The impact of valley profile on the mobility and Kerr rotation of transition metal dichalcogenides

Abstract

The transport and optical properties of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides around room temperature are dictated by electron–phonon scattering mechanisms within a complex, spin-textured and multi-valley electronic landscape. The relative positions of the valleys are critical, yet they are sensitive to external parameters and very difficult to determine directly. We propose a first-principles model as a function of valley positions to calculate carrier mobility and Kerr rotation angles, and apply it to MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, and WSe2. The model brings valuable insights, as well as quantitative predictions of macroscopic properties for a wide range of carrier density. The doping-dependent mobility displays a characteristic peak, the height depending on the position of the valleys. In parallel, the Kerr rotation signal is enhanced when same spin-valleys are aligned, and quenched when opposite spin-valleys are populated. We provide guidelines to optimize and correlate these quantities with respect to experimental parameters, as well as the theoretical support for in situ characterization of the valley positions.