Amplification of interlayer exciton emission in twisted WSe$_2$/WSe$_2$/MoSe$_2$ heterotrilayers

Abstract

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) heterostructures have unique properties that depend on the twisting angle and stacking order of two or more monolayers. However, their practical applications are limited by the low photoluminescence yield of interlayer excitons. This limits the use of layered 2D materials as a versatile platform for developing innovative optoelectronic and spintronic devices. In this study, we report on the emission enhancement of interlayer excitons in multilayered-stacked monolayers through the fabrication of heterotrilayers consisting of WSe$_2$/WSe$_2$/MoSe$_2$ with differing twist angles. Our results show that an additional WSe$_2$ monolayer introduces new absorption pathways, leading to an improvement in the emission of interlayer excitons by more than an order of magnitude. The emission boost is affected by the twist angle, and we observe a tenfold increase in the heterotrilayer area when there is a 44$^\circ$ angle between the WSe$_2$ and MoSe$_2$ materials, as opposed to their heterobilayer counterparts. Furthermore, using density functional theory, we identify the emergence of new carrier transfer pathways in the three-layer sample which extends the current understanding of 2D semiconducting heterostructures. In addition, our research provides a viable way to significantly enhance the emission of interlayer excitons. The emission enhancement of interlayer excitons is significant not only for studying the fundamental properties of interlayer excitons, but also for enabling optoelectronic applications that utilize engineered 2D quantum materials with high luminescence yield.