Valley polarization in MoS2 monolayers by optical pumping

Zeng, Hualing1; Dai, Junfeng1,2; Yao, Wang1,3; Xiao, Di4; Cui, Xiaodong1

2012-08

10.1038/NNANO.2012.95

Nature Nanotechnology   Impact Factor & Quartile

1748-3387

1748-3395

Most electronic devices exploit the electric charge of electrons, but it is also possible to build devices that rely on other properties of electrons. Spintronic devices, for example, make use of the spin of electrons(1,2). Valleytronics is a more recent development that relies on the fact that the conduction bands of some materials have two or more minima at equal energies but at different positions in momentum space(3-5). To make a valleytronic device it is necessary to control the number of electrons in these valleys, thereby producing a valley polarization(6-11). Single-layer MoS2 is a promising material for valleytronics because both the conduction and valence band edges have two energy-degenerate valleys at the corners of the first Brillouin zone(12). Here, we demonstrate that optical pumping with circularly polarized light can achieve a valley polarization of 30% in pristine monolayer MoS2. Our results, and similar results by Mak et al.(13), demonstrate the viability of optical valley control and valley-based electronic and optoelectronic applications in MoS2 monolayers.

SCI ; EI

English

NI Journal Papers ; ESI Highly Cited Papers

Others

University Grant Council government of HKSAR[AoE/P-04/08] ; University Grant Council government of HKSAR[SEG_CUHK06]

Science & Technology - Other Topics ; Materials Science

Nanoscience & Nanotechnology ; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

WOS:000307359600006

NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

20192907185953

Electron devices ; Electrons ; Layered semiconductors ; Molybdenum compounds ; Monolayers ; Optical pumping ; Polarization

Geology:481.1

Web of Science

1.Univ Hong Kong, Dept Phys, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Peoples R China
2.S Univ Sci & Technol China, Dept Phys, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
3.Univ Hong Kong, Ctr Theoret & Computat Phys, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Peoples R China
4.Oak Ridge Natl Lab, Mat Sci & Technol Div, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 USA

Zeng, Hualing,Dai, Junfeng,Yao, Wang,et al. Valley polarization in MoS2 monolayers by optical pumping[J]. Nature Nanotechnology,2012,7(8):490-493.

Zeng, Hualing,Dai, Junfeng,Yao, Wang,Xiao, Di,&Cui, Xiaodong.(2012).Valley polarization in MoS2 monolayers by optical pumping.Nature Nanotechnology,7(8),490-493.

Zeng, Hualing,et al."Valley polarization in MoS2 monolayers by optical pumping".Nature Nanotechnology 7.8(2012):490-493.