True photonic band-gap mode-control in VCSEL structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Romstad, F.; Madsen, M.; Birkedal, Dan

2003-01-01

Photonic band-gap mode confinement in novel nano-structured large area VCSEL structures is confirmed by the amplified spontaneous emission spectrum. Both guide and anti-guide VCSEL structures are experimentally characterised to verify the photonic band-gap effect.......Photonic band-gap mode confinement in novel nano-structured large area VCSEL structures is confirmed by the amplified spontaneous emission spectrum. Both guide and anti-guide VCSEL structures are experimentally characterised to verify the photonic band-gap effect....

Optical bandgap of semiconductor nanostructures: Methods for experimental data analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Raciti, R.; Bahariqushchi, R.; Summonte, C.; Aydinli, A.; Terrasi, A.; Mirabella, S.

2017-06-01

Determination of the optical bandgap (Eg) in semiconductor nanostructures is a key issue in understanding the extent of quantum confinement effects (QCE) on electronic properties and it usually involves some analytical approximation in experimental data reduction and modeling of the light absorption processes. Here, we compare some of the analytical procedures frequently used to evaluate the optical bandgap from reflectance (R) and transmittance (T) spectra. Ge quantum wells and quantum dots embedded in SiO2 were produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and light absorption was characterized by UV-Vis/NIR spectrophotometry. R&T elaboration to extract the absorption spectra was conducted by two approximated methods (single or double pass approximation, single pass analysis, and double pass analysis, respectively) followed by Eg evaluation through linear fit of Tauc or Cody plots. Direct fitting of R&T spectra through a Tauc-Lorentz oscillator model is used as comparison. Methods and data are discussed also in terms of the light absorption process in the presence of QCE. The reported data show that, despite the approximation, the DPA approach joined with Tauc plot gives reliable results, with clear advantages in terms of computational efforts and understanding of QCE.

Photonic Bandgap (PBG) Shielding Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Bastin, Gary L.

2007-01-01

Photonic Bandgap (PBG) shielding technology is a new approach to designing electromagnetic shielding materials for mitigating Electromagnetic Interference (EM!) with small, light-weight shielding materials. It focuses on ground planes of printed wiring boards (PWBs), rather than on components. Modem PSG materials also are emerging based on planar materials, in place of earlier, bulkier, 3-dimensional PBG structures. Planar PBG designs especially show great promise in mitigating and suppressing EMI and crosstalk for aerospace designs, such as needed for NASA's Constellation Program, for returning humans to the moon and for use by our first human visitors traveling to and from Mars. Photonic Bandgap (PBG) materials are also known as artificial dielectrics, meta-materials, and photonic crystals. General PBG materials are fundamentally periodic slow-wave structures in I, 2, or 3 dimensions. By adjusting the choice of structure periodicities in terms of size and recurring structure spacings, multiple scatterings of surface waves can be created that act as a forbidden energy gap (i.e., a range of frequencies) over which nominally-conductive metallic conductors cease to be a conductor and become dielectrics. Equivalently, PBG materials can be regarded as giving rise to forbidden energy gaps in metals without chemical doping, analogous to electron bandgap properties that previously gave rise to the modem semiconductor industry 60 years ago. Electromagnetic waves cannot propagate over bandgap regions that are created with PBG materials, that is, over frequencies for which a bandgap is artificially created through introducing periodic defects

Widely bandgap tunable amorphous Cd–Ga–O oxide semiconductors exhibiting electron mobilities ≥10 cm{sup 2 }V{sup −1 }s{sup −1}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanagi, Hiroshi, E-mail: hyanagi@yamanashi.ac.jp [Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, 4-4-37 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8510 (Japan); Sato, Chiyuki; Kimura, Yota [Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 4-4-37 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8510 (Japan); Suzuki, Issei; Omata, Takahisa [Division of Material and Manufacturing Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Kamiya, Toshio [Materials and Structures Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Mailbox R3-4, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Materials Research Center for Element Strategy, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Mailbox S2-16, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Hosono, Hideo [Materials and Structures Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Mailbox R3-4, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Materials Research Center for Element Strategy, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Mailbox S2-16, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Frontier Research Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Mailbox S2-16, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan)

2015-02-23

Amorphous oxide semiconductors exhibit large electron mobilities; however, their bandgaps are either too large for solar cells or too small for deep ultraviolet applications depending on the materials system. Herein, we demonstrate that amorphous Cd–Ga–O semiconductors display bandgaps covering the entire 2.5–4.3 eV region while maintaining large electron mobilities ≥10 cm{sup 2 }V{sup −1 }s{sup −1}. The band alignment diagram obtained by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy and the bandgap values reveal that these semiconductors form type-II heterojunctions with p-type Cu{sub 2}O, which is suitable for solar cells and solar-blind ultraviolet sensors.

Mg2BIV: Narrow Bandgap Thermoelectric Semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Il-Ho

2018-05-01

Thermoelectric materials can convert thermal energy directly into electric energy and vice versa. The electricity generation from waste heat via thermoelectric devices can be considered as a new energy source. For instance, automotive exhaust gas and all industrial processes generate an enormous amount of waste heat that can be converted to electricity by using thermoelectric devices. Magnesium compound Mg2BIV (BIV = Si, Ge or Sn) has a favorable combination of physical and chemical properties and can be a good base for the development of new efficient thermoelectrics. Because they possess similar properties to those of group BIV elemental semiconductors, they have been recognized as good candidates for thermoelectric applications. Mg2Si, Mg2Ge and Mg2Sn with an antifluorite structure are narrow bandgap semiconductors with indirect band gaps of 0.77 eV, 0.74 eV, and 0.35 eV, respectively. Mg2BIV has been recognized as a promising material for thermoelectric energy conversion at temperatures ranging from 500 K to 800 K. Compared to other thermoelectric materials operating in the similar temperature range, such as PbTe and filled skutterudites, the important aspects of Mg2BIV are non-toxic and earth-abundant elements. Based on classical thermoelectric theory, the material factor β ( m* / m e)3/2μκ L -1 can be utilized as the criterion for thermoelectric material selection, where m* is the density-of-states effective mass, me is the mass of an electron, μ is the carrier mobility, and κL is the lattice thermal conductivity. The β for magnesium silicides is 14, which is very high compared to 0.8 for iron silicides, 1.4 for manganese silicides, and 2.6 for silicon-germanium alloys. In this paper, basic phenomena of thermoelectricity and transport parameters for thermoelectric materials were briefly introduced, and thermoelectric properties of Mg2BIV synthesized by using a solid-state reaction were reviewed. In addition, various Mg2BIV compounds were discussed

Tunable radiation emitting semiconductor device

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2009-01-01

A tunable radiation emitting semiconductor device includes at least one elongated structure at least partially fabricated from one or more semiconductor materials exhibiting a bandgap characteristic including one or more energy transitions whose energies correspond to photon energies of light

Wide Bandgap Extrinsic Photoconductive Switches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, James S. [State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Plattsburgh, NY (United States); Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)

2012-01-20

Photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSS) have been investigated since the late 1970s. Some devices have been developed that withstand tens of kilovolts and others that switch hundreds of amperes. However, no single device has been developed that can reliably withstand both high voltage and switch high current. Yet, photoconductive switches still hold the promise of reliable high voltage and high current operation with subnanosecond risetimes. Particularly since good quality, bulk, single crystal, wide bandgap semiconductor materials have recently become available. In this chapter we will review the basic operation of PCSS devices, status of PCSS devices and properties of the wide bandgap semiconductors 4H-SiC, 6H-SiC and 2H-GaN.

II-VI Narrow-Bandgap Semiconductors for Optoelectronics

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Ian

The field of narrow-gap II-VI materials is dominated by the compound semiconductor mercury cadmium telluride, (Hg1-x Cd x Te or MCT), which supports a large industry in infrared detectors, cameras and infrared systems. It is probably true to say that HgCdTe is the third most studied semiconductor after silicon and gallium arsenide. Hg1-x Cd x Te is the material most widely used in high-performance infrared detectors at present. By changing the composition x the spectral response of the detector can be made to cover the range from 1 μm to beyond 17 μm. The advantages of this system arise from a number of features, notably: close lattice matching, high optical absorption coefficient, low carrier generation rate, high electron mobility and readily available doping techniques. These advantages mean that very sensitive infrared detectors can be produced at relatively high operating temperatures. Hg1-x Cd x Te multilayers can be readily grown in vapor-phase epitaxial processes. This provides the device engineer with complex doping and composition profiles that can be used to further enhance the electro-optic performance, leading to low-cost, large-area detectors in the future. The main purpose of this chapter is to describe the applications, device physics and technology of II-VI narrow-bandgap devices, focusing on HgCdTe but also including Hg1-x Mn x Te and Hg1-x Zn x Te. It concludes with a review of the research and development programs into third-generation infrared detector technology (so-called GEN III detectors) being performed in centers around the world.

Structural correlations in the generation of polaron pairs in low-bandgap polymers for photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Tautz, Raphael; da Como, Enrico; Limmer, Thomas; Feldmann, Jochen; Egelhaaf, Hans-Joachim; von Hauff, Elizabeth; Lemaur, Vincent; Beljonne, David; Yilmaz, Seyfullah; Dumsch, Ines; Allard, Sybille; Scherf, Ullrich

2012-07-01

Polymeric semiconductors are materials where unique optical and electronic properties often originate from a tailored chemical structure. This allows for synthesizing conjugated macromolecules with ad hoc functionalities for organic electronics. In photovoltaics, donor-acceptor co-polymers, with moieties of different electron affinity alternating on the chain, have attracted considerable interest. The low bandgap offers optimal light-harvesting characteristics and has inspired work towards record power conversion efficiencies. Here we show for the first time how the chemical structure of donor and acceptor moieties controls the photogeneration of polaron pairs. We show that co-polymers with strong acceptors show large yields of polaron pair formation up to 24% of the initial photoexcitations as compared with a homopolymer (η=8%). π-conjugated spacers, separating the donor and acceptor centre of masses, have the beneficial role of increasing the recombination time. The results provide useful input into the understanding of polaron pair photogeneration in low-bandgap co-polymers for photovoltaics.

Contact and Bandgap Engineering in Two Dimensional Crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Tao

At the heart of semiconductor research, bandgap is one of the key parameters for materials and determine their applications in modern technologies. For traditional bulk semiconductors, the bandgap is determined by the chemical composition and specific arrangement of the crystal lattices, and usually invariant during the device operation. Nevertheless, it is highly desirable for many optoelectronic and electronic applications to have materials with continuously tunable bandgap available. In the past decade, 2D layered materials including graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have sparked interest in the scientific community, owing to their unique material properties and tremendous potential in various applications. Among many newly discovered properties that are non-existent in bulk materials, the strong in-plane bonding and weak van der Waals inter-planar interaction in these 2D layered structures leads to a widely tunable bandgap by electric field. This provides an extra knob to engineer the fundamental material properties and open a new design space for novel device operation. This thesis focuses on this field controlled dynamic bandgap and can be divided into three parts: (1) bilayer graphene is the first known 2D crystal with a bandgap can be continuously tuned by electric field. However, the electrical transport bandgaps is much smaller than both theoretical predictions and extracted bandgaps from optical measurements. In the first part of the thesis, the limiting factors of preventing achieving a large transport bandgap in bilayer graphene are investigated and different strategies to achieve a large transport bandgap are discussed, including the vertically scaling of gate oxide and patterning channel into ribbon structure. With a record large transport bandgap of ~200meV, a dual-gated semiconducting bilayer graphene P/N junction with extremely scaled gap of 20nm in-between is fabricated. A tunable local maxima feature, associated with 1D v

Structural and optical studies of local disorder sensitivity in natural organic-inorganic self-assembled semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vijaya Prakash, G; Pradeesh, K [Nanophotonics Lab, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi (India); Ratnani, R; Saraswat, K [Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, MDS University, Ajmer (India); Light, M E [School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton (United Kingdom); Baumberg, J J, E-mail: prakash@physics.iitd.ac.i [Nanophotonic Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, University Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 OHE (United Kingdom)

2009-09-21

The structural and optical spectra of two related lead iodide (PbI) based self-assembled hybrid organic-inorganic semiconductors are compared. During the synthesis, depending on the bridging of organic moiety intercalated between the PbI two-dimensional planes, different crystal structures are produced. These entirely different networks show different structural and optical features, including excitonic bandgaps. In particular, the modified organic environment of the excitons is sensitive to the local disorder both in single crystal and thin film forms. Such information is vital for incorporating these semiconductors into photonic device architectures.

Detection of the scintillation light emitted from direct-bandgap compound semiconductors by a Si avalanche photodiode at 150 mK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasumune, Takashi; Takayama, Nobuyasu; Maehata, Keisuke; Ishibashi, Kenji; Umeno, Takahiro

2008-01-01

In this work, the direct-bandgap compound semiconductor materials are irradiated by α particles emitted from 241 Am for the detection of scintillation light at the temperature of 150 mK. For the irradiation experiment, two disk shaped samples were fabricated from an epoxy resin mixed with the powder of PbI 2 and CuI, respectively. Each disk-samples was cooled down to 150 mK by a compact liquid helium-free dilution refrigerator. A Si avalanche photodiode (APD) was employed for detecting the scintillation light emitted from the disk-sample inside the refrigerator. The detection signal current of Si APD was converted into the voltage pulses by a charge sensitive preamplifier. The voltage pulses of the scintillation light emitted from the direct-bandgap semiconductors were observed at the temperature of 150 mK. (author)

High-Temperature, Wirebondless, Ultracompact Wide Bandgap Power Semiconductor Modules

Science.gov (United States)

Elmes, John

2015-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) and other wide bandgap semiconductors offer great promise of high power rating, high operating temperature, simple thermal management, and ultrahigh power density for both space and commercial power electronic systems. However, this great potential is seriously limited by the lack of reliable high-temperature device packaging technology. This Phase II project developed an ultracompact hybrid power module packaging technology based on the use of double lead frames and direct lead frame-to-chip transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding that allows device operation up to 450 degC. The new power module will have a very small form factor with 3-5X reduction in size and weight from the prior art, and it will be capable of operating from 450 degC to -125 degC. This technology will have a profound impact on power electronics and energy conversion technologies and help to conserve energy and the environment as well as reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels.

Growth of Bulk Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Crystals and Their Potential Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kuo-Tong; Shi, Detang; Morgan, S. H.; Collins, W. Eugene; Burger, Arnold

1997-01-01

Developments in bulk crystal growth research for electro-optical devices in the Center for Photonic Materials and Devices since its establishment have been reviewed. Purification processes and single crystal growth systems employing physical vapor transport and Bridgman methods were assembled and used to produce high purity and superior quality wide bandgap materials such as heavy metal halides and II-VI compound semiconductors. Comprehensive material characterization techniques have been employed to reveal the optical, electrical and thermodynamic properties of crystals, and the results were used to establish improved material processing procedures. Postgrowth treatments such as passivation, oxidation, chemical etching and metal contacting during the X-ray and gamma-ray device fabrication process have also been investigated and low noise threshold with improved energy resolution has been achieved.

Photo-Detection on Narrow-Bandgap High-Mobility 2D Semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Charnas, Adam; Qiu, Gang; Deng, Yexin; Wang, Yixiu; Du, Yuchen; Yang, Lingming; Wu, Wenzhuo; Ye, Peide

Photo-detection and energy harvesting device concepts have been demonstrated widely in 2D materials such as graphene, TMDs, and black phosphorus. In this work, we demonstrate anisotropic photo-detection achieved using devices fabricated from hydrothermally grown narrow-bandgap high-mobility 2D semiconductor. Back-gated FETs were fabricated by transferring the 2D flakes onto a Si/SiO2 substrate and depositing various metal contacts across the flakes to optimize the access resistance for optoelectronic devices. Photo-responsivity was measured and mapped by slightly biasing the devices and shining a laser spot at different locations of the device to observe and map the resulting photo-generated current. Optimization of the Schottky barrier height for both n and p at the metal-2D interfaces using asymmetric contact engineering was performed to improve device performance.

Bandgap Engineering of Double Perovskites for One- and Two-photon Water Splitting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castelli, Ivano Eligio; Thygesen, Kristian Sommer; Jacobsen, Karsten Wedel

2013-01-01

Computational screening is becoming increasingly useful in the search for new materials. We are interested in the design of new semiconductors to be used for light harvesting in a photoelectrochemical cell. In the present paper, we study the double perovskite structures obtained by combining 46...... stable cubic perovskites which was found to have a finite bandgap in a previous screening-study. The four-metal double perovskite space is too large to be investigated completely. For this reason we propose a method for combining different metals to obtain a desired bandgap. We derive some bandgap design...... rules on how to combine two cubic perovskites to generate a new combination with a larger or smaller bandgap compared with the constituent structures. Those rules are based on the type of orbitals involved in the conduction bands and on the size of the two cubic bandgaps. We also see that a change...

Band Engineering Small Bandgap p-Type Semiconductors: Investigations of their Optical and Photoelectrochemical Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Zoellner, Brandon

Mixed-metal oxides containing Mn(II), Cu(I), Ta(V), Nb(V), and V(V) were investigated for their structures and properties as new p-type semiconductors and in the potential applications involving the photocatalytic conversion of water into hydrogen and oxygen. Engineering of the bandgaps was achieved by combining metal cations that have halffilled (Mn 3d5) or filled (Cu 3d10) d-orbitals together with metal cations that have empty (V/Nb/Ta 3/4/5 d0) d-orbitals. The research described herein focuses on the synthesis, optical, electronic, and photocatalytic properties of the metal-oxide semiconductors MnV2O6, Cu3VO 4, CuNb1-xTaxO3, and Cu5(Ta1-xNbx)11O30. Powder X-ray diffraction was used to probe their phase purity as well as atomic-level crystallographic details, i.e. shifts of lattice parameters, chemical compositions, and changes in local bonding environments. Optical measurements revealed visible-light bandgap sizes of ˜1.17 eV (Cu3VO4), ˜1.45 eV (MnV2O6), ˜1.89-1.97 eV (CuNb1-xTa xO3), and ˜1.97-2.50 eV (Cu5(Ta1-xNb x)11O30). The latter two were found to systematically vary as a function of composition. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements of MnV2O6 and Cu3VO 4 provided the first experimental characterization of the energetic positions of the valence and conduction bands with respect to the water oxidation and reduction potentials, as well as confirmed the p-type nature of each semiconductor. The valence and conduction band energies were found to be suitable for driving either one or both of the water-splitting half reaction (i.e. 2H+ → H2 and 2H2O → O2 + 4H+). Photoelectrochemical measurements on polycrystalline films of the Cu(I)-based semiconductors under visible-light irradiation produced cathodic currents indicative of p-type semiconductor character and chemical reduction at their surfaces in the electrolyte solution. The stability of the photocurrents was increased by the addition of CuO oxide particles either externally deposited or

Cu2I2Se6: A Metal-Inorganic Framework Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor for Photon Detection at Room Temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Wenwen; Stoumpos, Constantinos C; Kontsevoi, Oleg Y; Liu, Zhifu; He, Yihui; Das, Sanjib; Xu, Yadong; McCall, Kyle M; Wessels, Bruce W; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G

2018-02-07

Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 is a new wide-bandgap semiconductor with high stability and great potential toward hard radiation and photon detection. Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 crystallizes in the rhombohedral R3̅m space group with a density of d = 5.287 g·cm -3 and a wide bandgap E g of 1.95 eV. First-principles electronic band structure calculations at the density functional theory level indicate an indirect bandgap and a low electron effective mass m e * of 0.32. The congruently melting compound was grown in centimeter-size Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 single crystals using a vertical Bridgman method. A high electric resistivity of ∼10 12 Ω·cm is readily achieved, and detectors made of Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 single crystals demonstrate high photosensitivity to Ag Kα X-rays (22.4 keV) and show spectroscopic performance with energy resolutions under 241 Am α-particles (5.5 MeV) radiation. The electron mobility is measured by a time-of-flight technique to be ∼46 cm 2 ·V -1 ·s -1 . This value is comparable to that of one of the leading γ-ray detector materials, TlBr, and is a factor of 30 higher than mobility values obtained for amorphous Se for X-ray detection.

Wide Bandgap Extrinsic Photoconductive Switches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, James S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2013-07-03

Semi-insulating Gallium Nitride, 4H and 6H Silicon Carbide are attractive materials for compact, high voltage, extrinsic, photoconductive switches due to their wide bandgap, high dark resistance, high critical electric field strength and high electron saturation velocity. These wide bandgap semiconductors are made semi-insulating by the addition of vanadium (4H and 6HSiC) and iron (2H-GaN) impurities that form deep acceptors. These deep acceptors trap electrons donated from shallow donor impurities. The electrons can be optically excited from these deep acceptor levels into the conduction band to transition the wide bandgap semiconductor materials from a semi-insulating to a conducting state. Extrinsic photoconductive switches with opposing electrodes have been constructed using vanadium compensated 6H-SiC and iron compensated 2H-GaN. These extrinsic photoconductive switches were tested at high voltage and high power to determine if they could be successfully used as the closing switch in compact medical accelerators.

Optimum design of band-gap beam structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olhoff, Niels; Niu, Bin; Cheng, Gengdong

2012-01-01

The design of band-gap structures receives increasing attention for many applications in mitigation of undesirable vibration and noise emission levels. A band-gap structure usually consists of a periodic distribution of elastic materials or segments, where the propagation of waves is impeded...... or significantly suppressed for a range of external excitation frequencies. Maximization of the band-gap is therefore an obvious objective for optimum design. This problem is sometimes formulated by optimizing a parameterized design model which assumes multiple periodicity in the design. However, it is shown...... in the present paper that such an a priori assumption is not necessary since, in general, just the maximization of the gap between two consecutive natural frequencies leads to significant design periodicity. The aim of this paper is to maximize frequency gaps by shape optimization of transversely vibrating...

Polar semiconductor heterojunction structure energy band diagram considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Shuxun; Wen, Cheng P.; Wang, Maojun; Hao, Yilong

2016-01-01

The unique nature of built-in electric field induced positive/negative charge pairs of polar semiconductor heterojunction structure has led to a more realistic device model for hexagonal III-nitride HEMT. In this modeling approach, the distribution of charge carriers is dictated by the electrostatic potential profile instead of Femi statistics. The proposed device model is found suitable to explain peculiar properties of GaN HEMT structures, including: (1) Discrepancy in measured conventional linear transmission line model (LTLM) sheet resistance and contactless sheet resistance of GaN HEMT with thin barrier layer. (2) Below bandgap radiation from forward biased Nickel Schottky barrier diode on GaN HEMT structure. (3) GaN HEMT barrier layer doping has negligible effect on transistor channel sheet charge density.

Polar semiconductor heterojunction structure energy band diagram considerations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Shuxun; Wen, Cheng P., E-mail: cpwen@ieee.org; Wang, Maojun; Hao, Yilong [Institute of Microelectronics, Peking University, Beijing (China)

2016-03-28

The unique nature of built-in electric field induced positive/negative charge pairs of polar semiconductor heterojunction structure has led to a more realistic device model for hexagonal III-nitride HEMT. In this modeling approach, the distribution of charge carriers is dictated by the electrostatic potential profile instead of Femi statistics. The proposed device model is found suitable to explain peculiar properties of GaN HEMT structures, including: (1) Discrepancy in measured conventional linear transmission line model (LTLM) sheet resistance and contactless sheet resistance of GaN HEMT with thin barrier layer. (2) Below bandgap radiation from forward biased Nickel Schottky barrier diode on GaN HEMT structure. (3) GaN HEMT barrier layer doping has negligible effect on transistor channel sheet charge density.

Effect of temperature on terahertz photonic and omnidirectional band gaps in one-dimensional quasi-periodic photonic crystals composed of semiconductor InSb.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Bipin K; Pandey, Praveen C

2016-07-20

Engineering of thermally tunable terahertz photonic and omnidirectional bandgaps has been demonstrated theoretically in one-dimensional quasi-periodic photonic crystals (PCs) containing semiconductor and dielectric materials. The considered quasi-periodic structures are taken in the form of Fibonacci, Thue-Morse, and double periodic sequences. We have shown that the photonic and omnidirectional bandgaps in the quasi-periodic structures with semiconductor constituents are strongly depend on the temperature, thickness of the constituted semiconductor and dielectric material layers, and generations of the quasi-periodic sequences. It has been found that the number of photonic bandgaps increases with layer thickness and generation of the quasi-periodic sequences. Omnidirectional bandgaps in the structures have also been obtained. Results show that the bandwidths of photonic and omnidirectional bandgaps are tunable by changing the temperature and lattice parameters of the structures. The generation of quasi-periodic sequences can also change the properties of photonic and omnidirectional bandgaps remarkably. The frequency range of the photonic and omnidirectional bandgaps can be tuned by the change of temperature and layer thickness of the considered quasi-periodic structures. This work will be useful to design tunable terahertz PC devices.

A superhard sp3 microporous carbon with direct bandgap

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yilong; Xie, Chenlong; Xiong, Mei; Ma, Mengdong; Liu, Lingyu; Li, Zihe; Zhang, Shuangshuang; Gao, Guoying; Zhao, Zhisheng; Tian, Yongjun; Xu, Bo; He, Julong

2017-12-01

Carbon allotropes with distinct sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridization possess various different properties. Here, a novel all-sp3 hybridized tetragonal carbon, namely the P carbon, was predicted by the evolutionary particle swarm structural search. It demonstrated a low density among all-sp3 carbons, due to the corresponding distinctive microporous structure. P carbon is thermodynamically stable than the known C60 and could be formed through the single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) compression. P carbon is a direct bandgap semiconductor displaying a strong and superhard nature. The unique combination of electrical and mechanical properties constitutes P carbon a potential superhard material for semiconductor industrial fields.

Optically controlled photonic bandgap structures for microstrip circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadman, Darren Arthur

2003-01-01

This thesis is concerned with the optical control of microwave photonic bandgap circuits using high resistivity silicon. Photoconducting processes that occur within silicon are investigated. The influence of excess carrier density on carrier mobility and lifetime is examined. In addition, electron-hole pair recombination mechanisms (Shockley-Read-Hall, Auger, radiative and surface) are investigated. The microwave properties of silicon are examined, in particular the variation of silicon reflectivity with excess carrier density. Filtering properties of microstrip photonic bandgap structures and how they may be controlled optically are studied. A proof-of-concept microstrip photonic bandgap structure with optical control is designed, simulated and measured. With no optical illumination incident upon the silicon, the microstrip photonic bandgap structure's filtering properties are well-defined; a 3dB stopband width of 2.6GHz, a 6dB bandwidth of 2GHz and stopband depth of -11.6dB at the centre frequency of 9.9GHz. When the silicon is illuminated, the structure's filtering properties are suppressed. Under illumination the experimental results display an increase in S 21 of 6.5dB and a reduction in S 11 of more than 10dB at 9.9GHz. A comparison of measured and simulated results reveal that the photogenerated excess carrier density is between 4 x 10 15 cm -3 and 1.1 x 10 16 cm -3 . (author)

Penta-P2X (X=C, Si) monolayers as wide-bandgap semiconductors: A first principles prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Naseri, Mosayeb; Lin, Shiru; Jalilian, Jaafar; Gu, Jinxing; Chen, Zhongfang

2018-06-01

By means of density functional theory computations, we predicted two novel two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, namely P2X (X=C, Si) monolayers with pentagonal configurations. Their structures, stabilities, intrinsic electronic, and optical properties as well as the effect of external strain to the electronic properties have been systematically examined. Our computations showed that these P2C and P2Si monolayers have rather high thermodynamic, kinetic, and thermal stabilities, and are indirect semiconductors with wide bandgaps (2.76 eV and 2.69 eV, respectively) which can be tuned by an external strain. These monolayers exhibit high absorptions in the UV region, but behave as almost transparent layers for visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum. Their high stabilities and exceptional electronic and optical properties suggest them as promising candidates for future applications in UV-light shielding and antireflection layers in solar cells.

Characterizing Surfaces of the Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Ilmenite with Scanning Probe Microcopies

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, R.; Powell, Kirk St. A.

1997-01-01

Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is a wide bandgap semiconductor with an energy gap of about 2.5eV. Initial radiation studies indicate that ilmenite has properties suited for radiation tolerant applications, as well as a variety of other electronic applications. Two scanning probe microscopy methods have been used to characterize the surface of samples taken from Czochralski grown single crystals. The two methods, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), are based on different physical principles and therefore provide different information about the samples. AFM provides a direct, three-dimensional image of the surface of the samples, while STM give a convolution of topographic and electronic properties of the surface. We will discuss the differences between the methods and present preliminary data of each method for ilmenite samples.

Investigating the electronic properties of multi-junction ZnS/CdS/CdTe graded bandgap solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olusola, O.I., E-mail: olajideibk@yahoo.com [Electronic Materials and Sensors Group, Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB (United Kingdom); Department of Physics, School of Science, The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), P.M.B. 704 (Nigeria); Madugu, M.L.; Dharmadasa, I.M. [Electronic Materials and Sensors Group, Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB (United Kingdom)

2017-04-15

The fabrication of multi-junction graded bandgap solar cells have been successfully implemented by electroplating three binary compound semiconductors from II-VI family. The three semiconductor materials grown by electroplating techniques are ZnS, CdS and CdTe thin films. The electrical conductivity type and energy bandgap of each of the three semiconductors were determined using photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell measurement and UV–Vis spectrophotometry techniques respectively. The PEC cell results show that all the three semiconductor materials have n-type electrical conductivity. These two material characterisation techniques were considered in this paper in order to establish the relevant energy band diagram for device results, analysis and interpretation. Solar cells with the device structure glass/FTO/n-ZnS/n-CdS/n-CdTe/Au were then fabricated and characterised using current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) techniques. From the I-V characteristics measurement, the fabricated device structures yielded an open circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) of 670 mV, short circuit current density (J{sub sc}) of 41.5 mA cm{sup −2} and fill-factor (FF) of 0.46 resulting in ∼12.8% efficiency when measured at room temperature under AM1.5 illumination conditions. The device structure showed an excellent rectification factor (RF) of 10{sup 4.3} and ideality factor (n) of 1.88. The results obtained from the C-V measurement also showed that the device structures have a moderate doping level of 5.2 × 10{sup 15} cm{sup −3}. - Highlights: • Electroplating of n-ZnS, n-CdS and n-CdTe binary compound semiconductors. • Fabrication of Schottky barrier solar cells from glass/FTO/n-ZnS/n-CdS/n-CdTe/Au. • Development of multi-junction graded bandgap solar cells using n-n-n structures.

Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Detector Optimization for Flash X-Ray Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roecker, Caleb Daniel [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Schirato, Richard C. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-11-17

Charge trapping, resulting in a decreased and spatially dependent electric field, has long been a concern for wide bandgap semiconductor detectors. While significant work has been performed to characterize this degradation at varying temperatures and radiation environments, this work concentrates upon examining the event-to-event response in a flash X-ray environment. The following work investigates if charge trapping is a problem for CZT detectors, with particular emphasis on flash X-ray radiation fields at cold temperatures. Results are compared to a non-flash radiation field, using an Am-241 alpha source and similar temperature transitions. Our ability to determine if a response change occurred was hampered by the repeatability of our flash X-ray systems; a small response change was observed with the Am-241 source. Due to contrast of these results, we are in the process of revisiting the Am-241 measurements in the presence of a high radiation environment. If the response change is more pronounced in the high radiation environment, a similar test will be performed in the flash X-ray environment.

Multi-cavity locally resonant structure with the low frequency and broad band-gaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiulong Jiang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A multi-cavity periodic structure with the characteristic of local resonance was proposed in the paper. The low frequency band-gap structure was comparatively analyzed by the finite element method (FEM and electric circuit analogy (ECA. Low frequency band-gap can be opened through the dual influence of the coupling’s resonance in the cavity and the interaction among the couplings between structures. Finally, the influence of the structural factors on the band-gap was analyzed. The results show that the structure, which is divided into three parts equally, has a broader effective band-gap below the frequency of 200 Hz. It is also proved that reducing the interval between unit structures can increase the intensity of the couplings among the structures. And in this way, the width of band-gap would be expanded significantly. Through the parameters adjustment, the structure enjoys a satisfied sound insulation effect below the frequency of 500Hz. In the area of low frequency noise reduction, the structure has a lot of potential applications.

Optimal design of lossy bandgap structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard

2004-01-01

The method of topology optimization is used to design structures for wave propagation with one lossy material component. Optimized designs for scalar elastic waves are presented for mininimum wave transmission as well as for maximum wave energy dissipation. The structures that are obtained...... are of the 1D or 2D bandgap type depending on the objective and the material parameters....

Orthorhombic Ti2O3: A Polymorph-Dependent Narrow-Bandgap Ferromagnetic Oxide

KAUST Repository

Li, Yangyang

2017-12-16

Magnetic semiconductors are highly sought in spintronics, which allow not only the control of charge carriers like in traditional electronics, but also the control of spin states. However, almost all known magnetic semiconductors are featured with bandgaps larger than 1 eV, which limits their applications in long-wavelength regimes. In this work, the discovery of orthorhombic-structured Ti2O3 films is reported as a unique narrow-bandgap (≈0.1 eV) ferromagnetic oxide semiconductor. In contrast, the well-known corundum-structured Ti2O3 polymorph has an antiferromagnetic ground state. This comprehensive study on epitaxial Ti2O3 thin films reveals strong correlations between structure, electrical, and magnetic properties. The new orthorhombic Ti2O3 polymorph is found to be n-type with a very high electron concentration, while the bulk-type trigonal-structured Ti2O3 is p-type. More interestingly, in contrast to the antiferromagnetic ground state of trigonal bulk Ti2O3, unexpected ferromagnetism with a transition temperature well above room temperature is observed in the orthorhombic Ti2O3, which is confirmed by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements. Using first-principles calculations, the ferromagnetism is attributed to a particular type of oxygen vacancies in the orthorhombic Ti2O3. The room-temperature ferromagnetism observed in orthorhombic-structured Ti2O3, demonstrates a new route toward controlling magnetism in epitaxial oxide films through selective stabilization of polymorph phases.

Orthorhombic Ti2O3: A Polymorph-Dependent Narrow-Bandgap Ferromagnetic Oxide

KAUST Repository

Li, Yangyang; Weng, Yakui; Yin, Xinmao; Yu, Xiaojiang; Sarath Kumar, S. R.; Wehbe, Nimer; Wu, Haijun; Alshareef, Husam N.; Pennycook, Stephen J.; Breese, Mark B. H.; Chen, Jingsheng; Dong, Shuai; Wu, Tao

2017-01-01

Magnetic semiconductors are highly sought in spintronics, which allow not only the control of charge carriers like in traditional electronics, but also the control of spin states. However, almost all known magnetic semiconductors are featured with bandgaps larger than 1 eV, which limits their applications in long-wavelength regimes. In this work, the discovery of orthorhombic-structured Ti2O3 films is reported as a unique narrow-bandgap (≈0.1 eV) ferromagnetic oxide semiconductor. In contrast, the well-known corundum-structured Ti2O3 polymorph has an antiferromagnetic ground state. This comprehensive study on epitaxial Ti2O3 thin films reveals strong correlations between structure, electrical, and magnetic properties. The new orthorhombic Ti2O3 polymorph is found to be n-type with a very high electron concentration, while the bulk-type trigonal-structured Ti2O3 is p-type. More interestingly, in contrast to the antiferromagnetic ground state of trigonal bulk Ti2O3, unexpected ferromagnetism with a transition temperature well above room temperature is observed in the orthorhombic Ti2O3, which is confirmed by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements. Using first-principles calculations, the ferromagnetism is attributed to a particular type of oxygen vacancies in the orthorhombic Ti2O3. The room-temperature ferromagnetism observed in orthorhombic-structured Ti2O3, demonstrates a new route toward controlling magnetism in epitaxial oxide films through selective stabilization of polymorph phases.

First-principles study of bandgap tuning in Ge1-xPbxSe

Science.gov (United States)

Lohani, Himanshu

2018-03-01

Narrow bandgap and its tuning are important aspects of materials for their technological applications. In this context group IV-VI semiconductors are one of the interesting candidates. In this paper, we explore the possibility of bandgap tuning in one of the family member of this family GeSe by using isoelectronic Pb doping. Our study is first-principles based electronic structure calculations of Ge1-xPbxSe. This study reveals that the Ge-p and Se-p states are strongly hybridized in GeSe and shows a gap in the DOS at Ef in GeSe. This gap reduces systematically with simultaneous enhancement of the states in the near Ef region as a function of Pb doping. This leads tuning of the indirect bandgap in GeSe via Pb doping. The results of the indirect bandgap decrement are consistent with the experimental findings. We propose a mechanism where the electrostatic effect of dopant Pb cation could be responsible for these changes in the electronic structure of GeSe.

Wide and ultra-wide bandgap oxides: where paradigm-shift photovoltaics meets transparent power electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Tomás, Amador; Chikoidze, Ekaterine; Jennings, Michael R.; Russell, Stephen A. O.; Teherani, Ferechteh H.; Bove, Philippe; Sandana, Eric V.; Rogers, David J.

2018-03-01

Oxides represent the largest family of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors and also offer a huge potential range of complementary magnetic and electronic properties, such as ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, antiferroelectricity and high-temperature superconductivity. Here, we review our integration of WBG and ultra WBG semiconductor oxides into different solar cells architectures where they have the role of transparent conductive electrodes and/or barriers bringing unique functionalities into the structure such above bandgap voltages or switchable interfaces. We also give an overview of the state-of-the-art and perspectives for the emerging semiconductor β- Ga2O3, which is widely forecast to herald the next generation of power electronic converters because of the combination of an UWBG with the capacity to conduct electricity. This opens unprecedented possibilities for the monolithic integration in solar cells of both self-powered logic and power electronics functionalities. Therefore, WBG and UWBG oxides have enormous promise to become key enabling technologies for the zero emissions smart integration of the internet of things.

Complete three-dimensional photonic bandgap in a simple cubic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Shawn-Yu; Fleming, J. G.; Lin, Robin; Sigalas, M. M.; Biswas, R.; Ho, K. M.

2001-01-01

The creation of a three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystal with simple cubic (sc) symmetry is important for applications in the signal routing and 3D waveguiding of light. With a simple stacking scheme and advanced silicon processing, a 3D sc structure was constructed from a 6-in. silicon wafer. The sc structure is experimentally shown to have a complete 3D photonic bandgap in the infrared wavelength. The finite size effect is also observed, accounting for a larger absolute photonic bandgap

A Direct Bandgap Copper-Antimony Halide Perovskite.

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas, Brenda; Ramos, Estrella; Pérez-Gutiérrez, Enrique; Alonso, Juan Carlos; Solis-Ibarra, Diego

2017-07-12

Since the establishment of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), there has been an intense search for alternative materials to replace lead and improve their stability toward moisture and light. As single-metal perovskite structures have yielded unsatisfactory performances, an alternative is the use of double perovskites that incorporate a combination of metals. To this day, only a handful of these compounds have been synthesized, but most of them have indirect bandgaps and/or do not have bandgaps energies well-suited for photovoltaic applications. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a unique mixed metal ⟨111⟩-oriented layered perovskite, Cs 4 CuSb 2 Cl 12 (1), that incorporates Cu 2+ and Sb 3+ into layers that are three octahedra thick (n = 3). In addition to being made of abundant and nontoxic elements, we show that this material behaves as a semiconductor with a direct bandgap of 1.0 eV and its conductivity is 1 order of magnitude greater than that of MAPbI 3 (MA = methylammonium). Furthermore, 1 has high photo- and thermal-stability and is tolerant to humidity. We conclude that 1 is a promising material for photovoltaic applications and represents a new type of layered perovskite structure that incorporates metals in 2+ and 3+ oxidation states, thus significantly widening the possible combinations of metals to replace lead in PSCs.

Band-gap measurements of bulk and nanoscale hematite by soft x-ray spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, B.; Frandsen, Cathrine; Maxey, E.R.

2009-01-01

Chemical and photochemical processes at semiconductor surfaces are highly influenced by the size of the band gap, and ability to control the band gap by particle size in nanomaterials is part of their promise. The combination of soft x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopies provides band......-gap determination in bulk and nanoscale itinerant electron semiconductors such as CdS and ZnO, but this approach has not been established for materials such as iron oxides that possess band-edge electronic structure dominated by electron correlations. We performed soft x-ray spectroscopy at the oxygen K...

Coupled-resonator-induced plasmonic bandgaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yujia; Sun, Chengwei; Gong, Qihuang; Chen, Jianjun

2017-10-15

By drawing an analogy with the conventional photonic crystals, the plasmonic bandgaps have mainly employed the periodic metallic structures, named as plasmonic crystals. However, the sizes of the plasmonic crystals are much larger than the wavelengths, and the large sizes considerably decrease the density of the photonic integration circuits. Here, based on the coupled-resonator effect, the plasmonic bandgaps are experimentally realized in the subwavelength waveguide-resonator structure, which considerably decreases the structure size to subwavelength scales. An analytic model and the phase analysis are established to explain this phenomenon. Both the experiment and simulation show that the plasmonic bandgap structure has large fabrication tolerances (>20%). Instead of the periodic metallic structures in the bulky plasmonic crystals, the utilization of the subwavelength plasmonic waveguide-resonator structure not only significantly shrinks the bandgap structure to be about λ 2 /13, but also expands the physics of the plasmonic bandgaps. The subwavelength dimension, together with the waveguide configuration and robust realization, makes the bandgap structure easy to be highly integrated on chips.

Single-layer group IV-V and group V-IV-III-VI semiconductors: Structural stability, electronic structures, optical properties, and photocatalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jia-He; Zhang, Hong; Cheng, Xin-Lu; Miyamoto, Yoshiyuki

2017-07-01

Recently, single-layer group III monochalcogenides have attracted both theoretical and experimental interest at their potential applications in photonic devices, electronic devices, and solar energy conversion. Excited by this, we theoretically design two kinds of highly stable single-layer group IV-V (IV =Si ,Ge , and Sn; V =N and P) and group V-IV-III-VI (IV =Si ,Ge , and Sn; V =N and P; III =Al ,Ga , and In; VI =O and S) compounds with the same structures with single-layer group III monochalcogenides via first-principles simulations. By using accurate hybrid functional and quasiparticle methods, we show the single-layer group IV-V and group V-IV-III-VI are indirect bandgap semiconductors with their bandgaps and band edge positions conforming to the criteria of photocatalysts for water splitting. By applying a biaxial strain on single-layer group IV-V, single-layer group IV nitrides show a potential on mechanical sensors due to their bandgaps showing an almost linear response for strain. Furthermore, our calculations show that both single-layer group IV-V and group V-IV-III-VI have absorption from the visible light region to far-ultraviolet region, especially for single-layer SiN-AlO and SnN-InO, which have strong absorption in the visible light region, resulting in excellent potential for solar energy conversion and visible light photocatalytic water splitting. Our research provides valuable insight for finding more potential functional two-dimensional semiconductors applied in optoelectronics, solar energy conversion, and photocatalytic water splitting.

33rd International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

Preface to the Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors, Beijing, 2016 Shaoyun Huang 1 , Yingjie Xing 1 , Yang Ji 2 , Dapeng Yu 3 , and Hongqi Xu 1 1 Beijing Key Laboratory of Quantum Devices, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China 2 SKLSM, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, China 3 State Key Laboratory for Mesoscopic Physics, Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China From July 31 st to August 5 th , 2016, the 33rd International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors (ICPS 2016) was held in Beijing, China, with a great success. The International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors began in the 1950’s and is a premier biennial meeting for reporting all aspects of semiconductor physics including electronic, structural, optical, magnetic and transport properties. Reflecting the state of the art developments in semiconductor physics, ICPS 2016 served as an international forum for scholars, researchers, and specialists across the globe to discuss future research directions and technological advancements. The main topics of ICPS 2016 included: • Material growth, structural properties and characterization, phonons • Wide-bandgap semiconductors • Narrow-bandgap semiconductors • Carbon: nanotubes and graphene • 2D Materials beyond graphene • Organic semiconductors • Topological states of matter, topological Insulators and Weyl semimetals • Transport in heterostructures • Quantum Hall effects • Spintronics and spin phenomena • Electron devices and applications • Optical properties, optoelectronics, solar cells • Quantum optics, nanophotonics • Quantum information • Other topics in semiconductor physics and devices • Special topic: Majorana fermions in solid state (paper)

2012 Gordon Research Conference on Defects in Semiconductors - Formal Schedule and Speaker/Poster Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glaser, Evan [Naval Research Lab. (NRL), Washington, DC (United States)

2012-08-17

The meeting shall strive to develop and further the fundamental understanding of defects and their roles in the structural, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of bulk, thin film, and nanoscale semiconductors and device structures. Point and extended defects will be addressed in a broad range of electronic materials of particular current interest, including wide bandgap semiconductors, metal-oxides, carbon-based semiconductors (e.g., diamond, graphene, etc.), organic semiconductors, photovoltaic/solar cell materials, and others of similar interest. This interest includes novel defect detection/imaging techniques and advanced defect computational methods.

Pump-probe surface photovoltage spectroscopy measurements on semiconductor epitaxial layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jana, Dipankar; Porwal, S.; Sharma, T. K.; Oak, S. M.; Kumar, Shailendra

2014-01-01

Pump-probe Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy (SPS) measurements are performed on semiconductor epitaxial layers. Here, an additional sub-bandgap cw pump laser beam is used in a conventional chopped light geometry SPS setup under the pump-probe configuration. The main role of pump laser beam is to saturate the sub-bandgap localized states whose contribution otherwise swamp the information related to the bandgap of material. It also affects the magnitude of Dember voltage in case of semi-insulating (SI) semiconductor substrates. Pump-probe SPS technique enables an accurate determination of the bandgap of semiconductor epitaxial layers even under the strong influence of localized sub-bandgap states. The pump beam is found to be very effective in suppressing the effect of surface/interface and bulk trap states. The overall magnitude of SPV signal is decided by the dependence of charge separation mechanisms on the intensity of the pump beam. On the contrary, an above bandgap cw pump laser can be used to distinguish the signatures of sub-bandgap states by suppressing the band edge related feature. Usefulness of the pump-probe SPS technique is established by unambiguously determining the bandgap of p-GaAs epitaxial layers grown on SI-GaAs substrates, SI-InP wafers, and p-GaN epilayers grown on Sapphire substrates

Discovery of earth-abundant nitride semiconductors by computational screening and high-pressure synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Hinuma, Yoyo; Hatakeyama, Taisuke; Kumagai, Yu; Burton, Lee A.; Sato, Hikaru; Muraba, Yoshinori; Iimura, Soshi; Hiramatsu, Hidenori; Tanaka, Isao; Hosono, Hideo; Oba, Fumiyasu

2016-01-01

Nitride semiconductors are attractive because they can be environmentally benign, comprised of abundant elements and possess favourable electronic properties. However, those currently commercialized are mostly limited to gallium nitride and its alloys, despite the rich composition space of nitrides. Here we report the screening of ternary zinc nitride semiconductors using first-principles calculations of electronic structure, stability and dopability. This approach identifies as-yet-unreported CaZn2N2 that has earth-abundant components, smaller carrier effective masses than gallium nitride and a tunable direct bandgap suited for light emission and harvesting. High-pressure synthesis realizes this phase, verifying the predicted crystal structure and band-edge red photoluminescence. In total, we propose 21 promising systems, including Ca2ZnN2, Ba2ZnN2 and Zn2PN3, which have not been reported as semiconductors previously. Given the variety in bandgaps of the identified compounds, the present study expands the potential suitability of nitride semiconductors for a broader range of electronic, optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. PMID:27325228

Solution-Processed Wide-Bandgap Organic Semiconductor Nanostructures Arrays for Nonvolatile Organic Field-Effect Transistor Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wen; Guo, Fengning; Ling, Haifeng; Liu, Hui; Yi, Mingdong; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Wenjun; Xie, Linghai; Huang, Wei

2018-01-01

In this paper, the development of organic field-effect transistor (OFET) memory device based on isolated and ordered nanostructures (NSs) arrays of wide-bandgap (WBG) small-molecule organic semiconductor material [2-(9-(4-(octyloxy)phenyl)-9H-fluoren-2-yl)thiophene]3 (WG 3 ) is reported. The WG 3 NSs are prepared from phase separation by spin-coating blend solutions of WG 3 /trimethylolpropane (TMP), and then introduced as charge storage elements for nonvolatile OFET memory devices. Compared to the OFET memory device with smooth WG 3 film, the device based on WG 3 NSs arrays exhibits significant improvements in memory performance including larger memory window (≈45 V), faster switching speed (≈1 s), stable retention capability (>10 4 s), and reliable switching properties. A quantitative study of the WG 3 NSs morphology reveals that enhanced memory performance is attributed to the improved charge trapping/charge-exciton annihilation efficiency induced by increased contact area between the WG 3 NSs and pentacene layer. This versatile solution-processing approach to preparing WG 3 NSs arrays as charge trapping sites allows for fabrication of high-performance nonvolatile OFET memory devices, which could be applicable to a wide range of WBG organic semiconductor materials. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fullerene-based low-density superhard materials with tunable bandgaps

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Ai-Hua; Zhao, Wen-Juan; Gan, Li-Hua

2018-06-01

Four carbon allotropes built from tetrahedral symmetrical fullerenes C28 and C40 are predicted to be superhard materials with mass density around that of water, and all of them are porous semiconductors. Both the bandgaps and hardness decrease with increasing ratio of sp2 hybridized carbon atoms. The mechanical and thermodynamic stabilities of C28- and C40-based allotropes at zero pressure are confirmed by a variety of state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. The evolution trend of bandgap found here suggests that one can obtain low-density hard materials with tunable bandgaps by substituting the carbon atom in diamond with different Td-symmetrical non-IPR fullerene Cn.

Electrical and Optical Measurements of the Bandgap Energy of a Light-Emitting Diode

Science.gov (United States)

Petit, Matthieu; Michez, Lisa; Raimundo, Jean-Manuel; Dumas, Philippe

2016-01-01

Semiconductor materials are at the core of electronics. Most electronic devices are made of semiconductors. The operation of these components is well described by quantum physics which is often a difficult concept for students to understand. One of the intrinsic parameters of semiconductors is their bandgap energy E[subscript g]. In the case of…

Novel semiconductor solar cell structures: The quantum dot intermediate band solar cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marti, A.; Lopez, N.; Antolin, E.; Canovas, E.; Stanley, C.; Farmer, C.; Cuadra, L.; Luque, A.

2006-01-01

The Quantum Dot Intermediate Band Solar Cell (QD-IBSC) has been proposed for studying experimentally the operating principles of a generic class of photovoltaic devices, the intermediate band solar cells (IBSC). The performance of an IBSC is based on the properties of a semiconductor-like material which is characterised by the existence of an intermediate band (IB) located within what would otherwise be its conventional bandgap. The improvement in efficiency of the cell arises from its potential (i) to absorb below bandgap energy photons and thus produce additional photocurrent, and (ii) to inject this enhanced photocurrent without degrading its output photo-voltage. The implementation of the IBSC using quantum dots (QDs) takes advantage of the discrete nature of the carrier density of states in a 0-dimensional nano-structure, an essential property for realising the IB concept. In the QD-IBSC, the IB arises from the confined electron states in an array of quantum dots. This paper reviews the operation of the first prototype QD-IBSCs and discusses some of the lessons learnt from their characterisation

Novel semiconductor solar cell structures: The quantum dot intermediate band solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marti, A. [Instituto de Energia Solar-UPM, ETSIT de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria sn, 28040 Madrid (Spain)]. E-mail: amarti@etsit.upm.es; Lopez, N. [Instituto de Energia Solar-UPM, ETSIT de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria sn, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Antolin, E. [Instituto de Energia Solar-UPM, ETSIT de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria sn, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Canovas, E. [Instituto de Energia Solar-UPM, ETSIT de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria sn, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Stanley, C. [Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); Farmer, C. [Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); Cuadra, L. [Departamento de Teoria de la Senal y Comunicaciones- Escuela Politecnica Superior, Universidad de Alcala, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, km. 33600, 28805-Alcala de Henares (Madrid) (Spain); Luque, A. [Instituto de Energia Solar-UPM, ETSIT de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria sn, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2006-07-26

The Quantum Dot Intermediate Band Solar Cell (QD-IBSC) has been proposed for studying experimentally the operating principles of a generic class of photovoltaic devices, the intermediate band solar cells (IBSC). The performance of an IBSC is based on the properties of a semiconductor-like material which is characterised by the existence of an intermediate band (IB) located within what would otherwise be its conventional bandgap. The improvement in efficiency of the cell arises from its potential (i) to absorb below bandgap energy photons and thus produce additional photocurrent, and (ii) to inject this enhanced photocurrent without degrading its output photo-voltage. The implementation of the IBSC using quantum dots (QDs) takes advantage of the discrete nature of the carrier density of states in a 0-dimensional nano-structure, an essential property for realising the IB concept. In the QD-IBSC, the IB arises from the confined electron states in an array of quantum dots. This paper reviews the operation of the first prototype QD-IBSCs and discusses some of the lessons learnt from their characterisation.

Design for maximum band-gaps in beam structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olhoff, Niels; Niu, Bin; Cheng, Gengdong

2012-01-01

This paper aims to extend earlier optimum design results for transversely vibrating Bernoulli-Euler beams by determining new optimum band-gap beam structures for (i) different combinations of classical boundary conditions, (ii) much larger values of the orders n and n-1 of adjacent upper and lower...

Systematic design of phononic band-gap materials and structures by topology optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sigmund, Ole; Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard

2003-01-01

Phononic band-gap materials prevent elastic waves in certain frequency ranges from propagating, and they may therefore be used to generate frequency filters, as beam splitters, as sound or vibration protection devices, or as waveguides. In this work we show how topology optimization can be used...... to design and optimize periodic materials and structures exhibiting phononic band gaps. Firstly, we optimize infinitely periodic band-gap materials by maximizing the relative size of the band gaps. Then, finite structures subjected to periodic loading are optimized in order to either minimize the structural...

Defects induced luminescence and tuning of bandgap energy narrowing in ZnO nanoparticles doped with Li ions

KAUST Repository

Awan, Saif Ullah; Hasanain, S. K.; Hassnain Jaffari, G.; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Qurashi, Umar S.

2014-01-01

Microstructural and optical properties of Zn1-yLiyO (0.00 ≤y ≤0.10) nanoparticles are investigated. Li incorporation leads to substantial changes in the structural characterization. From micro-structural analysis, no secondary phases or clustering of Li was detected. Elemental maps confirmed homogeneous distribution of Li in ZnO. Sharp UV peak due to the recombination of free exciton and defects based luminescence broad visible band was observed. The transition from the conduction band to Zinc vacancy defect level in photoluminescence spectra is found at 518±2.5nm. The yellow luminescence was observed and attributed to Li related defects in doped samples. With increasing Li doping, a decrease in energy bandgap was observed in the range 3.26±0.014 to 3.17±0.018eV. The bandgap narrowing behavior is explained in terms of the band tailing effect due to structural disorder, carrier-impurities, carrier-carrier, and carrier-phonon interactions. Tuning of the bandgap energy in this class of wide bandgap semiconductor is very important for room temperature spintronics applications and optical devices. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

Defects induced luminescence and tuning of bandgap energy narrowing in ZnO nanoparticles doped with Li ions

KAUST Repository

Awan, Saif Ullah

2014-08-28

Microstructural and optical properties of Zn1-yLiyO (0.00 ≤y ≤0.10) nanoparticles are investigated. Li incorporation leads to substantial changes in the structural characterization. From micro-structural analysis, no secondary phases or clustering of Li was detected. Elemental maps confirmed homogeneous distribution of Li in ZnO. Sharp UV peak due to the recombination of free exciton and defects based luminescence broad visible band was observed. The transition from the conduction band to Zinc vacancy defect level in photoluminescence spectra is found at 518±2.5nm. The yellow luminescence was observed and attributed to Li related defects in doped samples. With increasing Li doping, a decrease in energy bandgap was observed in the range 3.26±0.014 to 3.17±0.018eV. The bandgap narrowing behavior is explained in terms of the band tailing effect due to structural disorder, carrier-impurities, carrier-carrier, and carrier-phonon interactions. Tuning of the bandgap energy in this class of wide bandgap semiconductor is very important for room temperature spintronics applications and optical devices. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

System and method of modulating electrical signals using photoconductive wide bandgap semiconductors as variable resistors

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, John Richardson; Caporaso, George J; Sampayan, Stephen E

2013-10-22

A system and method for producing modulated electrical signals. The system uses a variable resistor having a photoconductive wide bandgap semiconductor material construction whose conduction response to changes in amplitude of incident radiation is substantially linear throughout a non-saturation region to enable operation in non-avalanche mode. The system also includes a modulated radiation source, such as a modulated laser, for producing amplitude-modulated radiation with which to direct upon the variable resistor and modulate its conduction response. A voltage source and an output port, are both operably connected to the variable resistor so that an electrical signal may be produced at the output port by way of the variable resistor, either generated by activation of the variable resistor or propagating through the variable resistor. In this manner, the electrical signal is modulated by the variable resistor so as to have a waveform substantially similar to the amplitude-modulated radiation.

