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PhD Student: David Saleta

Director: Prof. Klaas-Jan Tielrooij, Ultrafast Dynamics in Nanoscale Systems Senior Group Leader at ICN2

Short Abstract: As (opto)electronic component dimensions approach the few-nanometer scale, thermal management becomes a key challenge due to heat dissipation limits in conventional materials, like silicon. Two-dimensional (2D) materials, with atomic thickness and anisotropic properties, offer a promising route for hybrid integration, enabling new functionalities such as sensing, photonics, and neuromorphic computing. This thesis advances the fundamental understanding of phonon heat transport in transition metal dichalcogenides through experimental studies. We develop techniques to transfer and suspend record-large 2D flakes, together with custom-built optical platforms for nanoscale thermal characterization. Using ultrafast time-domain thermoreflectance, we probe out-of-plane heat transport in MoS₂, revealing thickness- and temperature-dependent effects potentially linked to phonon and photon coherence. Complementarily, Raman thermometry shows that MoSe₂ exhibits weak thickness-dependent in-plane thermal conductivity, with enhanced environmental coupling at the monolayer limit. Our findings shine light on phonon-mediated transport in 2D materials and support their integration in future (opto)electronic devices.