Rapid synthesis of triangular CdS nanocrystals without any trap emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poulose, Aby Cheruvathoor; Veeranarayanan, Srivani; Yoshida, Yasuhiko; Maekawa, Toru; Sakthi Kumar, D.

2012-01-01

Nanocrystals (NCs) with anisotropic dimensions display polarized emission compared to nano dots. Triangular prisms are good candidates for polarized optical properties and monodisperse triangular NCs are ideal for developing building blocks for novel three-dimensional superlattices due to its anisotropic dimension. Among triangular nanocrystals, CdS nanocrystals are less discussed for the past one decade of research due to the difficulty in its processing method. Though well studied very few methods for developing CdS triangular nanocrystals have been reported, and most are having drawbacks either due to the time consuming process or the products are combination of triangular as well as many other shaped NC or with trap emissions due to defects which are comparable to band emissions limits its applications in full scale. Here, we are presenting a novel method to develop 7 nm CdS triangular NCs that can solve the above mentioned problems, which would augment the usage of CdS triangular crystals for many applications, based on its anisotropic properties.

Cu-Doped-CdS/In-Doped-CdS Cosensitized Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Cu-doped-CdS and In-doped-CdS cosensitized (Cu-doped-CdS/In-doped-CdS quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs are introduced here. Different cosensitized sequences, doping ratios, and the thickness (SILAR cycles of Cu-doped-CdS and In-doped-CdS are discussed. Compared with undoped CdS QDSCs, the short circuit current density, UV-Vis absorption spectra, IPCE (monochromatic incident photon-to-electron conversion, open circuit voltage, and so on are all improved. The photoelectric conversion efficiency has obviously improved from 0.71% to 1.28%.

Structural and optical properties of a NaCl single crystal doped with CuO nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addala, S.; Bouhdjer, L.; Halimi, O.; Boudine, B.; Sebais, M.; Chala, A.; Bouhdjar, A.

2013-01-01

A cupric oxide (CuO) nanocrystal-doped NaCl single crystal and a pure NaCl single crystal are grown by using the Czochralski (Cz) method. A number of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, optical absorption in the UV—visible range, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy are used to characterize the obtained NaCl and NaCl:CuO crystals. It is observed that the average radius of CuO crystallites in NaCl:CuO crystal is about 29.87 nm, as derived from the XRD data analysis. Moreover, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy results confirm the existence of the monoclinic CuO phase in NaCl crystal. UV—visible absorption measurements indicate that the band gap of the NaCl:CuO crystal is 434 nm (2.85 eV), and it shows a significant amount of blue-shift (ΔE g = 1 eV) in the band gap energy of CuO, which is due to the quantum confinement effect exerted by the CuO nanocrystals. The PL spectrum of the NaCl:CuO shows a broad emission band centred at around 438 nm, which is consistent with the absorption measurement. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Pulsed laser induced optical nonlinearities in undoped, copper doped and chromium doped CdS quantum dots

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Dimple; Malik, B. P.; Gaur, Arun

2015-04-01

Quantum dots (QDs) of CdS, Cu doped and Cr doped CdS were synthesized through chemical co- precipitation method. The synthesized QDs have been characterized by x-ray diffraction, ultraviolet visible absorption spectroscopy. The diameters of QDs were calculated using Debye-Scherrer’s formula and Brus equation. They are found to be in 3.5-3.8 nm range. The nonlinear properties has been studied by the open and closed aperture Z-scan technique using frequency double Nd:YAG laser. The nonlinear refractive index (n2), nonlinear absorption coefficient (β), third order nonlinear susceptibilities (χ3) of QDs has been calculated. It has been found that the values of nonlinear parameters are higher for doped QDs than undoped CdS QDs. Hence they can be regarded as potential material for the development of optoelectronics and photonics devices.

Observation of melting in 30 angstrom diameter CdS nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldstein, A.N.; Colvin, V.L.; Alivisatos, A.P.

1991-01-01

In this paper temperature dependent electron diffraction studies on 30 Angstrom diameter CdS nanocrystals are described. The linear thermal expansion coefficient of the nanocrystals is 2.75 * 10 -5 Angstrom/K, and the melting point is 575 K. These data are in contrast to bulk CdS which has a melting point of 1750 K and a linear expansion coefficient of 5.5 * 10 -6 Angstrom/K. The observed depression in the melting point of these semiconductor clusters is similar to effects observed in metals and molecular crystals, indicating that the phenomenon of reduced melting point in small systems is a general one regardless of the type of material. The observation of melting point depression in these clusters also has far reaching implications for the preparation of highly crystalline clusters of CdS, as well as for the use of these nanocrystals as precursors to thin films

Synthesis of CdS nanocrystals with different morphologies via an ultraviolet irradiation route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao Suwei; Han Yuxin; Liu Weixing; Zhang Weiguo; Wang Hongzhi

2007-01-01

A simple ultraviolet photochemical reduction synthetic approach to preparing CdS nanocrystals with different morphologies is described. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as soft template for the chemical synthesis of CdS nanocrystals in a mixture solution at room temperature. It was found that the magnetic force stirring and the volume proportions of C 2 H 5 OH and H 2 O had marked influences on the morphology of CdS nanocrystals (such as spherical, acicular-like, rod-like and worm-like shapes). The formation of CdS is via precipitation of Cd 2+ ions with the homogeneously released S 2- ions from decomposition of thioacetamide under ultraviolet irradiation source. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra were employed to characterize the products. This novel method is expected to produce various semiconductor nanocrystals with potential applications in the fields of materials science and photovoltaic cells, etc

Effect of Gd{sup 3+} doping and reaction temperature on structural and optical properties of CdS nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pandey, Gajanan, E-mail: pandeygajanan@rediffmail.com [Department of Applied Chemistry, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, 226025, (U.P.) (India); Dixit, Supriya; Shrivastava, A.K. [School of Studies in Physics, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, 474011, (M.P.) (India)

2015-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Cd{sub 1−x}Gd{sub x}S nanoparticles have been prepared in aqueous medium in presence of CTAB. • From XRD, EDX and ICP-OES study, successful doping of Gd{sup 3+} in CdS has been proved. • Gd{sup 3+} doping reduced size of NCs, while temperature increased size and altered shape. • Gd{sup 3+} doping and reaction temperature influenced the optical properties of NCs. - Abstract: CdS and Gd{sup 3+} ions doped CdS nanoparticles have been prepared at two reaction temperatures 90 and 120 °C in aqueous medium in presence of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. X-ray diffraction study revealed predominant formation of zinc blend CdS and Gd:CdS at 90 °C, while at 120 °C, phase pure wurtzite CdS and Gd:CdS were formed. From EDX spectra and ICP-OES analysis, successful doping of Gd{sup 3+} ions in CdS host has been proved. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show the interaction of CTAB through headgroup at the nanoparticles surface. In the transmission electron microscopy images, it has been observed that the reaction temperature and Gd{sup 3+} doping played critical role on size and shape of nanocrystals. In UV–visible absorption as well as photoluminescence emission spectra, size and shape-dependent quantum confinement effect has been observed. On Gd{sup 3+} doping, surface states related emission peak shifted to higher wavelength, while intensity of peaks increased on increasing temperature.

Building Structural Complexity in Semiconductor Nanocrystals through Chemical Transformations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadtler, Bryce F [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2009-05-01

Methods are presented for synthesizing nanocrystal heterostructures comprised of two semiconductor materials epitaxially attached within individual nanostructures. The chemical transformation of cation exchange, where the cations within the lattice of an ionic nanocrystal are replaced with a different metal ion species, is used to alter the chemical composition at specific regions ofa nanocrystal. Partial cation exchange was performed in cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanorods of well-defined size and shape to examine the spatial organization of materials within the resulting nanocrystal heterostructures. The selectivity for cation exchange to take place at different facets of the nanocrystal plays an important role in determining the resulting morphology of the binary heterostructure. The exchange of copper (I) (Cu⁺) cations in CdS nanorods occurs preferentially at the ends of the nanorods. Theoretical modeling of epitaxial attachments between different facets of CdS and Cu₂S indicate that the selectivity for cation exchange at the ends of the nanorods is a result of the low formation energy of the interfaces produced. During silver (I) (Ag⁺) cation exchange in CdS nanorods, non-selective nucleation of silver sulfide (Ag₂S), followed by partial phase segregation leads to significant changes in the spatial arrangement of CdS and Ag₂S regions at the exchange reaction proceeds through the nanocrystal. A well-ordered striped pattern of alternating CdS and Ag₂S segments is found at intermediate fractions of exchange. The forces mediating this spontaneous process are a combination of Ostwald ripening to reduce the interfacial area along with a strain-induced repulsive interaction between Ag₂S segments. To elucidate why Cu⁺ and Ag⁺ cation exchange with CdS nanorods produce different morphologies, models for epitaxial attachments between various facets of CdS with Cu₂S or

Noninjection Synthesis of CdS and Alloyed CdSxSe1−xNanocrystals Without Nucleation Initiators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zou Yu

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract CdS and alloyed CdSxSe1−x nanocrystals were prepared by a simple noninjection method without nucleation initiators. Oleic acid (OA was used to stabilize the growth of the CdS nanocrystals. The size of the CdS nanocrystals can be tuned by changing the OA/Cd molar ratios. On the basis of the successful synthesis of CdS nanocrystals, alloyed CdSxSe1−x nanocrystals can also be prepared by simply replacing certain amount of S precursor with equal amount of Se precursor, verified by TEM, XRD, EDX as well as UV–Vis absorption analysis. The optical properties of the alloyed CdSxSe1−x nanocrystals can be tuned by adjusting the S/Se feed molar ratios. This synthetic approach developed is highly reproducible and can be readily scaled up for potential industrial production.

Defect evolution and its impact on the ferromagnetism of Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals upon thermal treatment: A positron annihilation study

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhi-Yuan; Chen, Yuqian; Zhang, Q. K.; Qi, N.; Chen, Z. Q.; Wang, S. J.; Li, P. H.; Mascher, P.

2017-01-01

CuO/ZnO nanocomposites with 4 at. % CuO were annealed in air at various temperatures between 100 and 1200 °C to produce Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals. X-ray diffraction shows that a CuO phase can be observed in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites annealed at different temperatures, and the Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals are identified to be of wurtzite structure. The main peak (101) appears at slightly lower diffraction angles with increasing annealing temperature from 400 up to 1200 °C, which confirms the successful doping of Cu into the ZnO lattice above 400 °C. Scanning electron microscopy indicates that most particles in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites are isolated when annealing at 100-400 °C, but these particles have a tendency to form clusters or aggregates as the annealing temperature increases from 700 to 1000 °C. Positron annihilation measurements reveal a large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature up to 1000 °C. Room-temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites, and the magnetization decreases continuously with increasing annealing temperature. However, there may be several different origins of ferromagnetism in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites. At low annealing temperatures, the ferromagnetism originates from the CuO nanograins, and the ferromagnetism of CuO nanograins decreases with an increase in the grain size after subsequent higher temperature annealing, which leads to the weakening of ferromagnetism in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites. After annealing from 400 to 1000 °C, the ferromagnetism gradually vanishes. The ferromagnetism is probably induced by Cu substitution but is mediated by vacancy defects in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites. The disappearance of ferromagnetism coincides well with the recovery of vacancy defects. It can be inferred that the ferromagnetism is mediated by vacancy defects that are distributed in the interface region.

Shape and phase control of CdS nanocrystals using cationic surfactant in noninjection synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zou Yu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Monodispersed CdS nanocrystals with controllable shape and phase have been successfully synthesized in this study by adding cationic surfactant in noninjection synthesis system. With the increase of the amount of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC added, the shape of the CdS nanocrystals changed from spherical to multi-armed, and the phase changed from zinc-blende to wurtzite. It was found that halide ion Cl- plays a key role in the transformation, and other halide ions such as Br- can also induce similar transformation. We proposed that the strong binding between Cd2+ and halide ions reduced the reactivity of the precursors, decreased the nuclei formed in the nucleation stage, and led to the high concentration of precursor in the growth stage, resulting in the increase of size and phase transformation of CdS nanocrystals. In addition, it was found that the multi-armed CdS nanocrystals lost quantum confinement effect because of the increase of the size with the increase of the concentration of CTAC.

Synthesis of CdS nanocrystals in polymeric films studied by in-situ GID and GISAXS

KAUST Repository

Di Luccio, Tiziana; Carbone, Dina; Masala, Silvia; Ramachandran, Karthik; Kornfield, Julie

2015-01-01

In this work, we describe the synthesis of CdS nanocrystals in thin polymeric films by in-situ Grazing Incidence Diffraction (GID) and Grazing Incidence Small Angle Scattering (GISAXS). The 2D GISAXS patterns indicate how the precursor structure is altered as the temperature is varied from 25°C to 300°C. At 150°C, the CdS nanocrystals start to arrange themselves in a hexagonal lattice with a lattice parameter of 27 A. The diffraction intensity from the hexagonal lattice reaches a maximum at 170"C and decreases steadily upon further heating above 220°C indicating loss of symmetry. Correspondingly, the GID scans at 170°C show strong crystalline peaks from cubic CdS nanocrystals that are about 2 nm size. The results indicate that a temperature of 170°C is sufficient to synthesize CdS nanocrystals without degradation of the polymer matrix (Topas) in thin films (about 30nm). © 2015 Materials Research Society.

Synthesis of CdS nanocrystals in polymeric films studied by in-situ GID and GISAXS

KAUST Repository

Di Luccio, Tiziana

2015-07-07

In this work, we describe the synthesis of CdS nanocrystals in thin polymeric films by in-situ Grazing Incidence Diffraction (GID) and Grazing Incidence Small Angle Scattering (GISAXS). The 2D GISAXS patterns indicate how the precursor structure is altered as the temperature is varied from 25°C to 300°C. At 150°C, the CdS nanocrystals start to arrange themselves in a hexagonal lattice with a lattice parameter of 27 A. The diffraction intensity from the hexagonal lattice reaches a maximum at 170"C and decreases steadily upon further heating above 220°C indicating loss of symmetry. Correspondingly, the GID scans at 170°C show strong crystalline peaks from cubic CdS nanocrystals that are about 2 nm size. The results indicate that a temperature of 170°C is sufficient to synthesize CdS nanocrystals without degradation of the polymer matrix (Topas) in thin films (about 30nm). © 2015 Materials Research Society.

Synthesis and Doping of Silicon Nanocrystals for Versatile Nanocrystal Inks

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Nicolaas Johannes

atmospheric pressures necessitates high plasma densities to reach temperatures required for crystallization of nanoparticles. Using experimentally determined plasma properties from the literature, the model estimates the nanoparticle temperature that is achieved during synthesis at atmospheric pressures. It was found that temperatures well above those required for crystallization can be achieved. Now that the synthesis of nanocrystals is understood, the second half of this thesis will focus on doping of the nanocrystals. The doping of semiconductor nanocrystals, which is vital for the optimization of nanocrystal-based devices, remains a challenge. Gas phase plasma approaches have been very successful in incorporating dopant atoms into nanocrystals by simply adding a dopant precursor during synthesis. However, little is known about the electronic activation of these dopants. This was investigated with field-effect transistor measurements using doped silicon nanocrystal films. It was found that, analogous to bulk silicon, boron and phosphorous electronically dope silicon nanocrystals. However, the dopant activation efficiency remains low as a result of self-purification of the dopants to the nanocrystal surface. Next the plasmonic properties of heavily doped silicon nanocrystals was explored. While the synthesis method was identical, the plasmonic behavior of phosphorus-doped and boron-doped nanocrystals was found the be significantly different. Phosphorus-doped nanocrystals exhibit a plasmon resonance immediately after synthesis, while boron-doped nanocrystals require a post-synthesis annealing or oxidation treatment. This is a result of the difference in dopant location. Phosphorus is more likely to be incorporated into the core of the nanocrystal, while the majority of boron is placed on the surface of the nanocrystal. The oxidized boron-doped particles exhibit stable plasmonic properties, and therefore this allows for the production of air-stable silicon-based plasmonic

A dual-colored bio-marker made of doped ZnO nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Y L; Zeng, X T [Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, 638075 (Singapore); Fu, S; Kwek, L C [National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, 637616 (Singapore); Tok, A I Y; Boey, F C Y [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore); Lim, C S [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore)

2008-08-27

Bio-compatible ZnO nanocrystals doped with Co, Cu and Ni cations, surface capped with two types of aminosilanes and titania are synthesized by a soft chemical process. Due to the small particle size (2-5 nm), surface functional groups and the high photoluminescence emissions at the UV and blue-violet wavelength ranges, bio-imaging on human osteosarcoma (Mg-63) cells and histiocytic lymphoma U-937 monocyte cells showed blue emission at the nucleus and bright turquoise emission at the cytoplasm simultaneously. This is the first report on dual-color bio-images labeled by one semiconductor nanocrystal colloidal solution. Bright green emission was detected on mung bean seedlings labeled by all the synthesized ZnO nanocrystals. Cytotoxicity tests showed that the aminosilanes capped nanoparticles are non-toxic. Quantum yields of the nanocrystals varied from 79% to 95%. The results showed the potential of the pure ZnO and Co-doped ZnO nanocrystals for live imaging of both human cells and plant systems.

Patterned structures of in situ size controlled CdS nanocrystals in a polymer matrix under UV irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fragouli, D; Pompa, P P; Caputo, G; Cingolani, R; Athanassiou, A; Resta, V; Laera, A M; Tapfer, L

2009-01-01

A method of in situ formation of patterns of size controlled CdS nanocrystals in a polymer matrix by pulsed UV irradiation is presented. The films consist of Cd thiolate precursors with different carbon chain lengths embedded in TOPAS polymer matrices. Under UV irradiation the precursors are photolyzed, driving to the formation of CdS nanocrystals in the quantum size regime, with size and concentration defined by the number of incident UV pulses, while the host polymer remains macroscopically/microscopically unaffected. The emission of the formed nanocomposite materials strongly depends on the dimensions of the CdS nanocrystals, thus, their growth at the different phases of the irradiation is monitored using spatially resolved photoluminescence by means of a confocal microscope. X-ray diffraction measurements verified the existence of the CdS nanocrystals, and defined their crystal structure for all the studied cases. The results are reinforced by transmission electron microscopy. It is proved that the selection of the precursor determines the efficiency of the procedure, and the quality of the formed nanocrystals. Moreover it is demonstrated that there is the possibility of laser induced formation of well-defined patterns of CdS nanocrystals, opening up new perspectives in the development of nanodevices.

Patterned structures of in situ size controlled CdS nanocrystals in a polymer matrix under UV irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fragouli, D; Pompa, P P; Caputo, G; Cingolani, R; Athanassiou, A [NNL-National Nanotechnology Laboratory, INFM, CNR, Via Arnesano, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Resta, V; Laera, A M; Tapfer, L [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Brindisi, SS7 Appia Km 706, I-72100 Brindisi (Italy)], E-mail: despina.fragouli@unile.it

2009-04-15

A method of in situ formation of patterns of size controlled CdS nanocrystals in a polymer matrix by pulsed UV irradiation is presented. The films consist of Cd thiolate precursors with different carbon chain lengths embedded in TOPAS polymer matrices. Under UV irradiation the precursors are photolyzed, driving to the formation of CdS nanocrystals in the quantum size regime, with size and concentration defined by the number of incident UV pulses, while the host polymer remains macroscopically/microscopically unaffected. The emission of the formed nanocomposite materials strongly depends on the dimensions of the CdS nanocrystals, thus, their growth at the different phases of the irradiation is monitored using spatially resolved photoluminescence by means of a confocal microscope. X-ray diffraction measurements verified the existence of the CdS nanocrystals, and defined their crystal structure for all the studied cases. The results are reinforced by transmission electron microscopy. It is proved that the selection of the precursor determines the efficiency of the procedure, and the quality of the formed nanocrystals. Moreover it is demonstrated that there is the possibility of laser induced formation of well-defined patterns of CdS nanocrystals, opening up new perspectives in the development of nanodevices.

Phase transitions and doping in semiconductor nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Ayaskanta

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals are a promising technological material because their size-dependent optical and electronic properties can be exploited for a diverse range of applications such as light-emitting diodes, bio-labels, transistors, and solar cells. For many of these applications, electrical current needs to be transported through the devices. However, while their solution processability makes these colloidal nanocrystals attractive candidates for device applications, the bulky surfactants that render these nanocrystals dispersible in common solvents block electrical current. Thus, in order to realize the full potential of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals in the next-generation of solid-state devices, methods must be devised to make conductive films from these nanocrystals. One way to achieve this would be to add minute amounts of foreign impurity atoms (dopants) to increase their conductivity. Electronic doping in nanocrystals is still very much in its infancy with limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern the doping process. This thesis introduces an innovative synthesis of doped nanocrystals and aims at expanding the fundamental understanding of charge transport in these doped nanocrystal films. The list of semiconductor nanocrystals that can be doped is large, and if one combines that with available dopants, an even larger set of materials with interesting properties and applications can be generated. In addition to doping, another promising route to increase conductivity in nanocrystal films is to use nanocrystals with high ionic conductivities. This thesis also examines this possibility by studying new phases of mixed ionic and electronic conductors at the nanoscale. Such a versatile approach may open new pathways for interesting fundamental research, and also lay the foundation for the creation of novel materials with important applications. In addition to their size-dependence, the intentional incorporation of

A Novel Method for Preparation of Zn-Doped CuInS2 Solar Cells and Their Photovoltaic Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng-Hsiung Peng

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, a novel method was proposed to synthesize high quality Zn-doped CuInS2 nanocrystals under high frequency magnetic field at ambient conditions. The magnetic Zn-doping gave superparamagnetic heating of the resulting nanocrystals via magnetic induction, causing an accelerating growth rate of the doped CuInS2 under ambient conditions faster than conventional autoclave synthesis. Shape evolution of the Zn-doped CuInS2 nanocrystals from initially spherical to pyramidal, to cubic, and finally to a bar geometry was detected as a function of time of exposure to magnetic induction. These colloidal solvents with different shaped nanocrystals were further used as “nanoink” to fabricate a simple thin film solar device; the best efficiency we obtained of these crystals was 1.01% with a 1.012 μm thickness absorber layer (bar geometry. The efficiency could be promoted to 1.44% after the absorber was thickened to 2.132 μm.

Doping effect in Si nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dongke; Xu, Jun; Zhang, Pei; Jiang, Yicheng; Chen, Kunji

2018-06-01

Intentional doping in semiconductors is a fundamental issue since it can control the conduction type and ability as well as modify the optical and electronic properties. To realize effective doping is the basis for developing semiconductor devices. However, by reducing the size of a semiconductor, like Si, to the nanometer scale, the doping effects become complicated due to the coupling between the quantum confinement effect and the surfaces and/or interfaces effect. In particular, by introducing phosphorus or boron impurities as dopants into material containing Si nanocrystals with a dot size of less than 10 nm, it exhibits different behaviors and influences on the physical properties from its bulk counterpart. Understanding the doping effects in Si nanocrystals is currently a challenge in order to further improve the performance of the next generation of nano-electronic and photonic devices. In this review, we present an overview of the latest theoretical studies and experimental results on dopant distributions and their effects on the electronic and optical properties of Si nanocrystals. In particular, the advanced characterization techniques on dopant distribution, the carrier transport process as well as the linear and nonlinear optical properties of doped Si nanocrystals, are systematically summarized.

Plasmonic Properties of Silicon Nanocrystals Doped with Boron and Phosphorus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Nicolaas J; Schramke, Katelyn S; Kortshagen, Uwe R

2015-08-12

Degenerately doped silicon nanocrystals are appealing plasmonic materials due to silicon's low cost and low toxicity. While surface plasmonic resonances of boron-doped and phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals were recently observed, there currently is poor understanding of the effect of surface conditions on their plasmonic behavior. Here, we demonstrate that phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals exhibit a plasmon resonance immediately after their synthesis but may lose their plasmonic response with oxidation. In contrast, boron-doped nanocrystals initially do not exhibit plasmonic response but become plasmonically active through postsynthesis oxidation or annealing. We interpret these results in terms of substitutional doping being the dominant doping mechanism for phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals, with oxidation-induced defects trapping free electrons. The behavior of boron-doped silicon nanocrystals is more consistent with a strong contribution of surface doping. Importantly, boron-doped silicon nanocrystals exhibit air-stable plasmonic behavior over periods of more than a year.

Luminescence in colloidal Mn2+-doped semiconductor nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaulac, Remi; Archer, Paul I.; Gamelin, Daniel R.

2008-01-01

Recent advances in nanocrystal doping chemistries have substantially broadened the variety of photophysical properties that can be observed in colloidal Mn 2+ -doped semiconductor nanocrystals. A brief overview is provided, focusing on Mn 2+ -doped II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals prepared by direct chemical synthesis and capped with coordinating surface ligands. These Mn 2+ -doped semiconductor nanocrystals are organized into three major groups according to the location of various Mn 2+ -related excited states relative to the energy gap of the host semiconductor nanocrystals. The positioning of these excited states gives rise to three distinct relaxation scenarios following photoexcitation. A brief outlook on future research directions is provided. - Graphical abstract: Mn 2+ -doped semiconductor nanocrystals are organized into three major groups according to the location of various Mn 2+ -related excited states relative to the energy gap of the host semiconductor nanocrystals. The positioning of these excited states gives rise to three distinct relaxation scenarios following photoexcitation

Template-directed nucleation and growth of CdS nanocrystal: the role of helical and nonhelical nanofibers on their shape and size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bose, Partha Pratim; Banerjee, Arindam

2010-01-01

This study describes the use of chiral nature of synthetic self-assembled nanofibers for nucleation and growth of Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystals with different sizes and shapes in room temperature. The templates are built by immobilizing a peptide capping agent on the surface of synthetic self-assembled helical or nonhelical nanofibers and CdS nanocrystals were allowed to grow on them. It is observed that there are differences in shapes and sizes of the nanocrystals depending on the chiral nature of the nanofibers on which they were growing. Even the CdS nanocrystals grown on different chiral and achiral nanofibers differ markedly in their photoluminescence properties. Thus, here we introduce a new way of using chirality of nanofibers to nucleate and grow CdS nanocrystals of different shape, size, and optical property.

Evidence of ferromagnetism in Zn1-xMxO (M = Ni,Cu) nanocrystals for spintronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perales-Perez, O; Parra-Palomino, A; Singhal, R; Voyles, P M; Zhu, Y; Jia, W; Tomar, M S

2007-01-01

We present the conditions for room-temperature synthesis of bare, Ni-and Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals in ethanol and their characterization. The formation of a ZnO host structure was delayed when dopant ions co-existed in the starting solutions. After ageing in mother liquors, well-crystallized doped nanocrystals were produced. Monodispersity of the nanocrystals (5-8 nm) was shown by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements also confirmed the nanocrystalline nature and the continuous growth of the crystals when aged at room temperature. Room-temperature SQUID measurements showed weak but noticeable ferromagnetism, which was dependent on synthesis conditions

Size Dependence of Doping by a Vacancy Formation Reaction in Copper Sulfide Nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elimelech, Orian [The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904 Israel; Liu, Jing [Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY 11794 USA; Plonka, Anna M. [Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY 11794 USA; Frenkel, Anatoly I. [Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY 11794 USA; Banin, Uri [The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904 Israel

2017-07-19

Doping of nanocrystals (NCs) is a key, yet underexplored, approach for tuning of the electronic properties of semiconductors. An important route for doping of NCs is by vacancy formation. The size and concentration dependence of doping was studied in copper(I) sulfide (Cu2S) NCs through a redox reaction with iodine molecules (I2), which formed vacancies accompanied by a localized surface plasmon response. X-ray spectroscopy and diffraction reveal transformation from Cu2S to Cu-depleted phases, along with CuI formation. Greater reaction efficiency was observed for larger NCs. This behavior is attributed to interplay of the vacancy formation energy, which decreases for smaller sized NCs, and the growth of CuI on the NC surface, which is favored on well-defined facets of larger NCs. This doping process allows tuning of the plasmonic properties of a semiconductor across a wide range of plasmonic frequencies by varying the size of NCs and the concentration of iodine. Controlled vacancy doping of NCs may be used to tune and tailor semiconductors for use in optoelectronic applications.

Room temperature ferromagnetism in magic-sized Cr-doped CdS diluted magnetic semiconducting quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, Punita; Kumar, Pushpendra; Singh, Kedar

2011-01-01

Manipulation of carrier spins in semiconductors for spintronics applications has received great attention driven by improved functionalities and higher speed operation. Doping of semiconductor nanocrystals by transition-metal ions pronounced as diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) has attracted tremendous attention. Such doping is, however, difficult to achieve in low-dimensional strongly quantum-confined nanostructures by conventional growth procedures. In the present case, magic-sized, pure, and Cr-doped CdS DM-QDs have been synthesized by solution phase chemistry (lyothermal method). Structural, optical, and magnetic investigation suggest an intrinsic nature of ferromagnetism with highly quantum-confined system. Optical and magnetic results of pure and doped QDs reveal major physical consequences of dopant localization within the capacity to engineer dopant-carrier exchange interactions introducing magnetic functionalities within the host semiconductor lattice. Unpaired Cr ions in Cd substitutional sites could create spin ordering and ferromagnetic coupling. The results presented herein illustrate some of the remarkable and unexpected complexities that can arise in doped QDs.

Broad spectral response photodetector based on individual tin-doped CdS nanowire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weichang Zhou

2014-12-01

Full Text Available High purity and tin-doped 1D CdS micro/nano-structures were synthesized by a convenient thermal evaporation method. SEM, EDS, XRD and TEM were used to examine the morphology, composition, phase structure and crystallinity of as-prepared samples. Raman spectrum was used to confirm tin doped into CdS effectively. The effect of impurity on the photoresponse properties of photodetectors made from these as-prepared pure and tin-doped CdS micro/nano-structures under excitation of light with different wavelength was investigated. Various photoconductive parameters such as responsivity, external quantum efficiency, response time and stability were analyzed to evaluate the advantage of doped nanowires and the feasibility for photodetector application. Comparison with pure CdS nanobelt, the tin-doped CdS nanowires response to broader spectral range while keep the excellect photoconductive parameters. Both trapped state induced by tin impurity and optical whispering gallery mode microcavity effect in the doped CdS nanowires contribute to the broader spectral response. The micro-photoluminescence was used to confirm the whispering gallery mode effect and deep trapped state in the doped CdS nanowires.

Crystal growth and optical properties of CdS-doped lead silicate glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hao; Liu Qiming; Zhao Xiujian

2007-01-01

The crystal growth and optical properties of CdS microcrystallite-doped lead silicate glass is investigated in this paper. The existence of CdS nanocrystals was confirmed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results reveal that a two-stage heat-treat procedure can produce a better size distribution of CdS nanocrystals than a one-stage heat-treat procedure in glasses. The second harmonic generation (SHG) from the base glass and CdS microcrystallite doped glasses was observed, and the effects of the heat treatments and the thermal poling temperature on the crystallization of CdS and second-order harmonic (SH) intensity were discussed, respectively. It is indicated that samples doped with CdS microcrystallite showed larger SH intensity than that of the base glass. Use of a higher thermal poling temperature than the glass transformation temperature does not result in a good SH intensity in glasses

Synthesis of CdS Nanocrystals with Different Shapes via a Colloidal Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Jie; Liu, Changsong; Niu, Jinzhong; Wang, Hongzhe; Xu, Shasha; Shen, Huaibin; Li, Lin Song [Henan Univ., Henan (China)

2014-02-15

Size- and shape-controlled monodisperse wurtzite structured CdS nanorods have been successfully synthesized using a facile solution-based colloidal method. Depending on the control of injection/growth temperatures and the variation of Cd-to-S molar ratios, the morphology of the CdS nanocrystals (NCs) can be adjusted into bullet-like, rod-like, and dot-like shapes. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transition electron microscopy (TEM), and absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure, morphology, and optical properties of as-synthesized CdS NCs. It was found that uniform CdS nanorods could be successfully synthesized when the injection and growth temperatures were very high (> 360 .deg. C). The aspect ratios of different shaped (bullet-like or rod-like) CdS NCs could be controlled by simply adjusting the molar ratios between Cd and S.

Synthesis of CdS Nanocrystals with Different Shapes via a Colloidal Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, Jie; Liu, Changsong; Niu, Jinzhong; Wang, Hongzhe; Xu, Shasha; Shen, Huaibin; Li, Lin Song

2014-01-01

Size- and shape-controlled monodisperse wurtzite structured CdS nanorods have been successfully synthesized using a facile solution-based colloidal method. Depending on the control of injection/growth temperatures and the variation of Cd-to-S molar ratios, the morphology of the CdS nanocrystals (NCs) can be adjusted into bullet-like, rod-like, and dot-like shapes. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transition electron microscopy (TEM), and absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure, morphology, and optical properties of as-synthesized CdS NCs. It was found that uniform CdS nanorods could be successfully synthesized when the injection and growth temperatures were very high (> 360 .deg. C). The aspect ratios of different shaped (bullet-like or rod-like) CdS NCs could be controlled by simply adjusting the molar ratios between Cd and S

In situ generated CdS nanostructure induced enhanced photoluminescence from Dy{sup 3+} ions doped dielectric nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dey, Chirantan; Karmakar, Basudeb [Glass Science and Technology Section, Glass Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata (India)

2017-08-15

We report CdS nanostructure induced enhanced photoluminescence (PL) from Dy{sup +3}:CdS co-doped dielectric-nanocomposites synthesized by the conventional melt-quench technique. CdS nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized as in situ within the dielectric medium and their growth was controlled by heat treatment duration. Nanoparticles were investigated with absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The experimentally obtained sizes of the NCs are found to increase from 5-11 nm to 50-80 nm. Bandgap enhancement for the carrier confinement was found to alter within the range of 0.20-0.38 eV. Phonon confinement effect has been confirmed by blue shifting of Raman peak for CdS NCs at 303 cm{sup -1}. Enhanced highly intense sharp PL peak at 576 nm was detected, and different parameters associated with the PL enhancement including energy transfer from CdS NCs to Dy{sup 3+} ions have been studied. This PL enhancement was steered by varying CdS NC sizes. Enhanced PL of these nanocomposites finds their potential applications as gain medium in the field of solid state lasers. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Colloidal synthesis of Cu-ZnO and Cu@CuNi-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals with controlled morphologies and multifunctional properties

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Deqian; Gong, Pingyun; Chen, Yuanzhi; Zhang, Qinfu; Xie, Qingshui; Peng, Dong-Liang

2016-06-01

Metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals have received extensive attention owing to their multiple functionalities which can find wide technological applications. The utilization of low-cost non-noble metals to construct novel metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals is important and meaningful for their large-scale applications. In this study, a facile solution approach is developed for the synthesis of Cu-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals with well-controlled morphologies, including nanomultipods, core-shell nanoparticles, nanopyramids and core-shell nanowires. In the synthetic strategy, Cu nanocrystals formed in situ serve as seeds for the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of ZnO, and it eventually forms various Cu-ZnO hetero-nanostructures under different reaction conditions. These hybrid nanocrystals possess well-defined and stable heterostructure junctions. The ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectra reveal morphology-dependent surface plasmon resonance absorption of Cu and the band gap absorption of ZnO. Furthermore, we construct a novel Cu@CuNi-ZnO ternary hetero-nanostructure by incorporating the magnetic metal Ni into the pre-synthesized colloidal Cu nanocrystals. Such hybrid nanocrystals possess a magnetic Cu-Ni intermediate layer between the ZnO shell and the Cu core, and exhibit ferromagnetic/superparamagnetic properties which expand their functionalities. Finally, enhanced photocatalytic activities are observed in the as-prepared non-noble metal-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals. This study not only provides an economical way to prepare high-quality morphology-controlled Cu-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals for potential applications in the fields of photocatalysis and photovoltaic devices, but also opens up new opportunities in designing ternary non-noble metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals with multifunctionalities.Metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals have received extensive attention owing to their multiple functionalities which can find wide technological applications

Sulfonsuccinate (AOT Capped Pure and Mn-Doped CdS Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Venkatesan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available CdS nanoparticles and thin films are well known for their excellent semiconducting properties. When transition metal ions are doped into the CdS, it exhibits magnetic properties in addition to semiconducting properties and they are termed as dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs. In this paper, we discuss the preparation of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl sulfonsuccinate (AOT capped CdS nanoparticles and thin films doped with magnetic impurity Mn. Sodium bis(2-ethulexyl sulfonsuccinate (AOT, capping agent promotes the uniform formation of nanoparticles. Optical characterizations are made using the UV-Vis spectrometer, PL, and FTIR. XRD shows the hexagonal structure of the CdS. SEM images and EDS measurements were made for the thin films. EPR shows the clear hyperfine lines corresponding to Mn2+ ion in the CdS nanoparticles.

Influence of the dopant concentration on structural, optical and photovoltaic properties of Cu-doped ZnS nanocrystals based bulk heterojunction hybrid solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jabeen, Uzma; Adhikari, Tham; Shah, Syed Mujtaba; Pathak, Dinesh; Wagner, Tomas; Nunzi, Jean-Michel

2017-06-01

Zinc sulphide (ZnS) and Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized by the wet chemical method. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible, fluorescence, fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Scanning electron microscopy supplemented with EDAX was employed to observe the morphology and chemical composition of the un-doped and doped samples. A significant blue shift of the absorption band with respect to the un-doped zinc sulphide was sighted by increasing the Cu concentration in the doped sample with decreasing the size of nanoparticles. Consequently, the band gap was tuned from 3.13 to 3.49 eV due to quantum confinement. The green emission arises from the recombination between the shallow donor level (sulfur vacancy) and the t2 level of Cu2+. However, the fluorescence emission spectrum of the undoped ZnS nanoparticles was deconvoluted into two bands, which are centered at 419 and 468 nm. XRD analysis showed that the nanomaterials were in cubic crystalline state. XRD peaks show that there were no massive crystalline distortions in the crystal lattice when the Cu concentration (0.05-0.1 M) was increased in the ZnS lattice. However, in the case of Cu-doped samples (0.15-0.2 M), the XRD pattern showed an additional peak at 37° due to incomplete substitution occurring during the experimental reaction step. A comparative study of surfaces of undoped and Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The synthesized nanomaterial in combination with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was used in the fabrication of solar cells. The devices with ZnS nanoparticles showed an efficiency of 0.31%. The overall power conversion efficiency of the solar cells at 0.1 M Cu content in doped ZnS nanoparticles was found to be 1.6 times higher than the

Synthesis of CdS Nanocrystals by Employing the By-Products of the Anaerobic Respiratory Process of Desulfovibrio alaskensis 6SR Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. G. Rangel-Chávez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A novel methodology for the direct synthesis of CdS nanoparticles, using a biological agent that avoids the extracellular processing, and the results of the characterization of CdS nanocrystals are presented. The by-products of the anaerobic respiratory process of Desulfovibrio alaskensis 6SR along with aqueous solutions of Cd salts were successfully employed to produce CdS nanocrystals with mixed cubic and hexagonal phases. Nanocrystal size has a narrow size distribution with little dependence on the Cd concentration. Both the presence of the crystallographic cubic phase and the crystalline order decrease as Cd concentration increases. The band gap values obtained from optical transmission measurements are lower than those of the bulk crystal. Raman spectroscopy characterization agrees with electron transmission microscopy images and X-ray diffraction results indicating that the method promotes the formation of high structural quality nanocrystals when low concentrations of the Cd salt are used.

Effects of ultraviolet light on B-doped CdS thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis method using perfume atomizer

Science.gov (United States)

Novruzov, V. D.; Keskenler, E. F.; Tomakin, M.; Kahraman, S.; Gorur, O.

2013-09-01

Boron doped CdS thin films were deposited by spray pyrolysis method using perfume atomizer. The effects of ultraviolet light on the structural, optical and electrical properties of B-doped CdS thin films were investigated as a function of dopant concentration (B/Cd). X-ray diffraction studies showed that all samples were polycrystalline nature with hexagonal structure. It was determined that the preferred orientation of non-illuminated samples changes from (1 0 1) to (0 0 2) with B concentration. The c lattice constant of films decreases from 6.810 Å to 6.661 Å with boron doping. The XRD peak intensity increased with the illumination for almost all the samples. The lattice parameters of B-doped samples remained nearly constant after illumination. It was found that the optical transmittance, photoluminescence spectra, resistivity and carrier concentration of the B-doped samples are stable after the illumination with UV light. Also the effects of UV light on B-doped CdS/Cu2S solar cell were investigated and it was determined that photoelectrical parameters of B-doped solar cell were more durable against the UV light.

Effects of ultraviolet light on B-doped CdS thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis method using perfume atomizer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Novruzov, V.D. [Department of Physics, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize (Turkey); Keskenler, E.F., E-mail: keskenler@gmail.com [Department of Nanotechnology Engineering, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize (Turkey); Tomakin, M. [Department of Physics, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize (Turkey); Kahraman, S. [Department of Physics, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay (Turkey); Gorur, O. [Department of Physics, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu (Turkey)

2013-09-01

Boron doped CdS thin films were deposited by spray pyrolysis method using perfume atomizer. The effects of ultraviolet light on the structural, optical and electrical properties of B-doped CdS thin films were investigated as a function of dopant concentration (B/Cd). X-ray diffraction studies showed that all samples were polycrystalline nature with hexagonal structure. It was determined that the preferred orientation of non-illuminated samples changes from (1 0 1) to (0 0 2) with B concentration. The c lattice constant of films decreases from 6.810 Å to 6.661 Å with boron doping. The XRD peak intensity increased with the illumination for almost all the samples. The lattice parameters of B-doped samples remained nearly constant after illumination. It was found that the optical transmittance, photoluminescence spectra, resistivity and carrier concentration of the B-doped samples are stable after the illumination with UV light. Also the effects of UV light on B-doped CdS/Cu{sub 2}S solar cell were investigated and it was determined that photoelectrical parameters of B-doped solar cell were more durable against the UV light.

Solvothermally synthesized europium-doped CdS nanorods: applications as phosphors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Sunil; Jindal, Zinki; Kumari, Nitu; Verma, Narendra Kumar

2011-01-01

To exploit the photoluminescent behavior of CdS at nanoscale with different doping concentration of europium—a rare earth element, we report the synthesis of Eu-doped CdS nanorods by using low temperature solvothermal process by using ethylenediamine. The outcomes can have future applications as phosphors, photovoltaic cells, lasers, light emitting diodes, bio-imaging, and sensors. The doping was confirmed by electron dispersive spectroscopy supported by X-ray diffraction. From scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis it was observed that the average diameter of the Cd 1−x Eu x S nanorods is about 10–12 nm having lengths in the range of 50–100 nm. UV–Visible spectroscopy study was carried out to determine the band gap of the nanorods and the absorbance peaks showed blue shift with respect to the bulk CdS. The blue shift was also observed as the doping concentration of Eu increases. From photoluminescence (PL) studies at λ ex = 450 nm, peaks at 528 and 540 nm were observed due to CdS, peak at 570 nm is due to defects related transitions, while the peak at 613 nm is due to Eu. As the doping concentration of Eu is increased the intensity of the luminescent peak at 613 nm is increased. Thermogravimetric analysis showed the nanorods are thermally stable up to 300 °C. The traces of impurities adsorbed on the nanorods were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

In-situ boron doping of chemical-bath deposited CdS thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khallaf, Hani; Park, S.; Schulte, Alfons; Chai, Guangyu; Lupan, Oleg; Chow, Lee; Heinrich, Helge

2009-01-01

In-situ boron doping of CdS using chemical-bath deposition (CBD) is reported. The effect of B doping on optical properties, as well as electrical properties, crystal structure, chemistry, and morphology of CdS films is studied. We present a successful approach towards B doping of CdS using CBD, where a resistivity as low as 1.7 x 10 -2 Ωcm and a carrier density as high as 1.91 x 10 19 cm -3 were achieved. The bandgap of B-doped films was found to slightly decrease as the[B]/[Cd] ratio in the solution increases. X-ray diffraction studies showed B 3+ ions likely enter the lattice substitutionally. A phase transition, due to annealing, as well as induced lattice defects, due to B doping, were detected by micro-Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The chemistry and morphology of films were unaffected by B doping. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

High-purity Cu nanocrystal synthesis by a dynamic decomposition method

OpenAIRE

Jian, Xian; Cao, Yu; Chen, Guozhang; Wang, Chao; Tang, Hui; Yin, Liangjun; Luan, Chunhong; Liang, Yinglin; Jiang, Jing; Wu, Sixin; Zeng, Qing; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Chengui

2014-01-01

Cu nanocrystals are applied extensively in several fields, particularly in the microelectron, sensor, and catalysis. The catalytic behavior of Cu nanocrystals depends mainly on the structure and particle size. In this work, formation of high-purity Cu nanocrystals is studied using a common chemical vapor deposition precursor of cupric tartrate. This process is investigated through a combined experimental and computational approach. The decomposition kinetics is researched via differential sca...