Theoretical prediction of sandwiched two-dimensional phosphide binary compound sheets with tunable bandgaps and anisotropic physical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, C. Y.; Yu, M.

2018-03-01

Atomic layers of GaP and InP binary compounds with unique anisotropic structural, electronic and mechanical properties have been predicted from first-principle molecular dynamics simulations. These new members of the phosphide binary compound family stabilize to a sandwiched two-dimensional (2D) crystalline structure with orthorhombic lattice symmetry and high buckling of 2.14 Å-2.46 Å. Their vibration modes are similar to those of phosphorene with six Raman active modes ranging from ˜80 cm-1 to 400 cm-1. The speeds of sound in their phonon dispersions reflect anisotropy in their elastic constants, which was further confirmed by their strong directional dependence of Young’s moduli and effective nonlinear elastic moduli. They show wide bandgap semiconductor behavior with fundamental bandgaps of 2.89 eV for GaP and 2.59 eV for InP, respectively, even wider than their bulk counterparts. Such bandgaps were found to be tunable under strain. In particular, a direct-indirect bandgap transition was found under certain strains along zigzag or biaxial orientations, reflecting their promising applications in strain-induced bandgap engineering in nanoelectronics and photovoltaics. Feasible pathways to realize these novel 2D phosphide compounds are also proposed.

Densely Aligned Graphene Nanoribbon Arrays and Bandgap Engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Justin [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Chen, Changxin [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Gong, Ming [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Kenney, Michael [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

2017-01-04

Graphene has attracted great interest for future electronics due to its high mobility and high thermal conductivity. However, a two-dimensional graphene sheet behaves like a metal, lacking a bandgap needed for the key devices components such as field effect transistors (FETs) in digital electronics. It has been shown that, partly due to quantum confinement, graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with ~2 nm width can open up sufficient bandgaps and evolve into semiconductors to exhibit high on/off ratios useful for FETs. However, a challenging problem has been that, such ultra-narrow GNRs (~2 nm) are difficult to fabricate, especially for GNRs with smooth edges throughout the ribbon length. Despite high on/off ratios, these GNRs show very low mobility and low on-state conductance due to dominant scattering effects by imperfections and disorders at the edges. Wider GNRs (>5 nm) show higher mobility, higher conductance but smaller bandgaps and low on/off ratios undesirable for FET applications. It is highly desirable to open up bandgaps in graphene or increase the bandgaps in wide GNRs to afford graphene based semiconductors for high performance (high on-state current and high on/off ratio) electronics. Large scale ordering and dense packing of such GNRs in parallel are also needed for device integration but have also been challenging thus far. It has been shown theoretically that uniaxial strains can be applied to a GNR to engineer its bandgap. The underlying physics is that under uniaxial strain, the Dirac point moves due to stretched C-C bonds, leading to an increase in the bandgap of armchair GNRs by up to 50% of its original bandgap (i.e. bandgap at zero strain). For zigzag GNRs, due to the existence of the edge states, changes of bandgap are smaller under uniaxial strain and can be increased by ~30%. This work proposes a novel approach to the fabrication of densely aligned graphene nanoribbons with highly smooth edges afforded by anisotropic etching and uniaxial strain for

A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katsuaki Tanabe

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Solar cells are a promising renewable, carbon-free electric energy resource to address the fossil fuel shortage and global warming. Energy conversion efficiencies around 40% have been recently achieved in laboratories using III-V semiconductor compounds as photovoltaic materials. This article reviews the efforts and accomplishments made for higher efficiency III-V semiconductor compound solar cells, specifically with multijunction tandem, lower-dimensional, photonic up/down conversion, and plasmonic metallic structures. Technological strategies for further performance improvement from the most efficient (AlInGaP/(InGaAs/Ge triple-junction cells including the search for 1.0 eV bandgap semiconductors are discussed. Lower-dimensional systems such as quantum well and dot structures are being intensively studied to realize multiple exciton generation and multiple photon absorption to break the conventional efficiency limit. Implementation of plasmonic metallic nanostructures manipulating photonic energy flow directions to enhance sunlight absorption in thin photovoltaic semiconductor materials is also emerging.

Tunable bandgaps in a deployable metamaterial

Science.gov (United States)

Nanda, Aditya; Karami, M. A.

2018-06-01

In this manuscript, we investigate deployable structures (such as solar arrays) and origami-inspired foldable structures as metamaterials capable of tunable wave manipulation. Specifically, we present a metamaterial whose bandgaps can be modulated by changing the fold angle of adjacent panels. The repeating unit cell of the structure consists of a beam (representing a panel) and a torsional spring (representing the folding mechanism). Two important cases are considered. Firstly, the fold angle (angle between adjacent beams), Ψ, is zero and only flexural waves propagate. In the second case, the fold angle is greater than zero (Ψ > 0). This causes longitudinal and transverse vibration to be coupled. FEM models are used to validate both these analyses. Increasing the fold angle was found to inflict notable changes to the wave transmission characteristics of the structure. In general, increasing the fold angles caused the bandwidth of bandgaps to increase. For the lowest four bandgaps we found bandwidth increases of 252 %, 177 %, 230 % and 163 % respectively at Ψ = 90 deg (relative to the bandwidths at Ψ = 0). In addition, non-trivial increases in bandwidth of the odd-numbered bandgaps occurs even at small fold angles-the bandwidth for the first and third bandgaps effectively double in size (increase by 100 %) at Ψ = 20 deg relative to those at Ψ = 0. This could have ramifications in the context of tunable wave manipulation and adaptive filtering. In addition, by expanding out the characteristic equation of transfer matrix for the straight structure, we prove that the upper band edge of the nth bandgap will always equal the nth simply supported natural frequency of the constituent beam. Further, we found that the ratio (EI/kt) is a pertinent parameter affecting the bandwidth of bandgaps. For low values of the ratio, effectively, no bandgap exists. For higher values of the ratio (EI/kt), we obtain a relatively large bandgap over which no waves propagate. This can

Bandgap Opening in Graphene Induced by Patterned Hydrogen Adsorption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balog, Richard; Jørgensen, Bjarke; Nilsson, Louis

2010-01-01

fermions, and graphene shows ballistic charge transport, turning it into an ideal material for circuit fabrication. However, graphene lacks a bandgap around the Fermi level, which is the defining concept for semiconductor materials and essential for controlling the conductivity by electronic means. Theory...

Heterovalent Dopant Incorporation for Bandgap and Type Engineering of Perovskite Crystals

KAUST Repository

Abdelhady, Ahmed L.

2016-01-02

Controllable doping of semiconductors is a fundamental technological requirement for electronic and optoelectronic devices. As intrinsic semiconductors, hybrid perovskites have so far been a phenomenal success in photovoltaics. The inability to dope these materials heterovalently (or aliovalently) has greatly limited their wider utilizations in electronics. Here we show an efficient in situ chemical route that achieves the controlled incorporation of trivalent cations (Bi3+, Au3+, or In3+) by exploiting the retrograde solubility behavior of perovskites. We term the new method dopant incorporation in the retrograde regime. We achieve Bi3+ incorporation that leads to bandgap tuning (∼300 meV), 104 fold enhancement in electrical conductivity, and a change in the sign of majority charge carriers from positive to negative. This work demonstrates the successful incorporation of dopants into perovskite crystals while preserving the host lattice structure, opening new avenues to tailor the electronic and optoelectronic properties of this rapidly emerging class of solution-processed semiconductors. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

Heterovalent Dopant Incorporation for Bandgap and Type Engineering of Perovskite Crystals

KAUST Repository

Abdelhady, Ahmed L.; Saidaminov, Makhsud I.; Banavoth, Murali; Adinolfi, Valerio; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Katsiev, Khabiboulakh; Alarousu, Erkki; Comin, Riccardo; Dursun, Ibrahim; Sinatra, Lutfan; Sargent, Edward H.; Mohammed, Omar F.; Bakr, Osman

2016-01-01

Controllable doping of semiconductors is a fundamental technological requirement for electronic and optoelectronic devices. As intrinsic semiconductors, hybrid perovskites have so far been a phenomenal success in photovoltaics. The inability to dope these materials heterovalently (or aliovalently) has greatly limited their wider utilizations in electronics. Here we show an efficient in situ chemical route that achieves the controlled incorporation of trivalent cations (Bi3+, Au3+, or In3+) by exploiting the retrograde solubility behavior of perovskites. We term the new method dopant incorporation in the retrograde regime. We achieve Bi3+ incorporation that leads to bandgap tuning (∼300 meV), 104 fold enhancement in electrical conductivity, and a change in the sign of majority charge carriers from positive to negative. This work demonstrates the successful incorporation of dopants into perovskite crystals while preserving the host lattice structure, opening new avenues to tailor the electronic and optoelectronic properties of this rapidly emerging class of solution-processed semiconductors. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

Epitaxial growth of 100-μm thick M-type hexaferrite crystals on wide bandgap semiconductor GaN/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Bolin; Su, Zhijuan; Bennett, Steve; Chen, Yajie, E-mail: y.chen@neu.edu; Harris, Vincent G. [Center for Microwave Magnetic Materials and Integrated Circuits and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 (United States)

2014-05-07

Thick barium hexaferrite BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} (BaM) films having thicknesses of ∼100 μm were epitaxially grown on GaN/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates from a molten-salt solution by vaporizing the solvent. X-ray diffraction measurement verified the growth of BaM (001) textured growth of thick films. Saturation magnetization, 4πM{sub s}, was measured for as-grown films to be 4.6 ± 0.2 kG and ferromagnetic resonance measurements revealed a microwave linewidth of ∼100 Oe at X-band. Scanning electron microscopy indicated clear hexagonal crystals distributed on the semiconductor substrate. These results demonstrate feasibility of growing M-type hexaferrite crystal films on wide bandgap semiconductor substrates by using a simple powder melting method. It also presents a potential pathway for the integration of ferrite microwave passive devices with active semiconductor circuit elements creating system-on-a-wafer architectures.

Quantum state propagation in linear photonic bandgap structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severini, S; Tricca, D; Sibilia, C; Bertolotti, M; Perina, Jan

2004-01-01

In this paper we investigate the propagation of a generic quantum state in a corrugated waveguide, which reproduces a photonic bandgap structure. We find the conditions that assure the outcoming state to preserve the quantum properties of the incoming state. Then, focusing on a particular quantum state (realized by two counter-propagating coherent states), we study the possibility of preserving the quantum properties of this particular double coherent state even in the presence of absorption phenomena during propagation in the structure

Strain-Modulated Bandgap and Piezo-Resistive Effect in Black Phosphorus Field-Effect Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zuocheng; Li, Likai; Horng, Jason; Wang, Nai Zhou; Yang, Fangyuan; Yu, Yijun; Zhang, Yu; Chen, Guorui; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Chen, Xian Hui; Wang, Feng; Zhang, Yuanbo

2017-10-11

Energy bandgap largely determines the optical and electronic properties of a semiconductor. Variable bandgap therefore makes versatile functionality possible in a single material. In layered material black phosphorus, the bandgap can be modulated by the number of layers; as a result, few-layer black phosphorus has discrete bandgap values that are relevant for optoelectronic applications in the spectral range from red, in monolayer, to mid-infrared in the bulk limit. Here, we further demonstrate continuous bandgap modulation by mechanical strain applied through flexible substrates. The strain-modulated bandgap significantly alters the density of thermally activated carriers; we for the first time observe a large piezo-resistive effect in black phosphorus field-effect transistors (FETs) at room temperature. The effect opens up opportunities for future development of electromechanical transducers based on black phosphorus, and we demonstrate an ultrasensitive strain gauge constructed from black phosphorus thin crystals.

Light Absorption Enhancement of Silicon-Based Photovoltaic Devices with Multiple Bandgap Structures of Porous Silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuen-Hsien Wu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Porous-silicon (PS multi-layered structures with three stacked PS layers of different porosity were prepared on silicon (Si substrates by successively tuning the electrochemical-etching parameters in an anodization process. The three PS layers have different optical bandgap energy and construct a triple-layered PS (TLPS structure with multiple bandgap energy. Photovoltaic devices were fabricated by depositing aluminum electrodes of Schottky contacts on the surfaces of the developed TLPS structures. The TLPS-based devices exhibit broadband photoresponses within the spectrum of the solar irradiation and get high photocurrent for the incident light of a tungsten lamp. The improved spectral responses of devices are owing to the multi-bandgap structures of TLPS, which are designed with a layered configuration analog to a tandem cell for absorbing a wider energy range of the incidental sun light. The large photocurrent is mainly ascribed to an enhanced light-absorption ability as a result of applying nanoporous-Si thin films as the surface layers to absorb the short-wavelength light and to improve the Schottky contacts of devices. Experimental results reveal that the multi-bandgap PS structures produced from electrochemical-etching of Si wafers are potentially promising for development of highly efficient Si-based solar cells.

Three-photon excited PL spectroscopy and photo-generated Frenkel defects in wide-bandgap layered CdI2 semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miah, M. Idrish

2009-01-01

We performed a three-photon excitation nonlinear photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy in single crystals of wide-bandgap semiconductors (WBSs). The crystal temperature (T L )-dependent PL emission intensity (I PL ) excited with different excitation power density (P) was measured. The PL emissions showed characteristics I PL with their maxima at around 520 nm. The I PL might be due to the presence of the photo-generated Frenkel defects (FDs) in WBSs. A detailed analysis of the PL spectra showed a third-order power law dependence of the maximum I PL on P for all the crystal temperature T L . The I PL was found to increase with decreasing T L . The results demonstrated the existence of the self-trapped excitons resulting from the presence of the FDs in the crystals.

Tuning the band gap of PbCrO{sub 4} through high-pressure: Evidence of wide-to-narrow semiconductor transitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Errandonea, D., E-mail: daniel.errandonea@uv.es [Departamento de Física Aplicada-ICMUV, Universitat de València, MALTA ConsoliderTeam, C/Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot (Spain); Bandiello, E.; Segura, A. [Departamento de Física Aplicada-ICMUV, Universitat de València, MALTA ConsoliderTeam, C/Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot (Spain); Hamlin, J.J.; Maple, M.B. [Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States); Rodriguez-Hernandez, P.; Muñoz, A. [Departamento de Física Fundamental II, Instituto de Materiales y Nanotecnología, Universidad de La Laguna, MALTA ConsoliderTeam, La Laguna, 38205 Tenerife (Spain)

2014-02-25

Highlights: • Electronic and optical properties of PbCrO{sub 4} are studied under compression. • Band-gap collapses are observed and correlated with structural phase transitions. • PbCrO{sub 4} band-gap is reduced from 2.3 to 0.8 eV in a 20 GPa range. • PbCrO{sub 4} is an n-type semiconductor with donor levels associated to Frenkel defects. • A deep-to-shallow donor transformation at HP induces a large resistivity decrease. -- Abstract: The electronic transport properties and optical properties of lead(II) chromate (PbCrO{sub 4}) have been studied at high pressure by means of resistivity, Hall-effect, and optical-absorption measurements. Band-structure first-principle calculations have been also performed. We found that the low-pressure phase is a direct band-gap semiconductor (Eg = 2.3 eV) that shows a high resistivity. At 3.5 GPa, associated to a structural phase transition, a band-gap collapse takes place, becoming Eg = 1.8 eV. At the same pressure the resistivity suddenly decreases due to an increase of the carrier concentration. In the HP phase, PbCrO{sub 4} behaves as an n-type semiconductor, with a donor level probably associated to the formation of oxygen vacancies. At 15 GPa a second phase transition occurs to a phase with Eg = 1.2 eV. In this phase, the resistivity increases as pressure does probably due to the self-compensation of donor levels and the augmentation of the scattering of electrons with ionized impurities. In the three phases the band gap red shifts under compression. At 20 GPa, Eg reaches a value of 0.8 eV, behaving PbCrO{sub 4} as a narrow-gap semiconductor.

GW quasiparticle bandgaps of anatase TiO2 starting from DFT + U.

Science.gov (United States)

Patrick, Christopher E; Giustino, Feliciano

2012-05-23

We investigate the quasiparticle band structure of anatase TiO(2), a wide gap semiconductor widely employed in photovoltaics and photocatalysis. We obtain GW quasiparticle energies starting from density-functional theory (DFT) calculations including Hubbard U corrections. Using a simple iterative procedure we determine the value of the Hubbard parameter yielding a vanishing quasiparticle correction to the fundamental bandgap of anatase TiO(2). The bandgap (3.3 eV) calculated using this optimal Hubbard parameter is smaller than the value obtained by applying many-body perturbation theory to standard DFT eigenstates and eigenvalues (3.7 eV). We extend our analysis to the rutile polymorph of TiO(2) and reach similar conclusions. Our work highlights the role of the starting non-interacting Hamiltonian in the calculation of GW quasiparticle energies in TiO(2) and suggests an optimal Hubbard parameter for future calculations.

Electromagnetic interference reduction using electromagnetic bandgap structures in packages, enclosures, cavities, and antennas

Science.gov (United States)

Mohajer Iravani, Baharak

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a source of noise problems in electronic devices. The EMI is attributed to coupling between sources of radiation and components placed in the same media such as package or chassis. This coupling can be either through conducting currents or through radiation. The radiation of electromagnetic (EM) fields is supported by surface currents. Thus, minimizing these surface currents is considered a major and critical step to suppress EMI. In this work, we present novel strategies to confine surface currents in different applications including packages, enclosures, cavities, and antennas. The efficiency of present methods of EM noise suppression is limited due to different drawbacks. For example, the traditional use of lossy materials and absorbers suffers from considerable disadvantages including mechanical and thermal reliability leading to limited life time, cost, volume, and weight. In this work, we consider the use of Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) structures. These structures are suitable for suppressing surface currents within a frequency band denoted as the bandgap. Their design is straight forward, they are inexpensive to implement, and they do not suffer from the limitations of the previous methods. A new method of EM noise suppression in enclosures and cavity-backed antennas using mushroom-type EBG structures is introduced. The effectiveness of the EBG as an EMI suppresser is demonstrated using numerical simulations and experimental measurements. To allow integration of EBGs in printed circuit boards and packages, novel miniaturized simple planar EBG structures based on use of high-k dielectric material (epsilonr > 100) are proposed. The design consists of meander lines and patches. The inductive meander lines serve to provide current continuity bridges between the capacitive patches. The high-k dielectric material increases the effective capacitive load substantially in comparison to commonly used material with much lower

Photonic bandgap structure of 3-D fcc silica nanospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woo, Y. K.; Ha, N. Y.; Hwang, Ji Soo; Chang, H. J.; Wu, J. W. [Dept. of Physics, Ewha Womans University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2002-07-01

Photonic crystal is an artificial optical material with a periodic dielectric potential, hence exhibiting a bandgap for a propagating electromagnetic wave. We fabricated crystal possessing 3-D fcc opal structure from silica nanospheres. The crystals are self-assembled on a flat glass by evaporating the solvent in the nanosphere suspension at the room temperature. The suspension consists of silica nanospheres with a diameter of 200 nm. The microscopic arrangement of nanospheres is identified by a scanning electron microscope, the resulting structure being fcc.Transmission spectrum of the fabricated photonic crystal in the visible and near-infrared regions is measured at different incident angles to find the distinct Bragg peaks, analysis of which further confirmed the fcc structure of the photonic crystal. From the optical microscopic image, we find that the opal domain varies from 30 μm to 125 μm in size. In order to relate the observed Bragg peaks with the microscopic arrangement of silica nanospheres, we introduced the scalar wave approximation, where the electric field in the medium is treated as a scalar rather than a vector quantity. It is found that the theoretical prediction of the position of bandgap is in a good agreement with the experimental measurement.

Photonic bandgap structure of 3-D fcc silica nanospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Y. K.; Ha, N. Y.; Hwang, Ji Soo; Chang, H. J.; Wu, J. W.

2002-01-01

Photonic crystal is an artificial optical material with a periodic dielectric potential, hence exhibiting a bandgap for a propagating electromagnetic wave. We fabricated crystal possessing 3-D fcc opal structure from silica nanospheres. The crystals are self-assembled on a flat glass by evaporating the solvent in the nanosphere suspension at the room temperature. The suspension consists of silica nanospheres with a diameter of 200 nm. The microscopic arrangement of nanospheres is identified by a scanning electron microscope, the resulting structure being fcc.Transmission spectrum of the fabricated photonic crystal in the visible and near-infrared regions is measured at different incident angles to find the distinct Bragg peaks, analysis of which further confirmed the fcc structure of the photonic crystal. From the optical microscopic image, we find that the opal domain varies from 30 μm to 125 μm in size. In order to relate the observed Bragg peaks with the microscopic arrangement of silica nanospheres, we introduced the scalar wave approximation, where the electric field in the medium is treated as a scalar rather than a vector quantity. It is found that the theoretical prediction of the position of bandgap is in a good agreement with the experimental measurement.

Coupled Acoustic-Mechanical Bandgaps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard; Kook, Junghwan

2016-01-01

medium and the presence of acoustic resonances. It is demonstrated that corrugation of the plate structure can introduce bending wave bandgaps and bandgaps in the acoustic domain in overlapping and audible frequency ranges. This effect is preserved also when taking the physical coupling between the two...... domains into account. Additionally, the coupling is shown to introduce extra gaps in the band structure due to modal interaction and the appearance of a cut-on frequency for the fundamental acoustic mode....

Tunable Bandgap Opening in the Proposed Structure of Silicon Doped Graphene

OpenAIRE

Azadeh, Mohammad S. Sharif; Kokabi, Alireza; Hosseini, Mehdi; Fardmanesh, Mehdi

2011-01-01

A specific structure of doped graphene with substituted silicon impurity is introduced and ab. initio density-functional approach is applied for energy band structure calculation of proposed structure. Using the band structure calculation for different silicon sites in the host graphene, the effect of silicon concentration and unit cell geometry on the bandgap of the proposed structure is also investigated. Chemically silicon doped graphene results in an energy gap as large as 2eV according t...

Copper-organic/octamolybdates: structures, bandgap sizes, and photocatalytic activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Lan; Lin, Haisheng; Li, Le; Smirnova, Tatyana I; Maggard, Paul A

2014-04-07

The structures, optical bandgap sizes, and photocatalytic activities are described for three copper-octamolybdate hybrid solids prepared using hydrothermal methods, [Cu(pda)]4[β-Mo8O26] (I; pda = pyridazine), [Cu(en)2]2[γ-Mo8O26] (II; en = ethylenediamine), and [Cu(o-phen)2]2[α-Mo8O26] (III; o-phen = o-phenanthroline). The structure of I consists of a [Cu(pda)]4(4+) tetramer that bridges to neighboring [β-Mo8O26](4-) octamolybdate clusters to form two-dimensional layers that stack along the a axis. The previously reported structures of II and III are constructed from [Cu2(en)4Mo8O26] and [Cu2(o-phen)4Mo8O26] clusters. The optical bandgap sizes were measured by UV-vis diffuse reflectance techniques to be ∼1.8 eV for I, ∼3.1 eV for II, and ∼3.0 eV for III. Electronic structure calculations show that the smaller bandgap size of I originates primarily from an electronic transition between the valence and conduction band edges comprised of filled 3d(10) orbitals on Cu(I) and empty 4d(0) orbitals on Mo(VI). Both II and III contain Cu(II) and exhibit larger bandgap sizes. Accordingly, aqueous suspensions of I exhibit visible-light photocatalytic activity for the production of oxygen at a rate of ∼90 μmol O2 g(-1) h(-1) (10 mg samples; radiant power density of ∼1 W/cm(2)) and a turnover frequency per calculated surface [Mo8O26](4-) cluster of ∼36 h(-1). Under combined ultraviolet and visible-light irradiation, I also exhibits photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production in 20% aqueous methanol of ∼316 μmol H2 g(-1) h(-1). By contrast, II decomposed during the photocatalysis measurements. The molecular [Cu2(o-phen)4(α-Mo8O26)] clusters of III dissolve into the aqueous methanol solution under ultraviolet irradiation and exhibit homogeneous photocatalytic rates for hydrogen production of up to ∼8670 μmol H2·g(-1) h(-1) and a turnover frequency of 17 h(-1). The clusters of III can be precipitated out by evaporation and redispersed into solution with

Doping of wide-bandgap titanium-dioxide nanotubes: optical, electronic and magnetic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Alivov, Yahya; Singh, Vivek; Ding, Yuchen; Cerkovnik, Logan Jerome; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-08-01

Doping semiconductors is an important step for their technological application. While doping bulk semiconductors can be easily achieved, incorporating dopants in semiconductor nanostructures has proven difficult. Here, we report a facile synthesis method for doping titanium-dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes that was enabled by a new electrochemical cell design. A variety of optical, electronic and magnetic dopants were incorporated into the hollow nanotubes, and from detailed studies it is shown that the doping level can be easily tuned from low to heavily-doped semiconductors. Using desired dopants - electronic (p- or n-doped), optical (ultraviolet bandgap to infrared absorption in co-doped nanotubes), and magnetic (from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic) properties can be tailored, and these technologically important nanotubes can be useful for a variety of applications in photovoltaics, display technologies, photocatalysis, and spintronic applications.Doping semiconductors is an important step for their technological application. While doping bulk semiconductors can be easily achieved, incorporating dopants in semiconductor nanostructures has proven difficult. Here, we report a facile synthesis method for doping titanium-dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes that was enabled by a new electrochemical cell design. A variety of optical, electronic and magnetic dopants were incorporated into the hollow nanotubes, and from detailed studies it is shown that the doping level can be easily tuned from low to heavily-doped semiconductors. Using desired dopants - electronic (p- or n-doped), optical (ultraviolet bandgap to infrared absorption in co-doped nanotubes), and magnetic (from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic) properties can be tailored, and these technologically important nanotubes can be useful for a variety of applications in photovoltaics, display technologies, photocatalysis, and spintronic applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr02417f

Semiconductor structure and recess formation etch technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Bin; Sun, Min; Palacios, Tomas Apostol

2017-02-14

A semiconductor structure has a first layer that includes a first semiconductor material and a second layer that includes a second semiconductor material. The first semiconductor material is selectively etchable over the second semiconductor material using a first etching process. The first layer is disposed over the second layer. A recess is disposed at least in the first layer. Also described is a method of forming a semiconductor structure that includes a recess. The method includes etching a region in a first layer using a first etching process. The first layer includes a first semiconductor material. The first etching process stops at a second layer beneath the first layer. The second layer includes a second semiconductor material.

A model for the direct-to-indirect band-gap transition in monolayer ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. A monolayer of MoSe2 is found to be a direct band-gap semiconductor. We show, ... In order to determine appropriate basis for the tight-binding model, the Mo and Se ..... RD thanks the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

The effects of heavy doping on the electronic states in semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sernelius, B.E.

1987-01-01

The physics of semiconductors is reviewed. Topics included in the discussion are energy of the dopant system (kinetic energy in a many-valley semiconductor, exchange energy in an ellipsoidal Fermi volume, energy in a polar semiconductor), self energy shifts, band-gap narrowing, and piezo experiments. 31 refs., 27 figs

Three-photon excited PL spectroscopy and photo-generated Frenkel defects in wide-bandgap layered CdI{sub 2} semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miah, M. Idrish, E-mail: m.miah@griffith.edu.a [Qeensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111 (Australia)] [School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111 (Australia)] [Department of Physics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331 (Bangladesh)

2009-12-14

We performed a three-photon excitation nonlinear photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy in single crystals of wide-bandgap semiconductors (WBSs). The crystal temperature (T{sub L})-dependent PL emission intensity (I{sub PL}) excited with different excitation power density (P) was measured. The PL emissions showed characteristics I{sub PL} with their maxima at around 520 nm. The I{sub PL} might be due to the presence of the photo-generated Frenkel defects (FDs) in WBSs. A detailed analysis of the PL spectra showed a third-order power law dependence of the maximum I{sub PL} on P for all the crystal temperature T{sub L}. The I{sub PL} was found to increase with decreasing T{sub L}. The results demonstrated the existence of the self-trapped excitons resulting from the presence of the FDs in the crystals.

Analysis of phononic bandgap structures with dissipation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreassen, Erik; Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard

2013-01-01

and longer wavelengths, we show that the two formulations produce nearly identical results in terms of propagation constant and wave decay. We use the k(ω)-formulation to compute loss factors with dissipative bandgap materials for steady-state wave propagation and create simplified diagrams that unify...... the spatial loss factor from dissipative and bandgap effects. Additionally, we demonstrate the applicability of the k(ω)-formulation for the computation of the band diagram for viscoelastic composites and compare the computed loss factors for low frequency wave propagation to existing results based on quasi...

Correlation between electronic structure and energy band in Eu-doped CuInTe2 semiconductor compound with chalcopyrite structure

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Tai Wang; Yong-Quan Guo; Shuai Li

2017-01-01

The Eu-doped Cu(In,Eu)Te2 semiconductors with chalcopyrite structures are promising materials for their applications in the absorption layer for thin-film solar cells due to their wider band-gaps and better optical properties than those of CulnTe2.In this paper,the Eu-doped CulnTe2 (Culn1-xEuxTe2,x =0,0.1,0.2,0.3) are studied systemically based on the empirical electron theory (EET).The studies cover crystal structures,bonding regularities,cohesive energies,energy levels,and valence electron structures.The theoretical values fit the experimental results very well.The physical mechanism of a broadened band-gap induced by Eu doping into CuInTe2 is the transitions between different hybridization energy levels induced by electron hopping between s and d orbitals and the transformations from the lattice electrons to valence electrons for Cu and In ions.The research results reveal that the photovoltaic effect induces the increase of lattice electrons of In and causes the electric resistivity to decrease.The Eu doping into CuInTe2 mainly influences the transition between different hybridization energy levels for Cu atoms,which shows that the 3d electron numbers of Cu atoms change before and after Eu doping.In single phase CuIn1-xEuxTe2,the number of valence electrons changes regularly with increasing Eu content,and the calculated band gap Eg also increases,which implies that the optical properties of Eu-doped CuIn1-xEuxTe2 are improved.

Effects of weak nonlinearity on dispersion relations and frequency band-gaps of periodic structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorokin, Vladislav; Thomsen, Jon Juel

2015-01-01

of these for nonlinear problems is impossible or cumbersome, since Floquet theory is applicable for linear systems only. Thus the nonlinear effects for periodic structures are not yet fully uncovered, while at the same time applica-tions may demand effects of nonlinearity on structural response to be accounted for....... The present work deals with analytically predicting dynamic responses for nonlinear continuous elastic periodic structures. Specifically, the effects of weak nonlinearity on the dispersion re-lation and frequency band-gaps of a periodic Bernoulli-Euler beam performing bending os-cillations are analyzed......The analysis of the behaviour of linear periodic structures can be traced back over 300 years, to Sir Isaac Newton, and still attracts much attention. An essential feature of periodic struc-tures is the presence of frequency band-gaps, i.e. frequency ranges in which waves cannot propagate...

Semiconductor high-energy radiation scintillation detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kastalsky, A.; Luryi, S.; Spivak, B.

2006-01-01

We propose a new scintillation-type detector in which high-energy radiation generates electron-hole pairs in a direct-gap semiconductor material that subsequently recombine producing infrared light to be registered by a photo-detector. The key issue is how to make the semiconductor essentially transparent to its own infrared light, so that photons generated deep inside the semiconductor could reach its surface without tangible attenuation. We discuss two ways to accomplish this, one based on doping the semiconductor with shallow impurities of one polarity type, preferably donors, the other by heterostructure bandgap engineering. The proposed semiconductor scintillator combines the best properties of currently existing radiation detectors and can be used for both simple radiation monitoring, like a Geiger counter, and for high-resolution spectrography of the high-energy radiation. An important advantage of the proposed detector is its fast response time, about 1 ns, essentially limited only by the recombination time of minority carriers. Notably, the fast response comes without any degradation in brightness. When the scintillator is implemented in a qualified semiconductor material (such as InP or GaAs), the photo-detector and associated circuits can be epitaxially integrated on the scintillator slab and the structure can be stacked-up to achieve virtually any desired absorption capability

ZnO - Wide Bandgap Semiconductor and Possibilities of Its Application in Optical Waveguide Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Struk Przemysław

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of investigations concerning the application of zinc oxide - a wideband gap semiconductor in optical planar waveguide structures. ZnO is a promising semiconducting material thanks to its attractive optical properties. The investigations were focused on the determination of the technology of depositions and the annealing of ZnO layers concerning their optical properties. Special attention was paid to the determination of characteristics of the refractive index of ZnO layers and their coefficients of spectral transmission within the UV-VIS-NIR range. Besides that, also the mode characteristics and the attenuation coefficients of light in the obtained waveguide structures have been investigated. In the case of planar waveguides, in which the ZnO layers have not been annealed after their deposition, the values of the attenuation coefficient of light modes amount to a~ 30 dB/cm. The ZnO layers deposited on the heated substrate and annealed by rapid thermal annealing in an N2 and O2 atmosphere, are characterized by much lower values of the attenuation coefficients: a~ 3 dB/cm (TE0 and TM0 modes. The ZnO optical waveguides obtained according to our technology are characterized by the lowest values of the attenuation coefficients a encountered in world literature concerning the problem of optical waveguides based on ZnO. Studies have shown that ZnO layers elaborated by us can be used in integrated optic systems, waveguides, optical modulators and light sources.

Bandgap tunability at single-layer molybdenum disulphide grain boundaries

KAUST Repository

Huang, Yu Li

2015-02-17

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides have emerged as a new class of semiconductor materials with novel electronic and optical properties of interest to future nanoelectronics technology. Single-layer molybdenum disulphide, which represents a prototype two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide, has an electronic bandgap that increases with decreasing layer thickness. Using high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy, we measure the apparent quasiparticle energy gap to be 2.40±0.05 eV for single-layer, 2.10±0.05 eV for bilayer and 1.75±0.05 eV for trilayer molybdenum disulphide, which were directly grown on a graphite substrate by chemical vapour deposition method. More interestingly, we report an unexpected bandgap tunability (as large as 0.85±0.05 eV) with distance from the grain boundary in single-layer molybdenum disulphide, which also depends on the grain misorientation angle. This work opens up new possibilities for flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices with tunable bandgaps that utilize both the control of two-dimensional layer thickness and the grain boundary engineering.

Band anticrossing effects in highly mismatched semiconductor alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Junqiao [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2002-01-01

The first five chapters of this thesis focus on studies of band anticrossing (BAC) effects in highly electronegativity- mismatched semiconductor alloys. The concept of bandgap bowing has been used to describe the deviation of the alloy bandgap from a linear interpolation. Bowing parameters as large as 2.5 eV (for ZnSTe) and close to zero (for AlGaAs and ZnSSe) have been observed experimentally. Recent advances in thin film deposition techniques have allowed the growth of semiconductor alloys composed of significantly different constituents with ever- improving crystalline quality (e.g., GaAs_1-xN_x and GaP_1-xN_x with x ~< 0.05). These alloys exhibit many novel and interesting properties including, in particular, a giant bandgap bowing (bowing parameters > 14 eV). A band anticrossing model has been developed to explain these properties. The model shows that the predominant bowing mechanism in these systems is driven by the anticrossing interaction between the localized level associated with the minority component and the band states of the host. In this thesis I discuss my studies of the BAC effects in these highly mismatched semiconductors. It will be shown that the results of the physically intuitive BAC model can be derived from the Hamiltonian of the many-impurity Anderson model. The band restructuring caused by the BAC interaction is responsible for a series of experimental observations such as a large bandgap reduction, an enhancement of the electron effective mass, and a decrease in the pressure coefficient of the fundamental gap energy. Results of further experimental investigations of the optical properties of quantum wells based on these materials will be also presented. It will be shown that the BAC interaction occurs not only between localized states and conduction band states at the Brillouin zone center, but also exists over all of k-space. Finally, taking ZnSTe and ZnSeTe as examples, I show that BAC also

Structural and electronic properties of the V-V compounds isoelectronic to GaN and isostructural to gray arsenic

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhao; Han, Dan; Chen, Guohong; Chen, Shiyou

2018-03-01

The III-V binary compound semiconductors such as GaN, GaP, InN and InP have extensive applications in various optoelectronic, microwave and power-electronic devices. Using first-principles calculation, we systematically studied the structural and electronic properties of the V-V binary compounds (BiN, BiP, SbN and SbP) that are isoelectronic to GaN, GaP, InN and InP if Bi and Sb are in the +3 valence state. Interestingly, we found that the ground-state structures of BiP, SbN and SbP have the R-3m symmetry and are isostructural to the layered structure of gray arsenic, whereas BiN prefers a different ground-state structure with the C2 symmetry. Electronic structure calculations showed that the bulk BiN is a narrow bandgap semiconductor for its bandgap is about 0.2 eV. In contrast, BiP, SbN and SbP are metallic. The layered ground-state structure of the V-V binary compounds motivates us to study the electronic properties of their few-layer structures. As the structure becomes monolayer, their bandgaps increase significantly and are all in the range from about 1 eV to 1.7 eV, which are comparative to the bandgap of the monolayer gray arsenic. The monolayer BiP, SbN and SbP have indirect bandgaps, and they show a semiconductor-metal transition as the number of layers increase. Interestingly, the monolayer BiP has the largest splitting (350 meV) of the CBM valley, and thus may have potential application in novel spintronics and valleytronics devices.

Complex layered materials and periodic electromagnetic band-gap structures: Concepts, characterizations, and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Mosallaei, Hossein

The main objective of this dissertation is to characterize and create insight into the electromagnetic performances of two classes of composite structures, namely, complex multi-layered media and periodic Electromagnetic Band-Gap (EBG) structures. The advanced and diversified computational techniques are applied to obtain their unique propagation characteristics and integrate the results into some novel applications. In the first part of this dissertation, the vector wave solution of Maxwell's equations is integrated with the Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimization method to provide a powerful technique for characterizing multi-layered materials, and obtaining their optimal designs. The developed method is successfully applied to determine the optimal composite coatings for Radar Cross Section (RCS) reduction of canonical structures. Both monostatic and bistatic scatterings are explored. A GA with hybrid planar/curved surface implementation is also introduced to efficiently obtain the optimal absorbing materials for curved structures. Furthermore, design optimization of the non-uniform Luneburg and 2-shell spherical lens antennas utilizing modal solution/GA-adaptive-cost function is presented. The lens antennas are effectively optimized for both high gain and suppressed grating lobes. The second part demonstrates the development of an advanced computational engine, which accurately computes the broadband characteristics of challenging periodic electromagnetic band-gap structures. This method utilizes the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) technique with Periodic Boundary Condition/Perfectly Matched Layer (PBC/PML), which is efficiently integrated with the Prony scheme. The computational technique is successfully applied to characterize and present the unique propagation performances of different classes of periodic structures such as Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS), Photonic Band-Gap (PBG) materials, and Left-Handed (LH) composite media. The results are

Electronic structure of semiconductor interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herman, F

1983-02-01

The study of semiconductor interfaces is one of the most active and exciting areas of current semiconductor research. Because interfaces play a vital role in modern semiconductor technology (integrated circuits, heterojunction lasers, solar cells, infrared detectors, etc.), there is a strong incentive to understand interface properties at a fundamental level and advance existing technology thereby. At the same time, technological advances such as molecular beam epitaxy have paved the way for the fabrication of semiconductor heterojunctions and superlattices of novel design which exhibit unusual electronic, optical, and magnetic properties and offer unique opportunities for fundamental scientific research. A general perspective on this subject is offered treating such topics as the atomic and electronic structure of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces; oxidation and oxide layers; semiconductor heterojunctions and superlattices; rectifying metal-semiconductor contacts; and interface reactions. Recent progress is emphasized and some future directions are indicated. In addition, the role that large-scale scientific computation has played in furthering our theoretical understanding of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces is discussed. Finally, the nature of theoretical models, and the role they play in describing the physical world is considered.

Electronic structure of semiconductor interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herman, F.

1983-01-01

The study of semiconductor interfaces is one of the most active and exciting areas of current semiconductor research. Because interfaces play a vital role in modern semiconductor technology (integrated circuits, heterojunction lasers, solar cells, infrared detectors, etc.), there is a strong incentive to understand interface properties at a fundamental level and advance existing technology thereby. At the same time, technological advances such as molecular beam epitaxy have paved the way for the fabrication of semiconductor heterojunctions and superlattices of novel design which exhibit unusual electronic, optical, and magnetic properties and offer unique opportunities for fundamental scientific research. A general perspective on this subject is offered treating such topics as the atomic and electronic structure of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces; oxidation and oxide layers; semiconductor heterojunctions and superlattices; rectifying metal-semiconductor contacts; and interface reactions. Recent progress is emphasized and some future directions are indicated. In addition, the role that large-scale scientific computation has played in furthering our theoretical understanding of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces is discussed. Finally, the nature of theoretical models, and the role they play in describing the physical world is considered. (Author) [pt

Analysis of photonic band-gap (PBG) structures using the FDTD method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tong, M.S.; Cheng, M.; Lu, Y.L.

2004-01-01

In this paper, a number of photonic band-gap (PBG) structures, which are formed by periodic circuit elements printed oil transmission-line circuits, are studied by using a well-known numerical method, the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results validate the band-stop filter...... behavior of these structures, and the computed results generally match well with ones published in the literature. It is also found that the FDTD method is a robust, versatile, and powerful numerical technique to perform such numerical studies. The proposed PBG filter structures may be applied in microwave...

Triple photonic band-gap structure dynamically induced in the presence of spontaneously generated coherence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Jinwei; Bao Qianqian; Wan Rengang; Cui Cuili; Wu Jinhui

2011-01-01

We study a cold atomic sample coherently driven into the five-level triple-Λ configuration for attaining a dynamically controlled triple photonic band-gap structure. Our numerical calculations show that three photonic band gaps with homogeneous reflectivities up to 92% can be induced on demand around the probe resonance by a standing-wave driving field in the presence of spontaneously generated coherence. All these photonic band gaps are severely malformed with probe reflectivities declining rapidly to very low values when spontaneously generated coherence is gradually weakened. The triple photonic band-gap structure can also be attained in a five-level chain-Λ system of cold atoms in the absence of spontaneously generated coherence, which however requires two additional traveling-wave fields to couple relevant levels.

Micromachined millimeter-wave photonic band-gap crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oezbay, E.; Michel, E.; Tuttle, G.; Biswas, R.; Sigalas, M.; Ho, K.

1994-01-01

We have developed a new technique for fabricating three-dimensional photonic band-gap crystals. Our method utilizes an orderly stacking of micromachined (110) silicon wafers to build the periodic structure. A structure with a full three-dimensional photonic band gap centered near 100 GHz was measured, with experimental results in good agreement with theoretical predictions. This basic approach described should be extendable to build structures with photonic band-gap frequencies ranging from 30 GHz to 3 THz

Compact electromagnetic bandgap structures for notch band in ultra-wideband applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Rotaru, Mihai; Sykulski, Jan

2010-01-01

This paper introduces a novel approach to create notch band filters in the front-end of ultra-wideband (UWB) communication systems based on electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures. The concept presented here can be implemented in any structure that has a microstrip in its configuration. The EBG structure is first analyzed using a full wave electromagnetic solver and then optimized to work at WLAN band (5.15-5.825 GHz). Two UWB passband filters are used to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the novel EBG notch band feature. Simulation results are provided for two cases studied.

Pseudo-direct bandgap transitions in silicon nanocrystals: effects on optoelectronics and thermoelectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Vivek; Yu, Yixuan; Sun, Qi-C.; Korgel, Brian; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-11-01

While silicon nanostructures are extensively used in electronics, the indirect bandgap of silicon poses challenges for optoelectronic applications like photovoltaics and light emitting diodes (LEDs). Here, we show that size-dependent pseudo-direct bandgap transitions in silicon nanocrystals dominate the interactions between (photoexcited) charge carriers and phonons, and hence the optoelectronic properties of silicon nanocrystals. Direct measurements of the electronic density of states (DOS) for different sized silicon nanocrystals reveal that these pseudo-direct transitions, likely arising from the nanocrystal surface, can couple with the quantum-confined silicon states. Moreover, we demonstrate that since these transitions determine the interactions of charge carriers with phonons, they change the light emission, absorption, charge carrier diffusion and phonon drag (Seebeck coefficient) in nanoscaled silicon semiconductors. Therefore, these results can have important implications for the design of optoelectronics and thermoelectric devices based on nanostructured silicon.While silicon nanostructures are extensively used in electronics, the indirect bandgap of silicon poses challenges for optoelectronic applications like photovoltaics and light emitting diodes (LEDs). Here, we show that size-dependent pseudo-direct bandgap transitions in silicon nanocrystals dominate the interactions between (photoexcited) charge carriers and phonons, and hence the optoelectronic properties of silicon nanocrystals. Direct measurements of the electronic density of states (DOS) for different sized silicon nanocrystals reveal that these pseudo-direct transitions, likely arising from the nanocrystal surface, can couple with the quantum-confined silicon states. Moreover, we demonstrate that since these transitions determine the interactions of charge carriers with phonons, they change the light emission, absorption, charge carrier diffusion and phonon drag (Seebeck coefficient) in

Self-stabilization of a mode-locked femtosecond fiber laser using a photonic bandgap fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Xiaomin; Lægsgaard, Jesper; Turchinovich, Dmitry

2010-01-01

We demonstrate a self-stabilization mechanism of a semiconductor saturable absorber mode-locked linearcavity Yb-doped fiber laser using an intracavity photonic bandgap fiber. This mechanism relies on the spectral shift of the laser pulses to a spectral range of higher anomalous dispersion...... and higher loss of the photonic bandgap fiber, as a reaction to the intracavity power buildup. This, in particular, results in a smaller cavity loss for the stably mode-locked laser, as opposed to the Q-switched mode-locking scenario. The laser provides stable 39–49 pJ pulses of around 230 fs duration at 29...

Wide bandgap collector III-V double heterojunction bipolar transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flitcroft, R.M.

2000-10-01

This thesis is devoted to the study and development of Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs) designed for high voltage operation. The work concentrates on the use of wide bandgap III-V semiconductor materials as the collector material and their associated properties influencing breakdown, such as impact ionisation coefficients. The work deals with issues related to incorporating a wide bandgap collector into double heterojunction structures such as conduction band discontinuities at the base-collector junction and results are presented which detail, a number of methods designed to eliminate the effects of such discontinuities. In particular the use of AlGaAs as the base material has been successful in eliminating the conduction band spike at this interface. A method of electrically injecting electrons into the collector has been employed to investigate impact ionisation in GaAs, GaInP and AlInP which has used the intrinsic gain of the devices to extract impact ionisation coefficients over a range of electric fields beyond the scope of conventional optical injection techniques. This data has enabled the study of ''dead space'' effects in HBT collectors and have been used to develop an analytical model of impact ionisation which has been incorporated into an existing Ebers-Moll HBT simulator. This simulator has been shown to accurately reproduce current-voltage characteristics in both the devices used in this work and for external clients. (author)

A Versatile and Simple Approach to Generate Light Emission in Semiconductors Mediated by Electric Double Layers

KAUST Repository

Pu, Jiang

2017-04-18

The light-emitting device is the primary device for current light sources. In principle, conventional light-emitting devices need heterostructures and/or intentional carrier doping to form a p-n junction. This junction formation is, however, very difficult to achieve for most emerging semiconductors, and the fabrication of light-emitting devices is invariably a significant challenge. This study proposes a versatile and simple approach to realize light-emitting devices. This proposed device requires only a semiconducting film with two electrodes that are covered with an electrolyte. This unique structure achieves light emission at a voltage slightly larger than the bandgap energy of materials. This study applies this concept to emerging direct bandgap semiconductors, such as transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers and zinc oxide single crystals. These devices generate obvious light emission and provide sufficient evidence of the formation of a dynamic p-i-n junction or tunneling junction, presenting a versatile technique to develop optoelectronic devices.

Understanding Electrically Active Interface Formation on Wide Bandgap Semiconductors through Molecular Beam Epitaxy Using Fe3O 4 for Spintronics as a Base Case

Science.gov (United States)

Hamedani Golshan, Negar

Nanoelectronics, complex heterostructures, and engineered 3D matrix materials are quickly advancing from research possibilities to manufacturing challenges for applications ranging from high-power devices to solar cells to any number of novel multifunctional sensors and controllers. Formation of an abrupt and effective interface is one of the basic requirements for integration of functional materials on different types of semiconductors (from silicon to the wide bandgaps) which can significantly impact the functionality of nanoscale electronic devices. To realize the potential of next-generation electronics, the understanding and control of those initial stages of film layer formation must be understood and translated to a process that can control the initial stages of film deposition. Thin film Fe3O4 has attracted much attention as a material for exploring the potential of spintronics in next-generation information technologies. Synthesis of highly spin-polarized material as spin sources, in combination with wide bandgap semiconductors which have a long spin relaxation time in addition to functionality in high-temperature, high-power, and high-frequency environments, would enhance the performance of today's spintronic devices. Spinel ferrite Fe3O4 has a high Curie temperature of 858 K and it is predicted to possess half-metallic properties, i.e. 100% spin polarization at the Fermi level, which can lead to ultrahigh tunneling magnetoresistance at room temperature. However, these properties have been very difficult to realize in thin film form, and device design strategies require high-quality thin films of Fe3O4. The most common reason reported in literature for the failure of the films to achieve theoretical performance is that the growth techniques used today produce films with antiphase boundaries (APB). These APBs have a strong antiferromagnetic coupling that negatively impact the magnetic and transport properties of epitaxial Fe 3O4 films. Therefore, greater

Advances in semiconductor photodetectors for scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrell, R.; Olschner, F.; Shah, K.; Squillante, M.R.

1997-01-01

Semiconductors photodetectors have long seemed an attractive alternative for scintillation detection, but only recently have semiconductor photodiodes been proven suitable for some room temperature applications. There are many applications, however for which the performance of standard silicon p-i-n photodiodes is not satisfactory. This article reviews recent progress in two different families of novel semiconductor photodetectors: (1) wide bandgap compound semiconductors and (2) silicon photodetectors with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio. The compounds discussed and compared in this paper are HgI 2 , PbI 2 , InI, TlBr, TlBr 1-x I x and HgBr 1-x I x . The paper will also examine unity gain silicon drift diodes and avalanche photodiodes with maximum room temperature gain greater than 10000. (orig.)

Electron states in semiconductor quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhayal, Suman S.; Ramaniah, Lavanya M.; Ruda, Harry E.; Nair, Selvakumar V.

2014-01-01

In this work, the electronic structures of quantum dots (QDs) of nine direct band gap semiconductor materials belonging to the group II-VI and III-V families are investigated, within the empirical tight-binding framework, in the effective bond orbital model. This methodology is shown to accurately describe these systems, yielding, at the same time, qualitative insights into their electronic properties. Various features of the bulk band structure such as band-gaps, band curvature, and band widths around symmetry points affect the quantum confinement of electrons and holes. These effects are identified and quantified. A comparison with experimental data yields good agreement with the calculations. These theoretical results would help quantify the optical response of QDs of these materials and provide useful input for applications

Ohmic metallization technology for wide band-gap semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iliadis, A.A.; Vispute, R.D.; Venkatesan, T.; Jones, K.A.

2002-01-01

Ohmic contact metallizations on p-type 6H-SiC and n-type ZnO using a novel approach of focused ion beam (FIB) surface-modification and direct-write metal deposition will be reviewed, and the properties of such focused ion beam assisted non-annealed contacts will be reported. The process uses a Ga focused ion beam to modify the surface of the semiconductor with different doses, and then introduces an organometallic compound in the Ga ion beam, to effect the direct-write deposition of a metal on the modified surface. Contact resistance measurements by the transmission line method produced values in the low 10 -4 Ω cm 2 range for surface-modified and direct-write Pt and W non-annealed contacts, and mid 10 -5 Ω cm 2 range for surface-modified and pulse laser deposited TiN contacts. An optimum Ga surface-modification dosage window is determined, within which the current transport mechanism of these contacts was found to proceed mainly by tunneling through the metal-modified-semiconductor interface layer

Effect of ripple taper on band-gap overlap in a coaxial Bragg structure operating at terahertz frequency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Xueyong; Li Hongfan; Lv Zhensu

2012-01-01

Based on the mode-coupling method, numerical analysis is presented to demonstrate the influence of ripple taper on band-gap overlap in a coaxial Bragg structure operating at terahertz frequency. Results show that the interval between the band-gaps of the competing mode and the desired working mode is narrowed by use of positive-taper ripples, but is expanded if negative-taper ripples are employed, and the influence of the negative-taper ripples is obviously more advantageous than the positive-taper ripples; the band-gap overlap of modes can be efficiently separated by use of negative-taper ripples. The residual side-lobes of the frequency response in a coaxial Bragg structure with ripple taper also can be effectively suppressed by employing the windowing-function technique. These peculiarities provide potential advantage in constructing a coaxial Bragg cavity with high quality factor for single higher-order-mode operation of a high-power free-electron maser in the terahertz frequency range.

Electronic structure of filled tetrahedral semiconductors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wood, D.M.; Zunger, Alex; Groot, R. de

1985-01-01

We discuss the susceptibility of zinc-blende semiconductors to band-structure modification by insertion of small atoms at their tetrahedral interstitial states. GaP is found to become a direct-gap semiconductor with two He atoms present at its interstitial sites; Si does not. Analysis of the factors

Freedom from band-gap slavery: from diode lasers to quantum cascade lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Capasso, Federico

2010-02-01

Semiconductor heterostructure lasers, for which Alferov and Kromer received part of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000, are the workhorse of technologies such as optical communications, optical recording, supermarket scanners, laser printers and fax machines. They exhibit high performance in the visible and near infrared and rely for their operation on electrons and holes emitting photons across the semiconductor bandgap. This mechanism turns into a curse at longer wavelengths (mid-infrared) because as the bandgap, shrinks laser operation becomes much more sensitive to temperature, material defects and processing. Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL), invented in 1994, rely on a radically different process for light emission. QCLs are unipolar devices in which electrons undergo transitions between quantum well energy levels and are recycled through many stages emitting a cascade of photons. Thus by suitable tailoring of the layers' thickness, using the same heterostructure material, they can lase across the molecular fingerprint region from 3 to 25 microns and beyond into the far-infrared and submillimiter wave spectrum. High power cw room temperature QCLs and QCLs with large continuous single mode tuning range have found many applications (infrared countermeasures, spectroscopy, trace gas analysis and atmospheric chemistry) and are commercially available. )

Analysis of photonic band-gap structures in stratified medium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tong, Ming-Sze; Yinchao, Chen; Lu, Yilong

2005-01-01

in electromagnetic and microwave applications once the Maxwell's equations are appropriately modeled. Originality/value - The method validates its values and properties through extensive studies on regular and defective 1D PBG structures in stratified medium, and it can be further extended to solving more......Purpose - To demonstrate the flexibility and advantages of a non-uniform pseudo-spectral time domain (nu-PSTD) method through studies of the wave propagation characteristics on photonic band-gap (PBG) structures in stratified medium Design/methodology/approach - A nu-PSTD method is proposed...... in solving the Maxwell's equations numerically. It expands the temporal derivatives using the finite differences, while it adopts the Fourier transform (FT) properties to expand the spatial derivatives in Maxwell's equations. In addition, the method makes use of the chain-rule property in calculus together...

Semiconductor wire array structures, and solar cells and photodetectors based on such structures

Science.gov (United States)

Kelzenberg, Michael D.; Atwater, Harry A.; Briggs, Ryan M.; Boettcher, Shannon W.; Lewis, Nathan S.; Petykiewicz, Jan A.

2014-08-19

A structure comprising an array of semiconductor structures, an infill material between the semiconductor materials, and one or more light-trapping elements is described. Photoconverters and photoelectrochemical devices based on such structure also described.

