Besides graphene and hexagonal boron nitride, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) also exhibit a layered structure in which the layers weakly interact via van der Waals forces. Semiconducting TMDs in bulk are indirect band gap materials. However, an isolated sheet exhibits a direct gap. This particular behavior makes them very attractive in terms of optical properties. Moreover, NbS2 and NbSe2 in bulk and their monolayers are metallic. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to study different TMD bilayer systems. First, different bilayer geometries with different stackings were considered. It was found that the indirect and direct band gaps compete; however, the indirect band gap always dominates. Surprisingly, bilayer heterostructures of different TMDs have been found to possess direct band gaps. Finally, heterobilayers composed of one metallic monolayer and a semiconducting layer are predicted as novel metallic van der Waals solids that might find applications in new two-dimensional nanodevices.

The transmission and reflection properties of a meta-stack composed of a periodic AB arrangement of an air(A)/metamaterial(B) bilayer is presented, with the multi layered system embedded between two semi-infinite layers of the A material. For oblique incidence, a finite projection along the growth direction of the electric or magnetic field of the incident wave associated with the TM or TE modes, respectively, leads to a coupling of the photon modes with the bulk electric or magnetic metamaterial plasmons, in each layer of the meta-stack. This field-matter coupling gives rise to plasmon-polariton modes and signatures of electric or magnetic longitudinal bulk-plasmon polariton modes in the transmission, as well as in the reflection properties of the meta-stack, by means of a plasmon-polariton gap. Such features survive even in the case of a single bilayer and experimental observation should be, therefore, easily achieved.

Electroluminescence spectra of light-emitting diodes based on InGaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with single and multiple quantum wells (QWs) are analyzed by models of radiative recombination in 2D-structures with band tails. Equations of the model fit spectra quite good in a wide range of currents. Parameters of the fit are discussed and compared for single and multiple QWs. Tunnel effects play a sufficient role in blue LEDs with single QWs at low currents; they can be neglected in LEDs with multiple QWs. A new spectral band was detected at the high energy side of the spectra of green LEDs with multiple QWs; it is attributed with large scale inhomogenities of In distribution in InGaN QWs.*)

Luminescence spectra of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with Multiple Quantum Wells (MQWs) were studied at currents J = 0.15 μA - 150 mA. A high quantum efficiency at low J is caused by a low probability of the tunnel current J (which is maximum at Jm ≈ 0.5-1.0 mA). J(V) curves were measured in the range J= 10−12-10−1 A; at J > 10−3A they may be approximated by a sum of four parts: V= φk+ mkT·[ln(J/J0)+(J/J1)0.5] + J·Rs. The part V ~ (J/J1)0.5is the evidence of a double-injection into i-layers near MQWs. Their presence is confirmed by capacitance measurements. An overflow of carriers through the MQW causes a lower quantum efficiency at high J. A model of a 2D-density of states with exponential tails fits the spectra. The value of T in the active layer was estimated. A new band was detected at high J; it can be caused by non-uniformity of In content in MQWs.

Luminescence spectra of InGaN/AlGaN/GaN p-n-heterostructures were studied at reverse bias sufficient for impact ionization. There is a high electric field in the active InGaN-layer, and the tunnel component of the current dominates at the low reverse bias. Avalanche breakdown begins at |Vth|> 8⋄10 V, i.e. ≈3 Eg/e. Radiation spectra have a short wavelength edge 3.40 eV, and maxima in the range 2.60⋄2.80 eV corresponding to the injection spectra. Mechanisms of the hot plasma recombination in p-n-heterojunctions are discussed.

High quality InGaN films have led to the development of LEDs and blue lasers. The quaternary AlInGaN however, represents a more versatile material since the bandgap and lattice constant can be independently varied. We report on such films grown on (0001) sapphire substrates in an atmospheric pressure MOCVD reactor at 750-800°C. The ternary films have a composition of up to 40% InN and the quaternary films were grown in the composition range of 0 to 20% AlN and 0 to 20% InN. The quaternary compositions studied by EDS and the lattice constants from double crystal XRD followed Vegard's law indicating solid solubility for the range studied. Room temperature PL is dominated by band edge emission for InGaN and AlInGaN, at low AlN%. Higher AlN alloys of AlInGaN had PL dominated by deep levels. AlInGaN/InGaN and AlGaN/InGaN heterostructures were grown with abrupt interfaces. We emphasize the most important growth parameters for the growth of high quality ternary and quaternary thin films. The structural, electrical and optical properties of these In-based ternary and quaternary films and their lattice matched and strained heterostructures will also be presented.