Environmental engineering of transition metal dichalcogenide optoelectronics

The explosion of interest in two-dimensional van der Waals materials has been in many ways driven by their layered geometry. This feature makes possible numerous avenues for assembling and manipulating the optical and electronic properties of these materials. In the specific case of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors, the direct band gap combined with the flexibility for manipulation of layers has made this class of materials promising for optoelectronics. Here, we review the properties of these layered materials and the various means of engineering these properties for optoelectronics. We summarize approaches for control that modify their structural and chemical environment, and we give particular detail on the integration of these materials into engineered optical fields to control their optical characteristics. This combination of controllability from their layered surface structure and photonic environment provide an expansive landscape for novel optoelectronic phenomena.