Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

Fabricating van der Waals Heterostructures with Precise Rotational Alignment
Published on: July 5, 2019
Interlayer exciton transition in van der Waals heterostructure modulated by located vertical electric field
None:
Interlayer exciton-trion interconversion is central to two-dimensional excitonics, while electrically modulating the exciton interconversion in van der Waals heterostructures remains underexplored yet. Herein, we report a systematic investigation of interlayer many-body dynamics in a WS2/MoS2 van der Waals heterostructure subjected to a micrometer-scale vertical electric field generated by an atomic-force-microscope probe. By synergizing hyperspectral photoluminescence mapping with density-functional calculations, the abrupt and reversible switching of the trion/exciton intensity ratio has been observed at two critical biases (-0.054 and +0.076 V Å-1), which coincide with a type-II to type-I band-alignment crossover and a direct-to-indirect gap transition, respectively. The quantitative agreement between experimental values and mass-action theory across the entire electric field window demonstrates that a local vertical field affords spatially selective, continuous, and non-volatile control over interlayer exciton conversion, establishing a route toward reconfigurable 2D excitonics and field-programmable quantum emitters.
More Related Videos
10:36Electric-field Control of Electronic States in WS2 Nanodevices by Electrolyte Gating
Published on: April 12, 2018
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
The Electrical Double Layer
Fermi Level Dynamics
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
P-N junction
Metal-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...
Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics
Consider a case where both the mediums across a boundary are two different dielectric materials. Recall that the electric field and electric displacement are proportional and related through the material's permittivity....
Induced Electric Fields: Applications