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What is the context of this research?

A family of light-active, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors has been identified and intensely studied in recent years. These materials are only three atoms thick but exist in large area sheets. They do not break down in air or water and are thus safe in most applications.



Using the 2D semiconductor tungsten diselenide, we recently demonstrated how it can function as a 2D LED, the thinnest LED possible! If run backward, this device also works as a solar cell since the fundamental component, the p-n junction, is the same.



This design used thick metal layers and only produced light at a small region. The next step is to incorporate graphene, a conductive 2D layer of carbon atoms, to enable an all-2D design that emits light across the entire device area and is scalable and efficient.

What is the significance of this project?

This work can have significant impact on the cost of production of lighting displays and solar panels because the amount of material needed is greatly reduced when using 2D materials.



2D materials are mostly transparent and extremely flexible, so LEDs and solar cells made from them can be hidden in a window, in a contact lens, or in a flexible mobile device. One can imagine remarkable impacts on augmented reality and sustainable energy technologies.



We will enable these impacts by figuring out how exactly to construct such a device as well as study the physics of its performance. To this end, we will collaborate with another lab that specializes in making high performance 2D electronic devices and use our expertise in semiconductor optics measurements to understand and improve the design.

What are the goals of the project?