  Two-dimensional (2D) graphene-like layered semiconductors provide a new
platform for materials research because of their unique mechanical, electronic
and optical attributes. Their in-plane covalent bonding and dangling-bond-free
surface allow them to assemble various van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHSs)
with sharply atomic interfaces that are not limited by lattice matching and
material compatibility. Interlayer coupling, as a ubiquitous phenomenon
residing among 2D materials (2DMs) systems, controls a thin layer exfoliation
process and the assembly of vdWHSs and behaves with a unique degree of freedom
for engineering the properties of 2DMs. Interlayer coupling provides an
opportunity to observe new physics and provides a novel strategy to modulate
the electronic and optoelectronic properties of materials for practical device
applications. We herein review recent progress in the exploration of interlayer
coupling in 2D semiconducting vdWHSs for potential applications in electronics
and optoelectronics.
