Experimental demonstration of continuous electronic structure tuning via strain in atomically thin MoS2

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how uniaxial tensile strain can continuously tune the electronic structure of atomically thin MoS2, with measurable shifts in optical properties, aligning well with theoretical predictions, highlighting its potential for flexible electronic applications.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental evidence of continuous electronic structure tuning in MoS2 via strain, supported by both spectroscopy and first principles calculations.

Findings

Redshift rate of ~70 meV per percent strain for direct gap transitions

Redshift rate 1.6 times larger for indirect gap transitions

Excellent agreement with first principles calculations

Abstract

We demonstrate the continuous tuning of the electronic structure of atomically thin MoS2 on flexible substrates by applying a uniaxial tensile strain. A redshift at a rate of ~70 meV per percent applied strain for direct gap transitions, and at a rate 1.6 times larger for indirect gap transitions, have been determined by absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Our result, in excellent agreement with first principles calculations, demonstrates the potential of twodimensional crystals for applications in flexible electronics and optoelectronics.