Intermediate-state imaging of electrical switching and quantum coupling of molybdenum disulfide monolayer

Tuning and probing electrical states of molybdenum disulfide (MoS(2)) with single-unit-cell thickness are attractive for next-generation nanoelectronics by virtue of unique electronic and optical attributes. In this work, we first demonstrated a plasmonic-based phase imaging of individual metal nanoparticles to directly visualize the characteristic switching of the electron-doping regime and near-complete suppression of the conductivity regime for an MoS(2) monolayer by modulating potential. Intermediate states of electrical switching for the MoS(2) monolayer are directly imaged by ultrasensitive phase variation of a single Au nanoparticle, which is attributable to the reversible switching between classical electromagnetic plasmonic coupling and quantum plasmonic coupling. This model can be operated as a logical inverter converting a logical signal 0–1 and as a universal logical NOR gate electronic directly imaged by plasmonic technique, potentially finding applications in novel nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.