Mn2+ anchored CdS polymer nanocomposites: An efficient alternative for Mn2+ doped CdS nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saikia, Bhaskar Jyoti; Nath, Bikash Chandra; Borah, Chandramika; Dolui, Swapan Kumar

2015-01-01

A chelating bi-functional polymer brushes was prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization using grafting-from methodology. Mn 2+ -anchored CdS-polymer nanocomposites were synthesized using this graft copolymer by simple chelation method resulting in emission at about 620 nm which originates from the fluorescence of manganese ions embedded on the surface of CdS nanoparticles. This method provides an efficient straightforward substitute of Mn 2+ dopped CdS nanoparticles. Optical properties of the composites were investigated which indicates that simple Mn 2+ chelation and subsequent binding of CdS in a polymer matrix can have similar effect in the luminescence property as those synthesized via complex doping methods. Moreover this methodology can be applied for synthesis of any metal anchored nanocomposites proficiently and cost effectively in large-scale production. - Highlights: • A chelating bifunctional copolymer brush was synthesized via ATRP. • CdS nanoparticles and Mn 2+ were coupled with the bifunctional polymer. • Composites showed emission properties similar to Mn 2+ doped CdS nanoparticles. • Side chain length of the polymers also affect the emission properties of the composites.

One-pot noninjection synthesis of Cu-doped Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S nanocrystals with emission color tunable over entire visible spectrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenjin; Zhou, Xinggui; Zhong, Xinhua

2012-03-19

Unlike Mn doped quantum dots (d-dots), the emission color of Cu dopant in Cu d-dots is dependent on the nature, size, and composition of host nanocrystals (NCs). The tunable Cu dopant emission has been achieved via tuning the particle size of host NCs in previous reports. In this paper, for the first time we doped Cu impurity in Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S alloyed NCs and tuned the dopant emission in the whole visible spectrum via variation of the stoichiometric ratio of Zn/Cd precursors in the host Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S alloyed NCs. A facile noninjection and low cost approach for the synthesis of Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S d-dots was reported. The optical properties and structure of the obtained Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S d-dots have been characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The influences of various experimental variables, including Zn/Cd ratio, reaction temperature, and Cu dopant concentration, on the optical properties of Cu dopant emission have been systematically investigated. The as-prepared Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S d-dots did show PL emission but with quite low quantum yield (QY) (typically below 6%). With the deposition of ZnS shell around the Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S core NCs, the PL QY increased substantially with a maximum value of 65%. More importantly, the high PL QY can be preserved when the initial oil-soluble d-dots were transferred into aqueous media via ligand replacement by mercaptoundeconic acid. In addition, these d-dots have thermal stability up to 250 °C. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Synthesis, spectroscopy and simulation of doped nanocrystals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Suyver, Jan Frederik

2003-01-01

This thesis deals with the properties of semiconductor nanocrystals (ZnS or ZnSe) in the size range (diameter) of 2 nm to 10 nm. The nanocrystals under investigation are doped with the transition metal ions manganese or copper. The goal is to study photoluminescence and electroluminescence from

High-purity Cu nanocrystal synthesis by a dynamic decomposition method

Science.gov (United States)

Jian, Xian; Cao, Yu; Chen, Guozhang; Wang, Chao; Tang, Hui; Yin, Liangjun; Luan, Chunhong; Liang, Yinglin; Jiang, Jing; Wu, Sixin; Zeng, Qing; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Chengui

2014-12-01

Cu nanocrystals are applied extensively in several fields, particularly in the microelectron, sensor, and catalysis. The catalytic behavior of Cu nanocrystals depends mainly on the structure and particle size. In this work, formation of high-purity Cu nanocrystals is studied using a common chemical vapor deposition precursor of cupric tartrate. This process is investigated through a combined experimental and computational approach. The decomposition kinetics is researched via differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis using Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, Kissinger, and Starink methods. The growth was found to be influenced by the factors of reaction temperature, protective gas, and time. And microstructural and thermal characterizations were performed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Decomposition of cupric tartrate at different temperatures was simulated by density functional theory calculations under the generalized gradient approximation. High crystalline Cu nanocrystals without floccules were obtained from thermal decomposition of cupric tartrate at 271°C for 8 h under Ar. This general approach paves a way to controllable synthesis of Cu nanocrystals with high purity.

Ambient temperature aqueous synthesis of ultrasmall copper doped ceria nanocrystals for the water gas shift and carbon monoxide oxidation reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Curran, Christopher D. [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA; Lu, Li [Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA; Kiely, Christopher J. [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering; McIntosh, Steven [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA

2018-01-01

Ultra-small Cu_xCe_1-xO_2-δnanocrystals were prepared through a room temperature, aqueous synthesis method, achieving high copper doping and low water gas shift activation energy.

Hydrothermal synthesis of tungsten doped tin dioxide nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Cailong; Li, Yufeng; Chen, Yiwen; Lin, Jing

2018-01-01

Tungsten doped tin dioxide (WTO) nanocrystals were synthesized through a one-step hydrothermal method. The structure, composition and morphology of WTO nanocrystals were characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, zeta potential analysis and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Results show that the as-prepared WTO nanocrystals were rutile-type structure with the size near 13 nm. Compared with the undoped tin dioxide nanocrystals, the WTO nanocrystals possessed better dispersity in ethanol phase and formed transparent sol.

Effect of silver doping on the elastic properties of CdS nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, P. C.; Das, R.

2018-05-01

CdS and Ag doped CdS (CdS/Ag) nanoparticles have been prepared via chemical method from a Cadmium acetate precursor and Thiourea. The synthesized CdS and CdS/Ag nanoparticles have been characterized by the X-ray Diffraction and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope. Here, these nanoparticles have been synthesized at room temperature and all the characterization have also been done at room temperature only. The XRD results reveal that the products are crystalline with cubic zinc blende structure. HRTEM images show that the prepared nanoparticles are nearly spherical in shape. Williamson-Hall method and Size-Strain Plot (SSP) have been used to study the individual contribution of crystalline sizes and lattice strain on the peak broadening of the CdS and CdS/Ag nanoparticles. The different modified model of Williamson-Hall method such as, uniform deformation model, uniform stress deformation model and uniform energy density deformation model and SSP method have been used to calculate the different physical parameter such as lattice strain, stress and energy density for all diffraction peaks of the XRD, corresponding to the CdS and silver doped CdS (CdS/Ag). The obtained results reveal that the average particle size of the prepared CdS and CdS/Ag nanoparticles estimated from the HRTEM images, Williamson-Hall analysis and SSP method are highly correlated with each other. Further, all these result confirms that doping of Ag significantly affects the elastic properties of CdS.

Re-dispersible Li+ and Eu3+ co-doped CdS nanoparticles ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Also, it can be used as sensor for drug delivery in our body [12,13]. In the present work, we prepare re-dispersible CdS, Li+- and Eu3+-doped CdS nanoparticles in organic solvent by urea hydrolysis at 170◦C and their lumines- cence properties are studied. We propose the mechanism of re-dispersion of CdS nanoparticles ...

Radiative Properties of Carriers in Cdse-Cds Core-Shell Heterostructured Nanocrystals of Various Geometries

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, S.; Dong, L.; Popov, S.; Friberg, A. T.

2013-07-01

We report a model on core-shell heterostructured nanocrystals with CdSe as the core and CdS as the shell. The model is based on one-band Schrödinger equation. Three different geometries, nanodot, nanorod, and nanobone, are implemented. The carrier localization regimes with these structures are simulated, compared, and analyzed. Based on the electron and hole wave functions, the carrier overlap integral that has a great impact on stimulated emission is further investigated numerically by a novel approach. Furthermore, the relation between the nanocrystal size and electron-hole recombination energy is also examined.

Physical properties and characterization of Ag doped CdS thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, N.A.; Nazir, A.; Mahmood, W.; Syed, W.A.A.; Butt, S.; Ali, Z.; Maqsood, A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► CdS thin films were grown. ► By ion exchange, Ag was doped. ► Physical properties were investigated. - Abstract: Thin films of cadmium sulfide with very well defined preferential orientation and relatively high absorption coefficient were fabricated by thermal evaporation technique. The research is focused to the fabrication and characterization of the compositional data of CdS thin films obtained by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope along with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The optical properties were studied by using a UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer. The effects of silver-doping by ion exchange process on the properties of as-deposited CdS thin films have been investigated.

Photovoltaic properties of sintered CdS/CdTe solar cells doped with Cu

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, J.W.; Ahn, B.T.; Im, H.B.; Kim, C.S.

1992-01-01

In this paper, all polycrystalline CdS/CdTe solar cells doped with Cu are prepared by a screen printing and sintering method. Cell parameters of the sintered CdS/CdTe solar cells have been investigated in an attempt to find out the optimum doping conditions and concentrations of Cu by adding various amounts of CuCl 2 either into CdTe layer or into back contact carbon layer. Cell parameters of the sintered CdS/CdTe solar cells which contained various amounts of CuCl 2 in the CdTe layers before sintering stay at about the same values as the amount of CuCl 2 increases up to 25 ppm, and then decreases sharply as the amount of CuCl 2 further increases. The Cu added in the CdTe layer diffuses into the CdS layer during the sintering of the CdS-CdTe composite at 625 degrees C to densify the CdTe layer and causes the decrease in the optical transmission of CdS resulting in the degradation of the cell performance. In case the Cu dopant was dispersed in the back carbon paint and was followed by annealing, all cell parameters are improved significantly compared with those fabricated by adding CuCl 2 in the CdTe layer before sintering. A sintered CdS/CdTe solar cell which contained 25 ppm CuCl 2 in the carbon paste and was annealed at 350 degrees C for 10 min shows the highest efficiency. The efficiency of this cell is 12.4% under solar irradiation with an intensity of 80.4 mW/cm 2

Zero-reabsorption doped-nanocrystal luminescent solar concentrators.

Science.gov (United States)

Erickson, Christian S; Bradshaw, Liam R; McDowall, Stephen; Gilbertson, John D; Gamelin, Daniel R; Patrick, David L

2014-04-22

Optical concentration can lower the cost of solar energy conversion by reducing photovoltaic cell area and increasing photovoltaic efficiency. Luminescent solar concentrators offer an attractive approach to combined spectral and spatial concentration of both specular and diffuse light without tracking, but they have been plagued by luminophore self-absorption losses when employed on practical size scales. Here, we introduce doped semiconductor nanocrystals as a new class of phosphors for use in luminescent solar concentrators. In proof-of-concept experiments, visibly transparent, ultraviolet-selective luminescent solar concentrators have been prepared using colloidal Mn(2+)-doped ZnSe nanocrystals that show no luminescence reabsorption. Optical quantum efficiencies of 37% are measured, yielding a maximum projected energy concentration of ∼6× and flux gain for a-Si photovoltaics of 15.6 in the large-area limit, for the first time bounded not by luminophore self-absorption but by the transparency of the waveguide itself. Future directions in the use of colloidal doped nanocrystals as robust, processable spectrum-shifting phosphors for luminescent solar concentration on the large scales required for practical application of this technology are discussed.

Cu2Se and Cu Nanocrystals as Local Sources of Copper in Thermally Activated In Situ Cation Exchange

KAUST Repository

Casu, Alberto; Genovese, Alessandro; Manna, Liberato; Longo, Paolo; Buha, Joka; Botton, Gianluigi A.; Lazar, Sorin; Kahaly, M. Upadhyay; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Prato, Mirko; Li, Hongbo; Ghosh, Sandeep; Palazon, Francisco; De Donato, Francesco; Lentijo Mozo, Sergio; Zuddas, Efisio; Falqui, Andrea

2016-01-01

Among the different synthesis approaches to colloidal nanocrystals a recently developed toolkit is represented by cation exchange reactions, where the use of template nanocrystals gives access to materials that would be hardly attainable via direct synthesis. Besides, post-synthetic treatments, such as thermally activated solid state reactions, represent a further flourishing route to promote finely controlled cation exchange. Here, we report that, upon in situ heating in a transmission electron microscope, Cu2Se nanocrystals deposited on an amorphous solid substrate undergo partial loss of Cu atoms, which are then engaged in local cation exchange reactions with Cu “acceptors” phases represented by rod- and wire- shaped CdSe nanocrystals. This thermal treatment slowly transforms the initial CdSe nanocrystals into Cu2-xSe nanocrystals, through the complete sublimation of Cd and the partial sublimation of Se atoms. Both Cu “donor” and “acceptor” particles were not always in direct contact with each other, hence the gradual transfer of Cu species from Cu2Se or metallic Cu to CdSe nanocrystals was mediated by the substrate and depended on the distance between the donor and acceptor nanostructures. Differently from what happens in the comparably faster cation exchange reactions performed in liquid solution, this study shows that slow cation exchange reactions can be performed at the solid state, and helps to shed light on the intermediate steps involved in such reactions.

Cu2Se and Cu Nanocrystals as Local Sources of Copper in Thermally Activated In Situ Cation Exchange

KAUST Repository

Casu, Alberto

2016-01-27

Among the different synthesis approaches to colloidal nanocrystals a recently developed toolkit is represented by cation exchange reactions, where the use of template nanocrystals gives access to materials that would be hardly attainable via direct synthesis. Besides, post-synthetic treatments, such as thermally activated solid state reactions, represent a further flourishing route to promote finely controlled cation exchange. Here, we report that, upon in situ heating in a transmission electron microscope, Cu2Se nanocrystals deposited on an amorphous solid substrate undergo partial loss of Cu atoms, which are then engaged in local cation exchange reactions with Cu “acceptors” phases represented by rod- and wire- shaped CdSe nanocrystals. This thermal treatment slowly transforms the initial CdSe nanocrystals into Cu2-xSe nanocrystals, through the complete sublimation of Cd and the partial sublimation of Se atoms. Both Cu “donor” and “acceptor” particles were not always in direct contact with each other, hence the gradual transfer of Cu species from Cu2Se or metallic Cu to CdSe nanocrystals was mediated by the substrate and depended on the distance between the donor and acceptor nanostructures. Differently from what happens in the comparably faster cation exchange reactions performed in liquid solution, this study shows that slow cation exchange reactions can be performed at the solid state, and helps to shed light on the intermediate steps involved in such reactions.

Deciphering ligands' interaction with Cu and Cu2O nanocrystal surfaces by NMR solution tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Glaria, Arnaud; Cure, Jérémy; Piettre, Kilian; Coppel, Yannick; Turrin, Cédric-Olivier; Chaudret, Bruno; Fau, Pierre

2015-01-12

The hydrogenolysis of [Cu2{(iPrN)2(CCH3)}2] in the presence of hexadecylamine (HDA) or tetradecylphosphonic acid (TDPA) in toluene leads to 6-9 nm copper nanocrystals. Solution NMR spectroscopy has been used to describe the nanoparticle surface chemistry during the dynamic phenomenon of air oxidation. The ligands are organized as multilayered shells around the nanoparticles. The shell of ligands is controlled by both their intermolecular interactions and their bonding strength on the nanocrystals. Under ambient atmosphere, the oxidation rate of colloidal copper nanocrystals closely relies on the chemical nature of the employed ligands (base or acid). Primary amine molecules behave as soft ligands for Cu atoms, but are even more strongly coordinated on surface Cu(I) sites, thus allowing a very efficient corrosion protection of the copper core. On the contrary, the TDPA ligands lead to a rapid oxidation rate of Cu nanoparticles and eventually to the re-dissolution of Cu(II) species at the expense of the nanocrystals. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Facile Synthesis of Colloidal CuO Nanocrystals for Light-Harvesting Applications

KAUST Repository

Lim, Yee-Fun; Choi, Joshua J.; Hanrath, Tobias

2012-01-01

CuO is an earth-abundant, nontoxic, and low band-gap material; hence it is an attractive candidate for application in solar cells. In this paper, a synthesis of CuO nanocrystals by a facile alcohothermal route is reported. The nanocrystals are dispersible in a solvent mixture of methanol and chloroform, thus enabling the processing of CuO by solution. A bilayer solar cell comprising of CuO nanocrystals and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) achieved a power conversion efficiency of 0.04%, indicating the potential of this material for light-harvesting applications.

Simultaneous phase and size control of upconversion nanocrystals through lanthanide doping

KAUST Repository

Wang, Feng

2010-02-25

Doping is a widely applied technological process in materials science that involves incorporating atoms or ions of appropriate elements into host lattices to yield hybrid materials with desirable properties and functions. For nanocrystalline materials, doping is of fundamental importance in stabilizing a specific crystallographic phase, modifying electronic properties, modulating magnetism as well as tuning emission properties. Here we describe a material system in which doping influences the growth process to give simultaneous control over the crystallographic phase, size and optical emission properties of the resulting nanocrystals. We show that NaYF 4 nanocrystals can be rationally tuned in size (down to ten nanometres), phase (cubic or hexagonal) and upconversion emission colour (green to blue) through use of trivalent lanthanide dopant ions introduced at precisely defined concentrations. We use first-principles calculations to confirm that the influence of lanthanide doping on crystal phase and size arises from a strong dependence on the size and dipole polarizability of the substitutional dopant ion. Our results suggest that the doping-induced structural and size transition, demonstrated here in NaYF 4 upconversion nanocrystals, could be extended to other lanthanide-doped nanocrystal systems for applications ranging from luminescent biological labels to volumetric three-dimensional displays. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

In situ capping for size control of monochalcogenide (ZnS, CdS and SnS) nanocrystals produced by anaerobic metal-reducing bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Gyoung Gug; Datskos, Panos G; Jacobs, Christopher B; Ivanov, Ilia N; Joshi, Pooran C; Meyer, Harry M III; Armstrong, Beth L; Kidder, Michelle; Graham, David E; Moon, Ji-Won

2015-01-01

Metal monochalcogenide quantum dot nanocrystals of ZnS, CdS and SnS were prepared by anaerobic, metal-reducing bacteria using in situ capping by oleic acid or oleylamine. The capping agent preferentially adsorbs on the surface of the nanocrystal, suppressing the growth process in the early stages, thus leading to production of nanocrystals with a diameter of less than 5 nm. (paper)

Multicolour synthesis in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals through cation exchange in water

KAUST Repository

Han, Sanyang

2016-10-04

Meeting the high demand for lanthanide-doped luminescent nanocrystals across a broad range of fields hinges upon the development of a robust synthetic protocol that provides rapid, just-in-time nanocrystal preparation. However, to date, almost all lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials have relied on direct synthesis requiring stringent controls over crystal nucleation and growth at elevated temperatures. Here we demonstrate the use of a cation exchange strategy for expeditiously accessing large classes of such nanocrystals. By combining the process of cation exchange with energy migration, the luminescence properties of the nanocrystals can be easily tuned while preserving the size, morphology and crystal phase of the initial nanocrystal template. This post-synthesis strategy enables us to achieve upconversion luminescence in Ce3+ and Mn2+-activated hexagonal-phased nanocrystals, opening a gateway towards applications ranging from chemical sensing to anti-counterfeiting.

Tuning the morphology, stability and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanocrystal colloids by tungsten doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Haiping; Liao, Jianhua; Yuan, Shuai; Zhao, Yin; Zhang, Meihong; Wang, Zhuyi; Shi, Liyi

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids were prepared by hydrothermal methods. • The properties of TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids can be tuned by tungsten doping. • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids show higher stability and dispersity. • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids show higher photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: The effects of tungsten doping on the morphology, stability and photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids were investigated. The nanostructure, chemical state of Ti, W, O, and the properties of tungsten doped TiO 2 samples were investigated carefully by TEM, XRD, XPS, UV–vis, PL and photocatalytic degradation experiments. And the structure–activity relationship was discussed according to the analysis and measurement results. The analysis results reveal that the morphology, zeta potential and photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanocrystals can be easily tuned by changing the tungsten doping concentration. The tungsten doped TiO 2 colloid combines the characters of high dispersity and high photocatalytic activity

Aqueous synthesis and characterization of bovine hemoglobin-conjugated cadmium sulfide nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Guangrui [Institute of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, North China University of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450011 (China); Qin, Dezhi, E-mail: dezhiqin@163.com [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan 467000 (China); Du, Xian; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Ganqing; Zhang, Qiuxia; Wu, Jiulin [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan 467000 (China)

2014-08-01

Highlights: • CdS nanocrystals were synthesized by biomimetic method in bovine hemoglobin (BHb) solution. • The study of the interaction between Cd{sup 2+}/CdS and BHb. • The optical properties of BHb-conjugated CdS nanocrystals. • The synthesis process of BHb-conjugated CdS nanocrystals is facile, effective and environment friendly. • The change of secondary structure of BHb after binding to CdS nanocrystals. - Abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystals with average diameter about 5.5 nm were synthesized in aqueous solution of bovine hemoglobin (BHb) via simple biomimetic method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) characterizations were used to determine the structure and morphology of CdS nanocrystals. It was revealed that amount of BHb, chelating of Cd{sup 2+} to BHb and reaction temperature were key factors in controlling shape and dispersion of CdS nanocrystals. The binding sites of BHb to CdS nanocrystals and the change of secondary structure of protein have been identified by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. It was found that conjugating of BHb with Cd{sup 2+} and CdS could protect nanocrystals from agglomerating. Moreover, the thermostability of BHb enhanced after conjugating with CdS nanocrystals. The interaction mechanism of BHb with Cd{sup 2+}/CdS was also proposed. The quantum-confined effect of CdS nanocrystals was confirmed by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectrum. The nanocrystals exhibited a well-defined photoluminescence (PL) emission feature at about 510 nm with narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM)

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Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

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of X-ray line profile analysis. 43. Backscattering ... nanoparticles before and after transfer from liquid phase to polystyrene ..... Nanocrystals. Swift heavy ion irradiation effect on Cu-doped CdS nano- ..... Thermogravimetric analysis. Studies on ...

Polarization-resolved degenerate four-wave mixing of CdS nanocrystals in a nonresonant region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, S.M.; Seo, J.T.; Yang, Q.; Creemore, L.; Battle, R.; Tabibi, B.; Yu, W.

2006-01-01

The third-order susceptibilities of various concentrations of TOPO-passivated CdS nanocrystals (NCs) with the size near the Bohr radius were investigated using polarization-resolved degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) in a nonresonant excitation region with 532 nm wavelength and 8 ns pulse width. The second hyperpolarizabilities left angle γ h xxxx right angle and left angle γ h xyyx right angle of the CdS NCs were ∝1.25 x 10 -42 m 5 /V 2 and ∝3.66 x 10 -43 m 5 /V 2 , respectively. The ratio (left angle γ h xyyx right angle / left angle γ h xxxx right angle) of the hyperpolarizabilities was ∝0.29 that indicated a large contribution of electronic polarization process to the third-order nonlinearity of CdS NCs. (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Visible light CrO{sub 4}{sup 2-} reduction using the new CuAlO{sub 2}/CdS hetero-system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brahimi, R. [Centre of Research in Physical and Chemical Analysis (CRAPC), BP 248, RP 16004 Algiers (Algeria); Laboratory of Storage and Valorization of Renewable Energies, Faculty of Chemistry (USTHB), BP 32 16111 Algiers (Algeria); Bessekhouad, Y. [Laboratory of Storage and Valorization of Renewable Energies, Faculty of Chemistry (USTHB), BP 32 16111 Algiers (Algeria); National Veterinary High School, BP 16111 Algiers (Algeria); Nasrallah, N. [Laboratory of Storage and Valorization of Renewable Energies, Faculty of Chemistry (USTHB), BP 32 16111 Algiers (Algeria); Trari, M., E-mail: solarchemistry@gmail.com [Laboratory of Storage and Valorization of Renewable Energies, Faculty of Chemistry (USTHB), BP 32 16111 Algiers (Algeria)

2012-06-15

Graphical abstract: Pseudo-first order kinetic for CrO{sub 4}{sup 2-} photoreduction for various concentrations. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The work deals with the chromium reduction over CuAlO{sub 2}/CdS hetero-system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The conduction band of CdS (-1.08 V) is more negative than the CrO{sub 4}{sup 2-}/Cr{sup 3+} level. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The sensitizer CuAlO{sub 2} has been synthesized by sol-gel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Cr(VI) reduction follows a pseudo first order kinetic with of salicylic acid. - Abstract: In this study, 64% of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) reduction from the initial concentration (10{sup -4} M) is reported under visible light using the (CuAlO{sub 2}/CdS) hetero-system. In this new hetero-system, low doped CuAlO{sub 2} delafossite, synthesized by sol-gel works as an electrons reservoir with a wide space charge region (440 nm). In this case, the electron transfer to chromate is mediated via the hexagonal CdS variety, whose conduction band level is at -1.08 V with respect to the saturated calomel electrode which is more negative than the CrO{sub 4}{sup 2-}/Cr{sup 3+} level. This high reduction rate is achieved under optimized pH and CuAlO{sub 2} percentage. Moreover, salicylic acid gives the best performance among hole scavengers and CuAlO{sub 2} approaches 100% photostability at pH 7.5. The photo-catalytic process follows a pseudo first order kinetic with a half life of 2 h. The reaction products are identified by UV-visible spectrophotometry and linear voltametry at a platinum rotating electrode. The results reveal the presence of Cr{sup 3+} after irradiation.

Photoluminescence studies on Cd(1-x)Zn(x)S:Mn2+ nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sethi, Ruchi; Kumar, Lokendra; Pandey, A C

2009-09-01

Highly monodispersed, undoped and doped with Mn2+, binary and ternary (CdS, ZnS, Cd(1-x)Zn(x)S) compound semiconductor nanocrystals have been synthesized by co-precipitation method using citric acid as a stabilizer. As prepared sample are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Small angle X-ray scattering, Transmission electron microscope, Optical absorption and Photoluminescence spectroscopy, for their optical and structural properties. X-ray diffraction, Small angle X-ray scattering and Transmission electron microscope results confirm the preparation of monodispersed nanocrystals. Photoluminescence studies show a significant blue shift in the wavelength with an increasing concentration of Zn in alloy nanocrystals.

Doped and codoped silicon nanocrystals: The role of surfaces and interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Marri, Ivan; Degoli, Elena; Ossicini, Stefano

2017-12-01

Si nanocrystals have been extensively studied because of their novel properties and their potential applications in electronic, optoelectronic, photovoltaic, thermoelectric and biological devices. These new properties are achieved through the combination of the quantum confinement of carriers and the strong influence of surface chemistry. As in the case of bulk Si the tuning of the electronic, optical and transport properties is related to the possibility of doping, in a controlled way, the nanocrystals. This is a big challenge since several studies have revealed that doping in Si nanocrystals differs from the one of the bulk. Theory and experiments have underlined that doping and codoping are influenced by a large number of parameters such as size, shape, passivation and chemical environment of the silicon nanocrystals. However, the connection between these parameters and dopant localization as well as the occurrence of self-purification effects are still not clear. In this review we summarize the latest progress in this fascinating research field considering free-standing and matrix-embedded Si nanocrystals both from the theoretical and experimental point of view, with special attention given to the results obtained by ab-initio calculations and to size-, surface- and interface-induced effects.

Structural, morphological and optical properties of Na and K dual doped CdS thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mageswari, S.; Dhivya, L.; Palanivel, Balan; Murugan, Ramaswamy

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Effect of incorporation of Na, K and Na,K dual dopants into CdS thin film was investigated. ► Thin films were prepared by simple chemical bath deposition technique. ► The XRD analysis revealed cubic phase for all the investigated films. ► AFM analysis revealed uniform surface with crack free and densely packed morphology for CdS:Na,K film. ► The band gap value increases for CdS:Na, CdS:K and CdS:Na,K thin films compared to CdS film. - Abstract: CdS, sodium doped CdS (CdS:Na), potassium doped CdS (CdS:K) and sodium and potassium dual doped CdS (CdS:Na,K) thin films were deposited on glass substrate by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. Structural, morphological and optical properties of the as-grown films were characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet visible (UV–VIS) spectroscopy. The XRD analysis revealed cubic phase for ‘as-deposited’ CdS, CdS:Na, CdS:K and CdS:Na,K dual doped thin films. AFM analysis revealed uniform film surface with crack free and densely packed morphology for CdS:Na,K film. The absorption edge in the optical absorption spectra shifts towards the shorter wavelength for CdS:Na, CdS:K and CdS:Na,K thin films compared to CdS film. The optical band gap of CdS, CdS:Na, CdS:K and CdS:Na,K thin films was found to be 2.31, 2.35, 2.38 and 2.34 eV, respectively.

Cubic to tetragonal phase transition of Tm3+ doped nanocrystals in oxyfluoride glass ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yiming; Fu, Yuting; Shi, Yahui; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Yu, Hua; Zhao, Lijuan

2016-01-01

Tm 3+ ions doped β-PbF 2 nanocrystals in oxyfluoride glass ceramics with different doping concentrations and thermal temperatures are prepared by a traditional melt-quenching and thermal treatment method to investigate the structure and the phase transition of Tm 3+ doped nanocrystals. The structures are characterized by X-ray diffraction Rietveld analysis and confirmed with numerical simulation. The phase transitions are proved further by the emission spectra. Both of the doping concentration and thermal temperature can induce an O h to D 4h site symmetry distortion and a cubic to tetragonal phase transition. The luminescence of Tm 3+ doped nanocrystals at 800 nm was modulated by the phase transition of the surrounding crystal field

EPR and photoluminescence properties of Mn2+ doped CdS nanoparticles synthesized via co-precipitation method.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Atul K; Kripal, Ram

2012-10-01

The structural properties of Mn doped CdS (Mn:CdS) nanoparticles (NPs) are studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), Photoluminescence (PL), Raman and Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. XRD analysis shows the nanostructure with 2-4 nm of average crystallite size. The planes (110), (103) and (112) in XRD pattern distinguish the wurtzite structure of the Mn:CdS NPs. The intensity of the plane (102) increases as the doping concentration of Mn(2+) increases. UV-vis absorption spectra show blue shift as compared to bulk CdS. The optical band gap energy of Mn(2+) (0, 0.35, 0.70 and 1.35 at.%) doped CdS NPs corresponding to absorption edge are found to be 5.29, 5.28, 5.25 and 5.21 eV, respectively. The intensity of luminescence is changing with the concentration of Mn(2+) doped in CdS NPs. Raman spectra show blue shift in fundamental optical phonon mode (1LO) as well as second optical phonon mode (2LO) as compared to bulk CdS. The intensity ratio of the 2LO to 1LO modes slightly decreases as Mn(2+) concentration increases. EPR shows the existence of Mn(2+) with different local structures in CdS nanoparticles. The values of spectroscopic splitting factor (g) and hyperfine interaction constant (A) decrease as Mn(2+) concentration increases in CdS NPs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A DFT study of the effects of Sc doping on electronic and optical properties of CdS nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ur Rehman Shafiq

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In the present work a systematic study was carried out to understand the influence of Sc doping on electronic and optical properties of CdS nanoparticles. The geometry optimization and symmetry computation for CdS and Sc doped CdS nanoparticles using Density Functional Theory (DFT on B3LYP level with the QZ4P for Cd and DZ2P for sulphur and Sc were performed by Amsterdam Density Functional (ADF. The results show that HOMO-LUMO gap as well as electronic and optical properties of CdS clusters vary with Sc doping. The HOMO-LUMO gap is affected by the dopant and its value decreases to 0.6 eV. Through considering the numerical integration scheme in the ADF package, we investigated different vibrational modes and our calculated Raman and IR spectra are consistent with the reported result. The calculated IR and Raman peaks of CdS and Sc doped CdS clusters were in the range of 100 to 289 cm−1, 60 cm−1 to 350 cm−1 and 99 cm−1 to 282 cm−1, 60 cm−1 to 350 cm−1, respectively, which was also confirmed by experiment as well as a blue shift occurrence. Subsequently, for deeper research of pure and doped CdS clusters, their absorption spectra were calculated using time-dependent DFT method.

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Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

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Swift heavy ion irradiation effect on Cu-doped CdS nanocrystals ... Synthesis of crosslinked poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene-co- .... precursors for platinum nanoparticles. 15 .... Hydrothermal synthesis of Pb(Zr0⋅52Ti0⋅48)O3 powders at low.

Tuning Cu dopant of Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S nanocrystals enables high-performance photocatalytic H 2 evolution from water splitting under visible-light irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mei, Zongwei; Zhang, Bingkai; Zheng, Jiaxin; Yuan, Sheng; Zhuo, Zengqing; Meng, Xianguang; Chen, Zonghai; Amine, Khalil; Yang, Wanli; Wang, Lin. -Wang; Wang, Wei; Wang, Shufeng; Gong, Qihuang; Li, Jun; Liu, Fu. -Sheng; Pan, Feng

2016-08-01

Cu-doping into Zn1-xCdxS can greatly enhance the photocatalytic H2 evolution from water splitting under visible-light irradiation. However, it is still controversial for how the Cu-dopant improves this performance. Here, we report that appropriate Cu-doped Zn0.5Cd0.5S nanocrystals reach 21.4 mmol/h/g of H2 evolution rate without cocatalyst in the visible-light region, which is also 2.8 times as high as that of the undoped counterpart, and the corresponding apparent quantum efficiency is 18.8% at 428 nm. It is firstly confirmed that the Cu2+ changes into Cu+ after being doped by soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS). We theoretically propose that the transformation of 2Cu2+ to 2Cu+ results in one adjacent S2- vacancy (VS) in host during the doping process, while the Cu+-dopant and VS attract the photoexcited holes and electrons, respectively. Accordingly, the photocatalytic activity is improved due to the enhanced separation of photoexcited carriers accompanied with the enhanced light absorption resulting from the Cu+-dopant and 2Cu+/VS complex as possible active site for photocatalytic H2 evolution.

Structural, optical and magnetic properties of Mn diffusion-doped CdS thin films prepared by vacuum evaporation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aksu, S. [SoloPower, Inc., 5981 Optical Ct., San Jose, CA 95138 (United States); Bacaksiz, E., E-mail: eminb@ktu.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon (Turkey); Parlak, M. [Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, 06531 Ankara (Turkey); Yilmaz, S.; Polat, I.; Altunbas, M. [Department of Physics, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon (Turkey); Tuerksoy, M.; Topkaya, R. [Department of Physics, Gebze Institute of Technology, Gebze, 41400 Kocaeli (Turkey); Ozdogan, K. [Department of Physics, Yildiz Technical University, 34210 Istanbul (Turkey)

2011-10-17

Highlights: {yields} Cadmium sulphide thin films were deposited by vacuum evaporation. {yields} Elemental Mn was deposited onto CdS thin films by using electron beam evaporation and annealed under vacuum at different temperatures. {yields} Structural, optical and magnetic studies of Mn-doped CdS have been investigated. {yields} X-ray diffraction results showed that the undoped CdS film had a zinc-blende structure with a strong preferred orientation along the (1 1 1) direction. {yields} Magnetic measurements show that Mn-doped CdS thin films exhibit a ferromagnetism behavior at room temperature. - Abstract: The effect of Mn-doping on the vacuum deposited CdS thin films has been investigated by studying the changes in the structural, optical and magnetic properties of the films. A thin Mn layer evaporated on the CdS film surface served as the source layer for the diffusion doping. Doping was accomplished by annealing the CdS/Mn stack layers at the temperature range from 300 deg. C to 400 deg. C in step of 50 deg. C for 30 min under vacuum. The X-ray diffraction results showed that the undoped CdS film had a zinc-blende structure with a strong preferred orientation along the (1 1 1) direction. The incorporation of Mn did not cause any change in the texture but reduced the peak intensity and lead to a smaller crystallite size. Investigation of surface morphology using atomic force microscopy confirmed the decrease in the grain size with the Mn diffusion. In addition, a more uniform grain size distribution was observed in the doped films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that Mn atoms on the surface of the films were bounded to either sulphur or oxygen atoms. Auger electron spectroscopy of the diffusion-doped CdS sample at 350 deg. C indicated that the atomic Mn concentration was higher close to the surface region and Mn was distributed with a steadily decreasing profile through the bulk of the film with an average atomic concentration value around few

The role of Cd and Ga in the Cu(In,Ga)S2/CdS heterojunction studied with X-ray spectroscopic methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, Benjamin E.

2010-01-01

Photovoltaic cells with the structure Glass/Mo/Cu(In,Ga)S 2 /CdS/i-ZnO/n+-ZnO are currently among the most successful and promising thin-layer solar cells. In this system, the Cu(In,Ga)S 2 (CIS) acts as the absorber, the CdS as the buffer layer and the ZnO as the window layer. The goal of this work is the investigation of the Cu(In,Ga)S 2 /CdS semiconductor heterojunction both as a component of the solar cell and as a separate material system. The characteristics of this junction were investigated both during junction formation through chemical bath deposition (CBD) and after the junction was completed. It is currently thought that the Cu(In,Ga)S 2 /CdS junction is responsible for several different properties of the solar cell: lattice matching and band offset optimization between the absorber and window layer and chemical passivation of the absorber surface by the CBD-CdS process on CIS which acts to reduce the surface defect density. The Cd may also pin the Fermi Level on the CIS surface or cause a type inversion of the absorber surface from p-type to n-type. In order to investigate the junction several new methods were used along side the conventional methods of X-ray, Ultraviolet and Inverse Photoelectron Spectroscopy. These were Near-UV Constant Final State Yield Spectroscopy for the measurement of the valence band offset at the interface between CIS and CdS and Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure to follow the development of the Cu(In,Ga)S 2 conduction band edge with increasing Ga concentration. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of the established and new methods were compared and discussed. It was discovered that the deposition of CdS neither pins the Fermi Level on the CIS surface at a position important for the solar cell, nor does it dope the absorber surface, although the deposition does lead to the formation of a Cd-containing CIS surface layer (CIS:Cd). Because this surface layer is not soluble in HCl it cannot be CdS as this is

Effect of Ag doping on opto-electrical properties of CdS thin films for solar cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nazir, Adnan; Toma, Andrea; Shah, Nazar Abbas; Panaro, Simone; Butt, Sajid; Sagar, Rizwan ur Rehman; Raja, Waseem; Rasool, Kamran; Maqsood, Asghari

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Polycrystalline CdS thin films are fabricated by means of Close Spaced Sublimation technique. • Ag is doped by simple ion-exchange technique in order to reduce resistivity of CdS thin films. • Remarkable reduction in resistivity without introducing many transparency losses. - Abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) polycrystalline thin films of different thicknesses (ranging from 370 nm to 750 nm) were fabricated on corning glass substrates using Close Spaced Sublimation (CSS) technique. Optical and electrical investigation revealed that CdS thin films show an appreciable transparency (50–70% transmission) in visible range and a highly resistive behavior (10 6 Ω cm). Samples were doped by silver (Ag) at different concentrations, using ion exchange technique, in order to reduce the resistivity of CdS thin films and to improve their efficiency as a window layer for solar cell application. The doping of Ag in pure CdS thin films resulted into an increase of surface roughness and a decrease both in electrical resistivity and in transparency. By optimizing annealing parameters, we were able to properly control the optical properties of the present system. In fact, the Ag doping of pure CdS films has led to a decrease of the sample resistivity by three orders of magnitude (10 3 Ω cm) against a 20% cut in optical transmission

Paramagnetic behavior of Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals controlled by self-purification mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anitha, B. [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 (India); Khadar, M. Abdul, E-mail: mabdulkhadar@rediffmail.com [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 (India); Banerjee, Alok [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research (CSR), Khandwa Road, Indore 452 001 (India)

2016-07-15

Doping in nanocrystals is a challenging process because of the self- purification mechanism which tends to segregate out the dopants resulting in a greater dopant concentration near the surface than at the interior of nanocrystals. In the present work nanocrystals of TiO{sub 2} doped with different atom % of Co were synthesized by peroxide gel method. XRD analysis confirmed the tetragonal anatase structure and HRTEM images showed the rod-like morphology of the samples. Raman modes of anatase phase of TiO{sub 2} along with weak intensity peaks of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} for higher Co dopant concentrations were observed for the samples. EPR measurements revealed the presence of cobalt in +2 oxidation state in the TiO{sub 2} matrix. SQUID measurements indicated paramagnetic behavior of the Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals. The paramagnetic behavior is attributed to an increased concentration of Co{sup 2+} ions and an increased presence of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} phase near the surface of the TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals due to self-purification mechanism. - Graphical abstract: Variation of the intensity ratios of XRD peaks as a function of atomic ratio of Co. Inset: variation of structure factor for (101) reflection as a function of atomic ratio of Co. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals were synthesized by peroxide gel method. • HRTEM images showed Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals to be rod-like. • EPR spectra showed +2 oxidation states for Co in the samples. • Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals showed paramagnetic behavior.

New crystal structures in hexagonal CuInS2 nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xiao; Hernández-Pagan, Emil A.; Zhou, Wu; Puzyrev, Yevgeniy S.; Idrobo, Juan C.; MacDonald, Janet E.; Pennycook, Stephen J.; Pantelides, Sokrates T.

2013-03-01

CuInS2 is one of the best candidate materials for solar energy harvesting. Its nanocrystals with a hexagonal lattice structure that is different from the bulk chalcopyrite phase have been synthesized by many groups. The structure of these CuInS2 nanocrystals has been previously identified as the wurtzite structure in which the copper and indium atoms randomly occupy the cation sites. Using first-principles total energy and electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic resolution Z-contrast images obtained in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope, we show that CuInS2 nanocrystals do not form random wurtzite structure. Instead, the CuInS2 nanocrystals consist of several wurtzite- related crystal structures with ordered cation sublattices, some of which are reported for the first time here. This work is supported by the NSF TN-SCORE (JEM), by NSF (WZ), by ORNL's Shared Research Equipment User Program (JCI) sponsored by DOE BES, by DOE BES Materials Sciences and Engineering Division (SJP, STP), and used resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, supported by the DOE Office of Science under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Controllable architecture of CdS and CuS by single-source precursor-mediated approach and their photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahoo, Ashish K.; Srivastava, Suneel K.

2013-01-01

The present work deals with the preparation of hexagonal CdS and CuS by solvothermal decomposition of the morpholine-4-carbdithioate (MCDT) complexes of Cd and Cu in a water/THF mixture at 140–180 °C for 24 h and characterization. Scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy show that CdS exhibits a hierarchical star- and lotus flower-like morphology in the presence of disodium salt of ethylenediamine tetraaceticacid and sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate as soft templates at 140 and 160 °C, respectively. However, Cu complex of MCDT forms CuS nanoparticles in the temperature range of 140–180 °C. On the contrary, CdS nanoparticles and CuS microparticles are formed in the absence of any template under the identical experimental conditions. Raman studies show the characteristic peak of CdS and CuS, irrespective of their size and morphology. Finally, CdS and CuS of varying morphology have successfully been used as catalysts in UV photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue dye. These findings show that CdS lotus-like microflowers are more effective catalysts than hierarchical stars, though the latter is found to have better reusability.Graphical AbstractA simple soft template-assisted and single complex source precursor-mediated solvothermal synthesis of CdS and CuS with a diverse set of morphology has been reported. In addition, the morphology and application in photocatalysis are also discussed.

Controllable architecture of CdS and CuS by single-source precursor-mediated approach and their photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahoo, Ashish K.; Srivastava, Suneel K., E-mail: sunil111954@yahoo.co.uk [Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Department of Chemistry (India)

2013-04-15

The present work deals with the preparation of hexagonal CdS and CuS by solvothermal decomposition of the morpholine-4-carbdithioate (MCDT) complexes of Cd and Cu in a water/THF mixture at 140-180 Degree-Sign C for 24 h and characterization. Scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy show that CdS exhibits a hierarchical star- and lotus flower-like morphology in the presence of disodium salt of ethylenediamine tetraaceticacid and sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate as soft templates at 140 and 160 Degree-Sign C, respectively. However, Cu complex of MCDT forms CuS nanoparticles in the temperature range of 140-180 Degree-Sign C. On the contrary, CdS nanoparticles and CuS microparticles are formed in the absence of any template under the identical experimental conditions. Raman studies show the characteristic peak of CdS and CuS, irrespective of their size and morphology. Finally, CdS and CuS of varying morphology have successfully been used as catalysts in UV photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue dye. These findings show that CdS lotus-like microflowers are more effective catalysts than hierarchical stars, though the latter is found to have better reusability.Graphical AbstractA simple soft template-assisted and single complex source precursor-mediated solvothermal synthesis of CdS and CuS with a diverse set of morphology has been reported. In addition, the morphology and application in photocatalysis are also discussed.

Passivation effects in B doped self-assembled Si nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puthen Veettil, B.; Wu, Lingfeng; Jia, Xuguang; Lin, Ziyun; Zhang, Tian; Yang, Terry; Johnson, Craig; Conibeer, Gavin; Perez-Würfl, Ivan; McCamey, Dane

2014-01-01

Doping of semiconductor nanocrystals has enabled their widespread technological application in optoelectronics and micro/nano-electronics. In this work, boron-doped self-assembled silicon nanocrystal samples have been grown and characterised using Electron Spin Resonance and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The passivation effects of boron on the interface dangling bonds have been investigated. Addition of boron dopants is found to compensate the active dangling bonds at the interface, and this is confirmed by an increase in photoluminescence intensity. Further addition of dopants is found to reduce the photoluminescence intensity by decreasing the minority carrier lifetime as a result of the increased number of non-radiative processes

Simple and green synthesis of protein-conjugated CdS nanoparticles and spectroscopic study on the interaction between CdS and zein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qin, Dezhi, E-mail: dezhiqin@163.com; Zhang, Li; Du, Xian; Wang, Yabo; Zhang, Qiuxia [Pingdingshan University, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering (China)

2016-09-15

The present study demonstrates the role of zein molecules in synthesizing CdS nanoassemblies through protein-directed, green synthetic approach. Zein molecules can as capping ligand and stabilizing agent to regulate the nucleation and growth of CdS nanocrystals, and the obtained products are organic–inorganic nanocomposites. The analysis of surface charge and conductivity indicates that strong electrostatic force restricts mobility of ions, which creates a local supersaturation surrounding the binding sites of zein and reduces the activated energy of nucleation. The interaction between Cd{sup 2+}/CdS and zein molecules was systematically investigated through spectroscopy techniques. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra were used to envisage the binding of the functional groups of zein with the surface of CdS nanoparticles. Ultraviolet visible (UV–Vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra results show that Cd{sup 2+}/CdS might interact with the aromatic amino acids of protein molecules and change its chemical microenvironment. The quantum-confined effect of nanocrystals is confirmed by optical absorption spectrum due to the small size (3–5 nm) of CdS particles. The data of circular dichroism (CD) spectra indicate that the formation of CdS nanocrystals could lead to the conformational change of zein molecules. Moreover, the possible mechanism of CdS nanocrystals growth in zein solution was also discussed. The weak interactions such as Van der Waals, hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bonds in zein molecules should play a crucial factor in the self-assembly of small nanoparticles.

