Christina Steinke

Bio: Christina Steinke is an academic researcher from University of Bremen. The author has contributed to research in topics: Band gap & Monolayer. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 6 publications receiving 156 citations.

Two-Dimensional Heterojunctions from Nonlocal Manipulations of the Interactions

Abstract: We propose to create lateral heterojunctions in two-dimensional materials based on nonlocal manipulations of the Coulomb interaction using structured dielectric environments. By means of ab initio calculations for MoS2 as well as generic semiconductor models, we show that the Coulomb interaction-induced self-energy corrections in real space are sufficiently nonlocal to be manipulated externally, but still local enough to induce spatially sharp interfaces within a single homogeneous monolayer to form heterojunctions. We find a type-II heterojunction band scheme promoted by a laterally structured dielectric environment, which exhibits a sharp band gap crossover within less than 5 unit cells.

Rigid Band Shifts in Two-Dimensional Semiconductors through External Dielectric Screening.

Abstract: We investigate the effects of external dielectric screening on the electronic dispersion and the band gap in the atomically thin, quasi-two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor WS_{2} using angle-resolved photoemission and optical spectroscopies, along with first-principles calculations. We find the main effect of increased external dielectric screening to be a reduction of the quasiparticle band gap, with rigid shifts to the bands themselves. Specifically, the band gap of monolayer WS_{2} is decreased by about 140 meV on a graphite substrate as compared to a hexagonal boron nitride substrate, while the electronic dispersion of WS_{2} remains unchanged within our experimental precision of 17 meV. These essentially rigid shifts of the valence and conduction bands result from the special spatial structure of the changes in the Coulomb potential induced by the dielectric environment of the monolayer.

Noninvasive control of excitons in two-dimensional materials

Abstract: We investigate how external screening shapes excitons in two-dimensional semiconductors embedded in laterally structured dielectric environments. An atomic scale view of these elementary excitations is developed using models which apply to a variety of materials including transition metal dichalcogenides. We find that structured dielectrics imprint a peculiar potential energy landscape on excitons in these systems: While the ground-state exciton is least influenced, higher excitations are attracted towards regions with high dielectric constant of the environment. This landscape is ``inverted'' in the sense that low energy excitons are less strongly affected than their higher energy counterparts. Corresponding energy variations emerge on length scales of the order of a few unit cells. This opens the prospect of trapping and guiding of higher excitons by means of tailor-made dielectric substrates on ultimately small spatial scales.

Inelastic electron tunneling into graphene nanostructures on a metal surface

Abstract: Wrinkles and blisters of graphene on Ir(111) give rise to remarkably high signals in inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy due to graphene phonons. Spatially resolved spectra unravel the gradual increase of the graphene phonon signatures with progressive delamination of graphene from the metal surface. Spectroscopy of the Ir(111) surface resonance evidences that the graphene-metal hybridization is efficiently reduced in wrinkles and blisters. A high phonon density of states favors the observation of phonons with wave vectors near the $\overline{M}$ point of the surface Brillouin zone.

Coulomb-engineered heterojunctions and dynamical screening in transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers

Abstract: The manipulation of two-dimensional materials via their dielectric environment offers novel opportunities to control electronic as well as optical properties and allows one to imprint nanostructures in a noninvasive way. Here we asses the potential of monolayer semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) for Coulomb engineering in a material realistic and quantitative manner. We compare the response of different TMDC materials to modifications of their dielectric surrounding, analyze effects of dynamic substrate screening, i.e., frequency dependencies in the dielectric functions, and discuss inherent length scales of Coulomb-engineered heterojunctions. We find symmetric and rigid-shift-like quasiparticle band-gap modulations for both instantaneous and dynamic substrate screening. From this, we derive short-ranged self-energies for an effective multiscale modeling of Coulomb-engineered heterojunctions composed of a homogeneous monolayer placed on a spatially structured substrate. For these heterojunctions, we show that band-gap modulations on the length scale of a few lattice constants are possible, rendering external limitations of the substrate structuring more important than internal effects. We find that all semiconducting TMDCs are similarly well suited for these external and noninvasive modifications.

