Mechanical properties of bilayer WS2and Graphene-WS2Hybrid composites by molecular dynamics simulations

In the present work, by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we investigate the mechanical properties of different nanostructures that may be core elements in next generation flexible/wearable photovoltaic devices, namely double layer WS2nanosheets (DLNS), graphene/WS2(layer) composites and graphene/WS2nanotube (NT) composites. Our results reveal that the mechanical properties of DLNS deteriorate when compared to those of monolayer WS2. Owing to graphene's reinforcement action, the mechanical properties of graphene/WS2(layer) composite with both layers deformed are superior than those of WS2, even though inferior than those of bare graphene. If stress is applied only to the graphene layer, the graphene/WS2composite retains the most of the strength and toughness of monolayer graphene, decreasing the fracture strength and Young's modulus by only 9.7% and 16.3%, respectively. Similarly, in the case of the graphene/WS2NT composite the mechanical strength and toughness experience a reduction compared to monolayer graphene, specifically by 15% and 53% for fracture strength and Young's modulus, respectively. Considering the market's keen interest in nanomaterials, particularly van der Waals (vdW) ones, for flexible and wearable photovoltaic devices, the findings presented here will significantly enhance the effective utilization of vdW composites.

Plurality of excitons in Ruddlesden-Popper metal halides and the role of the B-site metal cation

We investigate the effect of metal cation substition on the excitonic structure and dynamics in a prototypical Ruddlesden-Popper metal halide. Through an in-depth spectroscopic and theoretical analysis, we identify the presence of multiple resonances in the optical spectra of a phenethyl ammonium tin iodide, a tin-based RPMH. Based on ab initio calculations, we assign these resonances to distinct exciton series that originate from the splitting of the conduction band due to spin-orbit coupling. While the splitting energy in the tin based system is low enough to enable the observation of the higher lying exciton in the visible-range spectrum of the material, the higher splitting energy in the lead counterpart prevents the emergence of such a feature. We elucidate the critical role played by the higher lying excitonic state in the ultrafast carrier thermalization dynamics.

Study of Optoelectronic Features in Polar and Nonpolar Polymorphs of the Oxynitride Tin-Based Semiconductor InSnO2N

In view of its potential applicability in photoconversion processes, we here discuss the optoelectronic features of the recently proposed tin-based oxynitride material for (photo)catalysis, InSnO₂N. In detail, by combining Density Functional and Many-Body Perturbation Theory, we compute the electronic and optical properties discussing how they vary from the nonpolar phase to the more stable polar one. After providing a detailed, unbiased, description of the optoelectronic features of the two phases, we have finally calculated the Spectroscopic Limited Maximum Efficiency and obtained data that further witness the relevance of InSnO₂N for solar energy conversion processes.

Interlayer and Intralayer Excitons in AlN/WS2 Heterostructure

The study of intra and interlayer excitons in 2D semiconducting vdW heterostructures is a very hot topic not only from a fundamental but also an applicative point of view. Due to their strong light-matter interaction, Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMD) and group-III nitrides are particularly attractive in the field of opto-electronic applications such as photo-catalytic and photo-voltaic ultra-thin and flexible devices. Using first-principles ground and excited-state simulations, we investigate here the electronic and excitonic properties of a representative nitride/TMD heterobilayer, the AlN/WS2. We demonstrate that the band alignment is of type I, and low energy intralayer excitons are similar to those of a pristine WS2 monolayer. Further, we disentangle the role of strain and AlN dielectric screening on the electronic and optical gaps. These results, although they do not favor the possible use of AlN/WS2 in photo-catalysis, as envisaged in the previous literature, can boost the recently started experimental studies of 2D hexagonal aluminum nitride as a good low screening substrate for TMD-based electronic and opto-electronic devices. Importantly, our work shows how the inclusion of both spin-orbit and many-body interactions is compulsory for the correct prediction of the electronic and optical properties of TMD/nitride heterobilayers.

Photo-induced lattice distortion in 2H-MoTe2 probed by time-resolved core level photoemission

The technological interest in MoTe2 as a phase engineered material is related to the possibility of triggering the 2H-1T’ phase transition by optical excitation, potentially allowing for an accurate patterning...

