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The two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) are an intriguing platform for studying light-matter interactions because they combine the electronic properties of conventional semiconductors with the optical resonances found in organic systems. However, the coupling strengths demonstrated in strong exciton-polariton coupling remain much lower than those found in organic systems. In this paper, we take on a new approach by utilizing the large oscillator strength of the above-band gap C exciton in few-layer molybdenum disulphide ($\text{FL-MoS}_2$). We show a k-space Rabi splitting of 293 meV when coupling $\text{FL-MoS}_2$ C excitons to surface plasmon polaritons at room temperature. This value is 11% of the uncoupled exciton energy (2.67 eV or 464 nm), ~2x what is typically seen in the TMDCs, placing the system in the ultrastrong coupling regime. Our results take a step towards finally achieving the efficient quantum coherent processes of ultrastrong coupling in a CMOS-compatible system -- the 2D TMDCs -- in the visible spectrum.

A new solar material features silicon nanocrystals (nc-Si) within an amorphous silicon (a-Si) matrix. The efficiency with which photons are absorbed and converted to electric current depends on the size, orientation, volume fraction, and interface properties of nc-Si. This investigation has resulted in the development of a device level simulator which predicts quantum efficiency and voltage-current character for nc-Si/a-Si systems. These performance measures are calculated as functions of input photon energy. A number of different interactions were combined to completely characterize the device, including optical scattering and absorption, creation of excitons and charge carriers, electrostatic fields, and drift/diffusion of charge carriers.

We report two viable organic excitonic solar cell structures where the conventional In2O3:Sn (ITO) hole-collecting electrode was replaced by a thin single-walled carbon nanotube layer. The first structure includes poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and gave a nonoptimized device efficiency of 1.5%. The second did not use PEDOT as a hole selective contact and had an efficiency of 0.47%. The strong rectifying behavior of the device shows that nanotubes are selective for holes and are not efficient recombination sites. The reported excitonic solar cell, produced without ITO and PEDOT, is an important step towards a fully printable solar cell.