2. Semiconducting TMDs*: magnetic doping and intercalation, STM and optical characterization

This project aims to work on the active control and manipulation of the spin/valley degrees-of-freedom in 2D materials heterostructures. These heterostructures are grown and fabricated via both chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and mechanical exfoliation. The combination of conducting (e.g. graphene) with either semiconducting (e.g. TMD like MoS2 or WSe2) or insulating (e.g. hBN) 2D materials as well as only semiconducting 2D materials are investigated. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM and STS) at either room or low temperature (microscopic scale), low energy electron diffraction and in situ optical characterization (macroscopic scale) will be used to for both structure and electronic properties characterization. In addition, photoluminescence and absorption allow a better understanding of the band-structures in the synthesized heterostructures. The interesting coupling between two electronic degrees-of-freedom: spin and valley in semiconducting TMDs leads to long spin/valley relaxation times, which are affected by the presence of a magnetic field. Thus, it is very appealing to investigate the results of adding magnetic properties to the 2D heterostructures by doping or intercalation with (magnetic) atoms or interfacing them with 2D ferromagnets. This also offers the prospect using these materials in spintronic applications.

Team of supervising researchers: Meike Stöhr & Marcos Guimaraes

PhD student: Adam Watson