Boosted Solar Light Absorbance in PdS2/PtS2 Vertical Heterostructures for Ultrathin Photovoltaic Devices

Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) represent a class of materials whose archetypes, such as MoS2 and WS2, possess exceptional electronic and optical properties and have been massively exploited in optoelectronic applications. The layered structure allows for their exfoliation to two-dimensional samples with atomic thickness (≲ 1 nm), promising for ultrathin, ultralight devices. In this work, by means of state-of-the-art ab initio many-body perturbation theory techniques, we focus on single-layer PdS2 and PtS2 and propose a novel van der Waals heterostructure with outstanding light absorbance, reaching up to 50% in the visible spectrum and yielding a maximum short-circuit current of 7.2 mA/cm2 under solar irradiation. The computed excitonic landscape predicts a partial charge separation between the two layers and the momentum-forbidden lowest-energy state increases the carrier diffusion length. Our results show that the employment of vertical heterostructures with less conventional TMDs, such as PdS2/PtS2, can greatly boost light absorbance and favor the development of more efficient, atomic-thin photovoltaic devices.

Nature of Optical Excitations in Porphyrin Crystals: A Joint Experimental and Theoretical Study

The nature of optical excitations and the spatial extent of excitons in organic semiconductors, both of which determine exciton diffusion and carrier mobilities, are key factors for the proper understanding and tuning of material performances. Using a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we investigate the excitonic properties of meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin-Zn(II) crystals. We find that several bands contribute to the optical absorption spectra, beyond the four main ones considered here as the analogue to the four frontier molecular orbitals of the Gouterman model commonly adopted for the isolated molecule. By using many-body perturbation theory in the GW and Bethe-Salpeter equation approach, we interpret the experimental large optical anisotropy as being due to the interplay between long- and short-range intermolecular interactions. In addition, both localized and delocalized excitons in the π-stacking direction are demonstrated to determine the optical response, in agreement with recent experimental observations reported for organic crystals with similar molecular packing.

Interlayer Bound Wannier Excitons in Germanium Sulfide

We report a cathodoluminescence (CL) study of layered germanium sulfide (GeS) where we observe a sharp emission peak from flakes covered with a thin hexagonal boron nitride film. GeS is a material that has recently attracted considerable interest due to its emission in the visible region and its strong anisotropy. The measured CL peak is at ~1.69 eV for samples ranging in thickness from 97 nm to 45 nm, where quantum-confinement effects can be excluded. By performing ab initio ground- and excited-state simulations for the bulk compound, we show that the measured optical peak can be unambiguously explained by radiative recombination of the first free bright bound exciton, which is due to a mixing of direct transitions near the Γ-point of the Brillouin Zone and it is associated to a very large optical anisotropy. The analysis of the corresponding excitonic wave function shows a Wannier-Mott interlayer character, being spread not only in-plane but also out-of-plane.

A monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenide as a topological excitonic insulator

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides in the T' phase could enable the realization of the quantum spin Hall effect¹ at room temperature, because they exhibit a prominent spin-orbit gap between inverted bands in the bulk^2,3. Here we show that the binding energy of electron-hole pairs excited through this gap is larger than the gap itself in the paradigmatic case of monolayer T' MoS₂, which we investigate from first principles using many-body perturbation theory⁴. This paradoxical result hints at the instability of the T' phase in the presence of spontaneous generation of excitons, and we predict that it will give rise to a reconstructed 'excitonic insulator' ground state^5-7. Importantly, we show that in this monolayer system, topological and excitonic order cooperatively enhance the bulk gap by breaking the crystal inversion symmetry, in contrast to the case of bilayers^8-16 where the frustration between the two orders is relieved by breaking time reversal symmetry^13,15,16. The excitonic topological insulator is distinct from the bare topological phase because it lifts the band spin degeneracy, which results in circular dichroism. A moderate biaxial strain applied to the system leads to two additional excitonic phases, different in their topological character but both ferroelectric^17,18 as an effect of electron-electron interaction.

