Photoluminescence manipulation in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have been regarded as an intriguing platform for exploring novel physical phenomena and optoelectronic devices due to their excitonic emission characteristics derived from the atomic thin thickness and reduced dielectric screening effect. Notably, monolayer TMDCs with a direct bandgap exhibiting strong photoluminescence (PL) are promising candidates for the light-emitting devices, while the interlayer excitons in heterostructures hold great potential for the photonic chips and optical communication applications. However, the non-ideal photoluminescent intensity and quality due to the ultrathin thickness and high defect density of experimentally obtained monolayer TMDCs limit the further development for the light-emission applications. Here, we summarize the research progress on the PL manipulation of the excitonic emission in TMDCs, where the PL intensity enhancement and emission wavelength regulation are included. The concept and characteristics of excitons are overviewed firstly, followed by the discussion on the evaluation and characterization of excitonic emission. The state-of-the-art progress on the manipulation of the neutral excitons and interlayer excitons PL are then summarized. Finally, the challenges and prospects are proposed.