Effect of incorporation of nitrogen atoms in Al2O3 gate dielectric of wide-bandgap-semiconductor MOSFET on gate leakage current and negative fixed charge

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Eiji; Chokawa, Kenta; Shirakawa, Hiroki; Araidai, Masaaki; Hosoi, Takuji; Watanabe, Heiji; Shiraishi, Kenji

2018-06-01

We performed first-principle calculations to investigate the effect of incorporation of N atoms into Al2O3 gate dielectrics. Our calculations show that the defect levels generated by VO in Al2O3 are the origin of the stress-induced gate leakage current and that VOVAl complexes in Al2O3 cause negative fixed charge. We revealed that the incorporation of N atoms into Al2O3 eliminates the VO defect levels, reducing the stress-induced gate leakage current. Moreover, this suppresses the formation of negatively charged VOVAl complexes. Therefore, AlON can reduce both stress-induced gate leakage current and negative fixed charge in wide-bandgap-semiconductor MOSFETs.

Band structure of semiconductors

CERN Document Server

Tsidilkovski, I M

2013-01-01

Band Structure of Semiconductors provides a review of the theoretical and experimental methods of investigating band structure and an analysis of the results of the developments in this field. The book presents the problems, methods, and applications in the study of band structure. Topics on the computational methods of band structure; band structures of important semiconducting materials; behavior of an electron in a perturbed periodic field; effective masses and g-factors for the most commonly encountered band structures; and the treatment of cyclotron resonance, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillatio

Terahertz spectroscopy of three-dimensional photonic band-gap crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oezbay, E.; Michel, E.; Tuttle, G.; Biswas, R.; Ho, K.M.; Bostak, J.; Bloom, D.M.

1994-01-01

We have fabricated and built three-dimensional photonic band-gap crystals with band-gap frequencies larger than 500 GHz. We built the crystals by stacking micromachined (110) silicon wafers. The transmission and dispersion characteristics of the structures were measured by an all-electronic terahertz spectroscopy setup. The experimental results were in good agreement with theoretical calculations. To our knowledge, our new crystal has the highest reported photonic band-gap frequency

Shape and phase evolution from CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocubes to tetragonal CsPb2Br5 nanosheets with an indirect bandgap.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guopeng; Wang, Hui; Zhu, Zhifeng; Chang, Yajing; Zhang, Ting; Song, Zihang; Jiang, Yang

2016-09-13

Tetragonal CsPb 2 Br 5 nanosheets were obtained by an oriented attachment of orthorhombic CsPbBr 3 nanocubes, involving a lateral shape evolution from octagonal to square. Meanwhile, the experimental results, together with DFT simulation results, indicated that the tetragonal CsPb 2 Br 5 is an indirect bandgap semiconductor that is PL-inactive with a bandgap of 2.979 eV.

Reducing support loss in micromechanical ring resonators using phononic band-gap structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, Feng-Chia; Huang, Tsun-Che; Wang, Chin-Hung; Chang, Pin [Industrial Technology Research Institute-South, Tainan 709, Taiwan (China); Hsu, Jin-Chen, E-mail: fengchiahsu@itri.org.t, E-mail: hsujc@yuntech.edu.t [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliou, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan (China)

2011-09-21

In micromechanical resonators, energy loss via supports into the substrates may lead to a low quality factor. To eliminate the support loss, in this paper a phononic band-gap structure is employed. We demonstrate a design of phononic-crystal (PC) strips used to support extensional wine-glass mode ring resonators to increase the quality factor. The PC strips are introduced to stop elastic-wave propagation by the band-gap and deaf-band effects. Analyses of resonant characteristics of the ring resonators and the dispersion relations, eigenmodes, and transmission properties of the PC strips are presented. With the proposed resonator architecture, the finite-element simulations show that the leaky power is effectively reduced and the stored energy inside the resonators is enhanced simultaneously as the operating frequencies of the resonators are within the band gap or deaf bands. Realization of a high quality factor micromechanical ring resonator with minimized support loss is expected.

Reducing support loss in micromechanical ring resonators using phononic band-gap structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, Feng-Chia; Huang, Tsun-Che; Wang, Chin-Hung; Chang, Pin; Hsu, Jin-Chen

2011-01-01

In micromechanical resonators, energy loss via supports into the substrates may lead to a low quality factor. To eliminate the support loss, in this paper a phononic band-gap structure is employed. We demonstrate a design of phononic-crystal (PC) strips used to support extensional wine-glass mode ring resonators to increase the quality factor. The PC strips are introduced to stop elastic-wave propagation by the band-gap and deaf-band effects. Analyses of resonant characteristics of the ring resonators and the dispersion relations, eigenmodes, and transmission properties of the PC strips are presented. With the proposed resonator architecture, the finite-element simulations show that the leaky power is effectively reduced and the stored energy inside the resonators is enhanced simultaneously as the operating frequencies of the resonators are within the band gap or deaf bands. Realization of a high quality factor micromechanical ring resonator with minimized support loss is expected.

Zinc Alloys for the Fabrication of Semiconductor Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Yungryel; Lee, Tae S.

2009-01-01

ZnBeO and ZnCdSeO alloys have been disclosed as materials for the improvement in performance, function, and capability of semiconductor devices. The alloys can be used alone or in combination to form active photonic layers that can emit over a range of wavelength values. Materials with both larger and smaller band gaps would allow for the fabrication of semiconductor heterostructures that have increased function in the ultraviolet (UV) region of the spectrum. ZnO is a wide band-gap material possessing good radiation-resistance properties. It is desirable to modify the energy band gap of ZnO to smaller values than that for ZnO and to larger values than that for ZnO for use in semiconductor devices. A material with band gap energy larger than that of ZnO would allow for the emission at shorter wavelengths for LED (light emitting diode) and LD (laser diode) devices, while a material with band gap energy smaller than that of ZnO would allow for emission at longer wavelengths for LED and LD devices. The amount of Be in the ZnBeO alloy system can be varied to increase the energy bandgap of ZnO to values larger than that of ZnO. The amount of Cd and Se in the ZnCdSeO alloy system can be varied to decrease the energy band gap of ZnO to values smaller than that of ZnO. Each alloy formed can be undoped or can be p-type doped using selected dopant elements, or can be n-type doped using selected dopant elements. The layers and structures formed with both the ZnBeO and ZnCdSeO semiconductor alloys - including undoped, p-type-doped, and n-type-doped types - can be used for fabricating photonic and electronic semiconductor devices for use in photonic and electronic applications. These devices can be used in LEDs, LDs, FETs (field effect transistors), PN junctions, PIN junctions, Schottky barrier diodes, UV detectors and transmitters, and transistors and transparent transistors. They also can be used in applications for lightemitting display, backlighting for displays, UV and

Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices: Band-gap structure and solitons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louis, Pearl J. Y.; Kivshar, Yuri S.; Ostrovskaya, Elena A.; Savage, Craig M.

2003-01-01

We analyze the existence and stability of spatially extended (Bloch-type) and localized states of a Bose-Einstein condensate loaded into an optical lattice. In the framework of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation with a periodic potential, we study the band-gap structure of the matter-wave spectrum in both the linear and nonlinear regimes. We demonstrate the existence of families of spatially localized matter-wave gap solitons, and analyze their stability in different band gaps, for both repulsive and attractive atomic interactions

Excitonic terahertz photoconductivity in intrinsic semiconductor nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jie-Yun

2018-06-01

Excitonic terahertz photoconductivity in intrinsic semiconductor nanowires is studied. Based on the excitonic theory, the numerical method to calculate the photoconductivity spectrum in the nanowires is developed, which can simulate optical pump terahertz-probe spectroscopy measurements on real nanowires and thereby calculate the typical photoconductivity spectrum. With the help of the energetic structure deduced from the calculated linear absorption spectrum, the numerically observed shift of the resonant peak in the photoconductivity spectrum is found to result from the dominant exciton transition between excited or continuum states to the ground state, and the quantitative analysis is in good agreement with the quantum plasmon model. Besides, the dependence of the photoconductivity on the polarization of the terahertz field is also discussed. The numerical method and supporting theoretical analysis provide a new tool for experimentalists to understand the terahertz photoconductivity in intrinsic semiconductor nanowires at low temperatures or for nanowires subjected to below bandgap photoexcitation, where excitonic effects dominate.

Modification of structure and optical band-gap of nc-Si:H films with ion irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Yabin; Wang Zhiguang; Sun Jianrong; Yao Cunfeng; Shen Tielong; Li Bingsheng; Wei Kongfang; Pang Lilong; Sheng Yanbin; Cui Minghuan; Li Yuanfei; Wang Ji; Zhu Huiping

2012-01-01

Hydrogenated nano-crystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films fabricated by using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition are irradiated at room temperature with 6.0 MeV Xe-ions. The irradiation fluences are 1.0 × 10 13 , 5.0 × 10 13 and 1.0 × 10 14 Xe-ions/cm 2 . The structure and optical band-gap of the irradiated films varying with ion fluence are investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopes, as well as transmission electron microscopy. It is found that the crystallite size, the crystalline fraction and the optical band-gap decrease continuously with increasing the ion fluence. The crystalline fraction of the films irradiated to the fluences from 0 to 1.0 × 10 14 Xe-ions/cm 2 decreases from about 65.7% to 2.9% and the optical band-gap decreases from about 2.1 to 1.6 eV. Possible origins of the modification of the nc-Si:H films under 6.0 MeV Xe-ions irradiation are briefly discussed.

Processing of nanocrystalline diamond thin films for thermal management of wide-bandgap semiconductor power electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Govindaraju, N.; Singh, R.N.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Studied effect of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) deposition on device metallization. → Deposited NCD on to top of High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) and Si devices. → Temperatures below 290 deg. C for Si devices and 320 deg. C for HEMTs prevent metal damage. → Development of novel NCD-based thermal management for power electronics feasible. - Abstract: High current densities in wide-bandgap semiconductor electronics operating at high power levels results in significant self-heating of devices, which necessitates the development thermal management technologies to effectively dissipate the generated heat. This paper lays the foundation for the development of such technology by ascertaining process conditions for depositing nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) on AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) with no visible damage to device metallization. NCD deposition is carried out on Si and GaN HEMTs with Au/Ni metallization. Raman spectroscopy, optical and scanning electron microscopy are used to evaluate the quality of the deposited NCD films. Si device metallization is used as a test bed for developing process conditions for NCD deposition on AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. Results indicate that no visible damage occurs to the device metallization for deposition conditions below 290 deg. C for Si devices and below 320 deg. C for the AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. Possible mechanisms for metallization damage above the deposition temperature are enumerated. Electrical testing of the AlGaN/GaN HEMTs indicates that it is indeed possible to deposit NCD on GaN-based devices with no significant degradation in device performance.

Influence of interface preparation on minority carrier lifetime for low bandgap tandem solar cell materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szabo, Nadine; Sagol, B. Erol; Seidel, Ulf; Schwarzburg, Klaus; Hannappel, Thomas [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH, Berlin (Germany)

2010-07-01

III-V semiconductor compounds grown by MOVPE are implemented in todays state-of-the-art third generation multi-junction solar cells. The current record multi junction solar cell grown on germanium, having Ge, Ga(In)As and GaInP as subcells, reached a record efficiency of 41.6%. The efficiency of these multi junction solar cells could be significantly increased, if its low bandgap Ge subcell would be replaced by a more efficient tandem. For this purpose the low bandgap materials InGaAs and InGaAsP are suitable. The bandgap composition of these materials allows a better yield of the solar spectrum. Based on InGaAs/InGaAsP absorber materials we have developed a low bandgap tandem solar cell with optimized bandgaps. Results of time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) for the IR-bandgap compounds InGaAsP (1.03 eV)/InGaAs (0.73 eV) are presented. The lifetime of minority carriers is one of the most important properties of solar cell absorber materials. We show on the example of the low band gap tandem cell how the choice of the materials, the quality of the bulk, the optimization of the band gap energies and the preparation of the critical interfaces are essential to build a high efficiency solar cell. The quality of the bulk and the preparation of the critical interfaces are essential for the growth of the double heterostructure (DHS).

Rationally Controlled Synthesis of CdSexTe1-x Alloy Nanocrystals and Their Application in Efficient Graded Bandgap Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Shiya; Li, Miaozi; Yang, Junyu; Mei, Xianglin; Wu, Bin; Liu, Xiaolin; Heng, Jingxuan; Qin, Donghuan; Hou, Lintao; Xu, Wei; Wang, Dan

2017-11-08

CdSe x Te 1-x semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), being rod-shaped/irregular dot-shaped in morphology, have been fabricated via a simple hot-injection method. The NCs composition is well controlled through varying molar ratios of Se to Te precursors. Through changing the composition of the CdSe x Te 1-x NCs, the spectral absorption of the NC thin film between 570-800 nm is proved to be tunable. It is shown that the bandgap of homogeneously alloyed CdSe x Te 1-x active thin film is nonlinearly correlated with the different compositions, which is perceived as optical bowing. The solar cell devices based on CdSe x Te 1-x NCs with the structure of ITO/ZnO/CdSe/CdSe x Te 1-x /MoO x /Au and the graded bandgap ITO/ZnO/CdSe( w / o )/CdSe x Te 1-x /CdTe/MoO x /Au are systematically evaluated. It was found that the performance of solar cells degrades almost linearly with the increase of alloy NC film thickness with respect to ITO/ZnO/CdSe/CdSe 0.2 Te 0.8 /MoO x /Au. From another perspective, in terms of the graded bandgap structure of ITO/ZnO/CdSe/CdSe x Te 1-x /CdTe/MoO x /Au, the performance is improved in contrast with its single-junction analogues. The graded bandgap structure is proved to be efficient when absorbing spectrum and the solar cells fabricated under the structure of ITO/ZnO/CdSe 0.8 Te 0.2 /CdSe 0.2 Te 0.8 /CdTe/MoO x /Au indicate power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.37%, a value among the highest for solution-processed inversely-structured CdSe x Te 1-x NC solar cells. As the NC solar cells are solution-processed under environmental conditions, they are promising for fabricating solar cells at low cost, roll by roll and in large area.

High pressure study of the zinc phosphide semiconductor compound in two different phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mokhtari, Ali

2009-01-01

Electronic and structural properties of the zinc phosphide semiconductor compound are calculated at hydrostatic pressure using the full-potential all-electron linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbital (FP-LAPW+lo) method in both cubic and tetragonal phases. The exchange-correlation potential is treated by the generalized gradient approximation within the scheme of Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof, GGA96 (1996 Phys. Rev. Lett. 77 3865). Also, the Engel and Vosko GGA formalism, EV-GGA (Engel and Vosko 1993 Phys. Rev. B 47 13164), is used to improve the band-gap results. Internal parameters are optimized by relaxing the atomic positions in the force directions using the Hellman-Feynman approach. The lattice constants, internal parameters, bulk modulus, cohesive energy and band structures have been calculated and compared to the available experimental and theoretical results. The structural calculations predict that the stable phase is tetragonal. The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the behavior of band parameters such as band-gap, valence bandwidths and internal gaps (the energy gap between different parts of the valence bands) are studied using both GGA96 and EV-GGA.

High pressure study of the zinc phosphide semiconductor compound in two different phases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mokhtari, Ali [Simulation Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Shahrekord University, PB 115, Shahrekord (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], E-mail: mokhtari@sci.sku.ac.ir

2009-07-08

Electronic and structural properties of the zinc phosphide semiconductor compound are calculated at hydrostatic pressure using the full-potential all-electron linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbital (FP-LAPW+lo) method in both cubic and tetragonal phases. The exchange-correlation potential is treated by the generalized gradient approximation within the scheme of Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof, GGA96 (1996 Phys. Rev. Lett. 77 3865). Also, the Engel and Vosko GGA formalism, EV-GGA (Engel and Vosko 1993 Phys. Rev. B 47 13164), is used to improve the band-gap results. Internal parameters are optimized by relaxing the atomic positions in the force directions using the Hellman-Feynman approach. The lattice constants, internal parameters, bulk modulus, cohesive energy and band structures have been calculated and compared to the available experimental and theoretical results. The structural calculations predict that the stable phase is tetragonal. The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the behavior of band parameters such as band-gap, valence bandwidths and internal gaps (the energy gap between different parts of the valence bands) are studied using both GGA96 and EV-GGA.

Structural, optical, and electronic studies of wide-bandgap lead halide perovskites

KAUST Repository

Comin, Riccardo; Walters, Grant; Thibau, Emmanuel Sol; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Lu, Zheng-Hong; Sargent, Edward H.

2015-01-01

© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015. We investigate the family of mixed Br/Cl organolead halide perovskites which enable light emission in the blue-violet region of the visible spectrum. We report the structural, optical and electronic properties of this air-stable family of perovskites, demonstrating full bandgap tunability in the 400-550 nm range and enhanced exciton strength upon Cl substitution. We complement this study by tracking the evolution of the band levels across the gap, thereby providing a foundational framework for future optoelectronic applications of these materials.

Spectrally selective solar absorber with sharp and temperature dependent cut-off based on semiconductor nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yang; Zhou, Lin; Zheng, Qinghui; Lu, Hong; Gan, Qiaoqiang; Yu, Zongfu; Zhu, Jia

2017-05-01

Spectrally selective absorbers (SSA) with high selectivity of absorption and sharp cut-off between high absorptivity and low emissivity are critical for efficient solar energy conversion. Here, we report the semiconductor nanowire enabled SSA with not only high absorption selectivity but also temperature dependent sharp absorption cut-off. By taking advantage of the temperature dependent bandgap of semiconductors, we systematically demonstrate that the absorption cut-off profile of the semiconductor-nanowire-based SSA can be flexibly tuned, which is quite different from most of the other SSA reported so far. As an example, silicon nanowire based selective absorbers are fabricated, with the measured absorption efficiency above (below) bandgap ˜97% (15%) combined with an extremely sharp absorption cut-off (transition region ˜200 nm), the sharpest SSA demonstrated so far. The demonstrated semiconductor-nanowire-based SSA can enable a high solar thermal efficiency of ≳86% under a wide range of operating conditions, which would be competitive candidates for the concentrated solar energy utilizations.

Research on bandgaps in two-dimensional phononic crystal with two resonators.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Nansha; Wu, Jiu Hui; Yu, Lie

2015-02-01

In this paper, the bandgap properties of a two-dimensional phononic crystal with the two resonators is studied and embedded in a homogenous matrix. The resonators are not connected with the matrix but linked with connectors directly. The dispersion relationship, transmission spectra, and displacement fields of the eigenmodes of this phononic crystal are studied with finite-element method. In contrast to the phononic crystals with one resonators and hollow structure, the proposed structures with two resonators can open bandgaps at lower frequencies. This is a very interesting and useful phenomenon. Results show that, the opening of the bandgaps is because of the local resonance and the scattering interaction between two resonators and matrix. An equivalent spring-pendulum model can be developed in order to evaluate the frequencies of the bandgap edge. The study in this paper is beneficial to the design of opening and tuning bandgaps in phononic crystals and isolators in low-frequency range. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Probing defect states in polycrystalline GaN grown on Si(111) by sub-bandgap laser-excited scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Hsiao, F.-M.; Schnedler, M.; Portz, V.; Huang, Y.-C.; Huang, B.-C.; Shih, M.-C.; Chang, C.-W.; Tu, L.-W.; Eisele, H.; Dunin-Borkowski, R. E.; Ebert, Ph.; Chiu, Y.-P.

2017-01-01

We demonstrate the potential of sub-bandgap laser-excited cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to investigate the presence of defect states in semiconductors. The characterization method is illustrated on GaN layers grown on Si(111) substrates without intentional buffer layers. According to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, the GaN layers consist of nanoscale wurtzite and zincblende crystallites with varying crystal orientations and hence contain high defect state densities. In order to discriminate between band-to-band excitation and defect state excitations, we use sub-bandgap laser excitation. We probe a clear increase in the tunnel current at positive sample voltages during sub-bandgap laser illumination for the GaN layer with high defect density, but no effect is found for high quality GaN epitaxial layers. This demonstrates the excitation of free charge carriers at defect states. Thus, sub-bandgap laser-excited scanning tunneling spectroscopy is a powerful complimentary characterization tool for defect states.

Metal-optic and Plasmonic Semiconductor-based Nanolasers

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-07

after, 65 the sample was placed into a load-lock to deposit 5 nm of titanium dioxide. The tita - nium dioxide serves as a dielectric (although it is a...into a load-lock to deposit 5 nm of titanium dioxide. The tita - nium dioxide serves as a dielectric (although it is a large-bandgap semiconductor) to

Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Opportunities in Power Electronics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Sujit [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Marlino, Laura D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Armstrong, Kristina O. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2018-01-01

The report objective is to explore the Wide Bandgap (WBG) Power Electronics (PE) market, applications, and potential energy savings in order to identify key areas where further resources and investments of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DOE EERE) would have the most impact on U.S. competiveness. After considering the current market, several potential near-term application areas were identified as having significant market and energy savings potential with respect to clean energy applications: (1) data centers (uninterruptible power supplies and server power supplies); (2) renewable energy generation (photovoltaic-solar and wind); (3) motor drives (industrial, commercial and residential); (4) rail traction; and, (5) hybrid and electric vehicles (traction and charging). After the initial explorative analyses, it became clear that, SiC, not GaN, would be the principal WBG power device material for the chosen markets in the near future. Therefore, while GaN is discussed when appropriate, this report focuses on SiC devices, other WBG applications (e.g., solid-state transformers, combined heat and power, medical, and wireless power), the GaN market, and GaN specific applications (e.g., LiDAR, 5G) will be explored at a later date. In addition to the market, supply and value chain analyses addressed in Section 1 of this report, a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) analysis and potential energy savings analysis was conducted for each application area to identify the major potential WBG application area(s) with a U.S. competitiveness opportunity in the future.

Liquid Crystal photonic Bandgap Fiber Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wei, Lei

In this Ph.D. thesis, an experimental investigation of liquid crystal photonic bandgap (LCPBG) fiber devices and applications is presented. Photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) consist of a cladding microstructure with periodic index variations and a core defined by a defect of the structure. The prese......In this Ph.D. thesis, an experimental investigation of liquid crystal photonic bandgap (LCPBG) fiber devices and applications is presented. Photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) consist of a cladding microstructure with periodic index variations and a core defined by a defect of the structure...... of each LCPBG fiber. Finally, the applications for LCPBG fiber devices based on the on-chip platform design have been demonstrated in realizing microwave true-time delay and creating an electrically tunable fiber laser. Referatet mailes...

Electrical characterisation of semiconductor structures using AFM techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovac jr, J.; Kovac, J.; Hotovy, J.; Novotny, I.; Skriniarova, J.; Dutkova, E.; Balaz, P.

2011-01-01

The microscopic dimensions appear to be a fundamental limitation to many common measurement techniques. The use of Current-Atomic Force Microscopy (I-AFM) bids a possibility to acquire topography image along with the current flow mappings which can be lapped over in resulting image as presented in this paper. A current distribution on the ZnO surface of p-Si/n- ZnO diode structure with CdS or ZnS nanocrystalline quantum dot clusters at the interface has been measured. The resulting images show a conductivity mapping different from topography what induces a conductive channels at the edges of the ZnO grains. We have successfully used I-AFM method where conductive AFM tip is scanning over the surface of the sample to create a topography image along with a current flow mapping of p-Si substrate covered with CdS or ZnS nanocrystalline clusters overlapped by 100 nm thick n-ZnO layer. The measured current mappings of both samples revealed a formation of conductive channels between the clusters of quantum dots when the sample is forward biased. We are able to create 3D topography images of combined with the forward biased current mapping textures which gives complex information about local conductivity and using this method it should be possible to find hidden current leaks in the samples for example defects in most semiconductor materials. A drift current generated in p-n junction was recorded when the sample was reverse biased while the sample has been exposed to light. Possible UV light source should cause a higher reverse current due to high bandgap of ZnS clusters which is a motivation to further research. The devices fabricated from these structures have the potential applications for solar cells or broadband photodetectors. (authors)

A comparative study of semiconductor-based plasmonic metamaterials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naik, Gururaj V.; Boltasseva, Alexandra

2011-01-01

and very large negative real permittivity values, and in addition, their optical properties cannot be tuned. These issues that put severe constraints on the device applications of MMs could be overcome if semiconductors are used as plasmonic materials instead of metals. Heavily doped, wide bandgap oxide...... semiconductors could exhibit both a small negative real permittivity and relatively small losses in the NIR. Heavily doped oxides of zinc and indium were already reported to be good, low loss alternatives to metals in the NIR range. Here, we consider these transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) as alternative...

Micro and nanophotonics for semiconductor infrared detectors towards an ultimate uncooled device

CERN Document Server

Jakšic, Zoran

2014-01-01

The advent of microelectromechanic system (MEMS) technologies and nanotechnologies has resulted in a multitude of structures and devices with ultra compact dimensions and with vastly enhanced or even completely novel properties. In the field of photonics it resulted in the appearance of new paradigms, including photonic crystals that exhibit photonic bandgap and represent an optical analog of semiconductors and metamaterials that have subwavelength features and may have almost arbitrary values of effective refractive index, including those below zero. In addition to that, a whole new field of

Compound Semiconductor Radiation Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y. K.; Park, S. H.; Lee, W. G.; Ha, J. H.

2005-01-01

In 1945, Van Heerden measured α, β and γ radiations with the cooled AgCl crystal. It was the first radiation measurement using the compound semiconductor detector. Since then the compound semiconductor has been extensively studied as radiation detector. Generally the radiation detector can be divided into the gas detector, the scintillator and the semiconductor detector. The semiconductor detector has good points comparing to other radiation detectors. Since the density of the semiconductor detector is higher than that of the gas detector, the semiconductor detector can be made with the compact size to measure the high energy radiation. In the scintillator, the radiation is measured with the two-step process. That is, the radiation is converted into the photons, which are changed into electrons by a photo-detector, inside the scintillator. However in the semiconductor radiation detector, the radiation is measured only with the one-step process. The electron-hole pairs are generated from the radiation interaction inside the semiconductor detector, and these electrons and charged ions are directly collected to get the signal. The energy resolution of the semiconductor detector is generally better than that of the scintillator. At present, the commonly used semiconductors as the radiation detector are Si and Ge. However, these semiconductor detectors have weak points. That is, one needs thick material to measure the high energy radiation because of the relatively low atomic number of the composite material. In Ge case, the dark current of the detector is large at room temperature because of the small band-gap energy. Recently the compound semiconductor detectors have been extensively studied to overcome these problems. In this paper, we will briefly summarize the recent research topics about the compound semiconductor detector. We will introduce the research activities of our group, too

Monolithic, multi-bandgap, tandem, ultra-thin, strain-counterbalanced, photovoltaic energy converters with optimal subcell bandgaps

Science.gov (United States)

Wanlass, Mark W [Golden, CO; Mascarenhas, Angelo [Lakewood, CO

2012-05-08

Modeling a monolithic, multi-bandgap, tandem, solar photovoltaic converter or thermophotovoltaic converter by constraining the bandgap value for the bottom subcell to no less than a particular value produces an optimum combination of subcell bandgaps that provide theoretical energy conversion efficiencies nearly as good as unconstrained maximum theoretical conversion efficiency models, but which are more conducive to actual fabrication to achieve such conversion efficiencies than unconstrained model optimum bandgap combinations. Achieving such constrained or unconstrained optimum bandgap combinations includes growth of a graded layer transition from larger lattice constant on the parent substrate to a smaller lattice constant to accommodate higher bandgap upper subcells and at least one graded layer that transitions back to a larger lattice constant to accommodate lower bandgap lower subcells and to counter-strain the epistructure to mitigate epistructure bowing.

Structure and optical bandgap relationship of π-conjugated systems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Leitão Botelho

Full Text Available In bulk heterojunction photovoltaic systems both the open-circuit voltage as well as the short-circuit current, and hence the power conversion efficiency, are dependent on the optical bandgap of the electron-donor material. While first-principles methods are computationally intensive, simpler model Hamiltonian approaches typically suffer from one or more flaws: inability to optimize the geometries for their own input; absence of general, transferable parameters; and poor performance for non-planar systems. We introduce a set of new and revised parameters for the adapted Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (aSSH Hamiltonian, which is capable of optimizing geometries, along with rules for applying them to any [Formula: see text]-conjugated system containing C, N, O, or S, including non-planar systems. The predicted optical bandgaps show excellent agreement to UV-vis spectroscopy data points from literature, with a coefficient of determination [Formula: see text], a mean error of -0.05 eV, and a mean absolute deviation of 0.16 eV. We use the model to gain insights from PEDOT, fused thiophene polymers, poly-isothianaphthene, copolymers, and pentacene as sources of design rules in the search for low bandgap materials. Using the model as an in-silico design tool, a copolymer of benzodithiophenes along with a small-molecule derivative of pentacene are proposed as optimal donor materials for organic photovoltaics.

Empirical temperature dependence of the refractive index of semiconductors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herve, P.J.L.; Vandamme, L.K.J.

1995-01-01

Values of the temperature coefficient of the refractive index were obtained from the derivation of a simple relation between energy band-gap and refractive index in semiconductors. These values, (dn/dT)/n, were compared to the experimental data found in literature. Our model, with only one fitting

Anomalous band-gap bowing of AlN1−xPx alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winiarski, M.J.; Polak, M.; Scharoch, P.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Structural and electronic properties of AlN 1−x P x from first principles. •The supercell and the virtual crystall approximation methods applied and compared. •Anomalously high band-gap bowing found. •Similarities of band-gap behavior to that in BN 1−x P x noticed. •Performance of MBJLDA with the pseudopotential approach discussed. -- Abstract: Electronic structure of zinc blende AlN 1−x P x alloy has been calculated from first principles. Structural optimization has been performed within the framework of LDA and the band-gaps calculated with the modified Becke–Jonson (MBJLDA) method. Two approaches have been examined: the virtual crystal approximation (VCA) and the supercell-based calculations (SC). The composition dependence of the lattice parameter obtained from the SC obeys Vegard’s law whereas the volume optimization in the VCA leads to an anomalous bowing of the lattice constant. A strong correlation between the band-gaps and the structural parameter in the VCA method has been observed. On the other hand, in the SC method the supercell size and atoms arrangement (clustered vs. uniform) appear to have a great influence on the computed band-gaps. In particular, an anomalously big band-gap bowing has been found in the case of a clustered configuration with relaxed geometry. Based on the performed tests and obtained results some general features of MBJLDA are discussed and its performance for similar systems predicted

Structures and electronics of buried and unburied semiconductor interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamiya, Itaru

2011-01-01

The structure of interfaces plays an important role in determining the electronic properties of semiconductor nanostructures. Here, such examples are shown and discussed using semiconductor nanostructures prepared by molecular beam epitaxy and colloidal synthesis.

Interface Structure of MoO3 on Organic Semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

White, Robin T.; Thibau, Emmanuel S.; Lu, Zheng-Hong

2016-01-01

We have systematically studied interface structure formed by vapor-phase deposition of typical transition metal oxide MoO3 on organic semiconductors. Eight organic hole transport materials have been used in this study. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to measure the evolution of the physical, chemical and electronic structure of the interfaces at various stages of MoO3 deposition on these organic semiconductor surfaces. For the interface physical structure, it is found that MoO3 diffuses into the underlying organic layer, exhibiting a trend of increasing diffusion with decreasing molecular molar mass. For the interface chemical structure, new carbon and molybdenum core-level states are observed, as a result of interfacial electron transfer from organic semiconductor to MoO3. For the interface electronic structure, energy level alignment is observed in agreement with the universal energy level alignment rule of molecules on metal oxides, despite deposition order inversion. PMID:26880185

High precision stress measurements in semiconductor structures by Raman microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uhlig, Benjamin

2009-07-01

Stress in silicon structures plays an essential role in modern semiconductor technology. This stress has to be measured and due to the ongoing miniaturization in today's semiconductor industry, the measuring method has to meet certain requirements. The present thesis deals with the question how Raman spectroscopy can be used to measure the state of stress in semiconductor structures. In the first chapter the relation between Raman peakshift and stress in the material is explained. It is shown that detailed stress maps with a spatial resolution close to the diffraction limit can be obtained in structured semiconductor samples. Furthermore a novel procedure, the so called Stokes-AntiStokes-Difference method is introduced. With this method, topography, tool or drift effects can be distinguished from stress related influences in the sample. In the next chapter Tip-enhanced Raman Scattering (TERS) and its application for an improvement in lateral resolution is discussed. For this, a study is presented, which shows the influence of metal particles on the intensity and localization of the Raman signal. A method to attach metal particles to scannable tips is successfully applied. First TERS scans are shown and their impact on and challenges for high resolution stress measurements on semiconductor structures is explained. (orig.)

Quantum-size-controlled photoelectrochemical etching of semiconductor nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Arthur J.; Tsao, Jeffrey Y.; Wierer, Jr., Jonathan J.; Xiao, Xiaoyin; Wang, George T.

2016-03-01

Quantum-size-controlled photoelectrochemical (QSC-PEC) etching provides a new route to the precision fabrication of epitaxial semiconductor nanostructures in the sub-10-nm size regime. For example, quantum dots (QDs) can be QSC-PEC-etched from epitaxial InGaN thin films using narrowband laser photoexcitation, and the QD sizes (and hence bandgaps and photoluminescence wavelengths) are determined by the photoexcitation wavelength.

Wave mechanics applied to semiconductor heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastard, G.

1990-01-01

This book examines the basic electronic and optical properties of two dimensional semiconductor heterostructures based on III-V and II-VI compounds. The book explores various consequences of one-dimensional size-quantization on the most basic physical properties of heterolayers. Beginning with basic quantum mechanical properties of idealized quantum wells and superlattices, the book discusses the occurrence of bound states when the heterostructure is imperfect or when it is shone with near bandgap light

Structural and optical characterization of the propolis films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drapak, S.I. [Frantsevich Institute of Materials Science Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chernivtsi Department, 5 Iryna Vilde Str., 58001 Chernivtsi (Ukraine)]. E-mail: drapak@unicom.cv.ua; Bakhtinov, A.P. [Frantsevich Institute of Materials Science Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chernivtsi Department, 5 Iryna Vilde Str., 58001 Chernivtsi (Ukraine); Gavrylyuk, S.V. [Frantsevich Institute of Materials Science Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chernivtsi Department, 5 Iryna Vilde Str., 58001 Chernivtsi (Ukraine); Drapak, I.T. [Chernivtsi National University, 2 Kotsyubynskii Str., 58012 Chernivtsi (Ukraine); Kovalyuk, Z.D. [Frantsevich Institute of Materials Science Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chernivtsi Department, 5 Iryna Vilde Str., 58001 Chernivtsi (Ukraine)

2006-10-31

We have performed structural and optical characterizations of the propolis (an organic entity of biological nature) films grown on various non-organic substrates. The films were grown from a propolis melt or a propolis alcohol solution. The crystal structure has been observed in the films precipitated from the solution onto substrates such as an amorphous glass and sapphire or semiconductor indium monoselenide. For any growth method, the propolis film is a semiconductor with the bandgap of 3.07 eV at 300 K that is confirmed by a maximum in photoluminescence spectra at 2.86 eV. We argue that propolis films might be used in various optoelectronic device applications.

Resistive field structures for semiconductor devices and uses therof

Science.gov (United States)

Marinella, Matthew; DasGupta, Sandeepan; Kaplar, Robert; Baca, Albert G.

2017-09-12

The present disclosure relates to resistive field structures that provide improved electric field profiles when used with a semiconductor device. In particular, the resistive field structures provide a uniform electric field profile, thereby enhancing breakdown voltage and improving reliability. In example, the structure is a field cage that is configured to be resistive, in which the potential changes significantly over the distance of the cage. In another example, the structure is a resistive field plate. Using these resistive field structures, the characteristics of the electric field profile can be independently modulated from the physical parameters of the semiconductor device. Additional methods and architectures are described herein.

Optical properties of hybrid semiconductor-metal structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kreilkamp, L.E.; Pohl, M.; Akimov, I.A.; Yakovlev, D.R.; Bayer, M. [Experimentelle Physik 2, Technische Universitaet Dortmund, 44221 Dortmund (Germany); Belotelov, V.I.; Zvezdin, A.K. [A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119992 Moscow (Russian Federation); Karczewski, G.; Wojtowicz, T. [Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02668 Warsaw (Poland); Rudzinski, A.; Kahl, M. [Raith GmbH, Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 8, 44263 Dortmund (Germany)

2012-07-01

We study the optical properties of hybrid nanostructures comprising a semiconductor CdTe quantum well (QW) separated by a thin CdMgTe cap layer of 40 nm from a patterned gold film. The CdTe/CdMgTe QW structure with a well width of 10nm was grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The one-dimensional periodic gold films on top were made using e-beam lithography and lift-off process. The investigated structures can be considered as plasmonic crystals because the metal films attached to the semiconductor are patterned with a period in the range from 475 to 600 nm, which is comparable to the surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) wavelength. Angle dependent reflection spectra at room temperature clearly show plasmonic resonances. PL spectra taken at low temperatures of about 10 K under below- and above-barrier illumination show significant modifications compared to the unstructured QW sample. The number of emission lines and their position shift change depending on the excitation energy. The role of exciton-SPP coupling and Schottky barrier at the semiconductor-metal interface are discussed.

A Comprehensive Review of Semiconductor Ultraviolet Photodetectors: From Thin Film to One-Dimensional Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liwen Sang

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Ultraviolet (UV photodetectors have drawn extensive attention owing to their applications in industrial, environmental and even biological fields. Compared to UV-enhanced Si photodetectors, a new generation of wide bandgap semiconductors, such as (Al, In GaN, diamond, and SiC, have the advantages of high responsivity, high thermal stability, robust radiation hardness and high response speed. On the other hand, one-dimensional (1D nanostructure semiconductors with a wide bandgap, such as β-Ga2O3, GaN, ZnO, or other metal-oxide nanostructures, also show their potential for high-efficiency UV photodetection. In some cases such as flame detection, high-temperature thermally stable detectors with high performance are required. This article provides a comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art research activities in the UV photodetection field, including not only semiconductor thin films, but also 1D nanostructured materials, which are attracting more and more attention in the detection field. A special focus is given on the thermal stability of the developed devices, which is one of the key characteristics for the real applications.

Dephasing in semiconductor-superconductor structures by coupling to a voltage probe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Niels Asger; Jauho, Antti-Pekka; Flensberg, Karsten

2000-01-01

We study dephasing in semiconductor-superconductor structures caused by coupling to a voltage probe. We consider structures where the semiconductor consists of two scattering regions between which partial dephasing is possible. As a particular example we consider a situation with a double barrier...

Stability and bandgaps of layered perovskites for one- and two-photon water splitting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castelli, Ivano Eligio; García Lastra, Juan Maria; Hüser, Falco

2013-01-01

in the Ruddlesden–Popper phase of the layered perovskite structure. Based on screening criteria for the stability, bandgaps and band edge positions, we suggest 20 new materials for the light harvesting photo-electrode of a one-photon water splitting device and 5 anode materials for a two-photon device with silicon...... as photo-cathode. In addition, we explore a simple rule relating the bandgap of the perovskite to the number of octahedra in the layered structure and the B-metal ion. Finally, the quality of the GLLB-SC potential used to obtain the bandgaps, including the derivative discontinuity, is validated against G0W......0@LDA gaps for 20 previously identified oxides and oxynitrides in the cubic perovskite structure....

Preparation and characterisation of light emitting porous semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, P.J.

1996-01-01

Semiconducting materials exhibit electrical conductivity in the region between that of metals and insulators. The electronic properties depend upon the particular element and the level of impurities contained within it. These materials are the basis of today's electronics industry with silicon being the most important element. It was believed until recently that efficient photoluminescence in the visible region was not possible from silicon due to its relatively small, indirect band-gap (1.12 eV). For this reason semiconductors with a larger, direct band-gap such as gallium arsenide have been used for optical devices. Photoluminescence from silicon has been observed in the infrared region but this was of little use to the opto-electronics industry. However, when silicon is in the form of small nano-structures, photoluminescence can be observed in the visible region from red to blue. This photoluminescence corresponds to a shift in the band gap to between 1.5 eV and 4.5 eV. This is in accordance with the predictions of quantum mechanics for structures of this scale. Nano-structures of silicon and of other semiconductors are relatively easy to produce. Electro-chemical etching is by far the most reliable method, resulting in uniform and reproducible structures. Anodic etching in a hydrofluoric acid based etch solution results in the silicon becoming porous to a depth of the order of microns. The lateral dimensions of these porous structures are in the range of a few nanometres resulting in an aspect ratio of the order of 1000:1. These materials studied in this work have been studied with the aid of EXAFS, scanning probe microscopy and Muon spectroscopy in order to determine the local structures. Measurements of the photoluminescence intensity have been taken at the synchrotron radiation facility, (Daresbury Laboratory). These results show that the observed photoluminescence is temperature dependent. The porous silicon samples studied for this work showed

Radiation resistance of wide-bandgap semiconductor power transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hazdra, Pavel; Popelka, Stanislav [Department of Microelectronics, Czech Technical University in Prague (Czech Republic)

2017-04-15

Radiation resistance of state-of-the-art commercial wide-bandgap power transistors, 1700 V 4H-SiC power MOSFETs and 200 V GaN HEMTs, to the total ionization dose was investigated. Transistors were irradiated with 4.5 MeV electrons with doses up to 2000 kGy. Electrical characteristics and introduced defects were characterized by current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V), and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. Results show that already low doses of 4.5 MeV electrons (>1 kGy) cause a significant decrease in threshold voltage of SiC MOSFETs due to embedding of the positive charge into the gate oxide. On the other hand, other parameters like the ON-state resistance are nearly unchanged up to the dose of 20 kGy. At 200 kGy, the threshold voltage returns back close to its original value, however, the ON-state resistance increases and transconductance is lowered. This effect is caused by radiation defects introduced into the low-doped drift region which decrease electron concentration and mobility. GaN HEMTs exhibit significantly higher radiation resistance. They keep within the datasheet specification up to doses of 2000 kGy. Absence of dielectric layer beneath the gate and high concentration of carriers in the two dimensional electron gas channel are the reasons of higher radiation resistance of GaN HEMTs. Their degradation then occurs at much higher doses due to electron mobility degradation. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Spherical distribution structure of the semiconductor laser diode stack for pumping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Tianzhuo; Yu Jin; Liu Yang; Zhang Xue; Ma Yunfeng; Fan Zhongwei

2011-01-01

A semiconductor laser diode stack is used for pumping and 8 semiconductor laser diode arrays of the stack are put on a sphere, and the output of every bar is specially off-axis compressed to realize high coupling efficiency. The output beam of this semiconductor laser diode stack is shaped by a hollow duct to the laser active medium. The efficiency of the hollow light pipe, which is used for semiconductor laser diode stack coupling, is analyzed by geometric optics and ray tracing. Geometric optics analysis diagnoses the reasons for coupling loss and guides the design of the structure. Ray tracing analyzes the relation between the structural parameters and the output characteristics of this pumping system, and guides parameter optimization. Simulation and analysis results show that putting the semiconductor laser diode arrays on a spherical surface can increase coupling efficiency, reduce the optimum duct length and improve the output energy field distribution. (semiconductor devices)

Recent Advances in Wide-Bandgap Photovoltaic Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yunhao; Huo, Lijun; Sun, Yanming

2017-06-01

The past decade has witnessed significant advances in the field of organic solar cells (OSCs). Ongoing improvements in the power conversion efficiency of OSCs have been achieved, which were mainly attributed to the design and synthesis of novel conjugated polymers with different architectures and functional moieties. Among various conjugated polymers, the development of wide-bandgap (WBG) polymers has received less attention than that of low-bandgap and medium-bandgap polymers. Here, we briefly summarize recent advances in WBG polymers and their applications in organic photovoltaic (PV) devices, such as tandem, ternary, and non-fullerene solar cells. Addtionally, we also dissuss the application of high open-circuit voltage tandem solar cells in PV-driven electrochemical water dissociation. We mainly focus on the molecular design strategies, the structure-property correlations, and the photovoltaic performance of these WBG polymers. Finally, we extract empirical regularities and provide invigorating perspectives on the future development of WBG photovoltaic materials. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of van der Waals interaction on the properties of SnS2 layered semiconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seminovski, Y.; Palacios, P.; Wahnón, P.

2013-01-01

Nowadays, dispersion correction applied on layered semiconductors is a topic of interest. Among the known layered semiconductors, SnS 2 polytypes are wide gap semiconductors with a van der Waals interaction between their layers, which could form good materials to be used in photovoltaic applications. The present work gives an approach to the SnS 2 geometrical and electronic characterization using an empirical dispersion correction added to the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof functional and subsequent actualization of the electronic charge density using the screened hybrid Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof functional using a density functional code. The obtained interlayer distance and band-gap are in good agreement with experimental values when van der Waals dispersion forces are included. - Highlights: ► Tin disulphide (SnS 2 ) has been calculated using density functional theory methods. ► A dispersion correction was also applied for two different SnS 2 polytypes. ► Geometrical parameters and band-gaps were obtained using both approaches. ► Our calculations give a good agreement of the computed band gap with experiment

Selective photochemical dry etching of compound semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashby, C.I.H.

1988-01-01

When laser-driven etching of a semiconductor requires direct participation of photogenerated carriers, the etching quantum yield will be sensitive to the electronic properties of a specific semiconductor material. The band-gap energy of the semiconductor determines the minimum photon energy needed for carrier-driven etching since sub-gap photons do not generate free carriers. However, only those free carriers that reach the reacting surface contribute to etching and the ultimate carrier flux to the surface is controlled by more subtle electronic properties than the lowest-energy band gap. For example, the initial depth of carrier generation and the probability of carrier recombination between the point of generation and the surface profoundly influence the etching quantum yield. Appropriate manipulation of process parameters can provide additional reaction control based on such secondary electronic properties. Applications to selective dry etching of GaAs and related materials are discussed

Efficient CsF interlayer for high and low bandgap polymer solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Mitul, Abu Farzan; Sarker, Jith; Adhikari, Nirmal; Mohammad, Lal; Wang, Qi; Khatiwada, Devendra; Qiao, Qiquan

2018-02-01

Low bandgap polymer solar cells have a great deal of importance in flexible photovoltaic market to absorb sun light more efficiently. Efficient wide bandgap solar cells are always available in nature to absorb visible photons. The development and incorporation of infrared photovoltaics (IR PV) with wide bandgap solar cells can improve overall solar device performance. Here, we have developed an efficient low bandgap polymer solar cell with CsF as interfacial layer in regular structure. Polymer solar cell devices with CsF shows enhanced performance than Ca as interfacial layer. The power conversion efficiency of 4.5% has been obtained for PDPP3T based polymer solar cell with CsF as interlayer. Finally, an optimal thickness with CsF as interfacial layer has been found to improve the efficiency in low bandgap polymer solar cells.

Current-voltage characteristics of the semiconductor nanowires under the metal-semiconductor-metal structure

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Jing; Zhang, Xitian; Gao, Hong; Wang, Mingjiao

2013-12-01

We present a method to calculate the I-V characteristics of semiconductor nanowires under the metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) structure. The carrier concentration as an important parameter is introduced into the expression of the current. The subband structure of the nanowire has been considered for associating it with the position of the Fermi level and circumventing the uncertainties of the contact areas in the contacts. The tunneling and thermionic emission currents in the two Schottky barriers at the two metal-semiconductor contacts are discussed. We find that the two barriers have different influences on the I-V characteristics of the MSM structure, one of which under the forward bias plays the role of threshold voltage if its barrier height is large and the applied voltage is small, and the other under the reverse bias controls the shapes of I-V curves. Our calculations show that the shapes of the I-V curves for the MSM structure are mainly determined by the barrier heights of the contacts and the carrier concentration. The nearly identical I-V characteristics can be obtained by using different values of the barrier heights and carrier concentration, which means that the contact type conversion can be ascribed not only to the changes of the barrier heights but also that of the carrier concentration. We also discuss the mechanisms of the ohmic-Schottky conversions and clarify the ambiguity in the literature. The possibility about the variation of the carrier concentration under the applied fields has been confirmed by experimental results.

Direct femtosecond observation of charge carrier recombination in ternary semiconductor nanocrystals: The effect of composition and shelling

KAUST Repository

Bose, Riya; Ahmed, Ghada H.; Alarousu, Erkki; Parida, Manas R.; Abdelhady, Ahmed L.; Bakr, Osman; Mohammed, Omar F.

2015-01-01

Heavy-metal free ternary semiconductor nanocrystals are emerging as key materials in photoactive applications. However, the relative abundance of intra-bandgap defect states and lack of understanding of their origins within this class

High-efficiency photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, H.T.; Zehr, S.W.

1982-06-21

High efficiency solar converters comprised of a two cell, non-lattice matched, monolithic stacked semiconductor configuration using optimum pairs of cells having bandgaps in the range 1.6 to 1.7 eV and 0.95 to 1.1 eV, and a method of fabrication thereof, are disclosed. The high band gap subcells are fabricated using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to produce the required AlGaAs layers of optimized composition, thickness and doping to produce high performance, heteroface homojunction devices. The low bandgap subcells are similarly fabricated from AlGa(As)Sb compositions by LPE, MBE or MOCVD. These subcells are then coupled to form a monolithic structure by an appropriate bonding technique which also forms the required transparent intercell ohmic contact (IOC) between the two subcells. Improved ohmic contacts to the high bandgap semiconductor structure can be formed by vacuum evaporating to suitable metal or semiconductor materials which react during laser annealing to form a low bandgap semiconductor which provides a low contact resistance structure.

Testing of modern semiconductor memory structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gaydadjiev, G.N.

2007-01-01

In this thesis, we study the problem of faults in modern semiconductor memory structures and their tests. According to the 2005 ITRS, the systems on chip (SoCs) are moving from logic and memory balanced chips to more memory dominated devices in order to cope with the increasing application

Laser action on rare earth doped nitride semiconductor thin layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oussif, A.; Diaf, M.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The structure, chemical composition, properties, and their relationships in solids lay the foundation of materials science. Recently, great interest in rare-earth (RE)-doped wide-bandgap semiconductors, which combine the electronic properties of semiconductors with the unique luminescence features of RE ions, is from the fundamental standpoint of structure-composition-properties of solids. At first, a significant amount of work has been reported on the study of infrared emissions from Er 3+- doped semiconductors because Er 3+ exhibits luminescence at 1.54 μm, a wavelength used in optical communications. Since Steckl and Birkhahn first reported visible emission associated with Er from GaN:Er films, the RE-doped semiconductors have received considerable interest for possible application in light emitting devices. Molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) and metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) have been used mainly to grow GaN host films. The RE dopants were typically incorporated into the host films by in situ doping during the growth or by ion implantation after the growth. GaN doped with rare-earth elements (RE) hold significant potential for applications in optical devices, since they show sharp intense luminescence which is only minimally affected by temperature variations. Among the various RE dopants, Eu seems to be the most interesting, since it yields red luminescence 622 nm which has not been realized in commercially available light emitting devices (LEDs) that use InGaN active layers. We have earlier reported single crystalline growth of Eu-doped GaN and nearly temperature independent red luminescence at 622 nm originating from the intra-4f-4f transition of the Eu 3+ ion. The red luminescence was analyzed and determined to be generated through trap-level-mediated energy transfer from the semiconductor host.

Graphene-insulator-semiconductor capacitors as superior test structures for photoelectric determination of semiconductor devices band diagrams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Piskorski

2018-05-01

Full Text Available We report on the advantages of using Graphene-Insulator-Semiconductor (GIS instead of Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor (MIS structures in reliable and precise photoelectric determination of the band alignment at the semiconductor-insulator interface and of the insulator band gap determination. Due to the high transparency to light of the graphene gate in GIS structures large photocurrents due to emission of both electrons and holes from the substrate and negligible photocurrents due to emission of carriers from the gate can be obtained, which allows reliable determination of barrier heights for both electrons, Ee and holes, Eh from the semiconductor substrate. Knowing the values of both Ee and Eh allows direct determination of the insulator band gap EG(I. Photoelectric measurements were made of a series of Graphene-SiO2-Si structures and an example is shown of the results obtained in sequential measurements of the same structure giving the following barrier height values: Ee = 4.34 ± 0.01 eV and Eh = 4.70 ± 0.03 eV. Based on this result and results obtained for other structures in the series we conservatively estimate the maximum uncertainty of both barrier heights estimations at ± 0.05 eV. This sets the SiO2 band gap estimation at EG(I = 7.92 ± 0.1 eV. It is shown that widely different SiO2 band gap values were found by research groups using various determination methods. We hypothesize that these differences are due to different sensitivities of measurement methods used to the existence of the SiO2 valence band tail.

Graphene-insulator-semiconductor capacitors as superior test structures for photoelectric determination of semiconductor devices band diagrams

Science.gov (United States)

Piskorski, K.; Passi, V.; Ruhkopf, J.; Lemme, M. C.; Przewlocki, H. M.

2018-05-01

We report on the advantages of using Graphene-Insulator-Semiconductor (GIS) instead of Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor (MIS) structures in reliable and precise photoelectric determination of the band alignment at the semiconductor-insulator interface and of the insulator band gap determination. Due to the high transparency to light of the graphene gate in GIS structures large photocurrents due to emission of both electrons and holes from the substrate and negligible photocurrents due to emission of carriers from the gate can be obtained, which allows reliable determination of barrier heights for both electrons, Ee and holes, Eh from the semiconductor substrate. Knowing the values of both Ee and Eh allows direct determination of the insulator band gap EG(I). Photoelectric measurements were made of a series of Graphene-SiO2-Si structures and an example is shown of the results obtained in sequential measurements of the same structure giving the following barrier height values: Ee = 4.34 ± 0.01 eV and Eh = 4.70 ± 0.03 eV. Based on this result and results obtained for other structures in the series we conservatively estimate the maximum uncertainty of both barrier heights estimations at ± 0.05 eV. This sets the SiO2 band gap estimation at EG(I) = 7.92 ± 0.1 eV. It is shown that widely different SiO2 band gap values were found by research groups using various determination methods. We hypothesize that these differences are due to different sensitivities of measurement methods used to the existence of the SiO2 valence band tail.

Band structure of germanium carbides for direct bandgap silicon photonics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stephenson, C. A., E-mail: cstephe3@nd.edu; Stillwell, R. A.; Wistey, M. A. [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 (United States); O' Brien, W. A. [Rigetti Quantum Computing, 775 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, California 94710 (United States); Penninger, M. W. [Honeywell UOP, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016 (United States); Schneider, W. F. [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 (United States); Gillett-Kunnath, M. [Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244 (United States); Zajicek, J. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 (United States); Yu, K. M. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Kudrawiec, R. [Institute of Physics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw (Poland)

2016-08-07

Compact optical interconnects require efficient lasers and modulators compatible with silicon. Ab initio modeling of Ge{sub 1−x}C{sub x} (x = 0.78%) using density functional theory with HSE06 hybrid functionals predicts a splitting of the conduction band at Γ and a strongly direct bandgap, consistent with band anticrossing. Photoreflectance of Ge{sub 0.998}C{sub 0.002} shows a bandgap reduction supporting these results. Growth of Ge{sub 0.998}C{sub 0.002} using tetrakis(germyl)methane as the C source shows no signs of C-C bonds, C clusters, or extended defects, suggesting highly substitutional incorporation of C. Optical gain and modulation are predicted to rival III–V materials due to a larger electron population in the direct valley, reduced intervalley scattering, suppressed Auger recombination, and increased overlap integral for a stronger fundamental optical transition.

Effect of van der Waals interaction on the properties of SnS{sub 2} layered semiconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seminovski, Y. [Instituto de Energía Solar, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Dpt. TEAT, ETSI Telecomunicacion, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Palacios, P., E-mail: pablo.palacios@upm.es [Instituto de Energía Solar, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Dpt. FyQATA, EIAE, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pz. Cardenal Cisneros, 3, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Wahnón, P. [Instituto de Energía Solar, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Dpt. TEAT, ETSI Telecomunicacion, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2013-05-01

Nowadays, dispersion correction applied on layered semiconductors is a topic of interest. Among the known layered semiconductors, SnS{sub 2} polytypes are wide gap semiconductors with a van der Waals interaction between their layers, which could form good materials to be used in photovoltaic applications. The present work gives an approach to the SnS{sub 2} geometrical and electronic characterization using an empirical dispersion correction added to the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof functional and subsequent actualization of the electronic charge density using the screened hybrid Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof functional using a density functional code. The obtained interlayer distance and band-gap are in good agreement with experimental values when van der Waals dispersion forces are included. - Highlights: ► Tin disulphide (SnS{sub 2}) has been calculated using density functional theory methods. ► A dispersion correction was also applied for two different SnS{sub 2} polytypes. ► Geometrical parameters and band-gaps were obtained using both approaches. ► Our calculations give a good agreement of the computed band gap with experiment.