A Scalable Method for Thickness and Lateral Engineering of 2D Materials

The physical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials depend strongly on the number of layers. Hence, methods for controlling their thickness with atomic layer precision are highly desirable, yet still too rare, and demonstrated for only a limited number of 2D materials. Here, we present a simple and scalable method for the continuous layer-by-layer thinning that works for a large class of 2D materials, notably layered germanium pnictides and chalcogenides. It is based on a simple oxidation/etching process, which selectively occurs on the topmost layers. Through a combination of atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction experiments we demonstrate the thinning method on germanium arsenide (GeAs), germanium sulfide (GeS), and germanium disulfide (GeS₂). We use first-principles simulation to provide insights into the oxidation mechanism. Our strategy, which could be applied to other classes of 2D materials upon proper choice of the oxidation/etching reagent, supports 2D material-based device applications, e.g., in electronics or optoelectronics, where a precise control over the number of layers (hence over the material's physical properties) is needed. Finally, we also show that when used in combination with lithography, our method can be used to make precise patterns in the 2D materials.

Precise radiative lifetimes in bulk crystals from first principles: the case of wurtzite gallium nitride

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a key semiconductor for solid-state lighting, but its radiative processes are not fully understood. Here we show a first-principles approach to accurately compute the radiative lifetimes in bulk uniaxial crystals, focusing on wurtzite GaN. Our computed radiative lifetimes are in very good agreement with experiment up to 100 K. We show that taking into account excitons (through the Bethe-Salpeter equation) and spin-orbit coupling is essential for computing accurate radiative lifetimes. A model for exciton dissociation into free carriers allows us to compute the radiative lifetimes up to room temperature. Our work enables precise radiative lifetime calculations in III-nitrides and other anisotropic solid-state emitters.

Ab initio studies of the optoelectronic structure of undoped and doped silicon nanocrystals and nanowires: the role of size, passivation, symmetry and phase

Results from ab initio calculations for singly- and co- doped Si nanocrystals and nanowires are presented.

Many-body perturbation theory calculations using the yambo code

yambo is an open source project aimed at studying excited state properties of condensed matter systems from first principles using many-body methods. As input, yambo requires ground state electronic structure data as computed by density functional theory codes such as Quantum ESPRESSO and Abinit. yambo's capabilities include the calculation of linear response quantities (both independent-particle and including electron-hole interactions), quasi-particle corrections based on the GW formalism, optical absorption, and other spectroscopic quantities. Here we describe recent developments ranging from the inclusion of important but oft-neglected physical effects such as electron-phonon interactions to the implementation of a real-time propagation scheme for simulating linear and non-linear optical properties. Improvements to numerical algorithms and the user interface are outlined. Particular emphasis is given to the new and efficient parallel structure that makes it possible to exploit modern high performance computing architectures. Finally, we demonstrate the possibility to automate workflows by interfacing with the yambopy and AiiDA software tools.

Tailoring the optical properties of MoS2 and WS2 single layers via organic functionalization

Tailoring the structural and electronic properties of 2D materials is fundamental to boost their use in a wide range of technological applications. In this paper, by means of first principles simulations, we show how methyl functionalization of MoS₂ and WS₂ monolayers can be employed to change their energy gap, tune their optoelectronic properties and modify the relative stability of their structural phases (or polytypes). In particular for both compound monolayers, we find that the most stable semiconducting H phase becomes metallic upon methyl functionalization, while in the metastable T' phase the band gap increases as a function of the -CH₃ coverage; correspondingly the phase stability is reversed and the on-set of the optical absorption is blue-shifted.

Nature of the Electronic and Optical Excitations of Ruddlesden-Popper Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Perovskites: The Role of the Many-Body Interactions

The knowledge of the exact nature of the electronic and optical excitations of Ruddlesden-Popper organic-inorganic halide perovskites (RPPs) is particularly relevant in view of their usage in optoelectronic devices. By means of parameter-free quantum-mechanical simulations, we unambiguously demonstrate the dominant role of many-body Coulomb interaction, as recently proposed by Blancon et al. Indeed, focusing on the first two terms ( n = 1,2) of the Pb-based buthylammonium series, in the form of both isolated nanosheet and repeated bulk-like quantum well, we observe large band gap renormalization and strongly bound excitons with binding energies up to ∼1 eV in the thinnest isolated nanosheet. Notably, taking into account electronic correlation beyond density functional theory, we obtain exciton reduced masses similar to the corresponding 3D bulk counterpart and large Rashba splitting of the same order of the value reported by Zhai et al. in a recent experimental work.

