Two-photon absorption arises from two-dimensional excitons.

By applying quantum perturbation theory to two-dimensional excitons in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), we develop a theoretical model for two-photon absorption in the near infrared spectral region. By assuming the bandwidth of the final excitonic state to be 0.15 eV, the two-photon absorption coefficients are as high as 50 cm/MW and selenium-based, monolayer TMDCs exhibit greater 2PA coefficients than sulfur-based, monolayer TMDCs. Our model is also compared to the experimental data obtained by Z-scans or nonlinear transmission measurements.