The role of Cd and Ga in the Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2}/CdS heterojunction studied with X-ray spectroscopic methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Benjamin E.

2010-08-15

Photovoltaic cells with the structure Glass/Mo/Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2}/CdS/i-ZnO/n+-ZnO are currently among the most successful and promising thin-layer solar cells. In this system, the Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2} (CIS) acts as the absorber, the CdS as the buffer layer and the ZnO as the window layer. The goal of this work is the investigation of the Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2}/CdS semiconductor heterojunction both as a component of the solar cell and as a separate material system. The characteristics of this junction were investigated both during junction formation through chemical bath deposition (CBD) and after the junction was completed. It is currently thought that the Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2}/CdS junction is responsible for several different properties of the solar cell: lattice matching and band offset optimization between the absorber and window layer and chemical passivation of the absorber surface by the CBD-CdS process on CIS which acts to reduce the surface defect density. The Cd may also pin the Fermi Level on the CIS surface or cause a type inversion of the absorber surface from p-type to n-type. In order to investigate the junction several new methods were used along side the conventional methods of X-ray, Ultraviolet and Inverse Photoelectron Spectroscopy. These were Near-UV Constant Final State Yield Spectroscopy for the measurement of the valence band offset at the interface between CIS and CdS and Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure to follow the development of the Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2} conduction band edge with increasing Ga concentration. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of the established and new methods were compared and discussed. It was discovered that the deposition of CdS neither pins the Fermi Level on the CIS surface at a position important for the solar cell, nor does it dope the absorber surface, although the deposition does lead to the formation of a Cd-containing CIS surface layer (CIS:Cd). Because this surface layer is not soluble in HCl it cannot

Synthesis and study of optical and thermal properties of Mn doped CdS nanoparticles using polyvinylpyrrolidone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajesh Kumar, M.; Murugadoss, G.

2014-01-01

High quality and monodispersed CdS:Mn (1–5%) nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical precipitation method using PVP as surfactant. The structure and morphology of the CdS:Mn were investigated by means of XRD, FT-IR, TEM, UV–visible, PL, EPR and TG-DTA. XRD study was confirmed the formation cubic structured CdS:Mn nanoparticles. The optical absorption of Mn doped CdS nanoparticles was found to be 420–432 nm, which is significantly decreased from the bulk CdS material. Photoluminescence spectroscopy of the CdS:Mn nanocrystals showed a strong emission peak at 535 nm near the band edge along with a week green emission around 575 nm. The PL property of annealed (255 °C–850 °C) samples was also investigated under different excitations. The presence of PVP on the CdS:Mn surface and incorporated the Mn ion into CdS lattice were identified by FT-IR and EPR spectroscopy, respectively. TEM result showed spherical with monodispersed particles with typical size of 3.8–4.3 nm, which is a favorable characteristic for many applications. The major weight loss and gain were found in the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) which corresponds to the decomposition and oxidation of the samples. -- Highlights: • An optimum concentration of Mn was selected through optical study. • PL emission was improved by addition of capping agent. • The PL enhancement indicates good crystal quality and monodisperse of the synthesized CdS:Mn nanoparticles by chemical method

Controlled synthesis of bright and compatible lanthanide-doped upconverting nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Bruce E.; Ostrowski, Alexis D.; Chan, Emory M.; Gargas, Daniel J.; Katz, Elan M.; Schuck, P. James; Milliron, Delia J.

2017-01-31

Certain nanocrystals possess exceptional optical properties that may make them valuable probes for biological imaging, but rendering these nanoparticles biocompatible requires that they be small enough not to perturb cellular systems. This invention describes a phosphorescent upconverting sub-10 nm nanoparticle comprising a lanthanide-doped hexagonal .beta.-phase NaYF.sub.4 nanocrystal and methods for making the same.

The infra-red photoresponse of erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenyon, A.J.; Bhamber, S.S.; Pitt, C.W.

2003-01-01

We have exploited the interaction between erbium ions and silicon nanoclusters to probe the photoresponse of erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals in the spectral region around 1.5 μm. We have produced an MOS device in which the oxide layer has been implanted with both erbium and silicon and annealed to produce silicon nanocrystals. Upon illumination with a 1480 nm laser diode, interaction between the nanocrystals and the rare-earth ions results in a modification of the conductivity of the oxide that enables a current to flow when a voltage is applied across the oxide layer

One dimensional CuO nanocrystals synthesis by electrical explosion: A study on structural, optical and electronic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krishnan, Shutesh, E-mail: shutesh.k@onsemi.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); ON Semiconductor Package Innovation and Development Center, 70450 Seremban (Malaysia); Haseeb, A.S.M.A.; Johan, Mohd Rafie [Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2014-02-15

Highlights: • One-dimensional CuO nanoflakes were synthesized by novel wire explosion technique. • A physical synthesis method capable of producing high aspect ratio (1:16) nanocrystals. • Most energy efficient and eco-friendly synthesis of low-dimensional transition metal oxide nanocrystals. -- Abstract: One-dimensional (1D) copper oxide (CuO) nanocrystals were synthesized using a novel wire explosion in de-ionized (DI) water without any chemical additives. Highly crystalline 1D CuO nanocrystals with 1:16 aspect ratio were successfully synthesized using this technique. The chemical nature and physical structure of the nanocrystals were controlled by simply modulating the exploding medium temperature. The results showed that nanocrystals produced at explosion temperatures 65 °C and 95 °C are pure CuO with optical band-gap energy of 2.38 eV. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope analysis (HRTEM) indicates that the CuO nanocrystals are with growth in [1{sup ¯}11] and [1 1 1] directions. The epitaxial crystal growth kinetics of the 1D nanostructure by aggregation was discussed. The incorporation of microstructural features like edge dislocations and porosity in the growth mechanism was examined. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization indicates the formation of high purity CuO nanocrystals with valence state +2. This study provides an energy efficient and eco-friendly synthesis method of 1D transition metal oxide nanocrystals for electronic applications.

One dimensional CuO nanocrystals synthesis by electrical explosion: A study on structural, optical and electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, Shutesh; Haseeb, A.S.M.A.; Johan, Mohd Rafie

2014-01-01

Highlights: • One-dimensional CuO nanoflakes were synthesized by novel wire explosion technique. • A physical synthesis method capable of producing high aspect ratio (1:16) nanocrystals. • Most energy efficient and eco-friendly synthesis of low-dimensional transition metal oxide nanocrystals. -- Abstract: One-dimensional (1D) copper oxide (CuO) nanocrystals were synthesized using a novel wire explosion in de-ionized (DI) water without any chemical additives. Highly crystalline 1D CuO nanocrystals with 1:16 aspect ratio were successfully synthesized using this technique. The chemical nature and physical structure of the nanocrystals were controlled by simply modulating the exploding medium temperature. The results showed that nanocrystals produced at explosion temperatures 65 °C and 95 °C are pure CuO with optical band-gap energy of 2.38 eV. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope analysis (HRTEM) indicates that the CuO nanocrystals are with growth in [1 ¯ 11] and [1 1 1] directions. The epitaxial crystal growth kinetics of the 1D nanostructure by aggregation was discussed. The incorporation of microstructural features like edge dislocations and porosity in the growth mechanism was examined. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization indicates the formation of high purity CuO nanocrystals with valence state +2. This study provides an energy efficient and eco-friendly synthesis method of 1D transition metal oxide nanocrystals for electronic applications

Photoluminescence studies of Li-doped Si nanocrystals

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klimešová, Eva; Vacík, Jiří; Holý, V.; Pelant, Ivan

2013-01-01

Roč. 3, č. 14 (2013), s. 1-7 ISSN 1847-9804 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 ; RVO:61389005 Keywords : Si nanocrystals * photoluminescence * doping * Li-ion batteries Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.949, year: 2013

CdS-based p-i-n diodes using indium and copper doped CdS films by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Como, N; Berrellez-Reyes, F; Mizquez-Corona, R; Ramirez-Esquivel, O; Mejia, I; Quevedo-Lopez, M

2015-01-01

In this work we report a method to dope cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films using pulsed laser deposition. Doping is achieved during film growth at substrate temperatures of 100 °C by sequential deposition of the CdS and the dopant material. Indium sulfide and copper disulfide targets were used as the dopant sources for n-type and p-type doping, respectively. Film resistivities as low as 0.2 and 1 Ω cm were achieved for indium and copper doped films, respectively. Hall effect measurements demonstrated the change in conductivity type from n-type to p-type when the copper dopants are incorporated into the film. The controlled incorporation of indium or copper, in the undoped CdS film, results in substitutional defects in the CdS, which increases the electron and hole concentration up to 4 × 10 18 cm −3 and 3 × 10 20 cm −3 , respectively. The results observed with CdS doping can be expanded to other chalcogenides material compounds by just selecting different targets. With the optimized doped films, CdS-based p-i-n diodes were fabricated yielding an ideality factor of 4, a saturation current density of 2 × 10 −6 A cm −2 and a rectification ratio of three orders of magnitude at ±3 V. (paper)

A simple synthesis and characterization of CuS nanocrystals

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

Water-soluble CuS nanocrystals and nanorods were prepared by reacting copper acetate with thioacetamide in ... potential applications in solar cells, IR detectors and lubri- cation (Mane ... ted a solventless synthesis of Cu2S nanorods, by heating copper thiolate .... 2004 Nanoparticles: Building blocks for nano- technology ...

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. Shweta Agrawal. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 32 Issue 6 December 2009 pp 569-573 Thin Films and Nanomatter. Swift heavy ion irradiation effect on Cu-doped CdS nanocrystals embedded in PMMA · Shweta Agrawal Subodh Srivastava Sumit ...

Shift in optical properties of Mn doped CdS (A DFT+U study)

Science.gov (United States)

khan, M. Junaid Iqbal; Kanwal, Zarfishan; Nauman Usmani, M.

2018-01-01

Current study is based on PBE-GGA and GGA+U computational approach for calculating optical properties of Mn doped CdS. Cd atom in host CdS lattice (rocksalt structure) are substituted with Mn at various lattice positions and shift in optical properties is observed by increasing supercell size by employing PBE-GGA and Hubbard term. Optical properties vary with changing supercell size and show significant change for GGA+U. Blue shift in absorption spectrum and plots for PDOS, TDOS are in accordance with existing reported work. Moreover strong p-d hybridization is observed due to Mn and S orbital interactions and localization of d-states are scrutinized in vicinity of Fermi level or conduction band minima. GGA+U absorption curve shows redshift and a tremendous change in optical properties is observed due to different bonding. Doping Mn into CdS host lattice illustrates enhancement in Opto-electrical properties which maximizes CdS:Mn system scope in optoelectronic devices.

Independent control of the shape and composition of ionic nanocrystals through sequential cation exchange reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luther, Joseph Matthew; Zheng, Haimei; Sadtler, Bryce; Alivisatos, A. Paul

2009-07-06

Size- and shape-controlled nanocrystal growth is intensely researched for applications including electro-optic, catalytic, and medical devices. Chemical transformations such as cation exchange overcome the limitation of traditional colloidal synthesis, where the nanocrystal shape often reflects the inherent symmetry of the underlying lattice. Here we show that nanocrystals, with established synthetic protocols for high monodispersity, can be templates for independent composition control. Specifically, controlled interconversion between wurtzite CdS, chalcocite Cu2S, and rock salt PbS occurs while preserving the anisotropic dimensions unique to the as-synthesized materials. Sequential exchange reactions between the three sulfide compositions are driven by the disparate solubilites of the metal ion exchange pair in specific coordinating molecules. Starting with CdS, highly anisotropic PbS nanorods are created, which serve as an important material for studying strong 2-dimensional quantum confinement, as well as for optoelectronic applications. Furthermore, interesting nanoheterostructures of CdS|PbS are obtained by precise control over ion insertion and removal.

Self-Assembled Monolayers of CdSe Nanocrystals on Doped GaAs Substrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marx, E.; Ginger, D.S.; Walzer, Karsten

2002-01-01

This letter reports the self-assembly and analysis of CdSe nanocrystal monolayers on both p- and a-doped GaAs substrates. The self-assembly was performed using a 1,6-hexanedithiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to link CdSe nanocrystals to GaAs substrates. Attenuated total reflection Fourier tran...

Effects of hydrazine on the solvothermal synthesis of Cu2ZnSnSe4 and Cu2CdSnSe4 nanocrystals for particle-based deposition of films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, Ming-Hung; Fu, Yaw-Shyan; Shih, Cheng-Hung; Kuo, Chun-Cheng; Guo, Tzung-Fang; Lin, Wen-Tai

2013-01-01

The effects of hydrazine on the synthesis of Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 (CZTSe) and Cu 2 CdSnSe 4 (CCTSe) nanocrystals in an autoclave as a function of temperature and time were explored. On heating at 190 °C for 24-72 h, pure CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals could readily grow in the hydrazine-added solution, while in the hydrazine-free solution the intermediate phases such as ZnSe, Cu 2 Se, and Cu 2 SnSe 3 , and Cu 2 SnSe 3 and CdSe associated with the CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals grew, respectively. This result reveals that hydrazine can speed up the synthesis of pure CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals via a solvothermal process. The mechanisms for the hydrazine-enhanced growth of CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals were discussed. The pure CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals were subsequently fabricated to the smooth films by spin coating without further annealing in selenium atmosphere. This processing may be beneficial to the fabrication of the absorber layer for solar cells and thermoelectric devices. - Highlights: • Hydrazine enhances the growth of pure Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 and Cu 2 CdSnSe 4 nanocrystals. • The nanocrystals can be fabricated to films by spin coating without annealing. • This solvothermal processing is promising for the fabrication of thin film devices

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. M Singh. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 28 Issue 7 December 2005 pp .... Swift heavy ion irradiation effect on Cu-doped CdS nanocrystals embedded in PMMA · Shweta Agrawal Subodh Srivastava Sumit Kumar S S Sharma B Tripathi M Singh Y K Vijay.

Colloidal infrared reflective and transparent conductive aluminum-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Buonsanti, Raffaella; Milliron, Delia J

2015-02-24

The present invention provides a method of preparing aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanocrystals. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes (1) injecting a precursor mixture of a zinc precursor, an aluminum precursor, an amine, and a fatty acid in a solution of a vicinal diol in a non-coordinating solvent, thereby resulting in a reaction mixture, (2) precipitating the nanocrystals from the reaction mixture, thereby resulting in a final precipitate, and (3) dissolving the final precipitate in an apolar solvent. The present invention also provides a dispersion. In an exemplary embodiment, the dispersion includes (1) nanocrystals that are well separated from each other, where the nanocrystals are coated with surfactants and (2) an apolar solvent where the nanocrystals are suspended in the apolar solvent. The present invention also provides a film. In an exemplary embodiment, the film includes (1) a substrate and (2) nanocrystals that are evenly distributed on the substrate.

Effect of Low Concentration Sn Doping on Optical Properties of CdS Films Grown by CBD Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Sabri Mohd Ghazali

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Thin and transparent films of doped cadmium sulfide (CdS were obtained on commercial glass substrates by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD technique. The films were doped with low concentration of Sn, and annealed in air at 300 °C for 45 min. The morphological characterization of the films with different amounts of dopant was made using SEM and EDAX analysis. Optical properties of the films were evaluated by measuring transmittance using the UV-vis spectrophotometer. A comparison of the results revealed that lower concentration of Sn doping improves transmittance of CdS films and makes them suitable for application as window layer of CdTe/CIGS solar cells.

La Doping of CdS for Enhanced CdS/CdSe Quantum Dot Cosensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaolei Qi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available CdS/CdSe system of quantum dot cosensitized solar cells (QDCSCs is one of the most attractive structures for high-efficiency due to its effect of level adjusting. However, the stepwise structure formed between levels of CdS and CdSe has a limitation for enhancing the efficiencies. Metal ions doping in quantum dots have emerged as a common way for changing the Fermi level, band gap, and conductance. Here we report an innovative concept for the rare earth materials La-doped of the CdS layer in the CdS/CdSe QDCSCs by means of the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR. Then we tested that La doped quantum dots can help more electrons accumulate in CdS film, which makes the Fermi level shift up and form a stepped structure. This method leads to enhanced absorption intensity, obviously increasing current density in CdS/CdSe QDCSCs. Our research is a new exploration for improving efficiencies of quantum dot sensitized solar cells.

Effect of chlorine doping on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of spray deposited CdS thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Sivaraman

2015-10-01

Full Text Available CdS and chlorine doped CdS (CdS:Cl thin films with different Cl-doping levels (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 at% have been deposited on glass substrates by a spray pyrolysis technique using a perfume atomizer. The effect of Cl doping on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the films was investigated. XRD patterns revealed that all the films exhibit hexagonal crystal structure with a preferential orientation along the (0 0 2 plane irrespective of the Cl doping level. The particle size value decreases from 22.03 nm to 18.12 nm with increase in Cl concentration. Optical band gap is blue-shifted from 2.48 eV to 2.73 eV with increase in Cl doping concentration. All the films have resistivity in the order of 104 Ω cm. The obtained results confirm that chlorine as an anionic dopant material can enhance the physical properties of CdS thin films to a large extent.

Soluble Supercapacitors: Large and Reversible Charge Storage in Colloidal Iron-Doped ZnO Nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Brozek, Carl K; Zhou, Dongming; Liu, Hongbin; Li, Xiaosong; Kittilstved, Kevin R; Gamelin, Daniel R

2018-05-09

Colloidal ZnO semiconductor nanocrystals have previously been shown to accumulate multiple delocalized conduction-band electrons under chemical, electrochemical, or photochemical reducing conditions, leading to emergent semimetallic characteristics such as quantum plasmon resonances and raising prospects for application in multielectron redox transformations. Here, we demonstrate a dramatic enhancement in the capacitance of colloidal ZnO nanocrystals through aliovalent Fe 3+ -doping. Very high areal and volumetric capacitances (33 μF cm -2 , 233 F cm -3 ) are achieved in Zn 0.99 Fe 0.01 O nanocrystals that rival those of the best supercapacitors used in commercial energy-storage devices. The redox properties of these nanocrystals are probed by potentiometric titration and optical spectroscopy. These data indicate an equilibrium between electron localization by Fe 3+ dopants and electron delocalization within the ZnO conduction band, allowing facile reversible charge storage and removal. As "soluble supercapacitors", colloidal iron-doped ZnO nanocrystals constitute a promising class of solution-processable electronic materials with large charge-storage capacity attractive for future energy-storage applications.

Effects of phosphorus doping on structural and optical properties of silicon nanocrystals in a SiO2 matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, X.J.; Cho, E.-C.; Scardera, G.; Bellet-Amalric, E.; Bellet, D.; Shen, Y.S.; Huang, S.; Huang, Y.D.; Conibeer, G.; Green, M.A.

2009-01-01

Promise of Si nanocrystals highly depends on tailoring their behaviour through doping. Phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals embedded in a silicon dioxide matrix have been realized by a co-sputtering process. The effects of phosphorus-doping on the properties of Si nanocrystals are investigated. Phosphorus diffuses from P-P and/or P-Si to P-O upon high temperature annealing. The dominant X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy P 2p signal attributable to Si-P and/or P-P (130 eV) at 1100 o C indicates that the phosphorus may exist inside Si nanocrystals. It is found that existence of phosphorus enhances phase separation of silicon rich oxide and thereby Si crystallization. In addition, phosphorus has a considerable effect on the optical absorption and photoluminescence properties as a function of annealing temperature.

Dye sensitization of antimony-doped CdS photoelectrochemical solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El Zayat, M.Y.; Saed, A.O.; El-Dessouki, M.S. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza (Egypt)

2002-01-31

Sb-doped CdS single crystal was used as a photoanode to fabricate a photoelectrochemical solar (PECS) cell. The three organic dyes; eosin, thymol blue and rhodamin 6G were used as sensitizers in (PECS) cell. In the absence of the dye, the results showed that with Sb-doped CdS single crystal electrode, a higher power conversion efficiency 9.27% has been achieved compared to 5.7-7.4% for pure crystal. Application of the dye in PECS cell increases the efficiency to about 13%. The efficiency reaches its maximum value when the dye concentration is (2.5x10{sup -5})M, sufficient to cover the surface of the semiconductor electrode with a continuous monolayer of the dye. Exceeding this value resulted in a gradual decrease of the efficiency from its maximum value. Mott-Schottky plots gave a doping density of 3.14x10{sup 17}cm{sup -3} and a space charge width of 4.95x10{sup -6}cm for the sample used. A flat-band potential equal to -0.84V, independent of both frequency and pH, was also predicted. Cyclic voltammetry (c.v.) measurements showed an anodic current peak at 0.4V vs. SCE. The disappearance of this peak after excess addition of the reducing agent Na{sub 2}S, indicates that this peak is due to the PEC corrosion of the semiconductor electrode.

Single and couple doping ZnO nanocrystals characterized by positron techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Pasang, Tenzin; Namratha, Keerthiraj; Guagliardo, Paul; Byrappa, Kullaiah; Ranganathaiah, Chikkakuntappa; Samarin, S.; Williams, J. F.

2015-04-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals have been synthesized using a mild hydrothermal process using low temperatures and pressures with the advantages of free growth catalyst, low cost and alternative technology. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectroscopic methods have been used to investigate the roles of single- and co-dopants and native defects of the ZnO nanocrystals controlled by the synthesis process. It is shown that single Ag1+ and Pd2+ dopants occupy interstitial sites of the ZnO lattice and single Ru3+ doping replaces Zn vacancies substitutionally with a significant effect on the CDB momentum ratio curves when compared using ZnO as the reference spectrum. The co-doping of the ZnO lattice with (Sn4+ + Co2+) shows similar CDB ratios as Ru3+ single-doping. Also co-doping with (Ag1+ + Pd2+) or (Ag1+ + W6+) shows significant decreases in the band gap energy up to about 12.6% compared to single doping. The momentum ratio curves, referenced to undoped ZnO, indicate dopants in interstitial and substitutional sites. The presence of transition metal ions interstitially will trap electrons which resist the recombination of electrons and in turn affect the conductivity of the material.

Single and couple doping ZnO nanocrystals characterized by positron techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasang, Tenzin; Namratha, Keerthiraj; Byrappa, Kullaiah; Guagliardo, Paul; Ranganathaiah, Chikkakuntappa; Samarin, S; Williams, J F

2015-01-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals have been synthesized using a mild hydrothermal process using low temperatures and pressures with the advantages of free growth catalyst, low cost and alternative technology. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectroscopic methods have been used to investigate the roles of single- and co-dopants and native defects of the ZnO nanocrystals controlled by the synthesis process. It is shown that single Ag 1+ and Pd 2+ dopants occupy interstitial sites of the ZnO lattice and single Ru 3+ doping replaces Zn vacancies substitutionally with a significant effect on the CDB momentum ratio curves when compared using ZnO as the reference spectrum. The co-doping of the ZnO lattice with (Sn 4+ + Co 2+ ) shows similar CDB ratios as Ru 3+ single-doping. Also co-doping with (Ag 1+ + Pd 2+ ) or (Ag 1+ + W 6+ ) shows significant decreases in the band gap energy up to about 12.6% compared to single doping. The momentum ratio curves, referenced to undoped ZnO, indicate dopants in interstitial and substitutional sites. The presence of transition metal ions interstitially will trap electrons which resist the recombination of electrons and in turn affect the conductivity of the material. (paper)

One-pot synthesis of CuInS2 nanocrystals using different anions to engineer their morphology and crystal phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Aiwei; Hu, Zunlan; Yin, Zhe; Ye, Haihang; Yang, Chunhe; Teng, Feng

2015-05-21

A simple one-pot colloidal method has been described to engineer ternary CuInS2 nanocrystals with different crystal phases and morphologies, in which dodecanethiol is chosen as the sulfur source and the capping ligands. By a careful choice of the anions in the metal precursors and manipulation of the reaction conditions including the reactant molar ratios and the reaction temperature, CuInS2 nanocrystals with chalcopyrite, zincblende and wurtzite phases have been successfully synthesized. The type of anion in the metal precursors has been found to be essential for determining the crystal phase and morphology of the as-obtained CuInS2 nanocrystals. In particular, the presence of Cl(-) ions plays an important role in the formation of CuInS2 nanoplates with a wurtzite-zincblende polytypism structure. In addition, the molar ratios of Cu to In precursors have a significant effect on the crystal phase and morphology, and the intermediate Cu2S-CuInS2 heteronanostructures are formed which are critical for the anisotropic growth of CuInS2 nanocrystals. Furthermore, the optical absorption results of the as-obtained CuInS2 nanocrystals exhibit a strong dependence on the crystal phase and size.

Defects in Cu(InGa)Se2/CdS heterostructure films induced by hydrogen ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakushev, M.V.; Tomlinson, R.D.; Hill, A.E.; Pilkington, R.D.; Mudryi, A.V.; Bondar, I.V.; Victorov, I.A.; Gremenok, V.F.; Shakin, I.A.; Patuk, A.I.

1999-01-01

The influence of H + ion implantation on the photoluminescence properties of Cu(InGa)Se 2 /CdS heterostructures has been studied. This treatment was found to increase the photoluminescence intensity of donor-acceptor band at 1.13 eV because of the passivation by hydrogen atoms of the non-radiative recombination centers on the boundary of Cu(InGa)Se 2 and CdS layers. Two broad bands peaks at 0.96 eV and at 0.82 eV in photoluminescence spectra of ion-implanted Cu(InGa)Se 2 films have been found. The tentative model to explain the origin of the broad photoluminescence bands has been discussed

Mg doping induced high structural quality of sol–gel ZnO nanocrystals: Application in photocatalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abed, Chayma; Bouzidi, Chaker [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia); Elhouichet, Habib, E-mail: Habib.elhouichet@fst.rnu.tn [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis 2092 (Tunisia); Gelloz, Bernard [Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, 2-24-16 Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603 (Japan); Ferid, Mokhtar [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • ZnO nancrystals doped with Mg were prepared from sol–gel method. • Structural and optical properties of ZnO:Mg nanocrystals were investigated. • Good crystalline quality of ZnO nanocrystals was reported after Mg doping. • Good photocatalytic activity of Mg doped ZnO nanocrystals was demonstrated under sun light illumination. - Abstract: Undoped and Mg doped ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) ZnO:x%Mg (x = 1, 2, 3, and 5) were synthesized using sol–gel method. The structural and optical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectivity, and photoluminescence (PL). XRD analysis demonstrates that all prepared samples present pure hexagonal wurtzite structure without any Mg related phases. The NCs size varies from 26.82 nm to 42.96 nm with Mg concentrations; it presents an optimal value for 2% of Mg. The Raman spectra are dominated by the E{sub 2high} mode. For highly Mg doping (5%), the occurrence of silent B{sub 1(low)} mode suggested that the Mg ions do substitute at Zn sites in the ZnO lattice The band gap energy was estimated from both Tauc and Urbach methods and found to be 3.39 eV for ZnO:2%Mg. The PL spectra exhibit two emission bands in the UV and visible range. Their evolution with Mg doping reveals the reduction of defect density in ZnO at low Mg doping by filling Zn vacancies. In addition, it was found that further Mg doping, above 2%, improves the photocatalytic activity of ZnO NCs for photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under sunlight irradiation. The efficient electron–hole separation is the main factor responsible for the enhancement of photocatalytic performance of Mg doped ZnO NCs. Through this work, we show that by varying the Mg contents in ZnO, this material can be a potential candidate for both optoelectronic and photocatalytic applications.

Fabrication and characterization of Pd/Cu doped ZnO/Si and Ni/Cu doped ZnO/Si Schottky diodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agarwal, Lucky; Singh, Brijesh Kumar; Tripathi, Shweta [Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad 211004 (India); Chakrabarti, P., E-mail: pchakrabarti.ece@iitbhu.ac.in [Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad 211004 (India); Department of Electronics Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005 (India)

2016-08-01

In this paper, fabrication and characterization of copper doped ZnO (Cu doped ZnO) based Schottky devices have been reported. Cu doped ZnO thin films have been deposited on p-Si (100) samples by the sol-gel spin coating method. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies have been done in order to evaluate the structural and morphological properties of the film. The optical properties of the film have been determined by using variable angle ellipsometry. Further, Seebeck measurement of the deposited Cu doped ZnO film leads to positive Seebeck coefficient confirming the p-type conductivity of the sample. The resistivity and acceptor concentration of the film has also been evaluated using four probe measurement system. Pd and Ni metals have been deposited on separate Cu doped ZnO thin film samples using low cost thermal evaporation method to form Schottky contacts. The electrical characterization of the Schottky diode has been performed by semiconductor device analyzer (SDA). Electrical parameters such as barrier height, ideality factor, reverse saturation current and rectification ratio have also been determined for the as-prepared Schottky diode using conventional thermionic emission model and Cheung's method. - Highlights: • Fabrication of sol-gel derived Cu doped ZnO (p-type) Schottky contact proposed. • The p-type Conductivity of the sample confirmed by Seebeck Measurement. • Pd and Ni deposited on Cu doped ZnO film to form Schottky contacts. • Cu doped ZnO expected to emerge as a potential material for thin film solar cells.

Fabrication and characterization of Pd/Cu doped ZnO/Si and Ni/Cu doped ZnO/Si Schottky diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, Lucky; Singh, Brijesh Kumar; Tripathi, Shweta; Chakrabarti, P.

2016-01-01

In this paper, fabrication and characterization of copper doped ZnO (Cu doped ZnO) based Schottky devices have been reported. Cu doped ZnO thin films have been deposited on p-Si (100) samples by the sol-gel spin coating method. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies have been done in order to evaluate the structural and morphological properties of the film. The optical properties of the film have been determined by using variable angle ellipsometry. Further, Seebeck measurement of the deposited Cu doped ZnO film leads to positive Seebeck coefficient confirming the p-type conductivity of the sample. The resistivity and acceptor concentration of the film has also been evaluated using four probe measurement system. Pd and Ni metals have been deposited on separate Cu doped ZnO thin film samples using low cost thermal evaporation method to form Schottky contacts. The electrical characterization of the Schottky diode has been performed by semiconductor device analyzer (SDA). Electrical parameters such as barrier height, ideality factor, reverse saturation current and rectification ratio have also been determined for the as-prepared Schottky diode using conventional thermionic emission model and Cheung's method. - Highlights: • Fabrication of sol-gel derived Cu doped ZnO (p-type) Schottky contact proposed. • The p-type Conductivity of the sample confirmed by Seebeck Measurement. • Pd and Ni deposited on Cu doped ZnO film to form Schottky contacts. • Cu doped ZnO expected to emerge as a potential material for thin film solar cells.

Effects of Cu content on the photoelectrochemistry of Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystal thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoshmashrab, Saghar; Turnbull, Matthew J.; Vaccarello, Daniel; Nie, Yuting; Martin, Spencer; Love, David A.; Lau, Po K.; Sun, Xuhui; Ding, Zhifeng

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Two compositions of CZTS were synthesized, one yielding Cu-poor and the other Cu-stoichiometric nanocrystals (NCs). • Physical and electronic properties of both films were probed using various analytical techniques. • Films comprised of Cu-poor CZTS showed tighter packing with less defects compared to those of stoichiometric-Cu. • Photoelectrochemical measurements exhibited increased photoconversion and increased photostability of the Cu-poor films. • Intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy showed that the Cu-deficient NCs had half the recombination rate as that of stoichiometric-Cu films. - Abstract: Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) nanocrystals (NCs) were prepared via a one-pot solvothermal method. Given that the composition affects the electronic properties of this p-type semiconductor, two compositional ratios were chosen from 10 designed and synthesized analogues, one yielding Cu-poor and the other Cu-stoichiometric CZTS. NCs in which the Cu concentration was slightly below stoichiometric yielded more uniform films with greater photovoltaic performance. The lower Cu content also lead to slightly better crystallinity within the film, as demonstrated by XRD, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Chronophotoelectrochemical measurements indicated that both types of NC films displayed good stability; however, with a decrease in potential, an increase in resistance for the Cu-stoichiometric film was observed. As determined by intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy, the product separation rate of the photoinduced holes and electrons in the Cu-poor films were more than 3 times that of the Cu-stoichiometric, confirming that the lower Cu content led to an improved photoperformance

Phase- and shape-controlled hydrothermal synthesis of CdS nanoparticles, and oriented attachment growth of its hierarchical architectures

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Yali; Hu, Pengfei; Jia, Dianzeng

2013-01-01

Hydrothermal strategies were successfully used to control the phases and morphologies of CdS nanocrystals. In the absence of an external direction-controlling process, the hexagonal and cubic phase well-defined leaf- and flower-like CdS nanocrystals were controlled obtained via adjusting the reaction duration or the concentration of surfactant. Oriented attachment growth modes were suggested for the formation of CdS superstructures, which was clarified through the tracing of temporal evolution of CdS nanoparticles. The CdS superstructures were structured by primary building nanoparticles, and held excellent visible emission with a peak in the green regions. This strategy is very helpful for studying the phase and morphology controlled fabrication of sulfides nanocrystals.

Depositing of CuS nanocrystals upon the graphene scaffold and their photocatalytic activities

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yongbin; Zhang, Lixin; Jiu, Hongfang; Li, Na; Sun, Yixin

2014-06-01

A series of copper sulfide nanocrystals/graphene nanocomposites (CuS/GR) with different weight ratios of GR were fabricated via a one-step hydrothermal approach by using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as the source of sulfur and solvent. The as-prepared samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), transmission scanning electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence spectra (PL) are employed to determine the properties of the samples. The results show that the CuS nanocrystals with an average size of 16 nm almost overspread on the GR graphene scaffold. The samples exhibit excellent photocatalytic activities in degrading the methylene blue (MB) compared with pure CuS. This work shows that CuS/GR nanocomposites would be promising in dye wastewater treatment as Fenton-like reagents.

Depositing of CuS nanocrystals upon the graphene scaffold and their photocatalytic activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yongbin; Zhang, Lixin; Jiu, Hongfang; Li, Na; Sun, Yixin

2014-01-01

A series of copper sulfide nanocrystals/graphene nanocomposites (CuS/GR) with different weight ratios of GR were fabricated via a one-step hydrothermal approach by using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as the source of sulfur and solvent. The as-prepared samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), transmission scanning electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence spectra (PL) are employed to determine the properties of the samples. The results show that the CuS nanocrystals with an average size of 16 nm almost overspread on the GR graphene scaffold. The samples exhibit excellent photocatalytic activities in degrading the methylene blue (MB) compared with pure CuS. This work shows that CuS/GR nanocomposites would be promising in dye wastewater treatment as Fenton-like reagents.

Depositing of CuS nanocrystals upon the graphene scaffold and their photocatalytic activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yongbin [Chemical Engineering and Environment Institute, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051 (China); Zhang, Lixin, E-mail: edwardzlx@163.com [Chemical Engineering and Environment Institute, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051 (China); Jiu, Hongfang [College of Science, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051 (China); Li, Na; Sun, Yixin [Chemical Engineering and Environment Institute, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051 (China)

2014-06-01

A series of copper sulfide nanocrystals/graphene nanocomposites (CuS/GR) with different weight ratios of GR were fabricated via a one-step hydrothermal approach by using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as the source of sulfur and solvent. The as-prepared samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), transmission scanning electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence spectra (PL) are employed to determine the properties of the samples. The results show that the CuS nanocrystals with an average size of 16 nm almost overspread on the GR graphene scaffold. The samples exhibit excellent photocatalytic activities in degrading the methylene blue (MB) compared with pure CuS. This work shows that CuS/GR nanocomposites would be promising in dye wastewater treatment as Fenton-like reagents.

TiO2 nanocrystals decorated Z-schemed core-shell CdS-CdO nanorod arrays as high efficiency anodes for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chia-Hsun; Hsu, Chan-Wei; Lu, Shih-Yuan

2018-07-01

TiO 2 nanocrystals decorated core-shell CdS-CdO nanorod arrays, TiO 2 @CdO/CdS NR, were fabricated as high efficiency anodes for photoelctrochemical hydrogen generation. The novel sandwich heterostructure was constructed from first growth of CdS nanorod arrays on a fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate with a hydrothermal process, followed by in situ generation of CdO thin films of single digit nanometers from the CdS nanorod surfaces through thermal oxidation, and final decoration of TiO 2 nanocrystals of 10-20 nm via a successive ionic layer absorption and reaction process. The core-shell CdS-CdO heterostructure possesses a Z-scheme band structure to enhance interfacial charge transfer, facilitating effective charge separation to suppress electron-hole recombination within CdS for much improved current density generation. The final decoration of TiO 2 nanocrystals passivates surface defects and trap states of CdO, further suppressing surface charge recombination for even higher photovoltaic conversion efficiencies. The photoelectrochemical performances of the plain CdS nanorod array were significantly improved with the formation of the sandwich heterostructure, achieving a photo current density of 3.2 mA/cm 2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE), a 141% improvement over the plain CdS nanorod array and a 32% improvement over the CdO/CdS nanorod array. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct observation of shear–induced nanocrystal attachment and coalescence in CuZr-based metallic glasses: TEM investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajlaoui, K.; Alrasheedi, Nashmi H.; Yavari, A.R.

2016-01-01

In-situ tensile straining tests were performed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to analyse the deformation processes in CuZr-based metallic glasses and to directly observe the phase transformation occurrence. We report evidence of shear induced coalescence of nanocrystals in the vicinity of deformed regions. Nanocrystals grow in shear bands, come into contact, being attached and progressively coalesce under applied shear stress. - Highlights: • In-situ tensile straining test in TEM was investigated on CuZr-Based metallic glass. • Strain induces nanocrystallization and subsequent attachment and coalescence of nanocrystals. • The coalescence of nanocrystals compensates strain softening in metallic glasses.

Microstructural and photoluminescence properties of sol–gel derived Tb3+ doped ZnO nanocrystals

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kabongo, GL

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Un-doped and Tb(Sup3+) doped ZnO nanocrystals with different concentrations of Tb(Sup3+) were synthesized by a sol–gel method and their photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated. The successful incorporation of Tb(sup3+) ions...

Influence of Ag doping concentration on structural and optical properties of CdS thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Pragati; Saxena, Nupur; Gupta, Vinay; Agarwal, Avinash

2015-01-01

This work shows the influence of Ag concentration on structural properties of pulsed laser deposited nanocrystalline CdS thin film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirm the dopant concentration in CdS films and atomic concentration of elements. XPS studies show that the samples are slightly sulfur deficient. GAXRD scan reveals the structural phase transformation from cubic to hexagonal phase of CdS without appearance of any phase of CdO, Ag 2 O or Ag 2 S suggesting the substitutional doping of Ag ions. Photoluminescence studies illustrate that emission intensity increases with increase in dopant concentration upto 5% and then decreases for higher dopant concentration

Influence of Ag doping concentration on structural and optical properties of CdS thin film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Pragati, E-mail: pkumar.phy@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Bareilly College, Bareilly, 243 005, Uttar Pradesh (India); Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007 (India); Saxena, Nupur; Gupta, Vinay [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007 (India); Agarwal, Avinash [Department of Physics, Bareilly College, Bareilly, 243 005, Uttar Pradesh (India)

2015-05-15

This work shows the influence of Ag concentration on structural properties of pulsed laser deposited nanocrystalline CdS thin film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirm the dopant concentration in CdS films and atomic concentration of elements. XPS studies show that the samples are slightly sulfur deficient. GAXRD scan reveals the structural phase transformation from cubic to hexagonal phase of CdS without appearance of any phase of CdO, Ag{sub 2}O or Ag{sub 2}S suggesting the substitutional doping of Ag ions. Photoluminescence studies illustrate that emission intensity increases with increase in dopant concentration upto 5% and then decreases for higher dopant concentration.

Size limit on the phosphorous doped silicon nanocrystals for dopant activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, P., E-mail: pengyuan.yang@surrey.ac.uk [Surrey Ion Beam Centre, Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH (United Kingdom); Gwilliam, R.M. [Surrey Ion Beam Centre, Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH (United Kingdom); Crowe, I.F.; Papachristodoulou, N.; Halsall, M.P. [Photon Science Institute, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Alan Turing Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Hylton, N.P. [Blackett Laboratory, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Hulko, O.; Knights, A.P. [Department of Engineering Physics and the Centre for Emerging Device Technologies, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Ontario (Canada); Shah, M.; Kenyon, A.J. [Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom)

2013-07-15

We studied the photoluminescence spectra of silicon nanocrystals doped with and without phosphorus as a function of isothermal annealing time. Silicon nanocrystals were prepared by the implantation of 80 keV Si{sup +} into a 500 nm SiO{sub 2} film to an areal density of 8 × 10{sup 16} at/cm{sup 2}. Half of the samples were co-implanted with P{sup +} at 80 keV to 5 × 10{sup 15} at/cm{sup 2}. The photoluminescence of the annealed samples were photo-excited at wavelength of 405 nm. For short anneal times, when the nanocrystal size distribution has a relatively small mean diameter, formation in the presence of phosphorus yields an increase in the luminescence intensity and a blue shift in the emission peak compared with intrinsic nanocrystals. As the mean size increases with annealing time, this enhancement rapidly diminishes and the peak energy shifts to the red. Our results indicate the donor electron generation depends strongly on the nanocrystal size. We also found a critical limit above which it allows dopant activation.

Effects of hydrazine on the solvothermal synthesis of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} and Cu{sub 2}CdSnSe{sub 4} nanocrystals for particle-based deposition of films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiang, Ming-Hung [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701 (China); Fu, Yaw-Shyan, E-mail: ysfu@mail.nutn.edu.tw [Department of Greenergy, National University of Tainan, Tainan, Taiwan 700 (China); Shih, Cheng-Hung; Kuo, Chun-Cheng [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701 (China); Guo, Tzung-Fang [Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701 (China); Lin, Wen-Tai, E-mail: wtlin@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701 (China)

2013-10-01

The effects of hydrazine on the synthesis of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} (CZTSe) and Cu{sub 2}CdSnSe{sub 4} (CCTSe) nanocrystals in an autoclave as a function of temperature and time were explored. On heating at 190 °C for 24-72 h, pure CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals could readily grow in the hydrazine-added solution, while in the hydrazine-free solution the intermediate phases such as ZnSe, Cu{sub 2}Se, and Cu{sub 2}SnSe{sub 3}, and Cu{sub 2}SnSe{sub 3} and CdSe associated with the CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals grew, respectively. This result reveals that hydrazine can speed up the synthesis of pure CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals via a solvothermal process. The mechanisms for the hydrazine-enhanced growth of CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals were discussed. The pure CZTSe and CCTSe nanocrystals were subsequently fabricated to the smooth films by spin coating without further annealing in selenium atmosphere. This processing may be beneficial to the fabrication of the absorber layer for solar cells and thermoelectric devices. - Highlights: • Hydrazine enhances the growth of pure Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} and Cu{sub 2}CdSnSe{sub 4} nanocrystals. • The nanocrystals can be fabricated to films by spin coating without annealing. • This solvothermal processing is promising for the fabrication of thin film devices.

Co+ -ion implantation induced doping of nanocrystalline CdS thin films: structural, optical, and vibrational properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandramohan, S.; Sarangi, S.N.; Majumder, S.; Som, T.; Kanjilal, A.; Sathyamoorthy, R.

2009-01-01

Full text: Transition metal (Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) doped CdS nanostructures and nanocrystalline thin films have attracted much attention due to their anticipated applications in magneto-optical, non-volatile memory and future spintronics devices. Introduction of impurities in substitutional positions is highly desirable for such applications. Ion implantation is known to provide many advantages over conventional methods for efficient doping and possibility of its seamless integration with device processing steps. It is not governed by equilibrium thermodynamics and offers the advantages of high spatial selectivity and to overcome the solubility limits. In this communication, we report on modifications of structural morphological, optical, and vibrational properties of 90 keV Co + -ion implanted CdS thin films grown by thermal evaporation. Co + -ion implantation was performed in the fluence range of 0.1-3.6x10 16 ions cm -2 These fluences correspond to Co concentration in the range of 0.34-10.8 at % at the peak position of profile. Implantation was done at an elevated temperature of 573 K in order to avoid amorphization and to enhance the solubility of Co ions in the CdS lattice. Films were characterized by glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical absorption, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Implantation does not lead to any secondary phase formation either in the form of impurity or the metallic clusters. However, implantation improves the crystalline quality of the samples and leads to supersaturation of Co ions in the CdS lattice. Thus, nanocrystalline CdS thin films can be considered as a good radiation- resistant material, which can be employed for prolonged use in solar cells for space applications. The optical band gap is found to decrease systematically with increasing ion fluence from 2.39 to 2.28 eV. Implantation leads to agglomeration of grains and a systematic increase in the surface roughness. Both GAXRD and micro

Structural and optical characterization of Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals elaborated by ion implantation in SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonafos, C.; Garrido, B.; Lopez, M.; Romano-Rodriguez, A.; Gonzalez-Varona, O.; Perez-Rodriguez, A.; Morante, J.R.; Rodriguez, R.

