Two-dimensional (2D) materials have been extensively investigated for the last 20 years. 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are leading materials due to their extraordinary performance in various applications like optoelectronics, sensing, catalysis and energy etc. The 2D-TMDCs offer advantages such as ultrathin thickness, tuneable band gaps, high surface-to-volume ratio, high current on/off ratio (10⁸), flexibility, high mobility, and polymorphism, which make them ideal for nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. [1]  Semiconducting 2D-TMDCs like WS₂ and MoS₂ have direct band gaps in the visible range, making them highly light-active materials. Despite these advantages, 2D-TMDCs still have limitations in terms of their large-area uniform growth, layer number control, site-specific integration, contamination-free heterostructure formation, etc. The properties of 2D materials are highly influenced by the presence of defects which makes atomic manipulation of defects important.

The 2D materials market is expected to expand from USD 2.71 billion in 2024 to USD 3.62 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.69% during the forecast period (2024 - 2032). Graphene-based products have already been introduced in the market and are winning the hearts of customers for being strong and lightweight with many intriguing properties. 2D- TMDCs (WS₂ and MoS₂) are next in the line for the industrial trials. For nanoscale material to be introduced into the market, its large-scale fabrication is a bottleneck. While defects such as vacancies and micro-cracks are useful for certain applications, cracks/voids are undesirable and lead to the degradation of performance when used in electronic devices. [2] Defect engineering is extremely important to control the properties and hence the performance of the 2D-TMDCs.

This talk offers a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the synthesis, characterization, and application of 2D light-emitting materials, with a particular emphasis on WS₂. We will delve into various synthesis techniques, focusing on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and gold-assisted mechanical exfoliation. [3] Additionally, the impact of chemical treatments on the photoluminescence properties of 2D-TMDCs will be presented. The discussion will also address the challenges and future directions in the field, including the scalability of production methods and the integration of 2D light-emitting materials with existing semiconductor technologies. This talk aims to provide a foundational understanding of 2D semiconducting light-emitting materials, highlighting their potential and guiding future research and development.