Our latest publication in Applied Surface Science focuses on the electronic properties of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) structures ranging from a single atomic layer to five layers.

This work is the first outcome of a postdoctoral research stay at the University of Münster and results from a collaboration of Prof. Anika Schlenhoff’s group with the theoretical team at the Institute of Solid State Theory.

In this study, we investigated how the band gap of MoS₂ depends on the number of atomic layers. We used scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS) and compared the experimental results with theoretical calculations based on DFT and GW methods. The samples were grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

The results revealed a clear reduction in the band gap as the number of layers increases. Interestingly, in the investigated structures, the band gap reached values lower than those of bulk MoS₂. Our analysis also highlighted the important role of defects and electronic screening in determining the material’s properties. These findings provide a better understanding of how thickness and the local environment affect the electronic structure of 2D materials, with implications for designing structures with tailored electronic properties.

The full publication is available here:

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