The information on the variations of indium composition, aggregation size, and quantum-well width is crucially important for understanding the optical properties and, hence, fabricating efficient light-emitting devices. Our results showed that spinodal decomposition could occur in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells with indium content in the range of 15%-25% ͑grown with metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition͒. A lower nominal indium content led to a better confinement of indium-rich clusters within InGaN quantum wells. The InGaN/GaN interfaces became more diffusive, and indium-rich aggregates extended into GaN barriers with increasing indium content. It was also observed that indium-rich precipitates with diameter ranging from 5 to 12 nm preferred aggregating near V-shaped defects.

Multiple-component decays of photoluminescence (PL) in InGaN/GaN quantum wells have been widely reported. However, their physical interpretations have not been well discussed yet. Based on wavelength-dependent and temperature-varying time-resolved PL measurements, the mechanism of carrier transport among different levels of localized states (spatially distributed) in such an indium aggregated structure was proposed for interpreting the early-stage fast decay, delayed slow rise, and extended slow decay of PL intensity. Three samples of the same quantum well geometry but different nominal indium contents, and hence different degrees of indium aggregation and carrier localization, were compared. The process of carrier transport was enhanced with a certain amount of thermal energy for overcoming potential barriers between spatially distributed potential minimums. In samples of higher indium contents, more complicated carrier localization potential structures led to enhanced carrier transport activities. Free exciton behaviors of the three samples at high temperatures are consistent with previously reported transmission electron microscopy results.

The results of photoluminescence (PL), detection-energy-dependent photoluminescence excitation (DEDPLE), excitation-energy-dependent photoluminescence (EEDPL), and strain state analysis (SSA) of three InGaN/GaN quantum-well (QW) samples with silicon doping in the well, barrier and an undoped structure are compared. The SSA images show strongly clustering nanostructures in the barrier-doped sample and relatively weaker composition fluctuations in the undoped and well-doped samples. Differences in silicon doping between the samples give rise to the differences in DEDPLE and EEDPL spectra, as a result of the differences in carrier localization. In addition, the PL results provide us clues for speculating that the S-shaped PL peak position behavior is dominated by the quantum-confined Stark effect in an undoped InGaN/GaN QW structure.

Based on wavelength-dependent and temperature-varying time-resolved photoluminescence ͑PL͒ measurements, the mechanism of carrier transport among different levels of localized states ͑spatially distributed͒ in an InGaN/GaN quantum well structure was proposed for interpreting the early-stage fast decay, delayed slow rise, and extended slow decay of PL intensity. The process of carrier transport was enhanced with a certain amount of thermal energy for overcoming potential barriers between spatially distributed potential minimums. With carrier supply in the carrier transport process, the extended PL decay time at wavelengths corresponding to deeply localized states can be as large as 80 ns.

Room-temperature photoreflectance (PR) and reflectance (R) spectroscopy are utilized to investigate the near-band-edge transitions of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) thin films grown on sapphire substrates by a hot-wall chemical vapor deposition system. The layer thickness and optical properties of the MoS2 thin films are confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscope, and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The B exciton shows relatively weak PL intensity in comparing with the A exciton even for monolayer MoS2 films. In the R spectrum of few-layer MoS2, it is not possible to clearly observe exciton related features. The PR spectra have two sharp, derivative-like features on a featureless background. Throughout the PR lineshape fitting, the transition energies are designated as the A and B excitons at the K-point of the Brillouin zone, but at room temperature there seems to be no distinguishable feature corresponding to an H-point transition for the mono- and few-layer MoS2 films unlike in bulk. These transition energies are slightly larger than those obtained by PL, which is attributed to the Stokes shifts related to doping level. The obtained values of valence-band spin-orbit splitting are in good agreement with those from other experimental methods. By comparing the PR lineshapes, the dominant modulation mechanism is attributed to variations of the exciton transition energies due to change in the built-in electric field. On the strength of this study, PR spectroscopy is demonstrated as a powerful technique for characterizing the near-band-edge transitions of MoS2 from monolayer to bulk.

The overweight and obese population has skyrocketed, resulting in a high incidence of metabolic disorders. Agardhiella subulata (AS) contains a variety of beneficial components, such as sulfur-containing polysaccharides (dietary fiber) and astaxanthin, which is considered to have anti-obesity potential. In this study, we investigated the effects and possible mechanisms of dietary AS on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice. AS supplementation significantly reduced HFD-induced weight gain (19%) and the visceral adiposity index (4.1%). In addition, the level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein was significantly decreased; adiponectin was significantly increased in serum and fecal triglyceride excretion was significantly higher in mice fed AS compared with mice on an HFD. Preadipocyte factor 1 and Sry-box transcription factor 9 that were significantly higher than the levels found for the HFD group lead to reduced adipogenesis. Moreover, accompanying the lipolysis and fatty acid βoxidation that occur in the AS group, the concentration of non-esterified fatty acids was lowered to 0.4 ± 0.1 mEq/L. In addition, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and phosphorylation acetyl-CoA carboxylase increased 1.5-and 1-fold, thus increasing the expression of adiponectin and the activation of AMPK and ultimately resulting in lower blood glucose levels. The results of this study suggest that AS supplementation increases lipid excretion and improves energy metabolism to prevent obesity in mice fed a HFD.

Two-component decay of time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) intensity in three InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well samples were observed. The first-decay component was attributed to exciton relaxation of free-carrier and localized states; the second-decay one was dominated by the relaxation of localized excitons. The second-decay lifetime was related to the extent of carrier localization or indium aggregation and phase separation. The lifetime of free-carrier states was connected with the defect density. Based on the temperature-dependent data of PL and stimulated emission (SE), the localization energies of the three samples were calibrated to show the consistent trend with the second-decay lifetime and previous material analyses.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides possess unprecedentedly strong optical nonlinear properties associated with exciton complexes, which are highly promising for developing novel optoelectronics and nanophotonics. In this work, we investigate various exciton complexes that exist in WSe2 and WS2 triangular monolayers, through second-harmonic generation (SHG) and two-photon excited photoluminescence (2P-PL) images that are generated rapidly by multiphoton laser scanning microscopy. These large-scale images taken at different photon energies reveal the spatial distribution of the exciton complexes. The SHG images capture the exciton and trion resonances but not the biexciton resonance, despite a prominent biexciton signature in 2P-PL. The peculiar absence of biexciton signature is explained using time-dependent perturbation theory. SHG can also resonate with the band nesting states to produce images with high contrast, which is out of reach in conventional PL. By analyzing the crystal structure and growth dynamics of WS2 monolayers using a high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscope, we further establish the link between the oxidized triangular holes induced by S atom vacancies and the formation of biexcitons at the triangle edges. This newfangled approach using multiphoton microscopy shows that the spatial characteristics and excitation energy dependence of the exciton complexes are crucial for a deep understanding of the interactions between excitons and charged carriers and the two-dimensional materials in general.