The isolation of stable atomically thin two dimensional (2D) materials on arbitrary substrates has led to a revolution in solid state physics and semiconductor device research over the past decade. A variety of other 2D materials (including semiconductors) with varying properties have been isolated raising the prospects for devices assembled by van der Waals forces. Particularly, these van der Waals bonded semiconductors exhibit strong excitonic resonances and large optical dielectric constants as compared to bulk 3D semiconductors.

First, I will focus on the subject of strong light-matter coupling in excitonic 2D semiconductors, namely chalcogenides of Mo and W. Visible spectrum band-gaps with strong excitonic absorption makes transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) of molybdenum and tungsten as attractive candidates for investigating strong light-matter interaction formation of hybrid states. We will present our recent work on the light trapping in multi-layer TMDCs when coupled to reflective substrates. Next, I will show the extension of these results to superlattices of excitonic chalcogenides, multilayer halide perovskites as well as metal organic chalcogenolates. These hybrid multilayers and materials offer a unique opportunity to tailor the light-dispersion in the strong to ultra-strong coupling regime. Finally, if time permits, I will discuss the physics of strong light-matter coupling and it’s applications in phase modulator devices, photovoltaic devices as well as control of light in magnetic semiconductors and extending some of these concepts to 1D carbon-nanotubes.

Our results highlight the vast opportunities available to tailor light-matter interactions and building practical devices with 2D semiconductors. If time permits, I will discuss some new opportunities in tunable and programmable light-matter interactions and non-linear optics with III-Nitride ferroelectric materials such as Aluminum Scandium Nitride (AlScN) as well as hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). I will conclude with a broad vision and prospects for 2D and 1D materials in the future of semiconductor opto-electronics and photonics.

Deep Jariwala is an Associate Professor and the Peter & Susanne Armstrong Distinguished Scholar in the Electrical and Systems Engineering as well as Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). Deep completed his undergraduate degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Varanasi and his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. Deep was a Resnick Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at Caltech before joining Penn to start his own research group. His research interests broadly lie at the intersection of new materials, surface science and solid-state devices for computing, opto-electronics and energy harvesting applications in addition to the development of correlated and functional imaging techniques. Deep’s research has been widely recognized with several awards from professional societies, funding bodies, industries as well as private foundations, the most notable ones being the Optica Adolph Lomb Medal, the Bell Labs Prize, the AVS Peter Mark Memorial Award, IEEE Photonics Society Young Investigator Award, IEEE Nanotechnology Council Young Investigator Award, IUPAP Early Career Scientist Prize in Semiconductors, the SPIE Early career achievement award and the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship. He has published over 150 journal papers with more than 22000 citations and holds several patents. He serves as the Associate Editor for Nano Letters (ACS) and has been appointed as a Distinguished Lecturer for the IEEE Nanotechnology Council for 2025.

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