Large birefringence and linear dichroism in TiS3 nanosheets
10, 12424 (2018)
Large birefringence and linear dichroism in TiS3 nanosheets
TiS3 nanosheets have proven to be promising candidates for ultrathin optoelectronic devices due to their direct narrow band-gap and the strong light-matter interaction. In addition, the marked in-plane anisotropy of TiS3 can result in novel devices sensitive to the light polarization. Herein, we study the optical contrast of TiS3 nanosheets on SiO2/Si substrates, from which we obtain the complex refractive index in the visible spectrum. Using both unpolarized and linearly polarized light, we find that TiS3 exhibits very large birefringence, larger than that of well-known strong birefringent materials like TiO2 or calcite, and linear dichroism. These findings are in qualitative agreement with ab initio calculations that suggest an excitonic origin for the birefringence and linear dichroism of the material.
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- Manuscript Submitted to ACS Photonics