An automated system for strain engineering and straintronics of 2D materials

Abstract: This work presents an automated three-point bending apparatus that can be used to study strain engineering and straintronics in two-dimensional materials. We benchmark the system by reporting reproducible strain tuned micro-reflectance, Raman, and photoluminescence spectra for monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). These results are in good agreement with reported literature using conventional bending apparatus. We further utilize the system to automate strain investigations of straintronic devices by measuring the piezoresistive effect and the strain effect on photoresponse in an MoS2 electrical device. The details of the construction of the straightforward system are given and we anticipate it can be easily implemented for study of strain engineering and straintronics in a wide variety of 2D material systems.