Identification of Defective Two Dimensional Semiconductors by Multifractal Analysis: The Single-layer ${\rm MoS_2}$ Case Study

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that multifractal analysis of photoluminescence spectra can effectively identify and quantify point defects in single-layer MoS2, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional microscopy techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of multifractal analysis to PL spectra for defect detection in 2D semiconductors, providing a robust, non-invasive characterization method.

Findings

Multifractal nature of PL spectra in MoS2 confirmed.

Defect population significantly alters multifractality parameters.

Method can estimate defect density without expensive microscopy.

Abstract

Two dimensional semiconductor such as single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides (SL-TMD) have attracted most attentions as an atomically thin layer semiconductor materials. Typically, lattice point defects (sulfur vacancy) created by physical/chemical method during growth stages, have disadvantages on electronic properties. However, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy is conventionally used to characterize single-layer films but until now it has not been used to show the presence of defects or estimate their population due to overall similarity of general feature PL spectra. To find a feasible and robust method to determine the presence of point defects on single layer ${\rm MoS_2}$ without changing the experimental setup, Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MF-DFA) and Multifractal Detrended Moving Average Analysis (MF-DMA) are applied on the PL spectrum of single layer ${\rm MoS_2}$. We compare the scaling behavior of PL spectrum of pristine and defective single layer ${\rm MoS_2}$ determined by MF-DFA and MF-DMA. Our results reveal that PL spectrum has multifractal nature and different various population of point defects (sulfur vacancy) on single layer ${\rm MoS_2}$ change dramatically multifractality characteristics (Hurst, H\"older exponents) of photoluminescence spectrum. It is exhibited creating more lattice point leads to smaller fluctuations in luminescent light that it can help to design special defect structure for light emitted devices. The relative populations of point defects are almost elucidated without utilizing expensive characterization instruments such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM).