Krishna P. Dhakal

Anisotropic optical absorption of organic rubrene single nanoplates and thin films studied by μ-mapping absorption spectroscopy

Local absorption spectra and absorption coefficients were obtained from organic rubrene single nanoplates. Absorption along the b-axis was higher than along the a-axis for polarized illumination on an ab-faced single-crystal rubrene nanoplate, and the lowest crystal transition peak (∼530 nm) relatively increased in size with an increasing incidence angle due to the anisotropic absorption strength along the crystal axes. Rubrene thin films grown by organic molecular beam deposition displayed microscopically varying absorption spectra; the relative peak height of the M-polarized band and the overall absorption strength were strongest with polarized illumination along the c-axis.

Electrospinning and optical characterization of organic rubrene nanofibers

We report on the preparation of continuous organic rubrene nanofibers using the electrospinning method. We added the minimal amount of poly (ethylene oxide) in the electro-spinning solution to provide the viscosity required for electrospinning. Optical characteristics such as absorption, photoluminescence, and Raman spectra all confirmed the successful formation of rubrene nanofibers. Confocal Raman spectra obtained from single rubrene nanofibers showed co-existence of the amorphous and the crystal phase of the rubrene molecule. We also demonstrated that our rubrene nanofibers can be used as efficient optical waveguides. Our result suggests that abundant fluorescent, continuous nanofibers of small molecule materials can be successfully prepared using electrospinning.

Gate-Tunable Hole and Electron Carrier Transport in Atomically Thin Dual-Channel WSe2/MoS2 Heterostructure for Ambipolar Field-Effect Transistors

An ambipolar dual-channel field-effect transistor (FET) with a WSe2 /MoS2 heterostructure formed by separately controlled individual channel layers is demonstrated. The FET shows a switchable ambipolar behavior with independent carrier transport of electrons and holes in the individual layers of MoS2 and WSe2 , respectively. Moreover, the photoresponse is studied at the heterointerface of the WSe2 /MoS2 dual-channel FET.

Formation of nanosized monolayer MoS2 by oxygen-assisted thinning of multilayer MoS2

We report the controllable nanosized local thinning of multi-layer (2 L and 3 L)-thickness MoS2 films down to the monolayer (1 L) thickness using the simple method of annealing in a dry oxygen atmosphere. The annealing temperature was optimized in the range of 240 °C to 270 °C for 1.5 h, and 1 L thick nanosized pits were developed on the uniform film of the 2 L and 3 L MoS2 grown using the chemical vapor deposition method. We characterized the formation of the 1 L nanosized pits using nanoscale confocal photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy. We observed that the PL intensity increased and the Raman frequency shifted, representative of the characteristics of 1 L MoS2 films. A subsequent hydrogen treatment process was useful for removing the oxygen-induced doping effect resulting from the annealing.

Simple method of DNA stretching on glass substrate for fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy

Abstract. We demonstrate a simple method of stretching DNA to its full length, suitable for optical imaging and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two competing forces on the DNA molecules, which are the electrostatic attraction between positively charged dye molecules (YOYO-1) intercalated into DNA and the negatively charged surface of glass substrate, and the centrifugal force of the rotating substrate, are mainly responsible for the effective stretching and the dispersion of single strands of DNA. The density of stretched DNA molecules could be controlled by the concentration of the dye-stained DNA solution. Stretching of single DNA molecules was confirmed by AFM imaging and the photoluminescence spectra of single DNA molecule stained with YOYO-1 were obtained, suggesting that our method is useful for spectroscopic analysis of DNA at the single molecule level.

Heterogeneous modulation of exciton emission in triangular WS2 monolayers by chemical treatment

Chemical treatments were recently shown to be very effective in enhancing the exciton emission of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (1L-TMDs) by suppressing the exciton quenching caused by structural defects. However, the effects of these chemical treatments varied greatly depending on the synthesis method and the type of 1L-TMD; therefore, the exact origin of the emission enhancement is still elusive. Here we report the spatially heterogeneous effects of bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide (TFSI) and benzyl viologen (BV) treatment on the optical properties of triangular 1L-WS2 grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Nanoscale photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectral maps showed that TFSI had a minimal effect on the inner region of the triangular WS2 grain, whereas the PL of the edge region was enhanced up to 25 times; further, BV reduced the PL, also more strikingly in the edge region. Systematic variation of the spectral weights among neutral excitons, trions, and bi-excitons indicated that p-doping and n-doping with TFSI and BV, respectively, occurred in both the inner and edge regions; however, the PL enhancement was attributed mainly to the reduction of structural defects caused by TFSI treatment. Our observation of the spatially heterogeneous effects of chemical treatment suggests that the inner and edge regions of CVD-grown 1L-WS2 are populated with different types of structural defects and helps in clarifying the mechanism by which chemical treatment enhances the optical properties of 1L-TMDs.