Theory and Ab Initio Computation of the Anisotropic Light Emission in Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are direct gap semiconductors with a unique potential for use in ultrathin light emitters. However, their photoluminescence (PL) is not completely understood. We develop an approach to compute the radiative recombination rate in monolayer TMDCs as a function of photon emission direction and polarization. Using exciton wavefunctions and energies obtained with the ab initio Bethe-Salpeter equation, we obtain polar plots of the PL for different scenarios. Our results can explain the PL anisotropy and polarization dependence measured in recent experiments and predict that light is emitted with a peak intensity normal to the exciton dipole in monolayer TMDCs. We show that excitons emit light anisotropically upon recombination when they are in any quantum superposition state of the K and K' inequivalent valleys. When averaged over the emission angle and exciton momentum, our new treatment recovers the temperature-dependent radiative lifetimes that we previously derived. Our work demonstrates a generally applicable first-principles approach to studying anisotropic light emission in two-dimensional materials.

Role of Quantum-Confinement in Anatase Nanosheets

Despite most of the applications of anatase nanostructures rely on photoexcited charge processes, yet profound theoretical understanding of fundamental related properties is lacking. Here, by means of ab initio ground and excited-state calculations, we reveal, in an unambiguous way, the role of quantum confinement effect and of the surface orientation, on the electronic and optical properties of anatase nanosheets (NSs). The presence of bound excitons extremely localized along the (001) direction, whose existence has been recently proven also in anatase bulk, explains the different optical behavior found for the two orientations - (001) and (101) - when the NS thickness increases. We suggest also that the almost two-dimensional nature of these excitons can be related to the improved photoconversion efficiency observed when a high percentage of (001) facet is present in anatase nanocrystals.

Optical Emission in Hexagonal SiGe Nanowires

Recent advances in the synthetic growth of nanowires have given access to crystal phases that in bulk are only observed under extreme pressure conditions. Here, we use first-principles methods based on density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory to show that a suitable mixing of hexagonal Si and hexagonal Ge yields a direct bandgap with an optically permitted transition. Comparison of the calculated radiative lifetimes with typical values of nonradiative recombination mechanisms indicates that optical emission will be the dominant recombination mechanism. These findings pave the way to the development of silicon-based optoelectronic devices, thus far hindered by the poor light emission efficiency of cubic Si.

Crystal Phase Effects in Si Nanowire Polytypes and Their Homojunctions

Recent experimental investigations have confirmed the possibility to synthesize and exploit polytypism in group IV nanowires. Driven by this promising evidence, we use first-principles methods based on density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory to investigate the electronic and optical properties of hexagonal-diamond and cubic-diamond Si NWs as well as their homojunctions. We show that hexagonal-diamond NWs are characterized by a more pronounced quantum confinement effect than cubic-diamond NWs. Furthermore, they absorb more light in the visible region with respect to cubic-diamond ones and, for most of the studied diameters, they are direct band gap materials. The study of the homojunctions reveals that the diameter has a crucial effect on the band alignment at the interface. In particular, at small diameters the band-offset is type-I whereas at experimentally relevant sizes the offset turns up to be of type-II. These findings highlight intriguing possibilities to modulate electron and hole separations as well as electronic and optical properties by simply modifying the crystal phase and the size of the junction.

Exciton radiative lifetimes in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides

Light emission in two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) changes significantly with the number of layers and stacking sequence. While the electronic structure and optical absorption are well understood in 2D-TMDs, much less is known about exciton dynamics and radiative recombination. Here, we show first-principles calculations of intrinsic exciton radiative lifetimes at low temperature (4 K) and room temperature (300 K) in TMD monolayers with the chemical formula MX2 (X = Mo, W, and X = S, Se), as well as in bilayer and bulk MoS2 and in two MX2 heterobilayers. Our results elucidate the time scale and microscopic origin of light emission in TMDs. We find radiative lifetimes of a few picoseconds at low temperature and a few nanoseconds at room temperature in the monolayers and slower radiative recombination in bulk and bilayer than in monolayer MoS2. The MoS2/WS2 and MoSe2/WSe2 heterobilayers exhibit very long-lived (∼20-30 ns at room temperature) interlayer excitons constituted by electrons localized on the Mo-based and holes on the W-based monolayer. The wide radiative lifetime tunability, together with the ability shown here to predict radiative lifetimes from computations, hold unique potential to manipulate excitons in TMDs and their heterostructures for application in optoelectronics and solar energy conversion.

