Resonant tunneling through discrete quantum states in stacked atomic-layered MoS₂

Two-dimensional crystals can be assembled into three-dimensional stacks with atomic layer precision, which have already shown plenty of fascinating physical phenomena and been used for prototype vertical-field-effect- transistors.1,2 In this work, interlayer electron tunneling in stacked high-quality crystalline MoS₂ films were investigated. A trilayered MoS₂ film was sandwiched between top and bottom electrodes with an adjacent bottom gate, and the discrete energy levels in each layer could be tuned by bias and gate voltages. When the discrete energy levels aligned, a resonant tunneling peak appeared in the current-voltage characteristics. The peak position shifts linearly with perpendicular magnetic field, indicating formation of Landau levels. From this linear dependence, the effective mass and Fermi velocity are determined and are confirmed by electronic structure calculations. These fundamental parameters are useful for exploitation of its unique properties.