Colloquium : Excitons in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides

Abstract: Atomically thin materials such as graphene and monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit remarkable physical properties resulting from their reduced dimensionality and crystal symmetry. The family of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides is an especially promising platform for fundamental studies of two-dimensional (2D) systems, with potential applications in optoelectronics and valleytronics due to their direct band gap in the monolayer limit and highly efficient light-matter coupling. A crystal lattice with broken inversion symmetry combined with strong spin-orbit interactions leads to a unique combination of the spin and valley degrees of freedom. In addition, the 2D character of the monolayers and weak dielectric screening from the environment yield a significant enhancement of the Coulomb interaction. The resulting formation of bound electron-hole pairs, or excitons, dominates the optical and spin properties of the material. Here recent progress in understanding of the excitonic properties in monolayer TMDs is reviewed and future challenges are laid out. Discussed are the consequences of the strong direct and exchange Coulomb interaction, exciton light-matter coupling, and influence of finite carrier and electron-hole pair densities on the exciton properties in TMDs. Finally, the impact on valley polarization is described and the tuning of the energies and polarization observed in applied electric and magnetic fields is summarized.

Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth and Applications of Two-Dimensional Materials and Their Heterostructures

Abstract: Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted increasing research interest because of the abundant choice of materials with diverse and tunable electronic, optical, and chemical properties. Moreover, 2D material based heterostructures combining several individual 2D materials provide unique platforms to create an almost infinite number of materials and show exotic physical phenomena as well as new properties and applications. To achieve these high expectations, methods for the scalable preparation of 2D materials and 2D heterostructures of high quality and low cost must be developed. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a powerful method which may meet the above requirements, and has been extensively used to grow 2D materials and their heterostructures in recent years, despite several challenges remaining. In this review of the challenges in the CVD growth of 2D materials, we highlight recent advances in the controlled growth of single crystal 2D materials, with an emphasis on semiconducting transition meta...

Coulomb engineering of the bandgap and excitons in two-dimensional materials

Abstract: The ability to control the size of the electronic bandgap is an integral part of solid-state technology. Atomically thin two-dimensional crystals offer a new approach for tuning the energies of the electronic states based on the unusual strength of the Coulomb interaction in these materials and its environmental sensitivity. Here, we show that by engineering the surrounding dielectric environment, one can tune the electronic bandgap and the exciton binding energy in monolayers of WS2 and WSe2 by hundreds of meV. We exploit this behaviour to present an in-plane dielectric heterostructure with a spatially dependent bandgap, as an initial step towards the creation of diverse lateral junctions with nanoscale resolution.

2D materials advances: From large scale synthesis and controlled heterostructures to improved characterization techniques, defects and applications

Abstract: Author(s): Lin, Z; McCreary, A; Briggs, N; Subramanian, S; Zhang, K; Sun, Y; Li, X; Borys, NJ; Yuan, H; Fullerton-Shirey, SK; Chernikov, A; Zhao, H; McDonnell, S; Lindenberg, AM; Xiao, K; Le Roy, BJ; Drndic, M; Hwang, JCM; Park, J; Chhowalla, M; Schaak, RE; Javey, A; Hersam, MC; Robinson, J; Terrones, M | Abstract: The rise of two-dimensional (2D) materials research took place following the isolation of graphene in 2004. These new 2D materials include transition metal dichalcogenides, mono-elemental 2D sheets, and several carbide- and nitride-based materials. The number of publications related to these emerging materials has been drastically increasing over the last five years. Thus, through this comprehensive review, we aim to discuss the most recent groundbreaking discoveries as well as emerging opportunities and remaining challenges. This review starts out by delving into the improved methods of producing these new 2D materials via controlled exfoliation, metal organic chemical vapor deposition, and wet chemical means. We look into recent studies of doping as well as the optical properties of 2D materials and their heterostructures. Recent advances towards applications of these materials in 2D electronics are also reviewed, and include the tunnel MOSFET and ways to reduce the contact resistance for fabricating high-quality devices. Finally, several unique and innovative applications recently explored are discussed as well as perspectives of this exciting and fast moving field.