1999-01-01

Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals have been formed in SiO 2 layers by ion implantation and thermal annealing. The structural analysis of the processed samples has been performed mainly by Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The data show the precipitation of ZnS nanocrystals self-organized into two layers parallel to the free surface. First results of the optical analysis of samples co-implanted with Mn show the presence of a yellow-green photoluminescence depending on the Mn concentration and the size of the nanocrystals, suggesting the doping with Mn of some precipitates

Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor Cu2FeSnS4 Nanocrystals with a Novel Zincblende Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaolu Liang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Diluted magnetic semiconductor Cu2FeSnS4 nanocrystals with a novel zincblende structure have been successfully synthesized by a hot-injection approach. Cu+, Fe2+, and Sn4+ ions occupy the same position in the zincblende unit cell, and their occupancy possibilities are 1/2, 1/4, and 1/4, respectively. The nanocrystals were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, selected area electron diffraction (SAED, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS, and UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy. The nanocrystals have an average size of 7.5 nm and a band gap of 1.1 eV and show a weak ferromagnetic behavior at low temperature.

Synthesis of ZnSe nanocrystals (NCs) using a rapid microwave irradiation method and investigation of the effect of copper (Cu) doping on the optical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molaei, M., E-mail: m.molaei@vru.ac.ir; Khezripour, A.R.; Karimipour, M.

2014-10-30

Highlights: • ZnSe nanocrystals were synthesized using a rapid microwave method. • Synthesized ZnSe NCs indicated an emission with two peaks. • For ZnSe:Cu NCs band edge emission of the ZnSe was completely disappeared. • Synthesized NCs can be dispersed in water therefore they are proper for biological applications. - Abstract: ZnSe nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized using a microwave activated method. Synthesized NCs were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible (UV–vis) optical spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL). XRD analysis demonstrated cubic zinc blende NCs. TEM image indicated round shape NCs and most of the particles had diameters of about 3 nm. Band gap of the NCs was obtained about 3.15 eV and PL spectra indicates a broad emission with two peaks located about 415 and 500 nm related to band edge and trap state respectively. For ZnSe:Cu NCs, PL intensity of band gap emission of ZnSe NCs at 415 nm decreased gradually with the increase in the concentration of Cu dopant ions and for precursor ratio of Cu:Zn 1% band gap emission at 415 nm disappeared completely. At the same conditions, PL QY was obtained about 2% and 8% for ZnSe and ZnSe:Cu (1%) NCs, respectively.

Synthesis of chrysalis-like CuO nanocrystals and their catalytic ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

activity in the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate. JUN WANG a,b,. *, SHANSHAN HE ... analyzer at a heating rate of 10°C min. –1 from 35 to 500°C. ... ent reaction temperature, CuO nanocrystals were pre- pared to show different ...

Enhanced light emission in photonic crystal nanocavities with Erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makarova, Maria; Sih, Vanessa; Vuckovic, Jelena; Warga, Joe; Li Rui; Dal Negro, Luca

2008-01-01

Photonic crystal nanocavities are fabricated in silicon membranes covered by thermally annealed silicon-rich nitride films with Erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals. Silicon nitride films were deposited by sputtering on top of silicon on insulator wafers. The nanocavities were carefully designed in order to enhance emission from the nanocrystal sensitized Erbium at the 1540 nm wavelength. Experimentally measured quality factors of ∼6000 were found to be consistent theoretical predictions. The Purcell factor of 1.4 was estimated from the observed 20-fold enhancement of Erbium luminescence

Use of CdS quantum dot-functionalized cellulose nanocrystal films for anti-counterfeiting applications

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, L.; Lai, C.; Marchewka, R.; Berry, R. M.; Tam, K. C.

2016-07-01

Structural colors and photoluminescence have been widely used for anti-counterfeiting and security applications. We report for the first time the use of CdS quantum dot (QD)-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as building blocks to fabricate nanothin films via layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly for anti-counterfeiting applications. Both negatively- and positively-charged CNC/QD nanohybrids with a high colloidal stability and a narrow particle size distribution were prepared. The controllable LBL coating process was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry. The rigid structure of CNCs leads to nanoporous structured films on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates with high transmittance (above 70%) over the entire range of visible light and also resulted in increased hydrophilicity (contact angles of ~40 degrees). Nanothin films on PET substrates showed good flexibility and enhanced stability in both water and ethanol. The modified PET films with structural colors from thin-film interference and photoluminescence from QDs can be used in anti-counterfeiting applications.Structural colors and photoluminescence have been widely used for anti-counterfeiting and security applications. We report for the first time the use of CdS quantum dot (QD)-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as building blocks to fabricate nanothin films via layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly for anti-counterfeiting applications. Both negatively- and positively-charged CNC/QD nanohybrids with a high colloidal stability and a narrow particle size distribution were prepared. The controllable LBL coating process was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry. The rigid structure of CNCs leads to nanoporous structured films on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates with high transmittance (above 70%) over the entire range of visible light and also resulted in increased hydrophilicity (contact angles of ~40 degrees). Nanothin films

Chemical reactions at CdS heterojunctions with CuInSe{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aquino, Angel; Rockett, Angus [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, 1304 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

2013-03-15

The stability of the CdS/CuInSe{sub 2} (CIS) heterojunction is critical to understanding the projected lifetime of CIS devices and the effect of processing conditions on the nanoscale chemistry of the heterojunction. This article reports the results of annealing heterojunctions between CdS deposited by chemical bath deposition and single crystal and polycrystalline CIS films between 200 and 500 Degree-Sign C for 10 to 150 min. No atomic movement was observed by secondary ion mass spectrometry at temperatures of 300 Degree-Sign C and below. At 400 Degree-Sign C even for the shortest time studied, Cu and In were found throughout the region initially consisting of CdS only and Cd was found to have moved into the CIS. In the polycrystal, annealing at 500 Degree-Sign C resulted in movement of Cd throughout the CIS layer. No time dependence was observed in the 400 and 500 Degree-Sign C anneals indicating that a reaction had occurred forming a compound that was in thermodynamic equilibrium with the remaining CIS. Diffusion turns on rapidly between 300 and 400 Degree-Sign C, indicating a high activation energy for atomic movement ({approx}2.4 eV). The onset of diffusion is consistent with the onset of Cu diffusion in CIS.

Fabrication of Ge nanocrystals doped silica-on-silicon waveguides and observation of their strong quantum confinement effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan; Rottwitt, Karsten

2009-01-01

Germanium (Ge) nanocrystals embedded in silica matrix is an interesting material for new optoelectronic devices. In this paper, standard silica-on-silicon waveguides with a core doped by Ge nanocrystals were fabricated using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition and reactive ion etching...

Chemically tailoring the dopant emission in manganese-doped CsPbCl{sub 3} perovskite nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das Adhikari, Samrat; Dutta, Sumit K.; Dutta, Anirban; Guria, Amit K.; Pradhan, Narayan [Department of Materials Science, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata (India)

2017-07-17

Doping in perovskite nanocrystals adopts different mechanistic approach in comparison to widely established doping in chalcogenide quantum dots. The fast formation of perovskites makes the dopant insertions more competitive and challenging. Introducing alkylamine hydrochloride (RNH{sub 3}Cl) as a promoting reagent, precise controlled doping of Mn{sup II} in CsPbCl{sub 3} perovskite nanocrystals is reported. Simply, by changing the amount of RNH{sub 3}Cl, the Mn incorporation and subsequent tuning in the excitonic as well as Mn d-d emission intensities are tailored. Investigations suggested that RNH{sub 3}Cl acted as the chlorinating source, controlled the size, and also helps in increasing the number of particles. This provided more opportunity for Mn ions to take part in reaction and occupied the appropriate lattice positions. Carrying out several reactions with varying reaction parameters, the doping conditions are optimized and the role of the promoting reagent for both doped and undoped systems are compared. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Structural and optical characterization of Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals elaborated by ion implantation in SiO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonafos, C. E-mail: bonafos@el.ub.es; Garrido, B.; Lopez, M.; Romano-Rodriguez, A.; Gonzalez-Varona, O.; Perez-Rodriguez, A.; Morante, J.R.; Rodriguez, R

1999-01-01

Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals have been formed in SiO{sub 2} layers by ion implantation and thermal annealing. The structural analysis of the processed samples has been performed mainly by Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The data show the precipitation of ZnS nanocrystals self-organized into two layers parallel to the free surface. First results of the optical analysis of samples co-implanted with Mn show the presence of a yellow-green photoluminescence depending on the Mn concentration and the size of the nanocrystals, suggesting the doping with Mn of some precipitates.

Anodic stripping voltammetry of synthesized CdS nanoparticles at boron-doped diamond electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayat, Mohammad; Ivandini, Tribidasari A., E-mail: ivandini.tri@sci.ui.ac.id; Saepudin, Endang [Department of Chemistry, FMIPA, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI Depok (Indonesia); Einaga, Yasuaki [Department of Chemistry, Keio University (Japan)

2016-04-19

Cadmium sulphide (CdS) nanoparticles were chemically synthesized using reverse micelles microreactor methods. By using different washing treatments, UV-Vis spectroscopy showed that the absorption peaks appeared at 465 nm, 462 nm, 460 nm, and 459 nm respectively for CdS nanoparticles without and with 1, 2, and 3 times washing treatments using pure water. In comparison with the absorbance peak of bulk CdS at 512 nm, the shifted absorption peaks, indicates that the different sizes of CdS can be prepared. Anodic stripping voltammetry of the CdS nanoparticles was then studied at a boron-doped diamond electrode using 0.1 M KClO{sub 4} and 0.1 M HClO{sub 4} as the electrolytes. A scan rate of 100 mV/s with a deposition potential of -1000 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) for 60 s at a potential scan from -1600 mV to +800 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) was applied as the optimum condition of the measurements. Highly-accurate linear calibration curves (R{sup 2} = 0.99) in 0.1 M HClO{sub 4} with the sensitivity of 0.075 mA/mM and the limit of detection of 81 µM in 0.1 M HClO{sub 4} can be achieved, which is promising for an application of CdS nanoparticles as a label for biosensors.

Electrical resistivity of nanocrystals in Fe-Al-Ga-P-B-Si-Cu alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pekala, K.; Jaskiewicz, P.; Nowinski, J.L.; Pekala, M.

2003-01-01

In new supercooled Fe 74 Al 4 Ga 2 P 11 B 4 Si 4 Cu 1 alloy the 10 nm size α-Fe(Si) nanocrystals are precipitated. Thermal stability is analyzed by the electron transport and magnetization measurements. Temperature variation of electrical resistivity of nanocrystals is determined and discussed for alloys with different initial crystalline fraction. Possible mechanism inhibiting the grain growth is presented

Colloidal Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals: Facile low temperature synthesis, characterization and properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singhal, A. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)], E-mail: ansing@barc.gov.in; Achary, S.N.; Tyagi, A.K. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Manna, P.K.; Yusuf, S.M. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2008-09-25

Colloidal Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals, Zn{sub 1-x}Fe{sub x}O (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.07 and 0.1) have been prepared by thermal decomposition of metal precursors at 200 deg. C with hexadecylamine (HDA) as solvent and surfactant. The nanocrystals so prepared can be easily dispersed in non-polar solvents like chloroform and toluene. The nanocrystals have been structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Magnetization measurements on a representative sample, Zn{sub 0.95}Fe{sub 0.05}O using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) reveal that the nanocrystals exhibit a weak ferromagnetic behavior at 300 K. This observation is further confirmed by the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of Zn{sub 0.95}Fe{sub 0.05}O nanocrystals, which shows a distinct ferromagnetic resonance signal at room temperature.

Structural and optical properties of Ni-doped CdS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Premarani, R. [Arumugam Pillai SeethaiAmmal College, Thiruppattur-630211 (India); Saravanakumar, S., E-mail: sarophy84@gmail.com; Chandramohan, R. [SreeSevuganAnnamalai College, Devakottai-630303 (India); Mahalingam, T. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 443-749 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-24

The structural and optical behavior of undoped Cadmiun Sulphide (CdS) and Ni-doped CdS thinfilms prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique is reported. The crystallite sizes of the thinfilms have been characterized by X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD). The particle sizes increase with the increase of Ni content in the CdS thinfilms. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results indicated that CdS thinfilms is made up of aggregate of spherical-like particles. The composition was estimated by Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-ray (EDX) and reported. Spectroscopic studies revealed considerable improvement in transmission and the band gap of the films changes with addition of Ni dopant that is associated with variation in crystallite sizes in the nano regime.

Potential thermoelectric performance of hole-doped Cu2O

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xin; Parker, David; Du, Mao-Hua; Singh, David J

2013-01-01

High thermoelectric performance in oxides requires stable conductive materials that have suitable band structures. Here we show, based on an analysis of the thermopower and related properties using first-principles calculations and Boltzmann transport theory in the relaxation time approximation, that hole-doped Cu 2 O may be such a material. We find that hole-doped Cu 2 O has a high thermopower of above 200 μV K −1 even with doping levels as high as 5.2 × 10 20 cm −3 at 500 K, mainly attributed to the heavy valence bands of Cu 2 O. This is reminiscent of the cobaltate family of high-performance oxide thermoelectrics and implies that hole-doped Cu 2 O could be an excellent thermoelectric material if suitably doped. (paper)

Biosynthesis of fluorescent CdS nanocrystals with semiconductor properties: Comparison of microbial and plant production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Shalabi, Zahwa; Doran, Pauline M

2016-04-10

This study investigated fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) and hairy roots of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) as in vitro production vehicles for biological synthesis of CdS quantum dots. Cd added during the mid-growth phase of the cultures was detoxified within the biomass into inorganic sulphide-containing complexes with the quantum confinement properties of semiconductor nanocrystals. Significant differences were found between the two host systems in terms of nanoparticle production kinetics, yield and quality. The much slower growth rate of hairy roots compared with yeast is a disadvantage for commercial scaled-up production. Nanoparticle extraction from the biomass was less effective for the roots: 19% of the Cd present in the hairy roots was recovered after extraction compared with 34% for the yeast. The overall yield of CdS quantum dots was also lower for the roots: relative to the amount of Cd taken up into the biomass, 8.5% was recovered in yeast gel filtration fractions exhibiting quantum dot properties whereas the result for hairy roots was only 0.99%. Yeast-produced CdS crystallites were somewhat smaller with diameters of approximately 2-6 nm compared with those of 4-10nm obtained from the roots. The average ratio of inorganic sulphide to Cd for the purified and size-fractionated particles was 0.44 for the yeast and 1.6 for the hairy roots. Despite the limitations associated with hairy roots in terms of culture kinetics and product yield, this system produced CdS nanoparticles with enhanced photostability and 3.7-13-fold higher fluorescence quantum efficiency compared with those generated by yeast. This work demonstrates that the choice of cellular host can have a significant effect on nanoparticle functional properties as well as on the bioprocessing aspects of biological quantum dot synthesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic properties of Er3+ and Yb3+ co-doped glass ceramics containing SrF2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiao Xvsheng; Fan Xianping; Wang Minquan; Zhang Xianghua

2009-01-01

The spectroscopic properties of Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped 50SiO 2 -10Al 2 O 3 -20ZnF 2 -20SrF 2 glass and glass ceramic containing SrF 2 nanocrystals were investigated. The formation of SrF 2 nanocrystals in the glass ceramic was confirmed by XRD. The oscillator strengths for several transitions of the Er 3+ ions in the glass ceramic have been obtained and the Judd-Ofelt parameters were then determined. The XRD result and Judd-Ofelt parameters suggested that Er 3+ and Yb 3+ ions had efficiently enriched in the SrF 2 nanocrystals in the glass ceramic. The lifetime of excited states has been used to reveal the surroundings of luminescent Er 3+ and Yb 3+ and energy transfer (ET) mechanism between Er 3+ and Yb 3+ . Much stronger upconversion luminescence and longer lifetime of the Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped glass ceramic were observed in comparison with the Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped glass, which could be ascribed to more efficient ET from Yb 3+ to Er 3+ due to the enrichment of Yb 3+ and Er 3+ and the shortening of the distance between lanthanide ions in the precipitated SrF 2 nanocrystals.

Formation of CuInSe{sub 2} films from metal sulfide and selenide precursor nanocrystals by gas-phase selenization, an in-situ XRD study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capon, B., E-mail: boris.capon@ugent.be [Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S1, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Dierick, R. [Physics and Chemistry of Nanostructures, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S3, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Hens, Z. [Physics and Chemistry of Nanostructures, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S3, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Center for Nano and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Ghent (Belgium); Detavernier, C. [Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S1, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium)

2016-08-01

In this work phase pure CuInSe{sub 2} thin flms were obtained by selenization of ternary CuInSe{sub 2} and CuInS{sub 2} nanocrystals and mixtures of binary nanocrystals such as CuS, In{sub 2}S{sub 3}, Cu{sub 2}Se and In{sub 2}Se{sub 3}. The temperature of the selenium source was kept at 400 °C during selenization. Monitoring the process using in-situ x-ray diffraction, the effect of selenization on the phase formation and grain growth in the precursor film was investigated. Whereas CuInSe{sub 2} and CuInS{sub 2} nanocrystals exhibit little grain growth, we found that mixtures of binary nanocrystals can show significant sintering depending on the reaction conditions. For the mixture of CuS and In{sub 2}S{sub 3} nanocrystals, the crystallinity and the morphology of the obtained fims strongly depends on the Cu/In ratio, with a Cu excess strongly promoting grain growth. With mixtures of Cu{sub 2}Se and In{sub 2}Se{sub 3} nanocrystals the selenium partial pressure plays a crucial role. Selenium evaporation from the mixed compounds results in CuInSe{sub 2} films composed of relatively small crystallites. Higher selenium partial pressures however resulted in improved sintering. Incomplete propagation of the selenization reaction through the layer was observed though, only leading to a well sintered CuInSe{sub 2} top layer above a fine grained bottom layer. - Highlights: • Different types of colloidal nanocrystals were used as precursors to obtain CuInSe{sub 2} films by gas-phase selenization. • In-situ XRD was used to study the effect of selenization on the phase formation and grain growth in the precursor films. • For a mixture of binary metal sulfides the crystallinity and the morphology strongly depend on the Cu/In ratio. • Higher selenium partial pressures result in improved sintering for a mixture of binary metal selenides.

Synthesis of CdS flower-like hierarchical microspheres as electrode material for electrochemical performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaviyarasu, K.; Manikandan, E.; Maaza, M.

2015-01-01

We report in this paper, a facile hydrothermal route for the preparation of CdS nanocrystals at room temperature (RT). Composition, structure and morphology of the products were analyzed and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms that the hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C for periods ranging from 0 to 1440 min caused no significant modification of the long range order structure subjected to hydrothermal treatment. From the XRD analysis the diffraction peaks pertaining to 26.75°, 43.89° and 52.34° are attributed to the (111), (220) and (311) planes of cubic zinc blende structure. The Photoluminescence (PL) spectra are dominated by a strong narrow band edge emission tunable in the blue region of the visible spectra indicating the narrow size distribution of CdS nanocrystals. TEM observation shows that the CdS nanocrystals synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis are well dispersed and the average crystallite size was found to be ∼10 nm. The confocal microscopic studies reveal that each flower like spheres is due to Ostwald's ripening with numerous nanoparticles aggregating a surface. - Highlights: • The adjacent particle coalesces together forming spherical particles. • The average crystalline size of CdS nanoparticles was found to be ∼3 nm. • In the case of spherical crystallite, is given by L = 3/4 D. • The CdS nanocrystal exhibits a direct band gap of 2.4 eV. • The microspheres are dispersed with good monodispersity

Synthesis and characterization of transition-metal-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals for spintronics

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuefeng

Spintronics (spin transport electr onics), in which both spin and charge of carriers are utilized for information processing, is believed to challenge the current microelectronics and to become the next-generation electronics. Nanostructured spintronic materials and their synthetic methodologies are of paramount importance for manufacturing future nanoscale spintronic devices. This thesis aims at studying synthesis, characterization, and magnetism of transition-metal-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals---a diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS)---for potential applications in future nano-spintronics. A simple bottom-up-based synthetic strategy named a solvothermal technique is introduced as the primary synthetic approach and its crystal growth mechanism is scrutinized. N-type cobalt-doped ZnO-based DMS nanocrystals are employed as a model system, and characterized by a broad spectrum of advanced microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. It is found that the self-orientation growth mechanism, imperfect oriented attachment, is intimately correlated with the high-temperature ferromagnetism via defects. The influence of processing on the magnetic properties, such as compositional variations, reaction conditions, and post-growth treatment, is also studied. In this way, an in-depth understanding of processing-structure-property interrelationships and origins of magnetism in DMS nanocrystals are obtained in light of the theoretical framework of a spin-split impurity band model. In addition, a nanoscale spinodal decomposition phase model is also briefly discussed. Following the similar synthetic route, copper- and manganese-doped ZnO nanocrystals have been synthesized and characterized. They both show high-temperature ferromagnetism in line with the aforementioned theoretical model(s). Moreover, they display interesting exchange biasing phenomena at low temperatures, revealing the complexity of magnetic phases therein. The crystal growth strategy demonstrated in this work

Sol-gel synthesis of Cu-doped p-CdS nanoparticles and their analysis as p-CdS/n-ZnO thin film photodiode

Science.gov (United States)

Arya, Sandeep; Sharma, Asha; Singh, Bikram; Riyas, Mohammad; Bandhoria, Pankaj; Aatif, Mohammad; Gupta, Vinay

2018-05-01

Copper (Cu) doped p-CdS nanoparticles have been synthesized via sol-gel method. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were successfully characterized and implemented for fabrication of Glass/ITO/n-ZnO/p-CdS/Al thin film photodiode. The fabricated device is tested for small (-1 V to +1 V) bias voltage. Results verified that the junction leakage current within the dark is very small. During reverse bias condition, the maximum amount of photocurrent is obtained under illumination of 100 μW/cm2. Electrical characterizations confirmed that the external quantum efficiency (EQE), gain and responsivity of n-ZnO/p-CdS photodiode show improved photo response than conventional p-type materials for such a small bias voltage. It is therefore revealed that the Cu-doped CdS nanoparticles is an efficient p-type material for fabrication of thin film photo-devices.

Improved electrochromical properties of sol-gel WO3 thin films by doping gold nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naseri, N.; Azimirad, R.; Akhavan, O.; Moshfegh, A.Z.

2010-01-01

In this investigation, the effect of gold nanocrystals on the electrochromical properties of sol-gel Au doped WO 3 thin films has been studied. The Au-WO 3 thin films were dip-coated on both glass and indium tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates with various gold concentrations of 0, 3.2 and 6.4 mol%. Optical properties of the samples were studied by UV-visible spectrophotometry in a range of 300-1100 nm. The optical density spectra of the films showed the formation of gold nanoparticles in the films. The optical bandgap energy of Au-WO 3 films decreased with increasing the Au concentration. Crystalline structure of the doped films was investigated by X-ray diffractometry, which indicated formation of gold nanocrystals in amorphous WO 3 thin films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to study the surface chemical composition of the samples. XPS analysis indicated the presence of gold in metallic state and the formation of stoichiometric WO 3 . The electrochromic properties of the Au-WO 3 samples were also characterized using lithium-based electrolyte. It was found that doping of Au nanocrystals in WO 3 thin films improved the coloration time of the layer. In addition, it was shown that variation of Au concentration led to color change in the colored state of the Au-WO 3 thin films.

Room temperature ferromagnetism in Fe-doped CuO nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Layek, Samar; Verma, H C

2013-03-01

The pure and Fe-doped CuO nanoparticles of the series Cu(1-x)Fe(x)O (x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08) were successfully prepared by a simple low temperature sol-gel method using metal nitrates and citric acid. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data showed that all the samples were single phase crystallized in monoclinic structure of space group C2/c with average crystallite size of about 25 nm and unit cell volume decreases with increasing iron doping concentration. TEM micrograph showed nearly spherical shaped agglomerated particles of 4% Fe-doped CuO with average diameter 26 nm. Pure CuO showed weak ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature with coercive field of 67 Oe. The ferromagnetic properties were greatly enhanced with Fe-doping in the CuO matrix. All the doped samples showed ferromagnetism at room temperature with a noticeable coercive field. Saturation magnetization increases with increasing Fe-doping, becomes highest for 4% doping then decreases for further doping which confirms that the ferromagnetism in these nanoparticles are intrinsic and are not resulting from any impurity phases. The ZFC and FC branches of the temperature dependent magnetization (measured in the range of 10-350 K by SQUID magnetometer) look like typical ferromagnetic nanoparticles and indicates that the ferromagnetic Curie temperature is above 350 K.

Local Electrical Response in Alkaline-Doped Electrodeposited CuInSe2/Cu Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier A. Barón-Miranda

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The local electrical response in alkaline-doped CuInSe2 films prepared by single-step electrodeposition onto Cu substrates was studied by current-sensing atomic force microscopy. The CuInSe2 (CIS films were prepared from single baths containing the dopant ions (Li, Na, K or Cs and were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and photocurrent response. Increased crystallinity and surface texturing as the ion size increased were observed, as well as an enhanced photocurrent response in Cs-doped CIS. Li- and Na-doped films had larger conductivity than the undoped film while the K- and Cs-doped samples displayed shorter currents and the current images indicated strong charge accumulation in the K- and Cs-doped films, forming surface capacitors. Corrected current-sensing AFM IV curves were adjusted with the Shockley equation.

Doping in silicon nanocrystals: An ab initio study of the structural, electronic and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iori, Federico; Degoli, Elena; Luppi, Eleonora; Magri, Rita; Marri, Ivan; Cantele, G.; Ninno, D.; Trani, F.; Ossicini, Stefano

2006-01-01

There are experimental evidences that doping control at the nanoscale can significantly modify the optical properties with respect to the pure systems. This is the case of silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc), for which it has been shown that the photoluminescence (PL) peak can be tuned also below the bulk Si band gap by properly controlling the impurities, for example by boron (B) and phosphorus (P) codoping. In this work, we report on an ab initio study of impurity states in Si-nc. We consider B and P substitutional impurities for Si-nc with a diameter up to 2.2 nm. Formation energies (FEs), electronic, optical and structural properties have been determined as a function of the cluster dimension. For both B-doped and P-doped Si-nc the FE increases on decreasing the dimension, showing that the substitutional doping gets progressively more difficult for the smaller nanocrystals. Moreover, subsurface impurity positions result to be the most stable ones. The codoping reduces the FE strongly favoring this process with respect to the simple n-doping or p-doping. Such an effect can be attributed to charge compensation between the donor and the acceptor atoms. Moreover, smaller structural deformations, with respect to n-doped and p-doped cases, localized only around the impurity sites are observed. The band gap and the optical threshold are largely reduced with respect to the undoped Si-nc showing the possibility of an impurity-based engineering of the Si-nc PL properties

Selective enhancement of surface-state emission and simultaneous quenching of interband transition in white-luminophor CdS nanocrystals using localized plasmon coupling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozel, Tuncay; Soganci, Ibrahim Murat; Nizamoglu, Sedat; Huyal, Ilkem Ozge; Mutlugun, Evren; Demir, Hilmi Volkan [Department of Physics, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Nanotechnology Research Center and Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Sapra, Sameer; Gaponik, Nikolai; Eychmueller, Alexander [Physical Chemistry/Electrochemistry Group, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Bergstr. 66b, Dresden 01062 (Germany)], E-mail: volkan@bilkent.edu.tr

2008-08-15

We propose and demonstrate the controlled modification and selective enhancement of surface-state emission in white-luminophor CdS nanocrystals (NCs) by plasmon-coupling them with proximal metal nanostructures. By carefully designing nano-Ag films to match their localized plasmon resonance spectrally with the surface-state emission peak of CdS NCs, we experimentally show that the surface-state emission is substantially enhanced in the visible wavelength, while the interband (band-edge) transition at the shorter wavelength far away from the plasmon resonance is simultaneously significantly suppressed. With such plasmon tuning and consequent strong plasmon coupling specifically for the surface-state transitions, the surface-state emission is made stronger than the band-edge emission. This corresponds to an enhancement factor of 12.7-fold in the ratio of the surface-state peak emission to the band-edge peak emission of the plasmon-coupled film sample compared with that in solution. Such a plasmonic engineering of surface-state emission in trap-rich CdS white nanoluminophors holds great promise for future solid-state lighting.

Selective enhancement of surface-state emission and simultaneous quenching of interband transition in white-luminophor CdS nanocrystals using localized plasmon coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozel, Tuncay; Soganci, Ibrahim Murat; Nizamoglu, Sedat; Huyal, Ilkem Ozge; Mutlugun, Evren; Demir, Hilmi Volkan; Sapra, Sameer; Gaponik, Nikolai; Eychmueller, Alexander

2008-01-01

We propose and demonstrate the controlled modification and selective enhancement of surface-state emission in white-luminophor CdS nanocrystals (NCs) by plasmon-coupling them with proximal metal nanostructures. By carefully designing nano-Ag films to match their localized plasmon resonance spectrally with the surface-state emission peak of CdS NCs, we experimentally show that the surface-state emission is substantially enhanced in the visible wavelength, while the interband (band-edge) transition at the shorter wavelength far away from the plasmon resonance is simultaneously significantly suppressed. With such plasmon tuning and consequent strong plasmon coupling specifically for the surface-state transitions, the surface-state emission is made stronger than the band-edge emission. This corresponds to an enhancement factor of 12.7-fold in the ratio of the surface-state peak emission to the band-edge peak emission of the plasmon-coupled film sample compared with that in solution. Such a plasmonic engineering of surface-state emission in trap-rich CdS white nanoluminophors holds great promise for future solid-state lighting

High efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin film solar cells without intermediate buffer layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramanathan, K.; Wiesner, H.; Asher, S.; Niles, D.; Bhattacharya, R.N.; Keane, J.; Contreras, M.A.; Noufi, R. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States). Electronic Materials and Devices Div.

1998-09-01

The nature of the interface between CuInGaSe{sub 2} (CIGS) and the chemical bath deposited CdS layer has been investigated. The authors show that heat-treating the absorbers in Cd- or Zn-containing solutions in the presence of ammonium hydroxide sets up an interfacial reaction with the possibility of an ion exchange occurring between Cd and Cu. The characteristics of devices made in this manner suggest that the reaction generates a thin, n-doped region in the absorber. The authors suggest that this aspect might be more important than the CdS layer in the formation of the junction. It is quite possible that the CdS/CuInSe{sub 2} device is a buried, shallow junction with a CdS window layer, rather than a heterojunction between CdS and CIGS. The authors use these ideas to develop methods for fabricating diodes without CdS or Cd.

Selective Facet Reactivity During Cation Exchange in Cadmium Sulfide Nanorods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadtler, Bryce; Demchenko, Denis; Zheng, Haimei; Hughes, Steven; Merkle, Maxwell; Dahmen, Ulrich; Wang, Lin-Wang; Alivisatos, A. Paul

2008-12-18

The partial transformation of ionic nanocrystals through cation exchange has been used to synthesize nanocrystal heterostructures. We demonstrate that the selectivity for cation exchange to take place at different facets of the nanocrystal plays an important role in determining the resulting morphology of the binary heterostructure. In the case of copper I (Cu+) cation exchange in cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanorods, the reaction starts preferentially at the ends of the nanorods such that copper sulfide (Cu2S) grows inwards from either end. The resulting morphology is very different from the striped pattern obtained in our previous studies of silver I (Ag+) exchange in CdS nanorods where non-selective nucleation of silver sulfide (Ag2S) occurs. From interface formation energies calculated for several models of epitaxialconnections between CdS and Cu2S or Ag2S, we infer the relative stability of each interface during the nucleation and growth of Cu2S or Ag2S within the CdS nanorods. The epitaxial connections of Cu2S to the end facets of CdS nanorods minimize the formation energy, making these interfaces stable throughout the exchange reaction. However, as the two end facets of wurtzite CdS nanorods are crystallographically nonequivalent, asymmetric heterostructures can be produced.

Room temperature ferromagnetism in Cu doped ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Nasir; Singh, Budhi; Khan, Zaheer Ahmed; Ghosh, Subhasis

2018-05-01

We report the room temperature ferromagnetism in 2% Cu doped ZnO films grown by RF magnetron sputtering in different argon and oxygen partial pressure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to ascertain the oxidation states of Cu in ZnO. The presence of defects within Cu-doped ZnO films can be revealed by electron paramagnetic resonance. It has been observed that saturated magnetic moment increase as we increase the zinc vacancies during deposition.

Mn-doped CdS quantum dots sensitized hierarchical TiO2 flower-rod for solar cell application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Libo; Li, Zhen; Liu, Yingbo; Cheng, Fa; Sun, Shuqing

2014-01-01

A double-layered TiO 2 film which three dimensional (3D) flowers grown on highly ordered self-assembled one dimensional (1D) TiO 2 nanorods was synthesized directly on transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) conducting glass substrate by a facile hydrothermal method and was applied as photoanode in Mn-doped CdS quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The 3D TiO 2 flowers with the increased surface areas can adsorb more QDs, which increased the absorption of light; meanwhile 1D TiO 2 nanorods beneath the flowers offered a direct electrical pathway for photogenerated electrons, accelerating the electron transfer rate. A typical type II band alignment which can effectively separate photogenerated excitons and reduce recombination of electrons and holes was constructed by Mn-doped CdS QDs and TiO 2 flower-rod. The incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of the Mn-doped CdS/TiO 2 flower-rod solar cell reached to 40% with the polysulfide electrolyte filled in the solar cell. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.09% was obtained with the Mn-doped CdS/TiO 2 flower-rod solar cell under one sun illumination (AM 1.5G, 100 mW/cm 2 ), which is 105.7% higher than that of the CdS/TiO 2 nanorod solar cell (0.53%).

Synthesis and characterization of rare-earth-doped calcium tungstate nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Suneeta, P.; Rajesh, Ch.; Ramana, M. V.

2018-02-01

In this paper, we report synthesis and characterization of rare-earth-ion-doped calcium tungstate (CaWO4) nanocrystals (NCs). Rare-earth ions, such as gadolinium (Gd), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), samarium (Sm) and holmium (Ho), were successfully doped in the CaWO4 NCs by changing the synthesis conditions. The adopted synthesis route was found to be fast and eco-friendly. Structural characterizations, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and compositional analysis, were performed using energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) on as-synthesized NCs. The results indicate the size of the NCs ranging between 47 to 68nm and incorporation of rare-earth ions in CaWO4 NCs.

First-principles study of Cu adsorption on vacancy-defected/Au-doped graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yang; An, Libao; Gong, Liang

2018-04-01

To enhance the interaction between Cu and graphene in graphene reinforced Cu matrix composites, the first principles calculation was carried out to study the adsorption of Cu atoms on graphene. P-type doping and n-type doping were formed, respectively, on vacancy-defected and Au-doped graphene based on band structure analysis, and this was verified by subsequent investigation on density of states. A computation on charge transfer confirmed that p-type doping could promote the electron transport between Cu and graphene, while n-type doping would prevent it. In addition, adsorption energy and Mulliken population analysis revealed that both vacancy defects and Au doping could improve the stability of the Cu-graphene system. The research conducted in this paper provides useful guidance for the preparation of Cu/graphene composites.

Investigation of Cu-poor and Cu-rich Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}/CdS interfaces using hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ümsür, B., E-mail: buenyamin.uemsuer@helmholtz-berlin.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum-Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, D-14109 Berlin (Germany); Calvet, W.; Höpfner, B.; Steigert, A.; Lauermann, I.; Gorgoi, M.; Prietzel, K.; Navirian, H.A.; Kaufmann, C.A.; Unold, T. [Helmholtz-Zentrum-Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, D-14109 Berlin (Germany); Lux-Steiner, M. Ch. [Helmholtz-Zentrum-Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, D-14109 Berlin (Germany); Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin (Germany)

2015-05-01

Cu-poor and Cu-rich Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGSe) absorbers were used as substrates for the chemical bath deposition of ultrathin CdS buffer layers in the thickness range of a few nanometers in order to make the CIGSe/CdS interface accessible by hard X-ray photo-emission spectroscopy. The composition of both, the absorber and the buffer layer as well as the energetics of the interface was investigated at room temperature and after heating the samples to elevated temperatures (200 °C, 300 °C and 400 °C). It was found that the amount of Cd after the heating treatment depends on the near surface composition of the CIGSe absorber. No Cd was detected on the Cu-poor surface after the 400 °C treatment due to its diffusion into the CIGSe layer. In contrast, Cd was still present on the Cu-rich surface after the same treatment at 400 °C. - Highlights: • Cd diffusion into Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGSe) absorber is investigated. • Cu-poor and Cu-rich CIGSe samples are compared. • Cd diffusion into CIGSe is found to be dependent on the surface composition of CIGSe.

Ultranarrow and widely tunable Mn2+-Induced photoluminescence from single Mn-doped nanocrystals of ZnS-CdS alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazarika, Abhijit; Layek, Arunasish; De, Suman; Nag, Angshuman; Debnath, Saikat; Mahadevan, Priya; Chowdhury, Arindam; Sarma, D D

2013-06-28

Extensively studied Mn-doped semiconductor nanocrystals have invariably exhibited photoluminescence over a narrow energy window of width ≤150  meV in the orange-red region and a surprisingly large spectral width (≥180  meV), contrary to its presumed atomic-like origin. Carrying out emission measurements on individual single nanocrystals and supported by ab initio calculations, we show that Mn PL emission, in fact, can (i) vary over a much wider range (∼370  meV) covering the deep green--deep red region and (ii) exhibit widths substantially lower (∼60-75  meV) than reported so far, opening newer application possibilities and requiring a fundamental shift in our perception of the emission from Mn-doped semiconductor nanocrystals.

A facile arrested precipitation method for synthesis of pure wurtzite Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals using thiourea as a sulfur source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chunya; Ha, Enna; Wong, Wing-Leung; Li, Cuiling; Ho, Kam-Piu; Wong, Kwok-Yin

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: High-resolution TEM image of wurtzite Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 nanocrystals. Highlights: ► Wurtzite Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 nanocrystals were synthesized by arrested precipitation method. ► XRD, EDX, TEM demonstrate that the CZTS nanocrystals are purely wurtzite structure. ► The average diameter of the bulk CZTS products is found to be 10 ± 1.1 nm. ► The estimated direct bandgap energy is 1.56 eV for wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals. ► The electrical resistivity of the wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals is low. -- Abstract: A facile route for the synthesis of wurtzite Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) nanocrystals was developed by an arrested precipitation method at 240 °C under simple reaction conditions with diethanolamine as the solvent and thiourea as sulfur source. The structure and morphology of the CZTS nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Control experiments demonstrated that CZTS nanocrystals which are purely wurtzite structure are readily obtained. The average diameter of the bulk CZTS products is found to be 10 ± 1.1 nm. The estimated direct bandgap energy is 1.56 eV, which indicates that the CZTS nanocrystals produced by this method possess promising applications in photovoltaic devices.

Visible light induced electron transfer process over nitrogen doped TiO2 nanocrystals prepared by oxidation of titanium nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Zhongbiao; Dong Fan; Zhao Weirong; Guo Sen

2008-01-01

Nitrogen doped TiO 2 nanocrystals with anatase and rutile mixed phases were prepared by incomplete oxidation of titanium nitride at different temperatures. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), core level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (CL XPS), valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VB XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS), and visible light excited photoluminescence (PL). The photocatalytic activity was evaluated for photocatalytic degradation of toluene in gas phase under visible light irradiation. The visible light absorption and photoactivities of these nitrogen doped TiO 2 nanocrystals can be clearly attributed to the change of the additional electronic (N - ) states above the valence band of TiO 2 modified by N dopant as revealed by the VB XPS and visible light induced PL. A band gap structure model was established to explain the electron transfer process over nitrogen doped TiO 2 nanocrystals under visible light irradiation, which was consistent with the previous theoretical and experimental results. This model can also be applied to understand visible light induced photocatalysis over other nonmetal doped TiO 2

Synthesis of Copper-Antimony-Sulfide Nanocrystals for Solution-Processed Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Suehiro, Satoshi; Horita, Keisuke; Yuasa, Masayoshi; Tanaka, Tooru; Fujita, Katsuhiko; Ishiwata, Yoichi; Shimanoe, Kengo; Kida, Tetsuya

2015-08-17

The p-type nanocrystals (NCs) of copper-based chalcogenides, such as CuInSe2 and Cu2ZnSnS4, have attracted increasing attention in photovoltaic applications due to their potential to produce cheap solution-processed solar cells. Herein, we report the synthesis of copper-antimony-sulfide (CAS) NCs with different crystal phases including CuSbS2, Cu3SbS4, and Cu12Sb4S13. In addition, their morphology, crystal phase, and optical properties were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, UV-vis-near-IR spectroscopy, and photoemission yield spectroscopy. The morphology, crystal phase, and electronic structure were significantly dependent on the chemical composition in the CAS system. Devices were fabricated using particulate films consisting of CAS NCs prepared by spin coating without a high-temperature treatment. The CAS NC-based devices exhibited a diode-like current-voltage characteristic when coupled with an n-type CdS layer. In particular, the CuSbS2 NC devices exhibited photovoltaic responses under simulated sunlight, demonstrating its applicability for use in solution-processed solar cells.

Investigation into CdS nanocrystal growth regularities in silicate glass and in the thin films SiO{sub 2} at the initial stages of solid solution phase decomposi8tion; Issledovanie zakonomernostej rosta nanokristalov CdS v silikatnom stekle i v tonkikh plenkakh SiO{sub 2} na nachal`nykh stadiyakh fazovogo raspada tverdogo rastvora

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gurevich, S A; Ekimov, A I; Kudryavtsev, I A [AN SSSR, Leningrad (Russian Federation). Fiziko-Tekhnicheskij Inst.

1994-05-01

Regularities of CdS semiconductor hanocrystal growth in amorphous media (silicate glasses and SiO{sub 2} thin films) are investigated. Dependences of crystal mean dimension on the annealing time show that in accordance with the theory of phase decomposition the crystal growth has the successive stages of nuclei formation and diffusion growth. By means of the nuclei mean radius dependences on the annealing temperature are determined the temperatures of CdS solubility in the matrix material. Effect of the annealing atmosphere composition on the growth and optical properties of CdS nanocrystals is shown.

Excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production over CdS nanorods via using noble metal-free copper molybdenum sulfide (Cu2MoS4) nanosheets as co-catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Sangyeob; Kumar, D. Praveen; Reddy, D. Amaranatha; Choi, Jiha; Kim, Tae Kyu

2017-02-01

Charge carrier recombination and durability issues are major problems in photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) evolution processes. Thus, there is a very important necessitate to extend an efficient photocatalyst to control charge-carrier dynamics in the photocatalytic system. We have developed copper molybdenum sulfide (Cu2MoS4) nanosheets as co-catalysts with CdS nanorods for controlling charge carriers without recombination for use in photocatalytic H2 evolution under simulated solar light irradiation. Effective control and utilization of charge carriers are possible by loading Cu2MoS4 nanosheets onto the CdS nanorods. The loading compensates for the restrictions of CdS, and stimulated synergistic effects, such as efficient photoexcited charge separation, lead to an improvement in photostability because of the layered structure of the Cu2MoS4nanosheets. These layered Cu2MoS4 nanosheets have emerged as novel and active replacements for precious noble metal co-catalysts in photocatalytic H2 production by water splitting. We have obtained superior H2 production rates by using Cu2MoS4 loaded CdS nanorods. The physicochemical properties of the composites are analyzed by diverse characterization techniques.

Optical Amplification at 1525 nm in BaYF5: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+ Nanocrystals Doped SU-8 Polymer Waveguide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pengcheng Zhao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrated optical amplification in BaYF5: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+ (BYF nanocrystals doped polymer waveguide. BYF nanocrystals with an average size of ∼13 nm were synthesized by a high-boiling solvent process. Intense 1.53 μm fluorescence was obtained in the nanocrystals under excitation at 980 nm. An optical polymer waveguide was fabricated by using BYF nanocrystals doped SU-8 polymer as the core material. A relative optical gain of ∼10.4 dB at 1525 nm was achieved in a 1.1 cm long waveguide for an input signal power of ∼0.09 mW and a pump power of ∼212 mW.

Optical and structural properties of Cu-doped β-Ga2O3 films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yijun; Yan Jinliang; Li Qingshan; Qu Chong; Zhang Liying; Xie Wanfeng

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Highlights: → We prepare polycrystalline Cu-doped β-Ga2O3 films. → Cu dopants cause poor crystal quality and shrinkage of the optical band gap. → Cu-doping enhances the UV and blue emission. → A new blue emission peak centre at 475 nm appears by Cu-doping. → Cu dopants decrease the optical transmittance. - Abstract: The intrinsic and Cu-doped β-Ga 2 O 3 films were grown on Si and quartz substrates by RF magnetron sputtering in an argon and oxygen mixture ambient. The effects of the Cu doping and the post thermal annealing on the optical and structural properties of the β-Ga 2 O 3 films were studied. The surface morphology, microstructure, optical transmittance, optical absorption, optical energy gap and photoluminescence of the β-Ga 2 O 3 films were significantly changed after Cu-doping. After post thermal annealing, Polycrystalline β-Ga 2 O 3 films were obtained, the transmittance decreased. After Cu-doping, the grain size decreased, the crystal quality deteriorated and the optical band gap shrunk. The UV, blue and green emission bands were observed and discussed. The UV and blue emission were enhanced and a new blue emission peak centred at 475 nm appeared by Cu-doping.

Antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility of Ag+- and Cu2+-doped biphasic hydroxyapatite/α-tricalcium phosphate obtained from hydrothermally synthesized Ag+- and Cu2+-doped hydroxyapatite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radovanović, Željko; Jokić, Bojan; Veljović, Djordje; Dimitrijević, Suzana; Kojić, Vesna; Petrović, Rada; Janaćković, Djordje

2014-01-01

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) powders doped with Ag + or Cu 2+ were synthesized by a hydrothermal method in order to obtain biomaterial with an antimicrobial effect. The synthesis was performed with two contents of dopant (Ag + or Cu 2+ ) by considering both the antimicrobial activities and biocompatibility of the powders. The doped HAp was annealed at 1200 °C for 2 h with the intention of investigating the influence of doping with Ag + and Cu 2+ on the creation of the biphasic HAp/α-tricalcium phosphate (HAp/α-TCP) and determining the antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility of the obtained biphasic powders. Analyses of all powders, undoped and doped HAp and HAp/α-TCP, were performed by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The in vitro antibacterial activities of the powders were evaluated against: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. All powders showed good antimicrobial activity but generally the powders of doped HAp/α-TCP had more uniform results against all pathogenic microorganisms than the powders of doped HAp. In vitro biocompatibility tests, MTT and DET, were used to evaluate the biocompatibility of Ag + - and Cu 2+ -doped HAp/α-TCP with MRC-5 human fibroblast cells. These tests confirmed that powders do not have a cytotoxic effect. The HAp/α-TCP powders doped with the lower content of Ag + and Cu 2+ showed especially good biocompatibility. Antimicrobial and biocompatibility tests recommend the Ag + - and Cu 2+ -doped HAp/α-TCP as promising material for use in reconstructive surgery of bone.

Enhanced photoluminescence of Si nanocrystals-doped cellulose nanofibers by plasmonic light scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugimoto, Hiroshi [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Zhang, Ran [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, 15 Saint Mary' s Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446 (United States); Reinhard, Björn M. [Department of Chemistry and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Fujii, Minoru [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Perotto, Giovanni; Marelli, Benedetto; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G. [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Physics, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155 (United States); Dal Negro, Luca, E-mail: dalnegro@bu.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, 15 Saint Mary' s Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446 (United States)

2015-07-27

We report the development of bio-compatible cellulose nanofibers doped with light emitting silicon nanocrystals and Au nanoparticles via facile electrospinning. By performing photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy as a function of excitation wavelength, we demonstrate plasmon-enhanced PL by a factor of 2.2 with negligible non-radiative quenching due to plasmon-enhanced scattering of excitation light from Au nanoparticles to silicon nanocrystals inside the nanofibers. These findings provide an alternative approach for the development of plasmon-enhanced active systems integrated within the compact nanofiber geometry. Furthermore, bio-compatible light-emitting nanofibers prepared by a cost-effective solution-based processing are very promising platforms for biophotonic applications such as fluorescence sensing and imaging.

Efficient sensitization of Ln{sup 3+}-doped NaYF{sub 4} nanocrystals with organic ligands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gauthier, N. [INAC, CEA, Laboratoire de Reconnaissance Ionique et Chimie de Coordination, Service de Chimie Inorganique et Biologique (UMR E-3 CEA/UJF) (France); Raccurt, O. [CEA, Laboratoire de Chimie et de Securite des NanoMateriaux (DTNM/LITEN/DRT) (France); Imbert, D., E-mail: daniel.imbert@cea.fr; Mazzanti, M. [INAC, CEA, Laboratoire de Reconnaissance Ionique et Chimie de Coordination, Service de Chimie Inorganique et Biologique (UMR E-3 CEA/UJF) (France)

2013-06-15

Ligand-capped lanthanide-doped fluoride nanocrystals have been prepared and fully characterized. Organic ligands can be used to promote efficient sensitization of lanthanide luminescence in the fluoride matrix up to a 330-fold enhancement in intensity, and to provide sizeable quantum yields of luminescence. The variation of luminescence efficiency in the capped nanocrystal series can be straightforwardly correlated to the energy of the measured ligand triplet states. The intense luminescence emission of most of the systems renders them very attractive for optical applications.

Eu-doped ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded low-loss glass-ceramic waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Subhabrata; N, Shivakiran Bhaktha B.

2016-03-01

We report on the sol-gel fabrication, using a dip-coating technique, of low-loss Eu-doped 70SiO2 -(30-x) HfO2-xZnO (x = 2, 5, 7 and 10 mol%) ternary glass-ceramic planar waveguides. Transmission electron microscopy and grazing incident x-ray diffraction experiments confirm the controlled growth of hybrid nanocrystals with an average size of 3 nm-25 nm, composed of ZnO encapsulated by a thin layer of nanocrystalline HfO2, with an increase of ZnO concentration from x = 2 mol% to 10 mol% in the SiO2-HfO2 composite matrix. The effect of crystallization on the local environment of Eu ions, doped in the ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded glass-ceramic matrix, is studied using photoluminescence spectra, wherein an intense mixed-valence state (divalent as well as trivalent) emission of Eu ions is observed. The existence of Eu2+ and Eu3+ in the SiO2-HfO2-ZnO ternary matrix is confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Importantly, the Eu{}2+,3+-doped ternary waveguides exhibit low propagation losses (0.3 ± 0.2 dB cm-1 at 632.8 nm) and optical transparency in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which makes ZnO-HfO2 nanocrystal-embedded SiO2-HfO2-ZnO waveguides a viable candidate for the development of on-chip, active, integrated optical devices.

Photoluminescence properties of Co-doped ZnO nanocrystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lommens, P.; Smet, P.F.; De Mello Donega, C.

2006-01-01

We performed photoluminescence experiments on colloidal, Co -doped ZnO nanocrystals in order to study the electronic properties of Co in a ZnO host. Room temperature measurements showed, next to the ZnO exciton and trap emission, an additional emission related to the Co dopant. The spectral...... position and width of this emission does not depend on particle size or Co concentration. At 8 K, a series of ZnO bulk phonon replicas appear on the Co-emission band. We conclude that Co ions are strongly localized in the ZnO host, making the formation of a Co d-band unlikely. Magnetic measurements...

Room-temperature ferromagnetic properties of Cu-doped ZnO rod ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We have investigated properties of the Cu-doped ZnO crystalline film synthesized by the hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction and X-ray ... DMSs are semiconducting alloys whose lattice is made up in part of substitutional magnetic ... investigate Cu-doped ZnO system (Hou et al 2007a, b), as. Cu is a potential magnetic ion ...

Effect of CuPc layer insertion on the memory performance of CdS nanocomposite diodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tripathi, S.K., E-mail: surya@pu.ac.in; Kaur, Ramneek; Jyoti

2016-09-15

Highlights: • CdS nanocomposite as an active layer investigated for memory device application. • Effect of copper phthalocyanine layer insertion on the memory performance studied. • Bipolar switching behaviour with high ON/OFF ratio ∼1.4 × 10{sup 4}. • Series resistance and interface states dominate the electrical properties of the device. - Abstract: In the present work, semiconductor diodes with CdS nanocomposite as an active layer have been fabricated and investigated for memory device applications. The effect of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) layer insertion between the bottom electrode and CdS nanocomposite has been studied. I–V characteristics show electrical hysteresis behaviour vital for memory storage application. The as-fabricated devices exhibit bipolar switching behaviour with OFF to ON state transition at positive bias and vice versa. Device with CuPc layer exhibits I{sub ON}/I{sub OFF} ratio ∼ 1.4 × 10{sup 4}. Possible conduction mechanism has been described on the basis of theoretical current conduction models. The frequency dispersion capacitance, series resistance and conductance of the devices have been studied and discussed. At low frequency, the series resistance and the interface states dominate the electrical properties of the device. The results indicate that the multilayered devices open up the possibility of new generation non-volatile memory devices with low cost, high density and stability.

Defect controlled room temperature ferromagnetism in Co-doped barium titanate nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, Sugata; Kolen'ko, Yury V; Watanabe, Tomoaki; Yoshimura, Masahiro; Itoh, Mitsuru; Kovnir, Kirill A; Lebedev, Oleg I; Turner, Stuart; Erni, Rolf; Tendeloo, Gustaaf Van; Chakraborty, Tanushree

2012-01-01

Defect mediated high temperature ferromagnetism in oxide nanocrystallites is the central feature of this work. Here, we report the development of room temperature ferromagnetism in nanosized Co-doped barium titanate particles with a size of around 14 nm, synthesized by a solvothermal drying method. A combination of x-ray diffraction with state-of-the-art electron microscopy techniques confirms the intrinsic doping of Co into BaTiO 3 . The development of the room temperature ferromagnetism was tracked down to the different donor defects, namely hydroxyl groups at the oxygen site and oxygen vacancies and their relative concentrations at the surface and the core of the nanocrystal, which could be controlled by post-synthesis drying and thermal treatments.

Excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production over CdS nanorods via using noble metal-free copper molybdenum sulfide (Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4}) nanosheets as co-catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Sangyeob; Kumar, D. Praveen; Reddy, D. Amaranatha; Choi, Jiha; Kim, Tae Kyu, E-mail: tkkim@pusan.ac.kr

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Developed Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4} nanosheets as co-catalysts. • Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4} as active replacements for precious noble metal. • Controlled charge recombination for use in photocatalytic H{sub 2} evolution. • Obtained superior rate of H{sub 2} production by using Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4} loaded CdS nanorods. - Abstract: Charge carrier recombination and durability issues are major problems in photocatalytic hydrogen (H{sub 2}) evolution processes. Thus, there is a very important necessitate to extend an efficient photocatalyst to control charge-carrier dynamics in the photocatalytic system. We have developed copper molybdenum sulfide (Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4}) nanosheets as co-catalysts with CdS nanorods for controlling charge carriers without recombination for use in photocatalytic H{sub 2} evolution under simulated solar light irradiation. Effective control and utilization of charge carriers are possible by loading Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4} nanosheets onto the CdS nanorods. The loading compensates for the restrictions of CdS, and stimulated synergistic effects, such as efficient photoexcited charge separation, lead to an improvement in photostability because of the layered structure of the Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4}nanosheets. These layered Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4} nanosheets have emerged as novel and active replacements for precious noble metal co-catalysts in photocatalytic H{sub 2} production by water splitting. We have obtained superior H{sub 2} production rates by using Cu{sub 2}MoS{sub 4} loaded CdS nanorods. The physicochemical properties of the composites are analyzed by diverse characterization techniques.

Self-Assembled Formation of Well-Aligned Cu-Te Nano-Rods on Heavily Cu-Doped ZnTe Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jing; Cheng, Man Kit; Lai, Ying Hoi; Wei, Guanglu; Yang, Sean Derman; Wang, Gan; Ho, Sut Kam; Tam, Kam Weng; Sou, Iam Keong

2016-11-01

Cu doping of ZnTe, which is an important semiconductor for various optoelectronic applications, has been successfully achieved previously by several techniques. However, besides its electrical transport characteristics, other physical and chemical properties of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe have not been reported. We found an interesting self-assembled formation of crystalline well-aligned Cu-Te nano-rods near the surface of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films grown via the molecular beam epitaxy technique. A phenomenological growth model is presented based on the observed crystallographic morphology and measured chemical composition of the nano-rods using various imaging and chemical analysis techniques. When substitutional doping reaches its limit, the extra Cu atoms favor an up-migration toward the surface, leading to a one-dimensional surface modulation and formation of Cu-Te nano-rods, which explain unusual observations on the reflection high energy electron diffraction patterns and apparent resistivity of these thin films. This study provides an insight into some unexpected chemical reactions involved in the heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films, which may be applied to other material systems that contain a dopant having strong reactivity with the host matrix.

Preparation of CdS nanoparticels with spin-coating assisted successive ionic layer reaction and their photoelectrochemical properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bao SUN

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In order to settle the problems in the traditional SILAR method for CdS deposition, such as smaller particles and being difficult to enhance the sensitive layers, an improved spin-coating assisted successive ionic layer reaction method (S-SILR substituted for the traditional SILAR method is used to deposit the CdS nanocrystals. The comparison between the improved and traditional methods is studied after depositing the CdS nanocrystals onto the ZnO nanorod arrays with the two approaches. Different analysis methods, SEM, XRD, UV-vis and the transit photocurrent measurement are conducted to characterize the morphologies and structures of the samples, as well as investigating the light absorption properties, and the photoelectric conversion performance of the electrodes. The results indicate that the CdS nanocrystals photosensitive layers could be totally coated onto the ZnO nanorod arrays more easily by the improved S-SILR method; the light absorption properties and the photoelectric conversion performance of the electrodes prepared by the improved S-SILR method are more excellent compared with those electrodes prepared by the traditional SILAR method. The improvement of the CdS deposition method has certain guiding significance in enhancing the operability of the preparation technology and the photovoltaic performance of the solar cells.

Ferromagnetism in Fe-doped ZnO Nanocrystals: Experimental and Theoretical investigations

OpenAIRE

Karmakar, Debjani; Mandal, S. K.; Kadam, R. M.; Paulose, P. L.; Rajarajan, A. K.; Nath, T. K.; Das, A. K.; Dasgupta, I.; Das, G. P.

2007-01-01

Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals are successfully synthesized and structurally characterized by using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Magnetization measurements on the same system reveal a ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition temperature > 450 K with a low-temperature transition from ferromagnetic to spin-glass state due to canting of the disordered surface spins in the nanoparticle system. Local magnetic probes like EPR and Mossbauer indicate the presence of Fe in both v...

Self-organized antireflection CuIn(S,Se)_2 nano-protrusions on flexible substrates by ion erosion based on CuInS_2 nanocrystal precursor inks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yen, Yu-Ting; Wang, Yi-Chung; Chen, Chia-Wei; Tsai, Hung-Wei; Chen, Yu-Ze; Hu, Fan; Chueh, Yu-Lun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • CuIn(S,Se)_2 nano-protrusions were demonstrated on 36-cm"2 flexible substrates. • Nano-protrusions were created by ion erosion on selenized CuInS_2 nanocrystal precursor inks. • Tilt orientations and remarkable anti-reflectance characteristics of nano-protrusions can be precisely controlled. - Abstract: In this work, an approach to achieve surface nano-protrusions on a chalcopyrite CuIn(S,Se)_2 thin film was demonstrated. Home-made CuInS_2 nanocrystals with average diameter of 20 nm were prepared and characterized. By applying ion erosion process on the CuIn(S,Se)_2 film, large-area self-aligned nano-protrusions can be formed. Interestingly, the process can be applied on flexible substrate where the CuIn(S,Se)_2 film remains intact with no visible cracking after several bending tests. In addition, reflectance spectra reveal the extraordinary anti-reflectance characteristics of nano-protrusions on the CuIn(S,Se)_2 film with the incident light from 350 to 2000 nm. A 36-cm"2 CuIn(S,Se)_2 film with nano-protrusions on flexible molybdenum foil substrate has been demonstrated, which demonstrated the feasibility of developing low cost with a high optical absorption CuIn(S,Se)_2 flexible thin film.

Effect of indium doping level on certain physical properties of CdS films deposited using an improved SILAR technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ravichandran, K., E-mail: kkr1365@yahoo.com [P.G. and Research Department of Physics, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur-613 503, Tamil Nadu (India); Senthamilselvi, V. [P.G. and Research Department of Physics, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur-613 503, Tamil Nadu (India); Department of Physics, Kunthavai Naachiyaar Government College for Women (Autonomous), Thanjavur-613 007, Tamil Nadu (India)

2013-04-01

The influence of indium (In) doping levels (0, 2, …, 8 at.%) on certain physical properties of cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films deposited using an improved successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (ISILAR) method has been studied. In this improved SILAR technique, a fresh anionic solution was introduced after a particular number of dipping cycles in order to achieve good stoichiometry. All the deposited films exhibited cubic phase with (1 1 1) plane as preferential orientation. The calculated crystallite size values are found to be decreased from 54.80 nm to 23.65 nm with the increase in In doping level. The optical study confirmed the good transparency (80%) of the film. A most compact and pinhole free smooth surface was observed for the CdS films with 8 at.% of In doping level. The perceived photoluminescence (PL) bands endorsed the lesser defect crystalline nature of the obtained CdS:In films. The chemical composition analysis (EDAX) showed the near stoichiometric nature of this ISILAR deposited CdS:In films.

Effect of indium doping level on certain physical properties of CdS films deposited using an improved SILAR technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravichandran, K.; Senthamilselvi, V.

2013-01-01

The influence of indium (In) doping levels (0, 2, …, 8 at.%) on certain physical properties of cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films deposited using an improved successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (ISILAR) method has been studied. In this improved SILAR technique, a fresh anionic solution was introduced after a particular number of dipping cycles in order to achieve good stoichiometry. All the deposited films exhibited cubic phase with (1 1 1) plane as preferential orientation. The calculated crystallite size values are found to be decreased from 54.80 nm to 23.65 nm with the increase in In doping level. The optical study confirmed the good transparency (80%) of the film. A most compact and pinhole free smooth surface was observed for the CdS films with 8 at.% of In doping level. The perceived photoluminescence (PL) bands endorsed the lesser defect crystalline nature of the obtained CdS:In films. The chemical composition analysis (EDAX) showed the near stoichiometric nature of this ISILAR deposited CdS:In films.

Phosphorus doping of Si nanocrystals: Interface defects and charge compensation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stegner, A.R.; Pereira, R.N.; Klein, K.; Wiggers, H.; Brandt, M.S.; Stutzmann, M.

2007-01-01

Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), Fourier-transform infrared absorption (FTIR) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD), we have investigated the doping of silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) and the interaction between intrinsic defects and dopants. Si-ncs were produced in a low-pressure microwave plasma reactor using silane as precursor gas. Phosphorus doping was achieved by addition of phosphine to the precursor gas. The low temperature EPR spectra of all P-doped samples display a line at g=1.998, which is the fingerprint of substitutional P in crystalline silicon for [P]>10 18 cm -3 . In addition, the characteristic hyperfine signature of P in Si is also observed for samples with nominal P doping levels below 10 19 cm -3 . Two more features are observed in our EPR spectra: a broad band located at g=2.0056, due to isotropic Si dangling bonds (Si-dbs), and an axially symmetric powder pattern (g perpendicular =2.0087,g parallel =2.0020) arising from Si-dbs at the interface between the crystalline Si core and a native oxide shell. The formation of this oxide layer and the presence of different H-termination configurations are revealed by FTIR spectroscopy. The density of Si-dbs is reduced in P-doped samples, indicating a sizable compensation of the doping by Si-dbs. This compensation effect was verified by H desorption, which enhances the density of Si-dbs, in combination with TPD and FTIR

Doping Lanthanide into Perovskite Nanocrystals: Highly Improved and Expanded Optical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Gencai; Bai, Xue; Yang, Dongwen; Chen, Xu; Jing, Pengtao; Qu, Songnan; Zhang, Lijun; Zhou, Donglei; Zhu, Jinyang; Xu, Wen; Dong, Biao; Song, Hongwei

2017-12-13

Cesium lead halide (CsPbX 3 ) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have demonstrated extremely excellent optical properties and great application potentials in various optoelectronic devices. However, because of the anion exchange, it is difficult to achieve white-light and multicolor emission for practical applications. Herein, we present the successful doping of various lanthanide ions (Ce 3+ , Sm 3+ , Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ , Dy 3+ , Er 3+ , and Yb 3+ ) into the lattices of CsPbCl 3 perovskite NCs through a modified hot-injection method. For the lanthanide ions doped perovskite NCs, high photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and stable and widely tunable multicolor emissions spanning from visible to near-infrared (NIR) regions are successfully obtained. This work indicates that the doped perovskite NCs will inherit most of the unique optical properties of lanthanide ions and deliver them to the perovskite NC host, thus endowing the family of perovskite materials with excellent optical, electric, or magnetic properties.

Synthesis and characterization of surfactant assisted Mn2+ doped ZnO nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Shanmugam

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We report the synthesis and characterization of Mn doped ZnO nanocrystals, both in the free standing and PVP capped particle forms. The nanocrystals size could be controlled by capping them with polyvinylpyrollidone and was estimated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The chemical compositions of the products were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy measurements reveal that the capping of ZnO leads to blue shift due to quantum confinement effect. The morphology of the particles was evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM. Both the Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA curves of the ZnO show no further weight loss and thermal effect at a temperature above 510 °C.

First principles calculations of point defect diffusion in CdS buffer layers: Implications for Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S){sub 2} and Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(Se,S){sub 4}-based thin-film photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Varley, J. B.; Lordi, V. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); He, X.; Rockett, A. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

2016-01-14

We investigate point defects in CdS buffer layers that may arise from intermixing with Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGSe) or Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S,Se){sub 4} (CZTSSe) absorber layers in thin-film photovoltaics (PV). Using hybrid functional calculations, we characterize the migration barriers of Cu, In, Ga, Se, Sn, Zn, Na, and K impurities and assess the activation energies necessary for their diffusion into the bulk of the buffer. We find that Cu, In, and Ga are the most mobile defects in CIGS-derived impurities, with diffusion expected to proceed into the buffer via interstitial-hopping and cadmium vacancy-assisted mechanisms at temperatures ∼400 °C. Cu is predicted to strongly favor migration paths within the basal plane of the wurtzite CdS lattice, which may facilitate defect clustering and ultimately the formation of Cu-rich interfacial phases as observed by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic elemental maps in real PV devices. Se, Zn, and Sn defects are found to exhibit much larger activation energies and are not expected to diffuse within the CdS bulk at temperatures compatible with typical PV processing temperatures. Lastly, we find that Na interstitials are expected to exhibit slightly lower activation energies than K interstitials despite having a larger migration barrier. Still, we find both alkali species are expected to diffuse via an interstitially mediated mechanism at slightly higher temperatures than enable In, Ga, and Cu diffusion in the bulk. Our results indicate that processing temperatures in excess of ∼400 °C will lead to more interfacial intermixing with CdS buffer layers in CIGSe devices, and less so for CZTSSe absorbers where only Cu is expected to significantly diffuse into the buffer.

Half-metallic ferromagnetism in Cu-doped zinc-blende ZnO from first principles study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X.F.; Zhang, J.; Xu, B.; Yao, K.L.

2012-01-01

Electronic structures and magnetism of Cu-doped zinc-blende ZnO have been investigated by the first-principle method based on density functional theory (DFT). The results show that Cu can induce stable ferromagnetic ground state. The magnetic moment of supercell including single Cu atom is 1.0 μ B . Electronic structure shows that Cu-doped zinc-blende ZnO is a p-type half-metallic ferromagnet. The half-metal property is mainly attribute to the crystal field splitting of Cu 3d orbital, and the ferromagnetism is dominated by the hole-mediated double exchange mechanism. Therefore, Cu-doped zinc-blende ZnO should be useful in semiconductor spintronics and other applications. - Highlights: → Magnetism of Cu-doped zinc-blende ZnO. → Cu-doped zinc-blende ZnO shows interesting half-metal character. → Total energies calculations reveal that Cu can induce ferromagnetic ground state. → Ferromagnetism dominated by the hole-mediated double exchange mechanism.

Unexpected strong magnetism of Cu doped single-layer MoS₂ and its origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Won Seok; Lee, J D

2014-05-21

The magnetism of the 3d transition-metal (TM) doped single-layer (1L) MoS2, where the Mo atom is partially replaced by the 3d TM atom, is investigated using the first-principles density functional calculations. In a series of 3d TM doped 1L-MoS2's, the induced spin polarizations are negligible for Sc, Ti, and Cr dopings, while the induced spin polarizations are confirmed for V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn dopings and the systems become magnetic. Especially, the Cu doped system shows unexpectedly strong magnetism although Cu is nonmagnetic in its bulk state. The driving force is found to be a strong hybridization between Cu 3d states and 3p states of neighboring S, which results in an extreme unbalanced spin-population in the spin-split impurity bands near the Fermi level. Finally, we also discuss further issues of the Cu induced magnetism of 1L-MoS2 such as investigation of additional charge states, the Cu doping at the S site instead of the Mo site, and the Cu adatom on the layer (i.e., 1L-MoS2).

Nanocrystal synthesis and thin film formation for earth abundant photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Nathaniel J.

Providing access to on-demand energy at the global scale is a grand challenge of our time. The fabrication of solar cells from nanocrystal inks comprising earth abundant elements represents a scalable and sustainable photovoltaic technology with the potential to meet the global demand for electricity. Solar cells with Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) absorber layers are of particular interest due to the high absorption coefficient of CZTSSe, its band gap in the ideal range for efficient photovoltaic power conversion, and the relative abundance of its constituent elements in the earth's crust. Despite the promise of this material system, CZTSSe solar cell efficiencies reported throughout literature have failed to exceed 12.6%, principally due to the low open-circuit voltage (VOC) achieved in these devices compared to the absorber band gap. The work presented herein primarily aims to address the low VOC problem. First, the fundamental cause for such low VOC's is investigated. Interparticle compositional inhomogeneities identified in the synthesized CZTS nanocrystals and their effect on the absorber layer formation and device performance are characterized. Real-time energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction (EDXRD) elucidates the role of these inhomogeneities in the mechanism by which a film of CZTS nanocrystals converts into a dense absorber layer comprising micron-sized CZTSSe grains upon annealing in a selenium atmosphere (selenization). Additionally, a direct correlation between the nanocrystal inhomogeneities and the VOC in completed devices is observed. Detailed characterization of CZTSSe solar cells identifies electrical potential fluctuations in the CZTSSe absorber - due to spatial composition variations not unlike those observed in the nanocrystals - as a primary V OC inhibitor. Additional causes for low VOC's in CZTSSe solar cells proposed in the literature involve recombination at the interface between the CZTSSe absorber and: (1) the n-type, CdS buffer layer, or (2) the

Shape-Controlled Synthesis of CuO Nanocrystals by a Room Temperature Solid-Phase Route%室温固相合成形貌可控的CuO纳米晶及其表征

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

王文忠; 王丽娟

2012-01-01

通过室温固相反应法成功制备出具有一维棒状和球型状的CuO纳米晶.研究结果表明,在反应过程中,表面活性剂对CuO纳米晶的形貌起着决定性的作用.当反应过程在表面活性剂聚乙二醇400液态环境中进行时,所制备的CuO为一维棒状纳米晶.纳米棒的直径为6～14 nm、长度为100～400 nm;当反应过程在表面活性剂聚氧乙烯9醚液态环境中进行时,则所制备的CuO为球形纳米粒子,纳米粒子的直径为4～11nm,平均直径为7 nm.用X射线粉末衍射和透射显微镜技术对所制备纳米晶的成分、晶相、形状和尺寸进行了表征分析.对不同形貌CuO纳米晶的形成机理作了深入的讨论,提出了CuO纳米棒的表面活性剂软模板诱导自组装生长机理.%A room temperature solid-phase route has been developed for the synthesis of CuO nanocrystals with rod- and spherical-like morphology by using surfaetant as shape controller. The results indicate that the surfactant plays a key role in controlling the shape of CuO nanocrystals. The monoclinic phase CuO rod-like nanocrystals with diameter of 6 ~ 14 nm and length of 100 - 400 nm were successfully synthesized when the surfactant polyethylene glycol 400 was used as shape controller. If the surfactant nonylphenyl ether(9)was used as shape controller, keeping the other ecperimental conditions constant, the monoclinic phase CuO spherical nanocrystals with diameter of 4 - 11 nm and an average diameter of 7 nm were fabricated. XRD and TEM techniques were used to study on composition, phase, morphology and size of the as-prepaped CuO nanocrystals. The growth mechanism of CuO nanocrystals has been discussed in detail. A surfactant soft template induced self- assemble growth mechanism was proposed for the formation of Cuo nanorods.

A GREENER SYNTHESIS OF CORE (FE, CU)-SHELL (AU, PT, PD AND AG) NANOCRYSTALS USING AQUEOUS VITAMIN C

Science.gov (United States)

A greener method to fabricate the novel core (Fe and Cu)-shell (noble metals) metal nanocrystals using aqueous ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is described. Transition metal salts such as Cu and Fe were reduced using ascorbic acid, a benign naturally available antioxidant, and then add...

Phase controlled solvothermal synthesis of Cu_2ZnSnS_4, Cu_2ZnSn(S,Se)_4 and Cu_2ZnSnSe_4 Nanocrystals: The effect of Se and S sources on phase purity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, Mou; Mathews, N.R.; Paraguay-Delgado, F.; Mathew, X.

2015-01-01

In this study, we have reported the synthesis of Cu_2ZnSnSe_4 (CZTSe), Cu_2ZnSnS_4 (CZTS) and Cu_2ZnSn(S,Se)_4 (CZTSSe) nanocrystals with tunable band gap and composition obtained by solvothermal method. The crystalline structure, composition, morphology and optical properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and diffuse reflectance (DR) spectroscopy. While the XRD patterns of CZTS and CZTSe nanoparticles prepared with elemental S/Se powder revealed the presence of phase pure nanoparticles, the CZTSSe nanoparticles obtained using a mixture of S and Se, were found to contain many secondary phases under the same synthesis protocol. Formation of impurity phases in CZTSSe sample, can be avoided by using a mixture of 1-dodecanethiol (DT; CH_3(CH_2)_1_1SH)/oleylamine (OLA) instead of S powder and following the same experimental procedure. The incorporation of S in CZTSe nanocrystals prepared in presence of DDT/OLA mixture was confirmed through structural and optical characterizations. The optical properties of the quaternary chalcogenide nanocrystals were found to vary with the chemical composition of the material. - Highlights: • Solvothermal synthesis of CZTS, CZTSSe and CZTSe nanocrystals and discussion on possible formation mechanism. • Use of dodecanethiol/oleylamine mixture to synthesize phase-pure CZTSSe nanocrystals. • Formation of impurity phases can be controlled with proper S and Se sources.

Enhanced coercivity in Co-doped α-Fe2O3 cubic nanocrystal assemblies prepared via a magnetic field-assisted hydrothermal synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kinjal Gandha

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Ferromagnetic Co-doped α-Fe2O3 cubic shaped nanocrystal assemblies (NAs with a high coercivity of 5.5 kOe have been synthesized via a magnetic field (2 kOe assisted hydrothermal process. The X-ray diffraction pattern and Raman spectra of α-Fe2O3 and Co-doped α-Fe2O3 NAs confirms the formation of single-phase α-Fe2O3 with a rhombohedral crystal structure. Electron microscopy analysis depict that the Co-doped α-Fe2O3 NAs synthesized under the influence of the magnetic field are consist of aggregated nanocrystals (∼30 nm and of average assembly size 2 μm. In contrast to the NAs synthesized with no magnetic field, the average NAs size and coercivity of the Co-doped α-Fe2O3 NAs prepared with magnetic field is increased by 1 μm and 1.4 kOe, respectively. The enhanced coercivity could be related to the well-known spin–orbit coupling strength of Co2+ cations and the redistribution of the cations. The size increment indicates that the small ferromagnetic nanocrystals assemble into cubic NAs with increased size in the magnetic field that also lead to the enhanced coercivity.

Effects of CuO co-doping on γ-ray irradiation resistance of active ions doped phosphate glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zhihuan [Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); ENEA-UTTMAT, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome (Italy); Baccaro, Stefania; Cemmi, Alessia [ENEA-UTTMAT, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome (Italy); Shen, Wei [Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Chen, Guorong, E-mail: grchen@ecust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China)

2013-09-15

The effect of copper ion doping on the γ-ray irradiation resistance of Mn{sup 2+} and Pr{sup 3+} doped phosphate glasses has been studied. UV–visible transmission spectra and photoluminescence spectra have been measured before and after γ-irradiation to characterize the radiation-induced defects. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of the irradiated samples with, and without Cu ions have been compared to show the ability of Cu ions to suppress the generation of radiation-induced color centers. The differential transmission spectra and the radiation-induced absorption coefficients have also been calculated for discussion of the observed phenomena. The much improved γ-irradiation resistance of Mn{sup 2+} and Pr{sup 3+} doped phosphate glasses has been demonstrated through CuO co-doping.

A facile and low cost synthesis of earth abundant element Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) nanocrystals: Effect of Cu concentrations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Seung Wook; Han, Jun Hee [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST, 335 Gwahangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Chan Yeong; Kim, Sae-Rok; Park, Yeon Chan; Agawane, G.L. [Photonics Technology Research Institute, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, 300 Yongbong-Dong, Buk-Gu, Gwangju 500-757 (Korea, Republic of); Moholkar, A.V. [Electrochemical Mat. Lab, Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416-004 (India); Yun, Jae Ho [Photovoltaic Research Group, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 71-2 Jang-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Chae Hwan [Solar City Center, Development of Advanced Components and Materials Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Gwangju 500-480 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jeong Yong, E-mail: j.y.lee@kaist.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST, 335 Gwahangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jin Hyeok, E-mail: jinhyeok@chonnam.ac.kr [Photonics Technology Research Institute, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, 300 Yongbong-Dong, Buk-Gu, Gwangju 500-757 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-11-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) nanocrystals (NCs) were prepared by sulfurization of microwave assisted precursor without toxic chemicals. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Effect of Cu concentration on the properties of CZTS NCs was investigated using various analysis methods. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The properties of CZTS NCs was strongly related to the Cu concentrations. - Abstract: Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized by sulfurization of microwave assisted precursor powders without toxic chemicals. The effects of different Cu concentration from 0.01 to 0.025 M on the structural, morphological, compositional, chemical and optical properties of CZTS NCs were investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy results showed that the precursor powder contains several broad peaks that could not be assigned to CZTS, ZnS, Cu{sub 2-x}S, Sn{sub 2}S{sub 3} and Cu{sub 2}SnS{sub 3}. However, the sulfurized NCs showed both kesterite CZTS and Cu- and Sn-based secondary phases except for that formed at Cu concentration of 0.02 M. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) results showed that the presence of Cu in the sulfurized CZTS NCs increased with increasing Cu concentration from 16.57 to 32.94 at.% while Zn and Sn in the sulfurized CZTS NCs decreased with increasing Cu concentration. UV-Vis spectroscopy results showed that the absorption coefficient of the sulfurized NCs was over 10{sup 4} cm{sup -1} in the visible region and band gap energy of the sulfurized CZTS NCs decreased from 1.65 to 1.28 eV with increasing Cu concentration.

Positron annihilation studies of vacancy-type defects and room temperature ferromagnetism in chemically synthesized Li-doped ZnO nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, S.; Khan, Gobinda Gopal; Mandal, K.; Thapa, Samudrajit; Nambissan, P.M.G.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Evidence of zinc vacancy-induced intrinsic ferromagnetism in Li-doped ZnO. • Modification of defects and properties through alkali metal substitution. • Study of defect-modification using positron annihilation spectroscopy. • New way to prepare ZnO-based magnetic semiconductor for spintronic applications. -- Abstract: In this article, we have investigated the effects of Li incorporation on the lattice defects and room-temperature d 0 ferromagnetic behaviour in ZnO nanocrystals by correlating X-ray photoelectron, photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopic study in details. It is found that at low doping level ( 1+ is an effective substituent of Zn site, but it prefers to occupy the interstitial positions when Li-doping exceeds 7 at.% resulting in lattice expansion and increase of particle sizes. The pristine ZnO nanocrystals exhibit ferromagnetic behaviour which is further enhanced significantly after few percentage of Li-doping in ZnO. The magnitude of both saturation magnetizations (M S ) as well as the Curie temperature (T C ) are found to increase considerably up to Li concentration of 10 at.% and then started to decrease on further Li-doping. The gradual enhancement of Zn vacancy (V Zn ) defects in ZnO nanocrystals due to Li substitution as confirmed from photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements might be responsible to induce paramagnetic moments within ZnO host. The ferromagnetic exchange interaction between the localised moments of V Zn defects can be mediated though the holes arising due to Li-substitutional (Li Zn ) acceptor defects within ZnO. Hence, Li doping in ZnO favours in stabilizing considerable V Zn defects and thus helps to sustain long-range high-T C ferromagnetism in ZnO which can be a promising material in future spintronics

Positron annihilation studies of vacancy-type defects and room temperature ferromagnetism in chemically synthesized Li-doped ZnO nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghosh, S., E-mail: sghoshphysics@gmail.com [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700098 (India); Khan, Gobinda Gopal [Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Calcutta, Technology Campus, Block JD2, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700098 (India); Mandal, K. [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700098 (India); Thapa, Samudrajit; Nambissan, P.M.G. [Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Calcutta, Technology Campus, Block JD2, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700098 (India); Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Sector 1, Block AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064 (India)

2014-03-25

Highlights: • Evidence of zinc vacancy-induced intrinsic ferromagnetism in Li-doped ZnO. • Modification of defects and properties through alkali metal substitution. • Study of defect-modification using positron annihilation spectroscopy. • New way to prepare ZnO-based magnetic semiconductor for spintronic applications. -- Abstract: In this article, we have investigated the effects of Li incorporation on the lattice defects and room-temperature d{sup 0} ferromagnetic behaviour in ZnO nanocrystals by correlating X-ray photoelectron, photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopic study in details. It is found that at low doping level (<7 at.%), Li{sup 1+} is an effective substituent of Zn site, but it prefers to occupy the interstitial positions when Li-doping exceeds 7 at.% resulting in lattice expansion and increase of particle sizes. The pristine ZnO nanocrystals exhibit ferromagnetic behaviour which is further enhanced significantly after few percentage of Li-doping in ZnO. The magnitude of both saturation magnetizations (M{sub S}) as well as the Curie temperature (T{sub C}) are found to increase considerably up to Li concentration of 10 at.% and then started to decrease on further Li-doping. The gradual enhancement of Zn vacancy (V{sub Zn}) defects in ZnO nanocrystals due to Li substitution as confirmed from photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements might be responsible to induce paramagnetic moments within ZnO host. The ferromagnetic exchange interaction between the localised moments of V{sub Zn} defects can be mediated though the holes arising due to Li-substitutional (Li{sub Zn}) acceptor defects within ZnO. Hence, Li doping in ZnO favours in stabilizing considerable V{sub Zn} defects and thus helps to sustain long-range high-T{sub C} ferromagnetism in ZnO which can be a promising material in future spintronics.

Antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility of Ag{sup +}- and Cu{sup 2+}-doped biphasic hydroxyapatite/α-tricalcium phosphate obtained from hydrothermally synthesized Ag{sup +}- and Cu{sup 2+}-doped hydroxyapatite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radovanović, Željko, E-mail: zradovanovic@tmf.bg.ac.rs [Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Jokić, Bojan; Veljović, Djordje; Dimitrijević, Suzana [Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Kojić, Vesna [Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Institutski put 4, 21204 Sremska Kamenica (Serbia); Petrović, Rada; Janaćković, Djordje [Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia)

2014-07-01

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) powders doped with Ag{sup +} or Cu{sup 2+} were synthesized by a hydrothermal method in order to obtain biomaterial with an antimicrobial effect. The synthesis was performed with two contents of dopant (Ag{sup +} or Cu{sup 2+}) by considering both the antimicrobial activities and biocompatibility of the powders. The doped HAp was annealed at 1200 °C for 2 h with the intention of investigating the influence of doping with Ag{sup +} and Cu{sup 2+} on the creation of the biphasic HAp/α-tricalcium phosphate (HAp/α-TCP) and determining the antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility of the obtained biphasic powders. Analyses of all powders, undoped and doped HAp and HAp/α-TCP, were performed by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The in vitro antibacterial activities of the powders were evaluated against: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. All powders showed good antimicrobial activity but generally the powders of doped HAp/α-TCP had more uniform results against all pathogenic microorganisms than the powders of doped HAp. In vitro biocompatibility tests, MTT and DET, were used to evaluate the biocompatibility of Ag{sup +}- and Cu{sup 2+}-doped HAp/α-TCP with MRC-5 human fibroblast cells. These tests confirmed that powders do not have a cytotoxic effect. The HAp/α-TCP powders doped with the lower content of Ag{sup +} and Cu{sup 2+} showed especially good biocompatibility. Antimicrobial and biocompatibility tests recommend the Ag{sup +}- and Cu{sup 2+}-doped HAp/α-TCP as promising material for use in reconstructive surgery of bone.

Multicolor tunable emission induced by Cu ion doping of perovskite zirconate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, D.J. [Department of Physics, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Y.S., E-mail: ylee@ssu.ac.kr [Department of Physics, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743 (Korea, Republic of); Noh, H.-J. [Department of Physics, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-01-15

We report on a multicolor tunable emission induced by Cu ion doping of perovskite zirconate SrZrO{sub 3} with a fairly large bandgap (5.6 eV). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of our samples revealed the existence of two mixed valence states of the doped Cu ions, +1 and +2, with a ratio of 3:1. In photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy the absorption structures of the 3d states in monovalent Cu{sup +} and divalent Cu{sup 2+} were identified near 5 eV and 3.5 eV, respectively. Interestingly, in relation to the valence states of the Cu ions, the emission spectra depended strongly on the photo-excitation energy (E{sub ex}). For E{sub ex}<3.8 eV (UVA) two orange and green emissions were observed with the involvement of the Cu{sup 2+} state. For E{sub ex}>3.8 eV (UVB/UVC), however, the Cu{sup +} state, instead of the Cu{sup 2+} state, was dominant in the emission process, causing the visible emission to be turned into violet. Our results were indicative of the complementary role of the different Cu-ion valence states in a wide range of visible emission with respect to E{sub ex}. - Highlights: • Visible emission induced by the Cu doping of SrZrO3. • Tunable colors from orange to violet with respect to the photo-excitation energy. • Multicolor emission should be related to the mixed valence states of the doped Cu ions.

Defects controlling electrical and optical properties of electrodeposited Bi doped Cu2O

Science.gov (United States)

Brandt, Iuri S.; Tumelero, Milton A.; Martins, Cesar A.; Plá Cid, Cristiani C.; Faccio, Ricardo; Pasa, André A.

2018-04-01

Doping leading to low electrical resistivity in electrodeposited thin films of Cu2O is a straightforward requirement for the construction of efficient electronic and energy devices. Here, Bi (7 at. %) doped Cu2O layers were deposited electrochemically onto Si(100) single-crystal substrates from aqueous solutions containing bismuth nitrate and cupric sulfate. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that Bi ions in a Cu2O lattice have an oxidation valence of 3+ and glancing angle X-ray diffraction measurements indicated no presence of secondary phases. The reduction in the electrical resistivity from undoped to Bi-doped Cu2O is of 4 and 2 orders of magnitude for electrical measurements at 230 and 300 K, respectively. From variations in the lattice parameter and the refractive index, the electrical resistivity decrease is addressed to an increase in the density of Cu vacancies. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations supported the experimental findings. The DFT results showed that in a 6% Bi doped Cu2O cell, the formation of Cu vacancies is more favorable than in an undoped Cu2O one. Moreover, from DFT data was observed that there is an increase (decrease) of the Cu2O band gap (activation energy) for 6% Bi doping, which is consistent with the experimental results.

СHIRAL RECOGNITION OF CYSTEINE MOLECULES BY CHIRAL CdSe AND CdS QUANTUM DOTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. V. Mukhina

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Here, we report the investigation of mechanism of chiral molecular recognition of cysteine biomolecules by chiral CdSe and CdS semiconductor nanocrystals. To observe chiral recognition process, we prepared enantioenriched ensembles of the nanocrystals capped with achiral ligand. The enantioenriched samples of intrinsically chiral CdSe quantum dots were prepared by separation of initial racemic mixture of the nanocrystals using chiral phase transfer from chloroform to water driven by L- and D-cysteine. Chiral molecules of cysteine and penicillamine were substituted for achiral molecules of dodecanethiol on the surfaces of CdSe and CdS samples, respectively, via reverse phase transfer from water to chloroform. We estimated an efficiency of the hetero- (d-L or l-D and homocomplexes (l-L formation by comparing the extents of corresponding complexing reactions. Using circular dichroism spectroscopy data we show an ability of nanocrystals enantiomers to discriminate between left-handed and right-handed enantiomers of biomolecules via preferential formation of heterocomplexes. Development of approaches for obtaining chiral nanocrystals via chiral phase transfer offers opportunities for investigation of molecular recognition at the nano/bio interfaces.

Optical excitations in CuO2-sheets doped and undoped with electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokura, Y.; Arima, T.; Koshihara, S.; Takagi, H.; Ido, T.; Ishibashi, S.; Uchida, S.

1989-01-01

This paper reports optical reflectance spectra measured on single crystals of parent families of high T c copper oxide compounds with single-layered CuO 2 -sheets, which clearly show the strong transitons across the charge-transfer (CT) gaps at 1.5-2.0 eV in various types of CuO 2 -sheets. The carrier-doping effects on the CT excitations have been investigated on the Sr-doped La 2 CuO 4 and Ce-doped Nd 2 O 4 crystals

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Zn- and Cu-doped CdS thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by the chemical bath technique. ZnCl2 and CuCl2 were incorporated as dopant agents into the conventional CdS chemical bath in order to promote the CdS doping process. The effect of the deposition time and the doping concentration on the physical ...

