Twist Angle Dependence of Exciton Resonances in WSe$_2$/MoSe$_2$ Moir\'e Heterostructures

TL;DR

This study investigates how the twist angle in WSe2/MoSe2 heterobilayers affects exciton resonances, revealing a redshift in interlayer emission and suggesting complex influences beyond simple moiré potential effects.

Contribution

It provides systematic experimental and theoretical analysis of twist-angle effects on exciton behavior, highlighting the role of atomic reconstruction and dielectric screening.

Findings

Observed a 100 meV redshift in interlayer emission with increasing twist angle

The microscopic theory predicts a blueshift, indicating additional factors like atomic reconstruction influence the results

Evidence of twist-angle-dependent band offset between monolayers

Abstract

Van der Waals heterostructures based on TMDC semiconducting materials have emerged as promising materials due to their spin-valley properties efficiently contrived by the stacking-twist angle. The twist angle drastically alters the interlayer excitonic response by determining the spatial modulation, confining moir\'e potential, and atomic reconstruction in those systems. Nonetheless, the impact of the interlayer twist angle on the band alignment of the monolayers composing the heterostructure has received scant attention in the current research. Here, we systematically investigate the twist-angle dependence of intra- and inter-layer excitons in twisted WSe2/MoSe2 heterobilayers. By performing photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy, we identify the twist-angle dependence of interlayer emission response, where an energy redshift of about 100 meV was observed for increasing twist angles. The applied microscopic theory predicts, on the contrary, a blueshift, which suggests that additional features, such as atomic reconstruction, may also surpass the moir\'e potential confinement. Those findings also prompt the effects of dielectric screening by addressing the redshift response to the stacking layer order. Furthermore, our findings support the evidence of a band offset dependence on the twist angle for the adjacent monolayers composing the heterobilayer system. Our fundamental study of exciton resonances deepens the current understanding of the physics of twisted TMDC heterostructures and paves the way for future experiments and theoretical works.