Charge Separation in Monolayer WSe2 by Strain Engineering: Implications for Strain-Induced Diode Action

Strain-engineering band structure in transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) is a promising avenue toward capabilities in optoelectronics. For example, controlling the flow of optically generated quasiparticles can be achieved by a localized strain field which reduces the bandgap and generates an energy-band gradient that funnels neutral excitons to the strain apex. It would be even more advantageous to mimic a diode's internal field, where both conduction and valence bands bend in the same direction, to separate electrons and holes. This can be achieved if the strain in the TMDC layer lowers both the conduction band minimum as well as the valence band maximum during strain-induced band narrowing. Here, we have used density functional theory (DFT) calculations of monolayer WSe2 electronic structure under biaxial strain to show that WSe2 has this property. To test the band bending experimentally, we combined localized strain with electrostatic doping to follow photoluminescence from excitons and positive or negative trions. In unstrained WSe2, both positive and negative trion emissions dominate over excitons away from charge neutrality. In contrast, for strained areas, negative trions accumulate, while positive trion emission is near zero away from charge neutrality, indicating a lack of holes. Hence, strain bends both conduction and valence bands down, similarly to the band bending in a PN-diode depletion region, providing an opportunity to separate electrons and holes via localized strain.

Automated summary

Strain engineering allows for control over the band structure in transition-metal dichalcogenides, leading to various optoelectronic capabilities. By experimentally introducing strain, it has been observed that negative trions accumulate while positive trions almost disappear, indicating the potential to separate electrons and holes using strain.