Enhanced photoluminescence of MoS2–Au nanostructures: Nanotriangle and nanohole arrays

We investigated the photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of MoS2–Au hybrid nanostructures, fabricated by nanosphere lithography and wet-transfer techniques. Two kinds of Au nanostructures - such as nanotriangles (NTs) and nanoholes (NHs) - were fabricated for comparison. MoS2 monolayers on both NT and NH arrays exhibited enhanced PL intensity, compared with those on SiO2/Si substrates and flat Au thin films. Numerical simulations revealed clear distinction in the electric field intensity distributions in the NT and NH arrays at the PL excitation wavelength. Such difference could be attributed to the excitation of localized and propagating surface plasmon in the NT and NH arrays. This work helps us to understand how the plasmonic NT and NH arrays affect the physical properties of the MoS2 monolayers on them.