Plasmonics with two-dimensional semiconductors "beyond graphene": from basic research to technological applications

TL;DR

This review discusses the unique plasmonic properties of various two-dimensional semiconductors beyond graphene, highlighting their potential for technological applications such as sensing and Terahertz detection.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the distinct plasmonic features of different 2D semiconductors and explores their applications and future prospects in plasmonic devices.

Findings

Transition-metal dichalcogenides exhibit plasmon damping dominated by intraband transitions.

Spin-orbit coupling significantly influences plasmon spectra in buckled honeycomb lattices.

Van der Waals heterostructures enable low-loss plasmonic device development.

Abstract

In this minireview, we explore the main features and the prospect of plasmonics with two-dimensional semiconductors. Plasmonic modes in each class of van der Waals semiconductors have their own peculiarities, along with potential technological capabilities. Plasmons of transition-metal dichalcogenides share features typical of graphene, due to their honeycomb structure, but with damping processes dominated by intraband rather than interband transitions, unlike graphene. Spin-orbit coupling strongly affects the plasmonic spectrum of buckled honeycomb lattices (silicene and germanene), while the anisotropic lattice of phosphorene determines different propagation of plasmons along the armchair and zigzag direction. We also review existing applications of plasmonics with two-dimensional materials in the fields of thermoplasmonics, biosensing, and plasma-wave Terahertz detection. Finally, we consider the capabilities of van der Waals heterostructures for innovative low-loss plasmonic devices.