Bandgap engineering of monolayer MoS2 under strain: A DFT study

Abstract

In this paper, density functional theory calculations are used to investigate the monolayer MoS2 in terms of the strain by analyzing the structure parameters: the bandgap, the density of states (DOS) and the Milliken charges. The calculations indicate that an increasing external stain tends to depress the ripple structure with a shorter S-S interlayer spacing and to enlarge the length of the Mo-S bond. Tensile strain dramatically alteres the bandgap; however, compressive strain almost does not. The change in the bandgap is explained by an analysis of the DOS, the partial density of states (PDOS), the structure parameters and the Mulliken charge distribution. The effects of strain on the Mulliken charge and the length of the Mo-S band cause bandgap differences under tensile and compressive strain.