Engineering Plasmons in Oxide/Graphene Heterostructures via Interfacial Charge Transfer

Abstract

Interfacial charge transfer provides an effective route for tailoring the optical and electronic properties of two-dimensional materials. Here, we investigate infrared surface plasmon polaritons in oxide/graphene heterostructures using scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy. Ultrathin oxide overlayers deposited by physical vapor deposition enable systematic engineering of graphene plasmons through interfacial charge redistribution. MoOx strongly enhances the plasmonic response, producing a longer plasmon wavelength, stronger fringe contrast, and reduced damping, whereas a subsequently deposited ZnOx overlayer partially reverses these changes. Energy-dependent nano-infrared imaging combined with quantitative modeling reveals an increased graphene carrier density and the resulting modification of the plasmon dispersion. Thickness-dependent measurements show a rapid increase in charge-transfer doping at sub-nanometer MoOx thicknesses, followed by a weaker long-range contribution at larger overlayer thicknesses. Electrostatic gating further modulates the carrier density and produces a nonlinear response consistent with gate-dependent interfacial charge redistribution. In addition, an approximately 3-nm-thick MoOx overlayer stabilizes the plasmonic response for at least seven months under ambient conditions. These results establish oxide/graphene heterostructures as a robust platform compatible with scalable fabrication, providing a pathway toward stable and tunable infrared nanophotonic and optoelectronic devices.