Theory of phonon properties in doped and undoped CuO nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahoosh, S.G. [Institute of Physics, Martin-Luther-University, D-06099 Halle (Germany); Apostolov, A.T. [University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Department of Physics, 1, Hristo Smirnenski Blvd., 1046 Sofia (Bulgaria); Apostolova, I.N. [University of Forestry, Faculty of Forest Industry, 10, Kl. Ohridsky Blvd., 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria); Wesselinowa, J.M., E-mail: julia@phys.uni-sofia.bg [University of Sofia, Department of Physics, 5 J. Bouchier Blvd., 1164 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2012-07-02

We have studied the phonon properties of CuO nanoparticles and have shown the importance of the anharmonic spin–phonon interaction. The Raman peaks of CuO nanoparticles shift to lower frequency and become broader as the particle size decreases in comparison with those of bulk CuO crystals owing to size effects. By doping with different ions, in dependence of their radius compared to the host ionic radius the phonon energies ω could be reduced or enhanced. The phonon damping is always enhanced through the ion doping effects. -- Highlights: ► The phonon properties of CuO nanoparticles are studied using a miscroscopic model. ► The phonon energy decreases whereas the damping increases with decreasing of particle size. ► It is shown the importance of the anharmonic spin–phonon interaction. ► By doping with RE-ions the phonon energy is reduced, whereas with TM-ions it is enhanced. ► The phonon damping is always enhanced through the ion doping effects.

Enhancing optical gains in Si nanocrystals via hydrogenation and cerium ion doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Dong-Chen; Li, Yan-Li; Song, Sheng-Chi; Guo, Wen-Ping; Lu, Ming; Chen, Jia-Rong

2014-01-01

We report optical gain enhancements in Si nanocrystals (Si-NCs) via hydrogenation and Ce 3+ ion doping. Variable stripe length technique was used to obtain gains. At 0.3 W/cm 2 pumping power density of pulsed laser, net gains were observed together with gain enhancements after hydrogenation and/or Ce 3+ ion doping; gains after loss corrections were between 89.52 and 341.95 cm −1 ; and the photoluminescence (PL) lifetime was found to decrease with the increasing gain enhancement. At 0.04 W/cm 2 power density, however, no net gain was found and the PL lifetime increased with the increasing PL enhancement. The results were discussed according to stimulated and spontaneous excitation and de-excitation mechanisms of Si-NCs.

Oriented Mn-doped CuO nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Dongqiang; Wu, Zhaofeng; Wang, Zhihe; Yang, Shaoguang

2016-01-01

Using anodic aluminum oxide membranes as the nanoreactors and controller, oriented nanowire arrays of the diluted magnetic semiconductor Mn-doped CuO have been successfully fabricated using Mn(NO_3)_2 · 4H_2O and Cu(NO_3)_2 · 3H_2O as the starting materials. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the as-prepared oriented nanowire arrays are of high purity. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope studies showed the nanowires are oriented, continuous and uniform with a diameter and length of about 170 nm and several tens of micrometers, respectively, and thus of a high aspect ratio. Low-temperature magnetic measurements showed the ferromagnetic property of the oriented Mn-doped CuO nanowire arrays with the critical temperature at around 80 K, which will endow them with great potential applications in spintronics in the future. (paper)

Doping mechanism in pure CuInSe{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Werner, F.; Colombara, D.; Melchiorre, M.; Spindler, C.; Siebentritt, S. [Physics and Materials Science Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, Rue du Brill 41, L-4422 Belvaux (Luxembourg); Valle, N.; El Adib, B. [Materials Research and Technology Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Rue du Brill 41, L-4422 Belvaux (Luxembourg)

2016-05-07

We investigate the dopant concentration and majority carrier mobility in epitaxial CuInSe{sub 2} thin films for different copper-to-indium ratios and selenium excess during growth. We find that all copper-poor samples are n-type, and that hopping conduction in a shallow donor state plays a significant role for carrier transport. Annealing in sodium ambient enhances gallium in-diffusion from the substrate wafer and changes the net doping of the previously n-type samples to p-type. We suggest that sodium incorporation from the glass might be responsible for the observed p-type doping in polycrystalline Cu-poor CuInSe{sub 2} solar cell absorbers.

Single-Source Molecular Precursor for Synthesis of CdS Nanoparticles and Nanoflowers

Science.gov (United States)

Salavati-Niasari, Masoud; Sobhani, Azam

2012-04-01

CdS Semiconductor nanostructures were synthesized by using two different methods. Using triphenylphosphine (C18H15P) and oleylamine (C18H37N) as surfactant, CdS semiconductor nanocrystals with a size ranging from 30 to 90 nm can be synthesized by thermal decomposition of precursor [bis(thiosemicarbazide)cadmium(II)]. CdS nanoflowers were synthesized via hydrothermal decomposition of [bis(thiosemicarbazide) cadmium(II)] without any surfactant. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirm that the resulting samples were a pure hexagonal phase of CdS. The optical property test indicates that the absorption peak of the samples shifts towards short wavelength, and the blue shift phenomenon might be ascribed to the quantum effect.

Synthesis and room-temperature ferromagnetic properties of single-crystalline Co-doped SnO2 nanocrystals via a high magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Yongbin; Tang Yongjun; Li Chuanjun; Cao Guanghui; Ren Weili; Xu Hui; Ren Zhongming

2009-01-01

The magnetic field-assisted approach has been used in the synthesis of Co-doped SnO 2 diluted magnetic semiconductor nanocrystals. By annealing under the condition with or without magnetic field, 1D growth of the nanostructures can be induced, and the magnetic properties of the obtained nanocrystals are improved. Various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV-visible spectrometry (UV-vis), Raman spectrometry and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) have been used to characterize the obtained products. The results show that the magnetic field holds important effects on the crystal growth of the Co-doped SnO 2 nanostructures, and improvement of magnetic properties. The intrinsic reasons are discussed.

Synthesis of compositionally controllable Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals with tunable band gaps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Qingshuang, E-mail: lqs671@163.com [Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry (China)

2016-06-15

In this work, we show that compositionally controlled Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals can be successfully synthesized by the hot-injection method through careful tuning the Ge/(Sn+Ge) precursor ratio. The band gaps of the resultant nanocrystals are demonstrated to be linearly tuned from 1.45 to 2.33 eV by adjusting the composition parameter x of the Ge/(Sn+Ge) ratio from 0.0 to 1.0. The crystalline structures of the resultant NCs have been studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), select area electron diffraction (SAED), and Raman spectroscopy. A ligand exchange procedure is further performed to replace the native ligands on the surface of the NCs with sulfur ions. The photoresponsive behavior indicates the potential use of as-prepared Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals in solar energy conversion systems. The synthesis of compositionally controlled Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals reported herein provides a way for probing the effect of Ge inclusion in the Cu-Sn-S system thin films.

Synthesis of hybrid organic–inorganic nanocomposite materials based on CdS nanocrystals for energy conversion applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laera, A. M.; Resta, V.; Ferrara, M. C.; Schioppa, M.; Piscopiello, E.; Tapfer, L.

2011-01-01

Efficient solar energy conversion is strongly related to the development of new materials with enhanced functional properties. In this context, a wide variety of inorganic, organic, or hybrid nanostructured materials have been investigated. In particular, in hybrid organic–inorganic nanocomposites are combined the convenient properties of organic polymers, such as easy manipulation and mechanical flexibility, and the unique size-dependent properties of nanocrystals (NCs). However, applications of hybrid nanocomposites in photovoltaic devices require a homogeneous and highly dense dispersion of NCs in polymer in order to guarantee not only an efficient charge separation, but also an efficient transport of the carriers to the electrodes without recombination. In previous works, we demonstrated that cadmium thiolate complexes are suitable precursors for the in situ synthesis of nanocrystalline CdS. Here, we show that the soluble [Cd(SBz) 2 ] 2 ·(1-methyl imidazole) complex can be efficiently annealed in a conjugated polymer obtaining a nanocomposite with a regular and compact network of NCs. The proposed synthetic strategies require annealing temperatures well below 200 °C and short time for the thermal treatment, i.e., less than 30 min. We also show that the same complex can be used to synthesize CdS NCs in mesoporous TiO 2 . The adsorption of cadmium thiolate molecule in TiO 2 matrix can be obtained by using chemical bath deposition technique and subsequent thermal annealing. The use of NCs, quantum dots, as sensitizers of TiO 2 matrices represents a very promising alternative to common dye-sensitized solar cells and an interesting solution for heterogeneous photocatalysis.

Effect of the sulfur and fluorine concentration on physical properties of CdS films grown by chemical bath deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.E. Nieto-Zepeda

Full Text Available Undoped and F-doped CdS thin films were grown on glass slides by chemical bath deposition using thiourea, cadmium acetate and ammonium fluoride as sulfur, cadmium, and fluorine sources, respectively. Undoped CdS films were deposited varying the concentration of thiourea. Once the optimal thiourea concentration was determined, based on the crystalline quality of the samples, this concentration was maintained and ammonium fluoride was added at different concentrations in order to explore the effect of the F nominal concentration on properties of CdS films. Undoped and F-doped CdS films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV–Vis, room temperature photoluminescence, and four probe resistivity measurements. Results showed highly transparent F-doped CdS films with strong PL and low resistivity were obtained. Keywords: CdS films, F-doped CdS films, Chemical bath deposition, Optical properties, Room temperature photoluminescence

Microscopic theory of cation exchange in CdSe nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Florian D; Spiegel, Leo L; Norris, David J; Erwin, Steven C

2014-10-10

Although poorly understood, cation-exchange reactions are increasingly used to dope or transform colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots). We use density-functional theory and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to develop a microscopic theory that explains structural, optical, and electronic changes observed experimentally in Ag-cation-exchanged CdSe nanocrystals. We find that Coulomb interactions, both between ionized impurities and with the polarized nanocrystal surface, play a key role in cation exchange. Our theory also resolves several experimental puzzles related to photoluminescence and electrical behavior in CdSe nanocrystals doped with Ag.

Optically induced second-harmonic generation in CdI sub 2 -Cu layered nanocrystals

CERN Document Server

Voolless, F; Hydaradjan, W

2003-01-01

A large enhancement (up to 0.40 pm V sup - sup 1) of the second-order optical susceptibility was observed in CdI sub 2 -Cu single-layered nanocrystals for the Nd:YAG fundamental laser beam lambda = 1.06 mu m. The Cu impurity content and nanolayer thickness of the cleaved layers (about several nanometres) play a crucial role in the observed effect. The temperature dependence of the optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) together with its correlation with Raman spectra of low-frequency modes indicate a key role for the UV-induced anharmonic electron-phonon interactions in the observed effect. The maximal output UV-induced SHG was achieved for a Cu content of about 0.5% and at liquid helium temperatures.

The determination of extinction coefficient of CuInS2, and ZnCuInS3 multinary nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Lei; Li, Dongze; Zhang, Zhuolei; Wang, Kefei; Ding, Hong; Xie, Renguo; Yang, Wensheng

2012-10-21

A pioneering work for determining the extinction coefficient of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) has been cited over 1500 times (W. Yu, W. Guo, X. G. Peng, Chem. Mater., 2003, 15, 2854-2860), indicating the importance of calculating NC concentration for further research and applications. In this study, the size-dependent nature of the molar extinction coefficient of "greener" CuInS(2) and ZnCuInS(3) NCs with emission covering the whole visible to near infrared (NIR) is presented. With the increase of NC size, the resulting quantitative values of the extinction coefficients of ternary CuInS(2) and quaternary ZnCuInS(3) NCs are found to follow a power function with exponents of 2.1 and 2.5, respectively. Obviously, a larger value of extinction coefficient is observed in quaternary NCs for the same size of particles. The difference of the extinction coefficient from both samples is clearly demonstrated due to incorporating ZnS with a much larger extinction coefficient into CuInS(2) NCs.

Structural and optical properties of ITO and Cu doped ITO thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Deepannita; Kaleemulla, S.; Rao, N. Madhusudhana; Subbaravamma, K.; Rao, G. Venugopal

2018-04-01

(In0.95Sn0.05)2O3 and (In0.90Cu0.05Sn0.05)2O3 thin films were coated onto glass substrate by electron beam evaporation technique. The structural and optical properties of ITO and Cu doped ITO thin films have been studied by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. The crystallite size obtained for ITO and Cu doped ITO thin films was in the range of 24 nm to 22 nm. The optical band gap of 4 eV for ITO thin film sample has been observed. The optical band gap decreases to 3.85 eV by doping Cu in ITO.

Plasmonic doped semiconductor nanocrystals: Properties, fabrication, applications and perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Kriegel, Ilka; Scotognella, Francesco; Manna, Liberato

2017-02-01

Degenerately doped semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are of recent interest to the NC community due to their tunable localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) in the near infrared (NIR). The high level of doping in such materials with carrier densities in the range of 1021cm-3 leads to degeneracy of the doping levels and intense plasmonic absorption in the NIR. The lower carrier density in degenerately doped semiconductor NCs compared to noble metals enables LSPR tuning over a wide spectral range, since even a minor change of the carrier density strongly affects the spectral position of the LSPR. Two classes of degenerate semiconductors are most relevant in this respect: impurity doped semiconductors, such as metal oxides, and vacancy doped semiconductors, such as copper chalcogenides. In the latter it is the density of copper vacancies that controls the carrier concentration, while in the former the introduction of impurity atoms adds carriers to the system. LSPR tuning in vacancy doped semiconductor NCs such as copper chalcogenides occurs by chemically controlling the copper vacancy density. This goes in hand with complex structural modifications of the copper chalcogenide crystal lattice. In contrast the LSPR of degenerately doped metal oxide NCs is modified by varying the doping concentration or by the choice of host and dopant atoms, but also through the addition of capacitive charge carriers to the conduction band of the metal oxide upon post-synthetic treatments, such as by electrochemical- or photodoping. The NIR LSPRs and the option of their spectral fine-tuning make accessible important new features, such as the controlled coupling of the LSPR to other physical signatures or the enhancement of optical signals in the NIR, sensing application by LSPR tracking, energy production from the NIR plasmon resonance or bio-medical applications in the biological window. In this review we highlight the recent advances in the synthesis of various different plasmonic

Cu-doped AlN: A possible spinaligner at room-temperature grown by molecular beam epitaxy?

Science.gov (United States)

Ganz, P. R.; Schaadt, D. M.

2011-12-01

Cu-doped AlN was prepared by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy on C-plane sapphire substrates. The growth conditions were investigated for different Cu to Al flux ratios from 1.0% to 4.0%. The formation of Cu-Al alloys on the surface was observed for all doping level. In contrast to Cu-doped GaN, all samples showed diamagnetic behavior determined by SQUID measurements.

Colloidal CuInSe2 nanocrystals thin films of low surface roughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kergommeaux, Antoine de; Fiore, Angela; Faure-Vincent, Jérôme; Pron, Adam; Reiss, Peter

2013-01-01

Thin-film processing of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) is a prerequisite for their use in (opto-)electronic devices. The commonly used spin-coating is highly materials consuming as the overwhelming amount of deposited matter is ejected from the substrate during the spinning process. Also, the well-known dip-coating and drop-casting procedures present disadvantages in terms of the surface roughness and control of the film thickness. We show that the doctor blade technique is an efficient method for preparing nanocrystal films of controlled thickness and low surface roughness. In particular, by optimizing the deposition conditions, smooth and pinhole-free films of 11 nm CuInSe 2 NCs have been obtained exhibiting a surface roughness of 13 nm root mean square (rms) for a 350 nm thick film, and less than 4 nm rms for a 75 nm thick film. (paper)

Structural, optical, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of Co doped CuS diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sreelekha, N.; Subramanyam, K.; Amaranatha Reddy, D.; Murali, G.; Ramu, S.; Rahul Varma, K.; Vijayalakshmi, R.P.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Cu_1_−_xCo_xS nanoparticles were synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method. • Structural, band gap, magnetization and photocatalysis studies were carried out. • All the doped samples exhibited intrinsic room temperature ferromagnetism. • Effect of magnetic properties on photocatalytic activity was analyzed. • CuS:Co nanoparticles may find applications in photocatalytic and spintronic devices. - Abstract: Pristine and Co doped covellite CuS nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution by facile chemical co-precipitation method with Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA) as a stabilizing agent. EDAX measurements confirmed the presence of Co in the CuS host lattice. Hexagonal crystal structure of pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were authenticated by XRD patterns. TEM images indicated that sphere-shape of nanoparticles through a size ranging from 5 to 8 nm. The optical absorption edge moved to higher energies with increase in Co concentration as indicated by UV–vis spectroscopy. Magnetic measurements revealed that bare CuS sample show sign of diamagnetic character where as in Co doped nanoparticles augmentation of room temperature ferromagnetism was observed with increasing doping precursor concentrations. Photocatalytic performance of the pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were assessed by evaluating the degradation rate of rhodamine B solution under sun light irradiation. The 5% Co doped CuS nanoparticles provide evidence for high-quality photocatalytic activity.

Structural, optical, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of Co doped CuS diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sreelekha, N.; Subramanyam, K. [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India); Department of Physics, Raghu Engineering College, Visakhapatnam, Andrapradesh 531162 (India); Amaranatha Reddy, D. [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Institute for Functional Materials, Pusan National University, Busan 609735 (Korea, Republic of); Murali, G. [Department of BIN Fusion Technology & Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk (Korea, Republic of); Ramu, S. [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India); Rahul Varma, K. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (United States); Vijayalakshmi, R.P., E-mail: vijayaraguru@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • Cu{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}S nanoparticles were synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method. • Structural, band gap, magnetization and photocatalysis studies were carried out. • All the doped samples exhibited intrinsic room temperature ferromagnetism. • Effect of magnetic properties on photocatalytic activity was analyzed. • CuS:Co nanoparticles may find applications in photocatalytic and spintronic devices. - Abstract: Pristine and Co doped covellite CuS nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution by facile chemical co-precipitation method with Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA) as a stabilizing agent. EDAX measurements confirmed the presence of Co in the CuS host lattice. Hexagonal crystal structure of pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were authenticated by XRD patterns. TEM images indicated that sphere-shape of nanoparticles through a size ranging from 5 to 8 nm. The optical absorption edge moved to higher energies with increase in Co concentration as indicated by UV–vis spectroscopy. Magnetic measurements revealed that bare CuS sample show sign of diamagnetic character where as in Co doped nanoparticles augmentation of room temperature ferromagnetism was observed with increasing doping precursor concentrations. Photocatalytic performance of the pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were assessed by evaluating the degradation rate of rhodamine B solution under sun light irradiation. The 5% Co doped CuS nanoparticles provide evidence for high-quality photocatalytic activity.

Cu k-edge studies of the charge carries in Th-doped cuprate system R2-xThxCuO4-δ (R = Nd, Sm and Gd)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, G.; Yi, Y.; Jardim, R.F.; Wang, L.V.

1999-01-01

To further study the charge carrier concentration in electron doped cuprate superconductors, a systematic x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurement has been carried out on Th-doped superconductor system R 2-x Th x CuO 4-δ (R = Nd, Sm, and Gd). The XANES results show that, similar to the Ce-doped compounds, while the intensity of the Cu 1+ 4p π feature increase with the increase of the Th doping level x, the intensities of the Cu 2+ 4p π and 4p σ features decreases. This clearly indicates that the electrons doped by the Th atoms are injected into the local Cu 3d-orbitals. The normalized Cu 1+ 4p π intensity data show that the Cu 1+ concentration in the Th-doped compound series with different R-elements is linearly proportional to the Th doping-level x. The data suggest that both Ce and Th donate the same fraction of electrons into the Cu sites

The optoelectronic properties and role of Cu concentration on the structural and electrical properties of Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Omri, K.; Bettaibi, A.; Khirouni, K.; El Mir, L.

2018-05-01

In the current study, we synthesized a Cu-doped ZnO (CZO) nanoparticles material using a sol-gel method with different doping concentrations of Cu (0, 2, 3 and 4 at.%). The control of the Cu concentration on structural, electrical and optical properties of CZO nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The XRD analysis of the CZO nanoparticles reveals the formation of ZnO hexagonal wurtzite structure for all samples which confirm the incorporation of Cu2+ ions into the ZnO lattice by substitution. Furthermore, CZO nanoparticles showed a small red shift of absorption band with the incorporation of Cu from 0 to 4 at.%; i.e. a decreased band gap value from 3.34 eV to 3.27 eV with increasing of Cu doping content. The frequency dispersion of the electric conductivity were studied using the Jonscher universal power law, according to relation σ(ω) = σDC + A ωs(T). Alternative current conductivity increases with increasing Cu content in spite of the decrease the activation energy with copper loading. It was found that the conductivity reached its maximum value for critical Cu concentration of 3 at.%. The frequency relaxation phenomenon was also investigated and all results were discussed in term of the copper doping concentration.

Mechanistic aspects of biogenic synthesis of CdS nanoparticles using Bacillus licheniformis

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, R. M.; Singh Bhadwal, Akhshay; Singh, Priti; Shrivastav, Archana; Singh, M. P.; Shrivastav, B. R.

2014-06-01

A novel eco-friendly effort has been made for the synthesis of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles using bacterial biomass. Although some articles have been reported on CdS nanoparticles synthesis by bacteria, here we have synthesized CdS nanoparticles using non-pathogenic bacteria Bacillus licheniformis MTCC 9555. UV-Vis spectroscopy was carried out to confirm the formation of CdS nanoparticles; the peak occurring at 368 nm gives the indication of synthesis of CdS nanoparticles. The size and morphology of the synthesized CdS nanoparticles were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the nanoparticles are found to have a narrow size of 5.1 ± 0.5 nm with spherical morphology. Further, the nanoparticles were examined by energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy to identify the presence of elements and confirmed the existence of Cd and S in single nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis exhibited 2θ values corresponding to CdS nanocrystals. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) provides the evidence for the presence of proteins as possible biomolecules responsible for the stabilization of the synthesized CdS nanoparticles.

CdS nanobubbles and Cd-DMS nanosheets: solvothermal synthesis and formation mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Miao; Zhan, Hongbing

2013-02-01

CdS nanobubbles and Cd-DMS nanosheets have been prepared by a solvothermal method from a solution of Cd2+ in dimethyl sulfoxide in the absence of elemental S. A formation mechanism for the nanobubble morphology arising during the CdS nanocrystal growth has been proposed, based on the results of transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectrophotometry. The correlation of the morphology with reaction time was also suggested, and may be applicable to the solvothermal synthesis of other nanomaterials.

Magnetic and structural study of Cu-doped TiO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, C.E. Rodriguez; Golmar, F.; Cabrera, A.F.; Errico, L.; Navarro, A.M. Mudarra; Renteria, M.; Sanchez, F.H.; Duhalde, S.

2007-01-01

Transparent pure and Cu-doped (2.5, 5 and 10 at.%) anatase TiO 2 thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition technique on LaAlO 3 substrates. The samples were structurally characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties were measured using a SQUID. All films have a FM-like behaviour. In the case of the Cu-doped samples, the magnetic cycles are almost independent of the Cu concentration. Cu atoms are forming CuO and/or substituting Ti in TiO 2 . The thermal treatment in air promotes the CuO segregation. Since CuO is antiferromagnetic, the magnetic signals present in the films could be assigned to Cu substitutionally replacing cations in TiO 2

Binding SnO2 nanocrystals in nitrogen-doped graphene sheets as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiaosi; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

2013-04-18

Hybrid anode materials for Li-ion batteries are fabricated by binding SnO2 nanocrystals (NCs) in nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) sheets by means of an in situ hydrazine monohydrate vapor reduction method. The SnO2NCs in the obtained SnO2NC@N-RGO hybrid material exhibit exceptionally high specific capacity and high rate capability. Bonds formed between graphene and SnO2 nanocrystals limit the aggregation of in situ formed Sn nanoparticles, leading to a stable hybrid anode material with long cycle life. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A first-principles study of the electronic and structural properties of Sb and F doped SnO2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Minjung; Scott Bobbitt, N.; Marom, Noa; Chelikowsky, James R.

2015-01-01

We examine the electronic properties of Sb and F doped SnO 2 nanocrystals up to 2.4 nm in diameter. A real-space pseudopotential implementation of density functional theory is employed within the local density approximation. We calculate electron binding energies and dopant formation energies as function of nanocrystal size, dopant concentration, and dopant species. Structural changes for different dopant species are also investigated. Our study should provide useful information for the design of transparent conducting oxides at the nanoscale

Photoemission studies of semiconductor nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamad, K.S.; Roth, R.; Alivisatos, A.P.

1997-01-01

Semiconductor nanocrystals have been the focus of much attention in the last ten years due predominantly to their size dependent optical properties. Namely, the band gap of nanocrystals exhibits a shift to higher energy with decreasing size due to quantum confinement effects. Research in this field has employed primarily optical techniques to study nanocrystals, and in this respect this system has been investigated extensively. In addition, one is able to synthesize monodisperse, crystalline particles of CdS, CdSe, Si, InP, InAs, as well as CdS/HgS/CdS and CdSe/CdS composites. However, optical spectroscopies have proven ambiguous in determining the degree to which electronic excitations are interior or surface admixtures or giving a complete picture of the density of states. Photoemission is a useful technique for understanding the electronic structure of nanocrystals and the effects of quantum confinement, chemical environments of the nanocrystals, and surface coverages. Of particular interest to the authors is the surface composition and structure of these particles, for they have found that much of the behavior of nanocrystals is governed by their surface. Previously, the authors had performed x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) on CdSe nanocrystals. XPS has proven to be a powerful tool in that it allows one to determine the composition of the nanocrystal surface

The upconversion luminescence and magnetism in Yb3+/Ho3+ co-doped LaF3 nanocrystals for potential bimodal imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Syamchand, Sasidharanpillai S.; George, Sony

2016-12-01

Biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles with multifunctional properties can serve as potential nanoprobes for multimodal imaging. Herein, we report an upconversion nanocrystal based on lanthanum fluoride which is developed to address the imaging modalities, upconversion luminescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lanthanide ions (Yb3+ and Ho3+) doped LaF3 nanocrystals (LaF3 Yb3+/Ho3+) are fabricated through a rapid microwave-assisted synthesis. The hexagonal phase LaF3 nanocrystals exhibit nearly spherical morphology with average diameter of 9.8 nm. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis estimated the doping concentration of Yb3+ and Ho3+ as 3.99 and 0.41%, respectively. The nanocrystals show upconversion luminescence when irradiated with near-infrared (NIR) photons of wavelength 980 nm. The emission spectrum consists of bands centred at 542, 645 and 658 nm. The stronger green emission at 542 nm and the weak red emissions at 645 and 658 nm are assigned to 5S2 → 5I8 and 5F5 → 5I8 transitions of Ho3+, respectively. The pump power dependence of luminescence intensity confirmed the two-photon upconversion process. The nanocrystals exhibit paramagnetism due to the presence of lanthanide ion dopant Ho3+ and the magnetization is 19.81 emu/g at room temperature. The nanocrystals exhibit a longitudinal relaxivity ( r 1) of 0.12 s-1 mM-1 and transverse relaxivity ( r 2) of 28.18 s-1 mM-1, which makes the system suitable for developing T2 MRI contrast agents based on holmium. The LaF3 Yb3+/Ho3+ nanocrystals are surface modified by PEGylation to improve biocompatibility and enhance further functionalisation. The PEGylated nanocrystals are found to be non-toxic up to 50 μg/mL for 48 h of incubation, which is confirmed by the MTT assay as well as morphological studies in HeLa cells. The upconversion luminescence and magnetism together with biocompatibility enables the adaptability of the present system as a nanoprobe for potential

Doping dependent room-temperature ferromagnetism and structural properties of dilute magnetic semiconductor ZnO:Cu2+ nanorods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Prashant K.; Dutta, Ranu K.; Pandey, Avinash C.

2009-01-01

Copper doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the chemical technique based on the hydrothermal method. The crystallite structure, morphology and size were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for different doping percentages of Cu 2+ (1-10%). TEM/SEM images showed formation of uniform nanorods, the aspect ratio of which varied with doping percentage of Cu 2+ . The wurtzite structure of ZnO gradually degrades with the increasing Cu 2+ doping concentration and an additional CuO associated diffraction peak was observed above 8% of Cu 2+ doping. The change in magnetic behavior of the nanoparticles of ZnO with varying Cu 2+ doping concentrations was investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Initially these nanoparticles showed strong room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior, however at higher doping percentage of copper the ferromagnetic behavior was suppressed and paramagnetic nature was enhanced.

Influence of nitrogen-doping concentration on the electronic structure of CuAlO{sub 2} by first-principles studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Wei-wei, E-mail: zmliuwwliu@126.com; Chen, Hong-xia; Liu, Cheng-lin; Wang, Rong

2017-02-05

Effect of N doping concentration on the electronic structure of N-doped CuAlO{sub 2} was investigated by density functional theory based on generalized-gradient approximation plus orbital potential. Lattice parameters a and c both increase with increasing N-doping concentration. Formation energies increase with increasing N doping concentration and all N-doped CuAlO{sub 2} were structurally stable. The calculated band gaps for N-doped CuAlO{sub 2} narrowed compared to pure CuAlO{sub 2}, which was attributed to the stronger hybridization between Cu-3d and N-2p states and the downward shift of Cu-3p states in conduction bands. The higher the N-doping concentration is, the narrower the band gap. N-doped CuAlO{sub 2} shows a typical p-type semiconductor. The band structure changed from indirect to direct after N doping which will benefit the application of the CuAlO{sub 2} materials in optoelectronic and electronic devices. - Highlights: • Electronic structures of CuAlO{sub 2} with different N content were investigated. • The higher the N-doping concentration is, the narrower the band gap. • All the CuAlO{sub 2} with different N content were structurally stable. • The N-doped CuAlO{sub 2} shows a typical p-type semiconductor characteristic.

Investigations on structural, vibrational and dielectric properties of nanosized Cu doped Mg-Zn ferrites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yadav, Anand [School of Physics, Vigyan Bhavan, Devi Ahilya University, Khandwa Road Campus, Indore 452001 (India); Department of Physics, MEDICAPS Institute of Science and Technology, Pithampur 453331 (India); Rajpoot, Rambabu; Dar, M. A.; Varshney, Dinesh, E-mail: vdinesh33@rediffmail.com, E-mail: anand.212@gmail.com [School of Physics, Vigyan Bhavan, Devi Ahilya University, Khandwa Road Campus, Indore 452001 (India)

2016-05-23

Transition metal Cu{sup 2+} doped Mg-Zn ferrite [Mg{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.5-x}Cu{sub x}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5)] were prepared by sol gel auto combustion (SGAC) method to probe the structural, vibrational and electrical properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern reveals a single-phase cubic spinel structure without the presence of any secondary phase corresponding to other structure. The average particle size of the parent Mg{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} is found to be ~29.8 nm and is found to increase with Cu{sup 2+} doping. Progressive reduction in lattice parameter of Mg{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} has been observed due to difference in ionic radii of cations with improved Cu doping. Spinel cubic structure is further confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Small shift in Raman modes towards higher wave number has been observed in doped Mg-Zn ferrites. The permittivity and dielectric loss decreases at lower doping and increases at higher order doping of Cu{sup 2+}.

Interplay of dopants and defects in making Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle a ferromagnetic semiconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choudhury, Biswajit, E-mail: biswa.tezu@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Napaam 784028, Assam (India); Choudhury, Amarjyoti [Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Napaam 784028, Assam (India); Borah, Debajit [Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam (India)

2015-10-15

Here we have studied the role of oxygen defects and Cu dopants on ferromagnetism in Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with nominal Cu concentration of 2%, 4% and 6 mol%. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra analysis reveals the presence of Cu{sup 2+} in the distorted octahedral coordination of TiO{sub 2}. Cu d-states undergo strong p-d coupling with the valence band O 2p state of TiO{sub 2} resulting the extended absorption hump in the visible region. Photoluminescence results reveal the presence of oxygen defect related emission peaks in Cu doped TiO{sub 2}. Room temperature ferromagnetism is observed in all the Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Saturation magnetization is the highest at 4 mol% and then there is a decrease in magnetization at 6 mol%. Ferromagnetism completely disappears on calcinations of 4% Cu doped TiO{sub 2} in air at 450 °C for 8 h. It is speculated that both oxygen vacancies and Cu d-states are involved in the room temperature ferromagnetism. Spin polarization occurs by the formation of bound magnetic polaron between electrons in Cu{sup 2+}d-states and the unpaired spins in oxygen vacancies. Presence of Cu{sup 2+}-Cu{sup 2+}d-d exchange interaction and Cu{sup 2+}-O{sup 2−}-Cu{sup 2+} antiferromagnetic superexchange interactions might have resulted in the reduction in magnetization at 6 mol% Cu. - Graphical abstract: Ferromagnetism in Cu doped TiO{sub 2} requires presence of both Cu dopant and oxygen vacancies. - Highlights: • Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle displays room temperature ferromagnetism. • Ferromagnetism requires presence of both Cu and oxygen vacancies. • Antiferromagnetic interaction persists at high Cu dopant concentration. • Paramagnetism appears on air annealing of the doped system for longer period.

Synthesis and characterization of Ho{sup 3+}-doped strontium titanate downconversion nanocrystals and its application in dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Y.Y. [Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Liaoning Provincial College Key Laboratory of New Materials and Material Modification, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Hao, H.S., E-mail: beike1952@163.com [Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Liaoning Provincial College Key Laboratory of New Materials and Material Modification, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Qin, L. [National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Wang, H.L.; Nie, M.Q.; Hu, Z.Q.; Gao, W.Y.; Liu, G.S. [Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Liaoning Provincial College Key Laboratory of New Materials and Material Modification, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China)

2015-02-15

Highlights: • A new downconversion (DC) nanocrystal (SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+}) was synthesized. • The effect of SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} as a photoanode in DSSCs was investigated. • SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} absorb ultraviolet light and downconvert it to visible light. • DC SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} as a photoanode achieve the higher photoelectric conversion efficiency. - Abstract: Ho{sup 3+}-doped strontium titanate (SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+}) downconversion (DC) nanocrystals are synthesized by the solid state interaction of titanium dioxide, strontium nitrate, holmium oxide and sodium chloride and then used as a photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to investigate the effect of DC nanocrystals in DSSCs. Differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller analysis confirmed the formation of cubic structured SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals with diameters of 40-400 nm, pore size of ∼45 nm, sintering temperature of 950 °C. The photofluorescence and UV-Vis absorption spectra of the SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals revealed strong emission intensity and visible light absorption when doped content of holmium oxide was between 1 wt% and 3 wt%. Compared with the pure SrTiO{sub 3} photoanode, SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} DC photoanode showed a greater photovoltaic efficiency. The photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of the DSSCs with a SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} photoanode doped with 1 wt% holmium oxide was 59% higher than that with a pure SrTiO{sub 3} photoanode. This phenomenon could be explained by SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals’ ability to absorb ultraviolet light and downconvert it to visible light, which extends spectral response range of DSSC to the ultraviolet region and increased the short-circuit current density (Jsc) of DSSCs.

Dense CdS thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass by high-rate microreactor-assisted solution deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Yu-Wei, E-mail: suyuweiwayne@gmail.com [School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Ramprasad, Sudhir [Energy Processes and Materials Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Corvallis, OR 9730 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Han, Seung-Yeol; Wang, Wei [School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Ryu, Si-Ok [School of Display and Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 214-1 Dae-dong, Gyeonsan, Gyeongbuk 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Palo, Daniel R. [Barr Engineering Co., Hibbing, MN 55747 (United States); Paul, Brian K. [School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Chang, Chih-hung [School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States)

2013-04-01

Continuous microreactor-assisted solution deposition is demonstrated for the deposition of CdS thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass. The continuous flow system consists of a microscale T-junction micromixer with the co-axial water circulation heat exchanger to control the reacting chemical flux and optimize the heterogeneous surface reaction. Dense, high quality nanocrystallite CdS thin films were deposited at an average rate of 25.2 nm/min, which is significantly higher than the reported growth rate from typical batch chemical bath deposition process. Focused-ion-beam was used for transmission electron microscopy specimen preparation to characterize the interfacial microstructure of CdS and FTO layers. The band gap was determined at 2.44 eV by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. X-ray photon spectroscopy shows the binding energies of Cd 3d{sub 3/2}, Cd 3d{sub 5/2}, S 2P{sub 3/2} and S 2P{sub 1/2} at 411.7 eV, 404.8 eV, 162.1 eV and 163.4 eV, respectively. - Highlights: ► CdS films deposited using continuous microreactor-assisted solution deposition (MASD) ► Dense nanocrystallite CdS films can be reached at a rate of 25.2 [nm/min]. ► MASD can approach higher film growth rate than conventional chemical bath deposition.

Controlled agglomeration of Tb-doped Y2O3 nanocrystals studied by x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray excited luminescence, and photoluminescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soo, Y.L.; Huang, S.W.; Kao, Y.H.; Chhabra, V.; Kulkarni, B.; Veliadis, J.V.; Bhargava, R.N.

1999-01-01

Local environment surrounding Y atoms in Y 2 O 3 :Tb nanocrystals under various heat treatment conditions has been investigated by using the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique. X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) with the incident x-ray energy near Y K edge and Tb L edges has also been measured to investigate the mechanisms of x-ray-to-visible down conversion in these doped nanoparticles. The observed changes in EXAFS, XEL, and photoluminescent data can be explained on the basis of increased average size of the nanoparticles as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy studies. Our results thus demonstrate that the doped nanoparticles can agglomerate to a controllable degree by varying the heat treatment temperature. At higher temperatures, the local environment surrounding Y atoms in the nanoparticles is found to become similar to that in bulk Y 2 O 3 while the XEL output still shows the characteristics of nanocrystals. These results indicate that appropriate heat treatment can afford an effective means to control the intensity and signal-to-background ratio of green luminescence output of these doped nanocrystal phosphors, potentially useful for some device applications. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Structural, thermal and optical properties of Cu 2 + doped ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Pure and Cu 2 + doped methacrylic acid–ethyl acrylate (MAA:EA) copolymer films were prepared using thesolution cast technique. The amorphous feature of the copolymer was depicted using X-ray diffraction scans and degreeof crystallinity was found to vary with increasing doping content. UV–Vis absorption spectra in ...

Ag- and Cu-doped multifunctional bioactive nanostructured TiCaPCON films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shtansky, D.V., E-mail: shtansky@shs.misis.ru [National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Leninsky prospekt 4, Moscow 119049 (Russian Federation); Batenina, I.V.; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Ph.V.; Sheveyko, A.N.; Kuptsov, K.A. [National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Leninsky prospekt 4, Moscow 119049 (Russian Federation); Zhitnyak, I.Y.; Anisimova, N.Yu.; Gloushankova, N.A. [N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center of RAMS, Kashirskoe shosse 24, Moscow 115478 (Russian Federation)

2013-11-15

A key property of multicomponent bioactive nanostructured Ti(C,N)-based films doped with Ca, P, and O (TiCaPCON) that can be improved further is their antibacterial effect that should be achieved without compromising the implant bioactivity and biocompatibility. The present work is focused on the study of structure, chemical, mechanical, tribological, and biological properties of Ag- and Cu-doped TiCaPCON films. The films with Ag (0.4–4 at.%) and Cu (13 at.%) contents were obtained by simultaneous sputtering of a TiC{sub 0.5}–Ca{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} target and either an Ag or a Cu target. The film structure was studied using X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, and Raman-shift and IR spectroscopy. The films were characterized in terms of their hardness, elastic modulus, dynamic impact resistance, friction coefficient and wear rate (both in air and normal saline), surface wettability, electrochemical behavior and Ag or Cu ion release in normal saline. Particular attention was paid to the influence of inorganic bactericides (Ag and Cu ions) on the bactericidal activity against unicellular yeast fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae and gram-positive bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus, as well as on the attachment, spreading, actin cytoskeleton organization, focal adhesions, and early stages of osteoblastic cell differentiation. The obtained results show that the Ag-doped films are more suitable for the protection of metallic surfaces against bacterial infection compared with their Cu-doped counterpart. In particular, an excellent combination of mechanical, tribological, and biological properties makes Ag-doped TiCaPCON film with 1.2 at.% of Ag very attractive material for bioengineering and modification of load-bearing metal implant surfaces.

Solvothermal synthesis and characterization of CZTS nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Dumasiya, Ajay; Shah, N. M.

2017-05-01

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is a promising thin film absorber material for low cost solar cell applications. CZTS nanoparticle ink synthesized using solvothermal route is an attractive option to deposit absorber layer using screen printing or spin coating method in CZTS thin film solar cell. In this study we have synthesized CZTS nanocrystals using solvothermal method from aqueous solution of Copper nitrate [Cu(NO3)2], Zinc nitrate [Zn(NO3)2], tin chloride [SnCl4] and thiourea with varying concentration of Cu(NO3)2 (viz 0.82 mmol,1.4 mmol, 1.7 mmol) keeping concentrations of rest of solutions constant. As synthesized CZTS nanocrystals are characterized using Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-rays (EDAX) to verify stoichiometry of elements. Analysis of EDAX data suggests that CZTS nanocrystals having Copper nitrate [Cu (NO3)2] concentration of 1.4 m mole is near stoichiometric. X-ray diffraction analysis study of CZTS nanocrystals having Copper nitrate [Cu (NO3)2] concentration of 1.4 m mole reveals the preferred orientation of the grains in (112), (220) and (312) direction confirming Kesterite structure of CZTS.

Nanocauliflower like structure of CdS thin film for solar cell photovoltaic applications: Insitu tin doping by chemical bath deposition technique

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Wilson, KC

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ). The Sn(sup4+) doping markedly influenced on the evolution of the CdS nanostructures, resulting in the formation of nanocracks due to the substitution of Cd(sup2+) ions by larger-than-host Sn(sup4+) ions as well as a drastic increase in electrical...

Real space pseudopotential calculations for size trends in Ga- and Al-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals with wurtzite and zincblende structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bobbitt, N. Scott; Kim, Minjung [Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Sai, Na [Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Marom, Noa [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118 (United States); Chelikowsky, James R. [Center for Computational Materials, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Departments of Physics and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2014-09-07

Zinc oxide is often used as a popular inexpensive transparent conducting oxide. Here, we employ density functional theory and local density approximation to examine the effects of quantum confinement in doped nanocrystals of this material. Specifically, we examine the addition of Ga and Al dopants to ZnO nanocrystals on the order of 1.0 nm. We find that the inclusion of these dopants is energetically less favorable in smaller particles and that the electron binding energy, which is associated with the dopant activation, decreases with the nanocrystal size. We find that the introduction of impurities does not alter significantly the Kohn-Sham eigenspectrum for small nanocrystals of ZnO. The added electron occupies the lowest existing state, i.e., no new bound state is introduced in the gap. We verify this assertion with hybrid functional calculations.

Real space pseudopotential calculations for size trends in Ga- and Al-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals with wurtzite and zincblende structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobbitt, N. Scott; Kim, Minjung; Sai, Na; Marom, Noa; Chelikowsky, James R.

2014-01-01

Zinc oxide is often used as a popular inexpensive transparent conducting oxide. Here, we employ density functional theory and local density approximation to examine the effects of quantum confinement in doped nanocrystals of this material. Specifically, we examine the addition of Ga and Al dopants to ZnO nanocrystals on the order of 1.0 nm. We find that the inclusion of these dopants is energetically less favorable in smaller particles and that the electron binding energy, which is associated with the dopant activation, decreases with the nanocrystal size. We find that the introduction of impurities does not alter significantly the Kohn-Sham eigenspectrum for small nanocrystals of ZnO. The added electron occupies the lowest existing state, i.e., no new bound state is introduced in the gap. We verify this assertion with hybrid functional calculations

A first-principles study of the electronic and structural properties of Sb and F doped SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Minjung; Scott Bobbitt, N. [Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Marom, Noa [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 (United States); Chelikowsky, James R. [Center for Computational Materials, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Departments of Physics and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2015-01-28

We examine the electronic properties of Sb and F doped SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals up to 2.4 nm in diameter. A real-space pseudopotential implementation of density functional theory is employed within the local density approximation. We calculate electron binding energies and dopant formation energies as function of nanocrystal size, dopant concentration, and dopant species. Structural changes for different dopant species are also investigated. Our study should provide useful information for the design of transparent conducting oxides at the nanoscale.

Nanocrystal in Er3+-doped SiO2-ZrO2 Planar Waveguide with Yb3+ Sensitizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Razaki, N. Iznie; Jais, U. Sarah; Abd-Rahman, M. Kamil; Bhaktha, S. N. B.; Chiasera, A.; Ferrari, M.

2010-01-01

Higher doping of Er 3+ in glass ceramic waveguides would cause concentration and pair-induced quenching which lead to inhomogeneous line-width of luminescence spectrum thus reduce output intensity. Concentration quenching can be overcome by introducing ZrO 2 in the glass matrix while co-doping with Yb 3+ which acts as sensitizer would improve the excitation efficiency of Er 3+ . In this study, SiO 2 -ZrO 2 planar waveguides having composition in mol percent of 70SiO 2 -30ZrO 2 doped with Er 3+ and co-doped with Yb 3+ , were prepared via sol-gel route. Narrower and shaper peaks of PL and XRD shows the formation of nanocrystals. Intensity is increase with addition amount of Yb 3+ shows sensitizing effect on Er 3+ .

Ultrasonic/surfactant assisted of CdS nano hollow sphere synthesis and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafati, Amir Abbas; Borujeni, Ahmad Reza Afraz; Najafi, Mojgan; Bagheri, Ahmad

2011-01-01

CdS hollow nanospheres with diameters ranging from 40 to 150 nm have been synthesized by a surfactant-assisted sonochemical route. The successful vesicle templating indicates that the outer leaflet of the bilayer is the receptive surface in the controlled growth of CdS nanoparticles which provide the unique reactor for the nucleation and mineralization growth of CdS nanoparticles. The CdS nanostructures obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Structural characterization of hollow CdS nanospheres indicates that these products packed with square subunits having sizes between 5 and 7 nm in diameter. The formation of the hollow nanostructure was explained by a vesicle template mechanism, in which sonication and surfactant play important roles. The band-edge emission and surface luminescence of the CdS nanoparticles were observed. -Research Highlights: → CdS hollow nanospheres with diameters of 40-150 nm were synthesized. → Nanoparticles were characterized by UV/Vis and photoluminescence. → Nanospheres are composed of smaller nanocrystals with the average size of 6.8 nm. → The band gap energy of the CdS nanoparticles is higher than its bulk value.

