In monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, quantum emitters are associated with localized strain that can be deterministically applied to create designer nano-arrays of single photon sources. Despite an overwhelming empirical correlation with local strain, the nanoscale interplay between strain, excitons, defects and local crystalline structure that gives rise to these quantum emitters is poorly understood. Here, we combine room-temperature nano-optical imaging and spectroscopy of excitons in nanobubbles of localized strain in monolayer WSe2 with atomistic structural models to elucidate how strain induces nanoscale confinement potentials that give rise to highly localized exciton states in 2D semiconductors. Nano-optical imaging of nanobubbles in low-defect monolayers reveal localized excitons on length scales of ~10 nm at multiple sites along the periphery of individual nanobubbles, which is in stark contrast to predictions of continuum models of strain. These results agree with theoretical confinement potentials that are atomistically derived from measured topographies of existing nanobubbles. Our results provide one-of-a-kind experimental and theoretical insight of how strain-induced confinement-without crystalline defects-can efficiently localize excitons on length scales commensurate with exciton size, providing key nanoscale structure-property information for quantum emitter phenomena in monolayer WSe2.The intense light-matter interactions of two-dimensional (2D) monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (1L-TMDs) are mediated by a diverse suite of excitonic phenomena that present a wealth of opportunities for novel optoelectronic functionalities in areas spanning from high- *

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The important role of water in growth of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides Interest in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has been renewed by the discovery of emergent properties when reduced to single, two-dimensional (2D) layers. The transition to direct band gap [1,2], emerging charge density waves [3,4], high mobility [5][6][7], and valley polarization [8][9][10] are some of the many exciting properties that have been reported in the TMD literature recently. A major bottleneck to this research is the lack of reproducible and large scale synthetic methods for high quality, consistent monolayer TMD samples. The dominant growth method is the vaporization and subsequent chalcogenization of solid metal oxides in the presence of gaseous chalcogen precursors. This process is commonly referred to as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or powder vaporization [11][12][13][14]. Due to its simplicity, CVD is extensively used by the TMD community to produce high quality, micron-sized single crystals [11][12][13][15][16][17][18][19]. Understanding the vaporization chemistry of solid transition metal precursors and vapor transport of volatilized precursors, particularly with respect to the influence of water vapor, is critical. Humidity, i.e. water content of the reaction environment, is an important parameter in the gas phase synthesis of inorganic materials, and while it is typically thought of as a contaminant, water is also an effective transport agent [20][21][22][23]. In this communication, we describe the synthesis of luminescent monolayer TMD islands by introducing water vapor as a simple means of controlling the volatilization and transport of the metal oxide precursor. Our experiments demonstrate a direct correlation between gas phase water content and the morphology of the resulting films. In particular, explicit control of the in situ water vapor concentration allows us to switch between two modes of growth: one in an effectively dry environment, in which the transition metal oxide source is converted directly to TMD material through a solid state reaction with the chalcogen source, and another in which the transition metal oxide undergoes vapor transport followed by reaction with the chalcogen source. We show that a small amount of water enhances the volatilization, and hence vapor transport, of the oxides of tungsten and molybdenum at the elevated temperatures (500-800 °C) used in the conversion or growth of their TMD counterparts. We attribute this effect to the enhanced vaporization of WO 3 and MoO 3 in the presence of water, first demonstrated in the 1930s and Our results show a direct correlation between gas phase water content and the morphology of TMD films. In particular, we show that the presence of water enhances volatilization, and therefore the vapor transport of tungsten and molybdenum oxide. Surprisingly, we find that water not only plays an important role in volatilization but is also compatible with TMD growth. In fact, carefully controlled humidity can consistently produce high qual...

We report continuous-wave second harmonic and sum frequency generation from two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers and their heterostructures with pump irradiances several orders of magnitude lower than those of conventional pulsed experiments. The high nonlinear efficiency originates from above-gap excitons in the band nesting regions, as revealed by wavelength-dependent second order optical susceptibilities quantified in four common monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides. Using sum frequency excitation spectroscopy and imaging, we identify and distinguish one- and two-photon resonances in both monolayers and heterobilayers. Data for heterostructures reveal responses from constituent layers accompanied by nonlinear signal correlated with interlayer transitions. We demonstrate spatial mapping of heterogeneous interlayer coupling by sum frequency and second harmonic confocal microscopy on heterobilayer MoSe2/WSe2.