with a high oscillator strength in bilayer MoS₂ due to the quantum-confined Stark effect³. We optically probed the interaction between intra- and interlayer excitons as they were energetically tuned into resonance. Interlayer excitons interact strongly with intralayer B excitons, as demonstrated by a clear avoided crossing, whereas the interaction with intralayer A excitons is substantially weaker. Our observations are supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which include excitonic effects. In MoS₂ trilayers, our experiments uncovered two types of interlayer excitons with and without in-built electric dipoles. Highly tunable excitonic transitions with large in-built dipoles and oscillator strengths will result in strong exciton-exciton interactions and therefore hold great promise for non-linear optics with polaritons.

Electrically controllable router of interlayer excitons

Optoelectronic devices that allow rerouting, modulation, and detection of the optical signals would be extremely beneficial for telecommunication technology. One of the most promising platforms for these devices is excitonic devices, as they offer very efficient coupling to light. Of especial importance are those based on indirect excitons because of their long lifetime. Here, we demonstrate excitonic transistor and router based on bilayer WSe₂ Because of their strong dipole moment, excitons in bilayer WSe₂ can be controlled by transverse electric field. At the same time, unlike indirect excitons in artificially stacked heterostructures based on transition metal dichalcogenides, naturally stacked bilayers are much simpler in fabrication.

Broken mirror symmetry in excitonic response of reconstructed domains in twisted MoSe2/MoSe2 bilayers

Van der Waals heterostructures obtained via stacking and twisting have been used to create moiré superlattices¹, enabling new optical and electronic properties in solid-state systems. Moiré lattices in twisted bilayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) result in exciton trapping^2-5, host Mott insulating and superconducting states⁶ and act as unique Hubbard systems^7-9 whose correlated electronic states can be detected and manipulated optically. Structurally, these twisted heterostructures feature atomic reconstruction and domain formation^10-14. However, due to the nanoscale size of moiré domains, the effects of atomic reconstruction on the electronic and excitonic properties have not been systematically investigated. Here we use near-0°-twist-angle MoSe₂/MoSe₂ bilayers with large rhombohedral AB/BA domains¹⁵ to directly probe the excitonic properties of individual domains with far-field optics. We show that this system features broken mirror/inversion symmetry, with the AB and BA domains supporting interlayer excitons with out-of-plane electric dipole moments in opposite directions. The dipole orientation of ground-state Γ-K interlayer excitons can be flipped with electric fields, while higher-energy K-K interlayer excitons undergo field-asymmetric hybridization with intralayer K-K excitons. Our study reveals the impact of crystal symmetry on TMD excitons and points to new avenues for realizing topologically non-trivial systems^16,17, exotic metasurfaces¹⁸, collective excitonic phases¹⁹ and quantum emitter arrays^20,21 via domain-pattern engineering.

Gate-tunable spin waves in antiferromagnetic atomic bilayers

Remarkable properties of two-dimensional (2D) layer magnetic materials, which include spin filtering in magnetic tunnel junctions and the gate control of magnetic states, were demonstrated recently^1-12. Whereas these studies focused on static properties, dynamic magnetic properties, such as excitation and control of spin waves, remain elusive. Here we investigate spin-wave dynamics in antiferromagnetic CrI₃ bilayers using an ultrafast optical pump/magneto-optical Kerr probe technique. Monolayer WSe₂ with a strong excitonic resonance was introduced on CrI₃ to enhance the optical excitation of spin waves. We identified subterahertz magnetic resonances under an in-plane magnetic field, from which the anisotropy and interlayer exchange fields were determined. We further showed tuning of the antiferromagnetic resonances by tens of gigahertz through electrostatic gating. Our results shed light on magnetic excitations and spin dynamics in 2D magnetic materials, and demonstrate their potential for applications in ultrafast data storage and processing.

Dipolar interactions between localized interlayer excitons in van der Waals heterostructures

Although photons in free space barely interact, matter can mediate interactions between them resulting in optical nonlinearities. Such interactions at the single-quantum level result in an on-site photon repulsion, crucial for photon-based quantum information processing and for realizing strongly interacting many-body states of light. Here, we report repulsive dipole-dipole interactions between electric field-tuneable, localized interlayer excitons in the MoSe₂/WSe₂ heterobilayer. The presence of a single, localized exciton with an out-of-plane, non-oscillating dipole moment increases the energy of the second excitation by ~2 meV-an order of magnitude larger than the emission linewidth and corresponding to an inter-dipole distance of ~7 nm. At higher excitation power, multi-exciton complexes appear at systematically higher energies. The magnetic field dependence of the emission polarization is consistent with the spin-valley singlet nature of the dipolar molecular state. Our finding represents a step towards the creation of excitonic few- and many-body states such as dipolar crystals with spin-valley spinor in van der Waals heterostructures.

