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Revealing Optical Properties of Reduced‐Dimensionality Materials at Relevant Length Scales
Author(s) -
Ogletree D. Frank,
Schuck P. James,
WeberBargioni Alexander F.,
Borys Nicholas J.,
Aloni Shaul,
Bao Wei,
Barja Sara,
Lee Jiye,
Melli Mauro,
Munechika Keiko,
Whitelam Stephan,
Wickenburg Sebastian
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201500930
Subject(s) - materials science , characterization (materials science) , nanotechnology , context (archaeology) , photonics , curse of dimensionality , nanoscopic scale , optoelectronics , computer science , machine learning , biology , paleontology
Reduced‐dimensionality materials for photonic and optoelectronic applications including energy conversion, solid‐state lighting, sensing, and information technology are undergoing rapid development. The search for novel materials based on reduced‐dimensionality is driven by new physics. Understanding and optimizing material properties requires characterization at the relevant length scale, which is often below the diffraction limit. Three important material systems are chosen for review here, all of which are under investigation at the Molecular Foundry, to illustrate the current state of the art in nanoscale optical characterization: 2D semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides; 1D semiconducting nanowires; and energy‐transfer in assemblies of 0D semiconducting nanocrystals. For each system, the key optical properties, the principal experimental techniques, and important recent results are discussed. Applications and new developments in near‐field optical microscopy and spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and cathodoluminescence in the electron microscope are given detailed attention. Work done at the Molecular Foundry is placed in context within the fields under review. A discussion of emerging opportunities and directions for the future closes the review.