Ab initio energy loss spectra of Si and Ge nanowires

By means of parameter-free quantum-mechanical dielectric response calculations of thin Si and Ge nanowires we explain the presence of the low energy peaks observed in EELS-TEM experiments and predict an important nanowire diameter dependence of the volume plasmon peak due to quantum-confinement effects, which is consistent with the blue shift observed experimentally in thicker wires.

Extraordinary sunlight absorption and one nanometer thick photovoltaics using two-dimensional monolayer materials

Graphene and monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising materials for next-generation ultrathin optoelectronic devices. Although visually transparent, graphene is an excellent sunlight absorber, achieving 2.3% visible light absorbance in just 3.3 Å thickness. TMD monolayers also hold potential as sunlight absorbers, and may enable ultrathin photovoltaic (PV) devices due to their semiconducting character. In this work, we show that the three TMD monolayers MoS2, MoSe2, and WS2 can absorb up to 5-10% incident sunlight in a thickness of less than 1 nm, thus achieving 1 order of magnitude higher sunlight absorption than GaAs and Si. We further study PV devices based on just two stacked monolayers: (1) a Schottky barrier solar cell between MoS2 and graphene and (2) an excitonic solar cell based on a MoS2/WS2 bilayer. We demonstrate that such 1 nm thick active layers can attain power conversion efficiencies of up to ~1%, corresponding to approximately 1-3 orders of magnitude higher power densities than the best existing ultrathin solar cells. Our work shows that two-dimensional monolayer materials hold yet untapped potential for solar energy absorption and conversion at the nanoscale.

Semiconducting monolayer materials as a tunable platform for excitonic solar cells

The recent advent of two-dimensional monolayer materials with tunable optical properties and high carrier mobility offers renewed opportunities for efficient, ultrathin excitonic solar cells alternative to those based on conjugated polymer and small molecule donors. Using first-principles density functional theory and many-body calculations, we demonstrate that monolayers of hexagonal BN and graphene (CBN) combined with commonly used acceptors such as PCBM fullerene or semiconducting carbon nanotubes can provide excitonic solar cells with tunable absorber gap, donor-acceptor interface band alignment, and power conversion efficiency, as well as novel device architectures. For the case of CBN-PCBM devices, we predict power conversion efficiency limits in the 10-20% range depending on the CBN monolayer structure. Our results demonstrate the possibility of using monolayer materials in tunable, efficient, ultrathin solar cells in which unexplored exciton and carrier transport regimes are at play.

Optoelectronic properties in monolayers of hybridized graphene and hexagonal boron nitride

We explain the nature of the electronic energy gap and optical absorption spectrum of carbon-boron-nitride (CBN) monolayers using density functional theory, GW and Bethe-Salpeter calculations. The band structure and the optical absorption are regulated by the C domain size rather than the composition (as customary for bulk semiconductor alloys). The C and BN quasiparticle states lie at separate energy for C and BN, with little mixing for energies near the band edge where states are chiefly C in character. The resulting optical absorption spectra show two distinct peaks whose energy and relative intensity vary with composition in agreement with the experiment. The monolayers present strongly bound excitons localized within the C domains, with binding energies of the order of 0.5-1.5 eV dependent on the C domain size. The optoelectronic properties result from the overall monolayer band structure, and cannot be understood as a superposition of the properties of bulklike C and BN domains.

Coexistence of negatively and positively buckled isomers on n+-doped Si(111) − 2 × 1

A long-standing puzzle regarding the Si(111) − 2 × 1 surface has been solved. The surface energy gap previously determined by photoemission on heavily n-doped crystals was not compatible with a strongly bound exciton known from other considerations to exist. New low-temperature angle-resolved photoemission and scanning tunneling microscopy data, together with theory, unambiguously reveal that isomers with opposite bucklings and different energy gaps coexist on such surfaces. The subtle energetics between the isomers, dependent on doping, leads to a reconciliation of all previous results.

