Science Daily October 27, 2020
By altering the material in two different ways — atomically and physically — a team of researchers in the US (Pennsylvania, State University, MIT, Texas A&M University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Rutgers University) was able to enhance light emission and increase signal strength, expanding the bounds of what is possible with devices that rely on these materials. In order to strengthen the coupling, the researchers created a new type of 2D material known as Janus transition metal dichalcogenides by replacing atoms on one side of the layer with a different type of atoms, creating uneven distribution of the charge enhancing light emission. Twisting layers with a certain angle can induce superconductivity, carrying implications for advancements in electronic and optical devices. In the second method of altering 2D materials to improve their capabilities, they strengthened the signal that resulted from an energy up-conversion process by taking a layer of MoS2 and rolled it into a roughly cylindrical shape. They plan to put these two advances together. The results uncover the potential of tuning interlayer coupling strength through Janus heterostacking…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Graphic abstract. Credit: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 41, 17499–17507, September 17, 2020