Patternable Process-Induced Strain in 2D Monolayers and Heterobilayers
Yue Zhang, M. Abir Hossain, Kelly J. Hwang, Paolo F. Ferrari, Joseph Maduzia, Tara Peña, Stephen M. Wu, Elif Ertekin, Arend M. van der Zande
Abstract
Strain engineering in two-dimensional (2D) materials is a powerful but difficult to control approach to tailor material properties. Across applications, there is a need for device-compatible techniques to design strain within 2D materials. This work explores how process-induced strain engineering, commonly used by the semiconductor industry to enhance transistor performance, can be used to pattern complex strain profiles in monolayer MoS 2 and 2D heterostructures. A traction–separation model is identified to predict strain profiles and extract the interfacial traction coefficient of 1.3 ± 0.7 MPa/μm and the damage initiation threshold of 16 ± 5 nm. This work demonstrates the utility to (1) spatially pattern the optical band gap with a tuning rate of 91 ± 1 meV/% strain and (2) induce interlayer heterostrain in MoS 2 –WSe 2 heterobilayers. These results provide a CMOS-compatible approach to design complex strain patterns in 2D materials with important applications in 2D heterogeneous integration into CMOS technologies, moiré engineering, and confining quantum systems.