2Exciting

Atomically thin, two-dimensional semiconductors (2DS) show exceptionally strong light-matter interaction and opened the door to new ways of controlling electrical and optical properties through the valley degree of freedom, strain, or by creating artificial stacks of 2D materials. Optoelectronics has a clear roadmap towards not only broader band, faster and higher sensitivity or brighter devices, but also devices with new functionalities. The fast growth of industrial applications of 2DS in the imminent future, where Europe is in an excellent starting position, risks being throttled by a lack of highly qualified researchers and developers with specific experience in the field. The 2EXCITING network blends together eight academic groups that are amongst the key players in the 2DS field and eight companies with very diverse profiles, to train 15 Early Stage Researchers in an unmatched combination of scientific and complementary skills. Together, they will study the fundamental physics of the light-matter interaction in 2DSs, develop innovative optoelectronic devices such as excitonic switches, strain-actuated optical modulators, or valleytronic switches, and develop strategies to artificially tailor the optoelectronic properties of 2DS through electrostatic or chemical doping, strain engineering or the twisting angle of stacked layers. The network training programme, which comprises three winter schools and three satellite events to the “Flatlands beyond Graphene” conference series, provides scientific and industrial training to all researchers of the ETN, with active participation of trainers from the involved non-academic partners, both on specific technology issues and on complementary skills such as technology transfer, entrepreneurship, and public outreach. All ESRs will spend intersectoral and international secondments (be seconded from academia to industry or vice versa), most of them for six months duration.