Electrically Tunable Valley Dynamics in Twisted WSe_{2}/WSe_{2} Bilayers

The twist degree of freedom provides a powerful new tool for engineering the electrical and optical properties of van der Waals heterostructures. Here, we show that the twist angle can be used to control the spin-valley properties of transition metal dichalcogenide bilayers by changing the momentum alignment of the valleys in the two layers. Specifically, we observe that the interlayer excitons in twisted WSe_{2}/WSe_{2} bilayers exhibit a high (>60%) degree of circular polarization (DOCP) and long valley lifetimes (>40  ns) at zero electric and magnetic fields. The valley lifetime can be tuned by more than 3 orders of magnitude via electrostatic doping, enabling switching of the DOCP from ∼80% in the n-doped regime to <5% in the p-doped regime. These results open up new avenues for tunable chiral light-matter interactions, enabling novel device schemes that exploit the valley degree of freedom.

Twist-tailoring Coulomb correlations in van der Waals homobilayers

The recent discovery of artificial phase transitions induced by stacking monolayer materials at magic twist angles represents a paradigm shift for solid state physics. Twist-induced changes of the single-particle band structure have been studied extensively, yet a precise understanding of the underlying Coulomb correlations has remained challenging. Here we reveal in experiment and theory, how the twist angle alone affects the Coulomb-induced internal structure and mutual interactions of excitons. In homobilayers of WSe₂, we trace the internal 1s–2p resonance of excitons with phase-locked mid-infrared pulses as a function of the twist angle. Remarkably, the exciton binding energy is renormalized by up to a factor of two, their lifetime exhibits an enhancement by more than an order of magnitude, and the exciton-exciton interaction is widely tunable. Our work opens the possibility of tailoring quasiparticles in search of unexplored phases of matter in a broad range of van der Waals heterostructures.

The crystallographic orientation of monolayers in van der Waals multi-layers controls their electronic and optical properties. Here the authors show how the twist angle affects Coulomb correlations governing the internal structure and the mutual interaction of excitons in homobilayers of WSe₂.

Indirect Excitons and Trions in MoSe2/WSe2 van der Waals Heterostructures

Indirect excitons (IX) in semiconductor heterostructures are bosons, which can cool below the temperature of quantum degeneracy and can be effectively controlled by voltage and light. IX quantum Bose gases and IX devices were explored in GaAs heterostructures where an IX range of existence is limited to low temperatures due to low IX binding energies. IXs in van der Waals transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterostructures are characterized by large binding energies giving the opportunity for exploring excitonic quantum gases and for creating excitonic devices at high temperatures. TMD heterostructures also offer a new platform for studying single-exciton phenomena and few-particle complexes. In this work, we present studies of IXs in MoSe₂/WSe₂ heterostructures and report on two IX luminescence lines whose energy splitting and temperature dependence identify them as neutral and charged IXs. The experimentally found binding energy of the indirect charged excitons, that is, indirect trions, is close to the calculated binding energy of 28 meV for negative indirect trions in TMD heterostructures [Deilmann, T.; Thygesen, K. S. Nano Lett. 2018, 18, 1460]. We also report on the realization of IXs with a luminescence line width reaching 4 meV at low temperatures. An enhancement of IX luminescence intensity and the narrow line width are observed in localized spots.

Valley-Layer Coupling: A New Design Principle for Valleytronics

The current valleytronics research is based on the paradigm of time-reversal-connected valleys in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal materials, which forbids the fully electric generation of valley polarization by a gate field. Here, we go beyond the existing paradigm to explore 2D systems with a novel valley-layer coupling (VLC) mechanism, where the electronic states in the emergent valleys have a valley-contrasted layer polarization. The VLC enables a direct coupling between a valley and a gate electric field. We analyze the symmetry requirements for a system to host VLC, demonstrate our idea via first-principles calculations and model analysis of a concrete 2D material example, and show that an electric, continuous, wide-range, and switchable control of valley polarization can be achieved by VLC. Furthermore, we find that systems with VLC can exhibit other interesting physics, such as valley-contrasting linear dichroism and optical selection of the valley and the electric polarization of interlayer excitons. Our finding opens a new direction for valleytronics and 2D materials research.

Valley-polarized exciton currents in a van der Waals heterostructure

Valleytronics is an appealing alternative to conventional charge-based electronics that aims at encoding data in the valley degree of freedom, that is, the information as to which extreme of the conduction or valence band carriers are occupying. The ability to create and control valley currents in solid-state devices could therefore enable new paradigms for information processing. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are a promising platform for valleytronics due to the presence of two inequivalent valleys with spin-valley locking1 and a direct bandgap2,3, which allows optical initialization and readout of the valley state4,5. Recent progress on the control of interlayer excitons in these materials6-8 could offer an effective way to realize optoelectronic devices based on the valley degree of freedom. Here, we show the generation and transport over mesoscopic distances of valley-polarized excitons in a device based on a type-II TMDC heterostructure. Engineering of the interlayer coupling results in enhanced diffusion of valley-polarized excitons, which can be controlled and switched electrically. Furthermore, using electrostatic traps, we can increase the exciton concentration by an order of magnitude, reaching densities in the order of 1012 cm-2, opening the route to achieving a coherent quantum state of valley-polarized excitons via Bose-Einstein condensation.