Tunable Moiré Potentials in 2D-Heterostructures using Anisotropic Strain

Principal investigators

  1. Jonathan J. Finley, Walter Schottky Institut & TU-München, finley (at) wsi.tum.de [webpage]
  2. Fei Ding, Leibniz Universität Hannover, f.ding (at) fkp.uni-hannover.de [webpage]
  3. Rolf Haug, Leibniz Universität Hannover, haug (at) nano.uni.hannover.de [webpage]

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Abstract

We will focus on developing a newly designed anisotropic strain engineering platform which can apply strain up to 10% at cryogenic temperatures. Such new design allows not only the investigation of the impact of much larger macroscopic strain on the fundamental excitonic photo-physics and quantum transport properties, but also opens the route to study the phenomena induced by the interlayer sliding between the stacked layers.

For the excitonic photo-physics, we will optically probe strongly correlated quantum phases in strain tunable TMD heterostructures and study TMD moiré SLs with hexagonal and reduced symmetry arising from the application of heterostrain.

The principle techniques that will be exploited in developing strain-tunable 2D-heterostructures devices are laser micro-processing for defining trenches, tear and stack method to assemble vdW heterostructures with a specific twist angle, a strain transfer layer which acts as a glue as well as insulator for wire bonding and electrical contact.