2D Materials

Overview 

We explore light-matter interaction in novel semiconductor structures integrated within nanophotonic devices. Our second more recent area of interest is in tip-assisted nano-spectroscopy and nano-imaging where we run Near-field Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy Centre (NOSC).

About 10 years ago our effort in the domain of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors was sparked by the surge of interest in layered crystals with strong in-plane bonds and weak, van der Waals, interlayer coupling. This materials are now often referred to as "van der Waals materials". 

We researched optical properties of 2D layers extracted from layered bulk crystals and published work on MoS₂, MoSe₂, WSe₂, WS₂, CrBr₃, GaSe, GaTe, InSe, MnPSe₃, NiPS₃, ZrSe₂, HfSe₂, GaS, hBN as well as heterostructures (vertical stacks) and nanophotonic structures made from these materials.

These days we integrate these materials in various optical resonators (micro- and nano-cavities, nano-antennas) and since recently have been making photonic structures out of the layered materials themselves. 

Our long-term goals are (i) to build novel chip-integrated nonlinear optical devices with a potential for applications in quantum and conventional photonics; (ii) to develop novel sensors for ultralow magnetic fields; (iii) and to develop new near-field optical techniques for nano-spectroscopy and nano-imaging. 

2D Sheffield