Emergence of photoluminescence on bulk MoS 2 by laser thinning and gold particle decoration

We demonstrate a facile and effective approach to significantly improve the photoluminescence of bulk MoS 2 via laser thinning followed by gold particle decoration. Upon laser thinning of exfoliated bulk MoS 2 , photoluminescence emerges from the laser-thinned region. After further treatment with an AuCl 3 solution, gold particles self-assemble on the laser-thinned region and thick edges, further increasing the fluorescence of bulk MoS 2 28 times and the Raman response 3 times. Such fluorescence enhancement can be attributed to both surface plasmon resonance and p-type doping induced by gold particles. The combination of laser thinning and AuCl 3 treatment enables the functionalization of bulk MoS 2 for optoelectronic applications. It can also provide a viable strategy for mask-free and area-selective p-type doping on single MoS 2 flakes.