An image interaction approach to quantum-phase engineering of two-dimensional materials.

Tuning electrical, optical, and thermal material properties is central for engineering and understanding solid-state systems. In this scenario, atomically thin materials are appealing because of their sensitivity to electric and magnetic gating, as well as to interlayer hybridization. Here, we introduce a radically different approach to material engineering relying on the image interaction experienced by electrons in a two-dimensional material when placed in proximity of an electrically neutral structure. We theoretically show that electrons in a semiconductor atomic layer acquire a quantum phase resulting from the image potential induced by the presence of a neighboring periodic array of conducting ribbons, which in turn modifies the optical, electrical, and thermal properties of the monolayer, giving rise to additional interband optical absorption, plasmon hybridization, and metal-insulator transitions. Beyond its fundamental interest, material engineering based on the image interaction represents a disruptive approach to tailor the properties of atomic layers for application in nanodevices. Existing approaches to modulating the properties of 2D materials typically involve heterostructuring or exposure to external fields. Here, the authors propose a gate-free non-contact approach to tuning the properties of a 2D semiconductor via the image interaction due to proximity to a neutral patterned structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]