Complete low-frequency bandgap in a two-dimensional phononic crystal with spindle-shaped inclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Ting, Wang; Hui, Wang; Mei-Ping, Sheng; Qing-Hua, Qin

2016-04-01

A two-dimensional phononic crystal (PC) structure possessing a relatively low frequency range of complete bandgap is presented. The structure is composed of periodic spindle-shaped plumbum inclusions in a rubber matrix which forms a square lattice. The dispersion relation, transmission spectrum and displacement field are studied using the finite element method in conjunction with the Bloch theorem. Numerical results show that the present PC structure can achieve a large complete bandgap in a relatively low frequency range compared with two inclusions of different materials, which is useful in low-frequency noise and vibration control and can be designed as a low frequency acoustic filter and waveguides. Moreover, the transmission spectrum and effective mass are evaluated to validate the obtained band structure. It is interesting to see that within the band gap the effective mass becomes negative, resulting in an imaginary wave speed and wave exponential attenuation. Finally, sensitivity analysis of the effect of geometrical parameters of the presented PC structure on the lowest bandgap is performed to investigate the variations of the bandgap width and frequency. Project supported by the China Scholarship Council.

Properties of SiC semiconductor detector of fast neutrons investigated using MCNPX code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedlakova, K.; Sagatova, A.; Necas, V.; Zatko, B.

2013-01-01

The potential of silicon carbide (SiC) for use in semiconductor nuclear radiation detectors has been long recognized. The wide bandgap of SiC (3.25 eV for 4H-SiC polytype) compared to that for more conventionally used semiconductors, such as silicon (1.12 eV) and germanium (0.67 eV), makes SiC an attractive semiconductor for use in high dose rate and high ionization nuclear environments. The present work focused on the simulation of particle transport in SiC detectors of fast neutrons using statistical analysis of Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX. Its possibilities in detector design and optimization are presented.(authors)

Multi-fidelity machine learning models for accurate bandgap predictions of solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilania, Ghanshyam; Gubernatis, James E.; Lookman, Turab

2016-01-01

Here, we present a multi-fidelity co-kriging statistical learning framework that combines variable-fidelity quantum mechanical calculations of bandgaps to generate a machine-learned model that enables low-cost accurate predictions of the bandgaps at the highest fidelity level. Additionally, the adopted Gaussian process regression formulation allows us to predict the underlying uncertainties as a measure of our confidence in the predictions. In using a set of 600 elpasolite compounds as an example dataset and using semi-local and hybrid exchange correlation functionals within density functional theory as two levels of fidelities, we demonstrate the excellent learning performance of the method against actual high fidelity quantum mechanical calculations of the bandgaps. The presented statistical learning method is not restricted to bandgaps or electronic structure methods and extends the utility of high throughput property predictions in a significant way.

Elucidating the role of surface passivating ligand structural parameters in hole wave function delocalization in semiconductor cluster molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Teunis, Meghan B; Nagaraju, Mulpuri; Dutta, Poulami; Pu, Jingzhi; Muhoberac, Barry B; Sardar, Rajesh; Agarwal, Mangilal

2017-09-28

This article describes the mechanisms underlying electronic interactions between surface passivating ligands and (CdSe) 34 semiconductor cluster molecules (SCMs) that facilitate band-gap engineering through the delocalization of hole wave functions without altering their inorganic core. We show here both experimentally and through density functional theory calculations that the expansion of the hole wave function beyond the SCM boundary into the ligand monolayer depends not only on the pre-binding energetic alignment of interfacial orbitals between the SCM and surface passivating ligands but is also strongly influenced by definable ligand structural parameters such as the extent of their π-conjugation [π-delocalization energy; pyrene (Py), anthracene (Anth), naphthalene (Naph), and phenyl (Ph)], binding mode [dithiocarbamate (DTC, -NH-CS 2 - ), carboxylate (-COO - ), and amine (-NH 2 )], and binding head group [-SH, -SeH, and -TeH]. We observe an unprecedentedly large ∼650 meV red-shift in the lowest energy optical absorption band of (CdSe) 34 SCMs upon passivating their surface with Py-DTC ligands and the trend is found to be Ph- wave function delocalization rather than carrier trapping and/or phonon-mediated relaxation. Taken together, knowledge of how ligands electronically interact with the SCM surface is crucial to semiconductor nanomaterial research in general because it allows the tuning of electronic properties of nanomaterials for better charge separation and enhanced charge transfer, which in turn will increase optoelectronic device and photocatalytic efficiencies.

Optical and optoelectronic properties of nanostructures based on wide-bandgap semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalden, Joachim

2010-01-01

approach to achieve semiconductor waveguides is the growth of self assembled nanowires, as this kind of nanostructure possesses promising crystalline properties, and no processing is necessary to obtain pillar-like geometries. The last part of the work contains an analysis of the optical properties of nanowires. Furthermore, the influence of doping on these structures is investigated by electron microscopy and PL measurements. Also the integration of quantum well heterostructures is presented and examined. (orig.)

Printable semiconductor structures and related methods of making and assembling

Science.gov (United States)

Nuzzo, Ralph G.; Rogers, John A.; Menard, Etienne; Lee, Keon Jae; Khang; , Dahl-Young; Sun, Yugang; Meitl, Matthew; Zhu, Zhengtao; Ko, Heung Cho; Mack, Shawn

2013-03-12

The present invention provides a high yield pathway for the fabrication, transfer and assembly of high quality printable semiconductor elements having selected physical dimensions, shapes, compositions and spatial orientations. The compositions and methods of the present invention provide high precision registered transfer and integration of arrays of microsized and/or nanosized semiconductor structures onto substrates, including large area substrates and/or flexible substrates. In addition, the present invention provides methods of making printable semiconductor elements from low cost bulk materials, such as bulk silicon wafers, and smart-materials processing strategies that enable a versatile and commercially attractive printing-based fabrication platform for making a broad range of functional semiconductor devices.

Key techniques for space-based solar pumped semiconductor lasers

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yang; Xiong, Sheng-jun; Liu, Xiao-long; Han, Wei-hua

2014-12-01

In space, the absence of atmospheric turbulence, absorption, dispersion and aerosol factors on laser transmission. Therefore, space-based laser has important values in satellite communication, satellite attitude controlling, space debris clearing, and long distance energy transmission, etc. On the other hand, solar energy is a kind of clean and renewable resources, the average intensity of solar irradiation on the earth is 1353W/m2, and it is even higher in space. Therefore, the space-based solar pumped lasers has attracted much research in recent years, most research focuses on solar pumped solid state lasers and solar pumped fiber lasers. The two lasing principle is based on stimulated emission of the rare earth ions such as Nd, Yb, Cr. The rare earth ions absorb light only in narrow bands. This leads to inefficient absorption of the broad-band solar spectrum, and increases the system heating load, which make the system solar to laser power conversion efficiency very low. As a solar pumped semiconductor lasers could absorb all photons with energy greater than the bandgap. Thus, solar pumped semiconductor lasers could have considerably higher efficiencies than other solar pumped lasers. Besides, solar pumped semiconductor lasers has smaller volume chip, simpler structure and better heat dissipation, it can be mounted on a small satellite platform, can compose satellite array, which can greatly improve the output power of the system, and have flexible character. This paper summarizes the research progress of space-based solar pumped semiconductor lasers, analyses of the key technologies based on several application areas, including the processing of semiconductor chip, the design of small and efficient solar condenser, and the cooling system of lasers, etc. We conclude that the solar pumped vertical cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers will have a wide application prospects in the space.

Silica-air photonic crystal fiber design that permits waveguiding by a true photonic bandgap effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barkou, Stig Eigil; Broeng, Jes; Bjarklev, Anders Overgaard

1999-01-01

A theoretical investigation of a novel type of optical fiber is presented. The operation of the fiber relies entirely on wave guidance through the photonic bandgap effect and not on total internal reflection, thereby distinguishing that fiber from all other known fibers, including recently studied...... photonic crystal fibers. The novel fiber has a central low-index core region and a cladding consisting of a silica background material with air holes situated within a honeycomb lattice structure. We show the existence of photonic bandgaps for the silica–air cladding structure and demonstrate how light can...... be guided at the central low-index core region for a well-defined frequency that falls inside the photonic bandgap region of the cladding structure....

Two-Dimentional Photonic Crystal Waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, Thomas; Dridi, Kim

1999-01-01

possible a novel class of optical microcavities, whereas line defects make possible a novel class of waveguides. In this paper we will analyze two-dimensional photonic crystal waveguides based on photonic crystals with rods arranged on a triangular and a square lattice using a plane-wave expansion method......In the recent years a new class of periodic high-index contrast dielectric structures, known as photonic bandgap structures, has been discovered. In these structures frequency intervals, known as photonic bandgaps, where propagation of electromagnetic waves is not allowed, exist due to the periodic...... dielectric function. This is analogous to semiconductors, where electronic bandgaps exist due to the periodic arrangement of atoms. As is also the case for semiconductor structures, photonic bandgap structures may become of even greater value when defects are introduced. In particular, point defects make...

Structure of metal-rich (001) surfaces of III-V compound semiconductors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumpf, C.; Smilgies, D.; Landemark, E.

2001-01-01

The atomic structure of the group-III-rich surface of III-V semiconductor compounds has been under intense debate for many years, yet none of the models agrees with the experimental data available. Here we present a model for the three-dimensional structure of the (001)-c(8x2) reconstruction on In......(8 x 2) reconstructions of III-V semiconductor surfaces contain the same essential building blocks....

Bandgap Engineering of 1300 nm Quantum Dots/Quantum Well Nanostructures Based Devices

KAUST Repository

Alhashim, Hala H.

2016-05-29

The main objectives of this thesis are to develop viable process and/or device technologies for bandgap tuning of 1300-nm InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot (QD) laser structures, and broad linewidth 1300-nm InGaAsP/InP quantum well (QW) superluminescent diode structures. The high performance bandgap-engineered QD laser structures were achieved by employing quantum-dot intermixing (QDI) based on impurity free vacancy diffusion (IFVD) technique for eventual seamless active-passive integration, and bandgap-tuned lasers. QDI using various dielectric-capping materials, such as HfO2, SrTiO3, TiO2, Al2O3 and ZnO, etc, were experimented in which the resultant emission wavelength can be blueshifted to ∼ 1100 nm ─ 1200 nm range depending on process conditions. The significant results extracted from the PL characterization were used to perform an extensive laser characterization. The InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers with QDs transition energies were blueshifted by ~185 nm, and lasing around ~1070 – 1190 nm was achieved. Furthermore, from the spectral analysis, a simultaneous five-state lasing in the InAs/InGaAs intermixed QD laser was experimentally demonstrated for the first time in the very important wavelength range from 1030 to 1125 nm. The QDI methodology enabled the facile formation of a plethora of devices with various emission wavelengths suitable for a wide range of applications in the infrared. In addition, the wavelength range achieved is also applicable for coherent light generation in the green – yellow – orange visible wavelength band via frequency doubling, which is a cost-effective way of producing compact devices for pico-projectors, semiconductor laser based solid state lighting, etc. [1, 2] In QW-based superluminescent diode, the problem statement lies on achieving a flat-top and ultra-wide emission bandwidth. The approach was to design an inhomogeneous active region with a comparable simultaneous emission from different transition states in the QW stacks, in

Theoretical Investigation of Bismuth-Based Semiconductors for Photocatalytic Applications

KAUST Repository

Laradhi, Shaikhah

2017-11-01

Converting solar energy to clean fuel has gained remarkable attention as an emerged renewable energy resource but optimum efficiency in photocatalytic applications has not yet been reached. One of the dominant factors is designing efficient photocatalytic semiconductors. The research reveals a theoretical investigation of optoelectronic properties of bismuth-based metal oxide and oxysulfide semiconductors using highly accurate first-principles quantum method based on density functional theory along with the range-separated hybrid HSE06 exchange-correlation functional. First, bismuth titanate compounds including Bi12TiO20, Bi4Ti3O12, and Bi2Ti2O7 were studied in a combined experimental and theoretical approach to prove its photocatalytic activity under UV light. They have unique bismuth layered structure, tunable electronic properties, high dielectric constant and low electron and effective masses in one crystallographic direction allowing for good charge separation and carrier diffusion properties. The accuracy of the investigation was determined by the good agreement between experimental and theoretical values. Next, BiVO4 with the highest efficiency for oxygen evolution was investigated. A discrepancy between the experimental and theoretical bandgap was reported and inspired a systematic study of all intrinsic defects of the material and the corresponding effect on the optical and transport properties. A candidate defective structure was proposed for an efficient photocatalytic performance. To overcome the carrier transport limitation, a mild hydrogen treatment was also introduced. Carrier lifetime was enhanced due to a significant reduction of trap-assisted recombination, either via passivation of deep trap states or reduction of trap state density. Finally, an accurate theoretical approach to design a new family of semiconductors with enhanced optoelectronic properties for water splitting was proposed. We simulated the solid solutions Bi1−xRExCuOS (RE = Y, La

Creation of tunable absolute bandgaps in a two-dimensional anisotropic photonic crystal modulated by a nematic liquid crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Chenyang

2008-01-01

Photonic crystals (PCs) have many potential applications because of their ability to control light-wave propagation. We have investigated the tunable absolute bandgap in a two-dimensional anisotropic photonic crystal structures modulated by a nematic liquid crystal. The PC structure composed of an anisotropic-dielectric cylinder in the liquid crystal medium is studied by solving Maxwell's equations using the plane wave expansion method. The photonic band structures are found to exhibit absolute bandgaps for the square and triangular lattices. Numerical simulations show that the absolute bandgaps can be continuously tuned in the square and triangular lattices consisting of anisotropic-dielectric cylinders by infiltrating nematic liquid crystals. Such a mechanism of bandgap adjustment should open up a new application for designing components in photonic integrated circuits

Optoelectronic and transport properties of LiBZ (B = Al, In, Ga and Z = Si, Ge, Sn) semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Syed Hatim; Khan, Shah Haider; Laref, A.; Murtaza, G.

2018-02-01

Half-Heusler compounds LiBZ (B = Al, In, Ga and Z = Si, Ge, Sn) are comprehensively investigated using state of the art full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method. Stable geometry of the compounds obtained through energy minimization procedure. Lattice constant increased while bulk modulus decreased in replacing the ions of size increasing from top to bottom of the periodic table. Band structure calculations show LiInGe and LiInSn as direct bandgap while LiAlSi, LiInGe and LiGaSn indirect bandgap semiconductors. Density of states demonstrates mixed s, p, d states of cations and anions in the valence and conduction bands. These compounds have mixed ionic and covalent bonding. Compounds show dominant optical response in the visible and low frequency ultraviolet energy region. The transport properties of the compounds are described in terms of Seebeck coefficient, electrical and thermal conductivities. The calculated figure of merit of LiAlSi is in good agreement with the recent experimental results.

Optimal design of tunable phononic bandgap plates under equibiaxial stretch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hedayatrasa, Saeid; Abhary, Kazem; Uddin, M S; Guest, James K

2016-01-01

Design and application of phononic crystal (PhCr) acoustic metamaterials has been a topic with tremendous growth of interest in the last decade due to their promising capabilities to manipulate acoustic and elastodynamic waves. Phononic controllability of waves through a particular PhCr is limited only to the spectrums located within its fixed bandgap frequency. Hence the ability to tune a PhCr is desired to add functionality over its variable bandgap frequency or for switchability. Deformation induced bandgap tunability of elastomeric PhCr solids and plates with prescribed topology have been studied by other researchers. Principally the internal stress state and distorted geometry of a deformed phononic crystal plate (PhP) changes its effective stiffness and leads to deformation induced tunability of resultant modal band structure. Thus the microstructural topology of a PhP can be altered so that specific tunability features are met through prescribed deformation. In the present study novel tunable PhPs of this kind with optimized bandgap efficiency-tunability of guided waves are computationally explored and evaluated. Low loss transmission of guided waves throughout thin walled structures makes them ideal for fabrication of low loss ultrasound devices and structural health monitoring purposes. Various tunability targets are defined to enhance or degrade complete bandgaps of plate waves through macroscopic tensile deformation. Elastomeric hyperelastic material is considered which enables recoverable micromechanical deformation under tuning finite stretch. Phononic tunability through stable deformation of phononic lattice is specifically required and so any topology showing buckling instability under assumed deformation is disregarded. Nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (GA) NSGA-II is adopted for evolutionary multiobjective topology optimization of hypothesized tunable PhP with square symmetric unit-cell and relevant topologies are analyzed through finite

Semiconductor Three-Dimensional Photonic Crystals with Novel Layer-by-Layer Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Iwamoto

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Three-dimensional photonic crystals (3D PhCs are a fascinating platform for manipulating photons and controlling their interactions with matter. One widely investigated structure is the layer-by-layer woodpile structure, which possesses a complete photonic bandgap. On the other hand, other types of 3D PhC structures also offer various possibilities for controlling light by utilizing the three dimensional nature of structures. In this article, we discuss our recent research into novel types of layer-by-layer structures, including the experimental demonstration of a 3D PhC nanocavity formed in a <110>-layered diamond structure and the realization of artificial optical activity in rotationally stacked woodpile structures.

Measurements of electrophysical characteristics of semiconductor structures with the use of microwave photonic crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Usanov, D. A., E-mail: UsanovDA@info.sgu.ru [Chernyshevsky National Research State University (Russian Federation); Nikitov, S. A. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Kotelnikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics (Russian Federation); Skripal, A. V.; Ponomarev, D. V.; Latysheva, E. V. [Chernyshevsky National Research State University (Russian Federation)

2016-12-15

A method is proposed for the measurement of the electrophysical characteristics of semiconductor structures: the electrical conductivity of the n layer, which plays the role of substrate for a semiconductor structure, and the thickness and electrical conductivity of the strongly doped epitaxial n{sup +} layer. The method is based on the use of a one-dimensional microwave photonic crystal with a violation of periodicity containing the semiconductor structure under investigation. The characteristics of epitaxial gallium-arsenide structures consisting of an epitaxial layer and the semi-insulating substrate measured by this method are presented.

Quasiperiodic one-dimensional photonic crystals with adjustable multiple photonic bandgaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyunishev, Andrey M; Pankin, Pavel S; Svyakhovskiy, Sergey E; Timofeev, Ivan V; Vetrov, Stepan Ya

2017-09-15

We propose an elegant approach to produce photonic bandgap (PBG) structures with multiple photonic bandgaps by constructing quasiperiodic photonic crystals (QPPCs) composed of a superposition of photonic lattices with different periods. Generally, QPPC structures exhibit both aperiodicity and multiple PBGs due to their long-range order. They are described by a simple analytical expression, instead of quasiperiodic tiling approaches based on substitution rules. Here we describe the optical properties of QPPCs exhibiting two PBGs that can be tuned independently. PBG interband spacing and its depth can be varied by choosing appropriate reciprocal lattice vectors and their amplitudes. These effects are confirmed by the proof-of-concept measurements made for the porous silicon-based QPPC of the appropriate design.

SiP monolayers: New 2D structures of group IV-V compounds for visible-light photohydrolytic catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zhinan; Zhuang, Jibin; Zhang, Xu; Zhou, Zhen

2018-06-01

Because of graphene and phosphorene, two-dimensional (2D) layered materials of group IV and group V elements arouse great interest. However, group IV-V monolayers have not received due attention. In this work, three types of SiP monolayers were computationally designed to explore their electronic structure and optical properties. Computations confirm the stability of these monolayers, which are all indirect-bandgap semiconductors with bandgaps in the range 1.38-2.21 eV. The bandgaps straddle the redox potentials of water at pH = 0, indicating the potential of the monolayers for use as watersplitting photocatalysts. The computed optical properties demonstrate that certain monolayers of SiP 2D materials are absorbers of visible light and would serve as good candidates for optoelectronic devices.

PdO doping tunes band-gap energy levels as well as oxidative stress responses to a Co₃O₄ p-type semiconductor in cells and the lung.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haiyuan; Pokhrel, Suman; Ji, Zhaoxia; Meng, Huan; Wang, Xiang; Lin, Sijie; Chang, Chong Hyun; Li, Linjiang; Li, Ruibin; Sun, Bingbing; Wang, Meiying; Liao, Yu-Pei; Liu, Rong; Xia, Tian; Mädler, Lutz; Nel, André E

2014-04-30

We demonstrate through PdO doping that creation of heterojunctions on Co3O4 nanoparticles can quantitatively adjust band-gap and Fermi energy levels to study the impact of metal oxide nanoparticle semiconductor properties on cellular redox homeostasis and hazard potential. Flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) was used to synthesize a nanoparticle library in which the gradual increase in the PdO content (0-8.9%) allowed electron transfer from Co3O4 to PdO to align Fermi energy levels across the heterojunctions. This alignment was accompanied by free hole accumulation at the Co3O4 interface and production of hydroxyl radicals. Interestingly, there was no concomitant superoxide generation, which could reflect the hole dominance of a p-type semiconductor. Although the electron flux across the heterojunctions induced upward band bending, the E(c) levels of the doped particles showed energy overlap with the biological redox potential (BRP). This allows electron capture from the redox couples that maintain the BRP from -4.12 to -4.84 eV, causing disruption of cellular redox homeostasis and induction of oxidative stress. PdO/Co3O4 nanoparticles showed significant increases in cytotoxicity at 25, 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL, which was enhanced incrementally by PdO doping in BEAS-2B and RAW 264.7 cells. Oxidative stress presented as a tiered cellular response involving superoxide generation, glutathione depletion, cytokine production, and cytotoxicity in epithelial and macrophage cell lines. A progressive series of acute pro-inflammatory effects could also be seen in the lungs of animals exposed to incremental PdO-doped particles. All considered, generation of a combinatorial PdO/Co3O4 nanoparticle library with incremental heterojunction density allowed us to demonstrate the integrated role of E(v), E(c), and E(f) levels in the generation of oxidant injury and inflammation by the p-type semiconductor, Co3O4.

Electronic structure and self-assembly of cross-linked semiconductor nanocrystal arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steiner, Dov; Azulay, Doron; Aharoni, Assaf; Salant, Assaf; Banin, Uri; Millo, Oded

2008-01-01

We studied the electronic level structure of assemblies of InAs quantum dots and CdSe nanorods cross-linked by 1,4-phenylenediamine molecules using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. We found that the bandgap in these arrays is reduced with respect to the corresponding ligand-capped nanocrystal arrays. In addition, a pronounced sub-gap spectral structure commonly appeared which can be attributed to unpassivated nanocrystal surface states or associated with linker-molecule-related levels. The exchange of the ligands by the linker molecules also affected the structural array properties. Most significantly, clusters of close-packed standing CdSe nanorods were formed

Investigation on bandgap, diffraction, interference, and refraction effects of photonic crystal structure in GaN/InGaN LEDs for light extraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Patra, Saroj Kanta; Adhikari, Sonachand; Pal, Suchandan

2014-06-20

In this paper, we have made a clear differentiation among bandgap, diffraction, interference, and refraction effects in photonic crystal structures (PhCs). For observing bandgap, diffraction, and refraction effects, PhCs are considered on the top p-GaN surface of light emitting diodes (LEDs), whereas for interference effect, hole type PhCs are considered to be embedded within n-GaN layer of LED. From analysis, it is observed that at a particular lattice periodicity, for which bandgap lies within the wavelength of interest shows a significant light extraction due to inhibition of guided mode. Beyond a certain periodicity, diffraction effect starts dominating and light extraction improves further. The interference effect is observed in embedded photonic crystal LEDs, where depth of etching supports constructive interference of outward light waves. We have also shed light on refraction effects exhibited by the PhCs and whether negative refraction properties of PhCs may be useful in case of LED light extraction.

Structural study of the AlP, GaAs and AlAs semiconductors with wurtzite structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bautista H, A.; Perez A, L.; Pal, U.; Rivas S, J.F.

2003-01-01

In this work we present ab initio calculations of optimization geometries, lattice constant and electronic structure for semiconductors wurtzite type, like AIN, CdS, Zn S, Zn Se, Ga N and GaAs. For this, we used the CASTEP program of CERUIS with LDA and GGA approximations, in the framework of Functional Density Theory. The used pseudopotentials are available in that program and were generated using the optimization scheme of Troullier-Martins. With the lattice constant just optimized, we calculate then the X-ray spectra for studied semiconductors.We analyzed the effect of used pseudopotentials on function of the results obtained. Finally, we predicted the geometry and X-ray pattern for AIP, AlAs and GaAs with wurtzite structure, giving evidence about the semiconductor character of these materials. (Author)

GaN/NbN epitaxial semiconductor/superconductor heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Rusen; Khalsa, Guru; Vishwanath, Suresh; Han, Yimo; Wright, John; Rouvimov, Sergei; Katzer, D. Scott; Nepal, Neeraj; Downey, Brian P.; Muller, David A.; Xing, Huili G.; Meyer, David J.; Jena, Debdeep

2018-03-01

Epitaxy is a process by which a thin layer of one crystal is deposited in an ordered fashion onto a substrate crystal. The direct epitaxial growth of semiconductor heterostructures on top of crystalline superconductors has proved challenging. Here, however, we report the successful use of molecular beam epitaxy to grow and integrate niobium nitride (NbN)-based superconductors with the wide-bandgap family of semiconductors—silicon carbide, gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN). We apply molecular beam epitaxy to grow an AlGaN/GaN quantum-well heterostructure directly on top of an ultrathin crystalline NbN superconductor. The resulting high-mobility, two-dimensional electron gas in the semiconductor exhibits quantum oscillations, and thus enables a semiconductor transistor—an electronic gain element—to be grown and fabricated directly on a crystalline superconductor. Using the epitaxial superconductor as the source load of the transistor, we observe in the transistor output characteristics a negative differential resistance—a feature often used in amplifiers and oscillators. Our demonstration of the direct epitaxial growth of high-quality semiconductor heterostructures and devices on crystalline nitride superconductors opens up the possibility of combining the macroscopic quantum effects of superconductors with the electronic, photonic and piezoelectric properties of the group III/nitride semiconductor family.

Structural correlations in the generation of polaron pairs in low-bandgap polymers for photovoltaics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tautz, Raphael; Da Como, Enrico; Limmer, Thomas; Feldmann, Jochen; Egelhaaf, Hans-Joachim; von Hauff, Elizabeth; Lemaur, Vincent; Beljonne, David; Yilmaz, Seyfullah; Dumsch, Ines; Allard, Sybille; Scherf, Ullrich

Polymeric semiconductors are materials where unique optical and electronic properties often originate from a tailored chemical structure. This allows for synthesizing conjugated macromolecules with ad hoc functionalities for organic electronics. In photovoltaics, donor–acceptor co-polymers, with

Semiconductor thin films directly from minerals—study of structural, optical, and transport characteristics of Cu2O thin films from malachite mineral and synthetic CuO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balasubramaniam, K.R.; Kao, V.M.; Ravichandran, J.; Rossen, P.B.; Siemons, W.; Ager, J.W.

2012-01-01

We demonstrate the proof-of-concept of using an abundantly occurring natural ore, malachite (Cu 2 CO 3 (OH) 2 ) to directly yield the semiconductor Cu 2 O to be used as an active component of a functional thin film based device. Cu 2 O is an archetype hole-conducting semiconductor that possesses several interesting characteristics particularly useful for solar cell applications, including low cost, non-toxicity, good hole mobility, large minority carrier diffusion length, and a direct energy gap ideal for efficient absorption. In this article, we compare the structural, optical, and electrical transport characteristics of Cu 2 O thin films grown from the natural mineral malachite and synthetic CuO targets. Growth from either source material results in single-phase, fully epitaxial cuprous oxide thin films as determined by x-ray diffraction. The films grown from malachite have strong absorption coefficients ( 10 4 cm −1 ), a direct allowed optical bandgap ( 2.4 eV), and majority carrier hole mobilities ( 35 cm 2 V −1 s −1 at room temperature) that compare well with films grown from the synthetic target as well as with previously reported values. Our work demonstrates that minerals could be useful to directly yield the active components in functional devices and suggests a route for the exploration of low cost energy conversion and storage technologies. - Highlights: ► Semiconductor thin films directly from minerals ► Chemistry and structure evolution of the films obtained from mineral target is very similar to that films obtained from high-purity synthetic targets. ► Quite interestingly, transport and optical characteristics are also found to be similar.

First-principles simulations of the leakage current in metal-oxide-semiconductor structures caused by oxygen vacancies in HfO2 high-K gate dielectric

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, L.F.; Wang, Z.O.

2008-01-01

HfO 2 high-K gate dielectric has been used as a new gate dielectric in metal-oxide-semiconductor structures. First-principles simulations are used to study the effects of oxygen vacancies on the tunneling current through the oxide. A level which is nearly 1.25 eV from the bottom of the conduction band is introduced into the bandgap due to the oxygen vacancies. The tunneling current calculations show that the tunneling currents through the gate oxide with different defect density possess the typical characteristic of stress-induced leakage current. Further analysis shows that the location of oxygen vacancies will have a marked effect on the tunneling current. The largest increase in the tunneling current caused by oxygen vacancies comes about at the middle oxide field when defects are located at the middle of the oxide. (copyright 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Structural defects in cubic semiconductors characterized by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arroyo Rojas Dasilva, Yadira; Kozak, Roksolana; Erni, Rolf; Rossell, Marta D., E-mail: marta.rossell@empa.ch

2017-05-15

The development of new electro-optical devices and the realization of novel types of transistors require a profound understanding of the structural characteristics of new semiconductor heterostructures. This article provides a concise review about structural defects which occur in semiconductor heterostructures on the basis of micro-patterned Si substrates. In particular, one- and two-dimensional crystal defects are being discussed which are due to the plastic relaxation of epitaxial strain caused by the misfit of crystal lattices. Besides a few selected examples from literature, we treat in particular crystal defects occurring in GaAs/Si, Ge/Si and β-SiC/Si structures which are studied by high-resolution annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The relevance of this article is twofold; firstly, it should provide a collection of data which are of help for the identification and characterization of defects in cubic semiconductors by means of atomic-resolution imaging, and secondly, the experimental data shall provide a basis for advancing the understanding of device characteristics with the aid of theoretical modelling by considering the defective nature of strained semiconductor heterostructures. - Highlights: • The heterogeneous integration of high-quality compound semiconductors remains a challenge. • Lattice defects cause severe degradation of the semiconductor device performances. • Aberration-corrected HAADF-STEM allows atomic-scale characterization of defects. • An overview of lattice defects found in cubic semiconductors is presented. • Theoretical modelling and calculations are needed to determine the defect properties.

Aluminum doping of CuInSe{sub 2} synthesized by solution process and its effect on structure, morphology, and bandgap tuning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Zhi; Deng, Weizhi; Zhang, Xia; Yuan, Qian; Deng, Peiran; Sun, Lei [Material Engineering College, Shanghai University of Engineering Science (China); Liang, Jun [School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen University Town (China)

2014-11-15

Al-doped CuInSe{sub 2} material is prepared by a low-cost wet chemical process. The key properties of Al-doped CuInSe{sub 2} as a successful solar cell material are investigated, such as crystal structure, morphology, optical properties, and bandgap. In situ X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the doping of Al has induced noticeable lattice distortion. The material shows excellent thermal stability up to 600 C annealing temperature. By increasing the Al-doping concentration, the crystal unit-cell parameter of the material becomes smaller and the change of crystal structure leads to an increase of the grain size and surface roughness. The bandgap of Al-doped CuInSe{sub 2} can be continuously tuned in a range of 1.07-1.67 eV as Al/(Al + In) content ratio varies from 0 to 0.49. Finally, the effect mechanism on the properties of CuInSe{sub 2} after Al doping is discussed based on the ionic radius, crystal structure, and bonding state. (copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Visible light photoreactivity from hybridization states between carbon nitride bandgap states and valence states in Nb and Ti oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hosik, E-mail: hosiklee@gmail.com [School of Mechanical and Advanced Materials Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Unist-gil 100 Eonyang-eup, Ulsan 689-798 (Korea, Republic of); Ohno, Takahisa, E-mail: OHNO.Takahisa@nims.go.jp [Global Research Center for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science (GREEN), National Institute for Material Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba (Japan); Computational Materials Science Unit (CMSU), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047 (Japan)

2013-03-29

Highlights: ► Origin of bandgap reduction for visible photoreactivity is suggested. ► Carbon nitride adsorption in interlayer space can induce the bandgap reduction. ► The electronic structures are studied by density functional theory calculations. - Abstract: For better efficiency as photocatalysts, N-doping for visible light reactivity has been intensively studied in Lamellar niobic and titanic solid acids (HNb{sub 3}O{sub 8}, H{sub 2}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 9}), and its microscopic structures have been debated in this decade. We calculate the layered solid acids’ structures and bandgaps. Bandgap reduction by carbon nitride adsorption in interlayer space is observed computationally. It originates from localized nitrogen states which form delocalized top-valence states by hybridizing with the host oxygen states and can contribute to photo-current.

Rocksalt nitride metal/semiconductor superlattices: A new class of artificially structured materials

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Bivas; Shakouri, Ali; Sands, Timothy D.

2018-06-01

Artificially structured materials in the form of superlattice heterostructures enable the search for exotic new physics and novel device functionalities, and serve as tools to push the fundamentals of scientific and engineering knowledge. Semiconductor heterostructures are the most celebrated and widely studied artificially structured materials, having led to the development of quantum well lasers, quantum cascade lasers, measurements of the fractional quantum Hall effect, and numerous other scientific concepts and practical device technologies. However, combining metals with semiconductors at the atomic scale to develop metal/semiconductor superlattices and heterostructures has remained a profoundly difficult scientific and engineering challenge. Though the potential applications of metal/semiconductor heterostructures could range from energy conversion to photonic computing to high-temperature electronics, materials challenges primarily had severely limited progress in this pursuit until very recently. In this article, we detail the progress that has taken place over the last decade to overcome the materials engineering challenges to grow high quality epitaxial, nominally single crystalline metal/semiconductor superlattices based on transition metal nitrides (TMN). The epitaxial rocksalt TiN/(Al,Sc)N metamaterials are the first pseudomorphic metal/semiconductor superlattices to the best of our knowledge, and their physical properties promise a new era in superlattice physics and device engineering.

A theoretical study of pressure-induced phase transitions and electronic band structure of anti-A-sesquioxide type γ-Be3N2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paliwal, Uttam; Joshi, Kunj Bihari

2011-01-01

Structural parameters and electronic band structure of anti-A-sesquioxide (aAs) type γ-Be 3 N 2 are presented following the first-principles linear combination of atomic orbitals method within the framework of a posteriori density-functional theory implemented in the CRYSTAL code. Pressure-induced phase transitions among the four polymorphs α, β, cubic-γ and aAs-γ of Be 3 N 2 are examined. Enthalpy-pressure curves do not show the possibility of pressure-induced structural phase transition to the cubic-γ phase. However, α → aAs-γ and β → aAs-γ structural phase transitions are observed at 139 GPa and 93 GPa, respectively. Band structure calculations predict that aAs-γ Be 3 N 2 is an indirect semiconductor with 4.73 eV bandgap at L point. Variation of bandgap with pressure and deformation potentials are studied for the α, β and aAs-γ polymorphs. Pressure-dependent band structure calculations reveal that, within the low-pressure limit, bandgaps of β and aAs-γ increase with pressure unlike α-Be 3 N 2 .

Four-terminal circuit element with photonic core

Science.gov (United States)

Sampayan, Stephen

2017-08-29

A four-terminal circuit element is described that includes a photonic core inside of the circuit element that uses a wide bandgap semiconductor material that exhibits photoconductivity and allows current flow through the material in response to the light that is incident on the wide bandgap material. The four-terminal circuit element can be configured based on various hardware structures using a single piece or multiple pieces or layers of a wide bandgap semiconductor material to achieve various designed electrical properties such as high switching voltages by using the photoconductive feature beyond the breakdown voltages of semiconductor devices or circuits operated based on electrical bias or control designs. The photonic core aspect of the four-terminal circuit element provides unique features that enable versatile circuit applications to either replace the semiconductor transistor-based circuit elements or semiconductor diode-based circuit elements.

2D Crystal Semiconductors New Materials for GHz-THz Devices

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-02

authorization procedures , e.g. RD/FRD, PROPIN, ITAR, etc. Include copyright information. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES. Enter information not included elsewhere...out of the plane in equilibrium. The energy bandgaps and the band lineups of a few 2-D crystals are shown in Fig. 2. The figure also indicates the...Phys. Lett., vol. 72, pp. 1899–1901, 1998. [34] R. Schlaf, O. Lang, C. Pettenkofer, and W. Jaegermann, ‘‘Band lineup of layered semiconductor

Acceptor-modulated optical enhancements and band-gap narrowing in ZnO thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Ali; Jin, Yuhua; Irfan, Muhammad; Jiang, Yijian

2018-03-01

Fermi-Dirac distribution for doped semiconductors and Burstein-Moss effect have been correlated first time to figure out the conductivity type of ZnO. Hall Effect in the Van der Pauw configuration has been applied to reconcile our theoretical estimations which evince our assumption. Band-gap narrowing has been found in all p-type samples, whereas blue Burstein-Moss shift has been recorded in the n-type films. Atomic Force Microscopic (AFM) analysis shows that both p-type and n-type films have almost same granular-like structure with minor change in average grain size (˜ 6 nm to 10 nm) and surface roughness rms value 3 nm for thickness ˜315 nm which points that grain size and surface roughness did not play any significant role in order to modulate the conductivity type of ZnO. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) have been employed to perform the structural, chemical and elemental analysis. Hexagonal wurtzite structure has been observed in all samples. The introduction of nitrogen reduces the crystallinity of host lattice. 97% transmittance in the visible range with 1.4 × 107 Ω-1cm-1 optical conductivity have been detected. High absorption value in the ultra-violet (UV) region reveals that NZOs thin films can be used to fabricate next-generation high-performance UV detectors.

Acceptor-modulated optical enhancements and band-gap narrowing in ZnO thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Hassan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Fermi-Dirac distribution for doped semiconductors and Burstein-Moss effect have been correlated first time to figure out the conductivity type of ZnO. Hall Effect in the Van der Pauw configuration has been applied to reconcile our theoretical estimations which evince our assumption. Band-gap narrowing has been found in all p-type samples, whereas blue Burstein-Moss shift has been recorded in the n-type films. Atomic Force Microscopic (AFM analysis shows that both p-type and n-type films have almost same granular-like structure with minor change in average grain size (∼ 6 nm to 10 nm and surface roughness rms value 3 nm for thickness ∼315 nm which points that grain size and surface roughness did not play any significant role in order to modulate the conductivity type of ZnO. X-ray diffraction (XRD, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS have been employed to perform the structural, chemical and elemental analysis. Hexagonal wurtzite structure has been observed in all samples. The introduction of nitrogen reduces the crystallinity of host lattice. 97% transmittance in the visible range with 1.4 × 107 Ω-1cm-1 optical conductivity have been detected. High absorption value in the ultra-violet (UV region reveals that NZOs thin films can be used to fabricate next-generation high-performance UV detectors.

Studies of optical properties and applications of some mixed ternary semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, P.S.; Ghosh, D.K.; Samanta, L.K.

1989-01-01

Refractive indices of some mixed compound semiconductors below the bandgap are presented on the basis of some fundamental parameters and the effect of lattice mismatch on the refractive index step is also studied. The results help to design a variety of opto-electronic devices for the use in optical fiber communication and heterostructure lasers. The calculated values agree well with available experimental values thus justifying the approach. (author)

Amorphous Semiconductors: From Photocatalyst to Computer Memory

Science.gov (United States)

Sundararajan, Mayur

Amorphous semiconductors are useful in many applications like solar cells, thin film displays, sensors, electrophotography, etc. The dissertation contains four projects. In the first three projects, semiconductor glasses which are a subset of amorphous semiconductors were studied. The last project is about exploring the strengths and constraints of two analysis programs which calculate the particle size information from experimental Small Angle X-ray Scattering data. By definition, glasses have a random atomic arrangement with no order beyond the nearest neighbor, but strangely there exists an Intermediate Range Order (IRO). The origin of IRO is still not clearly understood, but various models have been proposed. The signature of IRO is the First Sharp Diffraction Peak(FSDP) observed in x-ray and neutron scattering data. The FSDP of TiO 2 SiO2 glass photocatalyst with different Ti:Si ratio from SAXS data was measured to test the theoretical models. The experimental results along with its computer simulation results strongly supported one of two leading models. It was also found that the effect of doping IRO on TiO2 SiO2 is severe in mesoporous form than the bulk form. Glass semiconductors in mesoporous form are very useful photocatalysts due to their large specific surface area. Solar energy conversion of photocatalysts greatly depends on their bandgap, but very few photocatalysts have the optical bandgap covering the whole visible region of solar spectrum leading to poor efficiency. A physical method was developed to manipulate the bandgap of mesoporous photocatalysts, by using the anisotropic thermal expansion and stressed glass network properties of mesoporous glasses. The anisotropic thermal expansion was established by S/WAXS characterization of mesoporous silica (MCM-41). The residual stress in the glass network of mesoporous glasses was already known for an earlier work. The new method was initially applied on mesoporous TiPO4, and the results were

Defects activated photoluminescence in two-dimensional semiconductors: interplay between bound, charged, and free excitons

Science.gov (United States)

Tongay, Sefaattin; Suh, Joonki; Ataca, Can; Fan, Wen; Luce, Alexander; Kang, Jeong Seuk; Liu, Jonathan; Ko, Changhyun; Raghunathanan, Rajamani; Zhou, Jian; Ogletree, Frank; Li, Jingbo; Grossman, Jeffrey C.; Wu, Junqiao

2013-01-01

Point defects in semiconductors can trap free charge carriers and localize excitons. The interaction between these defects and charge carriers becomes stronger at reduced dimensionalities, and is expected to greatly influence physical properties of the hosting material. We investigated effects of anion vacancies in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides as two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors where the vacancies density is controlled by α-particle irradiation or thermal-annealing. We found a new, sub-bandgap emission peak as well as increase in overall photoluminescence intensity as a result of the vacancy generation. Interestingly, these effects are absent when measured in vacuum. We conclude that in opposite to conventional wisdom, optical quality at room temperature cannot be used as criteria to assess crystal quality of the 2D semiconductors. Our results not only shed light on defect and exciton physics of 2D semiconductors, but also offer a new route toward tailoring optical properties of 2D semiconductors by defect engineering. PMID:24029823

Efficient light emission from inorganic and organic semiconductor hybrid structures by energy-level tuning.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlesinger, R; Bianchi, F; Blumstengel, S; Christodoulou, C; Ovsyannikov, R; Kobin, B; Moudgil, K; Barlow, S; Hecht, S; Marder, S R; Henneberger, F; Koch, N

2015-04-15

The fundamental limits of inorganic semiconductors for light emitting applications, such as holographic displays, biomedical imaging and ultrafast data processing and communication, might be overcome by hybridization with their organic counterparts, which feature enhanced frequency response and colour range. Innovative hybrid inorganic/organic structures exploit efficient electrical injection and high excitation density of inorganic semiconductors and subsequent energy transfer to the organic semiconductor, provided that the radiative emission yield is high. An inherent obstacle to that end is the unfavourable energy level offset at hybrid inorganic/organic structures, which rather facilitates charge transfer that quenches light emission. Here, we introduce a technologically relevant method to optimize the hybrid structure's energy levels, here comprising ZnO and a tailored ladder-type oligophenylene. The ZnO work function is substantially lowered with an organometallic donor monolayer, aligning the frontier levels of the inorganic and organic semiconductors. This increases the hybrid structure's radiative emission yield sevenfold, validating the relevance of our approach.

Efficient light emission from inorganic and organic semiconductor hybrid structures by energy-level tuning

Science.gov (United States)

Schlesinger, R.; Bianchi, F.; Blumstengel, S.; Christodoulou, C.; Ovsyannikov, R.; Kobin, B.; Moudgil, K.; Barlow, S.; Hecht, S.; Marder, S.R.; Henneberger, F.; Koch, N.

2015-01-01

The fundamental limits of inorganic semiconductors for light emitting applications, such as holographic displays, biomedical imaging and ultrafast data processing and communication, might be overcome by hybridization with their organic counterparts, which feature enhanced frequency response and colour range. Innovative hybrid inorganic/organic structures exploit efficient electrical injection and high excitation density of inorganic semiconductors and subsequent energy transfer to the organic semiconductor, provided that the radiative emission yield is high. An inherent obstacle to that end is the unfavourable energy level offset at hybrid inorganic/organic structures, which rather facilitates charge transfer that quenches light emission. Here, we introduce a technologically relevant method to optimize the hybrid structure's energy levels, here comprising ZnO and a tailored ladder-type oligophenylene. The ZnO work function is substantially lowered with an organometallic donor monolayer, aligning the frontier levels of the inorganic and organic semiconductors. This increases the hybrid structure's radiative emission yield sevenfold, validating the relevance of our approach. PMID:25872919

Progress in Group III nitride semiconductor electronic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao Yue; Zhang Jinfeng; Shen Bo; Liu Xinyu

2012-01-01

Recently there has been a rapid domestic development in group III nitride semiconductor electronic materials and devices. This paper reviews the important progress in GaN-based wide bandgap microelectronic materials and devices in the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, which focuses on the research of the fundamental physical mechanisms of group III nitride semiconductor electronic materials and devices with the aim to enhance the crystal quality and electric performance of GaN-based electronic materials, develop new GaN heterostructures, and eventually achieve high performance GaN microwave power devices. Some remarkable progresses achieved in the program will be introduced, including those in GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and metal—oxide—semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MOSHEMTs) with novel high-k gate insulators, and material growth, defect analysis and material properties of InAlN/GaN heterostructures and HEMT fabrication, and quantum transport and spintronic properties of GaN-based heterostructures, and high-electric-field electron transport properties of GaN material and GaN Gunn devices used in terahertz sources. (invited papers)

Competitive behavior of photons contributing to junction voltage jump in narrow band-gap semiconductor multi-quantum-well laser diodes at lasing threshold

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Liefeng, E-mail: fengliefeng@tju.edu.cn, E-mail: lihongru@nankai.edu.cn; Yang, Xiufang; Wang, Cunda; Yao, Dongsheng [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, Faculty of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Li, Yang [Business and Vocational College of Hainan, Haikou 570203 (China); Li, Ding; Hu, Xiaodong [Research Center for Wide Band Gap Semiconductors, State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Li, Hongru, E-mail: fengliefeng@tju.edu.cn, E-mail: lihongru@nankai.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry and Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)

2015-04-15

The junction behavior of different narrow band-gap multi-quantum-well (MQW) laser diodes (LDs) confirmed that the jump in the junction voltage in the threshold region is a general characteristic of narrow band-gap LDs. The relative change in the 1310 nm LD is the most obvious. To analyze this sudden voltage change, the threshold region is divided into three stages by I{sub th}{sup l} and I{sub th}{sup u}, as shown in Fig. 2; I{sub th}{sup l} is the conventional threshold, and as long as the current is higher than this threshold, lasing exists and the IdV/dI-I plot drops suddenly; I{sub th}{sup u} is the steady lasing point, at which the separation of the quasi-Fermi levels of electron and holes across the active region (V{sub j}) is suddenly pinned. Based on the evolutionary model of dissipative structure theory, the rate equations of the photons in a single-mode LD were deduced in detail at I{sub th}{sup l} and I{sub th}{sup u}. The results proved that the observed behavior of stimulated emission suddenly substituting for spontaneous emission, in a manner similar to biological evolution, must lead to a sudden increase in the injection carriers in the threshold region, which then causes the sudden increase in the junction voltage in this region.

Competitive behavior of photons contributing to junction voltage jump in narrow band-gap semiconductor multi-quantum-well laser diodes at lasing threshold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Liefeng; Yang, Xiufang; Wang, Cunda; Yao, Dongsheng; Li, Yang; Li, Ding; Hu, Xiaodong; Li, Hongru

2015-01-01

The junction behavior of different narrow band-gap multi-quantum-well (MQW) laser diodes (LDs) confirmed that the jump in the junction voltage in the threshold region is a general characteristic of narrow band-gap LDs. The relative change in the 1310 nm LD is the most obvious. To analyze this sudden voltage change, the threshold region is divided into three stages by I th l and I th u , as shown in Fig. 2; I th l is the conventional threshold, and as long as the current is higher than this threshold, lasing exists and the IdV/dI-I plot drops suddenly; I th u is the steady lasing point, at which the separation of the quasi-Fermi levels of electron and holes across the active region (V j ) is suddenly pinned. Based on the evolutionary model of dissipative structure theory, the rate equations of the photons in a single-mode LD were deduced in detail at I th l and I th u . The results proved that the observed behavior of stimulated emission suddenly substituting for spontaneous emission, in a manner similar to biological evolution, must lead to a sudden increase in the injection carriers in the threshold region, which then causes the sudden increase in the junction voltage in this region

Solid spectroscopy: semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, C.E.T.G. da

1983-01-01

Photoemission as technique of study of the semiconductor electronic structure is shortly discussed. Homogeneous and heterogeneous semiconductors, where volume and surface electronic structure, core levels and O and H chemisorption in GaAs, Schottky barrier are treated, respectively. Amorphous semiconductors are also discussed. (L.C.) [pt

Electronic structure of defects in semiconductor heterojunctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haussy, Bernard; Ganghoffer, Jean Francois

2002-01-01

Full text.heterojunctions and semiconductors and superlattices are well known and well used by people interested in optoelectronics communications. Components based on the use of heterojunctions are interesting for confinement of light and increase of quantum efficiency. An heterojunction is the contact zone between two different semiconductors, for example GaAs and Ga 1-x Al x As. Superlattices are a succession of heterojunctions (up to 10 or 20). These systems have been the subjects of many experiments ao analyse the contact between semiconductors. They also have been theoretically studied by different types of approach. The main result of those studies is the prediciton of band discontinuities. Defects in heterojunctions are real traps for charge carriers; they can affect the efficiency of the component decreasing the currents and the fluxes in it. the knowledge of their electronic structure is important, a great density of defects deeply modifies the electronic structure of the whole material creating real new bands of energy in the band structure of the component. in the first part of this work, we will describe the heterostructure and the defect in terms of quantum wells and discrete levels. This approach allows us to show the role of the width of the quantum well describing the structure but induces specific behaviours due to the one dimensional modelling. Then a perturbative treatment is proposed using the Green's functions formalism. We build atomic chains with different types of atoms featuring the heterostructure and the defect. Densities of states of a structure with a defect and levels associated to the defect are obtained. Results are comparable with the free electrons work, but the modelling do not induce problems due to a one dimensional approach. To extend our modelling, a three dimensions approach, based on a cavity model, is investigated. The influence of the defect, - of hydrogenoid type - introduced in the structure, is described by a cavity

Physics of bandgap formation in Cu-Sb-Se based novel thermoelectrics: the role of Sb valency and Cu d levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Dat; Ozolins, Vidvuds; Mahanti, S D; Lee, Mal-Soon; Zhang, Yongsheng; Wolverton, C

2012-10-17

In this paper we discuss the results of ab initio electronic structure calculations for Cu(3)SbSe(4) (Se4) and Cu(3)SbSe(3) (Se3), two narrow bandgap semiconductors of thermoelectric interest. We find that Sb is trivalent in both the compounds, in contrast to a simple nominal valence (ionic) picture which suggests that Sb should be 5 + in Se4. The gap formation in Se4 is quite subtle, with hybridization between Sb 5s and the neighboring Se 4s, 4p orbitals, position of Cu d states, and non-local exchange interaction, each playing significant roles. Thermopower calculations show that Se4 is a better p-type system. Our theoretical results for Se4 agree very well with recent experimental results obtained by Skoug et al (2011 Sci. Adv. Mater. 3 602).

Passive band-gap reconfiguration born from bifurcation asymmetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernard, Brian P; Mann, Brian P

2013-11-01

Current periodic structures are constrained to have fixed energy transmission behavior unless active control or component replacement is used to alter their wave propagation characteristics. The introduction of nonlinearity to generate multiple stable equilibria is an alternative strategy for realizing distinct energy propagation behaviors. We investigate the creation of a reconfigurable band-gap system by implementing passive switching between multiple stable states of equilibrium, to alter the level of energy attenuation in response to environmental stimuli. The ability to avoid potentially catastrophic loads is demonstrated by tailoring the bandpass and band-gap regions to coalesce for two stable equilibria and varying an external load parameter to trigger a bifurcation. The proposed phenomenon could be utilized in remote or autonomous applications where component modifications and active control are impractical.

Extracting hot carriers from photoexcited semiconductor nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Xiaoyang

2014-12-10

This research program addresses a fundamental question related to the use of nanomaterials in solar energy -- namely, whether semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) can help surpass the efficiency limits, the so-called “Shockley-Queisser” limit, in conventional solar cells. In these cells, absorption of photons with energies above the semiconductor bandgap generates “hot” charge carriers that quickly “cool” to the band edges before they can be utilized to do work; this sets the solar cell efficiency at a limit of ~31%. If instead, all of the energy of the hot carriers could be captured, solar-to-electric power conversion efficiencies could be increased, theoretically, to as high as 66%. A potential route to capture this energy is to utilize semiconductor nanocrystals. In these materials, the quasi-continuous conduction and valence bands of the bulk semiconductor become discretized due to confinement of the charge carriers. Consequently, the energy spacing between the electronic levels can be much larger than the highest phonon frequency of the lattice, creating a “phonon bottleneck” wherein hot-carrier relaxation is possible via slower multiphonon emission. For example, hot-electron lifetimes as long as ~1 ns have been observed in NCs grown by molecular beam epitaxy. In colloidal NCs, long lifetimes have been demonstrated through careful design of the nanocrystal interfaces. Due to their ability to slow electronic relaxation, semiconductor NCs can in principle enable extraction of hot carriers before they cool to the band edges, leading to more efficient solar cells.

Design of UWB Monopole Antenna with Dual Notched Bands Using One Modified Electromagnetic-Bandgap Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ziqiang

2013-01-01

A modified electromagnetic-bandgap (M-EBG) structure and its application to planar monopole ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna are presented. The proposed M-EBG which comprises two strip patch and an edge-located via can perform dual notched bands. By properly designing and placing strip patch near the feedline, the proposed M-EBG not only possesses a simple structure and compact size but also exhibits good band rejection. Moreover, it is easy to tune the dual notched bands by altering the dimensions of the M-EBG. A demonstration antenna with dual band-notched characteristics is designed and fabricated to validate the proposed method. The results show that the proposed antenna can satisfy the requirements of VSWR WLAN) at 3.5 GHz and 5.5 GHz, respectively. PMID:24170984

Optoelectronic Devices Based on Novel Semiconductor Structures

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Ding, Yujie

1997-01-01

.... We have set up a state-of-the-art nonlinear optics lab. We have systematically investigated spatially-localized band-gap renormalization and band-filling effects, photoluminescence saturation due to interface traps, and tunneling of heavy holes...

An effective pair potential for liquid semiconductor, Se: Structure and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

This model potential is then used to describe through low-order perturbation theory, the structure and related dynamical properties like self-diffusion coefficient and shear viscosity of this complex liquid over a wide range of temperatures. Keywords. Liquid semiconductor; pair potential; structure and dynamical properties.

PdO Doping Tunes Band-Gap Energy Levels as Well as Oxidative Stress Responses to a Co3O4p-Type Semiconductor in Cells and the Lung

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

We demonstrate through PdO doping that creation of heterojunctions on Co3O4 nanoparticles can quantitatively adjust band-gap and Fermi energy levels to study the impact of metal oxide nanoparticle semiconductor properties on cellular redox homeostasis and hazard potential. Flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) was used to synthesize a nanoparticle library in which the gradual increase in the PdO content (0–8.9%) allowed electron transfer from Co3O4 to PdO to align Fermi energy levels across the heterojunctions. This alignment was accompanied by free hole accumulation at the Co3O4 interface and production of hydroxyl radicals. Interestingly, there was no concomitant superoxide generation, which could reflect the hole dominance of a p-type semiconductor. Although the electron flux across the heterojunctions induced upward band bending, the Ec levels of the doped particles showed energy overlap with the biological redox potential (BRP). This allows electron capture from the redox couples that maintain the BRP from −4.12 to −4.84 eV, causing disruption of cellular redox homeostasis and induction of oxidative stress. PdO/Co3O4 nanoparticles showed significant increases in cytotoxicity at 25, 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL, which was enhanced incrementally by PdO doping in BEAS-2B and RAW 264.7 cells. Oxidative stress presented as a tiered cellular response involving superoxide generation, glutathione depletion, cytokine production, and cytotoxicity in epithelial and macrophage cell lines. A progressive series of acute pro-inflammatory effects could also be seen in the lungs of animals exposed to incremental PdO-doped particles. All considered, generation of a combinatorial PdO/Co3O4 nanoparticle library with incremental heterojunction density allowed us to demonstrate the integrated role of Ev, Ec, and Ef levels in the generation of oxidant injury and inflammation by the p-type semiconductor, Co3O4. PMID:24673286

Emergence of an enslaved phononic bandgap in a non-equilibrium pseudo-crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Bachelard, Nicolas; Ropp, Chad; Dubois, Marc; Zhao, Rongkuo; Wang, Yuan; Zhang, Xiang

2017-08-01

Material systems that reside far from thermodynamic equilibrium have the potential to exhibit dynamic properties and behaviours resembling those of living organisms. Here we realize a non-equilibrium material characterized by a bandgap whose edge is enslaved to the wavelength of an external coherent drive. The structure dynamically self-assembles into an unconventional pseudo-crystal geometry that equally distributes momentum across elements. The emergent bandgap is bestowed with lifelike properties, such as the ability to self-heal to perturbations and adapt to sudden changes in the drive. We derive an exact analytical solution for both the spatial organization and the bandgap features, revealing the mechanism for enslavement. This work presents a framework for conceiving lifelike non-equilibrium materials and emphasizes the potential for the dynamic imprinting of material properties through external degrees of freedom.

