Local optical absorption spectra of h-BN–MoS2 van der Waals heterostructure revealed by scanning near-field optical microscopy

Abstract

Van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, in which different two-dimensional layered materials are stacked, can exhibit unprecedented optical properties. Development of a technique to clarify local optical properties of vdW heterostructures is of great importance for the correct understanding of their backgrounds. Here, we examined local optical absorption spectra of h-BN–MoS2 vdW heterostructures by scanning near-field microscopy measurements with a spatial resolution of 100 nm. In an as-grown sample, there was almost no site dependence of their optical absorption spectra. However, in a degraded sample where defects and deformations were artificially induced, a significant site-dependence of optical absorption spectra was observed.