Local-field effects on the plasmon dispersion of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides

Abstract: Two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are gaining increasing attention as alternative to graphene for their very high potential in optoelectronics applications. Here we consider two prototypical metallic 2D TMDs, NbSe$_2$ and TaS$_2$. Using a first-principles approach, we investigate the properties of the localised intraband $d$ plasmon that cannot be modelled on the basis of the homogeneous electron gas. Finally, we discuss the effects of the reduced dimensionality on the plasmon dispersion through the interplay between interband transitions and local-field effects. This result can be exploited to tune the plasmonic properties of these novel 2D materials.