Mechanistic aspects of biogenic synthesis of CdS nanoparticles using Bacillus licheniformis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tripathi, R M; Shrivastav, Archana; Bhadwal, Akhshay Singh; Singh, Priti; Singh, M P; Shrivastav, B R

2014-01-01

A novel eco-friendly effort has been made for the synthesis of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles using bacterial biomass. Although some articles have been reported on CdS nanoparticles synthesis by bacteria, here we have synthesized CdS nanoparticles using non-pathogenic bacteria Bacillus licheniformis MTCC 9555. UV-Vis spectroscopy was carried out to confirm the formation of CdS nanoparticles; the peak occurring at 368 nm gives the indication of synthesis of CdS nanoparticles. The size and morphology of the synthesized CdS nanoparticles were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the nanoparticles are found to have a narrow size of 5.1 ± 0.5 nm with spherical morphology. Further, the nanoparticles were examined by energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy to identify the presence of elements and confirmed the existence of Cd and S in single nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis exhibited 2θ values corresponding to CdS nanocrystals. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) provides the evidence for the presence of proteins as possible biomolecules responsible for the stabilization of the synthesized CdS nanoparticles. (papers)

Safe-by-Design CuO Nanoparticles via Fe-Doping, Cu-O Bond Length Variation, and Biological Assessment in Cells and Zebrafish Embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Naatz, Hendrik; Lin, Sijie; Li, Ruibin; Jiang, Wen; Ji, Zhaoxia; Chang, Chong Hyun; Köser, Jan; Thöming, Jorg; Xia, Tian; Nel, Andre E; Mädler, Lutz; Pokhrel, Suman

2017-01-24

The safe implementation of nanotechnology requires nanomaterial hazard assessment in accordance with the material physicochemical properties that trigger the injury response at the nano/bio interface. Since CuO nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used industrially and their dissolution properties play a major role in hazard potential, we hypothesized that tighter bonding of Cu to Fe by particle doping could constitute a safer-by-design approach through decreased dissolution. Accordingly, we designed a combinatorial library in which CuO was doped with 1-10% Fe in a flame spray pyrolysis reactor. The morphology and structural properties were determined by XRD, BET, Raman spectroscopy, HRTEM, EFTEM, and EELS, which demonstrated a significant reduction in the apical Cu-O bond length while simultaneously increasing the planar bond length (Jahn-Teller distortion). Hazard screening was performed in tissue culture cell lines and zebrafish embryos to discern the change in the hazardous effects of doped vs nondoped particles. This demonstrated that with increased levels of doping there was a progressive decrease in cytotoxicity in BEAS-2B and THP-1 cells, as well as an incremental decrease in the rate of hatching interference in zebrafish embryos. The dissolution profiles were determined and the surface reactions taking place in Holtfreter's solution were validated using cyclic voltammetry measurements to demonstrate that the Cu + /Cu 2+ and Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ redox species play a major role in the dissolution process of pure and Fe-doped CuO. Altogether, a safe-by-design strategy was implemented for the toxic CuO particles via Fe doping and has been demonstrated for their safe use in the environment.

Colloidal CuInSe2 nanocrystals thin films of low surface roughness

Science.gov (United States)

de Kergommeaux, Antoine; Fiore, Angela; Faure-Vincent, Jérôme; Pron, Adam; Reiss, Peter

2013-03-01

Thin-film processing of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) is a prerequisite for their use in (opto-)electronic devices. The commonly used spin-coating is highly materials consuming as the overwhelming amount of deposited matter is ejected from the substrate during the spinning process. Also, the well-known dip-coating and drop-casting procedures present disadvantages in terms of the surface roughness and control of the film thickness. We show that the doctor blade technique is an efficient method for preparing nanocrystal films of controlled thickness and low surface roughness. In particular, by optimizing the deposition conditions, smooth and pinhole-free films of 11 nm CuInSe2 NCs have been obtained exhibiting a surface roughness of 13 nm root mean square (rms) for a 350 nm thick film, and less than 4 nm rms for a 75 nm thick film. Invited talk at the 6th International Workshop on Advanced Materials Science and Nanotechnology, 30 October-2 November 2012, Ha Long, Vietnam.

Photoelectrochemical oxidation of ibuprofen via Cu_2O-doped TiO_2 nanotube arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Qiannan; Peng, Yen-Ping; Chen, Hanlin; Chang, Ken-Lin; Qiu, Yang-Neng; Lai, Shiau-Wu

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A p–n junction material was synthesized to enhance photocatalytic ability. • Cu_2O-doped TiO_2 nanotube arrays works as a photoanode in a PEC system. • Recombination of photo-generated holes and electrons were greatly reduced. • Synergetic effect was quantified in PEC degradation. • Recombination of photogenerated holes and electrons was greatly enhanced. - Abstract: A p–n junction based Cu_2O-doped TiO_2 nanotube arrays (Cu_2O-TNAs) were synthesized and used as a working anode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) system. The results revealed that the Cu_2O-TNAs were dominated by the anatase phase and responded significantly to visible light. XPS analyses indicated that with an amount of 24.79% Cu doping into the structure, the band gap of Cu_2O-TNAs was greatly reduced. SEM images revealed that the supported TiO_2 nanotubes had diameters of approximately 80 nm and lengths of about 2.63 μm. Upon doping with Cu_2O, the TiO_2 nanotubes maintained their structural integrity, exhibiting no significant morphological change, favoring PEC applications. Under illumination, the photocurrent from Cu_2O/TNAs was 2.4 times larger than that from TNAs, implying that doping with Cu_2O significantly improved electron mobility by reducing the rate of recombination of electron-hole pairs. The EIS and Bode plot revealed that the estimated electron lifetimes, τ_e_l, of TNAs and Cu_2O/TNAs were 6.91 and 26.26 ms, respectively. The efficiencies of degradation of Ibuprofen by photoelectrochemical, photocatalytic (PC), electrochemical (EC) and photolytic (P) methods were measured.

Synthesis and characterization of Ce, Cu co-doped ZnS nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harish, G.S.; Sreedhara Reddy, P.

2015-01-01

Ce, Cu co-doped ZnS nanoparticles were prepared at room temperature using a chemical co-precipitation method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X- ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) and high resolution Raman spectroscopic techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction studies showed that the diameter of the particles was around 2–3 nm. Broadened XRD peaks revealed the formation of nanoparticles with a face centered cubic (fcc) structure. DRS studies confirmed that the band gap increased with an increase in the dopant concentration. The Raman spectra of undoped and Ce, Cu ions co-doped ZnS nanoparticles showed longitudinal optical mode and transverse optical mode. Compared with the Raman modes (276 and 351 cm −1 ) of undoped ZnS nanoparticles, the Raman modes of Ce, Cu co- doped ZnS nanoparticles were slightly shifted towards lower frequency. PL spectra of the samples showed remarkable enhancement in the intensity upon doping

Electrochemical preparation of uniform CuO/Cu2O heterojunction on β-cyclodextrin-modified carbon fibers

KAUST Repository

Chen, Fang-Ping

2016-01-18

Abstract: In this work, a uniform heterojunction of cupric oxide/cuprous oxide was decorated on the surface of carbon fibers by electrochemical method (CuO/Cu2O/CDs/CFs). Methyl-β-cyclodextrin was first grafted on the surface of carbon fibers (CDs/CFs). Cubic cuprous oxide was electrodeposited on the surface of (Cu2O/CDs/CFs) in 0.1 M KNO3, the cuprous oxide was then partly anodized to cupric oxide to form a heterojunction of cupric oxide/cuprous oxide with a burr shape (CuO/Cu2O/CDs/CFs). The obtained materials were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical techniques. The potential application in pollution treatment was further investigated, and the prepared CuO/Cu2O/CDs/CFs could be a promising adsorbent/photocatalyst toward the uptake and degradation of 2, 6-dichlorophenol (2, 6-DCP). Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

Deposition of Cu-doped PbS thin films with low resistivity using DC sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Soetedjo, Hariyadi; Siswanto, Bambang; Aziz, Ihwanul; Sudjatmoko

2018-03-01

Investigation of the electrical resistivity of Cu-doped PbS thin films has been carried out. The films were prepared using a DC sputtering technique. The doping was achieved by introducing the Cu dopant plate material directly on the surface of the PbS sputtering target plate. SEM-EDX data shows the Cu concentration in the PbS film to be proportional to the Cu plate diameter. The XRD pattern indicates the film is in crystalline cubic form. The Hall effect measurement shows that Cu doping yields an increase in the carrier concentration to 3.55 × 1019 cm-3 and a significant decrease in electrical resistivity. The lowest resistivity obtained was 0.13 Ωcm for a Cu concentration of 18.5%. Preferential orientation of (1 1 1) and (2 0 0) occurs during deposition.

14N nuclear quadrupole interaction in Cu(II) doped L-alanine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murgich, J.; Calvo, R.; Oseroff, S.B.; Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Caracas. Dept. de Quimica)

1980-01-01

The 14 N nuclear quadrupole interaction tensor Psub(N) measured by ENDOR in Cu(II) doped L-alanine is analyzed in terms of the Townes and Daily theory assuming a tetra-hedrally bonded N atom. The results of this analysis are compared with those for the 14 N in pure L-alanine and it is found that the principal directions of the Psub(N) tensor are drastically changed upon metal complexation as a consequence of the higher electron affinity of Cu(II) with respect to C and H. Comparison of the corresponding bond populations in pure and Cu(II) doped L-alanine indicates that the Cu draws 0.11 more electron from the N than the substituted H atom. (orig.)

Phase controlled solvothermal synthesis of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4}, Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S,Se){sub 4} and Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} Nanocrystals: The effect of Se and S sources on phase purity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pal, Mou [Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62580 Temixco, Morelos (Mexico); Instituto de Física, BUAP, Av. San Claudio y Blvd. 18 Sur Col. San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 72570, Puebla (Mexico); Mathews, N.R. [Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62580 Temixco, Morelos (Mexico); Paraguay-Delgado, F. [Departamento de Materiales Nanoestructurados, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados (CIMAV), Chihuahua (Mexico); Mathew, X., E-mail: xm@ier.unam.mx [Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62580 Temixco, Morelos (Mexico)

2015-09-15

In this study, we have reported the synthesis of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} (CZTSe), Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) and Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S,Se){sub 4} (CZTSSe) nanocrystals with tunable band gap and composition obtained by solvothermal method. The crystalline structure, composition, morphology and optical properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and diffuse reflectance (DR) spectroscopy. While the XRD patterns of CZTS and CZTSe nanoparticles prepared with elemental S/Se powder revealed the presence of phase pure nanoparticles, the CZTSSe nanoparticles obtained using a mixture of S and Se, were found to contain many secondary phases under the same synthesis protocol. Formation of impurity phases in CZTSSe sample, can be avoided by using a mixture of 1-dodecanethiol (DT; CH{sub 3}(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}SH)/oleylamine (OLA) instead of S powder and following the same experimental procedure. The incorporation of S in CZTSe nanocrystals prepared in presence of DDT/OLA mixture was confirmed through structural and optical characterizations. The optical properties of the quaternary chalcogenide nanocrystals were found to vary with the chemical composition of the material. - Highlights: • Solvothermal synthesis of CZTS, CZTSSe and CZTSe nanocrystals and discussion on possible formation mechanism. • Use of dodecanethiol/oleylamine mixture to synthesize phase-pure CZTSSe nanocrystals. • Formation of impurity phases can be controlled with proper S and Se sources.

Magnetic and structural study of Cu-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torres, C.E. Rodriguez [Dpto de Fisica-IFLP, Fac. Cs. Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata-CONICET, CC 67, 1900 La Plata (Argentina)], E-mail: torres@fisica.unlp.edu.ar; Golmar, F. [Laboratorio de Ablacion Laser, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paseo Colon 850, 1063 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Cabrera, A.F.; Errico, L.; Navarro, A.M. Mudarra; Renteria, M.; Sanchez, F.H. [Dpto de Fisica-IFLP, Fac. Cs. Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata-CONICET, CC 67, 1900 La Plata (Argentina); Duhalde, S. [Laboratorio de Ablacion Laser, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paseo Colon 850, 1063 Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2007-10-31

Transparent pure and Cu-doped (2.5, 5 and 10 at.%) anatase TiO{sub 2} thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition technique on LaAlO{sub 3} substrates. The samples were structurally characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties were measured using a SQUID. All films have a FM-like behaviour. In the case of the Cu-doped samples, the magnetic cycles are almost independent of the Cu concentration. Cu atoms are forming CuO and/or substituting Ti in TiO{sub 2}. The thermal treatment in air promotes the CuO segregation. Since CuO is antiferromagnetic, the magnetic signals present in the films could be assigned to Cu substitutionally replacing cations in TiO{sub 2}.

Photovoltaic properties of Cu-doped CH3NH3PbI3 with perovskite structure

Science.gov (United States)

Shirahata, Yasuhiro; Oku, Takeo

2017-01-01

Photovoltaic properties of copper (Cu)-doped perovskite (CH3NH3PbCuxI3+x) photovoltaic devices with different Cu content were investigated. The CH3NH3PbCuxI3+x films were polycrystalline with a tetragonal system, and their lattice constants and crystallite size varied with Cu doping. Compared to conversion efficiencies of non-doped CH3NH3PbI3 photovoltaic device, those of CH3NH3PbCuxI3+x photovoltaic devises increased. The improvement of photovoltaic properties was attributed to partial substitution of Cu at the Pb sites.

Design of a novel dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system composited of Ag{sub 2}O modified Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Mengyan; Liu, Hui, E-mail: liuhui@sust.edu.cn; Liu, Tingting; Qin, Yangxiao

2017-02-15

A novel dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system composited of Ag{sub 2}O nanocrystals modified Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets were successfully fabricated. In which, the Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets have been firstly prepared by a simple hydrothermal method, subsequently the as-prepared products were modified with Ag{sub 2}O nanocrystals through a sonochemical depositing process in order to build a novel dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system. The samples were carefully characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis DRS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The photocatalytic activity toward degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution under stimulated solar light was investigated. The experimental results showed this new dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system possess an enhanced photocatalytic degradation activity compared to that similar surface heterojunction photocatalysts composed of Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets. This novel photocatalytic system presents a high charge-separation efficiency and strong redox ability. This study will help us to better understand the photocatalytic mechanism of semiconductor photocatalysts with exposed different facets, and provide a new insight into the design and fabrication of advanced photocatalytic materials. - Highlights: •A novel dual Z-scheme system was built by Ag{sub 2}O and facet exposed TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals. •The individual TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals exposed (001) and (101) facets respectively. •Ag{sub 2}O coupled with Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals through a sonochemical process. •The as-prepared sample possesses a super photocatalytic activity.

Spectral features and antibacterial properties of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samavati, Alireza; Nur, Hadi; Othaman, Z; Ismail, A F; Mustafa, M K

2016-01-01

Zn 1−x Cu x O (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) nanoparticles are synthesized via the sol-gel technique using gelatin and nitrate precursors. The impact of copper concentration on the structural, optical, and antibacterial properties of these nanoparticles is demonstrated. Powder x-ray diffraction investigations have illustrated the organized Cu doping into ZnO nanoparticles up to Cu concentration of 5% ( x = 0.05). However, the peak corresponding to CuO for x = 0.01 is not distinguishable. The images of field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrate the existence of a nearly spherical shape with a size in the range of 30–52 nm. Doping Cu creates the Cu–O–Zn on the surface and results in a decrease in the crystallite size. Photoluminescence and absorption spectra display that doping Cu causes an increment in the energy band gap. The antibacterial activities of the nanoparticles are examined against Escherichia coli (Gram negative bacteria) cultures using optical density at 600 nm and a comparison of the size of inhibition zone diameter. It is found that both pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles indicate appropriate antibacterial activity which rises with Cu doping. (paper)

Improving conversion efficiency of CdS quantum dots-sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays by doping with Zn{sup 2+} and decorating with ZnO nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Chong, E-mail: chongchen@henu.edu.cn [Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China); School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China); Wang, Lei; Li, Fumin; Ling, Lanyu [Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China); School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China)

2014-08-01

The Zn-doped TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays (TNTs) decorated with ZnO nanoparticles have been prepared via electrochemical anodization and immersing method. Furthermore, the CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on the prepared Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO thin films by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method to fabricate the CdS QDs-sensitized Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrodes. The nanostructure, morphology, optical properties and electrochemical properties of the CdS/Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrode with comparison to those of the CdS/TNTs photoelectrodes were investigated. It has been found that the Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrodes significantly increased the UV–vis light absorption of the CdS/Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrodes and reduced the charge recombination at the surfaces of the CdS/Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrodes. As a consequence, when the Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO film was adopted instead of the plain TNTs film, the light-chemical energy conversion efficiency of the CdS/Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrode was much improved compared with the CdS/TNTs photoelectrode. A maximum energy conversion efficiency achieved for the CdS/Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrode is 3.86%, which is a 17% improvement compared with the maximum energy conversion efficiency of 3.29% achieved for the CdS/TNTs photoelectrodes. - Highlights: • The CdS/Zn-doped TNTs-ZnO photoelectrodes were synthesized. • The optical properties and photochemical properties were investigated. • The energy conversion efficiency depends on the Zn doping concentration. • The energy conversion efficiency was improved by the Zn doping.

Cobalt doped CuMnOx catalysts for the preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, Subhashish; Dhal, Ganesh Chandra; Mohan, Devendra; Prasad, Ram; Gupta, Rajeev Nayan

2018-05-01

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas, recognized as a silent killer for the 21st century. It is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon containing compounds. The catalytic oxidation of CO receives a huge attention due to its applications in different fields. In the present work, hopcalite (CuMnOx) catalysts were synthesized using a co-precipitation method for CO oxidation purposes. Also, it was doped with the cobalt by varying concentration from 1 to 5wt%. It was observed that the addition of cobalt into the CuMnOx catalyst (by the deposition-precipitation method) improved the catalytic performance for the low-temperature CO oxidation. CuMnOx catalyst doped with 3wt% of cobalt exhibited most active performance and showed the highest activity than other cobalt concentrations. Different analytical tools (i.e. XRD, FTIR, BET, XPS and SEM-EDX) were used to characterize the as-synthesized catalysts. It was expected that the introduction of cobalt will introduce new active sites into the CuMnOx catalyst that are associated with the cobalt nano-particles. The order of calcination strategies based on the activity for cobalt doped CuMnOx catalysts was observed as: Reactive calcinations (RC) > flowing air > stagnant air. Therefore, RC (4.5% CO in air) route can be recommended for the synthesis of highly active catalysts. The catalytic activity of doped CuMnOx catalysts toward CO oxidation shows a correlation among average oxidation number of Mn and the position and the nature of the doped cobalt cation.

Structural and optical properties of Na doped ZnO nanocrystals: Application to solar photocatalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabib, Asma; Bouslama, Wiem [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Sieber, Brigitte; Addad, Ahmed [UMET, UMR, CNRS 8207, Université Lille 1, 59665 Villeneuve d’Ascq Cédex (France); Elhouichet, Habib, E-mail: habib.elhouichet@fst.rnu.tn [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, University of Tunis, ElManar 2092 (Tunisia); Férid, Mokhtar [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Boukherroub, Rabah [Institut d’Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN), UMR, CNRS, 8520 Avenue Pointcarré, BP 60069, 59652 Villeneuve d’Ascq (France)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Na doped ZnO nanocrystals were prepared via sol–gel method. • A substitution of Zn{sup 2+} by Na{sup +} was demonstrated. • Low Na concentration induces higher photocatalytic activity under solar irradiation. • Oxygen vacancies guided the processes of charge separation. - Abstract: Na doped ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) were successfully produced by sol–gel process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM (HRTEM), Raman scattering, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL). XRD analysis indicated that all the prepared samples present pure hexagonal wurtzite structure without any Na related phases. The lattice distortion, calculated using Williamson hall equation, induces stress and a reduction of NCs size from 71.4 to 24.5 nm. TEM images showed NCs with hexagonal shape and a rather uniform size distribution. The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns confirmed the high crystal quality along the 〈101〉 direction and is consistent with the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO. The Raman spectra are dominated by E{sub 2}{sup high} mode of ZnO. High Na doping shows the occurrence of anomalous local vibrational Raman modes close to 270 and 513 cm{sup −1} that are related to intrinsic host lattice defects and distortion, respectively. Optical band gap was found to vary with Na content. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicate the presence of a high density of defects in ZnO NCs which are mainly oxygen vacancies. Finally, the obtained NCs were used as a photocatalyst to degrade Rhodamine B (RhB) in solution, under solar irradiation. Na doping enhances the photocatalytic activity of ZnO NCs till an optimum concentration of 0.5% where a full degradation was observed after 120 min of sun light irradiation. Furthermore, this sample presents a good cycling stability and reusability. Based on scavangers test, it was found that both superoxide and

N–Mg dual-acceptor co-doping in CuCrO{sub 2} studied by first-principles calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Ying, E-mail: 1080071@hnust.edu.cn [School of Physics, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201 (China); Nie, Guo-Zheng [School of Physics, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201 (China); Zou, Daifeng [School of Physics, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201 (China); Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Nanobiomechanics, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Tang, Jing-Wu [School of Physics, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201 (China); Ao, Zhimin, E-mail: Zhimin.Ao@gdut.edu.cn [Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2016-11-25

In this paper, N–Mg dual-acceptor co-doping in CuCrO{sub 2} is investigated by first-principles calculations. The electronic structure and formation energies of Mg substituting Cr-site, N substituting O-site, and co-doping of both Mg on Cr-site and N on O-site in CuCrO{sub 2} are calculated. It is found that the structure with N and Mg codoped at the nearest sites has the lowest energy due to a modest attractive interaction between the two dopants. Compared with single N or Mg doped CuCrO{sub 2}, the N–Mg codoped CuCrO{sub 2} has a lower formation energy and shallower transition level. In addition, the total density of states (DOS) analysis shows that more hole states appear above the Fermi level and higher DOS for N–Mg co-doping is obtained in the N–Mg codoped CuCrO{sub 2}, which is good to enhance the p-type conductivity in CuCrO{sub 2}. - Highlights: • N–Mg dual-acceptor co-doping in CuCrO{sub 2} is investigated. • N–Mg complex has a lower formation energy and shallower transition level. • More hole states appear above the Fermi level for N–Mg co-doping. • N–Mg co-doping in CuCrO{sub 2} can be expected to have more stable p-type conductivity.

Deposition of Cu-doped PbS thin films with low resistivity using DC sputtering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hariyadi Soetedjo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Investigation of the electrical resistivity of Cu-doped PbS thin films has been carried out. The films were prepared using a DC sputtering technique. The doping was achieved by introducing the Cu dopant plate material directly on the surface of the PbS sputtering target plate. SEM-EDX data shows the Cu concentration in the PbS film to be proportional to the Cu plate diameter. The XRD pattern indicates the film is in crystalline cubic form. The Hall effect measurement shows that Cu doping yields an increase in the carrier concentration to 3.55 × 1019 cm−3 and a significant decrease in electrical resistivity. The lowest resistivity obtained was 0.13 Ωcm for a Cu concentration of 18.5%. Preferential orientation of (1 1 1 and (2 0 0 occurs during deposition. Keywords: Thin films, Lead sulfide, Sputtering, Resistivity, Semiconductor, Infrared

Synthesis and characterization of pure and Tb/Cu doped Alq3 nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salah, Numan; Habib, Sami S.; Khan, Zishan H.; Alharbi, Najlaa D.

2013-01-01

Tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq 3 ) is an organic semiconductor molecule, widely used in optoelectronic devices. In this work we report on fabricating different nanostructures of Alq 3 and characterize them using different techniques. Nanostructured films of Alq 3 were grown using the physical vapor condensation and thermal-vapor transport methods. The as synthesized films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy and absorption spectra. Nanoparticles and nanorods/nanowires are observed in the synthesized films. Tb and Cu doped Alq 3 films were also produced and studied for their photoluminescence (PL) properties. When the original powder sample of Alq 3 was excited by 378 nm, one broad PL emission band is observed at around 515 nm. The pure nanoparticles film shows similar band with a drastic increase in the intensity by a factor of 2. This has been attributed to the large specific surface area, which might has increased the absorption and then the quantum yields. The Tb and Cu doped films show also similar band with a slight shift in the peak position to the blue region, but with further enhancement in the peak intensity, particularly that of Cu. The PL intensity of Cu doped sample is around 1.5 times stronger than that of the pure Alq 3 nanoparticles. This remarkable result on obtaining highly luminescent nanomaterial based on Cu doped Alq 3 nanoparticles film might be useful for future organic light emitting diode display devices. -- Highlights: • Films of Alq 3 nanostructures were grown using different methods. • The PL intensity of Alq 3 in its nanostructure form is enhanced by a factor of 2. • This enhancement is attributed to the large specific surface area of the nanostructures. • Films of Alq 3 nanoparticles doped with Tb and Cu showed further PL enhancement. • The Tb and Cu ions could contribute to the PL intensity of the green band of Alq3

Solvent-Induced Deposition of Cu-Ga-In-S Nanocrystals onto a Titanium Dioxide Surface for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

KAUST Repository

Kandiel, Tarek

2015-11-25

In this paper, copper-gallium-indium-sulfide (CGIS) nanocrystals with different Ga/In ratios, i.e., CuGaxIn5-xS8, where x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, were synthesized and investigated for visible-light-driven hydrogen (H2) evolution from aqueous solutions that contain sulfide/sulfite ions. The synthesized CGIS nanocrystals were characterized by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). With 1.0 wt.% Ru as a co-catalyst, the H2 evolution rate on CuGa2In3S8 (CGIS hereafter) showed the highest activity. The CGIS nanocrystals were deposited onto a TiO2 surface via a unique solvent-induced deposition method. The CGIS/TiO2 photocatalyst showed comparable activity to that obtained using bare CGIS nanocrystals when the photocatalyst amount was sufficient in the photoreactor system, suggesting that TiO2 remains intact in terms of photocatalytic activity. The quantity of CGIS nanocrystals, however, required to achieve the rate-plateau condition at saturation was much lower in the presence of TiO2. The enhanced activities at low CGIS loadings observed in the presence of TiO2 were explained by the improved dispersion of the powder suspension and optical path in the photoreactor. This TiO2 supported photocatalyst lowers the required amount of photocatalyst, which is beneficial from an economic point of view.

Temperature profiles for laser-induced heating of nanocrystals embedded in glass matrices

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatnagar, Promod K.; Nagpal, Swati

2001-05-01

Quantum confined nanostructures are very important because of their application towards optoelectronic devices. Commercial colored glass filters, which have large semiconductor particles, are being used to manufacture nanocrystals by suitable heat treatments. The progress in this area has been hampered by high size dispersion of these dots in the glass matrix which leads to reduction in higher order susceptibility thereby reducing non-linearity. In the present paper attempt has been made to theoretically model the temperature profiles of a laser irradiated CdS doped Borosilicate sample. Laser being used has a beam diameter of 1.5 mm and energy for 10 nsec pulse is 10 mJ. Two different particle radii of 5 nm and 10 nm have been considered. It is found that larger particles reach higher temperatures for the same pulse characteristics. This is because smaller particles have larger surface to volume ratio and hence dissipates out heat faster to the surrounding. Hence bigger particles will reach dissolution temperature faster than smaller particle and particle beyond a certain size should dissolve in the glass matrix when a sample is heat treated by laser. This could lead to a reduction in size dispersion of the nanocrystals. Also photodarkening effect found in semiconductor doped glasses is a big handicap for practical application of these materials in fast optical switching and non-linear optical devices. Photodarkening effect has been established to be a photochemical effect and it is important to study the temperature profiles around a particle since it will effect the impurity migration.

Synthesis of CdS hollow/solid nanospheres and their chain-structures by membrane technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan Shumin; Wu Qingsheng; Jia Runping; Liu Xinbo

2008-01-01

CdS hollow/solid nanospheres and their chain-structures were successfully synthesized through supporting liquid membrane (SLM) system with bio-membrane. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been used for the characterization of the products. The average diameters of CdS solid/hollow spheres are about 10, 40 nm, respectively. The wall of the hollow spheres is about 5 nm. CdS products are all cubic face-centered structure with the cell constant a = 5.830 A. We also explore the morphology, structure and possible synthesis mechanism. A possible template mechanism has been proposed for the production of the hollow CdS nanocrystals, that is, CdS nanoparticles grow along the non-soakage interface between CHCl3 and reactant solution. During this process, the organic functional groups were crucial to the control of crystal morphologies

Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon Membranes with Co/CoP Janus-Type Nanocrystals as Hydrogen Evolution Electrode in Both Acidic and Alkaline Environments

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hong; Min, Shixiong; Wang, Qiang; Li, Debao; Casillas, Gilberto; Ma, Chun; Li, Yangyang; Liu, Zhixiong; Li, Lain-Jong; Yuan, Jiayin; Antonietti, Markus; Wu, Tao

2017-01-01

reaction (HER). Benefited from multiple structural merits, such as a high degree of graphitization, three-dimensionally interconnected micro/meso/macropores, uniform nitrogen doping, well-dispersed Co/CoP nanocrystals, as well as the confinement effect

Pair Distribution Function Analysis of ZrO2 Nanocrystals and Insights in the Formation of ZrO2-YBa2Cu3O7 Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannes Rijckaert

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The formation of superconducting nanocomposites from preformed nanocrystals is still not well understood. Here, we examine the case of ZrO2 nanocrystals in a YBa2Cu3O7−x matrix. First we analyzed the preformed ZrO2 nanocrystals via atomic pair distribution function analysis and found that the nanocrystals have a distorted tetragonal crystal structure. Second, we investigated the influence of various surface ligands attached to the ZrO2 nanocrystals on the distribution of metal ions in the pyrolyzed matrix via secondary ion mass spectroscopy technique. The choice of stabilizing ligand is crucial in order to obtain good superconducting nanocomposite films with vortex pinning. Short, carboxylate based ligands lead to poor superconducting properties due to the inhomogeneity of metal content in the pyrolyzed matrix. Counter-intuitively, a phosphonate ligand with long chains does not disturb the growth of YBa2Cu3O7−x. Even more surprisingly, bisphosphonate polymeric ligands provide good colloidal stability in solution but do not prevent coagulation in the final film, resulting in poor pinning. These results thus shed light on the various stages of the superconducting nanocomposite formation.

Plasmon-enhanced energy transfer for improved upconversion of infrared radiation in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qi; Mundoor, Haridas; Ribot, Josep; Singh, Vivek; Smalyukh, Ivan; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-03-01

Upconversion of infrared radiation into visible light has been investigated for applications in biological imaging and photovoltaics. However, low conversion efficiency due to small absorption cross-section for infrared light (Yb3+) , and slow rate of energy transfer (to Er3+ states) has prevented application of upconversion photoluminescence (UPL) for diffuse sunlight or imaging tissue samples. Here, we utilize resonant surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) waves to enhance UPL in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals. Our analysis indicates that SPP waves not only enhance the electromagnetic field, and hence weak Purcell effect, but also increases the rate of resonant energy transfer from Yb3+ to Er3+ ions by 6 fold. While we do observe strong metal mediated quenching (14 fold) of green fluorescence on flat metal surfaces, the nanostructured metal is resonant in the infrared, and hence enhances the nanocrystal UPL. This strong columbic effect on energy transfer can have important implications for other fluorescent and excitonic systems too.

Plasmon-enhanced energy transfer for improved upconversion of infrared radiation in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qi-C; Mundoor, Haridas; Ribot, Josep C; Singh, Vivek; Smalyukh, Ivan I; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-01-08

Upconversion of infrared radiation into visible light has been investigated for applications in photovoltaics and biological imaging. However, low conversion efficiency due to small absorption cross-section for infrared light (Yb(3+)), and slow rate of energy transfer (to Er(3+) states) has prevented application of upconversion photoluminescence (UPL) for diffuse sunlight or imaging tissue samples. Here, we utilize resonant surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) waves to enhance UPL in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals. Our analysis indicates that SPP waves not only enhance the electromagnetic field, and hence weak Purcell effect, but also increase the rate of resonant energy transfer from Yb(3+) to Er(3+) ions by 6 fold. While we do observe strong metal mediated quenching (14-fold) of green fluorescence on flat metal surfaces, the nanostructured metal is resonant in the infrared and hence enhances the nanocrystal UPL. This strong Coulombic effect on energy transfer can have important implications for other fluorescent and excitonic systems too.

Optical, structural and photocatalysis properties of Cu-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bensouici, F., E-mail: fbensouici@yahoo.fr [Department of Physics, URMPE Unite, UMBB University, 35000 Boumerdes (Algeria); Bououdina, M.; Dakhel, A.A. [Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, PO Box 32038 (Bahrain); Tala-Ighil, R.; Tounane, M.; Iratni, A. [Department of Physics, URMPE Unite, UMBB University, 35000 Boumerdes (Algeria); Souier, T. [Department of Physics, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 36 (Oman); Liu, S.; Cai, W. [Key laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Technology, Center for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • A simple chemical route to obtain thin layers of Cu doped TiO{sub 2}. • Detailed structure analysis was carried out by Rietveld refinements. • Forming the CuO phase decreases the efficiency photocatalysis of TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Pure and Cu{sup +2} doped TiO{sub 2} thin films have been successfully deposited onto glass substrate by sol–gel dip-coating. The films were annealed at 450 °C for 1 h and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV–vis spectrophotometer and photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue. XRD confirmed the presence of two phases at higher Cu concentration; TiO{sub 2} anatase and CuO. AFM analysis showed that the surface roughness increases within increasing Cu content as well as the presence of large aggregates at higher Cu content. SEM observations confirmed the granular structure of the films, and EDX analysis revealed a low solubility limit (effective doping) of Cu into TiO{sub 2} lattice. It was found that the optical band gap energy decreases with increasing Cu content. At constant irradiation time, the photo-degradation of methylene blue rate decreased with increasing concentration of Cu{sup +2}.

Spectral features and antibacterial properties of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method

Science.gov (United States)

Alireza, Samavati; A, F. Ismail; Hadi, Nur; Z, Othaman; M, K. Mustafa

2016-07-01

Zn1-x Cu x O (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) nanoparticles are synthesized via the sol-gel technique using gelatin and nitrate precursors. The impact of copper concentration on the structural, optical, and antibacterial properties of these nanoparticles is demonstrated. Powder x-ray diffraction investigations have illustrated the organized Cu doping into ZnO nanoparticles up to Cu concentration of 5% (x = 0.05). However, the peak corresponding to CuO for x = 0.01 is not distinguishable. The images of field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrate the existence of a nearly spherical shape with a size in the range of 30-52 nm. Doping Cu creates the Cu-O-Zn on the surface and results in a decrease in the crystallite size. Photoluminescence and absorption spectra display that doping Cu causes an increment in the energy band gap. The antibacterial activities of the nanoparticles are examined against Escherichia coli (Gram negative bacteria) cultures using optical density at 600 nm and a comparison of the size of inhibition zone diameter. It is found that both pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles indicate appropriate antibacterial activity which rises with Cu doping. Project supported by the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) (Grant No. R. J1300000.7809.4F626). Dr. Samavati is thankful to RMC for postdoctoral grants.

Effect of co-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles on photoluminescence of cu-doped potassium lithium borate glass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Namma, Haydar Aboud; Wagiran, H.; Hussin, R.; Ariwahjoedi, B. [Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Malaysia and Baghdad College of Economic Sciences University (Iraq); Fundamental and Applied Sciences Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 31750 Tronoh (Malaysia)

2012-09-26

The SnO{sub 2} co-doped lithium potassium borate glasses doped with 0.05, 0.10, 0.25 and 0.50 mol% of Cu were synthesized by the melt quenching technique. The SnO{sub 2} co-dope was added to the compounds in the amounts of 0.05, 0.10, and 0.20 mol%. The photoluminescent spectrum for different concentrations of copper was studied. It was observed that the intensity of blue emission (450, 490 nm) varies with concentration mol%. In addition, with different concentration of SnO{sub 2} to 0.10 mol% Cu, the influence of the luminescence has been observed to enhance intensity and shifted to blue and red (490, 535 nm) emissions.

Silicon nanocrystal films for electronic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lechner, Robert W.

2009-02-06

Whether nanoparticles of silicon are really suited for such applications, whether layers fabricated from this exhibit semiconducting properties, whether they can be doped, and whether for instance via the doping the conductivity can be tuned, was studied in the present thesis. Starting material for this were on the one hand spherical silicon nanocrystals with a sharp size distribution and mean diameters in the range from 4-50 nm. Furthermore silicon particle were available, which are with 50-500 nm distinctly larger and exhibit a broad distribution of the mean size and a polycrystalline fine structure with strongly bifurcated external morphology. The small conductivities and tje low mobility values of the charge carriers in the layers of silicon nanocrystals suggest to apply suited thermal after-treatment procedures. So was found that the aluminium-induced layer exchange (ALILE) also can be transferred to the porous layers of nanocrystals. With the deuteron passivation a method was available to change the charge-carrier concentration in the polycrystalline layers. Additionally to ALILE laser crystallization as alternative after-treatment procedure of the nanocrystal layers was studied.

Elucidation of the enhanced ferromagnetic origin in Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals embedded into a SiO₂ matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sejoon; Lee, Youngmin; Kim, Deukyoung [Dongguk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2013-01-01

The origin of the enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped ZnO (ZnO:Mn) nanocrystals is investigated. ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, which were fabricated by using a laser irradiation method with a 248-nm KrF excimer laser, exhibited two-times increase in the spontaneous magnetization (∼0.4 emu/cm³ at 300 K) compared to the ZnO:Mn thin film (∼0.2 emu/cm³ at 300 K). The increased exchange integral of J₁/k{sub B} = 51.6 K in ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, in comparison with the ZnO:Mn thin film (J₁/k{sub B} = 46.9 K), is indicative of the enhanced ferromagnetic exchange interaction. This is attributed to the large number of acceptor defects in the SiO₂-capped ZnO:Mn nanocrystals. Namely, the holes bound to the acceptor defects form microscopic bound-magnetic-polarons with Mn ions; hence, long-range ferromagnetic coupling is enhanced. The results suggest that ferromagnetism in ZnO-based dilute magnetic semiconductors can be controlled by modulating the density of native point defects, which can be chemically and thermodynamically modified during the material synthesis or preparation.

Photoluminescence and electrical impedance measurements on alloyed Zn{sub (1-x)}Cd{sub x}S nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saravanan, R. Sakthi Sudar, E-mail: rsakthiss@yahoo.com [Physics Research Centre, S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil 629 002 (India); Mahadevan, C.K. [Physics Research Centre, S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil 629 002 (India)

2012-11-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High yield synthesis of Zn-Cd-S QDs. is achieved by solvothermal-microwave heating. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The samples are highly crystalline and the average particle size is {approx}3.5 nm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High luminescent quantum yield and narrow emission spectral widths are obtained. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High conduction activation energy is observed in the case of Zn-Cd coexisting QDs. - Abstract: A series of wurtzite Zn{sub (1-x)}Cd{sub x}S (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) nanocrystals with average crystallite size of 1.98, 1.82, 1.80, 2.04 and 2.51 nm, respectively, have been synthesized by simple solvothermal microwave heating method. The photoluminescence yield is found to be higher in the case of alloyed nanocrystals (x = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75) as compared to ZnS (x = 0) and CdS (x = 1). The optical emission is tuned from blue (440 nm) to orange (575 nm) with the increase of Cd composition in Zn{sub (1-x)}Cd{sub x}S nanocrystal. The impedance analysis for Zn{sub (1-x)}Cd{sub x}S nanocrystals has been measured as a function of frequency and temperature. The real and imaginary part of complex impedance plots exhibit semicircle behavior in the complex plane. The AC activation energies of ZnS, Zn{sub 0.75}Cd{sub 0.25}S, Zn{sub 0.5}Cd{sub 0.5}S, Zn{sub 0.25}Cd{sub 0.75}S and CdS nanocrystals were calculated from electrical conductivity analysis and are found to be 0.188, 0.378, 0.456, 0.284 and 0.255 eV, respectively. The conductivity of the alloyed nanocrystals was higher than that of ZnS and CdS.

Effect of thermal annealing on the structure and magnetism of Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by solid state reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong; Chen, Z. Q.; Wang, D. D.; Gong, J.; Cao, C. Y.; Tang, Z.; Huang, L. R.

2010-11-01

High purity Fe 2O 3/ZnO nanocomposites were annealed in air at different temperatures between 100 and 1200 °C to get Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals. The structure and grain size of the Fe 2O 3/ZnO nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction 2θ scans. Annealing induces an increase of the grain size from 25 to 195 nm and appearance of franklinite phase of ZnFe 2O 4. Positron annihilation measurements reveal large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the Fe 2O 3/ZnO nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature. After annealing at temperatures higher than 1000 °C, the number of vacancies decreases to the lower detection limit of positrons. Room temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals using physical properties measurement system. The ferromagnetism remains after annealing up to 1000 °C, suggesting that it is not related with the interfacial defects.

Effect of thermal annealing on the structure and magnetism of Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by solid state reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Dong; Chen, Z.Q.; Wang, D.D.; Gong, J.; Cao, C.Y.; Tang, Z.; Huang, L.R.

2010-01-01

High purity Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO nanocomposites were annealed in air at different temperatures between 100 and 1200 o C to get Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals. The structure and grain size of the Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction 2θ scans. Annealing induces an increase of the grain size from 25 to 195 nm and appearance of franklinite phase of ZnFe 2 O 4 . Positron annihilation measurements reveal large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature. After annealing at temperatures higher than 1000 o C, the number of vacancies decreases to the lower detection limit of positrons. Room temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals using physical properties measurement system. The ferromagnetism remains after annealing up to 1000 o C, suggesting that it is not related with the interfacial defects.

Coexistence of short- and long-range ferromagnetic order in nanocrystalline Fe{sub 2}Mn{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}Al (x=0.0, 0.1 and 0.3) synthesized by high-energy ball milling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thanh, Tran Dang, E-mail: thanhxraylab@yahoo.com [Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Nanto, Dwi [Physics Education, Syarif Hidayatullah States Islamic University, Jakarta 15412 (Indonesia); Tuyen, Ngo Thi Uyen [Department of Natural Science, Nha Trang Pedagogic College, Nguyen Chanh, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa (Viet Nam); Nan, Wen-Zhe [Department of Physics, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763 (Korea, Republic of); Yu, YiKyung [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0411 (United States); Tartakovsky, Daniel M., E-mail: dmt@ucsd.edu [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0411 (United States); Yu, S.C., E-mail: scyu@cbnu.ac.kr [Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

2015-11-15

In this work, we prepared nanocrystalline Fe{sub 2}Mn{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}Al (x=0.0, 0.1 and 0.3) powders by the high energy ball milling technique, and then studied their critical properties. Our analysis reveals that the increase of Cu-doping concentration (up to x=0.3) in these powders leads to a gradual increase of the ferromagnetic–paramagnetic transition temperature from 406 to 452 K. The Banerjee criterion suggests that all the samples considered undergo a second-order phase transition. A modified Arrott plot and scaling analysis indicate that the critical exponents (β=0.419 and 0.442, γ=1.082 and 1.116 for x=0.0 and 0.1, respectively) are located in between those expected for the 3D-Heisenberg and the mean-field models; the values of β=0.495 and γ=1.046 for x=0.3 sample are very close to those of the mean-field model. These features reveal the coexistence of the short- and long-range ferromagnetic order in the nanocrystalline Fe{sub 2}Mn{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}Al powders. Particularly, as the concentration of Cu increases, values of the critical exponent shift towards those of the mean-field model. Such results prove the Cu doping favors establishing a long-range ferromagnetic order. - Highlights: • Fe{sub 2}Mn{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}Al nanocrystals were prepared by a high energy ball milling method. • A coexistence of the short- and long-range FM order in the nanocrystals. • Cu doping favors establishing a long-range FM order in the nanocrystals. • All the ΔS{sub m}(T, H) data are followed a universal master curve.

TL and OSL studies on lithium borate single crystals doped with Cu and Ag

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rawat, N.S.; Kulkarni, M.S.; Tyagi, M.; Ratna, P.; Mishra, D.R.; Singh, S.G.; Tiwari, B.; Soni, A.; Gadkari, S.C.; Gupta, S.K.

2012-01-01

Lithium borate (LBO) single crystals doped with Cu and Ag (0.25 mol% each) (Li 2 B 4 O 7 :Cu,Ag) are grown by the Czochralski method. The thermoluminescence readout on Li 2 B 4 O 7 :Cu,Ag crystals showed three glow peaks at∼375, 441 and 516 K for the heating rate of 1 K/s. The thermoluminescence sensitivity of the grown Li 2 B 4 O 7 :Cu,Ag single crystals is found to be 5 times TLD-100 and a linear dose response in the range 1 mGy to 1 kGy. The glow curve deconvolution reveals nearly first order kinetics for all the three peaks with trap depths 0.77, 1.25 and 1.34 eV respectively and corresponding frequency factors 1.6×10 9 , 1.3×10 13 and 6.8×10 11 s −1 . The continuous wave optically stimulated luminescence (CW-OSL) measurements were performed on the LBO:Cu,Ag single crystals using blue light stimulation. The traps responsible for the three thermoluminescence peaks in Li 2 B 4 O 7 :Cu,Ag are found to be OSL sensitive. The qualitative correlation between TL peaks and CW-OSL response is established. The photoluminescence studies show that in case of co-doping of Ag in LBO:Cu the emission at 370 nm in Cu states dominates over the transitions in Ag states implying doping of Ag plays a role as sensitizer when co-doped with Cu and increases overall emission. - Highlights: ► Growth of crack free single crystals of Li2B4O7 :Cu and Ag. ► Study of TL and OSL parameters for Li2B4O7 :Cu and Ag. ► Correlation of OSL with TL peaks. ► Optimization of OSL readout time with respect to residual TL.

