Creating Custom Light Using Artificial Structures of 2D MaterialsResearchers from UNIGE and the Univ

Creating Custom Light Using Artificial Structures of 2D MaterialsResearchers from UNIGE and the University of Manchester have discovered structures based on two-dimensional materials that emit tailor-made light in any color you could wish for.Finding new semiconductor materials that emit light is essential for developing a wide range of electronic devices. But making artificial structures that emit light tailored to our specific needs is an even more attractive proposition. However, light emission in a semiconductor only occurs when certain conditions are met. Today, researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, in collaboration with the University of Manchester, have discovered an entire class of two-dimensional materials that are the thickness of one or a few atoms. When combined together, these atomically thin crystals are capable of forming structures that emit customizable light in the desired color. This research, published in the journal Nature Materials, marks an important step towards the future industrialization of two-dimensional materials.Semiconductor materials capable of emitting light are used in sectors as diverse as telecommunications, light-emitting devices (LEDs) and medical diagnostics. Light emission occurs when an electron jumps inside the semiconductor from a higher energy level to a lower level. It is the difference in energy that determines the color of the emitted light. For light to be produced, the velocity of the electron before and after the jump must be exactly the same, a condition that depends on the specific semiconducting material considered. Only some semiconductors can be used for light emission: for example, silicon — used to make our computers — cannot be employed for manufacturing LEDs.Read more. -- source link

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