Silicon and Germanium Nanostructures for Photovoltaic Applications: Ab-Initio Results

Actually, most of the electric energy is being produced by fossil fuels and great is the search for viable alternatives. The most appealing and promising technology is photovoltaics. It will become truly mainstream when its cost will be comparable to other energy sources. One way is to significantly enhance device efficiencies, for example by increasing the number of band gaps in multijunction solar cells or by favoring charge separation in the devices. This can be done by using cells based on nanostructured semiconductors. In this paper, we will present ab-initio results of the structural, electronic and optical properties of (1) silicon and germanium nanoparticles embedded in wide band gap materials and (2) mixed silicon-germanium nanowires. We show that theory can help in understanding the microscopic processes important for devices performances. In particular, we calculated for embedded Si and Ge nanoparticles the dependence of the absorption threshold on size and oxidation, the role of crystallinity and, in some cases, the recombination rates, and we demonstrated that in the case of mixed nanowires, those with a clear interface between Si and Ge show not only a reduced quantum confinement effect but display also a natural geometrical separation between electron and hole.

From Si nanowires to porous silicon: the role of excitonic effects

We show that the electronic and optical properties of silicon nanowires, with different size and orientation, are dominated by important many-body effects. The electronic and excitonic gaps, calculated within first principles, agree with the available experimental data. Huge excitonic effects, which depend strongly on wire orientation and size, characterize the optical spectra. Modeling porous silicon as a collection of interacting nanowires, we find an absorption spectrum which is in very good agreement with experimental measurements only when the electron-hole interaction is included.

Reflectance anisotropy spectra of the diamond (100)-(2x1) surface: evidence of strongly bound surface state excitons

We compare the results of ab initio calculations with measured reflection anisotropy spectra and show that strongly bound surface-state excitons occur on the clean diamond (100) surface. These excitons are found to have a binding energy close to 1 eV, the strongest ever observed at a semiconductor surface. Important electron-hole interaction effects on the line shape of the optical transitions above the surface-state gap are also found.

Comparative bioavailability of diltiazem in prolonged-release oral preparations

This study was conducted to compare the bioavailability of two prolonged-release pharmaceutical forms containing 300 mg of diltiazem. The test formulation is a new design of tablets with a hydrophilic matrix, and the reference formulation is capsules containing prolonged liberation microgranules, in the same dose, that are commercially available in the pharmaceutical market. Diltiazem plasma concentrations were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which involves solid-phase extraction for plasma sample preparation. Twelve healthy volunteers participated in the study, which had a single-dose, two-treatment, two-sequence-crossover, randomized design. The preparations were compared using pharmacokinetic parameters such as the area under the plasma concentration-time curve AUC(0-36), peak plasma concentration Cmax, and Cmax/AUC(0-36) ratio as a measure for the absorption rate. No statistically significant difference was observed for any of the parameters, and the 90% confidence intervals calculated for the ratio of the logarithmically transformed AUC(0-36) and Cmax/AUC(0-36) values of both formulations were within the bioequivalence limit of 0.80-1.25. Moreover, an in vitro study of dissolution according to USP 23 was conducted, and the in vitro parameters were calculated.

Structural and optical properties of the Ge(111)-(2 x 1) surface

We study the two lowest-energy isomers of the Ge(111)-(2 x 1) surface, by a state-of-the-art first-principles calculation of their optical spectra, including the electron-hole interaction effects. A comparison of our results with the available experimental data suggests that, at difference with the silicon case, the stablest isomer differs from the standard "buckled Pandey chains" reconstruction. This conclusion is supported by accurate total-energy results.

Stability of capsules containing omeprazole in enteric coated pellets

The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate the stability of capsules containing 20 mg of Omeprazole, in enteric coated pellets, from seven pharmaceutical laboratories on Argentine market. The stability test was performed under the conditions indicated by the ICH: 40 degrees C, 75% HR, with and without light, during a six month period. The remaining content of Omeprazole, total percentage of impurities and percentage of released active principle in vitro, were determined by HPLC. The organoleptic characteristics of the pellets were visually examined. The results obtained at six months indicate that, from the seven products studied, four were found to have a content of Omeprazole higher than 90% of the labeled amount, in both lighting conditions tested, and also comply with the USP23 specifications with respect to the release in vitro. We conclude that the progressive darkening of the pellets indicates, qualitatively, the level of degradation of the product and that the stability of Omeprazole depends on the correct formulation and the primary container.