Emergence of an enslaved phononic bandgap in a non-equilibrium pseudo-crystal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachelard, Nicolas; Ropp, Chad; Dubois, Marc; Zhao, Rongkuo; Wang, Yuan; Zhang, Xiang

2017-08-01

Material systems that reside far from thermodynamic equilibrium have the potential to exhibit dynamic properties and behaviours resembling those of living organisms. Here we realize a non-equilibrium material characterized by a bandgap whose edge is enslaved to the wavelength of an external coherent drive. The structure dynamically self-assembles into an unconventional pseudo-crystal geometry that equally distributes momentum across elements. The emergent bandgap is bestowed with lifelike properties, such as the ability to self-heal to perturbations and adapt to sudden changes in the drive. We derive an exact analytical solution for both the spatial organization and the bandgap features, revealing the mechanism for enslavement. This work presents a framework for conceiving lifelike non-equilibrium materials and emphasizes the potential for the dynamic imprinting of material properties through external degrees of freedom.

Direct Bandgap Group IV Materials

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-21

AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2017-0049 Direct Bandgap group IV Materials Hung Hsiang Cheng NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY Final Report 01/21/2016 DISTRIBUTION A...NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY 1 ROOSEVELT RD. SEC. 4 TAIPEI CITY, 10617 TW 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING...14. ABSTRACT Direct bandgap group IV materials have been long sought for in both academia and industry for the implementation of photonic devices

Micro-Raman spectroscopy as a tool for the characterization of silicon carbide in power semiconductor material processing

Science.gov (United States)

De Biasio, M.; Kraft, M.; Schultz, M.; Goller, B.; Sternig, D.; Esteve, R.; Roesner, M.

2017-05-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide band-gap semi-conductor material that is used increasingly for high voltage power devices, since it has a higher breakdown field strength and better thermal conductivity than silicon. However, in particular its hardness makes wafer processing difficult and many standard semi-conductor processes have to be specially adapted. We measure the effects of (i) mechanical processing (i.e. grinding of the backside) and (ii) chemical and thermal processing (i.e. doping and annealing), using confocal microscopy to measure the surface roughness of ground wafers and micro-Raman spectroscopy to measure the stresses induced in the wafers by grinding. 4H-SiC wafers with different dopings were studied before and after annealing, using depth-resolved micro-Raman spectroscopy to observe how doping and annealing affect: i.) the damage and stresses induced on the crystalline structure of the samples and ii.) the concentration of free electrical carriers. Our results show that mechanical, chemical and thermal processing techniques have effects on this semiconductor material that can be observed and characterized using confocal microscopy and high resolution micro Raman spectroscopy.

Alternative approaches of SiC & related wide bandgap materials in light emitting & solar cell applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wellmann, Peter; Syväjärvi, Mikael; Ou, Haiyan

2014-03-01

silicon oxycarbide material can provide potential applications of the Eu luminescent materials to challenging conditions like high temperatures or aggressive environments where the silica has weaknesses. In some approaches, silicon rich silicon oxide that contain silicon nanoclusters emit red to near infrared luminescence due to quantum confinement effects while luminescence at shorter wavelength is difficult due to the interplay of defects and quantum confinement effects. In addition it is applicable as low-k dielectric, etch-stop and passivation layers. It also has an optical band-gap that is smaller than that of SiO2 which may facilitate carrier injection at lower voltages that is suitable for optoelectronics. From materials perspective of emerging materials, it seems distant to consider system related issues. The future demands on communication and lighting devices require higher information flows in modernized optical devices, for example by replacing electrical interconnects with their optical counterparts and tunable backgrounds filters for integrated optics or photonics applications. However, there are materials issues related to such device performance, for example by a non-linearity, that provide the possibility for selective removal or addition of wavelengths using hetero structures in which one side of the structure enhances the light-to-dark sensitivity of long and medium wavelength channels and diminish others, and an opposite behavior in other face of the structure. Certainly materials may be applied in various innovative ways to provide new performances in devices and systems. In any materials and device evaluation, reliability issues in passivation and packaging of semiconductor device structures provide a base knowledge that may be used to evaluate new concepts. Fundamental aspects of dielectric constant, bandgap and band offsets between the valence and conduction band edges between the passivation layer and the semiconductor create a foundation for

Near infrared laser stimulation of human neural stem cells into neurons on graphene nanomesh semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhavan, Omid; Ghaderi, Elham; Shirazian, Soheil A

2015-02-01

Reduced graphene oxide nanomeshes (rGONMs), as p-type semiconductors with band-gap energy of ∼ 1 eV, were developed and applied in near infrared (NIR) laser stimulation of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) into neurons. The biocompatibility of the rGONMs in growth of hNSCs was found similar to that of the graphene oxide (GO) sheets. Proliferation of the hNSCs on the GONMs was assigned to the excess oxygen functional groups formed on edge defects of the GONMs, resulting in superhydrophilicity of the surface. Under NIR laser stimulation, the graphene layers (especially the rGONMs) exhibited significant cell differentiations, including more elongations of the cells and higher differentiation of neurons than glia. The higher hNSC differentiation on the rGONM than the reduced GO (rGO) was assigned to the stimulation effects of the low-energy photoexcited electrons injected from the rGONM semiconductors into the cells, while the high-energy photoelectrons of the rGO (as a zero band-gap semiconductor) could suppress the cell proliferation and/or even cause cell damages. Using conventional heating of the culture media up to ∼ 43 °C (the temperature typically reached under the laser irradiation), no significant differentiation was observed in dark. This further confirmed the role of photoelectrons in the hNSC differentiation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical properties of semiconductors quantum microcavity structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afshar, A.M.

1996-12-01

The principal phenomenon investigated in this thesis is vacuum Rabi coupling in semiconductor microcavity structures. In these structures quantum well excitons are embedded in a Fabry - Perot like cavity, defined by two semiconductor dielectric mirrors. In such a system the coupled exciton and cavity photon mode form a mixed - mode polariton, where on - resonance there are two branches, each having 50% exciton and 50% photon character. The separation between the upper and lower branches is a measure of the coupling strength where the strength is dependent on the exciton oscillator strength. This interaction is known as vacuum Rabi coupling, and clear anticrossing is seen when the exciton is tuned through the cavity. In our reflectivity experiments we demonstrate control of the coupling between the cavity mode and the exciton by varying temperature, applied electric or magnetic field. Modelling of the reflectivity spectra and the tuning was done using a Transfer Matrix Reflectivity (TMR) model or a linear dispersion model, where in both cases the excitons are treated as Lorentz oscillators. Temperature tuning is achieved because exciton energy decreases with temperature at a much faster rate than the cavity mode. We have demonstrated vacuum Rabi coupling of the cavity mode with both the heavy - hole and light - hole excitons. Electric field tuning is achieved via the quantum confined Stark effect which decreases the exciton energy with increasing field, whilst at the same time the cavity mode energy remains constant. A study of how the electric field reduction of exciton oscillator strength reduces the vacuum Rabi coupling strength is performed. We report the first observation in a semiconductor structure of motional narrowing, seen in both electric field and in temperature tuning experiments at high magnetic field. In magnetic field studies we show how magnetic field induced increase in exciton oscillator strength affects the vacuum Rabi coupling. We also show by

Extraordinary Magnetoresistance Effect in Semiconductor/Metal Hybrid Structure

KAUST Repository

Sun, Jian

2013-06-27

In this dissertation, the extraordinary magnetoresistance (EMR) effect in semiconductor/metal hybrid structures is studied to improve the performance in sensing applications. Using two-dimensional finite element simulations, the geometric dependence of the output sensitivity, which is a more relevant parameter for EMR sensors than the magnetoresistance (MR), is studied. The results show that the optimal geometry in this case is different from the geometry reported before, where the MR ratio was optimized. A device consisting of a semiconductor bar with length/width ratio of 5~10 and having only 2 contacts is found to exhibit the highest sensitivity. A newly developed three-dimensional finite element model is employed to investigate parameters that have been neglected with the two dimensional simulations utilized so far, i.e., thickness of metal shunt and arbitrary semiconductor/metal interface. The simulations show the influence of those parameters on the sensitivity is up to 10 %. The model also enables exploring the EMR effect in planar magnetic fields. In case of a bar device, the sensitivity to planar fields is about 15 % to 20 % of the one to perpendicular fields. 5 A “top-contacted” structure is proposed to reduce the complexity of fabrication, where neither patterning of the semiconductor nor precise alignment is required. A comparison of the new structure with a conventionally fabricated device shows that a similar magnetic field resolution of 24 nT/√Hz is obtained. A new 3-contact device is developed improving the poor low-field sensitivity observed in conventional EMR devices, resulting from its parabolic magnetoresistance response. The 3-contact device provides a considerable boost of the low field response by combining the Hall effect with the EMR effect, resulting in an increase of the output sensitivity by 5 times at 0.01 T compared to a 2-contact device. The results of this dissertation provide new insights into the optimization of EMR devices

NaAuS chicken-wire-like semiconductor: Electronic structure and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reshak, A.H.; Khan, Saleem Ayaz; Kamarudin, H.; Bila, Jiri

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Chicken wire like semiconductor NaAuS was investigated. • Good agreement with experimental data was found. • Electronic charge density of chicken wire like semiconductor NaAuS was obtained. • The calculated uniaxial anisotropy is −0.0005, indicating the strong anisotropy. -- Abstract: The electronic structure, charge density and optical properties of NaAuS a chicken-wire-like semiconductor was calculated using full potential linear augmented plane wave based on density functional theory. The Ceperley-Alder local density approximation, Perdew Becke Ernzerhof Generalized gradient approximation and Engel Voskov Generalized Gradient Approximation were applied to solve the exchange correlation potential. The investigation of band structures and density of states elucidates that Engle Vasko Generalized Gradient Approximation shows close agreement to the experimental data. The calculated valence charge density shows pure ionic nature of Au–Au bond. It becomes partially covalent when Au is connected with two Na atoms. The linear optical susceptibilities of chicken-wire-like NaAuS semiconductor are calculated so as to obtain further insight into the electronic properties. The uniaxial anisotropy is −0.0005, indicating the strong anisotropy of the dielectric function in the NaAuS a chicken-wire-like semiconductor

NaAuS chicken-wire-like semiconductor: Electronic structure and optical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reshak, A.H. [Institute of Complex Systems, FFPW, CENAKVA, University of South Bohemia in CB, Nove Hrady 37333 (Czech Republic); Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology, School of Material Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, 01007 Kangar, Perlis (Malaysia); Khan, Saleem Ayaz, E-mail: sayaz_usb@yahoo.com [Institute of Complex Systems, FFPW, CENAKVA, University of South Bohemia in CB, Nove Hrady 37333 (Czech Republic); Kamarudin, H. [Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology, School of Material Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, 01007 Kangar, Perlis (Malaysia); Bila, Jiri [Department of Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, CTU in Prague, Technicka 4, 166 07 Prague 6 (Czech Republic)

2014-01-05

Highlights: • Chicken wire like semiconductor NaAuS was investigated. • Good agreement with experimental data was found. • Electronic charge density of chicken wire like semiconductor NaAuS was obtained. • The calculated uniaxial anisotropy is −0.0005, indicating the strong anisotropy. -- Abstract: The electronic structure, charge density and optical properties of NaAuS a chicken-wire-like semiconductor was calculated using full potential linear augmented plane wave based on density functional theory. The Ceperley-Alder local density approximation, Perdew Becke Ernzerhof Generalized gradient approximation and Engel Voskov Generalized Gradient Approximation were applied to solve the exchange correlation potential. The investigation of band structures and density of states elucidates that Engle Vasko Generalized Gradient Approximation shows close agreement to the experimental data. The calculated valence charge density shows pure ionic nature of Au–Au bond. It becomes partially covalent when Au is connected with two Na atoms. The linear optical susceptibilities of chicken-wire-like NaAuS semiconductor are calculated so as to obtain further insight into the electronic properties. The uniaxial anisotropy is −0.0005, indicating the strong anisotropy of the dielectric function in the NaAuS a chicken-wire-like semiconductor.

Prediction on electronic structure of CH3NH3PbI3/Fe3O4 interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Xueyao; Wang, Xiaocha; Mi, Wenbo; Du, Zunfeng

2018-01-01

The interfacial electronic structures of CH3NH3PbI3(MAPbI3)/Fe3O4 heterostructures are predicted by density functional theory. Four models (MAI/FeBO, PbI2/FeBO, MAI/FeA and PbI2/FeA) are included. Especially, a half-metal to semiconductor transition of Fe3O4 appears in PbI2/FeA model. A series of electric field is added to PbI2/FeA model, and a direct-indirect bandgap transition of Fe3O4 appears at a 500-kV/cm field. The electric field can control the bandgap of Fe3O4 in PbI2/FeA model by modulating the hybridization. The prediction of spin-related bandgap characteristic in MAPbI3/Fe3O4 is meaningful for further study.

Analysis of multifunctional piezoelectric metastructures for low-frequency bandgap formation and energy harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Sugino, C.; Erturk, A.

2018-05-01

Vibration-based energy harvesting is a growing field for generating low-power electricity to use in wireless electronic devices, such as the sensor networks used in structural health monitoring applications. Locally resonant metastructures, which are structures that comprise locally resonant metamaterial components, enable bandgap formation at wavelengths much longer than the lattice size, for critical applications such as low-frequency vibration attenuation in flexible structures. This work aims to bridge the domains of energy harvesting and locally resonant metamaterials to form multifunctional structures that exhibit both low-power electricity generation and vibration attenuation capabilities. A fully coupled electromechanical modeling framework is developed for two characteristic systems and their modal analysis is presented. Simulations are performed to explore the vibration and electrical power frequency response maps for varying electrical load resistance, and optimal loading conditions are presented. Case studies are presented to understand the interaction of bandgap formation and energy harvesting capabilities of this new class of multifunctional energy-harvesting locally resonant metastructures. It is shown that useful energy can be harvested from locally resonant metastructures without significantly diminishing their dramatic vibration attenuation in the locally resonant bandgap. Thus, integrating energy harvesters into a locally resonant metastructure enables a new potential for multifunctional locally resonant metastructures that can host self-powered sensors.

Electric field and substrate–induced modulation of spin-polarized transport in graphene nanoribbons on A3B5 semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilyasov, Victor V.; Nguyen, Chuong V.; Ershov, Igor V.; Hieu, Nguyen N.

2015-01-01

In this work, we present the density functional theory calculations of the effect of an oriented electric field on the electronic structure and spin-polarized transport in a one dimensional (1D) zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) channel placed on a wide bandgap semiconductor of the A3B5 type. Our calculations show that carrier mobility in the 1D semiconductor channel of the ZGNR/A3B5(0001) type is in the range from 1.7×10 4 to 30.5×10 4 cm 2 /Vs and can be controlled by an electric field. In particular, at the critical value of the positive potential, even though hole mobility in an one-dimensional 8-ZGNR/h-BN semiconductor channel for spin down electron subsystems is equal to zero, hole mobility can be increased to 4.1×10 5 cm 2 /Vs for spin up electron subsystems. We found that band gap and carrier mobility in a 1D semiconductor channel of the ZGNR/A3B5(0001) type depend strongly on an external electric field. With these extraordinary properties, ZGNR/A3B5(0001) can become a promising materials for application in nanospintronic devices

An effective pair potential for liquid semiconductor, Se: Structure and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The effective pair potential of liquid semiconductor Se is extracted from its experimental structure factor data using an accurate liquid state theory and this shows important basic features. A model potential incorporating the basic features of the structure factor extracted potential is suggested. This model potential is then used ...

2014 Defects in Semiconductors Gordon Research Conference & Gordon Research Seminar. Research Area 1: Materials Science, 1.3 Physical Properties of Materials

Science.gov (United States)

2014-08-01

invite leading experts from the full range of industry to academia to cover the topics of wide bandgap nitride and oxide semiconductors , the...Tsukuba University) " Positron Annihilation Studies in InGaN" 12:10 pm - 12:30 pm Discussion 9 12:30 pm Lunch 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm Free Time 4:00 pm...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The Gordon Research Conference on DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS was held at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts

Quasiparticle semiconductor band structures including spin-orbit interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Malone, Brad D; Cohen, Marvin L

2013-03-13

We present first-principles calculations of the quasiparticle band structure of the group IV materials Si and Ge and the group III-V compound semiconductors AlP, AlAs, AlSb, InP, InAs, InSb, GaP, GaAs and GaSb. Calculations are performed using the plane wave pseudopotential method and the 'one-shot' GW method, i.e. G(0)W(0). Quasiparticle band structures, augmented with the effects of spin-orbit, are obtained via a Wannier interpolation of the obtained quasiparticle energies and calculated spin-orbit matrix. Our calculations explicitly treat the shallow semicore states of In and Ga, which are known to be important in the description of the electronic properties, as valence states in the quasiparticle calculation. Our calculated quasiparticle energies, combining both the ab initio evaluation of the electron self-energy and the vector part of the pseudopotential representing the spin-orbit effects, are in generally very good agreement with experimental values. These calculations illustrate the predictive power of the methodology as applied to group IV and III-V semiconductors.

Wide-range tunable bandgap in Bi1−xCaxFe1−yTiyO3−δ nanoparticles via oxygen vacancy induced structural modulations at room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mocherla, Pavana S V; Sudakar, C; Gautam, Sanjeev; Chae, Keun Hwa; Rao, M S Ramachandra

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that oxygen vacancies (V O ) produced by aliovalent (Ca 2+ ) doping in BiFeO 3 (BCFO) and associated structural changes due to V O ordering result in systematic alteration of the bandgap (E g ) over a wide range from 1.5 eV to 2.3 eV. By contrast, the change in the bandgap of a Ca 2+ and Ti 4+ co-doped BiFeO 3 (BCFTO) system, wherein the V O formation is suppressed, is negligible. These contrastive results strongly confirm the role of oxygen vacancies in altering the bandgap of BCFO. Irrespective of doping, microstrain, which is found to be large (0.3 to 1.2%) below a critical size (d c ∼ 60 nm) also produces a small, yet linear change in the bandgap (E g from 2.0 to 2.3 eV). The cubic phase stabilizes gradually in BCFO for x > 0.1 through an orthorhombic phase (for 0.05 < x < 0.1), whereas it directly transforms for x > 0.1 in BCFTO. This change in BCFO at 300 K suggests a high-pressure-like (or high-temperature-like) effect of the oxygen vacancies and dopants on the structure. Systematic variations in the relative intensities and peak positions of Fe d–d transitions in BCFO reveal the local changes in Fe–O–Fe coordination. These results along with XANES and HRTEM studies substantiate the observed structural changes. (paper)

The structure and morphology of semiconductor nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadavanich, Andreas V. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

1997-11-01

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals were studied using High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). Organically capped nanocrystals were found to have faceted shapes consistent with Wulff polyhedra after the effects of capping ligands on surface energies were taken into account. The basic shape thus derived for wurtzite (WZ) structure CdSe nanocrystals capped by tri-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) was a truncated hexagonal prism, elongated alone the <001> axis with (100) and (002) facets. This structure has C{sub 3v} point group symmetry. The main defect in this structure is a stacking fault (a single layer of zinc blende type stacking), which does not significantly affect the shape (does not alter the point group).

Effect of background dielectric on TE-polarized photonic bandgap of metallodielectric photonic crystals using Dirichlet-to-Neumann map method.

Science.gov (United States)

Sedghi, Aliasghar; Rezaei, Behrooz

2016-11-20

Using the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map method, we have calculated the photonic band structure of two-dimensional metallodielectric photonic crystals having the square and triangular lattices of circular metal rods in a dielectric background. We have selected the transverse electric mode of electromagnetic waves, and the resulting band structures showed the existence of photonic bandgap in these structures. We theoretically study the effect of background dielectric on the photonic bandgap.

Synthesis and optical properties of novel organic-inorganic hybrid nanolayer structure semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Sanjun; Lanty, Gaetan; Lauret, Jean-Sebastien; Deleporte, Emmanuelle; Audebert, Pierre; Galmiche, Laurent

2009-01-01

We report on the synthesis of some novel organic-inorganic hybrid 2D perovskite semiconductors (R-(CH 2 ) n NH 3 ) 2 PbX 4 . These semiconductors are self-assembled intercalation nanolayers and have a multi-quantum-well energy level structure. We systematically vary the characteristic of organic groups (R-(CH 2 ) n NH 3 + ) to study the relationship between their structures and the optical properties of (R-(CH 2 ) n NH 3 ) 2 PbX 4 . From optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy experiments performed on series of samples, we find some trends of choosing the organic groups to improve the optical performance of (R-(CH 2 ) n NH 3 ) 2 PbX 4 . A new organic group, which allows synthesis of nanolayer perovskite semiconductors with quite high photoluminescence efficiency and better long-term stability, has been found.

Selective, electrochemical etching of a semiconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Dahal, Rajendra P.; Bhat, Ishwara B.; Chow, Tat-Sing

2018-03-20

Methods for facilitating fabricating semiconductor structures are provided which include: providing a multilayer structure including a semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer including a dopant and having an increased conductivity; selectively increasing, using electrochemical processing, porosity of the semiconductor layer, at least in part, the selectively increasing porosity utilizing the increased conductivity of the semiconductor layer; and removing, at least in part, the semiconductor layer with the selectively increased porosity from the multilayer structure. By way of example, the selectively increasing porosity may include selectively, anodically oxidizing, at least in part, the semiconductor layer of the multilayer structure.

In- and Ga-based inorganic double perovskites with direct bandgaps for photovoltaic applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Jun; Ma, Liang; Ju, Minggang; Huang, Jinsong; Zeng, Xiao Cheng

2017-08-16

Double perovskites in the form of A 2 B'B''X 6 (A = Cs, B' = Ag, B'' = Bi) have been reported as potential alternatives to lead-containing organometal trihalide perovskites. However, all double perovskites synthesized to date exhibit indirect bandgaps >1.95 eV, which are undesirable for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications. Herein, we report a comprehensive computer-aided screening of In- and Ga-based double perovskites for potential photovoltaic applications. To this end, several preconditions are implemented for the screening of optimal candidates, which include structural stability, electronic bandgaps, and optical absorption. Importantly, four In- and Ga-based double perovskites are identified to possess direct bandgaps within the desirable range of 0.9-1.6 eV for photovoltaic applications. Dominant optical absorption of the four double perovskites is found to be in the UV range. The structural and thermal stability of the four double perovskites are examined using both the empirical Goldschmidt ratio and convex-hull calculations. Only Cs 2 AgInBr 6 is predicted to be thermodynamically stable.

Enhanced Cerenkov second-harmonic generation in a planar nonlinear waveguide that reproduces a one-dimensional photonic bandgap structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pezzetta, D.; Sibilia, C.; Bertolotti, M.; Ramponi, R.; Osellame, R.; Marangoni, M.; Haus, J. W.; Scalora, M.; Bloemer, M. J.; Bowden, C. M.

2002-01-01

Second-harmonic generation in the Cerenkov configuration is investigated under conditions for which the use of a linear grating fabricated on top of the waveguide reproduces a photonic bandgap structure. The fundamental mode of the guide at the fundamental frequency is tuned at the photonic band-edge resonance, thus producing great confinement and enhancement of the electromagnetic field inside the structure. The conversion efficiency achieved in both the forward and the backward directions is at least 1 order of magnitude greater than that of a conventional Cerenkov emission in a waveguide of the same length. An analysis of the tolerances of the grating period on the conversion efficiency is presented

Space-coiling fractal metamaterial with multi-bandgaps on subwavelength scale

Science.gov (United States)

Man, Xianfeng; Liu, Tingting; Xia, Baizhan; Luo, Zhen; Xie, Longxiang; Liu, Jian

2018-06-01

Acoustic metamaterials are remarkably different from conventional materials, as they can flexibly manipulate and control the propagation of sound waves. Unlike the locally resonant metamaterials introduced in earlier studies, we designed an ultraslow artificial structure with a sound speed much lower than that in air. In this paper, the space-coiling approach is proposed for achieving artificial metamaterial for extremely low-frequency airborne sound. In addition, the self-similar fractal technique is utilized for designing space-coiling Mie-resonance-based metamaterials (MRMMs) to obtain a band-dispersive spectrum. The band structures of two-dimensional (2D) acoustic metamaterials with different fractal levels are illustrated using the finite element method. The low-frequency bandgap can easily be formed, and multi-bandgap properties are observed in high-level fractals. Furthermore, the designed MRMMs with higher order fractal space coiling shows a good robustness against irregular arrangement. Besides, the proposed artificial structure was found to modify and control the radiation field arbitrarily. Thus, this work provides useful guidelines for the design of acoustic filtering devices and acoustic wavefront shaping applications on the subwavelength scale.

Effects of corrugation shape on frequency band-gaps for longitudinal wave motion in a periodic elastic layer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorokin, Vladislav

2016-01-01

The paper concerns determining frequency band-gaps for longitudinal wave motion in a periodic waveguide. The waveguide may be considered either as an elastic layer with variable thickness or as a rod with variable cross section. As a result, widths and locations of all frequency band-gaps are det......The paper concerns determining frequency band-gaps for longitudinal wave motion in a periodic waveguide. The waveguide may be considered either as an elastic layer with variable thickness or as a rod with variable cross section. As a result, widths and locations of all frequency band......, harmonic in the corrugation series. The revealed insights into the mechanism of band-gap formation can be used to predict locations and widths of all frequency band-gaps featured by any corrugation shape. These insights are general and can be valid also for other types of wave motion in periodic structures...

Green synthesis of water soluble semiconductor nanocrystals and their applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying

II-VI semiconductor nanomaterials, e.g. CdSe and CdTe, have attracted great attention over the past decades due to their fascinating optical and electrical properties. The research presented here focuses on aqueous semiconductor nanomaterials. The work can be generally divided into three parts: synthesis, property study and application. The synthetic work is devoted to develop new methods to prepare shape- and structure-controlled II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals including nanoparticles and nanowires. CdSe and CdSe CdS semiconductor nanocrystals have been synthesized using sodium citrate as a stabilizer. Upon prolonged illumination with visible light, photoluminescence quantum yield of those quantum dots can be enhanced up to 5000%. The primary reason for luminescence enhancement is considered to be the removing of specific surface states (photocorrosion) and the smoothing of the CdSe core surface (photoannealing). CdTe nanowires are prepared through self-organization of stabilizer-depleted CdTe nanoparticles. The dipolar-dipolar attraction is believed to be the driving force of nanowire formation. The rich surface chemistry of CdTe nanowire is reflected by the formation of silica shell with different morphologies when nanowires with different capping ligands are used. Te and Se nanowires are prepared by chemical decomposition of CdTe and CdSe nanoparticles in presence of an external chemical stimulus, EDTA. These results not only provide a new example of NP→NW transformation, but also lead to a better understanding of the molecular process occurring in the stabilizer-depleted nanoparticles. The applications of those semiconductor materials are primarily based on the construction of nano-structured ultrathin films with desirable functions by using layer-by-layer technique (LBL). We demonstrate that light-induced micro-scale multicolor luminescent patterns can be obtained on photoactivable CdSe/CdS nanoparticles thin films by combining the advantages of LBL as

Optical characterization and bandgap engineering of flat and wrinkle-textured FA0.83Cs0.17Pb(I1-xBrx)3 perovskite thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Tejada, A.; Braunger, S.; Korte, L.; Albrecht, S.; Rech, B.; Guerra, J. A.

2018-05-01

The complex refractive indices of formamidinium cesium lead mixed-halide [FA0.83Cs0.17Pb(I1- xBrx)3] perovskite thin films of compositions ranging from x = 0 to 0.4, with both flat and wrinkle-textured surface topographies, are reported. The films are characterized using a combination of variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry and spectral transmittance in the wavelength range of 190 nm to 850 nm. Optical constants, film thicknesses and roughness layers are obtained point-by-point by minimizing a global error function, without using optical dispersion models, and including topographical information supplied by a laser confocal microscope. To evaluate the bandgap engineering potential of the material, the optical bandgaps and Urbach energies are then accurately determined by applying a band fluctuation model for direct semiconductors, which considers both the Urbach tail and the fundamental band-to-band absorption region in a single equation. With this information, the composition yielding the optimum bandgap of 1.75 eV for a Si-perovskite tandem solar cell is determined.

Structural and elastic properties of AIBIIIC 2 VI semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, V.; Singh, Bhanu P.

2018-01-01

The plane wave pseudo-potential method within density functional theory has been used to calculate the structural and elastic properties of AIBIIIC 2 VI semiconductors. The electronic band structure, density of states, lattice constants (a and c), internal parameter (u), tetragonal distortion (η), energy gap (Eg), and bond lengths of the A-C (dAC) and B-C (dBC) bonds in AIBIIIC 2 VI semiconductors have been calculated. The values of elastic constants (Cij), bulk modulus (B), shear modulus (G), Young's modulus (Y), Poisson's ratio (υ), Zener anisotropy factor (A), Debye temperature (ϴD) and G/B ratio have also been calculated. The values of all 15 parameters of CuTlS2 and CuTlSe2 compounds, and 8 parameters of 20 compounds of AIBIIIC 2 VI family, except AgInS2 and AgInSe2, have been calculated for the first time. Reasonably good agreement has been obtained between the calculated, reported and available experimental values.

Fault localization and analysis in semiconductor devices with optical-feedback infrared confocal microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarmiento, Raymund; Cemine, Vernon Julius; Tagaca, Imee Rose; Salvador, Arnel; Mar Blanca, Carlo; Saloma, Caesar

2007-01-01

We report on a cost-effective optical setup for characterizing light-emitting semiconductor devices with optical-feedback confocal infrared microscopy and optical beam-induced resistance change.We utilize the focused beam from an infrared laser diode to induce local thermal resistance changes across the surface of a biased integrated circuit (IC) sample. Variations in the multiple current paths are mapped by scanning the IC across the focused beam. The high-contrast current maps allow accurate differentiation of the functional and defective sites, or the isolation of the surface-emittingp-i-n devices in the IC. Optical beam-induced current (OBIC) is not generated since the incident beam energy is lower than the bandgap energy of the p-i-n device. Inhomogeneous current distributions in the IC become apparent without the strong OBIC background. They are located at a diffraction-limited resolution by referencing the current maps against the confocal reflectance image that is simultaneously acquired via optical-feedback detection. Our technique permits the accurate identification of metal and semiconductor sites as well as the classification of different metallic structures according to thickness, composition, or spatial inhomogeneity

Issues in first-principles calculations for defects in semiconductors and oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nieminen, Risto M

2009-01-01

Recent advances in density-functional theory (DFT) calculations of defect electronic properties in semiconductors and insulators are discussed. In particular, two issues are addressed: the band-gap underestimation of standard density-functional methods with its harmful consequences for the positioning of defect-related levels in the band-gap region, and the slow convergence of calculated defect properties when the periodic supercell approach is used. Systematic remedies for both of these deficiencies are now available, and are being implemented in the context of popular DFT codes. This should help in improving the parameter-free accuracy and thus the predictive power of the methods to enable unambiguous explanation of defect-related experimental observations. These include not only the various fingerprint spectroscopies for defects but also their thermochemistry and dynamics, i.e. the temperature-dependent concentration and diffusivities of defects under various doping conditions and in different stoichiometries

Tuning Bandgap of p-Type Cu2Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se)4 Semiconductor Thin Films via Aqueous Polymer-Assisted Deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Qinghua; Wu, Jiang; Zhao, Jie; Wang, Hao; Hu, Jiapeng; Dai, Xiao; Zou, Guifu

2017-01-18

Bandgap engineering of kesterite Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 with well-controlled stoichiometric composition plays a critical role in sustainable inorganic photovoltaics. Herein, a cost-effective and reproducible aqueous solution-based polymer-assisted deposition approach is developed to grow p-type Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films with tunable bandgap. The bandgap of Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films can be tuned within the range 1.05-1.95 eV using the aqueous polymer-assisted deposition by accurately controlling the elemental compositions. One of the as-grown Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films exhibits a hall coefficient of +137 cm 3 /C. The resistivity, concentration and carrier mobility of the Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 thin film are 3.17 ohm·cm, 4.5 × 10 16 cm -3 , and 43 cm 2 /(V·S) at room temperature, respectively. Moreover, the Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 thin film when used as an active layer in a solar cell leads to a power conversion efficiency of 3.55%. The facile growth of Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films in an aqueous system, instead of organic solvents, provides great promise as an environmental-friendly platform to fabricate a variety of single/multi metal chalcogenides for the thin film industry and solution-processed photovoltaic devices.

Shape optimization of solid-air porous phononic crystal slabs with widest full 3D bandgap for in-plane acoustic waves

Science.gov (United States)

D'Alessandro, Luca; Bahr, Bichoy; Daniel, Luca; Weinstein, Dana; Ardito, Raffaele

2017-09-01

The use of Phononic Crystals (PnCs) as smart materials in structures and microstructures is growing due to their tunable dynamical properties and to the wide range of possible applications. PnCs are periodic structures that exhibit elastic wave scattering for a certain band of frequencies (called bandgap), depending on the geometric and material properties of the fundamental unit cell of the crystal. PnCs slabs can be represented by plane-extruded structures composed of a single material with periodic perforations. Such a configuration is very interesting, especially in Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems industry, due to the easy fabrication procedure. A lot of topologies can be found in the literature for PnCs with square-symmetric unit cell that exhibit complete 2D bandgaps; however, due to the application demand, it is desirable to find the best topologies in order to guarantee full bandgaps referred to in-plane wave propagation in the complete 3D structure. In this work, by means of a novel and fast implementation of the Bidirectional Evolutionary Structural Optimization technique, shape optimization is conducted on the hole shape obtaining several topologies, also with non-square-symmetric unit cell, endowed with complete 3D full bandgaps for in-plane waves. Model order reduction technique is adopted to reduce the computational time in the wave dispersion analysis. The 3D features of the PnC unit cell endowed with the widest full bandgap are then completely analyzed, paying attention to engineering design issues.

Wide bandgap engineering of (AlGa)2O3 films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Fabi; Saito, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Tooru; Nishio, Mitsuhiro; Guo, Qixin; Arita, Makoto

2014-01-01

Bandgap tunable (AlGa) 2 O 3 films were deposited on sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The deposited films are of high transmittance as measured by spectrophotometer. The Al content in films is almost the same as that in targets. The measurement of bandgap energies by examining the onset of inelastic energy loss in core-level atomic spectra using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is proved to be valid for determining the bandgap of (AlGa) 2 O 3 films as it is in good agreement with the bandgap values from transmittance spectra. The measured bandgap of (AlGa) 2 O 3 films increases continuously with the Al content covering the whole Al content range from about 5 to 7 eV, indicating PLD is a promising growth technology for growing bandgap tunable (AlGa) 2 O 3 films.

Microwave Frequency Comb from a Semiconductor in a Scanning Tunneling Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagmann, Mark J; Yarotski, Dmitry A; Mousa, Marwan S

2017-04-01

Quasi-periodic excitation of the tunneling junction in a scanning tunneling microscope, by a mode-locked ultrafast laser, superimposes a regular sequence of 15 fs pulses on the DC tunneling current. In the frequency domain, this is a frequency comb with harmonics at integer multiples of the laser pulse repetition frequency. With a gold sample the 200th harmonic at 14.85 GHz has a signal-to-noise ratio of 25 dB, and the power at each harmonic varies inversely with the square of the frequency. Now we report the first measurements with a semiconductor where the laser photon energy must be less than the bandgap energy of the semiconductor; the microwave frequency comb must be measured within 200 μm of the tunneling junction; and the microwave power is 25 dB below that with a metal sample and falls off more rapidly at the higher harmonics. Our results suggest that the measured attenuation of the microwave harmonics is sensitive to the semiconductor spreading resistance within 1 nm of the tunneling junction. This approach may enable sub-nanometer carrier profiling of semiconductors without requiring the diamond nanoprobes in scanning spreading resistance microscopy.

Investigation of efficient termination structure for improved breakdown properties of semiconductor radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krizaj, D.; Resnik, D.; Vrtacnik, D.; Amon, S.

1998-01-01

Efficiency of a new junction termination structure for improvement of breakdown properties of semiconductor radiation detectors is investigated. The structure consists of a diffused resistor winding around the active junction in a spiral fashion. The current flow through the spiral enables controlled potential distribution along the spiral turns and thus controlled depletion spreading from the main junction, efficiently preventing premature avalanche breakdown. Both multiple guard-ring structures and spiral junction termination structures have shown good breakdown properties typically three to five times higher than breakdown voltages of diodes without junction termination. The breakdown voltages of spiral junction termination structures are only weakly influenced by changes in substrate doping concentration caused by neutron irradiation. They can thus be considered for termination of future semiconductor radiation detectors

Probing the density of trap states in the middle of the bandgap using ambipolar organic field-effect transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Häusermann, Roger; Chauvin, Sophie; Facchetti, Antonio; Chen, Zhihua; Takeya, Jun; Batlogg, Bertram

2018-04-01

The number of trap states in the band gap of organic semiconductors directly influences the charge transport as well as the threshold and turn-on voltage. Direct charge transport measurements have been used until now to probe the trap states rather close to the transport level, whereas their number in the middle of the band gap has been elusive. In this study, we use PDIF-CN2, a well known n-type semiconductor, together with vanadium pentoxide electrodes to build ambipolar field-effect transistors. Employing three different methods, we study the density of trap states in the band gap of the semiconductor. These methods give consistent results, and no pool of defect states was found. Additionally, we show first evidence that the number of trap states close to the transport level is correlated with the number of traps in the middle of the band-gap, meaning that a high number of trap states close to the transport level also implies a high number of trap states in the middle of the band gap. This points to a common origin of the trap states over a wide energy range.

Modelling the metal–semiconductor band structure in implanted ohmic contacts to GaN and SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pérez-Tomás, A; Fontserè, A; Placidi, M; Jennings, M R; Gammon, P M

2013-01-01

Here we present a method to model the metal–semiconductor (M–S) band structure to an implanted ohmic contact to a wide band gap semiconductor (WBG) such as GaN and SiC. The performance and understanding of the M–S contact to a WBG semiconductor is of great importance as it influences the overall performance of a semiconductor device. In this work we explore in a numerical fashion the ohmic contact properties to a WBG semiconductor taking into account the partial ionization of impurities and analysing its dependence on the temperature, the barrier height, the impurity level band energy and carrier concentration. The effect of the M–S Schottky barrier lowering and the Schottky barrier inhomogeneities are discussed. The model is applied to a fabricated ohmic contact to GaN where the M–S band structure can be completely determined. (paper)

Systematic Bandgap Engineering of Graphene Quantum Dots and Applications for Photocatalytic Water Splitting and CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yibo; Chen, Jie; Li, Nan; Tian, Jingqi; Li, Kaixin; Jiang, Jizhou; Liu, Jiyang; Tian, Qinghua; Chen, Peng

2018-04-24

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which is the latest addition to the nanocarbon material family, promise a wide spectrum of applications. Herein, we demonstrate two different functionalization strategies to systematically tailor the bandgap structures of GQDs whereby making them snugly suitable for particular applications. Furthermore, the functionalized GQDs with a narrow bandgap and intramolecular Z-scheme structure are employed as the efficient photocatalysts for water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction under visible light. The underlying mechanisms of our observations are studied and discussed.

Structure and optical band-gap energies of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 thin films fabricated by RF magnetron plasma sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Zhimou; Suzuki, Masato; Yokoyama, Shin

2005-01-01

The structure and optical band-gap energies of Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 TiO 3 (BST0.5) thin films prepared on SiO 2 /Si and fused quartz substrates by RF magnetron plasma sputtering were studied in terms of deposition temperature and film thickness. Highly (100)-oriented BST0.5 thin films were successfully sputtered on a Si substrate with an approximately 1.0-μm-thick SiO 2 layer at a deposition temperature of above 450degC. The optical transmittance of BST0.5 thin films weakly depended on the magnitude of X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak intensity. This is very helpful for monolithic integration of BST0.5 films for electrooptical functions directly onto a SiO 2 /Si substrate. The band-gap energies showed a strong dependence on the deposition temperature and film thickness. It was mainly related to the quantum size effect and the influence of the crystallinity of thin films, such as grain boundaries, grain size, oriented growth, and the existence of an amorphous phase. The band-gap energy values, which were much larger than those of single crystals, decreased with the increase in the deposition temperature and the thickness of BST0.5 thin films. The band-gap energy of 311-nm-thick amorphous BST0.5 thin film was about 4.45 eV and that of (100)-oriented BST0.5 thin film with a thickness of 447 nm was about 3.89 eV. It is believed that the dependence of the band-gap energies of the thin films on the crystallinity for various values of deposition temperature and film thickness means that there could be application in integrated optical devices. (author)

Synthesis and optical properties of novel organic-inorganic hybrid nanolayer structure semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Sanjun; Lanty, Gaetan; Lauret, Jean-Sebastien [Laboratoire de Photonique Quantique et Moleculaire de l' Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan, 61 avenue du President Wilson, 94235 Cachan (France); Deleporte, Emmanuelle, E-mail: Emmanuelle.Deleporte@lpqm.ens-cachan.fr [Laboratoire de Photonique Quantique et Moleculaire de l' Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan, 61 avenue du President Wilson, 94235 Cachan (France); Audebert, Pierre; Galmiche, Laurent [Laboratoire de Photophysique et Photochimie Supramoleculaires et Macromoleculaires de l' Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan, 61 avenue du President Wilson, 94235 Cachan (France)

2009-06-15

We report on the synthesis of some novel organic-inorganic hybrid 2D perovskite semiconductors (R-(CH{sub 2}){sub n}NH{sub 3}){sub 2}PbX{sub 4}. These semiconductors are self-assembled intercalation nanolayers and have a multi-quantum-well energy level structure. We systematically vary the characteristic of organic groups (R-(CH{sub 2}){sub n}NH{sub 3}{sup +}) to study the relationship between their structures and the optical properties of (R-(CH{sub 2}){sub n}NH{sub 3}){sub 2}PbX{sub 4}. From optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy experiments performed on series of samples, we find some trends of choosing the organic groups to improve the optical performance of (R-(CH{sub 2}){sub n}NH{sub 3}){sub 2}PbX{sub 4}. A new organic group, which allows synthesis of nanolayer perovskite semiconductors with quite high photoluminescence efficiency and better long-term stability, has been found.

Water-dependent photonic bandgap in silica artificial opals.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallego-Gómez, Francisco; Blanco, Alvaro; Canalejas-Tejero, Victor; López, Cefe

2011-07-04

Some characteristics of silica--based structures-like the photonic properties of artificial opals formed by silica spheres--can be greatly affected by the presence of adsorbed water. The reversible modification of the water content of an opal is investigated here by moderate heating (below 300 °C) and measuring in situ the changes in the photonic bandgap. Due to reversible removal of interstitial water, large blueshifts of 30 nm and a bandgap narrowing of 7% are observed. The latter is particularly surprising, because water desorption increases the refractive index contrast, which should lead instead to bandgap broadening. A quantitative explanation of this experiment is provided using a simple model for water distribution in the opal that assumes a nonclose-packed fcc structure. This model further predicts that, at room temperature, about 50% of the interstitial water forms necks between nearest-neighbor spheres, which are separated by 5% of their diameter. Upon heating, dehydration predominantly occurs at the sphere surfaces (in the opal voids), so that above 65 °C the remaining water resides exclusively in the necks. A near-close-packed fcc arrangement is only achieved above 200 °C. The high sensitivity to water changes exhibited by silica opals, even under gentle heating of few degrees, must be taken into account for practical applications. Remarkably, accurate control of the distance between spheres--from 16 to 1 nm--is obtained with temperature. In this study, novel use of the optical properties of the opal is made to infer quantitative information about water distribution within silica beads and dehydration phenomena from simple reflection spectra. Taking advantage of the well-defined opal morphology, this approach offers a simple tool for the straightforward investigation of generic adsorption-desorption phenomena, which might be extrapolated to many other fields involving capillary condensation. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGa

Pressure-Induced Bandgap Optimization in Lead-Based Perovskites with Prolonged Carrier Lifetime and Ambient Retainability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Gang [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Kong, Lingping [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Gong, Jue [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL 60115 USA; Yang, Wenge [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Mao, Ho-kwang [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Hu, Qingyang [Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Liu, Zhenxian [Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Schaller, Richard D. [Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Zhang, Dongzhou [Hawai' i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai' i at Manoa, Honolulu HI 96822 USA; Xu, Tao [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL 60115 USA

2016-12-05

Bond length and bond angle exhibited by valence electrons is essential to the core of chemistry. Using lead-based organic–inorganic perovskite compounds as an exploratory platform, it is demonstrated that the modulation of valence electrons by compression can lead to discovery of new properties of known compounds. Yet, despite its unprecedented progress, further efficiency boost of lead-based organic–inorganic perovskite solar cells is hampered by their wider bandgap than the optimum value according to the Shockley–Queisser limit. By modulating the valence electron wavefunction with modest hydraulic pressure up to 2.1 GPa, the optimized bandgap for single-junction solar cells in lead-based perovskites, for the first time, is achieved by narrowing the bandgap of formamidinium lead triiodide (HC(NH2)2PbI3) from 1.489 to 1.337 eV. Strikingly, such bandgap narrowing is partially retained after the release of pressure to ambient, and the bandgap narrowing is also accompanied with double-prolonged carrier lifetime. With First-principles simulation, this work opens a new dimension in basic chemical understanding of structural photonics and electronics and paves an alternative pathway toward better photovoltaic materials-by-design.

Pressure-Induced Bandgap Optimization in Lead-Based Perovskites with Prolonged Carrier Lifetime and Ambient Retainability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Gang [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Kong, Lingping [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Gong, Jue [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL 60115 USA; Yang, Wenge [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Mao, Ho-kwang [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203 China; Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Hu, Qingyang [Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Liu, Zhenxian [Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015 USA; Schaller, Richard D. [Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Zhang, Dongzhou [Hawai' i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai' i at Manoa, Honolulu HI 96822 USA; Xu, Tao [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL 60115 USA

2016-12-05

Bond length and bond angle exhibited by valence electrons is essential to the core of chemistry. Using lead-based organic–inorganic perovskite compounds as an exploratory platform, it is demonstrated that the modulation of valence electrons by compression can lead to discovery of new properties of known compounds. Yet, despite its unprecedented progress, further efficiency boost of lead-based organic–inorganic perovskite solar cells is hampered by their wider bandgap than the optimum value according to the Shockley–Queisser limit. By modulating the valence electron wavefunction with modest hydraulic pressure up to 2.1 GPa, the optimized bandgap for single-junction solar cells in lead-based perovskites, for the first time, is achieved by narrowing the bandgap of formamidinium lead triiodide (HC(NH₂)₂PbI₃) from 1.489 to 1.337 eV. Strikingly, such bandgap narrowing is partially retained after the release of pressure to ambient, and the bandgap narrowing is also accompanied with double-prolonged carrier lifetime. With First-principles simulation, this work opens a new dimension in basic chemical understanding of structural photonics and electronics and paves an alternative pathway toward better photovoltaic materials-by-design.

Metallic photonic band-gap materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigalas, M.M.; Chan, C.T.; Ho, K.M.; Soukoulis, C.M.

1995-01-01

We calculate the transmission and absorption of electromagnetic waves propagating in two-dimensional (2D) and 3D periodic metallic photonic band-gap (PBG) structures. For 2D systems, there is substantial difference between the s- and p-polarized waves. The p-polarized waves exhibit behavior similar to the dielectric PBG's. But, the s-polarized waves have a cutoff frequency below which there are no propagating modes. For 3D systems, the results are qualitatively the same for both polarizations but there are important differences related to the topology of the structure. For 3D structures with isolated metallic scatterers (cermet topology), the behavior is similar to that of the dielectric PBG's, while for 3D structures with the metal forming a continuous network (network topology), there is a cutoff frequency below which there are no propagating modes. The systems with the network topology may have some interesting applications for frequencies less than about 1 THz where the absorption can be neglected. We also study the role of the defects in the metallic structures

Disappearance of dielectric anomaly in spite of presence of structural phase transition in reduced BaTiO3: Effect of defect states within the bandgap

Science.gov (United States)

Sagdeo, Archna; Nagwanshi, Anjali; Pokhriyal, Preeti; Sinha, A. K.; Rajput, Parasmani; Mishra, Vikash; Sagdeo, P. R.

2018-04-01

We report the structural, optical, ferroelectric, and dielectric properties of reduced BaTiO3 samples. For this purpose, oxygen vacancies in BaTiO3 are created by heating these samples with a Ti metal in a vacuum environment at different temperatures. It is observed that with an increase in oxygen deficiencies, the c/a ratio decreases as compared to that of the oxygen treated sample. The ferroelectric properties of the oxygen deficient samples are visibly different as compared to those of the oxygen treated sample. The disappearance of the P-E loop and the anomaly in the temperature variation of the dielectric constant have been observed; however, the structural phase transition corresponding to ferroelectric phase transitions still persists. Thus, it appears that the anomaly in dielectric data and the presence of the P-E loop are getting masked possibly by the Maxwell-Wagner effect. The presence of Ti+3 states in the prepared samples has been confirmed by X-ray absorption near edge structure measurements. The Kubelka-Munk optical absorption shows the presence of extra states below fundamental transition, indicating the emergence of new electronic states within the bandgap, which might be due to Ti+3 states. These new states appear at different energy positions, and with different intensities for different samples, which are reduced in the presence of Ti. These new states within the bandgap appear to modify the electronic structure, thereby reducing the overall bandgap, and hence, they seem to modify the ferroelectric and dielectric properties of the samples. Our results may be treated as experimental evidence for theoretically proposed defect states in oxygen deficient or reduced BaTiO3.

Alternative approaches of SiC and related wide bandgap materials in light emitting and solar cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wellman, P; Syväjärvi, M; Ou, H

2014-01-01

silicon oxycarbide material can provide potential applications of the Eu luminescent materials to challenging conditions like high temperatures or aggressive environments where the silica has weaknesses. In some approaches, silicon rich silicon oxide that contain silicon nanoclusters emit red to near infrared luminescence due to quantum confinement effects while luminescence at shorter wavelength is difficult due to the interplay of defects and quantum confinement effects. In addition it is applicable as low-k dielectric, etch-stop and passivation layers. It also has an optical band-gap that is smaller than that of SiO2 which may facilitate carrier injection at lower voltages that is suitable for optoelectronics. From materials perspective of emerging materials, it seems distant to consider system related issues. The future demands on communication and lighting devices require higher information flows in modernized optical devices, for example by replacing electrical interconnects with their optical counterparts and tunable backgrounds filters for integrated optics or photonics applications. However, there are materials issues related to such device performance, for example by a non-linearity, that provide the possibility for selective removal or addition of wavelengths using hetero structures in which one side of the structure enhances the light-to-dark sensitivity of long and medium wavelength channels and diminish others, and an opposite behavior in other face of the structure. Certainly materials may be applied in various innovative ways to provide new performances in devices and systems. In any materials and device evaluation, reliability issues in passivation and packaging of semiconductor device structures provide a base knowledge that may be used to evaluate new concepts. Fundamental aspects of dielectric constant, bandgap and band offsets between the valence and conduction band edges between the passivation layer and the semiconductor create a foundation for

Relation between bandgap and resistance drift in amorphous phase change materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Rütten, Martin; Kaes, Matthias; Albert, Andreas; Wuttig, Matthias; Salinga, Martin

2015-12-01

Memory based on phase change materials is currently the most promising candidate for bridging the gap in access time between memory and storage in traditional memory hierarchy. However, multilevel storage is still hindered by the so-called resistance drift commonly related to structural relaxation of the amorphous phase. Here, we present the temporal evolution of infrared spectra measured on amorphous thin films of the three phase change materials Ag4In3Sb67Te26, GeTe and the most popular Ge2Sb2Te5. A widening of the bandgap upon annealing accompanied by a decrease of the optical dielectric constant ε∞ is observed for all three materials. Quantitative comparison with experimental data for the apparent activation energy of conduction reveals that the temporal evolution of bandgap and activation energy can be decoupled. The case of Ag4In3Sb67Te26, where the increase of activation energy is significantly smaller than the bandgap widening, demonstrates the possibility to identify new phase change materials with reduced resistance drift.

The electronic structure of impurities in semiconductors

CERN Multimedia

Nylandsted larsen, A; Svane, A

2002-01-01

The electronic structure of isolated substitutional or interstitial impurities in group IV, IV-IV, and III-V compound semiconductors will be studied. Mössbauer spectroscopy will be used to investigate the incorporation of the implanted isotopes on the proper lattice sites. The data can be directly compared to theoretical calculations using the LMTO scheme. Deep level transient spectroscopy will be used to identify the band gap levels introduced by metallic impurities, mainly in Si~and~Si$ _{x}$Ge$_{1-x}$. \\\\ \\\\

High-efficiency, monolithic, multi-bandgap, tandem photovoltaic energy converters

Science.gov (United States)

Wanlass, Mark W [Golden, CO

2011-11-29

A monolithic, multi-bandgap, tandem solar photovoltaic converter has at least one, and preferably at least two, subcells grown lattice-matched on a substrate with a bandgap in medium to high energy portions of the solar spectrum and at least one subcell grown lattice-mismatched to the substrate with a bandgap in the low energy portion of the solar spectrum, for example, about 1 eV.

Design of UWB Monopole Antenna with Dual Notched Bands Using One Modified Electromagnetic-Bandgap Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A modified electromagnetic-bandgap (M-EBG structure and its application to planar monopole ultra-wideband (UWB antenna are presented. The proposed M-EBG which comprises two strip patch and an edge-located via can perform dual notched bands. By properly designing and placing strip patch near the feedline, the proposed M-EBG not only possesses a simple structure and compact size but also exhibits good band rejection. Moreover, it is easy to tune the dual notched bands by altering the dimensions of the M-EBG. A demonstration antenna with dual band-notched characteristics is designed and fabricated to validate the proposed method. The results show that the proposed antenna can satisfy the requirements of VSWR < 2 over UWB 3.1–10.6 GHz, except for the rejected bands of the world interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX and the wireless local area network (WLAN at 3.5 GHz and 5.5 GHz, respectively.

Structural investigation of semi-conductor nanostructures by x-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stangl, J.

2003-01-01

Full text: Semiconductor nanostructures present a topic of increasing interest due to their potential for new device concepts, as well as from a scientific point of view. In structures with dimensions smaller than the DeBroglie wavelength of electrons or holes, quantum confinement effects determine the electronic and optical properties. For the understanding of such structures, their structural investigation, i.e., the determination of size, shape, chemical composition and strain state is mandatory. X-ray diffraction is a powerful technique for this purpose. In particular, the strain fields within nanostructures as well as in the surrounding matrix can be determined with high precision. Using synchrotron radiation sources, also the distribution of chemical composition within objects with typically several nm height and 10 to 100 nm width can be established. With x-ray diffraction, the non-destructive investigation of uncapped and buried structures is possible. The latter is important, as for applications buried structures are needed, and during capping the structural properties may change considerably. Here, we will focus on so-called self-assembled nanostructures, which form during the deposition of different semiconductors on top of each other. In contrast to structures etched after growth of planar layers, self organized islands or wires are virtually defect-free and hence promising for applications. Different scattering techniques sensitive to shape and/or composition and strain will be discussed. (author)

Band Gap Distortion in Semiconductors Strongly Driven by Intense Mid-Infrared Laser Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Kono, J.; Chin, A. H.

