Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 20, 2026
Ohmic Contact Fabrication Using a Focused-ion Beam Technique and Electrical Characterization for Layer Semiconductor Nanostructures
Published on: December 5, 2015
Exciton formation in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides
Frank Ceballos1, Qiannan Cui1, Matthew Z Bellus1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kasas 66045, USA. huizhao@ku.edu.
Abstract:
Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides provide a unique platform to study excitons in confined structures. Recently, several important aspects of excitons in these materials have been investigated in detail. However, the formation process of excitons from free carriers has yet to be understood. Here we report time-resolved measurements on the exciton formation process in monolayer samples of MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2. The free electron-hole pairs, injected by an ultrashort laser pulse, immediately induce a transient absorption signal of a probe pulse tuned to the exciton resonance. The signal quickly drops by about a factor of two within 1 ps and is followed by a slower decay process. In contrast, when excitons are resonantly injected, the fast decay component is absent. Based both on its excitation excess energy and intensity dependence, this fast decay process is attributed to the formation of excitons from the electron-hole pairs. This interpretation is also consistent with a model that shows how free electron-hole pairs can be about twice more effective than excitons in altering the exciton absorption strength. From our measurements and analysis of our results, we determined that the exciton formation times in these monolayers to be shorter than 1 ps.
More Related Videos
10:41Preparation of Liquid-exfoliated Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets with Controlled Size and Thickness: A State of the Art Protocol
Published on: December 20, 2016
08:50Preparation of Large-area Vertical 2D Crystal Hetero-structures Through the Sulfurization of Transition Metal Films for Device Fabrication
Published on: November 28, 2017
Related Concept Videos
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
02:46Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
02:42Valence Bond Theory
01:24Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...
02:58Properties of Transition Metals
01:30The Electrical Double Layer