Optically active charge transfer in hybrids of Alq3 nanoparticles and MoS2 monolayer

Organic/inorganic hybrid structures have been widely studied because of their enhanced physical and chemical properties. Monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (1L-TMDs) and organic nanoparticles can provide a hybridization configuration between zero- and two-dimensional systems with the advantages of convenient preparation and strong interface interaction. Here, we present such a hybrid system made by dispersing π-conjugated organic (tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum(III)) (Alq3) nanoparticles (NPs) on 1L-MoS2. Hybrids of Alq3 NP/1L-MoS2 exhibited a two-fold increase in the photoluminescence of Alq3 NPs on 1L-MoS2 and the n-doping effect of 1L-MoS2, and these spectral and electronic modifications were attributed to the charge transfer between Alq3 NPs and 1L-MoS2. Our results suggested that a hybrid of organic NPs/1L-TMD can offer a convenient platform to study the interface interactions between organic and inorganic nano objects and to engineer optoelectronic devices with enhanced performance.

Enhanced Luminescence and Photocurrent of Organic Microrod/ZnO Nanoparticle Hybrid System: Nanoscale Optical and Electrical Characteristics

We studied the enhanced photoluminescence (PL) and photocurrent (PC) of 1,4-bis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)styryl)-2,5-dibromobenzene (TSDB) microrods decorated with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). Chemically synthesized crystalline ZnO NPs with an average size of 40 nm were functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane to result in the chemical bonding of the NPs onto the surface of the TSDB microrods. We observed a 2-fold PL enhancement in the ZnO/TSDB hybrid microrods compared with the PL of the pure TSDB microrods. In addition, PC measurement carried out on the TSDB and ZnO/TSDB hybrid microrods at two different excitation wavelengths of 355 nm and 405 nm showed the significant enhancement of the PC from the hybrid system, where the resonant excitation of the laser (355 nm) corresponding to the absorption of both ZnO and TSDB caused ∼3 times enhancement of the PC from the ZnO/TSDB hybrid microrods.

Thickness-Dependent Phonon Renormalization and Enhanced Raman Scattering in Ultrathin Silicon Nanomembranes

We report on the thickness-dependent Raman spectroscopy of ultrathin silicon (Si) nanomembranes (NMs), whose thicknesses range from 2 to 18 nm, using several excitation energies. We observe that the Raman intensity depends on the thickness and the excitation energy due to the combined effects of interference and resonance from the band-structure modulation. Furthermore, confined acoustic phonon modes in the ultrathin Si NMs were observed in ultralow-frequency Raman spectra, and strong thickness dependence was observed near the quantum limit, which was explained by calculations based on a photoelastic model. Our results provide a reliable method with which to accurately determine the thickness of Si NMs with thicknesses of less than a few nanometers.

Degradation behaviors and mechanisms of MoS 2 crystals relevant to bioabsorbable electronics

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) exhibits unique semiconducting and bioresorption properties, giving this material enormous potential for electronic/biomedical applications, such as bioabsorbable electronics. In this regard, understanding the degradation performance of monolayer MoS2 in biofluids allows modulation of the properties and lifetime of related bioabsorbable devices and systems. Herein, the degradation behaviors and mechanisms of monolayer MoS2 crystals with different misorientation angles are explored. High-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) biodegrade faster than low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs), exhibiting degraded edges with wedge and zigzag shapes, respectively. Triangular pits that formed in the degraded grains have orientations opposite to those of the parent crystals, and these pits grow into larger pits laterally. These behaviors indicate that the degradation is induced and propagated based on intrinsic defects, such as grain boundaries and point defects, because of their high chemical reactivity due to lattice breakage and the formation of dangling bonds. High densities of dislocations and point defects lead to high chemical reactivity and faster degradation. The structural cause of MoS2 degradation is studied, and a feasible approach to study changes in the properties and lifetime of MoS2 by controlling the defect type and density is presented. The results can thus be used to promote the widespread use of two-dimensional materials in bioabsorption applications.Biomaterials: Understanding how materials fade awayThe mechanism by which two-dimensional electronic materials decompose in an environment similar to that inside the human body has been identified by researchers in South Korea. Biodegradable, or transient, electronic devices disappear when no longer needed. In biomedical applications, for example, a transient sensor in the body degrades or dissolves, eliminating the need for surgery to remove it. Jong-Hyun Ahn from Yonsei University in Seoul and co-workers investigated the degradation of crystals of the two-dimensional semiconductor molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), each having the triangular shape. They showed that the rate of decomposition is dependent on the angle of misalignment between the two crystals: crystals with a larger misalignment biodegrade faster than those more closely aligned. This behavior indicates that intrinsic defects in the atomic structure of the material are the cause of the degradation.We present the degradation behaviors and mechanisms of CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 crystals relevant to bioabsorbable electronics, triggered and extended based on the intrinsic defects such as grain boundaries and point defects for their high chemical reactivity caused by broken lattice and dangling bonds. Higher misorientation angle leads to higher degradation speed. This work paves the way for lifetime modulation and bioabsorbable device application by using 2D materials.