2000-03-01

Crystalline solids non-resonantly driven by intense time-periodic electric fields are predicted to exhibit unusual band-gap distortion.(e.g., Y. Yacoby, Phys. Rev. 169, 610 (1968); L.C.M. Miranda, Solid State Commun. 45, 783 (1983); J.Z. Kaminski, Acta Physica Polonica A 83, 495(1993).) Such non-perturbative effects have not been observed to date because of the unavoidable sample damage due to the very high intensity required using conventional lasers ( 1 eV photon energy). Here, we report the first clear evidence of laser-induced bandgap shrinkage in semiconductors under intense mid-infrared (MIR) laser fields. The use of long-wavelength light reduces the required intensity and prohibits strong interband absorption, thereby avoiding the damage problem. The significant sub-bandgap absorption persists only during the existence of the MIR laser pulse, indicating the virtual nature of the effect. We show that this particular example of non-perturbative behavior, known as the dynamical Franz-Keldysh effect, occurs when the effective ponderomotive potential energy is comparable to the photon energy of the applied field. This work was supported by ONR, NSF, JST and NEDO.

Characterization of strained semiconductor structures using transmission electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oezdoel, Vasfi Burak

2011-08-15

Today's state-of-the-art semiconductor electronic devices utilize the charge transport within very small volumes of the active device regions. The structural, chemical and optical material properties in these small dimensions can critically affect the performance of these devices. The present thesis is focused on the nanometer scale characterization of the strain state in semiconductor structures using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Although high-resolution TEM has shown to provide the required accuracy at the nanometer scale, optimization of imaging conditions is necessary for accurate strain measurements. An alternative HRTEM method based on strain mapping on complex-valued exit face wave functions is developed to reduce the artifacts arising from objective lens aberrations. However, a much larger field of view is crucial for mapping strain in the active regions of complex structures like latest generation metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). To overcome this, a complementary approach based on electron holography is proposed. The technique relies on the reconstruction of the phase shifts in the diffracted electron beams from a focal series of dark-field images using recently developed exit-face wave function reconstruction algorithm. Combining high spatial resolution, better than 1 nm, with a field of view of about 1 {mu}m in each dimension, simultaneous strain measurements on the array of MOSFETs are possible. Owing to the much lower electron doses used in holography experiments when compared to conventional quantitative methods, the proposed approach allows to map compositional distribution in electron beam sensitive materials such as InGaN heterostructures without alteration of the original morphology and chemical composition. Moreover, dark-field holography experiments can be performed on thicker specimens than the ones required for high-resolution TEM, which in turn reduces the thin foil relaxation. (orig.)

The electronic band structures of gadolinium chalcogenides: a first-principles prediction for neutron detecting.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kexue; Liu, Lei; Yu, Peter Y; Chen, Xiaobo; Shen, D Z

2016-05-11

By converting the energy of nuclear radiation to excited electrons and holes, semiconductor detectors have provided a highly efficient way for detecting them, such as photons or charged particles. However, for detecting the radiated neutrons, those conventional semiconductors hardly behave well, as few of them possess enough capability for capturing these neutral particles. While the element Gd has the highest nuclear cross section, here for searching proper neutron-detecting semiconductors, we investigate theoretically the Gd chalcogenides whose electronic band structures have never been characterized clearly. Among them, we identify that γ-phase Gd2Se3 should be the best candidate for neutron detecting since it possesses not only the right bandgap of 1.76 eV for devices working under room temperature but also the desired indirect gap nature for charge carriers surviving longer. We propose further that semiconductor neutron detectors with single-neutron sensitivity can be realized with such a Gd-chalcogenide on the condition that their crystals can be grown with good quality.

Transparent contacts for stacked compound photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Tauke-Pedretti, Anna; Cederberg, Jeffrey; Nielson, Gregory N.; Okandan, Murat; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis

2016-11-29

A microsystems-enabled multi-junction photovoltaic (MEM-PV) cell includes a first photovoltaic cell having a first junction, the first photovoltaic cell including a first semiconductor material employed to form the first junction, the first semiconductor material having a first bandgap. The MEM-PV cell also includes a second photovoltaic cell comprising a second junction. The second photovoltaic cell comprises a second semiconductor material employed to form the second junction, the second semiconductor material having a second bandgap that is less than the first bandgap, the second photovoltaic cell further comprising a first contact layer disposed between the first junction of the first photovoltaic cell and the second junction of the second photovoltaic cell, the first contact layer composed of a third semiconductor material having a third bandgap, the third bandgap being greater than or equal to the first bandgap.

Nanoscale probing of bandgap states on oxide particles using electron energy-loss spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Qianlang [School for the Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, 85287 AZ (United States); March, Katia [Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Bâtiment 510, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Crozier, Peter A., E-mail: CROZIER@asu.edu [School for the Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, 85287 AZ (United States)

2017-07-15

Surface and near-surface electronic states were probed with nanometer spatial resolution in MgO and TiO{sub 2} anatase nanoparticles using ultra-high energy resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) coupled to a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). This combination allows the surface electronic structure determined with spectroscopy to be correlated with nanoparticle size, morphology, facet etc. By acquiring the spectra in aloof beam mode, radiation damage to the surface can be significantly reduced while maintaining the nanometer spatial resolution. MgO and TiO{sub 2} showed very different bandgap features associated with the surface/sub-surface layer of the nanoparticles. Spectral simulations based on dielectric theory and density of states models showed that a plateau feature found in the pre-bandgap region in the spectra from (100) surfaces of 60 nm MgO nanocubes is consistent with a thin hydroxide surface layer. The spectroscopy shows that this hydroxide species gives rise to a broad filled surface state at 1.1 eV above the MgO valence band. At the surfaces of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, pronounced peaks were observed in the bandgap region, which could not be well fitted to defect states. In this case, the high refractive index and large particle size may make Cherenkov or guided light modes the likely causes of the peaks. - Highlights: • Bandgap states detected with aloof beam monochromated EELS on oxide nanoparticle surfaces. • Dielectric theory applied to simulate the spectra and interpret surface structure. • Density of states models also be employed to understand the surface electronic structure. • In MgO, one states associate with water species was found close to the valence band edge. • In anatase, two mid-gap states associated with point defects were found.

WOCSDICE󈧇 The 27th Workshop on Compound Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits Held in Europe May 26 - 28, 2003 Forigen, Switzerland

Science.gov (United States)

2003-05-28

Rodrigues-Girones, M. Saglam, A. Megej, H.L. Hartnagel vi Recent Advances, Remaining Challenges in Wide Bandgap Semiconductors Colin ...R. H. Friend, and H. Sirringhaus, Science, 299, pp. 1881-1884, 2003. 19. C. J. Drury , C. M. J. Mutsaers, C. M. Hart, M. Matters, and D. M. de Leeuw

Tensile-strain effect of inducing the indirect-to-direct band-gap transition and reducing the band-gap energy of Ge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inaoka, Takeshi, E-mail: inaoka@phys.u-ryukyu.ac.jp; Furukawa, Takuro; Toma, Ryo; Yanagisawa, Susumu [Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan)

2015-09-14

By means of a hybrid density-functional method, we investigate the tensile-strain effect of inducing the indirect-to-direct band-gap transition and reducing the band-gap energy of Ge. We consider [001], [111], and [110] uniaxial tensility and (001), (111), and (110) biaxial tensility. Under the condition of no normal stress, we determine both normal compression and internal strain, namely, relative displacement of two atoms in the primitive unit cell, by minimizing the total energy. We identify those strain types which can induce the band-gap transition, and evaluate the critical strain coefficient where the gap transition occurs. Either normal compression or internal strain operates unfavorably to induce the gap transition, which raises the critical strain coefficient or even blocks the transition. We also examine how each type of tensile strain decreases the band-gap energy, depending on its orientation. Our analysis clearly shows that synergistic operation of strain orientation and band anisotropy has a great influence on the gap transition and the gap energy.

Theory for passive mode-locking in semiconductor laser structures including the effects of self-phase modulation, dispersion and pulse collisions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koumans, R.G.M.P.; Roijen, van R.

1996-01-01

We present a theory for passive mode-locking in semiconductor laser structures using a semiconductor laser amplifier and absorber. The mode-locking system is described in terms of the different elements in the semiconductor laser structure. We derive mode-locking conditions and show how other

POWER, METALLURGICAL AND CHEMICAL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING THERMOELECTRIC EVENTS IN LIGHT-EMITTING BIPOLAR SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. A. Magomedova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The development of light-emitting bipolar semiconductor structures having a low level of parasitic heat release.Methods. A method for converting thermoelectric heat in bipolar semiconductor structures into optical radiation to divert the excess energy into the environment was developed. At the same time, the cooling effect on thermoelectric junctions remains. Instead of an inertial process of conductive or convective heat transfer, practically instantaneous heat removal from electronic components to the environment takes place.Results. As a result, light-emitting bipolar semiconductor structures will allow more powerful devices with greater speed and degree of integration to be created. It is possible to produce transparent LED matrices with a two-way arrangement of transparent solar cells and mirror metal electrodes along the perimeter. When current is applied, the LED matrix on one of the transitions will absorb thermal energy; on other electrodes, it will emit radiation that is completely recovered into electricity by means of transparent solar cells following repeated reflection between the mirror electrodes. The low efficiency of solar cells will be completely compensated for with the multiple passages of photons through these batteries.Conclusion. Light-emitting bipolar semiconductor structures will not only improve the reliability of electronic components in a wide range of performance characteristics, but also improve energy efficiency through the use of optical radiation recovery. Semiconductor thermoelectric devices using optical phenomena in conjunction with the Peltier effect allow a wide range of energy-efficient components of radio electronic equipment to be realised, both for discrete electronics and for microsystem techniques. Systems for obtaining ultra-low temperatures in order to achieve superconductivity are of particular value. 

Pressure-induced structural and semiconductor-semiconductor transitions in C o0.5M g0.5C r2O4

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, S.; Saqib, Hajra; Zhang, Jinbo; Errandonea, D.; Menéndez, C.; Cazorla, C.; Samanta, Sudeshna; Li, Xiaodong; Lu, Junling; Wang, Lin

2018-05-01

The effect of pressure on the structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of Mg-doped Cr bearing spinel C o0.5M g0.5C r2O4 was studied up to 55 GPa at room-temperature using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, electrical transport measurements, and ab initio calculations. We found that the ambient-pressure phase is cubic (spinel-type, F d 3 ¯m ) and underwent a pressure-induced structural transition to a tetragonal phase (space group I 4 ¯m 2 ) above 28 GPa. The ab initio calculation confirmed this first-order phase transition. The resistivity of the sample decreased at low pressures with the existence of a low-pressure (LP) phase and started to increase with the emergence of a high-pressure (HP) phase. The temperature dependent resistivity experiments at different pressures illustrated the wide band gap semiconducting nature of both the LP and HP phases with different activation energies, suggesting a semiconductor-semiconductor transition at HP. No evidence of chemical decomposition or a semiconductor-metal transition was observed in our studies.

Electronic structure of point defects in semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruneval, Fabien

2014-01-01

This 'Habilitation a diriger des Recherches' memoir presents most of my scientific activities during the past 7 years, in the field of electronic structure calculations of defects in solids. Point defects (vacancies, interstitials, impurities) in functional materials are a key parameter to determine if these materials will actually fill the role they have been assigned or not. Indeed, the presence of defects cannot be avoided when the temperature is increased or when the material is subjected to external stresses, such as irradiation in the nuclear reactors and in artificial satellites with solar radiations. However, in many cases, defects are introduced in the materials on purpose to tune the electronic transport, optical or even magnetic properties. This procedure is called the doping of semiconductors, which is the foundation technique for transistors, diodes, or photovoltaic cells. However, doping is not always straightforward and unexpected features may occur, such as doping asymmetry or Fermi level pinning, which can only be explained by complex phenomena involving different types of defects or complexes of defects. In this context, the calculations of electronic structure ab initio is an ideal tool to complement the experimental observations, to gain the understanding of phenomena at the atomic level, and even to predict the properties of defects. The power of the ab initio calculations comes from their ability to describe any system of electrons and nuclei without any specific adjustment. But although there is a strong need for numerical simulations in this field, the ab initio calculations for defects are still under development as of today. The work presented in this memoir summarizes my contributions to methodological developments on this subject. These developments have followed two main tracks. The first topic is the better understanding of the unavoidable finite size effects. Indeed, defects in semiconductors or insulators are generally present in

Structural and Optoelectronic Properties of Cubic CsPbF3 for Novel Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murtaza, G.; Ahmad, Iftikhar; Maqbool, M.; Rahnamaye Aliabad, H. A.; Afaq, A.

2011-01-01

Chemical bonding as well as structural, electronic and optical properties of CsPbF 3 are calculated using the highly accurate full potential linearized augmented plane-wave method within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). The calculated lattice constant is found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The electron density plots reveal strong ionic bonding in Cs-F and strong covalent bonding in Pb-F. The calculations show that the material is a direct and wide bandgap semiconductor with a fundamental gap at the R-symmetry point. Optical properties such as the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, refractive index, extinction coefficient, reflectivity, optical conductivity and absorption coefficient are also calculated. Based on the calculated wide and direct bandgap, as well as other optical properties of the compound, it is predicted that CsPbF 3 is suitable for optoelectronic devices and anti-reflecting coatings. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Structural and electronic properties of zigzag InP nanoribbons with Stone–Wales type defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Longo, R C; Carrete, J; Varela, L M; Gallego, L J

2016-01-01

By means of density-functional-theoretic calculations, we investigate the structural and electronic properties of a hexagonal InP sheet and of hydrogen-passivated zigzag InP nanoribbons (ZInPNRs) with Stone–Wales (SW)-type defects. Our results show that the influence of this kind of defect is not limited to the defected region but it leads to the formation of ripples that extend across the systems, in keeping with the results obtained recently for graphene and silicene sheets. The presence of SW defects in ZInPNRs causes an appreciable broadening of the band gap and transforms the indirect-bandgap perfect ZInPNR into a direct-bandgap semiconductor. An external transverse electric field, regardless of its direction, reduces the gap in both the perfect and defective ZInPNRs. (paper)

Intermediate Bandgap Solar Cells From Nanostructured Silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Black, Marcie [Bandgap Engineering, Lincoln, MA (United States)

2014-10-30

This project aimed to demonstrate increased electronic coupling in silicon nanostructures relative to bulk silicon for the purpose of making high efficiency intermediate bandgap solar cells using silicon. To this end, we formed nanowires with controlled crystallographic orientation, small diameter, <111> sidewall faceting, and passivated surfaces to modify the electronic band structure in silicon by breaking down the symmetry of the crystal lattice. We grew and tested these silicon nanowires with <110>-growth axes, which is an orientation that should produce the coupling enhancement.

Electrically tunable liquid crystal photonic bandgap fiber laser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olausson, Christina Bjarnal Thulin; Scolari, Lara; Wei, Lei

2010-01-01

We demonstrate electrical tunability of a fiber laser by using a liquid crystal photonic bandgap fiber. Tuning of the laser is achieved by combining the wavelength filtering effect of a liquid crystal photonic bandgap fiber device with an ytterbium-doped photonic crystal fiber. We fabricate an al...

Phosphorene nanoribbons: Passivation effect on bandgap and effective mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Li-Chun; Song, Xian-Jiang; Yang, Zhi; Cao, Ling; Liu, Rui-Ping; Li, Xiu-Yan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Hydrogenation and fluorination can passivate the metallic edge states of zPNRs. • The bandgap of each type of zPNRs decreases as the ribbon's width increases duo to the quantum confinement effect. • Two local configurations of passivated atoms can coexist in nanoribbons and affect the bandgap of narrow nanoribbons. • New passivation configuration can effectively reduce the effective mass of electrons. - Abstract: The edge passivation effect of phosphorene nanoribbons is systematically investigated using density functional theory. Hydrogen and fluorine atoms passivate the metallic edge states of nanoribbons and can open a bandgap up to 2.25 eV. The two configurations of passivated atoms can exist at two edges and affect the bandgap of narrow nanoribbons. The bandgap of each type of zPNRs decreases as the ribbon's width increases, which can be attributed to the quantum confinement effect. The new configuration, named C b , can effectively reduce the effective mass of electrons, which benefits the future design of phosphorene-based electronic devices

Phosphorene nanoribbons: Passivation effect on bandgap and effective mass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Li-Chun, E-mail: xulichun@tyut.edu.cn; Song, Xian-Jiang; Yang, Zhi; Cao, Ling; Liu, Rui-Ping; Li, Xiu-Yan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Hydrogenation and fluorination can passivate the metallic edge states of zPNRs. • The bandgap of each type of zPNRs decreases as the ribbon's width increases duo to the quantum confinement effect. • Two local configurations of passivated atoms can coexist in nanoribbons and affect the bandgap of narrow nanoribbons. • New passivation configuration can effectively reduce the effective mass of electrons. - Abstract: The edge passivation effect of phosphorene nanoribbons is systematically investigated using density functional theory. Hydrogen and fluorine atoms passivate the metallic edge states of nanoribbons and can open a bandgap up to 2.25 eV. The two configurations of passivated atoms can exist at two edges and affect the bandgap of narrow nanoribbons. The bandgap of each type of zPNRs decreases as the ribbon's width increases, which can be attributed to the quantum confinement effect. The new configuration, named C{sub b}, can effectively reduce the effective mass of electrons, which benefits the future design of phosphorene-based electronic devices.

Multiwavelength anomalous diffraction and diffraction anomalous fine structure to study composition and strain of semiconductor nano structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favre-Nicolin, V.; Proietti, M.G.; Leclere, C.; Renevier, H.; Katcho, N.A.; Richard, M.I.

2012-01-01

The aim of this paper is to illustrate the use of Multi-Wavelength Anomalous Diffraction (MAD) and Diffraction Anomalous Fine Structure (DAFS) spectroscopy for the study of structural properties of semiconductor nano-structures. We give a brief introduction on the basic principles of these techniques providing a detailed bibliography. Then we focus on the data reduction and analysis and we give specific examples of their application on three different kinds of semiconductor nano-structures: Ge/Si nano-islands, AlN capped GaN/AlN Quantum Dots and AlGaN/AlN Nano-wires. We show that the combination of MAD and DAFS is a very powerful tool to solve the structural problem of these materials of high technological impact. In particular, the effects of composition and strain on diffraction are disentangled and composition can be determined in a reliable way, even at the interface between nano-structure and substrate. We show the great possibilities of this method and give the reader the basic tools to undertake its use. (authors)

Semiconductor spintronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabian, J.; Abiague, A.M.; Ertler, Ch.; Stano, P.; Zutic, I.

2007-01-01

Spintronics refers commonly to phenomena in which the spin of electrons in a solid state environment plays the determining role. In a more narrow sense spintronics is an emerging research field of electronics: spintronics devices are based on a spin control of electronics, or on an electrical and optical control of spin of magnetism. While metal spintronics has already found its niche in the computer industry - giant magnetoresistance systems are used as hard disk read heads - semiconductor spintronics is vet demonstrate its full potential. This review presents selected themes of semiconductor spintronics, introducing important concepts in spin transport, spin transport, spin injection. Silsbee-Johnson spin-charge coupling, and spin-dependent tunneling, as well as spin relaxation and spin dynamics. The most fundamental spin-dependent interaction in nonmagnetic semiconductors is spin-orbit coupling. Depending on the crystal symmetries of the material, as well as on the structural properties of semiconductor based heterostructures, the spin-orbit coupling takes on different functional forms, giving a nice playground of effective spin-orbit Hamiltonians. The effective Hamiltonians for the most relevant classes of materials and heterostructures are derived here from realistic electronic band structure descriptions. Most semiconductor device systems are still theoretical concepts, waiting for experimental demonstrations. A review of selected proposed, and a few demonstrated devices is presented, with detailed description of two important classes: magnetic resonant tunnel structures and bipolar magnetic diodes and transistors. In view of the importance of ferromagnetic semiconductor material, a brief discussion of diluted magnetic semiconductors is included. In most cases the presentation is of tutorial style, introducing the essential theoretical formalism at an accessible level, with case-study-like illustrations of actual experimental results, as well as with brief

Reducing leakage current in semiconductor devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Bin; Matioli, Elison de Nazareth; Palacios, Tomas Apostol

2018-03-06

A semiconductor device includes a first region having a first semiconductor material and a second region having a second semiconductor material. The second region is formed over the first region. The semiconductor device also includes a current blocking structure formed in the first region between first and second terminals of the semiconductor device. The current blocking structure is configured to reduce current flow in the first region between the first and second terminals.

Tunneling conductance in semiconductor-superconductor hybrid structures

Science.gov (United States)

Stenger, John; Stanescu, Tudor D.

2017-12-01

We study the differential conductance for charge tunneling into a semiconductor wire-superconductor hybrid structure, which is actively investigated as a possible scheme for realizing topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes. The calculations are done based on a tight-binding model of the heterostructure using both a Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk approach and a Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function method. The dependence of various tunneling conductance features on the coupling strength between the semiconductor and the superconductor, the tunnel barrier height, and temperature is systematically investigated. We find that treating the parent superconductor as an active component of the system, rather than a passive source of Cooper pairs, has qualitative consequences regarding the low-energy behavior of the differential conductance. In particular, the presence of subgap states in the parent superconductor, due to disorder and finite magnetic fields, leads to characteristic particle-hole asymmetric features and to the breakdown of the quantization of the zero-bias peak associated with the presence of Majorana zero modes localized at the ends of the wire. The implications of these findings for the effort toward the realization of Majorana bound states with true non-Abelian properties are discussed.

The Tunable Bandgap of AB-Stacked Bilayer Graphene on SiO2 with H2O Molecule Adsorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Tao; Guo Qing; Liu Yan; Wang Wen-Bo; Sheng Kuang; Ao Zhi-Min; Yu Bin

2011-01-01

The atomic and electronic structures of AB-stacking bilayer graphene (BLG) in the presence of H 2 O molecules are investigated by density functional theory calculations. For free-standing BLG, the bandgap is opened to 0.101 eV with a single H 2 O molecule adsorbed on its surface. The perfectly suspended BLG is sensitive to H 2 O adsorbates, which break the BLG lattice symmetry and open an energy gap. While a single H 2 O molecule is adsorbed on the BLG surface with a SiO 2 substrate, the bandgap widens to 0.363 eV. Both the H 2 O molecule adsorption and the oxide substrate contribute to the BLG bandgap opening. The phenomenon is interpreted with the charge transfer process in 2D carbon nanostructures. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Semiconductor nanostructures for artificial photosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Peidong

2012-02-01

Nanowires, with their unique capability to bridge the nanoscopic and macroscopic worlds, have already been demonstrated as important materials for different energy conversion. One emerging and exciting direction is their application for solar to fuel conversion. The generation of fuels by the direct conversion of solar energy in a fully integrated system is an attractive goal, but no such system has been demonstrated that shows the required efficiency, is sufficiently durable, or can be manufactured at reasonable cost. One of the most critical issues in solar water splitting is the development of a suitable photoanode with high efficiency and long-term durability in an aqueous environment. Semiconductor nanowires represent an important class of nanostructure building block for direct solar-to-fuel application because of their high surface area, tunable bandgap and efficient charge transport and collection. Nanowires can be readily designed and synthesized to deterministically incorporate heterojunctions with improved light absorption, charge separation and vectorial transport. Meanwhile, it is also possible to selectively decorate different oxidation or reduction catalysts onto specific segments of the nanowires to mimic the compartmentalized reactions in natural photosynthesis. In this talk, I will highlight several recent examples in this lab using semiconductor nanowires and their heterostructures for the purpose of direct solar water splitting.

Planar Circularly Symmetric Electromagnetic Band-Gap Antennas for Low Cost High Performance Integrated Antennas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neto, A.; LLombart, N.; Gerini, G.; Maagt, P.J. de

2009-01-01

The use of Planar Circularly Symmetric (PCS) Electromagnetic Band-Gap (EBG) structures for optimizing the performances of single antenna elements and arrays is been discussed. The key advantage of using this sort of super structures is that they are planar and thus very cheap to manufacture with

Planar circularly symmetric Electromagnetic Band-Gap antennas for low cost high performance integrated antennas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neto, A.; Llombart, N.; Gerini, G.; de Maagt, P.J.I.

2009-01-01

The use of planar circularly symmetric (PCS) electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) structures for optimizing the performances of single antenna elements and arrays is been discussed. The key advantage of using this sort of super structures is that they are planar and thus very cheap to manufacture with

Microscopical Studies of Structural and Electronic Properties of Semiconductors

CERN Multimedia

2002-01-01

The electronic and structural properties of point defects in semiconductors, e.g. radiation defects, impurities or passivating defects can excellently be studied by the hyperfine technique of Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC). The serious limitation of this method, the small number of chemically different radioactive PAC probe atoms can be widely overcome by means of ISOLDE. Providing shortliving isotopes, which represent common dopants as well as suitable PAC probe atoms, the ISOLDE facility enables a much broader application of PAC to problems in semiconductor physics.\\\\ Using the probe atom $^{111m}$ Cd , the whole class of III-V compounds becomes accessible for PAC investigations. First successful experiments in GaAs, InP and GaP have been performed, concerning impurity complex formation and plasma induced defects. In Si and Ge, the electronic properties~-~especially their influence on acceptor-donor interaction~-~could be exemplarily st...

Positron annihilation spectroscopy: Applications to Si, ZnO, and multilayer semiconductor structures

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, J. P.; Rohatgi, A.; Dewald, A. B.; Frost, R. L.; Pang, S. K.

1989-11-01

The potential of positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) for defect characterization at the atomic scale in semiconductors is demonstrated for Si, ZnO, and multilayer structures, such as an AlGaAs/GaAs solar cell. The types of defects discussed include: i) vacancy complexes, oxygen impurities and dopants, ii) the influence of cooling rates on spatial non-uniformities in defects, and iii) characterization of buried interfaces. In sev-eral instances, the results of the PAS investigations are correlated with data from other established semiconductor characterization techniques.

Advances in photonic bandgap fiber functionality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyngsøe, Jens Kristian

In order to take advantage of the many intriguing optical properties of photonic bandgap fibers, there are some technological challenges that have to be addressed. Among other things this includes transmission loss and the fibers ability to maintain field polarization. The work presented in this ......In order to take advantage of the many intriguing optical properties of photonic bandgap fibers, there are some technological challenges that have to be addressed. Among other things this includes transmission loss and the fibers ability to maintain field polarization. The work presented...

Microscopic analysis of saturable absorbers: Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors versus graphene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hader, J.; Moloney, J. V. [Nonlinear Control Strategies, Inc., 3542 N. Geronimo Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85705 (United States); College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States); Yang, H.-J.; Scheller, M. [College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States); Koch, S. W. [Department of Physics and Materials Sciences Center, Philipps Universität Marburg, Renthof 5, 35032 Marburg (Germany)

2016-02-07

Fully microscopic many-body calculations are used to study the influence of strong sub-picosecond pulses on the carrier distributions and corresponding optical response in saturable absorbers used for mode-locking—semiconductor (quantum well) saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) and single layer graphene based saturable absorber mirrors (GSAMs). Unlike in GSAMs, the saturation fluence and recovery time in SESAMs show a strong spectral dependence. While the saturation fluence in the SESAM is minimal at the excitonic bandgap, the optimal recovery time and least pulse distortion due to group delay dispersion are found for excitation higher in the first subband. For excitation near the SESAM bandgap, the saturation fluence is about one tenth of that in the GSAM. At energies above the bandgap, the fluences in both systems become similar. A strong dependence of the saturation fluence on the pulse width in both systems is caused by carrier relaxation during the pulse. The recovery time in graphene is found to be about two to four times faster than that in the SESAMs. The occurrence of negative differential transmission in graphene is shown to be caused by dopant related carriers. In SESAMs, a negative differential transmission is found when exciting below the excitonic resonance where excitation induced dephasing leads to an enhancement of the absorption. Comparisons of the simulation data to the experiment show a very good quantitative agreement.

Fundamentals of semiconductor devices

CERN Document Server

Lindmayer, Joseph

1965-01-01

Semiconductor properties ; semiconductor junctions or diodes ; transistor fundamentals ; inhomogeneous impurity distributions, drift or graded-base transistors ; high-frequency properties of transistors ; band structure of semiconductors ; high current densities and mechanisms of carrier transport ; transistor transient response and recombination processes ; surfaces, field-effect transistors, and composite junctions ; additional semiconductor characteristics ; additional semiconductor devices and microcircuits ; more metal, insulator, and semiconductor combinations for devices ; four-pole parameters and configuration rotation ; four-poles of combined networks and devices ; equivalent circuits ; the error function and its properties ; Fermi-Dirac statistics ; useful physical constants.

Three-terminal heterojunction bipolar transistor solar cell for high-efficiency photovoltaic conversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Martí, A; Luque, A

2015-04-22

Here we propose, for the first time, a solar cell characterized by a semiconductor transistor structure (n/p/n or p/n/p) where the base-emitter junction is made of a high-bandgap semiconductor and the collector is made of a low-bandgap semiconductor. We calculate its detailed-balance efficiency limit and prove that it is the same one than that of a double-junction solar cell. The practical importance of this result relies on the simplicity of the structure that reduces the number of layers that are required to match the limiting efficiency of dual-junction solar cells without using tunnel junctions. The device naturally emerges as a three-terminal solar cell and can also be used as building block of multijunction solar cells with an increased number of junctions.

Relation between the electroforming voltage in alkali halide-polymer diodes and the bandgap of the alkali halide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bory, Benjamin F.; Wang, Jingxin; Janssen, René A. J.; Meskers, Stefan C. J.; Gomes, Henrique L.; De Leeuw, Dago M.

2014-01-01

Electroforming of indium-tin-oxide/alkali halide/poly(spirofluorene)/Ba/Al diodes has been investigated by bias dependent reflectivity measurements. The threshold voltages for electrocoloration and electroforming are independent of layer thickness and correlate with the bandgap of the alkali halide. We argue that the origin is voltage induced defect formation. Frenkel defect pairs are formed by electron–hole recombination in the alkali halide. This self-accelerating process mitigates injection barriers. The dynamic junction formation is compared to that of a light emitting electrochemical cell. A critical defect density for electroforming is 10 25 /m 3 . The electroformed alkali halide layer can be considered as a highly doped semiconductor with metallic transport characteristics

Controlling spin-dependent tunneling by bandgap tuning in epitaxial rocksalt MgZnO films.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, D L; Ma, Q L; Wang, S G; Ward, R C C; Hesjedal, T; Zhang, X-G; Kohn, A; Amsellem, E; Yang, G; Liu, J L; Jiang, J; Wei, H X; Han, X F

2014-12-02

Widespread application of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) for information storage has so far been limited by the complicated interplay between tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio and the product of resistance and junction area (RA). An intricate connection exists between TMR ratio, RA value and the bandgap and crystal structure of the barrier, a connection that must be unravelled to optimise device performance and enable further applications to be developed. Here, we demonstrate a novel method to tailor the bandgap of an ultrathin, epitaxial Zn-doped MgO tunnel barrier with rocksalt structure. This structure is attractive due to its good Δ1 spin filtering effect, and we show that MTJs based on tunable MgZnO barriers allow effective balancing of TMR ratio and RA value. In this way spin-dependent transport properties can be controlled, a key challenge for the development of spintronic devices.

Photodiodes based on fullerene semiconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voz, C.; Puigdollers, J.; Cheylan, S.; Fonrodona, M.; Stella, M.; Andreu, J.; Alcubilla, R.

2007-01-01

Fullerene thin films have been deposited by thermal evaporation on glass substrates at room temperature. A comprehensive optical characterization was performed, including low-level optical absorption measured by photothermal deflection spectroscopy. The optical absorption spectrum reveals a direct bandgap of 2.3 eV and absorption bands at 2.8 and 3.6 eV, which are related to the creation of charge-transfer excitons. Various photodiodes on indium-tin-oxide coated glass substrates were also fabricated, using different metallic contacts in order to compare their respective electrical characteristics. The influence of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) buffer layer between the indium-tin-oxide electrode and the fullerene semiconductor is also demonstrated. These results are discussed in terms of the workfunction for each electrode. Finally, the behaviour of the external quantum efficiency is analyzed for the whole wavelength spectrum

Graphene-based hybrid structures combined with functional materials of ferroelectrics and semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Jie, Wenjing; Hao, Jianhua

2014-06-21

Fundamental studies and applications of 2-dimensional (2D) graphene may be deepened and broadened via combining graphene sheets with various functional materials, which have been extended from the traditional insulator of SiO2 to a versatile range of dielectrics, semiconductors and metals, as well as organic compounds. Among them, ferroelectric materials have received much attention due to their unique ferroelectric polarization. As a result, many attractive characteristics can be shown in graphene/ferroelectric hybrid systems. On the other hand, graphene can be integrated with conventional semiconductors and some newly-discovered 2D layered materials to form distinct Schottky junctions, yielding fascinating behaviours and exhibiting the potential for various applications in future functional devices. This review article is an attempt to illustrate the most recent progress in the fabrication, operation principle, characterization, and promising applications of graphene-based hybrid structures combined with various functional materials, ranging from ferroelectrics to semiconductors. We focus on mechanically exfoliated and chemical-vapor-deposited graphene sheets integrated in numerous advanced devices. Some typical hybrid structures have been highlighted, aiming at potential applications in non-volatile memories, transparent flexible electrodes, solar cells, photodetectors, and so on.

Release strategies for making transferable semiconductor structures, devices and device components

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, John A; Nuzzo, Ralph G; Meitl, Matthew; Ko, Heung Cho; Yoon, Jongseung; Menard, Etienne; Baca, Alfred J

2014-11-25

Provided are methods for making a device or device component by providing a multilayer structure having a plurality of functional layers and a plurality of release layers and releasing the functional layers from the multilayer structure by separating one or more of the release layers to generate a plurality of transferable structures. The transferable structures are printed onto a device substrate or device component supported by a device substrate. The methods and systems provide means for making high-quality and low-cost photovoltaic devices, transferable semiconductor structures, (opto-)electronic devices and device components.

Two color photodetector using an asymmetric quantum well structure

OpenAIRE

Lantz, Kevin R.

2002-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited The past twenty years have seen an explosion in the realm of infrared detection technology fueled by improvements in III-V semiconductor technology and by new semiconductor growth methods. One of the fastest growing areas of this research involves the use of bandgap engineering in order to create artificial quantum wells for use in Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs). QWIPs have an advantage over other infrared detectors such ...

Design and performance study of a DC-DC flyback converter based on wide bandgap power devices for photovoltaic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Alharbi, Salah S.; Alharbi, Saleh S.; Al-bayati, Ali M. S.; Matin, Mohammad

2017-08-01

This paper presents a high-performance dc-dc flyback converter design based on wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Two different power devices, a gallium nitride (GaN)-transistor and a silicon (Si)-MOSFET, are implemented individually in the flyback converter to examine their impact on converter performance. The total power loss of the converter with different power devices is analyzed for various switching frequencies. Converter efficiency is evaluated at different switching frequencies, input voltages, and output power levels. The results reveal that the converter with the GaN-transistor has lower total power loss and better efficiency compared to the converter with the conventional Si-MOSFET.

Investigation of the open-circuit voltage in wide-bandgap InGaP-host InP quantum dot intermediate-band solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Aihara, Taketo; Tayagaki, Takeshi; Nagato, Yuki; Okano, Yoshinobu; Sugaya, Takeyoshi

2018-04-01

To analyze the open-circuit voltage (V oc) in intermediate-band solar cells, we investigated the current-voltage characteristics in wide-bandgap InGaP-based InP quantum dot (QD) solar cells. From the temperature dependence of the current-voltage curves, we show that the V oc in InP QD solar cells increases with decreasing temperature. We use a simple diode model to extract V oc at the zero-temperature limit, V 0, and the temperature coefficient C of the solar cells. Our results show that, while the C of InP QD solar cells is slightly larger than that of the reference InGaP solar cells, V 0 significantly decreases and coincides with the bandgap energy of the InP QDs rather than that of the InGaP host. This V 0 indicates that the V oc reduction in the InP QD solar cells is primarily caused by the breaking of the Fermi energy separation between the QDs and the host semiconductor in intermediate-band solar cells, rather than by enhanced carrier recombination.

Diode having trenches in a semiconductor region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palacios, Tomas Apostol; Lu, Bin; Matioli, Elison de Nazareth

2016-03-22

An electrode structure is described in which conductive regions are recessed into a semiconductor region. Trenches may be formed in a semiconductor region, such that conductive regions can be formed in the trenches. The electrode structure may be used in semiconductor devices such as field effect transistors or diodes. Nitride-based power semiconductor devices are described including such an electrode structure, which can reduce leakage current and otherwise improve performance.

High power breakdown testing of a photonic band-gap accelerator structure with elliptical rods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian J. Munroe

2013-01-01

Full Text Available An improved single-cell photonic band-gap (PBG structure with an inner row of elliptical rods (PBG-E was tested with high power at a 60 Hz repetition rate at X-band (11.424 GHz, achieving a gradient of 128  MV/m at a breakdown probability of 3.6×10^{-3} per pulse per meter at a pulse length of 150 ns. The tested standing-wave structure was a single high-gradient cell with an inner row of elliptical rods and an outer row of round rods; the elliptical rods reduce the peak surface magnetic field by 20% and reduce the temperature rise of the rods during the pulse by several tens of degrees, while maintaining good damping and suppression of high order modes. When compared with a single-cell standing-wave undamped disk-loaded waveguide structure with the same iris geometry under test at the same conditions, the PBG-E structure yielded the same breakdown rate within measurement error. The PBG-E structure showed a greatly reduced breakdown rate compared with earlier tests of a PBG structure with round rods, presumably due to the reduced magnetic fields at the elliptical rods vs the fields at the round rods, as well as use of an improved testing methodology. A post-testing autopsy of the PBG-E structure showed some damage on the surfaces exposed to the highest surface magnetic and electric fields. Despite these changes in surface appearance, no significant change in the breakdown rate was observed in testing. These results demonstrate that PBG structures, when designed with reduced surface magnetic fields and operated to avoid extremely high pulsed heating, can operate at breakdown probabilities comparable to undamped disk-loaded waveguide structures and are thus viable for high-gradient accelerator applications.

Structural, morphological and magnetic analysis of Cd–Co–S dilute magnetic semiconductor nanofilms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Suresh [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173234 (India); Negi, N.S. [Department of Physics, Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171005 (India); Katyal, S.C. [Department of Physics, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sec-128, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301 (India); Sharma, Pankaj, E-mail: pankaj.sharma@juit.ac.in [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173234 (India); Sharma, Vineet [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173234 (India)

2014-10-01

Cd{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}S dilute magnetic semiconductor nanofilms (0≤x≤0.08 at%) deposited by chemical bath deposition have been investigated using grazing angle x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The introduction of Co{sup 2+} ions in CdS structure induces structural disorders and hence, results in degradation of crystallinity. The crystallite size, interplanar spacing and lattice parameter ratio decrease with increasing Co{sup 2+} concentration in CdS. The diamagnetic state of CdS disappears with increase in Co concentration and films with x>0.02 exhibit ferromagnetism. This may be explained in terms of the spin–orbit interactions and Co{sup 2+} ion induced the lattice defects and phase separation. - Highlights: • Cd{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}S dilute magnetic semiconductor nanofilms (0≤x≤0.08 at%) deposited by CBD. • The diamagnetic state of CdS vanishes for x=0.02. • For x>0.02, dilute magnetic semiconductor nanofilms shows a ferromagnetic state.

On the mechanism of bandgap formation in locally resonant finite elastic metamaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Sugino, Christopher; Leadenham, Stephen; Ruzzene, Massimo; Erturk, Alper

2016-10-01

Elastic/acoustic metamaterials made from locally resonant arrays can exhibit bandgaps at wavelengths much longer than the lattice size for various applications spanning from low-frequency vibration/sound attenuation to wave guiding and filtering in mechanical and electromechanical devices. For an effective use of such locally resonant metamaterial concepts in finite structures, it is required to bridge the gap between the lattice dispersion characteristics and modal behavior of the host structure with its resonators. To this end, we develop a novel argument for bandgap formation in finite-length elastic metamaterial beams, relying on the modal analysis and the assumption of infinitely many resonators. We show that the dual problem to wave propagation through an infinite periodic beam is the modal analysis of a finite beam with an infinite number of resonators. A simple formula that depends only on the resonator natural frequency and total mass ratio is derived for placing the bandgap in a desired frequency range, yielding an analytical insight and a rule of thumb for design purposes. A method for understanding the importance of a resonator location and mass is discussed in the context of a Riemann sum approximation of an integral, and a method for determining the optimal number of resonators for a given set of boundary conditions and target frequency is introduced. The simulations of the theoretical framework are validated by experiments for bending vibrations of a locally resonant cantilever beam.

Research and development of photovoltaic power system. Optimization of bandgap of chalcopyrite semiconductors; Taiyoko hatsuden system no kenkyu kaihatsu. Kinseitaihaba no saitekika no kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konagai, M [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1994-12-01

This paper reports the result obtained during fiscal 1994 on research on research on optimization of bandgap in thin film compound solar cells. In research on Cu(InGa)Se2 thin film solar cells by using a gas phase selenide making process, discussions were given on optimizing the following three processes: a process to raise temperature of a precursor film formed at a substrate temperature of about 150{degree}C, a selenide making process to perform annealing at about 500{degree}C, and a temperature reducing process. Good characteristics were obtained when selenium amount in the precursor is about 50%. In a bandgap control viewpoint, it was found that the conversion efficiency decreases rapidly when Ga composition is higher than 50%. A conversion efficiency of 14.9% was obtained to date at the Ga/(In+Ga) ratio of 0.4. In research on Cu(InGa)Se2 thin film solar cells by using a simultaneous deposition method, a conversion efficiency of 13.5% was obtained at a bandgap width of about 1.3 eV during research on manufacturing ZnO/CdS/Cu(InGa)Se2 thin film solar cells by using the simultaneous deposition method. Research has been carried out on manufacturing Cu(InGa)Se2 thin film solar cells using ZnSe interface layers. 8 figs.

Correlation of Photocatalytic Activity with Band Structure of Low-dimensional Semiconductor Nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Fanke

Photocatalytic hydrogen generation by water splitting is a promising technique to produce clean and renewable solar fuel. The development of effective semiconductor photocatalysts to obtain efficient photocatalytic activity is the key objective. However, two critical reasons prevent wide applications of semiconductor photocatalysts: low light usage efficiency and high rates of charge recombination. In this dissertation, several low-dimensional semiconductors were synthesized with hydrothermal, hydrolysis, and chemical impregnation methods. The band structures of the low-dimensional semiconductor materials were engineered to overcome the above mentioned two shortcomings. In addition, the correlation between the photocatalytic activity of the low-dimensional semiconductor materials and their band structures were studied. First, we studied the effect of oxygen vacancies on the photocatalytic activity of one-dimensional anatase TiO2 nanobelts. Given that the oxygen vacancy plays a significant role in band structure and photocatalytic performance of semiconductors, oxygen vacancies were introduced into the anatase TiO2 nanobelts during reduction in H2 at high temperature. The oxygen vacancies of the TiO2 nanobelts boosted visible-light-responsive photocatalytic activity but weakened ultraviolet-light-responsive photocatalytic activity. As oxygen vacancies are commonly introduced by dopants, these results give insight into why doping is not always beneficial to the overall photocatalytic performance despite increases in absorption. Second, we improved the photocatalytic performance of two-dimensional lanthanum titanate (La2Ti2 O7) nanosheets, which are widely studied as an efficient photocatalyst due to the unique layered crystal structure. Nitrogen was doped into the La2Ti2O7 nanosheets and then Pt nanoparticles were loaded onto the La2Ti2O7 nanosheets. Doping nitrogen narrowed the band gap of the La2Ti 2O7 nanosheets by introducing a continuum of states by the valence

Thermal tunability of photonic bandgaps in liquid crystal infiltrated microstructured polymer optical fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yuan, Scott Wu; Wei, Lei; Alkeskjold, Thomas Tanggaard

2009-01-01

We demonstrate the photonic bandgap effect and the thermal tunability of bandgaps in microstructured polymer optical fibers infiltrated with liquid crystal. Two liquid crystals with opposite sign of the temperature gradient of the ordinary refractive index (E7 and MDA-00- 1444) are used to demons......We demonstrate the photonic bandgap effect and the thermal tunability of bandgaps in microstructured polymer optical fibers infiltrated with liquid crystal. Two liquid crystals with opposite sign of the temperature gradient of the ordinary refractive index (E7 and MDA-00- 1444) are used...... to demonstrate that both signs of the thermal tunability of the bandgaps are possible. The useful bandgaps are ultimately bounded to the visible range by the transparency window of the polymer....

Structural Design Principle of Small-Molecule Organic Semiconductors for Metal-Free, Visible-Light-Promoted Photocatalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Huang, Wei; Li, Run; Gehrig, Dominik; Blom, Paul W M; Landfester, Katharina; Zhang, Kai A I

2016-08-08

Herein, we report on the structural design principle of small-molecule organic semiconductors as metal-free, pure organic and visible light-active photocatalysts. Two series of electron-donor and acceptor-type organic semiconductor molecules were synthesized to meet crucial requirements, such as 1) absorption range in the visible region, 2) sufficient photoredox potential, and 3) long lifetime of photogenerated excitons. The photocatalytic activity was demonstrated in the intermolecular C-H functionalization of electron-rich heteroaromates with malonate derivatives. A mechanistic study of the light-induced electron transport between the organic photocatalyst, substrate, and the sacrificial agent are described. With their tunable absorption range and defined energy-band structure, the small-molecule organic semiconductors could offer a new class of metal-free and visible light-active photocatalysts for chemical reactions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A New Approach for Evaluating Charge Transport Properties of Semiconductor Detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung O; Kim, Jong Kyung; Kim, Soon Young; Ha, Jang Ho

2009-01-01

The semiconductor detectors (e.g., CdTe, CdZnTe, and HgI 2 ) have been widely used for radiation detection and medical imaging because of its various outstanding features such as excellent energy resolution, wide bandgap energy, room temperature operation, and so on. Unfortunately, the performance of these detectors is mainly limited by the charge transport properties of semiconductor, especially the mobility-lifetime products (i.e., (μτ) e and ((μτ) h ). Hence, the analysis on the mobility-lifetime products is very important for evaluating correct characteristics of semiconductor detectors. A commonly used method to analyze the mobilitylifetime products is based on their responses to α particle. However, the α particle method cannot evaluate the ((μτ)h product in many cases, because a semiconductor detector operating at positive bias voltages often yields the energy spectrum without the peaks. This method is also known to be very sensitive to the experimental conditions as well as surface conditions of the detector. In this study, a new approach with gamma-ray instead of α particle was carried out to solve the determination difficulty of the ((μτ) h product with common method. The special relation between the two mobility-lifetime products, which we call the 'Nural equation', was also developed to simply obtain each parameter based on Hecht equation

Thienoacene-based organic semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Takimiya, Kazuo; Shinamura, Shoji; Osaka, Itaru; Miyazaki, Eigo

2011-10-11

Thienoacenes consist of fused thiophene rings in a ladder-type molecular structure and have been intensively studied as potential organic semiconductors for organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) in the last decade. They are reviewed here. Despite their simple and similar molecular structures, the hitherto reported properties of thienoacene-based OFETs are rather diverse. This Review focuses on four classes of thienoacenes, which are classified in terms of their chemical structures, and elucidates the molecular electronic structure of each class. The packing structures of thienoacenes and the thus-estimated solid-state electronic structures are correlated to their carrier transport properties in OFET devices. With this perspective of the molecular structures of thienoacenes and their carrier transport properties in OFET devices, the structure-property relationships in thienoacene-based organic semiconductors are discussed. The discussion provides insight into new molecular design strategies for the development of superior organic semiconductors. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Contribution to the study of electronic structure of crystalline semiconductors (Si, Ge, GaAs, Gap, ZnTe, ZnSe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bouhafs B.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The band structure of semiconductors was described by several theorists since the Fifties. The main objective of the present paper is to do a comparative study between various families of semi-conductors IV (Si,Ge, III-V (GaAs, GaP and II-VI (ZnSe, ZnTe with both methods; tight Binding1 method and pseudo potential method2. This work enables us to understand as well as the mechanism of conduction process in these semiconductors and powers and limits of the above methods. The obtained results allow to conclude that both methods are in a good agreement to describe the morphology of band structures of the cited semiconductors. This encourages us to study in the future the electronic behaviour through the structure of bands for more complex systems such as the heterostructures.

Syntheses, crystal Structures and electronic Structures of new metal chalcoiodides Bi2CuSe3I and Bi6Cu3S10I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, I-Chu; Bilc, Daniel I.; Manoli, Maria; Chang, Wei-Yun; Lin, Wen-Fu; Kyratsi, Theodora; Hsu, Kuei-Fang

2016-01-01

Two new metal chalcoiodides were synthesized by solid-state reactions at 400 °C. Crystal Data: Bi 2 CuSe 3 I, 1, monoclinic, C2/m, a=14.243(2) Å, b=4.1937(7) Å, c=14.647(2) Å, β=116.095(2)°, V=785.7(2) Å 3 , and Z=4; Bi 6 Cu 3 S 10 I, 2, orthorhombic, Pnma, a=17.476(2) Å, b=4.0078(4) Å, c=27.391(2) Å, V=1918.5(3) Å 3 , and Z=4. Compound 1 adopts a three-dimensional structure formed by two alternative layers, which consist of BiSe 5 square pyramids, BiSe 4 I 2 octahedra, CuSe 4 tetrahedra, and CuSe 2 I 2 tetrahedra. Compound 2 possesses a new open framework built up of BiS 5 square pyramides, BiS 6 octahedra, BiS 8 polyhedra, and CuS 4 tetrahedra where I − anions are uniquely trapped within the tunnels. Both electronic structures reveal that bismuth and chalcogenide orbitals dominate the bandgaps. The Cu d and I p states contribute to the top of valence bands, in which the distribution of I orbitals may correspond to the relative bonding interactions in 1 and 2. The optical bandgaps determined by the diffuse reflectance spectra are 0.68 eV and 0.72 eV for 1 and 2, respectively. 1 is a p-type semiconductor with high Seebeck coefficients of 460–575 μV/K in the temperature range of 300–425 K. The electrical conductivity is 0.02 S/cm at 425 K for the undoped sample. The thermal conductivity is 0.22 W/mK at 425 K. - Graphical abstract: The hybridization of chalcogenides and iodides produces two new solids Bi2CuSe3I and Bi6Cu3S10I. The I − anions participate in distinct bonding interactions within the two structures and that is consistent with the analyses of density of states. 1 is a p-type semiconductor with an optical bandgap of 0.68 eV, which possesses high Seebeck coefficient and low lattice thermal conductivity in 300–425 K.

Thiophene-Based Organic Semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Turkoglu, Gulsen; Cinar, M Emin; Ozturk, Turan

2017-10-24

Thiophene-based π-conjugated organic small molecules and polymers are the research subject of significant current interest owing to their potential use as organic semiconductors in material chemistry. Despite simple and similar molecular structures, the hitherto reported properties of thiophene-based organic semiconductors are rather diverse. Design of high performance organic semiconducting materials requires a thorough understanding of inter- and intra-molecular interactions, solid-state packing, and the influence of both factors on the charge carrier transport. In this chapter, thiophene-based organic semiconductors, which are classified in terms of their chemical structures and their structure-property relationships, are addressed for the potential applications as organic photovoltaics (OPVs), organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).

Effects of indirect bandgap top cells in a monolithic cascade cell structure

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, H. B.; Godlewski, M. P.

1982-01-01

The effect of having a slightly indirect top cell in a three junction cascade monolithic stack is calculated. The minority carrier continuity equations are utilized to calculate individual junction performance. Absorption coefficient curves for general III-V compounds are calculated for a variety of direct and indirect gap materials. The results indicate that for a small excursion into the indirect region, (about 0.1 eV), the loss of efficiency is acceptably small (less than 2.5 percent) and considerably less than attempting to make the top junction a smaller direct bandgap.

Artificially Structured Semiconductors to Model Novel Quantum Phenomena

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinczuk, Aron [Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States). Dept. of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics; Wind, Shalom J. [Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States). Dept. of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics

2018-01-13

Award Period: September 1st, 2013 through February 15th, 2017 Submitted to the USDOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences By Aron Pinczuk and Shalom J. Wind Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics Columbia University New York, NY 10027 January 2017 Award # DE-SC0010695 ABSTRACT Research in this project seeks to design, create and study a class of tunable artificial quantum structures in order to extend the range and scope of new and exciting physical phenomena and to explore the potential for new applications. Advanced nanofabrication was used to create an external potential landscape that acts as a lattice of confinement sites for electrons (and/or holes) in a two-dimensional electron gas in a high perfection semiconductor in such a manner that quantum interactions between different sites dictate the significant physics. Our current focus is on ‘artificial graphene’ (AG) in which a set of quantum dots (or sites) are patterned in a honeycomb lattice. The combination of leading edge nanofabrication with ultra-pure semiconductor materials in this project extends the frontier for small period, low-disorder AG systems, enabling the exploration of graphene physics in a semiconductor platform. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION Contemporary condensed matter science has entered an era of discovery of new low-dimensional materials, such as graphene and other atomically thin materials, that exhibit exciting new physical phenomena that were previously inaccessible. Concurrent with the discovery and development of these new materials are impressive advancements in nanofabrication, which offer an ever-expanding toolbox for creating a myriad of high quality patterns at nanoscale dimensions. This project started about four years ago. Among its major achievements are the realizations of very small period artificial lattices with honeycomb topology in GaAs quantum wells. In our most recent work the periods of the ‘artificial graphene’ (AG) lattices extend down to 40 nm. These

CNTs-Modified Nb3O7F Hybrid Nanocrystal towards Faster Carrier Migration, Lower Bandgap and Higher Photocatalytic Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Fei; Li, Zhen; Yan, Aihua; Zhao, Hui; Liang, Huagen; Gao, Qingyu; Qiang, Yinghuai

2017-01-06

Novel semiconductor photocatalysts have been the research focus and received much attention in recent years. The key issues for novel semiconductor photocatalysts are to effectively harvest solar energy and enhance the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs. In this work, novel Nb 3 O 7 F/CNTs hybrid nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activity have been successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal plus etching technique. The important finding is that appropriate pH values lead to the formation of Nb 3 O 7 F nanocrystal directly. A general strategy to introdue interaction between Nb 3 O 7 F and CNTs markedly enhances the photocatalytic activity of Nb 3 O 7 F. Comparatively, Nb 3 O 7 F/CNTs nanocomposites exhibit higher photodegradation efficiency and faster photodegradation rate in the solution of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. The higher photocatalytic activity may be attributed to more exposed active sites, higher carrier migration and narrower bandgap because of good synergistic effect. The results here may inspire more engineering, new design and facile fabrication of novel photocatalysts with highly photocatalytic activity.

Optical investigations on the wide bandgap semiconductors diamond and aluminum nitride

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teofilov, Nikolai

2007-07-01

In the context of this thesis, new results about optical defects and intrinsic properties of diamond, AlN and AlGaN alloys have been obtained. The main experimental techniques used were low temperature cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence spectroscopy. First, different aspects of intentional and background doping of diamond were discussed. Thus, the most commonly observed green luminescence emission from boron doped HPHT diamonds has been studied by means of temperature dependent CL in a wide temperature range from 10 K to 450 K. One further subject, addressing deep defect nitrogen related luminescence was a study of nitrogen addition in combustion flame grown CVD diamond layers. Two further topics concern intrinsic excitations in diamond, free excitons and electron-hole drops. Several important parameters like the critical density, the critical temperature, and the low-temperature density inside the drops were evaluated. The ground state density of the electron-hole condensate in diamond is about {approx} 42 times larger than that in Si, and the critical temperature takes very high values in the range of 165K.. 173K. Cathodoluminescence investigations on epitaxial wurtzite AlN layers grown on sapphire, SiC, and Si substrates, have shown that although the material is generally of good optical quality, deep level luminescence are still dominating the spectra. Relatively sharp near-band-edge transitions have been observed in all three samples that exhibit significantly reduced line widths for the AlN/sapphire and the AlN/SiC samples. Much broader emission lines in the near band-gap region have been observed for the first time from the AlN sample grown on Si (111) substrate. Temperature dependent CL measurements and numerical line decompositions reveal complicated substructures in the excitonic lines. The temperature dependence of the energy positions and broadening parameters of the transition have been studied and compared with the other materials. Epitaxial Al

The effect of Se/Te ratio on transient absorption behavior and nonlinear absorption properties of CuIn0.7Ga0.3(Se1-xTex)2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) amorphous semiconductor thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Karatay, Ahmet; Küçüköz, Betül; Çankaya, Güven; Ates, Aytunc; Elmali, Ayhan

2017-11-01

The characterization of the CuInSe2 (CIS), CuInGaSe (CIGS) and CuGaSe2 (CGS) based semiconductor thin films are very important role for solar cell and various nonlinear optical applications. In this paper, the amorphous CuIn0.7Ga0.3(Se1-xTex)2 semiconductor thin films (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) were prepared with 60 nm thicknesses by using vacuum evaporation technique. The nonlinear absorption properties and ultrafast transient characteristics were investigated by using open aperture Z-scan and ultrafast pump-probe techniques. The energy bandgap values were calculated by using linear absorption spectra. The bandgap values are found to be varying from 0.67 eV to 1.25 eV for CuIn0.7Ga0.3Te2, CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se1.6Te0.4, CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se0.4Te1.6 and CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2 thin films. The energy bandgap values decrease with increasing telluride (Te) doping ratio in mixed CuIn0.7Ga0.3(Se1-xTex)2 films. This affects nonlinear characteristics and ultrafast dynamics of amorphous thin films. Ultrafast pump-probe experiments indicated that decreasing of bandgap values with increasing the Te amount switches from the excited state absorption signals to ultrafast bleaching signals. Open aperture Z-scan experiments show that nonlinear absorption properties enhance with decreasing bandgaps values for 65 ps pulse duration at 1064 nm. Highest nonlinear absorption coefficient was found for CuIn0.7Ga0.3Te2 thin film due to having the smallest energy bandgap.

