Title: Strain Engineering, Quantum Transport and Synthesis of Atomically-thin Two-dimensional Materials
Description: Two-Dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) and Metal Monochalcogenides (MMs) are the next generation of smart devices because of their outstanding novel properties. Monolayer (one molecule thick.) of famous TMDs such as MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2 exhibit phenomenal physical properties including but not limited to low-energy direct bandgap and large piezoelectric responses. These have made them potential candidates for cutting-edge electronic and mechanical devices such as novel transistors and PN-junctions, on-chip energy storage and piezoelectric devices which could be applied in smart sensors and actuators technologies. Additionally, reversible structural phase transition in these materials from semiconducting phase (1H) to metallic phase (1T') as a function of strain, provide compelling physics which facilitates new era of sophisticated flexoelectric devices, novel switches and a giant leap in new regime of transistors. One iconic characteristics of monolayer 2D materials is their incredible stretchability which allows them to be subjected to several percent strains before yielding.

In this thesis I provide facile techniques based on polymer encapsulation to apply several percent (6.5%) controllable, non-destructive and reproducible strains. This is the highest reproducible strain reported so far. Then I show our experimental techniques and object detection algorithm to verify the amount of strain. These followed up by device fabrication techniques as well as in-depth polarized and unpolarized Raman spectroscopy. Then, I show interesting physics of monolayer and bilayer TMDs under strain and how their photoluminescence behaviors change under tensile and compressive strains. Monolayers of TMDs and MMs exhibit 1-10 larger piezoelectric coefficients comparing to bulk piezo materials. These surprising characteristics together with being able to apply large range strains, opens a new avenue of piezoelectricity with enormous magnitudes higher than those commercially available. Further on 2D materials, I show our transport experiments on doped and pristine graphene micro devices and unveil the discoveries of magneto conductance behaviors.

To complete, we present our computerized techniques and experimental platforms to make these 2D materials.