Second-harmonic imaging microscopy for time-resolved investigations of transition metal dichalcogenides

Abstract

Heterostructures of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) have shown promise for various applications in optoelectronics and so-called valleytronics. Their operation and performance strongly depend on the stacking of individual layers. Here, optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) in imaging mode is shown to be a versatile tool for systematic time-resolved investigations of TMDC monolayers and heterostructures in consideration of the material's structure.Large sample areas can be probed in a single shot without the need of any mapping or scanning.By means of polarization dependent measurements, the crystalline orientation of monolayers or the stacking angles of heterostructures can be evaluated for the whole field of view. Pump-probe experiments then allow to correlate observed transient changes of the second harmonic response with the underlying structure. The corresponding time-resolution is virtually limited by the pulse duration of the used laser. As an example, polarization dependent and time-resolved measurements on single-layer MoS 2 and WS 2 flakes grown on a SiO 2 / Si(001) substrate are presented.