Tuning the Optical Band Gap of Two-Dimensional WS2 Integrated with Gold Nanocubes by Introducing Palladium Nanostructures

The two characteristic absorption peaks of semiconducting two-dimensional tungsten disulfide (WS2) are red-shifted after integrating with gold nanocube (AuNC) arrays. The amount of the red shift is reduced when the AuNCs are coated with a high concentration of Pd. A negligible shift was observed in the absorption peaks of WS2 when smaller amounts of Pd are introduced to the surface of AuNCs. Conversely, the photoluminescence (PL) of WS2 is blue-shifted when measured on top of AuNCs and AuNCs coated with different amounts of Pd. AuNC–Pd Janus nanoparticles are prepared by depositing Pd atoms asymmetrically on AuNCs assembled into 2-D arrays on the surface of a glass substrate by the chemical reduction of Pd ions. Due to the large AuNC or AuNC–Pd/WS2 Schottky barrier, the plasmon-induced hot electron transfer (PHET) from AuNCs and AuNCs coated with a high concentration of Pd is responsible for the red shift of the absorption spectrum of WS2. Introducing a lower concentration of Pd to AuNCs increases the Schottky barrier further due to the formation of the Au–Pd equilibrium Fermi level of lower energy, reducing the efficiency of PHET. The effect of Pd on the Fermi level of AuNCs vanishes at high Pd deposition. Pauli blocking and phase-space filling are responsible for the blue shift of PL of WS2 on top of AuNCs and AuNCs coated with Pd. The Pauli blocking effect is directly proportional to the PHET efficiency. This explains the significant blue shift of PL of WS2 after integrating with AuNCs and AuNCs coated with a high concentration of Pd. Additionally, depositing Pd onto AuNCs elongates the lifetime of the hot electrons and enhances the PHET efficiency.