Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS), combined with scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), is a powerful tool to explore a material’s electronic properties in real space, as it allows probing the local electronic density of states (DOS) with atomic resolution. STS can visualize spatial modulations of the electronic states, and capture collective phenomena like standing wave patterns originating from electrons scattering off defects. Furthermore, changes in the DOS can be used to investigate electronic phase transitions.
In this project you will conduct an extensive study of the transition metal dichalcogenide MoS2 via STM&STS. You will acquire data on the freshly cleaved material in the Fuhrer labs, learning the fundamentals of scanning probe microscopy by working with state-of-the-art equipment at cryogenic temperatures. You will investigate the behaviour of the electrons around defects (like atomic vacancies), and also verify the possibility of inducing a local structural phase transition (from 2H to 1T) in the crystal by applying a strong electric field. If time allows, you will study the effect of alkali metal deposition on such a phase transition.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr Iolanda Di Bernardo at iolanda.dibernardo@monash.edu, Dr Mark Edmonds at mark.edmonds@monash.edu or Prof. Michael Fuhrer at michael.fuhrer@monash.edu.
See https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/physics/honours/honours-project to apply.