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Published on: October 12, 2019
Probing Dielectric Screening in van der Waals Heterostructures via Pressure-Tuned Exciton Rydberg Series
Shalini Badola1, Adlen Smiri2, Thomas Pelini1
1Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LNCMI, UPR 3228, EMFL, 38000 Grenoble, France.
Physical Review Letters
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Exciton states in 2D semiconductors reveal environmental changes. Researchers used these excitons to measure dielectric properties of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) under pressure, enabling new dielectric sensing methods.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Excitons in 2D semiconductors are highly sensitive to their dielectric environment.
- Understanding these dielectric properties is crucial for device performance and fundamental research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of exciton Rydberg series in monolayer WSe2 to probe pressure-induced dielectric changes.
- To establish a novel method for measuring the dielectric constant of materials under pressure.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing the Rydberg series of excitons in monolayer WSe2 encapsulated in hBN.
- Developing a model based on pressure-evolved interlayer distances and hBN bulk dielectric properties.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that exciton states can effectively probe dielectric modifications.
- Achieved direct measurement of the dielectric constant of pressurized hBN.
Conclusions:
- The exciton Rydberg series provides a sensitive probe for dielectric sensing.
- This work introduces a new methodology for in-situ dielectric characterization of materials under pressure.
