Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides have emerged as a promising material system for optoelectronic applications, but their primary figure of merit, the room-temperature photoluminescence quantum yield (QY), is extremely low. The prototypical 2D material molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is reported to have a maximum QY of 0.6%, which indicates a considerable defect density. Here we report on an air-stable, solution-based chemical treatment by an organic superacid, which uniformly enhances the photoluminescence and minority carrier lifetime of MoS2 monolayers by more than two orders of magnitude. The treatment eliminates defect-mediated nonradiative recombination, thus resulting in a final QY of more than 95%, with a longest-observed lifetime of 10.8 ± 0.6 nanoseconds. Our ability to obtain optoelectronic monolayers with near-perfect properties opens the door for the development of highly efficient light-emitting diodes, lasers, and solar cells based on 2D materials.

In ballistic thermal conduction, the wave characteristics of phonons allow the transmission of energy without dissipation. However, the observation of ballistic heat transport at room temperature is challenging because of the short phonon mean free path. Here we show that ballistic thermal conduction persisting over 8.3 µm can be observed in SiGe nanowires with low thermal conductivity for a wide range of structural variations and alloy concentrations. We find that an unexpectedly low percentage (∼0.04%) of phonons carry out the heat conduction process in SiGe nanowires, and that the ballistic phonons display properties including non-additive thermal resistances in series, unconventional contact thermal resistance, and unusual robustness against external perturbations. These results, obtained in a model semiconductor, could enable wave-engineering of phonons and help to realize heat waveguides, terahertz phononic crystals and quantum phononic/thermoelectric devices ready to be integrated into existing silicon-based electronics.

When light is incident on 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), it engages in multiple reflections within underlying substrates, producing interferences that lead to enhancement or attenuation of the incoming and outgoing strength of light. Here, we report a simple method to engineer the light outcoupling in semiconducting TMDCs by modulating their dielectric surroundings. We show that by modulating the thicknesses of underlying substrates and capping layers, the interference caused by substrate can significantly enhance the light absorption and emission of WSe2, resulting in a ∼11 times increase in Raman signal and a ∼30 times increase in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of WSe2. On the basis of the interference model, we also propose a strategy to control the photonic and optoelectronic properties of thin-layer WSe2. This work demonstrates the utilization of outcoupling engineering in 2D materials and offers a new route toward the realization of novel optoelectronic devices, such as 2D LEDs and solar cells.

We report the memory device on paper by means of an all-printing approach. Using a sequence of inkjet and screen-printing techniques, a simple metal–insulator–metal device structure is fabricated on paper as a resistive random access memory with a potential to reach gigabyte capacities on an A4 paper. The printed-paper-based memory devices (PPMDs) exhibit reproducible switching endurance, reliable retention, tunable memory window, and the capability to operate under extreme bending conditions. In addition, the PBMD can be labeled on electronics or living objects for multifunctional, wearable, on-skin, and biocompatible applications. The disposability and the high-security data storage of the paper-based memory are also demonstrated to show the ease of data handling, which are not achievable for regular silicon-based electronic devices. We envision that the PPMDs manufactured by this cost-effective and time-efficient all-printing approach would be a key electronic component to fully activate a paper-based circuit and can be directly implemented in medical biosensors, multifunctional devices, and self-powered systems.

A ten-stacked self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum-dot infrared photodetector operated in the 2.5-7 m range by photovoltaic and photoconductive mixed-mode near-room-temperature operation ͑у250 K͒ was demonstrated. The specific peak detectivity D* is 2.4ϫ10 8 cm Hz 1/2 /W at 250 K. The use of high-band-gap Al 0.3 Ga 0.7 As barriers at both sides of the InAs quantum-dot structure and the long carrier recombination time are the key factors responsible for its near-room-temperature operation.

The blackbody radiation spectrum is fundamental to any thermal emitter. However, by properly designing the emitter structure, a narrow bandwidth and high power infrared source can be achieved. This invention consists of a triple layer structure by sandwiching a dielectric SiO 2 layer between two Ag metal films on the Si substrate. The top Ag layer is perforated by periodic holes. When the device was heated, the background thermal radiation was suppressed by the bottom Ag whose emissivity is very low. The thermal radiation generated in the SiO 2 layer resonant between two metal films and the Ag/ SiO 2 and the Ag/air surface plasmon polaritons are induced and converted to light radiation. Strong resonance at Ag/ SiO 2 ͑1,0͒ degenerate modes results in the coherent light radiation at the wavelength associated with the dielectric constant of SiO 2 and the lattice constant of the perforated hole array. The ratio of the full width at half maximum to the peak wavelength is 0.114. This narrow bandwidth and high power infrared light source can be used to explore the biological response of cells and plants.

In investigating the relationship between vorticity and gyroscopic precession, we calculate the vorticity vector in Godel, Kerr, Lewis, Schwarzschild, and Minkowski metrics and find that the vorticity vector of the specific observers is the angular velocity of the gyroscopic precession. Furthermore, when space-time torsion is included, the vorticity and spin-curvature force change sign. This result is very similar to the behavior of the positive and negative helicities of quantum spin in the Stern-Gerlach force. It implies that the inclusion of torsion will lead to an analogous property of quantum spin even in classical treatment.

A hydrogenated amorphous SiC/hydrogenated amorphous Si heterojunction photodetector whose peak response could be voltage adjusted to three wavelengths, i.e., 480, 530, and 575 nm, by applying a small bias within ±2 V has been successfully fabricated. The basic principle is to use two back-to-back p-i-n junction diodes (or an n-i-p-i-n transistor) in which photons with wavelength λ<500 nm (blue) are mainly collected in the front a-SiC:H/a-Si:H heterojunction and the rest (green and red) are absorbed in the rear a-Si:H homojunction. To further distinguish the green from the red, two undoped a-Si:H layers, deposited at different conditions, were used in the rear homojunction to obtain two distinct collection regions. It is found that the required voltage to select one of the collection regions is less than 2 V. This detector shows a very high rejection ratio at various responses and thus is good for distinguishing the entire color spectrum.