A quantum well device, comprising: a first layer of a first two-dimensional material; a second layer of a second two-dimensional material; and a third layer of a third two-dimensional material disposed between the first layer and second layer, wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are adhered predominantly by van der Waals force, wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer form a symmetric quantum well, wherein the first and second layers (601; 602) comprise the same two-dimensional chalcogenide material each layer consisting of three atomic sub-layers, and the third layer consists of at least one layer of a two dimensional hexagonal boron nitride material consisting of a single atomic sub-layer, and wherein the third layer is adapted to either: receive an applied bias voltage, absorb, by the applied bias voltage, photons of a predetermined energy level, and generate, by the absorbed photons, a current; or receive a drive voltage, drive a plurality of electrons, by the drive voltage, from the first layer into the third layer, drive a plurality of holes, by the drive voltage, from the second layer into the third layer, and generate, by recombination of electrons from the plurality of driven electrons and holes from the plurality of driven holes, a plurality of photons. a first layer of a first two-dimensional material; a second layer of a second two-dimensional material; and a third layer of a third two-dimensional material disposed between the first layer and second layer, wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are adhered predominantly by van der Waals force, wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer form a symmetric quantum well, wherein the first and second layers (601; 602) comprise the same two-dimensional chalcogenide material each layer consisting of three atomic sub-layers, and the third layer consists of at least one layer of a two dimensional hexagonal boron nitride material consisting of a single atomic sub-layer, and wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer form a symmetric quantum well, wherein the first and second layers (601; 602) comprise the same two-dimensional chalcogenide material each layer consisting of three atomic sub-layers, and the third layer consists of at least one layer of a two dimensional hexagonal boron nitride material consisting of a single atomic sub-layer, and wherein the third layer is adapted to either: receive an applied bias voltage, absorb, by the applied bias voltage, photons of a predetermined energy level, and generate, by the absorbed photons, a current; or receive a drive voltage, drive a plurality of electrons, by the drive voltage, from the first layer into the third layer, drive a plurality of holes, by the drive voltage, from the second layer into the third layer, and generate, by recombination of electrons from the plurality of driven electrons and holes from the plurality of driven holes, a plurality of photons. receive an applied bias voltage, absorb, by the applied bias voltage, photons of a predetermined energy level, and generate, by the absorbed photons, a current; or receive a drive voltage, drive a plurality of electrons, by the drive voltage, from the first layer into the third layer, drive a plurality of holes, by the drive voltage, from the second layer into the third layer, and generate, by recombination of electrons from the plurality of driven electrons and holes from the plurality of driven holes, a plurality of photons.