Interlayer Electronic Hybridization for Friction Control in MoSe/WS Heterostructures.

Van der Waals heterostructures, with atomically sharp interfaces and excellent optoelectronic properties, are prime building blocks for ultra-low-power nanoelectronics. Yet unavoidable interfacial friction in such micro/nanoscale stacks still throttles performance and reliability. Hybridized interlayer states are expected to flatten the sliding-energy landscape and curb frictional energy dissipation, yet their impact on friction remains unverified because electronic states and lateral forces are seldom measured in a directly comparable way. Here, electronic hybridization in MoSe2/WS2 heterostructures is modulated and simultaneously acquire lateral force signals using atomic force microscopy (AFM), directly linking stronger electronic hybridization to reduced friction. The results reveal that electronic hybridization enhances interlayer coupling and markedly reduces friction; when a h-BN layer is introduced to block the hybridization pathway, the modulation effect disappears, indicating that the mechanism originates from direct interlayer electronic hybridization. These findings establish electronic-state reconstruction as a reversible lever for friction control, enabling high-performance, energy-adaptive van der Waals systems for next-generation nanomechanical applications.