| Researchers at the Solid State Physics Laboratory (CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay) and their collaborators have developed a new light source: two-dimensional quantum dots created in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides. |
The field of nanophotonics has seen a resurgence of interest in localized light emitters, due to their potential to revolutionize optoelectronic devices. These emitters, notably nanoparticles, nanowires, and quantum wells, confine electrons, holes, or excitons to nanometer dimensions, leading to unique emission characteristics and potential applications in quantum technologies.
Researchers at the Solid State Physics Laboratory and their collaborators have explored a new type of localized emitter: two-dimensional quantum dots formed in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) MoSe2 and WSe2. By selectively growing (Pennsylvania State University) nanometer-sized islands of MoSe2, surrounded by WSe2, the researchers achieved quantum confinement in islands whose size approaches the Bohr radius of excitons in these materials. Individual 2D dots were probed using cathodoluminescence in a scanning transmission electron microscope. These results pave the way for the design of more compact optoelectronic devices, such as miniaturized lasers and LEDs.
These results are published in the scientific journal ACS Photonics.
Contributeurs:
Equipe STEM
Pennsylvania State University
Acknowledgement:
ANR TEMPOS-CHROMATEM (no. ANR-10- EQPX-50) et JCJC SpinE (no. ANR-20-CE42-0020), et European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program 823717 (ESTEEM3) and 101017720 (EBEAM).
Reference: S. Bachu, et al., ACS Photonics 12, 364 doi:10.1021/acsphotonics.4c01739 (2025).
Contact:
nua10@psu.edu (Nasim Alem – Pennsylvania State University)
luiz.tizei@cnrs.fr (Luiz Tizei – LPS)