New Light-Harvesting Materials Using Accurate and Efficient Bandgap Calculations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castelli, Ivano Eligio; Hüser, Falco; Pandey, Mohnish

2014-01-01

Electronic bandgap calculations are presented for 2400 experimentally known materials from the Materials Project database and the bandgaps, obtained with different types of functionals within density functional theory and (partial) self-consistent GW approximation, are compared for 20 randomly...

Electron Band Alignment at Interfaces of Semiconductors with Insulating Oxides: An Internal Photoemission Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeri V. Afanas'ev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Evolution of the electron energy band alignment at interfaces between different semiconductors and wide-gap oxide insulators is examined using the internal photoemission spectroscopy, which is based on observations of optically-induced electron (or hole transitions across the semiconductor/insulator barrier. Interfaces of various semiconductors ranging from the conventional silicon to the high-mobility Ge-based (Ge, Si1-xGex, Ge1-xSnx and AIIIBV group (GaAs, InxGa1-xAs, InAs, GaP, InP, GaSb, InSb materials were studied revealing several general trends in the evolution of band offsets. It is found that in the oxides of metals with cation radii larger than ≈0.7 Å, the oxide valence band top remains nearly at the same energy (±0.2 eV irrespective of the cation sort. Using this result, it becomes possible to predict the interface band alignment between oxides and semiconductors as well as between dissimilar insulating oxides on the basis of the oxide bandgap width which are also affected by crystallization. By contrast, oxides of light elements, for example, Be, Mg, Al, Si, and Sc exhibit significant shifts of the valence band top. General trends in band lineup variations caused by a change in the composition of semiconductor photoemission material are also revealed.

Investigation of porosity and fractal properties of the sintered metal and semiconductor layers in the MDS capacitor structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skatkov Leonid

2012-01-01

Full Text Available MDS capacitor (metal - dielectric - semiconductor is a structure in which metal plate is represented by compact bulk-porous pellets of niobium sintered powder, and semiconductor plate - by pyrolytic layer of MnO2. In the present paper we report the results of investigation of microporosity of sintered Nb and pyrolytic MnO2 and also the fractal properties of semiconductor layer.

Effect of tellurium doping on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of CdO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dakhel, A.A. [Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038 (Bahrain)

2010-08-15

Te-doped CdO thin-films (1%, 3%, and 5%) have been prepared by a vacuum evaporation method on glass and silicon-wafer substrates. The prepared films were characterised by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, UV-VIS-NIR absorption spectroscopy, and dc-electrical measurements. Experimental data indicate that Te ions doping slightly stresses the host CdO crystalline structure and changes the optical and electrical properties. The bandgap of the host CdO was suddenly narrowed by about 23% due to a little (1%) doping with Te ions. This bandgap shrinkage was explained by effects of trap levels overlapping with conduction band. The electrical behaviours of the Te-doped CdO films show that they are degenerate semiconductors with a bandgap of 1.7-2.2 eV. The 1% Te-doped CdO film shows increase its mobility by about 5 times, conductivity by {proportional_to}140 times, and carrier concentration by {proportional_to}27 times, relative to undoped CdO film. From transparent-conducting-oxide point of view, Te is sufficiently effective for CdO doping. Finally, the absorption in the NIR spectral region was studied in the framework of the classical Drude theory. (author)

Band-gap analysis of a novel lattice with a hierarchical periodicity using the spectral element method

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhijing; Li, Fengming; Zhang, Chuanzeng

2018-05-01

Inspired by the hierarchical structures of butterfly wing surfaces, a new kind of lattice structures with a two-order hierarchical periodicity is proposed and designed, and the band-gap properties are investigated by the spectral element method (SEM). The equations of motion of the whole structure are established considering the macro and micro periodicities of the system. The efficiency of the SEM is exploited in the modeling process and validated by comparing the results with that of the finite element method (FEM). Based on the highly accurate results in the frequency domain, the dynamic behaviors of the proposed two-order hierarchical structures are analyzed. An original and interesting finding is the existence of the distinct macro and micro stop-bands in the given frequency domain. The mechanisms for these two types of band-gaps are also explored. Finally, the relations between the hierarchical periodicities and the different types of the stop-bands are investigated by analyzing the parametrical influences.

Laser semiconductor diode integrated with frequency doubler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tighineanu, I.; Dorogan, V.; Suruceanu, G.

2003-01-01

The invention relates to the technology of optoelectronic semiconductor devices and may be used in the production of laser semiconductor diodes integrated with optical nonlinear elements. The laser semiconductor diode integrated with frequency doubler includes a semiconductor substrate, a laser structure with waveguide. metal contacts in the waveguide of the laser structure it is formed a nanostructured field so that the nanostructure provides for the fulfillment of the phase synchronism conditions

Memory characteristics of an MOS capacitor structure with double-layer semiconductor and metal heterogeneous nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ni Henan; Wu Liangcai; Song Zhitang; Hui Chun

2009-01-01

An MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) capacitor structure with double-layer heterogeneous nanocrystals consisting of semiconductor and metal embedded in a gate oxide for nonvolatile memory applications has been fabricated and characterized. By combining vacuum electron-beam co-evaporated Si nanocrystals and self-assembled Ni nanocrystals in a SiO 2 matrix, an MOS capacitor with double-layer heterogeneous nanocrystals can have larger charge storage capacity and improved retention characteristics compared to one with single-layer nanocrystals. The upper metal nanocrystals as an additional charge trap layer enable the direct tunneling mechanism to enhance the flat voltage shift and prolong the retention time. (semiconductor devices)

Beyond Donor-Acceptor (D-A) Approach: Structure-Optoelectronic Properties-Organic Photovoltaic Performance Correlation in New D-A1 -D-A2 Low-Bandgap Conjugated Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chochos, Christos L; Drakopoulou, Sofia; Katsouras, Athanasios; Squeo, Benedetta M; Sprau, Christian; Colsmann, Alexander; Gregoriou, Vasilis G; Cando, Alex-Palma; Allard, Sybille; Scherf, Ullrich; Gasparini, Nicola; Kazerouni, Negar; Ameri, Tayebeh; Brabec, Christoph J; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos

2017-04-01

Low-bandgap near-infrared polymers are usually synthesized using the common donor-acceptor (D-A) approach. However, recently polymer chemists are introducing more complex chemical concepts for better fine tuning of their optoelectronic properties. Usually these studies are limited to one or two polymer examples in each case study so far, though. In this study, the dependence of optoelectronic and macroscopic (device performance) properties in a series of six new D-A 1 -D-A 2 low bandgap semiconducting polymers is reported for the first time. Correlation between the chemical structure of single-component polymer films and their optoelectronic properties has been achieved in terms of absorption maxima, optical bandgap, ionization potential, and electron affinity. Preliminary organic photovoltaic results based on blends of the D-A 1 -D-A 2 polymers as the electron donor mixed with the fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl-C 71 -butyric acid methyl ester demonstrate power conversion efficiencies close to 4% with short-circuit current densities (J sc ) of around 11 mA cm -2 , high fill factors up to 0.70, and high open-circuit voltages (V oc s) of 0.70 V. All the devices are fabricated in an inverted architecture with the photoactive layer processed in air with doctor blade technique, showing the compatibility with roll-to-roll large-scale manufacturing processes. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Structural properties of III-V zinc-blende semiconductors under pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froyen, S.; Cohen, M.L.

1983-01-01

The pseudopotential method within the local-density approximation is used to investigate the static and structural properties of some III-V compound semiconductors. Comparisons of calculated total energies as a function of volume and structure yield information about solid-solid phase transformations. At high pressures the results indicate that several metallic structures are lower in energy than the zinc-blende structure. From our results the compounds (AlP, AlAs, GaP, and GaAs) can be divided into two classes. In the Ga compounds, we find a pressure-induced phase transformation to either rocksalt, β-Sn, or NiAs, whereas in the Al compounds rocksalt and NiAs are stabilized with respect to β-Sn. All structures except zinc blende are metallic. We discuss the electronic structure of each phase and show how it relates to structural stability

Theory of spin-polarized transport in ferromagnet-semiconductor structures: Unified description of ballistic and diffusive transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipperheide, R.; Wille, U.

2006-01-01

A theory of spin-polarized electron transport in ferromagnet-semiconductor heterostructures, based on a unified semiclassical description of ballistic and diffusive transport in semiconductors, is outlined. The aim is to provide a framework for studying the interplay of spin relaxation and transport mechanism in spintronic devices. Transport inside the (nondegenerate) semiconductor is described in terms of a thermoballistic current, in which electrons move ballistically in the electric field arising from internal and external electrostatic potentials, and are thermalized at randomly distributed equilibration points. Spin relaxation is allowed to take place during the ballistic motion. For arbitrary potential profile and arbitrary values of the momentum and spin relaxation lengths, an integral equation for a spin transport function determining the spin polarization in the semiconductor is derived. For field-driven transport in a homogeneous semiconductor, the integral equation can be converted into a second-order differential equation that generalizes the spin drift-diffusion equation. The spin polarization in ferromagnet-semiconductor structures is obtained by matching the spin-resolved chemical potentials at the interfaces, with allowance for spin-selective interface resistances. Illustrative examples are considered

Single-mode ytterbium-doped large-mode-area photonic bandgap rod fiber amplifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alkeskjold, Thomas Tanggaard; Scolari, Lara; Broeng, Jes

2011-01-01

bandgap structure. The structure allows resonant coupling of higher-order modes from the core and acts as a spatially Distributed Mode Filter (DMF). With this approach, we demonstrate passive SM performance in an only ~50cm long and straight ytterbium-doped rod fiber. The amplifier has a mode field...... diameter of ∼59Lim at 1064nm and exhibits a pump absorption of 27dB/m at 976nm. © 2011 Optical Society of America....

Diffusive, Structural, Optical, and Electrical Properties of Defects in Semiconductors

CERN Multimedia

Wagner, F E

2002-01-01

Electronic properties of semiconductors are extremely sensitive to defects and impurities that have localized electronic states with energy levels in the band gap of the semiconductor. Spectroscopic techniques like photoluminescence (PL), deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), or Hall effect, that are able to detect and characterize band gap states do not reveal direct information about their microscopic origin. To overcome this chemical "blindness", the present approach is to use radioactive isotopes as a tracer. Moreover, the recoil energies involved in $\\beta$ and $\\gamma$-decays can be used to create intrinsic isolated point defects (interstitials, vacancies) in a controlled way. A microscopic insight into the structure and the thermodynamic properties of complexes formed by interacting defects can be gained by detecting the hyperfine interaction between the nuclear moments of radioactive dopants and the electromagnetic fields present at the site of the radioactive nucleus. The understanding and the co...

Structural and optical high-pressure study of spinel-type MnIn2S4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manjon, F.J.; Segura, A.; Pellicer-Porres, J.; Sanchez-Royo, J.F.; Amboage, M.; Itie, J.P.; Flank, A.M.; Lagarde, P.; Polian, A.; Ursaki, V.V.; Tiginyanu, I.M.

2007-01-01

We report a combined study of the structural and electronic properties of the spinel-type semiconductor MnIn 2 S 4 under high pressures by means of X-ray diffraction (ADXRD), X-ray absorption (XAS), and optical absorption measurements. The three techniques evidence a reversible structural phase transition near 7 GPa, that according to ADXRD measurements is to a double-NaCl structure. XAS measurements evidence predominant tetrahedral coordination for Mn in the spinel phase that does not noticeably change with increasing pressure up to the phase transition. XAS measurements indicate that the static disorder increases considerably when the sample reverts from the double-NaCl phase to the spinel phase. Optical absorption measurements show that the direct gap of MnIn 2 S 4 exhibits a nonlinear behaviour with a positive pressure coefficient at pressures below 2.5 GPa and a negative pressure coefficient between 2.5 and 7 GPa. The pressure behavior of the bandgap seems to be affected by the defect concentration. The double-NaCl phase also exhibits a bandgap with a negative pressure coefficient. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Single-graded CIGS with narrow bandgap for tandem solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Feurer, Thomas; Bissig, Benjamin; Weiss, Thomas P; Carron, Romain; Avancini, Enrico; Löckinger, Johannes; Buecheler, Stephan; Tiwari, Ayodhya N

2018-01-01

Multi-junction solar cells show the highest photovoltaic energy conversion efficiencies, but the current technologies based on wafers and epitaxial growth of multiple layers are very costly. Therefore, there is a high interest in realizing multi-junction tandem devices based on cost-effective thin film technologies. While the efficiency of such devices has been limited so far because of the rather low efficiency of semitransparent wide bandgap top cells, the recent rise of wide bandgap perovskite solar cells has inspired the development of new thin film tandem solar devices. In order to realize monolithic, and therefore current-matched thin film tandem solar cells, a bottom cell with narrow bandgap (~1 eV) and high efficiency is necessary. In this work, we present Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 with a bandgap of 1.00 eV and a maximum power conversion efficiency of 16.1%. This is achieved by implementing a gallium grading towards the back contact into a CuInSe 2 base material. We show that this modification significantly improves the open circuit voltage but does not reduce the spectral response range of these devices. Therefore, efficient cells with narrow bandgap absorbers are obtained, yielding the high current density necessary for thin film multi-junction solar cells.

Hyperuniform Disordered photonic bandgap materials, from 2D to 3D, and their applications

Science.gov (United States)

Man, Weining; Florescu, Marian; Sahba, Shervin; Sellers, Steven

Recently, hyperuniform disordered systems attracted increasing attention due to their unique physical properties and the potential possibilities of self-assembling them. We had introduced a class of 2D hyperuniform disordered (HUD) photonic bandgap (PBG) materials enabled by a novel constrained optimization method for engineering the material's isotropic photonic bandgap. The intrinsic isotropy in these disordered structures is an inherent advantage associated with the lack of crystalline order, offering unprecedented freedom for functional defect design impossible to achieve in photonic crystals. Beyond our previous experimental work using macroscopic samples with microwave radiation, we demonstrated functional devices based on submicron-scale planar hyperuniform disordered PBG structures further highlight their ability to serve as highly compact, flexible and energy-efficient platforms for photonic integrated circuits. We further extended the design, fabrication, and characterization of the disordered photonic system into 3D. We also identify local self-uniformity as a novel measure of a disordered network's internal structural similarity, which we found crucial for photonic band gap formation. National Science Foundations award DMR-1308084.

Transmission properties of hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falk, Charlotte Ijeoma; Hald, Jan; Petersen, Jan C.

2010-01-01

Variations in optical transmission of four types of hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers are measured as a function of laser frequency. These variations influence the potential accuracy of gas sensors based on molecular spectroscopy in hollow-core fibers.......Variations in optical transmission of four types of hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers are measured as a function of laser frequency. These variations influence the potential accuracy of gas sensors based on molecular spectroscopy in hollow-core fibers....

Fabrication of a three-dimensional photonic band-gap crystal of air-spheres in a titania matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Diop, M.; Maurin, G.; Tork, Amir; Lessard, Roger A.

2003-02-01

A three-dimensional (3D) colloidal crystal have been grown from an aqueous colloidal solution of highly monodisperse submicrometer-sized polystyrene spheres using a self-assembly processing technique. The electromagnetic waves diffracted by this crystal can interfere and give rise to a photonic band-gap. However, due to the low refractive index contrast within this material the band-gap is incomplete. By filling the voids between the spheres of the colloidal crystal with titania and removing the polystyrene beads by sublimation, we obtained an inverse-opal structure with an increased refractive index contrast showing strong opalescence.

Ultrasensitive tunability of the direct bandgap of 2D InSe flakes via strain engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yang; Wang, Tianmeng; Wu, Meng; Cao, Ting; Chen, Yanwen; Sankar, Raman; Ulaganathan, Rajesh K.; Chou, Fangcheng; Wetzel, Christian; Xu, Cheng-Yan; Louie, Steven G.; Shi, Su-Fei

2018-04-01

InSe, a member of the layered materials family, is a superior electronic and optical material which retains a direct bandgap feature from the bulk to atomically thin few-layers and high electronic mobility down to a single layer limit. We, for the first time, exploit strain to drastically modify the bandgap of two-dimensional (2D) InSe nanoflakes. We demonstrated that we could decrease the bandgap of a few-layer InSe flake by 160 meV through applying an in-plane uniaxial tensile strain to 1.06% and increase the bandgap by 79 meV through applying an in-plane uniaxial compressive strain to 0.62%, as evidenced by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The large reversible bandgap change of ~239 meV arises from a large bandgap change rate (bandgap strain coefficient) of few-layer InSe in response to strain, ~154 meV/% for uniaxial tensile strain and ~140 meV/% for uniaxial compressive strain, representing the most pronounced uniaxial strain-induced bandgap strain coefficient experimentally reported in 2D materials. We developed a theoretical understanding of the strain-induced bandgap change through first-principles DFT and GW calculations. We also confirmed the bandgap change by photoconductivity measurements using excitation light with different photon energies. The highly tunable bandgap of InSe in the infrared regime should enable a wide range of applications, including electro-mechanical, piezoelectric and optoelectronic devices.

X-ray and photoelectron spectroscopy of the structure, reactivity, and electronic structure of semiconductor nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamad, Kimberly Sue [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2000-01-01

Semiconductor nanocrystals are a system which has been the focus of interest due to their size dependent properties and their possible use in technological applications. Many chemical and physical properties vary systematically with the size of the nanocrystal and thus their study enables the investigation of scaling laws. Due to the increasing surface to volume ratio as size is decreased, the surfaces of nanocrystals are expected to have a large influence on their electronic, thermodynamic, and chemical behavior. In spite of their importance, nanocrystal surfaces are still relatively uncharacterized in terms of their structure, electronic properties, bonding, and reactivity. Investigation of nanocrystal surfaces is currently limited by what techniques to use, and which methods are suitable for nanocrystals is still being determined. This work presents experiments using x-ray and electronic spectroscopies to explore the structure, reactivity, and electronic properties of semiconductor (CdSe, InAs) nanocrystals and how they vary with size. Specifically, x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) in conjunction with multiple scattering simulations affords information about the structural disorder present at the surface of the nanocrystal. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultra-violet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) probe the electronic structure in terms of hole screening, and also give information about band lineups when the nanocrystal is placed in electric contact with a substrate. XPS of the core levels of the nanocrystal as a function of photo-oxidation time yields kinetic data on the oxidation reaction occurring at the surface of the nanocrystal.

On properties of multilayer semiconductor nZnSe-nGaAs structures

CERN Document Server

Duysenbaev, M; Auezov, S A

2002-01-01

Electrical and optoelectronic properties of multilayer semiconductor nZnSe-nGaAs structures have been investigated. The volt-current characteristics showed that the relation I approx V holds at the voltages lower than 0.8 v, then the current decreases with increasing the applied voltage. The spectral sensitive range (0.47-1.7 mu m) and parameters of the structures have been determined. Negative differential conductivity mechanism is discussed. (author)

Bandgap engineering and charge separation in two-dimensional GaS-based van der Waals heterostructures for photocatalytic water splitting

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Biao; Kuang, Anlong; Luo, Xukai; Wang, Guangzhao; Yuan, Hongkuan; Chen, Hong

2018-05-01

Two-dimensional (2D) gallium sulfide (GaS), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) have been fabricated and expected to be promising photocatalysts under ultraviolet irradiation. Here, we employ hybrid density functional calculations to explore the potential of the 2D GaS-based heterojunctions GaS/h-BN (g-C3N4) for the design of efficient water redox photocatalysts. Both heterostructures can be formed via van der Waals (vdW) interaction and are direct bandgap semiconductors, whose bandgaps are reduced comparing with isolated GaS, h-BN or g-C3N4 monolayers and whose bandedges straddle water redox potentials. Furthermore, the optical absorption of GaS/h-BN (g-C3N4) heterostructures is observably enhanced in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) light range. The electron-hole pairs in GaS/h-BN (g-C3N4) heterostructures are completely separated from different layers. In addition, the in-plane biaxial strain can effectively modulate the electronic properties of GaS/h-BN (g-C3N4) heterostructures. Thus the GaS/h-BN (g-C3N4) heterostructures are anticipated to be promising candidates for photocatalytic water splitting to produce hydrogen.

Anisotropy-based crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor material

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney Allen; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A semiconductor structure and device for use in a semiconductor application utilizes a substrate of semiconductor-based material, such as silicon, and a thin film of a crystalline oxide whose unit cells are capable of exhibiting anisotropic behavior overlying the substrate surface. Within the structure, the unit cells of the crystalline oxide are exposed to an in-plane stain which influences the geometric shape of the unit cells and thereby arranges a directional-dependent quality of the unit cells in a predisposed orientation relative to the substrate. This predisposition of the directional-dependent quality of the unit cells enables the device to take beneficial advantage of characteristics of the structure during operation. For example, in the instance in which the crystalline oxide of the structure is a perovskite, a spinel or an oxide of similarly-related cubic structure, the structure can, within an appropriate semiconductor device, exhibit ferroelectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, electro-optic, ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, magneto-optic or large dielectric properties that synergistically couple to the underlying semiconductor substrate.

Transitions of bandgap and built-in stress for sputtered HfZnO thin films after thermal treatments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Chih-Hung; Chen, Jian-Zhang [Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China); Cheng, I-Chun [Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China)

2013-08-28

HfZnO thin films with various Hf contents are sputter-deposited on glass substrates from Hf{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O (x = 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 at. %) targets at room temperature. The incorporation of Hf in the ZnO film leads to the amorphorization of the materials. The amorphous structures of high-Hf-content films remain after annealing at 600 °C for 30 min. The built-in stresses of as-deposited films are compressive. As the annealing temperature increases, the stresses are relaxed and even become tensile. The films exhibit a high transmission of 80% in the visible region. The optical bandgap increases with the Hf content, but it decreases with the annealing temperature. This can be attributed to the alteration of strain (stress) status in the films and atomic substitution. The reduction of bandgap partly results from the grain growth, which is due to the quantum confinement effect of the small grains. Hf doping increases the resistivity of ZnO owing to the disorder of the material structure and the higher bandgap, which result in more carrier traps and less thermally excited carriers in the conduction bands.

Effects of radiation and temperature on gallium nitride (GaN) metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors

Science.gov (United States)

Chiamori, Heather C.; Angadi, Chetan; Suria, Ateeq; Shankar, Ashwin; Hou, Minmin; Bhattacharya, Sharmila; Senesky, Debbie G.

2014-06-01

The development of radiation-hardened, temperature-tolerant materials, sensors and electronics will enable lightweight space sub-systems (reduced packaging requirements) with increased operation lifetimes in extreme harsh environments such as those encountered during space exploration. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a ceramic, semiconductor material stable within high-radiation, high-temperature and chemically corrosive environments due to its wide bandgap (3.4 eV). These material properties can be leveraged for ultraviolet (UV) wavelength photodetection. In this paper, current results of GaN metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) UV photodetectors behavior after irradiation up to 50 krad and temperatures of 15°C to 150°C is presented. These initial results indicate that GaN-based sensors can provide robust operation within extreme harsh environments. Future directions for GaN-based photodetector technology for down-hole, automotive and space exploration applications are also discussed.

Regioregular narrow-bandgap-conjugated polymers for plastic electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, Lei; Huang, Fei; Bazan, Guillermo C.

2017-03-01

Progress in the molecular design and processing protocols of semiconducting polymers has opened significant opportunities for the fabrication of low-cost plastic electronic devices. Recent studies indicate that field-effect transistors and organic solar cells fabricated using narrow-bandgap regioregular polymers with translational symmetries in the direction of the backbone vector often outperform those containing analogous regiorandom polymers. This review addresses the cutting edge of regioregularity chemistry, in particular how to control the spatial distribution in the molecular structures and how this order translates to more ordered bulk morphologies. The effect of regioregularity on charge transport and photovoltaic properties is also outlined.

Development of Radiation-hard Bandgap Reference and Temperature Sensor in CMOS 130 nm Technology

CERN Document Server

Kuczynska, Marika; Bugiel, Szymon; Firlej, Miroslaw; Fiutowski, Tomasz; Idzik, Marek; Michelis, Stefano; Moron, Jakub; Przyborowski, Dominik; Swientek, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

A stable reference voltage (or current) source is a standard component of today's microelectronics systems. In particle physics experiments such reference is needed in spite of harsh ionizing radiation conditions, i.e. doses exceeding 100 Mrads and fluences above 1e15 n/cm2. After such radiation load a bandgap reference using standard p-n junction of bipolar transistor does not work properly. Instead of using standard p-n junctions, two enclosed layout transistor (ELTMOS) structures are used to create radiation-hard diodes: the ELT bulk diode and the diode obtained using the ELTMOS as dynamic threshold transistor (DTMOS). In this paper we have described several sub-1V references based on ELTMOS bulk diode and DTMOS based diode, using CMOS 130 nm process. Voltage references the structures with additional PTAT (Proportional To Absolute Temperature) output for temperature measurements were also designed. We present and compare post-layout simulations of the developed bandgap references and temperature sensors, w...

Water-Dependent Photonic Bandgap in Silica Artificial Opals

OpenAIRE

Gallego-Gomez, Francisco; Blanco, Alvaro; Canalejas-Tejero, Victor; Lopez, Cefe

2011-01-01

Some characteristics of silica-based structuresa-like the photonic properties of artificial opals formed by silica spheresa-can be greatly affected by the presence of adsorbed water. The reversible modification of the water content of an opal is investigated here by moderate heating (below 300 °C) and measuring in situ the changes in the photonic bandgap. Due to reversible removal of interstitial water, large blueshifts of 30 nm and a bandgap narrowing of 7% are observed. The latter is partic...

Charged Semiconductor Defects Structure, Thermodynamics and Diffusion

CERN Document Server

Seebauer, Edmund G

2009-01-01

The technologically useful properties of a solid often depend upon the types and concentrations of the defects it contains. Not surprisingly, defects in semiconductors have been studied for many years, in many cases with a view towards controlling their behavior through various forms of "defect engineering." For example, in the bulk, charging significantly affects the total concentration of defects that are available to mediate phenomena such as solid-state diffusion. Surface defects play an important role in mediating surface mass transport during high temperature processing steps such as epitaxial film deposition, diffusional smoothing in reflow, and nanostructure formation in memory device fabrication. Charged Semiconductor Defects details the current state of knowledge regarding the properties of the ionized defects that can affect the behavior of advanced transistors, photo-active devices, catalysts, and sensors. Features: Group IV, III-V, and oxide semiconductors; Intrinsic and extrinsic defects; and, P...

Optimization and experimental validation of stiff porous phononic plates for widest complete bandgap of mixed fundamental guided wave modes

Science.gov (United States)

Hedayatrasa, Saeid; Kersemans, Mathias; Abhary, Kazem; Uddin, Mohammad; Van Paepegem, Wim

2018-01-01

Phononic crystal plates (PhPs) have promising application in manipulation of guided waves for design of low-loss acoustic devices and built-in acoustic metamaterial lenses in plate structures. The prominent feature of phononic crystals is the existence of frequency bandgaps over which the waves are stopped, or are resonated and guided within appropriate defects. Therefore, maximized bandgaps of PhPs are desirable to enhance their phononic controllability. Porous PhPs produced through perforation of a uniform background plate, in which the porous interfaces act as strong reflectors of wave energy, are relatively easy to produce. However, the research in optimization of porous PhPs and experimental validation of achieved topologies has been very limited and particularly focused on bandgaps of flexural (asymmetric) wave modes. In this paper, porous PhPs are optimized through an efficient multiobjective genetic algorithm for widest complete bandgap of mixed fundamental guided wave modes (symmetric and asymmetric) and maximized stiffness. The Pareto front of optimization is analyzed and variation of bandgap efficiency with respect to stiffness is presented for various optimized topologies. Selected optimized topologies from the stiff and compliant regimes of Pareto front are manufactured by water-jetting an aluminum plate and their promising bandgap efficiency is experimentally observed. An optimized Pareto topology is also chosen and manufactured by laser cutting a Plexiglas (PMMA) plate, and its performance in self-collimation and focusing of guided waves is verified as compared to calculated dispersion properties.

Tunable Bandgap and Optical Properties of Black Phosphorene Nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunmei Li

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Black phosphorus (BP, a new two-dimensional material, has been the focus of scientists’ attention. BP nanotubes have potential in the field of optoelectronics due to their low-dimensional effects. In this work, the bending strain energy, electronic structure, and optical properties of BP nanotubes were investigated by using the first-principles method based on density functional theory. The results show that these properties are closely related to the rolling direction and radius of the BP nanotube. All the calculated BP nanotube properties show direct bandgaps, and the BP nanotubes with the same rolling direction express a monotone increasing trend in the value of bandgap with a decrease in radius, which is a stacking effect of the compression strain on the inner atoms and the tension strain on the outer atoms. The bending strain energy of the zigzag phosphorene nanotubes (zPNTs is higher than that of armchair phosphorene nanotubes (aPNT with the same radius of curvature due to the anisotropy of the BP’s structure. The imaginary part of the dielectric function, the absorption range, reflectivity, and the imaginary part of the refractive index of aPNTs have a wider range than those of zPNTs, with higher values overall. As a result, tunable BP nanotubes are suitable for optoelectronic devices, such as lasers and diodes, which function in the infrared and ultra-violet regions, and for solar cells and photocatalysis.

II-VI semiconductor compounds

CERN Document Server

1993-01-01

For condensed matter physicists and electronic engineers, this volume deals with aspects of II-VI semiconductor compounds. Areas covered include devices and applications of II-VI compounds; Co-based II-IV semi-magnetic semiconductors; and electronic structure of strained II-VI superlattices.

Photooxidation of organic wastes using semiconductor nanoclusters. 1998 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilcoxon, J.P.

1998-01-01

'This report summarizes work after 1.5 years of a 3-year project. The authors efforts have focused on demonstration of photocatalysis of organic pollutants using nanosize MoS 2 . They investigated the effects of (1) bandgap, valence and conduction band energies; (2) surface modification of MoS 2 by deposition of metal and metal oxide islands to enhance electron transfer; and (3) use of semi-conductor semi-conductor composites to achieve improved charge separation and thus photooxidation of pollutants. They synthesized and studied nanosize MoS 2 of three different sizes and associated bandgaps and studied photoredox reactions of nanosize MoS 2 dispersed in solution and supported on a macroscopic powder. The latter would be the method of choice for use as a practical photocatalyst for water purification. As they emphasized in the original proposal, MoS 2 in nanosize form can be tuned to absorb various amounts of the solar spectrum. They discovered there is an optimal choice of absorbance characteristics and valence and conduction band levels which allow the rapid photo-oxidation of a chosen organic molecule. The advantages of having a photostable material with a tunable bandgap were demonstrated in an experiment where phenol destruction with visible (> 450 nm) light occurred at a dramatically faster rate with nanoscale MoS 2 catalysts compared to the best available previous material TiO 2 . This was the first demonstration of rapid photooxidation of an organic molecule using a completely photostable catalyst and only visible light. The possibility of transferring electrons or holes between nanoscale MoS 2 and other semiconductor materials in order to increase electron/hole lifetimes were explored. It was shown that small amounts ( 2 deposited on to TiO 2 can lead to significant (∼2) enhancements of phenol destruction rates. A number of different chemicals were photocatalyzed sucessfully to CO 2 , but most of the work centered on the destruction of phenol. This

Large bandgap blueshifts in the InGaP/InAlGaP laser structure using novel strain-induced quantum well intermixing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Jabr, A. A.; Majid, M. A.; Alias, M. S.; Ng, T. K.; Ooi, B. S., E-mail: boon.ooi@kaust.edu.sa [Photonics Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (Saudi Arabia); Anjum, D. H. [Advanced Nanofabrication, Imaging and Characterization Core Facilities, (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (Saudi Arabia)

2016-04-07

We report on a novel quantum well intermixing (QWI) technique that induces a large degree of bandgap blueshift in the InGaP/InAlGaP laser structure. In this technique, high external compressive strain induced by a thick layer of SiO{sub 2} cap with a thickness ≥1 μm was used to enhance QWI in the tensile-strained InGaP/InAlGaP quantum well layer. A bandgap blueshift as large as 200 meV was observed in samples capped with 1-μm SiO{sub 2} and annealed at 1000 °C for 120 s. To further enhance the degree of QWI, cycles of annealing steps were applied to the SiO{sub 2} cap. Using this method, wavelength tunability over the range of 640 nm to 565 nm (∼250 meV) was demonstrated. Light-emitting diodes emitting at red (628 nm), orange (602 nm), and yellow (585 nm) wavelengths were successfully fabricated on the intermixed samples. Our results show that this new QWI method technique may pave the way for the realization of high-efficiency orange and yellow light-emitting devices based on the InGaP/InAlGaP material system.

Gyrotropic-nihility state in a composite ferrite-semiconductor structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuz, Vladimir R

2015-01-01

Characteristics of the gyrotropic-nihility state are studied in a finely-stratified ferrite-semiconductor structure, which is under an action of an external static magnetic field. Investigations are carried out with the assistance of the effective medium theory, according to which the studied structure is approximated as a uniform gyroelectromagnetic medium. The theory of the gyrotropic-nihility state is developed in terms of the eigenwaves propagation in such gyroelectromagnetic medium. The frequency and angular dependencies of the transmittance, reflectance and absorption coefficient are presented. It turns out that in the frequency band around the frequency of gyrotropic-nihility state the studied structure appears to be matched to free space with both the refractive index and the wave impedance which results in its high transmittance almost in the entire range of angles of the electromagnetic wave incidence. (paper)

Study on the photoresponse of amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O and zinc oxynitride semiconductor devices by the extraction of sub-gap-state distribution and device simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Jun Tae; Park, Jozeph; Ahn, Byung Du; Kim, Dong Myong; Choi, Sung-Jin; Kim, Hyun-Suk; Kim, Dae Hwan

2015-07-22

Persistent photoconduction (PPC) is a phenomenon that limits the application of oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (TFTs) in optical sensor-embedded displays. In the present work, a study on zinc oxynitride (ZnON) semiconductor TFTs based on the combination of experimental results and device simulation is presented. Devices incorporating ZnON semiconductors exhibit negligible PPC effects compared with amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) TFTs, and the difference between the two types of materials are examined by monochromatic photonic C-V spectroscopy (MPCVS). The latter method allows the estimation of the density of subgap states in the semiconductor, which may account for the different behavior of ZnON and IGZO materials with respect to illumination and the associated PPC. In the case of a-IGZO TFTs, the oxygen flow rate during the sputter deposition of a-IGZO is found to influence the amount of PPC. Small oxygen flow rates result in pronounced PPC, and large densities of valence band tail (VBT) states are observed in the corresponding devices. This implies a dependence of PPC on the amount of oxygen vacancies (VO). On the other hand, ZnON has a smaller bandgap than a-IGZO and contains a smaller density of VBT states over the entire range of its bandgap energy. Here, the concept of activation energy window (AEW) is introduced to explain the occurrence of PPC effects by photoinduced electron doping, which is likely to be associated with the formation of peroxides in the semiconductor. The analytical methodology presented in this report accounts well for the reduction of PPC in ZnON TFTs, and provides a quantitative tool for the systematic development of phototransistors for optical sensor-embedded interactive displays.

Towards time-of-flight PET with a semiconductor detector

Science.gov (United States)

Ariño-Estrada, Gerard; Mitchell, Gregory S.; Kwon, Sun Il; Du, Junwei; Kim, Hadong; Cirignano, Leonard J.; Shah, Kanai S.; Cherry, Simon R.

2018-02-01

The feasibility of using Cerenkov light, generated by energetic electrons following 511 keV photon interactions in the semiconductor TlBr, to obtain fast timing information for positron emission tomography (PET) was evaluated. Due to its high refractive index, TlBr is a relatively good Cerenkov radiator and with its wide bandgap, has good optical transparency across most of the visible spectrum. Coupling an SiPM photodetector to a slab of TlBr (TlBr-SiPM) yielded a coincidence timing resolution of 620 ps FWHM between the TlBr-SiPM detector and a LFS reference detector. This value improved to 430 ps FWHM by applying a high pulse amplitude cut based on the TlBr-SiPM and reference detector signal amplitudes. These results are the best ever achieved with a semiconductor PET detector and already approach the performance required for time-of-flight. As TlBr has higher stopping power and better energy resolution than the conventional scintillation detectors currently used in PET scanners, a hybrid TlBr-SiPM detector with fast timing capability becomes an interesting option for further development.

Resonance fluorescence spectrum in a two-band photonic bandgap crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ray-Kuang; Lai, Yinchieh

2003-05-01

Steady state resonance fluorescence spectra from a two-level atom embedded in a photonic bandgap crystal and resonantly driven by a classical pump light are calculated. The photonic crystal is considered to be with a small bandgap which is in the order of magnitude of the Rabi frequency and is modeled by the anisotropic two-band dispersion relation. Non-Markovian noises caused by the non-uniform distribution of photon density states near the photonic bandgap are taken into account by a new approach which linearizes the optical Bloch equations by using the Liouville operator expansion. Fluorescence spectra that only exhibit sidebands of the Mollow triplet are found, indicating that there is no coherent Rayleigh scattering process.

Raman spectroscopy as an advanced structural nanoprobe for conjugated molecular semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, Sebastian; Hollis, Joseph Razzell; Kim, Ji-Seon

2017-01-01

Raman spectroscopy has emerged as a powerful and important characterisation tool for probing molecular semiconducting materials. The useful optoelectronic properties of these materials arise from the delocalised π -electron density in the conjugated core of the molecule, which also results in large Raman scattering cross-sections and a strong coupling between its electronic states and vibrational modes. For this reason, Raman spectroscopy offers a unique insight into the properties of molecular semiconductors, including: chemical structure, molecular conformation, molecular orientation, and fundamental photo- and electro-chemical processes—all of which are critically important to the performance of a wide range of optical and electronic organic semiconductor devices. Experimentally, Raman spectroscopy is non-intrusive, non-destructive, and requires no special sample preparation, and so is suitable for a wide range of in situ measurements, which are particularly relevant to issues of thermal and photochemical stability. Here we review the development of the family of Raman spectroscopic techniques, which have been applied to the study of conjugated molecular semiconductors. We consider the suitability of each technique for particular circumstances, and the unique insights it can offer, with a particular focus on the significance of these measurements for the continuing development of stable, high performance organic electronic devices. (topical review)

Glial cell adhesion and protein adsorption on SAM coated semiconductor and glass surfaces of a microfluidic structure

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Darryl Y.; Cox, Jimmy D.; Follstaedt, Susan C.; Curry, Mark S.; Skirboll, Steven K.; Gourley, Paul L.

2001-05-01

The development of microsystems that merge biological materials with microfabricated structures is highly dependent on the successful interfacial interactions between these innately incompatible materials. Surface passivation of semiconductor and glass surfaces with thin organic films can attenuate the adhesion of proteins and cells that lead to biofilm formation and biofouling of fluidic structures. We have examined the adhesion of glial cells and serum albumin proteins to microfabricated glass and semiconductor surfaces coated with self-assembled monolayers of octadecyltrimethoxysilane and N-(triethoxysilylpropyl)-O- polyethylene oxide urethane, to evaluate the biocompatibility and surface passivation those coatings provide.

Continuous-wave lasing in an organic-inorganic lead halide perovskite semiconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Yufei; Kerner, Ross A.; Grede, Alex J.; Rand, Barry P.; Giebink, Noel C.

2017-12-01

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have emerged as promising gain media for tunable, solution-processed semiconductor lasers. However, continuous-wave operation has not been achieved so far1-3. Here, we demonstrate that optically pumped continuous-wave lasing can be sustained above threshold excitation intensities of 17 kW cm-2 for over an hour in methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) distributed feedback lasers that are maintained below the MAPbI3 tetragonal-to-orthorhombic phase transition temperature of T ≈ 160 K. In contrast with the lasing death phenomenon that occurs for pure tetragonal-phase MAPbI3 at T > 160 K (ref. 4), we find that continuous-wave gain becomes possible at T ≈ 100 K from tetragonal-phase inclusions that are photogenerated by the pump within the normally existing, larger-bandgap orthorhombic host matrix. In this mixed-phase system, the tetragonal inclusions function as carrier recombination sinks that reduce the transparency threshold, in loose analogy to inorganic semiconductor quantum wells, and may serve as a model for engineering improved perovskite gain media.

Photonic bandgap narrowing in conical hollow core Bragg fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozturk, Fahri Emre; Yildirim, Adem; Kanik, Mehmet [UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Bayindir, Mehmet, E-mail: bayindir@nano.org.tr [UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Department of Physics, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey)

2014-08-18

We report the photonic bandgap engineering of Bragg fibers by controlling the thickness profile of the fiber during the thermal drawing. Conical hollow core Bragg fibers were produced by thermal drawing under a rapidly alternating load, which was applied by introducing steep changes to the fiber drawing speed. In conventional cylindrical Bragg fibers, light is guided by omnidirectional reflections from interior dielectric mirrors with a single quarter wave stack period. In conical fibers, the diameter reduction introduced a gradient of the quarter wave stack period along the length of the fiber. Therefore, the light guided within the fiber encountered slightly smaller dielectric layer thicknesses at each reflection, resulting in a progressive blueshift of the reflectance spectrum. As the reflectance spectrum shifts, longer wavelengths of the initial bandgap cease to be omnidirectionally reflected and exit through the cladding, which narrows the photonic bandgap. A narrow transmission bandwidth is particularly desirable in hollow waveguide mid-infrared sensing schemes, where broadband light is coupled to the fiber and the analyte vapor is introduced into the hollow core to measure infrared absorption. We carried out sensing simulations using the absorption spectrum of isopropyl alcohol vapor to demonstrate the importance of narrow bandgap fibers in chemical sensing applications.

Sub-bandgap response of graphene/SiC Schottky emitter bipolar phototransistor examined by scanning photocurrent microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Bobby G., Jr.; Chava, Venkata Surya N.; Daniels, Kevin M.; Chandrashekhar, M. V. S.; Greytak, Andrew B.

2018-01-01

Graphene layers grown epitaxially on SiC substrates are attractive for a variety of sensing and optoelectronic applications because the graphene acts as a transparent, conductive, and chemically responsive layer that is mated to a wide-bandgap semiconductor with large breakdown voltage. Recent advances in control of epitaxial growth and doping of SiC epilayers have increased the range of electronic device architectures that are accessible with this system. In particular, a recently-introduced Schottky-emitter bipolar phototransistor (SEPT) based on an epitaxial graphene (EG) emitter grown on a p-SiC base epilayer has been found to exhibit a maximum common emitter current gain of 113 and a UV responsivity of 7.1 A W-1. The behavior of this device, formed on an n +-SiC substrate that serves as the collector, was attributed to a very large minority carrier injection efficiency at the EG/p-SiC Schottky contact. This large minority carrier injection efficiency is in turn related to the large built-in potential found at a EG/p-SiC Schottky junction. The high performance of this device makes it critically important to analyze the sub bandgap visible response of the device, which provides information on impurity states and polytype inclusions in the crystal. Here, we employ scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPCM) with sub-bandgap light as well as a variety of other techniques to clearly demonstrate a localized response based on the graphene transparent electrode and an approximately 1000-fold difference in responsivity between 365 nm and 444 nm excitation. A stacking fault propagating from the substrate/epilayer interface, assigned as a single layer of the 8H-SiC polytype within the 4H-SiC matrix, is found to locally increase the photocurrent substantially. The discovery of this polytype heterojunction opens the potential for further development of heteropolytype devices based on the SEPT architecture.

Carrier-carrier relaxation kinetics in quantum well semiconductor structures with nonparabolic energy bands

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dery, H.; Tromborg, Bjarne; Eisenstein, G.

2003-01-01

We describe carrier-carrier scattering dynamics in an inverted quantum well structure including the nonparabolic nature of the valance band. A solution of the semiconductor Bloch equations yields strong evidence to a large change in the temporal evolution of the carrier distributions compared to ...

Organic semiconductor crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chengliang; Dong, Huanli; Jiang, Lang; Hu, Wenping

2018-01-22

Organic semiconductors have attracted a lot of attention since the discovery of highly doped conductive polymers, due to the potential application in field-effect transistors (OFETs), light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and photovoltaic cells (OPVs). Single crystals of organic semiconductors are particularly intriguing because they are free of grain boundaries and have long-range periodic order as well as minimal traps and defects. Hence, organic semiconductor crystals provide a powerful tool for revealing the intrinsic properties, examining the structure-property relationships, demonstrating the important factors for high performance devices and uncovering fundamental physics in organic semiconductors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular packing, morphology and charge transport features of organic semiconductor crystals, the control of crystallization for achieving high quality crystals and the device physics in the three main applications. We hope that this comprehensive summary can give a clear picture of the state-of-art status and guide future work in this area.

Low-bandgap polymer photovoltaic cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duren, van J.K.J.; Dhanabalan, A.; Hal, van P.A.; Janssen, R.A.J.

2001-01-01

A-novel low-bandgap conjugated polymer (PTPTB, Eg = ~1.6 eV), consisting of alternating electron-rich N-dodecyl-2,5-bis(2'-thienyl)pyrrole (TPT) and electron-deficient 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (B) units, as a donor material is studied together with a soluble fullerene derivative (PCBM) as acceptor to

Current-Voltage Characteristics of the Metal / Organic Semiconductor / Metal Structures: Top and Bottom Contact Configuration Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šarūnas MEŠKINIS

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In present study five synthesized organic semiconductor compounds have been used for fabrication of the planar metal / organic semiconductor / metal structures. Both top electrode and bottom electrode configurations were used. Current-voltage (I-V characteristics of the samples were investigated. Effect of the hysteresis of the I-V characteristics was observed for all the investigated samples. However, strength of the hysteresis was dependent on the organic semiconductor used. Study of I-V characteristics of the top contact Al/AT-RB-1/Al structures revealed, that in (0 – 500 V voltages range average current of the samples measured in air is only slightly higher than current measured in nitrogen ambient. Deposition of the ultra-thin diamond like carbon interlayer resulted in both decrease of the hysteresis of I-V characteristics of top contact Al/AT-RB-1/Al samples. However, decreased current and decreased slope of the I-V characteristics of the samples with diamond like carbon interlayer was observed as well. I-V characteristic hysteresis effect was less pronounced in the case of the bottom contact metal/organic semiconductor/metal samples. I-V characteristics of the bottom contact samples were dependent on electrode metal used.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.19.1.3816

Gap opening and tuning in single-layer graphene with combined electric and magnetic field modulation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Lin Xin; Wang Hai-Long; Pan Hui; Xu Huai-Zhe

2011-01-01

The energy band structure of single-layer graphene under one-dimensional electric and magnetic field modulation is theoretically investigated. The criterion for bandgap opening at the Dirac point is analytically derived with a two-fold degeneracy second-order perturbation method. It is shown that a direct or an indirect bandgap semiconductor could be realized in a single-layer graphene under some specific configurations of the electric and magnetic field arrangement. Due to the bandgap generated in the single-layer graphene, the Klein tunneling observed in pristine graphene is completely suppressed.

Large-area, laterally-grown epitaxial semiconductor layers

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jung; Song, Jie; Chen, Danti

2017-07-18

Structures and methods for confined lateral-guided growth of a large-area semiconductor layer on an insulating layer are described. The semiconductor layer may be formed by heteroepitaxial growth from a selective growth area in a vertically-confined, lateral-growth guiding structure. Lateral-growth guiding structures may be formed in arrays over a region of a substrate, so as to cover a majority of the substrate region with laterally-grown epitaxial semiconductor tiles. Quality regions of low-defect, stress-free GaN may be grown on silicon.

Binary copper oxide semiconductors: From materials towards devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, B.K.; Polity, A.; Reppin, D.; Becker, M.; Hering, P.; Klar, P.J.; Sander, T.; Reindl, C.; Benz, J.; Eickhoff, M.; Heiliger, C.; Heinemann, M. [1. Physics Institute, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen (Germany); Blaesing, J.; Krost, A. [Institute of Experimental Physics (IEP), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany); Shokovets, S. [Institute of Physics, Ilmenau University of Technology (Germany); Mueller, C.; Ronning, C. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany)

2012-08-15

Copper-oxide compound semiconductors provide a unique possibility to tune the optical and electronic properties from insulating to metallic conduction, from bandgap energies of 2.1 eV to the infrared at 1.40 eV, i.e., right into the middle of the efficiency maximum for solar-cell applications. Three distinctly different phases, Cu{sub 2}O, Cu{sub 4}O{sub 3}, and CuO, of this binary semiconductor can be prepared by thin-film deposition techniques, which differ in the oxidation state of copper. Their material properties as far as they are known by experiment or predicted by theory are reviewed. They are supplemented by new experimental results from thin-film growth and characterization, both will be critically discussed and summarized. With respect to devices the focus is on solar-cell performances based on Cu{sub 2}O. It is demonstrated by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) that the heterojunction system p-Cu{sub 2}O/n-AlGaN is much more promising for the application as efficient solar cells than that of p-Cu{sub 2}O/n-ZnO heterojunction devices that have been favored up to now. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Large bandgap narrowing in rutile TiO2 aimed towards visible light applications and its correlation with vacancy-type defects history and transformation

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Radhika V.; Gayathri, P. K.; Siva Gummaluri, Venkata; Nambissan, P. M. G.; Vijayan, C.

2018-01-01

Extension of photoactivity of TiO2 to the visible region is achievable via effective control over the intrinsic defects such as oxygen and Ti vacancies, which has several applications in visible photocatalysis and sensing. We present here the first observation of an apparent bandgap narrowing and bandgap tuning effect due to vacancy cluster transformation in rutile TiO2 structures to 1.84 eV from the bulk bandgap of 3 eV. A gradual transformation of divacancies (V Ti-O) to tri vacancies ({{V}Ti-O-T{{i-}}} ) achieved through a controlled solvothermal scheme appears to result in an apparent narrowing bandgap and tunability, as supported by positron annihilation lifetime and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements. Visible photocatalytic activity of the samples is demonstrated in terms of photodegradation of rhodamine B dye molecules.

A computational study on the energy bandgap engineering in performance enhancement of CdTe thin film solar cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ameen M. Ali

Full Text Available In this study, photovoltaic properties of CdTe thin film in the configuration of n-SnO2/n-CdS/p-CdTe/p-CdTe:Te/metal have been studied by numerical simulation software named “Analysis of Microelectronic and Photonic Structure” (AMPS-1D. A modified structure for CdTe thin film solar cell has been proposed by numerical analysis with the insertion of a back contact buffer layer (CdTe:Te. This layer can serve as a barrier that will decelerate the copper diffusion in CdTe solar cell. Four estimated energy bandgap relations versus the Tellurium (Te concentrations and the (CdTe:Te layer thickness have been examined thoroughly during simulation. Correlation between energy bandgap with the CdTe thin film solar cell performance has also been established. Keywords: Numerical modelling, CdTe thin film, Solar cell, AMPS-1D, Bandgap

Semiconductor lasers stability, instability and chaos

CERN Document Server

Ohtsubo, Junji

2017-01-01

This book describes the fascinating recent advances made concerning the chaos, stability and instability of semiconductor lasers, and discusses their applications and future prospects in detail. It emphasizes the dynamics in semiconductor lasers by optical and electronic feedback, optical injection, and injection current modulation. Applications of semiconductor laser chaos, control and noise, and semiconductor lasers are also demonstrated. Semiconductor lasers with new structures, such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and broad-area semiconductor lasers, are intriguing and promising devices. Current topics include fast physical number generation using chaotic semiconductor lasers for secure communication, development of chaos, quantum-dot semiconductor lasers and quantum-cascade semiconductor lasers, and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. This fourth edition has been significantly expanded to reflect the latest developments. The fundamental theory of laser chaos and the chaotic dynamics in se...

Compositional dependence of the band-gap of Ge{sub 1−x−y}Si{sub x}Sn{sub y} alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wendav, Torsten, E-mail: wendav@physik.hu-berlin.de [AG Theoretische Optik & Photonik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Fischer, Inga A.; Oehme, Michael; Schulze, Jörg [Institut für Halbleitertechnik, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 47, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany); Montanari, Michele; Zoellner, Marvin Hartwig; Klesse, Wolfgang [IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany); Capellini, Giovanni [IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany); Dipartimento di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, Viale Marconi 446, 00146 Roma (Italy); Driesch, Nils von den; Buca, Dan [Peter Grünberg Institute 9 (PGI 9) and JARA-Fundamentals of Future Information Technologies, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich (Germany); Busch, Kurt [AG Theoretische Optik & Photonik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Max-Born-Institut, Max-Born-Str. 2 A, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

2016-06-13

The group-IV semiconductor alloy Ge{sub 1−x−y}Si{sub x}Sn{sub y} has recently attracted great interest due to its prospective potential for use in optoelectronics, electronics, and photovoltaics. Here, we investigate molecular beam epitaxy grown Ge{sub 1−x−y}Si{sub x}Sn{sub y} alloys lattice-matched to Ge with large Si and Sn concentrations of up to 42% and 10%, respectively. The samples were characterized in detail by Rutherford backscattering/channeling spectroscopy for composition and crystal quality, x-ray diffraction for strain determination, and photoluminescence spectroscopy for the assessment of band-gap energies. Moreover, the experimentally extracted material parameters were used to determine the SiSn bowing and to make predictions about the optical transition energy.

Polaritons dispersion in a composite ferrite-semiconductor structure near gyrotropic-nihility state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tuz, Vladimir R., E-mail: tvr@rian.kharkov.ua

2016-12-01

In the context of polaritons in a ferrite-semiconductor structure which is influenced by an external static magnetic field, the gyrotropic-nihility can be identified from the dispersion equation related to bulk polaritons as a particular extreme state, at which the longitudinal component of the corresponding constitutive tensor and bulk constant simultaneously acquire zero. Near the frequency of the gyrotropic-nihility state, the conditions of branches merging of bulk polaritons, as well as an anomalous dispersion of bulk and surface polaritons are found and discussed. - Highlights: • Gyrotropic-nihility state is identified from the dispersion equation related to bulk polaritons in a magnetic-semiconductor superlattice. • The conditions of branches merging of bulk polaritons are found. • An anomalous dispersion of bulk and surface polaritons is found and discussed.

Polaritons dispersion in a composite ferrite-semiconductor structure near gyrotropic-nihility state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuz, Vladimir R.

2016-01-01

In the context of polaritons in a ferrite-semiconductor structure which is influenced by an external static magnetic field, the gyrotropic-nihility can be identified from the dispersion equation related to bulk polaritons as a particular extreme state, at which the longitudinal component of the corresponding constitutive tensor and bulk constant simultaneously acquire zero. Near the frequency of the gyrotropic-nihility state, the conditions of branches merging of bulk polaritons, as well as an anomalous dispersion of bulk and surface polaritons are found and discussed. - Highlights: • Gyrotropic-nihility state is identified from the dispersion equation related to bulk polaritons in a magnetic-semiconductor superlattice. • The conditions of branches merging of bulk polaritons are found. • An anomalous dispersion of bulk and surface polaritons is found and discussed.

