The tunability of polar and semiconducting properties of low-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have propelled them to the forefront of fundamental and applied physical research. These materials can vary their electrophysical properties from nonpolar to ferroelectric, and from direct-band semiconducting to metallic. In addition to classical controlling factors, such as field effect, composition, and doping, new degrees of freedom emerge in TMDs due to the curvature-induced electron redistribution and the associated changes in electronic properties. Here we theoretically explore the elastic and electric fields, flexoelectric polarization and free charge density for a TMD nanoflake placed on a rough substrate with a sinusoidal corrugation profile. Finite element modelling results for different flake thickness and corrugation depth yield insights into the flexoelectric nature of the out-of-plane electric polarization and establish the unambiguous correlation between the polarization and static conductivity modulation. The modulation is caused by the coupling between the deformation potential and inhomogeneous elastic strains, which evolve in the TMD nanoflake due to the adhesion between the flake surface and corrugated substrate. We reveal a pronounced maximum in the thickness dependences of the electron and hole conductivity of ${\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{S}}_2$ and ${\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{Te}}_2$ nanoflakes placed on a corrugated substrate, which opens the way for the optimization of their geometry towards significant improvement in their polar and electronic properties, necessary for advanced applications in nanoelectronics and memory devices. Specifically, the obtained results can be useful for the development of nanoscale straintronic devices based on the bended ${\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{S}}_2$, ${\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{Te}}_2$, and $\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{Te}$ nanoflakes, such as diodes and bipolar transistors with a bending-controllable sharpness of p-n junctions.

• Received 7 December 2020
• Revised 11 February 2021
• Accepted 29 March 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.15.044051