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Controlling the topology of curved transition-metal dichalcogenides remains challenging because shell formation, precursor conversion and hollowing occur simultaneously during growth. Here, we show that the thickness of sputtered tungsten (W) films provides a direct handle for selecting WS2 nanotube topology during charcoal-assisted oxide-template sulfurization. Varying the initial W thickness from 1 to 100 nm drives a transition from laterally extended WS2-like domains to hollow nanotubes and, finally, to retained-core nanotubes exhibiting shell-front mismatch and spiral-like shell wrapping. Sulfur-free controls, Raman spectroscopy, grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and elemental mapping reveal that this transition is governed by the continuity, accessibility, and recession of WOx-derived precursor structures. As an initial test of functionality, multiphoton microscopy further shows that the oxide-core nanotube assemblies are optically active nonlinear emitters, generating second-harmonic, sum-frequency and four-wave-mixing signals that are readily detected under conditions where a WS2 monolayer reference is near the detection limit. These results establish film thickness as a synthetic handle for curved transition-metal dichalcogenide architectures and identify these self-formed nanostructures as a promising platform for nonlinear nanophotonics.
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Controlling the topology of curved transition-metal dichalcogenides remains challenging because shell formation, precursor conversion and hollowing occur simultaneously during growth. Here, we show that the thickness of sputtered tungsten (W) films provides a direct handle for selecting WS2 nanotube topology during charcoal-assisted oxide-template sulfurization. Varying the initial W thickness from 1 to 100 nm drives a transition from laterally extended WS2-like domains to hollow nanotubes and, finally, to retained-core nanotubes exhibiting shell-front mismatch and spiral-like shell wrapping. Sulfur-free controls, Raman spectroscopy, grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and elemental mapping reveal that this transition is governed by the continuity, accessibility, and recession of WOx-derived precursor structures. As an initial test of functionality, multiphoton microscopy further shows that the oxide-core nanotube assemblies are optically active nonlinear emitters, generating second-harmonic, sum-frequency and four-wave-mixing signals that are readily detected under conditions where a WS2 monolayer reference is near the detection limit. These results establish film thickness as a synthetic handle for curved transition-metal dichalcogenide architectures and identify these self-formed nanostructures as a promising platform for nonlinear nanophotonics.
Challenges and opportunities for nanophotonics with 2D semiconductors
Journal article(2025)
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Ali Azimi, Julien Barrier, Thomas Bauer, Abel Brokkelkamp, Sonia Conesa-Boj, Yujie Guo, Jeroen Sangers, Chris Soukaras, Hai Wang, More authors...
Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are emerging as a versatile platform for nanophotonics, offering unprecedented tunability in optical properties through exciton resonance engineering, van der Waals heterostructuring, and external field control. These materials enable active optical modulation, single-photon emission, quantum photonics, and valleytronic functionalities, paving the way for next-generation optoelectronic and quantum photonic devices. However, key challenges remain in achieving large-area integration, maintaining excitonic coherence, and optimizing amplitude-phase modulation for efficient light manipulation. Advances in fabrication, strain engineering, and computational modeling will be crucial to overcoming these limitations. This Perspective highlights recent progress in 2D semiconductor-based nanophotonics, emphasizing opportunities for scalable integration into photonics.
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Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are emerging as a versatile platform for nanophotonics, offering unprecedented tunability in optical properties through exciton resonance engineering, van der Waals heterostructuring, and external field control. These materials enable active optical modulation, single-photon emission, quantum photonics, and valleytronic functionalities, paving the way for next-generation optoelectronic and quantum photonic devices. However, key challenges remain in achieving large-area integration, maintaining excitonic coherence, and optimizing amplitude-phase modulation for efficient light manipulation. Advances in fabrication, strain engineering, and computational modeling will be crucial to overcoming these limitations. This Perspective highlights recent progress in 2D semiconductor-based nanophotonics, emphasizing opportunities for scalable integration into photonics.
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