Inorganic p-Type Semiconductors: Their Applications and Progress in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells and Perovskite Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Hsien Li

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Considering the increasing global demand for energy and the harmful ecological impact of conventional energy sources, it is obvious that development of clean and renewable energy is a necessity. Since the Sun is our only external energy source, harnessing its energy, which is clean, non-hazardous and infinite, satisfies the main objectives of all alternative energy strategies. With attractive features, i.e., good performance, low-cost potential, simple processibility, a wide range of applications from portable power generation to power-windows, photoelectrochemical solar cells like dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs represent one of the promising methods for future large-scale power production directly from sunlight. While the sensitization of n-type semiconductors (n-SC has been intensively studied, the use of p-type semiconductor (p-SC, e.g., the sensitization of wide bandgap p-SC and hole transport materials with p-SC have also been attracting great attention. Recently, it has been proved that the p-type inorganic semiconductor as a charge selective material or a charge transport material in organometallic lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs shows a significant impact on solar cell performance. Therefore the study of p-type semiconductors is important to rationally design efficient DSCs and PSCs. In this review, recent published works on p-type DSCs and PSCs incorporated with an inorganic p-type semiconductor and our perspectives on this topic are discussed.

Processing of semiconductors and thin film solar cells using electroplating

Science.gov (United States)

Madugu, Mohammad Lamido

The global need for a clean, sustainable and affordable source of energy has triggered extensive research especially in renewable energy sources. In this sector, photovoltaic has been identified as a cheapest, clean and reliable source of energy. It would be of interest to obtain photovoltaic material in thin film form by using simple and inexpensive semiconductor growth technique such as electroplating. Using this growth technique, four semiconductor materials were electroplated on glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate from aqueous electrolytes. These semiconductors are indium selenide (In[x]Sey), zinc sulphide (ZnS), cadmium sulphide (CdS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe). In[x]Se[y] and ZnS were incorporated as buffer layers while CdS and CdTe layers were utilised as window and absorber layers respectively. All materials were grown using two-electrode (2E) system except for CdTe which was grown using 3E and 2E systems for comparison. To fully optimise the growth conditions, the as-deposited and annealed layers from all the materials were characterised for their structural, morphological, optical, electrical and defects structures using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical absorption (UV-Vis spectroscopy), photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell measurements, current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V), DC electrical measurements, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. Results show that InxSey and ZnS layers were amorphous in nature and exhibit both n-type and p-type in electrical conduction. CdS layers are n-type in electrical conduction and show hexagonal and cubic phases in both the as-deposited and after annealing process. CdTe layers show cubic phase structure with both n-type and p-type in electrical conduction. CdTe-based solar cell structures with a n-n heterojunction plus large Schottky barrier, as well as multi-layer graded

Electronic structure study of wide band gap magnetic semiconductor (La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3 nanocrystals in paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, G. D.; Joshi, Amish G.; Kumar, Shiv; Chou, H.; Yang, K. S.; Jhong, D. J.; Chan, W. L.; Ghosh, A. K.; Chatterjee, Sandip

2016-04-01

X-ray circular magnetic dichroism (XMCD), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) techniques were used to study the electronic structure of nanocrystalline (La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3 near Fermi-level. XMCD results indicate that Mn3+ and Mn4+ spins are aligned parallel to each other at 20 K. The low M-H hysteresis curve measured at 5 K confirms ferromagnetic ordering in the (La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3 system. The low temperature valence band XPS indicates that coupling between Mn3d and O2p is enhanced and the electronic states near Fermi-level have been suppressed below TC. The valence band UPS also confirms the suppression of electronic states near Fermi-level below Curie temperature. UPS near Fermi-edge shows that the electronic states are almost absent below 0.5 eV (at 300 K) and 1 eV (at 115 K). This absence clearly demonstrates the existence of a wide band-gap in the system since, for hole-doped semiconductors, the Fermi-level resides just above the valence band maximum.

Large bandgap reduced graphene oxide (rGO) based n-p + heterojunction photodetector with improved NIR performance

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Manjri; Kumar, Gaurav; Prakash, Nisha; Khanna, Suraj P.; Pal, Prabir; Singh, Surinder P.

2018-04-01

Integration of two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with conventional Si semiconductor offers novel strategies for realizing broadband photodiode with enhanced device performance. In this quest, we have synthesized large bandgap rGO and fabricated metal-free broadband (300–1100 nm) back-to-back connected np-pn hybrid photodetector utilizing drop casted n-rGO/p +-Si heterojunctions with high performance in NIR region (830 nm). With controlled illumination, the device exhibited a peak responsivity of 16.7 A W‑1 and peak detectivity of 2.56 × 1012 Jones under 830 nm illumination (11 μW cm‑2) at 1 V applied bias with fast response (∼460 μs) and recovery time (∼446 μs). The fabricated device demonstrated excellent repeatability, durability and photoswitching behavior with high external quantum efficiency (∼2.5 × 103%), along with ultrasensitive behavior at low light conditions.

Semiconductor industry: a survey of structure, conduct, and performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webbink, D.W.

1977-01-01

The study describes the structure, conduct, and performance of the semiconductor industry. The industry is characterized by a high rate of innovation and technological change, rapidly falling costs and prices, and rapidly rising sales in boom periods as well as large declines in sales in recession periods. These desirable performance characteristics take place in an industry that has moderately high domestic levels of concentration. However, there are many features that cause this industry to have behavior and performance that is markedly different from such highly concentrated industries as automobiles and steel. These features were investigated and are reported

Spin physics in semiconductors

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This book offers an extensive introduction to the extremely rich and intriguing field of spin-related phenomena in semiconductors. In this second edition, all chapters have been updated to include the latest experimental and theoretical research. Furthermore, it covers the entire field: bulk semiconductors, two-dimensional semiconductor structures, quantum dots, optical and electric effects, spin-related effects, electron-nuclei spin interactions, Spin Hall effect, spin torques, etc. Thanks to its self-contained style, the book is ideally suited for graduate students and researchers new to the field.

Direct-Indirect Nature of the Bandgap in Lead-Free Perovskite Nanocrystals

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Yuhai

2017-06-23

With record efficiencies achieved in lead halide perovskite-based photovoltaics, urgency has shifted toward finding alternative materials that are stable and less toxic. Bismuth-based perovskite materials are currently one of the most promising candidates among those alternatives. However, the band structures of these materials, including the nature of the bandgaps, remain elusive due to extremely low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and scattering issues in their thin-film form. Here, we reveal the specific nature of the material\\'s electronic transitions by realizing monodisperse colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of hexagonal-phase Cs3Bi2X9 perovskites, which afford well-resolved PL features. Interestingly, the PL profile exhibits a dual-spectral feature at room temperature with comparable intensities, based on which we propose an exciton recombination process involving both indirect and direct transitions simultaneously-an observation further supported by temperature-dependent and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our findings provide experimental and theoretical insights into the nature of the bandgaps in bismuth halide materials-essential information for assessing their viability in solar cells and optoelectronics.

A generic concept to overcome bandgap limitations for designing highly efficient multi-junction photovoltaic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Fei; Li, Ning; Fecher, Frank W; Gasparini, Nicola; Ramirez Quiroz, Cesar Omar; Bronnbauer, Carina; Hou, Yi; Radmilović, Vuk V; Radmilović, Velimir R; Spiecker, Erdmann; Forberich, Karen; Brabec, Christoph J

2015-07-16

The multi-junction concept is the most relevant approach to overcome the Shockley-Queisser limit for single-junction photovoltaic cells. The record efficiencies of several types of solar technologies are held by series-connected tandem configurations. However, the stringent current-matching criterion presents primarily a material challenge and permanently requires developing and processing novel semiconductors with desired bandgaps and thicknesses. Here we report a generic concept to alleviate this limitation. By integrating series- and parallel-interconnections into a triple-junction configuration, we find significantly relaxed material selection and current-matching constraints. To illustrate the versatile applicability of the proposed triple-junction concept, organic and organic-inorganic hybrid triple-junction solar cells are constructed by printing methods. High fill factors up to 68% without resistive losses are achieved for both organic and hybrid triple-junction devices. Series/parallel triple-junction cells with organic, as well as perovskite-based subcells may become a key technology to further advance the efficiency roadmap of the existing photovoltaic technologies.

Crystal structure of the new diamond-like semiconductor CuMn2InSe4

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. The crystal structure of the semiconductor compound CuMn2InSe4 was analysed using X-ray powder ... properties arising from the presence of magnetic ions in the ... by SEM technique, using a Hitachi S2500 microscope equip-.

Modelling and measurement of bandgap behaviour in medium-wavelength IR InAs/InAs0.815Sb0.185 strained-layer superlattices

Science.gov (United States)

Letka, Veronica; Keen, James; Craig, Adam; Marshall, Andrew R. J.

2017-10-01

InAs/InAs1-xSbx type-II strained-layer superlattices (SLS) are a structure with potential infrared detection applications, owing to its tunable bandgap and suppressed Auger recombination. A series of medium-wavelength infrared (MWIR) InAs/InAs0.815Sb0.185 SLS structures, grown as undoped absorption epilayers on GaAs, were fabricated using molecular beam epitaxy in order to study the dependence of the ground state transitions on temperature and superlattice period thickness. Photoluminescence peaks at 4 K were obtained with the use of a helium-cooled micro-PL system and an InSb detector, and temperature-dependent absorption spectra were measured in the range 77 K - 300 K on a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, equipped with a 1370 K blackbody source and a DTGS detector. An nBn device sample with the absorber structure identical to one of the undoped samples was also grown and processed with the goal of measuring temperature-dependent spectral response. A model for superlattice band alignment was also devised, incorporating the Bir-Pikus transformation results for uniaxial and biaxial strain, and the Einstein oscillator model for bandgap temperature dependence. Absorption coefficients of several 1000 cm-1 throughout the entire MWIR range are found for all samples, and temperature dependence of the bandgaps is extracted and compared to the model. This and photoluminescence data also demonstrate bandgap shifts consistent with the different superlattice periods of the three samples.

Comparative study of porosification in InAs, InP, ZnSe and ZnCdS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monaico, Eduard; Tiginyanu, Ion; Nielsch, Kornelius; Ursaki, Veaceslav; Colibaba, Gleb; Nedeoglo, Dmitrii; Cojocaru, Ala; Foell Helmut

2013-01-01

We report on a comparative study of the pore growth during anodization of a narrow-bandgap III-V compound (InAs), a medium-bandgap III-V one (InP) and wide-bandgap II-VI semiconductors (ZnSe and Zn 0,4 Cd 0,6 S). According to the obtained results, the morphology of the porous layers can be controlled by the composition of the electrolyte and the applied electrochemical parameters. It was evidenced that in the narrow bandgap semiconductor InAs it is difficult to control the mechanism of pore growth. Both current line oriented pores and crystallographically oriented pores were produced in the medium-bandgap material InP. The electrochemical nanostructuring of wide-bandgap semiconductors realized in single crystalline high conductivity samples evidenced only current-line oriented pores. This behavior is explained in terms of difference in the values of electronegativity of the constituent atoms and the degree of ionicity. (authors)

Pressure-Induced Metallization of the Halide Perovskite (CH ₃ NH ₃ )PbI ₃

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaffe, Adam; Lin, Yu [Photon; Mao, Wendy L. [Photon; Karunadasa, Hemamala I.

2017-03-10

We report the metallization of the hybrid perovskite semiconductor (MA)PbI3 (MA = CH3NH3+) with no apparent structural transition. We tracked its bandgap evolution during compression in diamond-anvil cells using absorption spectroscopy and observed strong absorption over both visible and IR wavelengths at pressures above ca. 56 GPa, suggesting the imminent closure of its optical bandgap. The metallic character of (MA)PbI3 above 60 GPa was confirmed using both IR reflectivity and variable-temperature dc conductivity measurements. The impressive semiconductor properties of halide perovskites have recently been exploited in a multitude of optoelectronic applications. Meanwhile, the study of metallic properties in oxide perovskites has revealed diverse electronic phenomena. Importantly, the mild synthetic routes to halide perovskites and the templating effects of the organic cations allow for fine structural control of the inorganic lattice. Pressure-induced closure of the 1.6 eV bandgap in (MA)PbI3 demonstrates the promise of the continued study of halide perovskites under a range of thermodynamic conditions, toward realizing wholly new electronic properties.

Multiple trapping on a comb structure as a model of electron transport in disordered nanostructured semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sibatov, R. T.; Morozova, E. V.

2015-01-01

A model of dispersive transport in disordered nanostructured semiconductors has been proposed taking into account the percolation structure of a sample and joint action of several mechanisms. Topological and energy disorders have been simultaneously taken into account within the multiple trapping model on a comb structure modeling the percolation character of trajectories. The joint action of several mechanisms has been described within random walks with a mixture of waiting time distributions. Integral transport equations with fractional derivatives have been obtained for an arbitrary density of localized states. The kinetics of the transient current has been calculated within the proposed new model in order to analyze time-of-flight experiments for nanostructured semiconductors

Nanoscale probing of bandgap states on oxide particles using electron energy-loss spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qianlang; March, Katia; Crozier, Peter A

2017-07-01

Surface and near-surface electronic states were probed with nanometer spatial resolution in MgO and TiO 2 anatase nanoparticles using ultra-high energy resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) coupled to a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). This combination allows the surface electronic structure determined with spectroscopy to be correlated with nanoparticle size, morphology, facet etc. By acquiring the spectra in aloof beam mode, radiation damage to the surface can be significantly reduced while maintaining the nanometer spatial resolution. MgO and TiO 2 showed very different bandgap features associated with the surface/sub-surface layer of the nanoparticles. Spectral simulations based on dielectric theory and density of states models showed that a plateau feature found in the pre-bandgap region in the spectra from (100) surfaces of 60nm MgO nanocubes is consistent with a thin hydroxide surface layer. The spectroscopy shows that this hydroxide species gives rise to a broad filled surface state at 1.1eV above the MgO valence band. At the surfaces of TiO 2 nanoparticles, pronounced peaks were observed in the bandgap region, which could not be well fitted to defect states. In this case, the high refractive index and large particle size may make Cherenkov or guided light modes the likely causes of the peaks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design of nanophotonic, hot-electron solar-blind ultraviolet detectors with a metal-oxide-semiconductor structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhiyuan; Wang, Xiaoxin; Liu, Jifeng

2014-01-01

Solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) detection refers to photon detection specifically in the wavelength range of 200 nm–320 nm. Without background noises from solar radiation, it has broad applications from homeland security to environmental monitoring. The most commonly used solid state devices for this application are wide band gap (WBG) semiconductor photodetectors (Eg > 3.5 eV). However, WBG semiconductors are difficult to grow and integrate with Si readout integrated circuits (ROICs). In this paper, we design a nanophotonic metal-oxide-semiconductor structure on Si for solar-blind UV detectors. Instead of using semiconductors as the active absorber, we use Sn nano-grating structures to absorb UV photons and generate hot electrons for internal photoemission across the Sn/SiO 2 interfacial barrier, thereby generating photocurrent between the metal and the n-type Si region upon UV excitation. Moreover, the transported hot electron has an excess kinetic energy >3 eV, large enough to induce impact ionization and generate another free electron in the conduction band of n-Si. This process doubles the quantum efficiency. On the other hand, the large metal/oxide interfacial energy barrier (>3.5 eV) also enables solar-blind UV detection by blocking the less energetic electrons excited by visible photons. With optimized design, ∼75% UV absorption and hot electron excitation can be achieved within the mean free path of ∼20 nm from the metal/oxide interface. This feature greatly enhances hot electron transport across the interfacial barrier to generate photocurrent. The simple geometry of the Sn nano-gratings and the MOS structure make it easy to fabricate and integrate with Si ROICs compared to existing solar-blind UV detection schemes. The presented device structure also breaks through the conventional notion that photon absorption by metal is always a loss in solid-state photodetectors, and it can potentially be extended to other active metal photonic devices. (paper)

Rational Design of High-Performance Wide-Bandgap (≈2 eV) Polymer Semiconductors as Electron Donors in Organic Photovoltaics Exhibiting High Open Circuit Voltages (≈1 V).

Science.gov (United States)

Chochos, Christos L; Katsouras, Athanasios; Gasparini, Nicola; Koulogiannis, Chrysanthos; Ameri, Tayebeh; Brabec, Christoph J; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos

2017-01-01

Systematic optimization of the chemical structure of wide-bandgap (≈2.0 eV) "donor-acceptor" copolymers consisting of indacenodithiophene or indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene as the electron-rich unit and thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione as the electron-deficient moiety in terms of alkyl side chain engineering and distance of the electron-rich and electron-deficient monomers within the repeat unit of the polymer chain results in high-performance electron donor materials for organic photovoltaics. Specifically, preliminary results demonstrate extremely high open circuit voltages (V oc s) of ≈1.0 V, reasonable short circuit current density (J sc ) of around 11 mA cm -2 , and moderate fill factors resulting in efficiencies close to 6%. All the devices are fabricated in an inverted architecture with the photoactive layer processed by doctor blade equipment, showing the compatibility with roll-to-roll large-scale manufacturing processes. From the correlation of the chemical structure-optoelectronic properties-photovoltaic performance, a rational guide toward further optimization of the chemical structure in this family of copolymers, has been achieved. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Energy level alignment and sub-bandgap charge generation in polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsang, Sai-Wing; Chen, Song; So, Franky

2013-05-07

Using charge modulated electroabsorption spectroscopy (CMEAS), for the first time, the energy level alignment of a polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cell is directly measured. The charge-transfer excitons generated by the sub-bandgap optical pumping are coupled with the modulating electric field and introduce subtle changes in optical absorption in the sub-bandgap region. This minimum required energy for sub-bandgap charge genreation is defined as the effective bandgap. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Wide-gap layered oxychalcogenide semiconductors: Materials, electronic structures and optoelectronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Kazushige; Hiramatsu, Hidenori; Hirano, Masahiro; Kamiya, Toshio; Hosono, Hideo

2006-01-01

Applying the concept of materials design for transparent conductive oxides to layered oxychalcogenides, several p-type and n-type layered oxychalcogenides were proposed as wide-gap semiconductors and their basic optical and electrical properties were examined. The layered oxychalcogenides are composed of ionic oxide layers and covalent chalcogenide layers, which bring wide-gap and conductive properties to these materials, respectively. The electronic structures of the materials were examined by normal/inverse photoemission spectroscopy and energy band calculations. The results of the examinations suggested that these materials possess unique features more than simple wide-gap semiconductors. Namely, the layered oxychalcogenides are considered to be extremely thin quantum wells composed of the oxide and chalcogenide layers or 2D chalcogenide crystals/molecules embedded in an oxide matrix. Observation of step-like absorption edges, large band gap energy and large exciton binding energy demonstrated these features originating from 2D density of states and quantum size effects in these layered materials

Energy gaps, effective masses and ionicity of AlxGa1-xSb ternary semiconductor alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Bouarissa, N.; Boucenna, M.; Saib, S.; Siddiqui, S. A.

2017-12-01

A pseudopotential calculation of the electronic structure of AlxGa1-xSb ternary alloys in the zinc-blende structure has been performed. The compositional dependence of energy gaps, electron and heavy hole effective masses and ionicity of the material system of interest have been examined and discussed. Special attention has been given to the effect of the alloy disorder on the direct (Γ-Γ) bandgap energy. It is found that all features of interest vary monotonically with increasing the Al concentration x. Besides, bandgap bowing parameters and extent of the direct-to-indirect bandgap transition have been determined. Our findings agree generally well with the data reported in the literature. Trends in ionicity are found to be consistent with the Phillips ionicity scale.

Physics of semiconductor lasers

CERN Document Server

Mroziewicz, B; Nakwaski, W

2013-01-01

Written for readers who have some background in solid state physics but do not necessarily possess any knowledge of semiconductor lasers, this book provides a comprehensive and concise account of fundamental semiconductor laser physics, technology and properties. The principles of operation of these lasers are therefore discussed in detail with the interrelations between their design and optical, electrical and thermal properties. The relative merits of a large number of laser structures and their parameters are described to acquaint the reader with the various aspects of the semiconductor l

Bandgap engineering of the Lu{sub x}Y{sub 1−x}PO{sub 4} mixed crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levushkina, V.S., E-mail: viktoriia.levushkina@ut.ee [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); Physics Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory 1-2, 11991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Spassky, D.A. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory 1-2, 11991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Aleksanyan, E.M. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); A. Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory, Yerevan Physics Institute, Alikhanyan Yeghbayrneri St. 2, 0036 Yerevan (Armenia); Brik, M.G. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); College of Sciences, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 400065 Chongqing (China); Institute of Physics, Jan Dlugosz University, Armii Krajowej 13/15, PL-42200 Czestochowa (Poland); Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Tretyakova, M.S.; Zadneprovski, B.I. [Central Research and Development Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics, Nagatinskaya St. 16a, 115487 Moscow (Russian Federation); Belsky, A.N. [Institute of Light and Matter, CNRS, University Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne (France)

2016-03-15

Bandgap modification of the Lu{sub x}Y{sub 1−x}PO{sub 4} mixed crystals has been studied by thermostimulated luminescence (TSL) and ab-initio calculation methods. Doping of Lu{sub x}Y{sub 1−x}PO{sub 4} with Ce{sup 3+} allowed to follow up the changes of electron traps depth, caused by the modification of the bottom of conduction band. The observed gradual shift of the most intensive TSL peaks to higher temperatures with increase of x value was connected with the high-energy shift of the conduction band bottom. According to the band structure calculations the bottom of the conduction band is formed by the 5d and 4d states of Lu and Y, respectively. Therefore, substitution of one cation by another is responsible for the observed variation of the electronic and optical properties. Doping with Eu{sup 3+} was used to study the modification of the hole traps and the top of the valence band in Lu{sub x}Y{sub 1−x}PO{sub 4}. The independence of the TSL peaks position on x value in Lu{sub x}Y{sub 1−x}PO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} allows to conclude that the top of the valence band is negligibly affected by the cation substitution. According to the band structure calculations the top of the valence band is formed by the O 2p electronic states, which are not affected by the cation substitution. The resulting increase of the bandgap with x value is confirmed by the data of ab-initio calculations. - Highlights: • Band structure modification with x in Lu{sub x}Y{sub 1−x}PO{sub 4}:RE{sup 3+} (RE=Ce, Eu) is studied. • Depth of electron traps is affected by the bandgap modification. • Increase of bandgap with x is due to the shift of conduction band bottom.

Coulomb engineering of the bandgap and excitons in two-dimensional materials

Science.gov (United States)

Raja, Archana; Chaves, Andrey; Yu, Jaeeun; Arefe, Ghidewon; Hill, Heather M.; Rigosi, Albert F.; Berkelbach, Timothy C.; Nagler, Philipp; Schüller, Christian; Korn, Tobias; Nuckolls, Colin; Hone, James; Brus, Louis E.; Heinz, Tony F.; Reichman, David R.; Chernikov, Alexey

2017-01-01

The ability to control the size of the electronic bandgap is an integral part of solid-state technology. Atomically thin two-dimensional crystals offer a new approach for tuning the energies of the electronic states based on the unusual strength of the Coulomb interaction in these materials and its environmental sensitivity. Here, we show that by engineering the surrounding dielectric environment, one can tune the electronic bandgap and the exciton binding energy in monolayers of WS2 and WSe2 by hundreds of meV. We exploit this behaviour to present an in-plane dielectric heterostructure with a spatially dependent bandgap, as an initial step towards the creation of diverse lateral junctions with nanoscale resolution. PMID:28469178

Destruction-polymerization transformations as a source of radiation-induced extended defects in chalcogenide glassy semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shpotyuk, Oleh; Filipecki, Jacek; Shpotyuk, Mykhaylo

2013-01-01

Long-wave shift of the optical transmission spectrum in the region of fundamental optical absorption edge is registered for As 2 S 3 chalcogenide glassy semiconductors after γ-irradiation. This effect is explained in the frameworks of the destruction-polymerization transformations concept by accepting the switching of the heteropolar As-S covalent bonds into homopolar As-As ones. It is assumed that (As 4 + ; S 1 - ) defect pairs are created under such switching. Formula to calculate content of the induced defects in chalcogenide glassy semiconductors is proposed. It is assumed that defects concentration depends on energy of broken covalent bond, bond-switching energy balance, correlation energy, optical band-gap and energy of excitation light. It is shown that theoretically calculated maximally possible content of radiation-induced defects in As 2 S 3 is about 1.6% while concentration of native defects is negligible. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Unipolar resistive switching in metal oxide/organic semiconductor non-volatile memories as a critical phenomenon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bory, Benjamin F.; Meskers, Stefan C. J.; Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Gomes, Henrique L.; Leeuw, Dago M. de

2015-01-01

Diodes incorporating a bilayer of an organic semiconductor and a wide bandgap metal oxide can show unipolar, non-volatile memory behavior after electroforming. The prolonged bias voltage stress induces defects in the metal oxide with an areal density exceeding 10 17  m −2 . We explain the electrical bistability by the coexistence of two thermodynamically stable phases at the interface between an organic semiconductor and metal oxide. One phase contains mainly ionized defects and has a low work function, while the other phase has mainly neutral defects and a high work function. In the diodes, domains of the phase with a low work function constitute current filaments. The phase composition and critical temperature are derived from a 2D Ising model as a function of chemical potential. The model predicts filamentary conduction exhibiting a negative differential resistance and nonvolatile memory behavior. The model is expected to be generally applicable to any bilayer system that shows unipolar resistive switching

Preparations and Characterizations of Luminescent Two Dimensional Organic-inorganic Perovskite Semiconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjun Zhang

2010-05-01

Full Text Available This article reviews the synthesis, structural and optical characterizations of some novel luminescent two dimensional organic-inorganic perovskite (2DOIP semiconductors. These 2DOIP semiconductors show a self-assembled nano-layered structure, having the electronic structure of multi-quantum wells. 2DOIP thin layers and nanoparticles have been prepared through different methods. The structures of the 2DOIP semiconductors are characterized by atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The optical properties of theb DOIP semiconductors are characterized from absorption and photoluminescence spectra measured at room and low temperatures. Influences of different components, in particular the organic parts, on the structural and optical properties of the 2DOIP semiconductors are discussed.

Stability and band offsets between c-plane ZnO semiconductor and LaAlO3 gate dielectric

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianli; Chen, Xinfeng; Wu, Shuyin; Tang, Gang; Zhang, Junting; Stampfl, C.

2018-03-01

Wurtzite-perovskite heterostructures composed of a high dielectric constant oxide and a wide bandgap semiconductor envision promising applications in field-effect transistors. In the present paper, the structural and electronic properties of LaAlO3/ZnO heterojunctions are investigated by first-principles calculations. We study the initial adsorption of La, Al, and oxygen atoms on ZnO (0001) and (000 1 ¯ ) surfaces and find that La atoms may occupy interstitial sites during the growth of stoichiometric ZnO (0001). The band gap of the stoichiometric ZnO (0001) surface is smaller than that of the stoichiometric ZnO (000 1 ¯ ) surface. The surface formation energy indicates that La or Al atoms may substitute Zn atoms at the nonstoichiometric ZnO (0001) surface. The atomic charges, electronic density of states, and band offsets are analyzed for the optimized LaAlO3/ZnO heterojunctions. There is a band gap for the LaAlO3/ZnO (000 1 ¯ ) heterostructures, and the largest variation in charge occurs at the surface or interface. Our results suggest that the Al-terminated LaAlO3/ZnO (000 1 ¯ ) interfaces are suitable for the design of metal oxide semiconductor devices because the valence and conduction band offsets are both larger than 1 eV and the interface does not produce any in-gap states.

Three dimensional strained semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Lars; Conway, Adam; Nikolic, Rebecca J.; Leao, Cedric Rocha; Shao, Qinghui

2016-11-08

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a three dimensional structure comprising a semiconductor material, and at least one thin film in contact with at least one exterior surface of the three dimensional structure for inducing a strain in the structure, the thin film being characterized as providing at least one of: an induced strain of at least 0.05%, and an induced strain in at least 5% of a volume of the three dimensional structure. In another embodiment, a method includes forming a three dimensional structure comprising a semiconductor material, and depositing at least one thin film on at least one surface of the three dimensional structure for inducing a strain in the structure, the thin film being characterized as providing at least one of: an induced strain of at least 0.05%, and an induced strain in at least 5% of a volume of the structure.

A Novel Semiconductor CIGS Photovoltaic Material and Thin-Film ED Technology

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2001-01-01

In order to achieve low-cost high-efficiency thin-film solar cells, a novel Semiconductor Photovoltaic (PV) active material CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGS) and thin-film Electro-Deposition (ED) technology is explored. Firstly,the PV materials and technologies is investigated, then the detailed experimental processes of CIGS/Mo/glass structure by using the novel ED technology and the results are reported. These results shows that high quality CIGS polycrystalline thin-films can be obtained by the ED method, in which the polycrystalline CIGS is definitely identified by the (112), (204, 220) characteristic peaks of the tetragonal structure, the continuous CIGS thin-film layers with particle average size of about 2μm of length and around 1.6μm of thickness. The thickness and solargrade quality of CIGS thin-films can be produced with good repeatability. Discussion and analysis on the ED technique, CIGS energy band and sodium (Na) impurity properties, were also performed. The alloy CIGS exhibits not only increasing band-gap with increasing x, but also a change in material properties that is relevant to the device operation. The beneficial impurity Na originating from the low-cost soda-lime glass substrate becomes one prerequisite for high quality CIGS films. These novel material and technology are very useful for low-cost high-efficiency thin-film solar cells and other devices.

Interplay of Phonon and Exciton-Mediated Superconductivity in Hybrid Semiconductor-Superconductor Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Skopelitis, Petros; Cherotchenko, Evgenia D.; Kavokin, Alexey V.; Posazhennikova, Anna

2018-03-01

We predict a strong enhancement of the critical temperature in a conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductor in the presence of a bosonic condensate of exciton polaritons. The effect depends strongly on the ratio of the cutoff frequencies for phonon and exciton-polariton mediated BCS superconductivity, respectively. We also discuss a possible design of hybrid semiconductor-superconductor structures suitable for the experimental observation of such an effect.

Computational Search for Two-Dimensional MX2 Semiconductors with Possible High Electron Mobility at Room Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhishuo Huang

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Neither of the two typical two-dimensional materials, graphene and single layer MoS 2 , are good enough for developing semiconductor logical devices. We calculated the electron mobility of 14 two-dimensional semiconductors with composition of MX 2 , where M (=Mo, W, Sn, Hf, Zr and Pt are transition metals, and Xs are S, Se and Te. We approximated the electron phonon scattering matrix by deformation potentials, within which long wave longitudinal acoustical and optical phonon scatterings were included. Piezoelectric scattering in the compounds without inversion symmetry is also taken into account. We found that out of the 14 compounds, WS 2 , PtS 2 and PtSe 2 are promising for logical devices regarding the possible high electron mobility and finite band gap. Especially, the phonon limited electron mobility in PtSe 2 reaches about 4000 cm 2 ·V - 1 ·s - 1 at room temperature, which is the highest among the compounds with an indirect bandgap of about 1.25 eV under the local density approximation. Our results can be the first guide for experiments to synthesize better two-dimensional materials for future semiconductor devices.

Advanced electron microscopy of wide band-gap semiconductor materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fay, M.W.

2000-10-01

The microstructure of GaN layers grown by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy on (0001) sapphire substrates using a novel precursor for deposition of AlN buffer layers has been investigated and compared to layers grown using low temperature GaN buffer layers and state-of-the-art material. It has been shown that the quality of layers grown using the novel precursor is comparable to the state-of-the-art material. TEM analysis has been performed of multiple quantum wells of InGaN grown within GaN epitaxial layers by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy. Elementally sensitive TEM techniques have been used to determine the spatial distribution of In and Ga within these structures. Fluctuations in In sensitive images are observed on the nm-scale. Clear evidence of segregation of In during layer growth has been seen. Models of the In segregation are in good agreement with experimental results. Elementally sensitive techniques have been used to investigate the elemental distributions in TiAl and NiAu contacts to GaN. Annealing of TiAl contacts has been seen to result in the formation of a thin interfacial Ti rich phase, and of N depletion at the surface of the GaN layer to the depth of tens of nm. Annealing NiAu contacts at 700 deg. C was seen to result in the formation of Ga-rich interfacial phases, of both crystalline and amorphous structure. ZnS and ZnCdS layers grown on (001) GaP supplied by the University of Hull have been investigated. ZnS layers were found to contain a high density of inclined stacking faults throughout the layer, originating from the interface with the substrate. Energy sensitive techniques have been used to investigate ZnCdS quantum well structures. The use of a ZnCdS superlattice structure around a ZnCdS quantum well to approximate a reduced barrier was seen to result in less thickness variations than when no barrier was used. (author)

Bond particle model for semiconductor melts and its application to liquid structure germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrante, A.; Tosi, M.P.

1988-08-01

A simple type of liquid state model is proposed to describe on a primitive level the melt of an elemental group IV semiconductor as a mixture of atoms and bond particles. The latter, on increase of a coupling strength parameter becomes increasingly localized between pairs of atoms up to local tetrahedral coordination of atoms by bond particles. Angular interatomic correlations are built into the model as bond particle localization grows, even though the bare interactions between the components of the liquid are formally described solely in terms of central pair potentials. The model is solved for liquid structure by standard integral equation techniques of liquid state theory and by Monte Carlo simulation, for values of the parameters which are appropriate to liquid germanium down to strongly supercooled states. The calculated liquid structure is compared with the results of diffraction experiments on liquid germanium near freezing and discussed in relation to diffraction data on amorphous germanium. The model suggests simple melting criteria for elemental and polar semiconductors, which are empirically verified. (author). 25 refs, 9 figs, 3 tabs

Efficient low bandgap polymer solar cell with ordered heterojunction defined by nanoimprint lithography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yi; Mielczarek, Kamil; Zakhidov, Anvar; Hu, Walter

2014-11-12

In this work, we demonstrate the feasibility of using nanoimprint lithography (NIL) to make efficient low bandgap polymer solar cells with well-ordered heterojunction. High quality low bandgap conjugated polymer poly[2,6-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4-b']-dithiophene)-alt-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT) nanogratings are fabricated using this technique for the first time. The geometry effect of PCPDTBT nanostructures on the solar cell performance is investigated by making PCPDTBT/C70 solar cells with different feature sizes of PCPDTBT nanogratings. It is found that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) increases with increasing nanograting height, PCPDTBT/C70 junction area, and decreasing nanograting width. We also find that NIL makes PCPDTBT chains interact more strongly and form an improved structural ordering. Solar cells made on the highest aspect ratio PCPDTBT nanostructures are among the best reported devices using the same material with a PCE of 5.5%.

Oxide Ferromagnetic Semiconductors for Spin-Electronic Transprt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, R.K.

2008-01-01

The objective of this research was to investigate the viability of oxide magnetic semiconductors as potential materials for spintronics. We identified some members of the solid solution series of ilmenite (FeTiO3) and hematite (Fe2O3), abbreviated as (IH) for simplicity, for our investigations based on their ferromagnetic and semiconducting properties. With this objective in focus we limited our investigations to the following members of the modified Fe-titanates: IH33 (ilmenitehematite with 33 atomic percent hematite), IH45 (ilmenite-hematite with 45 atomic percent hematite), Mn-substituted ilmenite (Mn-FeTiO3), and Mn-substituted pseudobrookite (Mn- Fe2TiO5). All of them are: (1) wide bandgap semiconductors with band gaps ranging in values between 2.5 to 3.5 eV; (2) n-type semiconductors; (3) they exhibit well defined magnetic hysteresis loops and (4) their magnetic Curie points are greater than 400K. Ceramic, film and single crystal samples were studied and based on their properties we produced varistors (also known as voltage dependent resistors) for microelectronic circuit protection from power surges, three-terminal microelectronic devices capable of generating bipolar currents, and an integrated structured device with controlled magnetic switching of spins. Eleven refereed journal papers, three refereed conference papers and three invention disclosures resulted from our investigations. We also presented invited papers in three international conferences and one national conference. Furthermore two students graduated with Ph.D. degrees, three with M.S. degrees and one with B.S. degree. Also two post-doctoral fellows were actively involved in this research. We established the radiation hardness of our devices in collaboration with a colleague in an HBCU institution, at the Cyclotron Center at Texas A and M University, and at DOE National Labs (Los Alamos and Brookhaven). It is to be appreciated that we met most of our goals and expanded vastly the scope of

Tuning and synthesis of semiconductor nanostructures by mechanical compression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Hongyou; Li, Binsong

2015-11-17

A mechanical compression method can be used to tune semiconductor nanoparticle lattice structure and synthesize new semiconductor nanostructures including nanorods, nanowires, nanosheets, and other three-dimensional interconnected structures. II-VI or IV-VI compound semiconductor nanoparticle assemblies can be used as starting materials, including CdSe, CdTe, ZnSe, ZnS, PbSe, and PbS.

pn junctions based on a single transparent perovskite semiconductor BaSnO3

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hoon Min; Kim, Useong; Park, Chulkwon; Kwon, Hyukwoo; Lee, Woongjae; Kim, Tai Hoon; Kim, Kee Hoon; Char, Kookrin; Mdpl, Department Of Physics; Astronomy Team; Censcmr, Department Of Physics; Astronomy Team

2014-03-01

Successful p doping of transparent oxide semiconductor will further increase its potential, especially in the area of optoelectronic applications. We will report our efforts to dope the BaSnO3 (BSO) with K by pulsed laser deposition. Although the K doped BSO exhibits rather high resistivity at room temperature, its conductivity increases dramatically at higher temperatures. Furthermore, the conductivity decreases when a small amount of oxygen was removed from the film, consistent with the behavior of p type doped oxides. We have fabricated pn junctions by using K doped BSO as a p type and La doped BSO as an n type material. I_V characteristics of these devices show the typical rectifying behavior of pn junctions. We will present the analysis of the junction properties from the temperature dependent measurement of their electrical properties, which shows that the I_V characteristics are consistent with the material parameters such as the carrier concentration, the mobility, and the bandgap. Our demonstration of pn junctions based on a single transparent perovskite semiconductor further enhances the potential of BSO system with high mobility and stability.

Actively doped solid core Photonic Bandgap Fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broeng, Jes; Olausson, Christina Bjarnal Thulin; Lyngsøe, Jens Kristian

2010-01-01

Solid photonic bandgap fibers offer distributed spectral filtering with extraordinary high suppression. This opens new possibilities of artificially tailoring the gain spectrum of fibers. We present record-performance of such fibers and outline their future applications....

Theory of adiabatic pressure-gradient soliton compression in hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lægsgaard, Jesper; Roberts, John

2009-01-01

Adiabatic soliton compression by means of a pressure gradient in a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber is investigated theoretically and numerically. It is shown that the dureation of the compressed pulse is limited mainly by the interplay between third-order dispersion and the Raman-induced soliton...... frequency shift. Analytical expressions for this limit are derived and compared with results of detailed numerical simulations for a realistic fiber structure....

Magnetic and structural characterization of the semiconductor FeIn2Se4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, T.; Sagredo, V.; Chalbaud, L.M. de; Attolini, G.; Bolzoni, F.

2006-01-01

Plate-like single crystals of magnetic semiconductor FeIn 2 Se 4 were grown with a chemical vapour transport technique. The X-ray powder diffraction analyses suggest that the compound crystallize in the hexagonal structure with space group P3m1. We have performed dc magnetization measurements at different magnetic fields on the diluted magnetic semiconductor FeIn 2 Se 4 . Low field magnetizations measurements shows irreversibility in the DC magnetization, as evidenced by field cooled and zero field cooled measurements below 17 K, suggesting a spin-glass like behaviour. The high-temperature susceptibility data follow a typical Curie-Weiss law with θ=-183±2 K which suggest the presence of predominant antiferromagnetic interactions with high degree of frustration. The randomness and frustration necessary for spin-glass behaviour are explained in a manner compatible with the cation and charge ordering present in the material

Self-assembling peptide semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Kai; Makam, Pandeeswar; Aizen, Ruth; Gazit, Ehud

2017-01-01

Semiconductors are central to the modern electronics and optics industries. Conventional semiconductive materials bear inherent limitations, especially in emerging fields such as interfacing with biological systems and bottom-up fabrication. A promising candidate for bioinspired and durable nanoscale semiconductors is the family of self-assembled nanostructures comprising short peptides. The highly ordered and directional intermolecular π-π interactions and hydrogen-bonding network allow the formation of quantum confined structures within the peptide self-assemblies, thus decreasing the band gaps of the superstructures into semiconductor regions. As a result of the diverse architectures and ease of modification of peptide self-assemblies, their semiconductivity can be readily tuned, doped, and functionalized. Therefore, this family of electroactive supramolecular materials may bridge the gap between the inorganic semiconductor world and biological systems. PMID:29146781

Metallurgy and purification of semiconductor materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mughal, G.R.; Ali, M.M.; Ali, I.

1996-01-01

In this article the metallurgical aspects of semiconductor science and technology have been stressed here rather than of the physical and electronic aspect of the subject. Semiconductor technology has not merely presented the metallurgist with new challenges. The ease with which the semiconductor planes cleave make possible, the preparation and study of virgin surface. Semiconductor materials were being widely employed in the study of sub-boundaries and structures and can largely contribute to the study of certain aspects of nucleation and growth, precipitation phenomena, mechanical behaviour, in metallurgy. (A.B.)

Analysis of High Switching Frequency Quasi-Z-Source Photovoltaic Inverter Using Wide Bandgap Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Kayiranga, Thierry

Power inverters continue to play a key role in todays electrical system more than ever. Power inverters employ power semiconductors to converter direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). The performance of the semiconductors is based on speed and efficiency. Until recently, Silicon (Si) semiconductors had been established as mature. However, the continuous optimization and improvements in the production process of Si to meet today technology requirements have pushed Si materials to their theoretical limits. In an effort to find a suitable replacement, wide bandgap devices mainly Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC), have proved to be excellent candidates offering high operation temperature, high blocking voltage and high switching frequency; of which the latter makes GaN a better candidate in high switching low voltage in Distributed Generations (DG). The single stage Quasi-Z-Source Inverter (qZSI) is also able to draw continuous and constant current from the source making ideal for PV applications in addition to allowing shoot-through states. The qZSI find best applications in medium level ranges where multiples qZS inverters can be cascaded (qZS-CMI) by combining the benefit of the qZSI, boost capabilities and continuous and constant input current, and those of the CMI, low output harmonic content and independent MPPT. When used with GaN devices operating at very high frequency, the qZS network impedance can be significantly reduced. However, the impedance network becomes asymmetric. The asymmetric impedance network (AIN-qZSI) has several advantages such as increased power density, increases system lifetime, small size volume and size making it more attractive for module integrated converter (MIC) concepts. However, there are technical challenges. With asymmetric component, resonance is introduced in the system leading to more losses and audible noise. With small inductances, new operation states become available further increasing the system

Structural stability at high pressure, electronic, and magnetic properties of BaFZnAs: A new candidate of host material of diluted magnetic semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Bi-Juan; Deng Zheng; Wang Xian-Cheng; Feng Shao-Min; Yuan Zhen; Zhang Si-Jia; Liu Qing-Qing; Jin Chang-Qing

2016-01-01

The layered semiconductor BaFZnAs with the tetragonal ZrCuSiAs-type structure has been successfully synthesized. Both the in-situ high-pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction and the high-pressure Raman scattering measurements demonstrate that the structure of BaFZnAs is stable under pressure up to 17.5 GPa at room temperature. The resistivity and the magnetic susceptibility data show that BaFZnAs is a non-magnetic semiconductor. BaFZnAs is recommended as a candidate of the host material of diluted magnetic semiconductor. (special topic)

Syntheses, crystal Structures and electronic Structures of new metal chalcoiodides Bi{sub 2}CuSe{sub 3}I and Bi{sub 6}Cu{sub 3}S{sub 10}I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, I-Chu [Department of Chemistry, and Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Bilc, Daniel I. [Department of Molecular & Biomolecular Physics, National Institute for Research & Development of Isotopic & Molecular Technologies, Cluj-Napoca 400293 (Romania); Manoli, Maria [Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia (Cyprus); Chang, Wei-Yun; Lin, Wen-Fu [Department of Chemistry, and Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Kyratsi, Theodora [Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia (Cyprus); Hsu, Kuei-Fang [Department of Chemistry, and Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

2016-02-15

Two new metal chalcoiodides were synthesized by solid-state reactions at 400 °C. Crystal Data: Bi{sub 2}CuSe{sub 3}I, 1, monoclinic, C2/m, a=14.243(2) Å, b=4.1937(7) Å, c=14.647(2) Å, β=116.095(2)°, V=785.7(2) Å{sup 3}, and Z=4; Bi{sub 6}Cu{sub 3}S{sub 10}I, 2, orthorhombic, Pnma, a=17.476(2) Å, b=4.0078(4) Å, c=27.391(2) Å, V=1918.5(3) Å{sup 3}, and Z=4. Compound 1 adopts a three-dimensional structure formed by two alternative layers, which consist of BiSe{sub 5} square pyramids, BiSe{sub 4}I{sub 2} octahedra, CuSe{sub 4} tetrahedra, and CuSe{sub 2}I{sub 2} tetrahedra. Compound 2 possesses a new open framework built up of BiS{sub 5} square pyramides, BiS{sub 6} octahedra, BiS{sub 8} polyhedra, and CuS{sub 4} tetrahedra where I{sup −} anions are uniquely trapped within the tunnels. Both electronic structures reveal that bismuth and chalcogenide orbitals dominate the bandgaps. The Cu d and I p states contribute to the top of valence bands, in which the distribution of I orbitals may correspond to the relative bonding interactions in 1 and 2. The optical bandgaps determined by the diffuse reflectance spectra are 0.68 eV and 0.72 eV for 1 and 2, respectively. 1 is a p-type semiconductor with high Seebeck coefficients of 460–575 μV/K in the temperature range of 300–425 K. The electrical conductivity is 0.02 S/cm at 425 K for the undoped sample. The thermal conductivity is 0.22 W/mK at 425 K. - Graphical abstract: The hybridization of chalcogenides and iodides produces two new solids Bi2CuSe3I and Bi6Cu3S10I. The I{sup −} anions participate in distinct bonding interactions within the two structures and that is consistent with the analyses of density of states. 1 is a p-type semiconductor with an optical bandgap of 0.68 eV, which possesses high Seebeck coefficient and low lattice thermal conductivity in 300–425 K.

Halogenation of SiC for band-gap engineering and excitonic functionalization

Science.gov (United States)

Drissi, L. B.; Ramadan, F. Z.; Lounis, S.

2017-11-01

The optical excitation spectra and excitonic resonances are investigated in systematically functionalized SiC with Fluorine and/or Chlorine utilizing density functional theory in combination with many-body perturbation theory. The latter is required for a realistic description of the energy band-gaps as well as for the theoretical realization of excitons. Structural, electronic and optical properties are scrutinized and show the high stability of the predicted two-dimensional materials. Their realization in laboratory is thus possible. Large band-gaps of the order of 4 eV are found in the so-called GW approximation, with the occurrence of bright excitons, optically active in the four investigated materials. Their binding energies vary from 0.9 eV to 1.75 eV depending on the decoration choice and in one case, a dark exciton is foreseen to exist in the fully chlorinated SiC. The wide variety of opto-electronic properties suggest halogenated SiC as interesting materials with potential not only for solar cell applications, anti-reflection coatings or high-reflective systems but also for a possible realization of excitonic Bose-Einstein condensation.

Bandgap properties in locally resonant phononic crystal double panel structures with periodically attached spring–mass resonators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qian, Denghui, E-mail: qdhsd318@163.com; Shi, Zhiyu, E-mail: zyshi@nuaa.edu.cn

2016-10-07

Bandgap properties of the locally resonant phononic crystal double panel structure made of a two-dimensional periodic array of a spring–mass resonator surrounded by n springs (n equals to zero at the beginning of the study) connected between the upper and lower plates are investigated in this paper. The finite element method is applied to calculate the band structure, of which the accuracy is confirmed in comparison with the one calculated by the extended plane wave expansion (PWE) method and the transmission spectrum. Numerical results and further analysis demonstrate that two bands corresponding to the antisymmetric vibration mode open a wide band gap but is cut narrower by a band corresponding to the symmetric mode. One of the regulation rules shows that the lowest frequency on the symmetric mode band is proportional to the spring stiffness. Then, a new design idea of adding springs around the resonator in a unit cell (n is not equal to zero now) is proposed in the need of widening the bandwidth and lowering the starting frequency. Results show that the bandwidth of the band gap increases from 50 Hz to nearly 200 Hz. By introducing the quality factor, the regulation rules with the comprehensive consideration of the whole structure quality limitation, the wide band gap and the low starting frequency are also discussed. - Highlights: • The locally resonant double panel structure opens a band gap in the low frequency region. • The band gap is the coupling between the symmetric and antisymmetric vibration modes. • The band structure of the double panel is the evolution of that of the single plate. • By adding springs around the resonator in a unit cell, the bandwidth gets wider. • The band gap can be controlled by tuning the parameters.

Predicting suitable optoelectronic properties of monoclinic VON semiconductor crystals for photovoltaics using accurate first-principles computations

KAUST Repository

Harb, Moussab

2015-01-01

Using accurate first-principles quantum calculations based on DFT (including the perturbation theory DFPT) with the range-separated hybrid HSE06 exchange-correlation functional, we predict essential fundamental properties (such as bandgap, optical absorption coefficient, dielectric constant, charge carrier effective masses and exciton binding energy) of two stable monoclinic vanadium oxynitride (VON) semiconductor crystals for solar energy conversion applications. In addition to the predicted band gaps in the optimal range for making single-junction solar cells, both polymorphs exhibit relatively high absorption efficiencies in the visible range, high dielectric constants, high charge carrier mobilities and much lower exciton binding energies than the thermal energy at room temperature. Moreover, their optical absorption, dielectric and exciton dissociation properties are found to be better than those obtained for semiconductors frequently utilized in photovoltaic devices like Si, CdTe and GaAs. These novel results offer a great opportunity for this stoichiometric VON material to be properly synthesized and considered as a new good candidate for photovoltaic applications.

Predicting suitable optoelectronic properties of monoclinic VON semiconductor crystals for photovoltaics using accurate first-principles computations

KAUST Repository

Harb, Moussab

2015-08-26

Using accurate first-principles quantum calculations based on DFT (including the perturbation theory DFPT) with the range-separated hybrid HSE06 exchange-correlation functional, we predict essential fundamental properties (such as bandgap, optical absorption coefficient, dielectric constant, charge carrier effective masses and exciton binding energy) of two stable monoclinic vanadium oxynitride (VON) semiconductor crystals for solar energy conversion applications. In addition to the predicted band gaps in the optimal range for making single-junction solar cells, both polymorphs exhibit relatively high absorption efficiencies in the visible range, high dielectric constants, high charge carrier mobilities and much lower exciton binding energies than the thermal energy at room temperature. Moreover, their optical absorption, dielectric and exciton dissociation properties are found to be better than those obtained for semiconductors frequently utilized in photovoltaic devices like Si, CdTe and GaAs. These novel results offer a great opportunity for this stoichiometric VON material to be properly synthesized and considered as a new good candidate for photovoltaic applications.

Silicon avalanche photodiodes on the base of metal-resistor-semiconductor (MRS) structures

CERN Document Server

Saveliev, V

2000-01-01

The development of a high quantum efficiency, fast photodetector, with internal gain amplification for the wavelength range 450-600 nm is one of the critical issues for experimental physics - registration of low-intensity light photons flux. The new structure of Silicon Avalanche Detectors with high internal amplification (10 sup 5 -10 sup 6) has been designed, manufactured and tested for registration of visible light photons and charge particles. The main features of Metal-Resistor-Semiconductor (MRS) structures are the high charge multiplication in nonuniform electric field near the 'needle' pn-junction and negative feedback for stabilization of avalanche process due to resistive layer.

Fabrication of smooth patterned structures of refractory metals, semiconductors, and oxides via template stripping.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jong Hyuk; Nagpal, Prashant; McPeak, Kevin M; Lindquist, Nathan C; Oh, Sang-Hyun; Norris, David J

2013-10-09

The template-stripping method can yield smooth patterned films without surface contamination. However, the process is typically limited to coinage metals such as silver and gold because other materials cannot be readily stripped from silicon templates due to strong adhesion. Herein, we report a more general template-stripping method that is applicable to a larger variety of materials, including refractory metals, semiconductors, and oxides. To address the adhesion issue, we introduce a thin gold layer between the template and the deposited materials. After peeling off the combined film from the template, the gold layer can be selectively removed via wet etching to reveal a smooth patterned structure of the desired material. Further, we demonstrate template-stripped multilayer structures that have potential applications for photovoltaics and solar absorbers. An entire patterned device, which can include a transparent conductor, semiconductor absorber, and back contact, can be fabricated. Since our approach can also produce many copies of the patterned structure with high fidelity by reusing the template, a low-cost and high-throughput process in micro- and nanofabrication is provided that is useful for electronics, plasmonics, and nanophotonics.

Optical devices based on liquid crystal photonic bandgap fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alkeskjold, Thomas Tanggaard

2005-01-01

the waveguiding mechanism of LC filled PCFs. The principle of tunable fibers based on LCs is thereafter discussed and an alignment and coating study of LC in capillaries is presented. Next, the Liquid Crystal Photonic BandGap (LCPBG) fiber is presented and the waveguiding mechanism is analyzed through plane...... hole. The presence of a LC in the holes of the PCF transforms the fiber from a Total Internal Reflection (TIR) guiding type into a Photonic BandGap (PBG) guiding type, where light is confined to the silica core by coherent scattering from the LC-billed holes. The high dielectric and optical anisotropy...

Semiconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

This book deals with process and measurement of semiconductor. It contains 20 chapters, which goes as follows; semiconductor industry, introduction of semiconductor manufacturing, yield of semiconductor process, materials, crystal growth and a wafer forming, PN, control pollution, oxidation, photomasking photoresist chemistry, photomasking technologies, diffusion and ion injection, chemical vapor deposition, metallization, wafer test and way of evaluation, semiconductor elements, integrated circuit and semiconductor circuit technology.

Tensile strain induced narrowed bandgap of TiO{sub 2} films: Utilizing the two-way shape memory effect of TiNiNb substrate and in-situ mechanical bending

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Minshu, E-mail: dms1223@126.com [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum at Beijing, Beijing, 102249 (China); Center for Electrochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712 (United States); Cui, Lishan; Wan, Qiong [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum at Beijing, Beijing, 102249 (China)

2016-05-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Imposed tensile strain to anatase TiO{sub 2} nanofilm by using the two-way shape memory effect of NiTiNb substrate. • Imposed tensile strain to rutile TiO{sub 2} thin film by in-situ mechanical bending. • Tauc plot based on the PEC-tested auction spectrum was utilized to precisely determine the bandgap of TiO{sub 2}. • Tensile strain narrowed the bandgap of anatase TiO{sub 2} by 60 meV and rutile TiO{sub 2} by 70 meV. • Tensile strain contributes to a 1.5 times larger photocurrent for the water oxidation reaction. - Abstract: Elastic strain is one of the methods to alter the band gap of semiconductors. However, relevant experimental work is limited due to the difficulty in imposing strain. Two new methods for imposing tensile strain to TiO{sub 2} film were introduced here. One is by utilizing the two-way shape memory effect of NiTiNb substrate, and the other method is in-situ mechanical bending. The former method succeeded in imposing 0.4% tensile strain to anatase TiO{sub 2} nanofilm, and strain narrowed the bandgap of TiO{sub 2} by 60 meV. The latter method enabled rutile TiO{sub 2} thin film under the 0.5% biaxially tensile-strained state, which contributes to a narrowed bandgap with ΔE{sub g} of 70 meV. Also, photocurrents of both strained TiO{sub 2} films increased by 1.5 times compared to the strain-free films, which indirectly verified the previous DFT prediction proposed by Thulin and Guerra in 2008 that tensile strain could improve the mobility and separation of photo-excite carriers.

Conductivity-limiting bipolar thermal conductivity in semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shanyu; Yang, Jiong; Toll, Trevor; Yang, Jihui; Zhang, Wenqing; Tang, Xinfeng

2015-01-01

Intriguing experimental results raised the question about the fundamental mechanisms governing the electron-hole coupling induced bipolar thermal conduction in semiconductors. Our combined theoretical analysis and experimental measurements show that in semiconductors bipolar thermal transport is in general a “conductivity-limiting” phenomenon, and it is thus controlled by the carrier mobility ratio and by the minority carrier partial electrical conductivity for the intrinsic and extrinsic cases, respectively. Our numerical method quantifies the role of electronic band structure and carrier scattering mechanisms. We have successfully demonstrated bipolar thermal conductivity reduction in doped semiconductors via electronic band structure modulation and/or preferential minority carrier scatterings. We expect this study to be beneficial to the current interests in optimizing thermoelectric properties of narrow gap semiconductors. PMID:25970560

The control of stoichiometry in Epitaxial semiconductor structures. Interfacial Chemistry: Property relations. A workshop review