Since 2010, the field of 2D materials has experienced a new boost, originating from the works on 2D semiconductors (2DS), atomically thin semiconducting 'cousins' of graphene. They cover a wide range of band gaps in the visible, UV and IR. Their properties encompass large exciton binding energies and exceptionally strong light-matter interaction. They opened the door to new ways of controlling their electrical and optical properties via the valley degree of freedom, strain, or by creating artificial stacks of 2D materials. All these makes 2DS extremely appealing for optoelectronic applications where conventional semiconductors cannot provide the same performance nor added functionality.
The demand for optical-to-electrical and vice versa transducers has grown exponentially as optics is increasingly adopted for energy-efficient data transmission, also on short distances. Displays and light sensors have been successfully integrated in everyday objects. There is a clear roadmap for achieving broader band width, faster, more sensitive, and brighter devices, and also for devices with new functionalities.
2EXCITING combined complementary expertise to investigate fundamental optoelectronic properties of 2DS and to provide new methods to manipulate them for adding functionalities to 2DS-based optoelectronic devices by:
- Bringing together a consortium of 8 leading academic groups that are amongst the key players in the field of 2DS, and 8 companies with diverse skills ranging from knowledge transfer, R&D to soft skills,
- Studying fundamental physics of the light-matter interaction in 2DSs,
- Developing innovative optoelectronic devices such as excitonic switches, strain-actuated optical modulators, or valleytronic switches,
- Developing strategies to artificially tailor the optoelectronic properties of 2DS through electrostatic or chemical doping, strain engineering, and modifying the twisting angle of stacked layers,
- Training 15 ESRs in the state-of-the-technique experimental and theoretical tools in the field of 2DS-based electronic and optoelectronic devices and related materials preparation, nanoscopy, and optical spectroscopy,
- Preparing the ESRs for their professional career in the growing field of 2D materials through the specialized training programme.
The objectives in 2EXCITING to exploit the photophysical and optoelectronic properties of 2DS, and to manipulate their electronic structure by external means were successfully achieved.
