Tunable Photoluminescence of Atomically Thin MoS2 via Nb Doping

The emergence of 2D materials has led to increased attention on correlating the structural, optical, and optoelectronic properties of atomically thin transition metal chalcogenides like MoS2. We demonstrate the tunability of the photoluminescence (PL) properties of bulk MoS2 via implantation of Nb ions. Raman spectroscopy is used to confirm the p-type doping. The PL intensity of MoS2 is drastically enhanced by the adsorption of p-type dopants. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to study the change of MoS2 structure postimplantation. Our results provide a new route for modulating the optical properties of two-dimensional semiconductors. The strong and stable PL from defect sites of MoS2 created by Nb ion implantation may have promising applications in optoelectronic devices.