Controlling morphology and crystallite size of Cu(In0.7Ga0.3)Se2 nano-crystals synthesized using a heating-up method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, Wei-Hsiang; Hsiang, Hsing-I; Chia, Chih-Ta; Yen, Fu-Su

2013-01-01

CuIn 0.7 Ga 0.3 Se 2 (CIGS) nano-crystals were successfully synthesized via a heating-up process. The non-coordinating solvent (1-octadecene) and selenium/cations ratio effects on the crystalline phase and crystallite size of CIGS nano-crystallites were investigated. It was observed that the CIGS nano-crystallite morphology changed from sheet into spherical shape as the amount of 1-octadecene addition was increased. CIGS nano-crystals were obtained in 9–20 nm sizes as the selenium/cations ratio increased. These results suggest that the monomer reactivity in the solution can be adjusted by changing the solvent type and selenium/cations ratio, hence affecting the crystallite size and distribution. - Graphical abstract: CuIn 0.7 Ga 0.3 Se 2 (CIGS) nano-crystals were successfully synthesized via a heating-up process in this study. The super-saturation in the solution can be adjusted by changing the OLA/ODE ratio and selenium/cation ratio.

Facile hot-injection synthesis of stoichiometric Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanocrystals using bis(triethylsilyl) selenide.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Chunyu; Ramasamy, Parthiban; Kim, Jinkwon

2014-07-07

Cu2ZnSnSe4 is a prospective material as an absorber in thin film solar cells due to its many advantages including direct band gap, high absorption coefficient, low toxicity, and relative abundance (indium-free) of its elements. In this report, CZTSe nanoparticles have been synthesized by the hot-injection method using bis-(triethylsilyl)selenide [(Et3Si)2Se] as the selenium source for the first time. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the stoichiometry of CZTSe nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that the nanocrystals were single phase polycrystalline with their size within the range of 25-30 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy measurements ruled out the existence of secondary phases such as Cu2SnSe3 and ZnSe. The effect of reaction time and precursor injection order on the formation of stoichiometric CZTSe nanoparticles has been studied by Raman spectroscopy. UV-vis-NIR data indicate that the CZTSe nanocrystals have an optical band gap of 1.59 eV, which is optimal for photovoltaic applications.

Facile synthesis of Zn doped CuO hierarchical nanostructures: Structural, optical and antibacterial properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javed Iqbal

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ZnxCu1−xO (where x= 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07 and 0.1 mol% hierarchical nanostructures have been prepared via soft chemical route. X-ray diffraction (XRD results of the synthesized samples reveal the monoclinic structure of CuO without any impurity related phases. The micro-structural parameters such as crystallite size and microstrain have been strongly influenced by Zn doping. Scanning electron microscope (SEM analyses depict the formation of hierarchical nanostructures having average particle size in the range of 26-43 nm. The surface area of CuO nanostructures has been reduced systematically with the increase in Zn content which is linked with the variations in particle size. An obvious decrease in the optical band gap energy of the synthesized CuO hierarchical nanostructures has been observed with Zn doping which is assigned to the formation of shallow levels in the band gap of CuO and combined transition from oxygen 2p states to d sates of Cu and Zn ions. The bactericidal potency of the CuO hierarchical nanostructures have been found to be enhanced remarkably with Zn doping.

Facile synthesis of Zn doped CuO hierarchical nanostructures: Structural, optical and antibacterial properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iqbal, Javed, E-mail: tariqjan84@gmail.com, E-mail: javed.suggau@iiu.edu.pk; Jan, Tariq, E-mail: tariqjan84@gmail.com, E-mail: javed.suggau@iiu.edu.pk; Ul-Hassan, Sibt; Umair Ali, M.; Abbas, Fazal [Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology, Department of Physics, International Islamic University, H-10, Islamabad (Pakistan); Ahmed, Ishaq [Experimental Physics Labs, National Center for Physics, Islamabad (Pakistan); Mansoor, Qaisar; Ismail, Muhammad [Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), Islamabad (Pakistan)

2015-12-15

Zn{sub x}Cu{sub 1−x}O (where x= 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07 and 0.1 mol%) hierarchical nanostructures have been prepared via soft chemical route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results of the synthesized samples reveal the monoclinic structure of CuO without any impurity related phases. The micro-structural parameters such as crystallite size and microstrain have been strongly influenced by Zn doping. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses depict the formation of hierarchical nanostructures having average particle size in the range of 26-43 nm. The surface area of CuO nanostructures has been reduced systematically with the increase in Zn content which is linked with the variations in particle size. An obvious decrease in the optical band gap energy of the synthesized CuO hierarchical nanostructures has been observed with Zn doping which is assigned to the formation of shallow levels in the band gap of CuO and combined transition from oxygen 2p states to d sates of Cu and Zn ions. The bactericidal potency of the CuO hierarchical nanostructures have been found to be enhanced remarkably with Zn doping.

Facile hydrothermal preparation of recyclable S-doped graphene sponge for Cu2+ adsorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Lianqin; Yu, Baowei; Xue, Fumin; Xie, Jingru; Zhang, Xiaoliang; Wu, Ruihan; Wang, Ruijue; Hu, Zhiyan; Yang, Sheng-Tao; Luo, Jianbin

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: S-doped graphene sponge was prepared via hydrothermal treatment, where S-doped graphene sponge had an adsorption capacity of 228 mg/g for Cu 2+ . - Highlights: • S-doped graphene sponge was prepared by hydrothermal treatment for heavy metal adsorption. • S-doped graphene sponge had a huge adsorption capacity for Cu 2+ , which was 40 times higher than that of active carbon. • S-doped graphene sponge could be easily regenerated by washing with acidic thiourea. - Abstract: Graphene sponge (GS) has been widely employed for water purification, but adsorption capacity loss frequently occurs during the formation of spongy structure. In this study, we reported the hydrothermal preparation of S-doped GS for the removal of Cu 2+ with a huge adsorption capacity of 228 mg/g, 40 times higher than that of active carbon. The adsorption isotherm could be well fitted into the Freundlich model with a K F value of 36.309 (L/mg) 1/n . The equilibrium adsorption could be fully achieved in the first 5 min. In the thermodynamics study, the negative ΔG indicated that the adsorption was spontaneous and physisorption in nature. The positive ΔH implied that the adsorption was endothermic. The changes of both pH and ionic strength had no apparent influence on the adsorption. S-doped GS could be easily regenerated by washing with acidic thiourea. Moreover, S-doped GS could be used for the adsorption of other heavy metal ions, too. The implication to the applications of S-doped GS in water treatment is discussed

Luminescence and energy transfer mechanism in Eu{sup 3+}/Tb{sup 3+}-co-doped ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystal rods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahemen, I., E-mail: ahemior@gmail.com; Dejene, F. B. [University of the Free State-QwaQwa Campus, Department of Physics (South Africa)

2017-01-15

Nanocrystal rods of Eu{sup 3+}/Tb{sup 3+}-co-doped ZrO{sub 2} were synthesized using a simple chemical precipitation technique. Both ions were successfully doped into the Zr{sup 4+} ion site in a mixed structure containing both monoclinic and tetragonal phases. The Eu{sup 3+} or Tb{sup 3+} singly doped zirconia produced red and green luminescence which are characteristics of Eu{sup 3+} and Tb{sup 3+} ions, respectively. The co-doped zirconia samples produced blue emission from defect states transitions in the host ZrO{sub 2}, red and green luminescence from dopant ions giving cool to warm white light emissions. The phosphors were efficiently excited by ultraviolet and near-ultraviolet/blue radiations giving white and red light, respectively. The decay lifetime was found to increase with increasing donor ion concentration contrary to conventional observations reported by previous researchers. Weak quadrupole–quatdrupole multipolar process was responsible for energy transfer from Tb{sup 3+} (donor) ion to Eu{sup 3+} ion. No energy back-transfer from Eu{sup 3+} to Tb{sup 3+} ion was observed from the excitation spectra. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence shows the presence of defects at low temperature, but these defects vanished at room temperature and beyond. The Eu{sup 3+}/Tb{sup 3+}-co-doped ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystal rod is a potential phosphor for white light application using UV as an excitation source. Thermoluminescence measurements show that the inclusion of Tb{sup 3+} ion increases trap depths in the host zirconia.

The Photovoltaic Performance of Doped-CuI Hole Conductors for Solid State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amalina, M N; Najwa, A A E; Abdullah, M H; Musa, M Z; Rusop, M

2013-01-01

The iodine doped copper (I) iodide (I 2 : CuI) at different weight of iodine dopant have been prepared to investigate its thin films properties and photovoltaic performance. A novel method of mist atomization technique has been used for the deposition of CuI materials. The structural and electrical properties of CuI thin films deposited on the glass substrates were studied. The thin films morphology examined by FESEM shows a variation of crystal size and structure. Brick-like structure with smooth faces and sharp edges were seen for the doped thin films. The CuI thin films at 30 mg of iodine doping shows the highest resistivity of 4.56 × 101 Ω cm which caused by the surface traps create by iodine doping. The photovoltaic performance of ss-DSSC on the effect of variation iodine doping was investigated. The ss-DSSC fabricated with undoped CuI materials shows the highest efficiency of 1.05% while the 40 mg I 2 content shows the lowest conversion efficiency of 0.45%. The crystals size of CuI and its degree of crystallization are greatly contributed to the high filling fraction of the porous TiO 2 layer and hence the cells performance.

Effect of Er doping on optical transmission and EL spectra of (Zn, Cd)S:Cu phosphors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patil, P.K.; Nandgave, J.K.; Lawangar Pawar, R.D.

1991-01-01

Powder phosphors((Znsub(0.4)Cdsub(0.6))S)doped with Cu and Er have been prepared under the inert atmosphere of argon. The optical transmission spectra of Cu doped phosphors have been investigated and explained on the basis of copper associated defect states. The improvement of optical transmission of the phosphors due to Er doping has been reported and explained. The EL emission spectrum of (Znsub(0.4)Cdsub(0.6))S:Cu:Er phosphors exhibits two broad bands characteristic of Cu. The absence of characteristic Er bands has been explained as an effect of thermal quenching of Er donor levels. (author). 9 refs., 2 figs

Threshold pressure for mechanoluminescence of macrocrystals, microcrystals and nanocrystals of doped zinc sulphide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandra, B.P. [School of Studies in Physics and Astrophysics, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur 492010, C.G. (India); Chandra, V.K. [Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Chhatrapati Shivaji Institute of Technology, Shivaji Nagar, Kolihapuri, Durg 491001, C.G. (India); Jha, Piyush, E-mail: piyushjha22@rediffmail.com [Department of Applied Physics, Raipur Institute of Technology, Chhatauna, Mandir Hasuad, Raipur 492101, C.G. (India); Sonwane, V.D. [School of Studies in Physics and Astrophysics, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur 492010, C.G. (India)

2016-06-15

The threshold pressure for elastico-mechanoluminescence (EML) of ZnS:Mn macrocrystals is 20 MPa, and ZnS:Cu,Al macrocrystals do not show ML during elastic deformation. However, the threshold pressure for EML of ZnS:Mn and ZnS:Cu,Cl microcrystals and nanocrystals is nearly 1 MPa. Thus, it seems that high concentration of defects in microcrystalline and nanocrystalline ZnS:Mn and ZnS:Cu,Cl produces disorder and distortion in lattice and changes the local crystal-structure near impurities, and consequently, the enhanced piezoelectric constant of local region produces EML for low value of applied pressure. The threshold pressure for the ML of ZnS:Mn and ZnS:Cu,Al single macrocrystals is higher because such crystals possess comparatively less number of defects near the impurities where the phase-transition is not possible and their ML is caused for high value of stress because the bulk piezoelectric constant is less. Thus, size-dependent threshold pressure for ML supports the origin of EML from piezoelectricity in local region of the crystals. The finding of present investigation may be useful in tailoring phosphors emitting intense EML of different colours.

Threshold pressure for mechanoluminescence of macrocrystals, microcrystals and nanocrystals of doped zinc sulphide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandra, B.P.; Chandra, V.K.; Jha, Piyush; Sonwane, V.D.

2016-01-01

The threshold pressure for elastico-mechanoluminescence (EML) of ZnS:Mn macrocrystals is 20 MPa, and ZnS:Cu,Al macrocrystals do not show ML during elastic deformation. However, the threshold pressure for EML of ZnS:Mn and ZnS:Cu,Cl microcrystals and nanocrystals is nearly 1 MPa. Thus, it seems that high concentration of defects in microcrystalline and nanocrystalline ZnS:Mn and ZnS:Cu,Cl produces disorder and distortion in lattice and changes the local crystal-structure near impurities, and consequently, the enhanced piezoelectric constant of local region produces EML for low value of applied pressure. The threshold pressure for the ML of ZnS:Mn and ZnS:Cu,Al single macrocrystals is higher because such crystals possess comparatively less number of defects near the impurities where the phase-transition is not possible and their ML is caused for high value of stress because the bulk piezoelectric constant is less. Thus, size-dependent threshold pressure for ML supports the origin of EML from piezoelectricity in local region of the crystals. The finding of present investigation may be useful in tailoring phosphors emitting intense EML of different colours.

Relative Humidity Sensing Properties Of Cu2O Doped ZnO Nanocomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, N. K.; Tiwari, K.; Tripathi, A.; Roy, A.; Rai, A.; Awasthi, P.

2009-01-01

In this paper we report application of Cu 2 O doped ZnO composite prepared by solid state reaction route as humidity sensor. Pellet samples of ZnO-Cu 2 O nanocrystalline powders with 2, 5 and 10 weight% of Cu 2 O in ZnO have been prepared. Pellets have been annealed at temperatures of 200-500 deg. C and exposed to humidity. It is observed that as relative humidity increases, resistance of the pellet decreases for the humidity from 10% to 90%. Sample with 5% of Cu 2 O doped in ZnO and annealed at 500 deg. C shows best results with sensitivity of 1.50 MΩ/%RH. In this case the hysteresis is low and the reproducibility high, making it the suitable candidate for humidity sensing.

Gradient Self-Doped CuBi2O4 with Highly Improved Charge Separation Efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fuxian; Septina, Wilman; Chemseddine, Abdelkrim; Abdi, Fatwa F; Friedrich, Dennis; Bogdanoff, Peter; van de Krol, Roel; Tilley, S David; Berglund, Sean P

2017-10-25

A new strategy of using forward gradient self-doping to improve the charge separation efficiency in metal oxide photoelectrodes is proposed. Gradient self-doped CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes are prepared with forward and reverse gradients in copper vacancies using a two-step, diffusion-assisted spray pyrolysis process. Decreasing the Cu/Bi ratio of the CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes introduces Cu vacancies that increase the carrier (hole) concentration and lowers the Fermi level, as evidenced by a shift in the flat band toward more positive potentials. Thus, a gradient in Cu vacancies leads to an internal electric field within CuBi 2 O 4 , which can facilitate charge separation. Compared to homogeneous CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes, CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a forward gradient show highly improved charge separation efficiency and enhanced photoelectrochemical performance for reduction reactions, while CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a reverse gradient show significantly reduced charge separation efficiency and photoelectrochemical performance. The CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a forward gradient produce record AM 1.5 photocurrent densities for CuBi 2 O 4 up to -2.5 mA/cm 2 at 0.6 V vs RHE with H 2 O 2 as an electron scavenger, and they show a charge separation efficiency of 34% for 550 nm light. The gradient self-doping accomplishes this without the introduction of external dopants, and therefore the tetragonal crystal structure and carrier mobility of CuBi 2 O 4 are maintained. Lastly, forward gradient self-doped CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes are protected with a CdS/TiO 2 heterojunction and coated with Pt as an electrocatalyst. These photocathodes demonstrate photocurrent densities on the order of -1.0 mA/cm 2 at 0.0 V vs RHE and evolve hydrogen with a faradaic efficiency of ∼91%.

Enhancement of ferromagnetic properties in Zn0.98Cu0.02O by additional Co doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Huilian; Zhang, Xu; Liu, Hongbo; Yang, Jinghai; Liu, Yang; Liu, Xiaoyan; Gao, Ming; Wei, Maobin; Cheng, Xin; Wang, Jian

2013-01-01

Highlights: •The samples were synthesized by sol–gel technology to dope up to 3% Co in ZnCuO. •After Co doped into Zn 0.98 Cu 0.02 O sample photoluminescence shows an increase in green emission. •The saturation magnetization increased with Co doping. -- Abstract: Zn 0.98 Cu 0.02 O and Zn 0.95 Cu 0.02 Co 0.03 O powders were synthesized by sol–gel method, and the effects of Co codoping on the structure, optical and magnetic properties of the Zn 0.98 Cu 0.02 O powders were studied in detail. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement shows the Zn 0.98 Cu 0.02 O and Zn 0.95 Cu 0.02 Co 0.03 O powders were single phase with the ZnO wurtzite structure, and there was no ferromagnetic-related secondary phase in these powders. Moreover, these powders exhibited ferromagnetism at the room temperature investigated by the magnetic measurement, and the ferromagnetism of the Zn 0.98 Cu 0.02 O and Zn 0.95 Cu 0.02 Co 0.03 O samples were originated from the fact that the Cu ions and Co, Cu ions doped into the ZnO lattices, respectively. In addition, the saturation magnetization (Ms) was significantly increased with Co codoping due to the increased density of oxygen vacancies

Synthesis and characterization of pure and Tb/Cu doped Alq{sub 3} nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salah, Numan, E-mail: nsalah@kau.edu.sa [Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Habib, Sami S. [Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Khan, Zishan H. [Department of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jamia Millia, Islamia (Central University), New Delhi 110025 (India); Alharbi, Najlaa D. [Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Sciences Faculty for Girls, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah-21589 (Saudi Arabia)

2013-11-15

Tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq{sub 3}) is an organic semiconductor molecule, widely used in optoelectronic devices. In this work we report on fabricating different nanostructures of Alq{sub 3} and characterize them using different techniques. Nanostructured films of Alq{sub 3} were grown using the physical vapor condensation and thermal-vapor transport methods. The as synthesized films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy and absorption spectra. Nanoparticles and nanorods/nanowires are observed in the synthesized films. Tb and Cu doped Alq{sub 3} films were also produced and studied for their photoluminescence (PL) properties. When the original powder sample of Alq{sub 3} was excited by 378 nm, one broad PL emission band is observed at around 515 nm. The pure nanoparticles film shows similar band with a drastic increase in the intensity by a factor of 2. This has been attributed to the large specific surface area, which might has increased the absorption and then the quantum yields. The Tb and Cu doped films show also similar band with a slight shift in the peak position to the blue region, but with further enhancement in the peak intensity, particularly that of Cu. The PL intensity of Cu doped sample is around 1.5 times stronger than that of the pure Alq{sub 3} nanoparticles. This remarkable result on obtaining highly luminescent nanomaterial based on Cu doped Alq{sub 3} nanoparticles film might be useful for future organic light emitting diode display devices. -- Highlights: • Films of Alq{sub 3} nanostructures were grown using different methods. • The PL intensity of Alq{sub 3} in its nanostructure form is enhanced by a factor of 2. • This enhancement is attributed to the large specific surface area of the nanostructures. • Films of Alq{sub 3} nanoparticles doped with Tb and Cu showed further PL enhancement. • The Tb and Cu ions could contribute to the PL intensity of the green

Diffusion limited Cu and Au nanocrystal formation in thin film SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johannessen, B.; Kluth, P.; Glover, C.J.; Foran, G.J.; Ridgway, M.C.

2006-01-01

Elemental Cu and Au nanocrystals (NCs) were produced by high-energy ion-implantations into amorphous silica (SiO 2 ) and subsequent thermal annealing. By a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) we confirm both NC species to have the bulk face-centered cubic phase and estimate their average diameter. We concentrate on the investigation of the concentration and size-dependent coordination number (China) of these matrix embedded NCs utilising extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. The CN is found to be suppressed compared to that of a bulk standard. The CN in Au NCs is found to be lower than that of Cu NCs in agreement with smaller average Au NC sizes. We explain this difference by the difference in diffusivity for the two atomic species in SiO 2

Nonlinear optical and microscopic analysis of Cu2+ doped zinc thiourea chloride (ZTC) monocrystal

Science.gov (United States)

Ramteke, S. P.; Anis, Mohd; Pandian, M. S.; Kalainathan, S.; Baig, M. I.; Ramasamy, P.; Muley, G. G.

2018-02-01

Organometallic crystals offer considerable nonlinear response therefore, present article focuses on bulk growth and investigation of Cu2+ ion doped zinc thiourea chloride (ZTC) crystal to explore its technological impetus for laser assisted nonlinear optical (NLO) device applications. The Cu2+ ion doped ZTC bulk single crystal of dimension 03 × 2.4 × 0.4 cm3 has been grown from pH controlled aqueous solution by employing slow solvent evaporation technique. The structural analysis has been performed by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The doping of Cu2+ ion in ZTC crystal matrix has been confirmed by means of energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) technique. The origin of nonlinear optical properties in Cu2+ ion doped ZTC crystal has been studied by employing the Kurtz-Perry test and Z-scan analysis. The remarkable enhancement in second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency of Cu2+ ion doped ZTC crystal with reference to ZTC crystal has been determined. The He-Ne laser assisted Z-scan analysis has been performed to determine the third order nonlinear optical (TONLO) nature of grown crystal. The TONLO parameters such as susceptibility, absorption coefficient, refractive index and figure of merit of Cu-ZTC crystal have been evaluated using the Z-scan transmittance data. The laser damage threshold of grown crystal to high intensity of Nd:YAG laser is found to be 706.2 MW/cm2. The hardness number, work hardening index, yield strength and elastic stiffness coefficient of grown crystal has been investigated under microhardness study. The etching study has been carried out to determine the growth likelihood, nature of etch pits and surface quality of grown crystal.

Highly enhanced photocurrent of novel quantum-dot-co-sensitized PbS-Hg/CdS/Cu:ZnO thin films for photoelectrochemical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gohel, Jignasa V.; Jana, A.K.; Singh, Mohit

2017-01-01

A novel quantum-dot-co-sensitized PbS-Hg/CdS/Cu:ZnO thin films synthesized by low-cost process. The properties of ZnO are also enhanced by doping and co-doping. It is also compared with quantum-dot co-sensitization. Optical properties, crystal structure, morphology, and photocurrent are characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, and solar simulator, respectively. The bandgap is interestingly reduced highly to 2.6 eV for Ag co-doped Cu:ZnO. It is unprecedentedly reduced to 2.1 eV and even 1.97 eV for CdS and PbS-Hg QD-sensitized thin films, respectively. An exceptionally enhanced photocurrent of 17.1 mA/cm"2 is achieved with PbS-Hg-co-sensitized CdS-sensitized Cu:ZnO thin film. This is an excellent achievement, which highly supports the potential of low-cost solar conversion. (orig.)

Highly enhanced photocurrent of novel quantum-dot-co-sensitized PbS-Hg/CdS/Cu:ZnO thin films for photoelectrochemical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gohel, Jignasa V.; Jana, A.K.; Singh, Mohit [Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Surat, Gujarat (India)

2017-08-15

A novel quantum-dot-co-sensitized PbS-Hg/CdS/Cu:ZnO thin films synthesized by low-cost process. The properties of ZnO are also enhanced by doping and co-doping. It is also compared with quantum-dot co-sensitization. Optical properties, crystal structure, morphology, and photocurrent are characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, and solar simulator, respectively. The bandgap is interestingly reduced highly to 2.6 eV for Ag co-doped Cu:ZnO. It is unprecedentedly reduced to 2.1 eV and even 1.97 eV for CdS and PbS-Hg QD-sensitized thin films, respectively. An exceptionally enhanced photocurrent of 17.1 mA/cm{sup 2} is achieved with PbS-Hg-co-sensitized CdS-sensitized Cu:ZnO thin film. This is an excellent achievement, which highly supports the potential of low-cost solar conversion. (orig.)

Syntheses of optically efficient (La{sub 1-x-y}Ce{sub x}Tb{sub y})F{sub 3} nanocrystals via a hydrothermal method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Qiang [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); You Yumin; Ludescher, Richard D. [Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (United States); Ju Yiguang, E-mail: yju@princeton.ed [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

2010-06-15

Optically efficient cerium and terbium doped lanthanide fluoride (La{sub 1-x-y}Ce{sub x}Tb{sub y})F{sub 3} nanocrystals with different doping concentrations have been synthesized by a hydrothermal route in the presence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA). The results showed that the formation of nanocrystals with different morphologies depends on terbium ion Tb{sup 3+} doping concentration, but independent of cerium ion Ce{sup 3+} doping concentration. With increase in Tb{sup 3+} doping concentration, the morphologies of nanocrystals evolved from a spherical shape to a plated-like one. In addition, both the photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) and the fluorescence lifetime of nanocrystals increased with the increase in Ce{sup 3+} doping concentration in cerium and terbium co-doped system. The PL QY reached up to 55%, and the lifetime up to 7.3 ms. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, photoluminescence (PL) and infrared (IR) spectroscopies were employed to characterize the properties of nanocrystals. The growth mechanism of nanocrystals with different morphologies and optical properties of nanocrystals with different doping concentrations were investigated.

Elucidation of the enhanced ferromagnetic origin in Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals embedded into a SiO2 matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sejoon; Lee, Youngmin; Kim, Deukyoung

2013-01-01

The origin of the enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped ZnO (ZnO:Mn) nanocrystals is investigated. ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, which were fabricated by using a laser irradiation method with a 248-nm KrF excimer laser, exhibited two-times increase in the spontaneous magnetization (∼0.4 emu/cm 3 at 300 K) compared to the ZnO:Mn thin film (∼0.2 emu/cm 3 at 300 K). The increased exchange integral of J 1 /k B = 51.6 K in ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, in comparison with the ZnO:Mn thin film (J 1 /k B = 46.9 K), is indicative of the enhanced ferromagnetic exchange interaction. This is attributed to the large number of acceptor defects in the SiO 2 -capped ZnO:Mn nanocrystals. Namely, the holes bound to the acceptor defects form microscopic bound-magnetic-polarons with Mn ions; hence, long-range ferromagnetic coupling is enhanced. The results suggest that ferromagnetism in ZnO-based dilute magnetic semiconductors can be controlled by modulating the density of native point defects, which can be chemically and thermodynamically modified during the material synthesis or preparation.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of zinc molybdate nanocrystals and molybdate-doped epoxy/PDMS nanocomposite coatings for Mg alloy protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Eduok, Ubong; Szpunar, Jerzy

2018-06-01

Zinc molybdate (ZM) is a safer anticorrosive additive for cooling systems when compared with chromates and lead salts, due to its insolubility in aqueous media. For most molybdate pigments, their molybdate anion (MoO 4 -2 ) acts as an anionic inhibitor and its passivation capacity is comparable with chromate anion (CrO 4 -2 ). To alleviate the environmental concerns involving chromates-based industrial protective coatings, we have proposed new alternative in this work. We have synthesized ZM nanocrystals via ultrasound-assisted process and encapsulated them within an epoxy/PDMS coating towards corrosion protection. The surface morphology and mechanical properties of these ZM doped epoxy/PDMS nanocomposite coatings is exhaustively discussed to show the effect of ZM content on protective properties. The presence of ZM nanocrystals significantly contributed to the corrosion barrier performance of the coating while the amount of ZM nanocrystals needed to prepare an epoxy coating with optimum barrier performance was established. Beyond 2 wt% ZM concentration, the siloxane-structured epoxy coating network became saturated with ZM pigments. This further broadened inherent pores channels, leading to the percolation of corrosion chloride ions through the coating. SEM evidence has revealed proof of surface delamination on ZM3 coating. A model mechanism of corrosion resistance has been proposed for ZM doped epoxy/PDMS nanocomposite coatings from exhaustive surface morphological investigations and evidence. This coating matrix may have emerging applications in cooling systems as anticorrosive surface paints as well as create an avenue for environmental corrosion remediation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ca doping of TSMTG-YBa2Cu3O7-δ/Y2BaCuO5 composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delorme, F.; Harnois, C.; Monot-Laffez, I.; Marinel, S.

2002-01-01

Calcium doped YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ /Y 2 BaCuO 5 bulk samples have been synthesised by the top-seeding-melt-texture growth (TSMTG) process up to 1 wt.% of CaCO 3 . Calcium additions up to 0.25 wt.% of CaCO 3 do not change the decomposition temperature whereas additions of 1 wt.% of CaCO 3 lead to an increase of the decomposition temperature of about 10 deg. C. This difference is not important enough to change the thermal cycle used to process YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ undoped bulk samples. Microstructure studies show that no precursor or secondary phases containing calcium are present in the samples. Energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses have shown that Ca is present both in the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ matrix and the Y 2 BaCuO 5 particles. The position of the calcium atoms in the superconducting matrix is discussed. The calcium doped samples present slightly depressed critical temperatures but drastically depressed critical current densities

Gamma ray interactions with undoped and CuO-doped lithium disilicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elbatal, H.A.; Mandouh, Z.; Zayed, H.; Marzouk, S.Y.; Elkomy, G.; Hosny, A.

2010-01-01

Ultraviolet-visible absorption of undoped lithium disilicate glass reveals strong UV absorption and no visible bands could be identified. Such UV absorption is related to the presence of unavoidable trace iron impurities within raw materials used for the preparation of this glass. Optical absorption of the CuO-doped samples show an extra broad visible band centered at 780 nm and in high CuO contents samples obvious splitting to several component peaks are observed. This characteristic visible absorption of copper-doped samples is correlated with the presence of Cu +2 ions in octahedral coordination with tetragonal distortion. Gamma irradiation of the prepared samples produces radiation-induced defects, which are related to the sharing of host lithium disilicate glass, trace iron impurities and copper iron in their formation. The visible spectrum of the CuO samples shows shielding effect towards successive gamma irradiation.

Photoelectrochemical oxidation of ibuprofen via Cu{sub 2}O-doped TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Qiannan [College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China); Peng, Yen-Ping, E-mail: yppeng@thu.edu.tw [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Chen, Hanlin [College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China); Chang, Ken-Lin [School of Environmental Science and Engineering and Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 51006 China (China); Qiu, Yang-Neng; Lai, Shiau-Wu [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan (China)

2016-12-05

Highlights: • A p–n junction material was synthesized to enhance photocatalytic ability. • Cu{sub 2}O-doped TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays works as a photoanode in a PEC system. • Recombination of photo-generated holes and electrons were greatly reduced. • Synergetic effect was quantified in PEC degradation. • Recombination of photogenerated holes and electrons was greatly enhanced. - Abstract: A p–n junction based Cu{sub 2}O-doped TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays (Cu{sub 2}O-TNAs) were synthesized and used as a working anode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) system. The results revealed that the Cu{sub 2}O-TNAs were dominated by the anatase phase and responded significantly to visible light. XPS analyses indicated that with an amount of 24.79% Cu doping into the structure, the band gap of Cu{sub 2}O-TNAs was greatly reduced. SEM images revealed that the supported TiO{sub 2} nanotubes had diameters of approximately 80 nm and lengths of about 2.63 μm. Upon doping with Cu{sub 2}O, the TiO{sub 2} nanotubes maintained their structural integrity, exhibiting no significant morphological change, favoring PEC applications. Under illumination, the photocurrent from Cu{sub 2}O/TNAs was 2.4 times larger than that from TNAs, implying that doping with Cu{sub 2}O significantly improved electron mobility by reducing the rate of recombination of electron-hole pairs. The EIS and Bode plot revealed that the estimated electron lifetimes, τ{sub el}, of TNAs and Cu{sub 2}O/TNAs were 6.91 and 26.26 ms, respectively. The efficiencies of degradation of Ibuprofen by photoelectrochemical, photocatalytic (PC), electrochemical (EC) and photolytic (P) methods were measured.

Nonequilibrium-Plasma-Synthesized ZnO Nanocrystals with Plasmon Resonance Tunable via Al Doping and Quantum Confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Benjamin L; Ganguly, Shreyashi; Held, Jacob T; Kramer, Nicolaas J; Mkhoyan, K Andre; Aydil, Eray S; Kortshagen, Uwe R

2015-12-09

Metal oxide semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) tunable within the infrared (IR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum by vacancy or impurity doping. Although a variety of these NCs have been produced using colloidal synthesis methods, incorporation and activation of dopants in the liquid phase has often been challenging. Herein, using Al-doped ZnO (AZO) NCs as an example, we demonstrate the potential of nonthermal plasma synthesis as an alternative strategy for the production of doped metal oxide NCs. Exploiting unique, thoroughly nonequilibrium synthesis conditions, we obtain NCs in which dopants are not segregated to the NC surfaces and local doping levels are high near the NC centers. Thus, we achieve overall doping levels as high as 2 × 10(20) cm(-3) in NCs with diameters ranging from 12.6 to 3.6 nm, and for the first time experimentally demonstrate a clear quantum confinement blue shift of the LSPR energy in vacancy- and impurity-doped semiconductor NCs. We propose that doping of central cores and heavy doping of small NCs are achievable via nonthermal plasma synthesis, because chemical potential differences between dopant and host atoms-which hinder dopant incorporation in colloidal synthesis-are irrelevant when NC nucleation and growth proceed via irreversible interactions among highly reactive gas-phase ions and radicals and ligand-free NC surfaces. We explore how the distinctive nucleation and growth kinetics occurring in the plasma influences dopant distribution and activation, defect structure, and impurity phase formation.

Highly stable carbon-doped Cu films on barrierless Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, X.Y.; Li, X.N.; Nie, L.F.; Chu, J.P.; Wang, Q.; Lin, C.H.; Dong, C.

2011-01-01

Electrical resistivities and thermal stabilities of carbon-doped Cu films on silicon have been investigated. The films were prepared by magnetron sputtering using a Cu-C alloy target. After annealing at 400 deg. C for 1 h, the resistivity maintains a low level at 2.7 μΩ-cm and no Cu-Si reaction is detected in the film by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. According to the secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) results, carbon is enriched near the interfacial region of Cu(C)/Si, and is considered responsible for the growth of an amorphous Cu(C)/Si interlayer that inhibits the Cu-Si inter-diffusion. Fine Cu grains, less than 100 nm, were present in the Cu(C) films after long-term and high-temperature annealings. The effect of C shows a combination of forming a self-passivated interface barrier layer and maintaining a fine-grained structure of Cu. A low current leakage measured on this Cu(C) film also provides further evidence for the carbon-induced diffusion barrier interlayer performance.

Engineering iodine-doped carbon dots as dual-modal probes for fluorescence and X-ray CT imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Miaomiao; Ju, Huixiang; Zhang, Li; Sun, Mingzhong; Zhou, Zhongwei; Dai, Zhenyu; Zhang, Lirong; Gong, Aihua; Wu, Chaoyao; Du, Fengyi

2015-01-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is the most commonly used imaging technique for noninvasive diagnosis of disease. In order to improve tissue specificity and prevent adverse effects, we report the design and synthesis of iodine-doped carbon dots (I-doped CDs) as efficient CT contrast agents and fluorescence probe by a facile bottom-up hydrothermal carbonization process. The as-prepared I-doped CDs are monodispersed spherical nanoparticles (a diameter of ~2.7 nm) with favorable dispersibility and colloidal stability in water. The aqueous solution of I-doped CDs showed wavelength-dependent excitation and stable photoluminescence similar to traditional carbon quantum dots. Importantly, I-doped CDs displayed superior X-ray attenuation properties in vitro and excellent biocompatibility. After intravenous injection, I-doped CDs were distributed throughout the body and excreted by renal clearance. These findings validated that I-doped CDs with high X-ray attenuation potency and favorable photoluminescence show great promise for biomedical research and disease diagnosis.

Auto-combustion synthesis and characterization of Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agrawal, Shraddha, E-mail: shraddhaa32@gmail.com; Parveen, Azra; Naqvi, A. H. [Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, Z.H. College of Engg.& Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (India)

2015-06-24

The synthesis of pure and Mg doped Copper aluminumoxide CuAlO{sub 2}nanoparticles, a promising p-type TCO (transparent conducting oxide) have been done bysol gel auto combustion method using NaOH as a fuel, calcinated at 600°C. The structural properties were examined by XRD and SEM techniques. The optical absorption spectra of CuAlO{sub 2} sample recorded by UV-VIS spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 800 nm have been presented. The crystallite size was determined by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The electrical behavior of pure and Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} has been studied over a wide range of frequencies by using complex impedance spectroscopy.The variation of a.c. conductivity has been studied as function of frequency and temperature. The data taken together conclude that doping causes decreases in the ac conductivity of the nanoparticles as compared with the pure nanoparticles. Mg doping affects the optical properties and band gap.

Formulation and Characterization of Cu Doped ZnO Thick Films as LPG Gas Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. PATIL

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Thick films of pure and various concentrations (1 wt. %, 3 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 7 wt. % and 10 wt. % of Cu-doped ZnO were prepared on alumina substrates using a screen printing technique. These films were fired at a temperature of 700ºC for two hours in an air atmosphere. Morphological, compositional and structural properties of the samples were obtained using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDAX and X-ray diffraction techniques respectively. The LPG gas sensing properties of these thick films were investigated at different operating temperatures and LPG gas concentrations. The surface resistance of thick films decreases when exposed to LPG gas. The Cu doped films show significant sensitivity to LPG gas than pure ZnO film. 5 wt. % Cu-doped ZnO film was found to be more sensitive (87.3 % to LPG gas exposed at 300 oC than other doping concentrations with fast response and recovery time.

Enhanced Carrier Collection from CdS Passivated Grains in Solution-Processed Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Melanie; Keller, Debora; Haass, Stefan G; Gretener, Christina; Bissig, Benjamin; Fuchs, Peter; La Mattina, Fabio; Erni, Rolf; Romanyuk, Yaroslav E; Tiwari, Ayodhya N

2015-06-10

Solution processing of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe)-kesterite solar cells is attractive because of easy manufacturing using readily available metal salts. The solution-processed CZTSSe absorbers, however, often suffer from poor morphology with a bilayer structure, exhibiting a dense top crust and a porous bottom layer, albeit yielding efficiencies of over 10%. To understand whether the cell performance is limited by this porous layer, a systematic compositional study using (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of the dimethyl sulfoxide processed CZTSSe absorbers is presented. TEM investigation revealed a thin layer of CdS that is formed around the small CZTSSe grains in the porous bottom layer during the chemical bath deposition step. This CdS passivation is found to be beneficial for the cell performance as it increases the carrier collection and facilitates the electron transport. Electron-beam-induced current measurements reveal an enhanced carrier collection for this buried region as compared to reference cells with evaporated CdS.

Structural and optical characterization of CdS nanorods synthesized by a PVA-assisted solvothermal method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hongmei; Fang Pengfei; Chen Zhe; Wang Shaojie

2008-01-01

Cadmium sulphide (CdS) 1D nanocrystals were prepared using a simple poly(vinyl-alcohol) (PVA)-assisted solvothermal method which employed ethylenediamine (en) as solvent. The obtained nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. XRD results show that the nanorods are hexagonal phase. The TEM results indicate that the synthesized CdS nanorods with PVA-assisted showed larger aspect ratio and uniform faces compared with the sample prepared in the absence of PVA. The results of the photoluminescence and UV-vis spectroscopy measurements reveal that the as-prepared CdS nanorods show a quantum confinement effect. It is also found that the dosage of PVA is a vital factor in the morphology and optical properties of CdS nanorods. Moreover, when the best dosage of 3 g PVA/70 ml en was used, CdS nanorods with regular morphology and longer length were obtained. The probable mechanism for PVA-assisted solvothermal synthesis of CdS nanorods was also discussed

Fibroblast responses and antibacterial activity of Cu and Zn co-doped TiO2 for percutaneous implants

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lan; Guo, Jiaqi; Yan, Ting; Han, Yong

2018-03-01

In order to enhance skin integration and antibacterial activity of Ti percutaneous implants, microporous TiO2 coatings co-doped with different doses of Cu2+ and Zn2+ were directly fabricated on Ti via micro-arc oxidation (MAO). The structures of coatings were investigated; the behaviors of fibroblasts (L-929) as well as the response of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were evaluated. During the MAO process, a large number of micro-arc discharges forming on Ti performed as penetrating channels; O2-, Ca2+, Zn2+, Cu2+ and PO43- delivered via the channels, giving rise to the formation of doped TiO2. Surface characteristics including phase component, topography, surface roughness and wettability were almost the same for different coatings, whereas, the amount of Cu doped in TiO2 decreased with the increased Zn amount. Compared with Cu single-doped TiO2 (0.77 Wt% Cu), the co-doped with appropriate amounts of Cu and Zn, for example, 0.55 Wt% Cu and 2.53 Wt% Zn, further improved proliferation of L-929, facilitated fibroblasts to switch to fibrotic phenotype, and enhanced synthesis of collagen I as well as the extracellular collagen secretion; the antibacterial properties including contact-killing and release-killing were also enhanced. By analyzing the relationship of Cu/Zn amount in TiO2 and the behaviors of L-929 and S. aureus, it can be deduced that when the doped Zn is in a low dose (<1.79 Wt%), the behaviors of L-929 and S. aureus are sensitive to the reduced amount of Cu2+, whereas, Zn2+ plays a key role in accelerating fibroblast functions and reducing S. aureus when its dose obviously increases from 2.63 to 6.47 Wt%.

Engineering Interfacial Charge Transfer in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals by Heterovalent Doping.

Science.gov (United States)

Begum, Raihana; Parida, Manas R; Abdelhady, Ahmed L; Murali, Banavoth; Alyami, Noktan M; Ahmed, Ghada H; Hedhili, Mohamed Nejib; Bakr, Osman M; Mohammed, Omar F

2017-01-18

Since compelling device efficiencies of perovskite solar cells have been achieved, investigative efforts have turned to understand other key challenges in these systems, such as engineering interfacial energy-level alignment and charge transfer (CT). However, these types of studies on perovskite thin-film devices are impeded by the morphological and compositional heterogeneity of the films and their ill-defined surfaces. Here, we use well-defined ligand-protected perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) as model systems to elucidate the role of heterovalent doping on charge-carrier dynamics and energy level alignment at the interface of perovskite NCs with molecular acceptors. More specifically, we develop an in situ doping approach for colloidal CsPbBr 3 perovskite NCs with heterovalent Bi 3+ ions by hot injection to precisely tune their band structure and excited-state dynamics. This synthetic method allowed us to map the impact of doping on CT from the NCs to different molecular acceptors. Using time-resolved spectroscopy with broadband capability, we clearly demonstrate that CT at the interface of NCs can be tuned and promoted by metal ion doping. We found that doping increases the energy difference between states of the molecular acceptor and the donor moieties, subsequently facilitating the interfacial CT process. This work highlights the key variable components not only for promoting interfacial CT in perovskites, but also for establishing a higher degree of precision and control over the surface and the interface of perovskite molecular acceptors.

Engineering Interfacial Charge Transfer in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals by Heterovalent Doping

KAUST Repository

Begum, Raihana

2016-12-17

Since compelling device efficiencies of perovskite solar cells have been achieved, investigative efforts have turned to understand other key challenges in these systems, such as engineering interfacial energy-level alignment and charge transfer (CT). However, these types of studies on perovskite thin-film devices are impeded by the morphological and compositional heterogeneity of the films and their ill-defined surfaces. Here, we use well-defined ligand-protected perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) as model systems to elucidate the role of heterovalent doping on charge-carrier dynamics and energy level alignment at the interface of perovskite NCs with molecular acceptors. More specifically, we develop an in situ doping approach for colloidal CsPbBr3 perovskite NCs with heterovalent Bi3+ ions by hot injection to precisely tune their band structure and excited-state dynamics. This synthetic method allowed us to map the impact of doping on CT from the NCs to different molecular acceptors. Using time-resolved spectroscopy with broadband capability, we clearly demonstrate that CT at the interface of NCs can be tuned and promoted by metal ion doping. We found that doping increases the energy difference between states of the molecular acceptor and the donor moieties, subsequently facilitating the interfacial CT process. This work highlights the key variable components not only for promoting interfacial CT in perovskites, but also for establishing a higher degree of precision and control over the surface and the interface of perovskite molecular acceptors.

Influence of La content on magnetic properties of Cu doped M-type strontium hexaferrite: Structural, magnetic, and Mossbauer spectroscopy study

Science.gov (United States)

Ghimire, M.; Yoon, S.; Wang, L.; Neupane, D.; Alam, J.; Mishra, S. R.

2018-05-01

The present study investigates the influence of Cu2+ and La3+-Cu2+ doping on the magnetic properties of Sr1-xLaxFe12-xCuxO19 (x = 0.0-0.5) hexaferrite (SrM) compounds. The samples were prepared via facile autocombustion technique followed by sintering. X-ray powder diffraction patterns show the formation of the pure phase of M-type hexaferrite for all x. Invariance in lattice parameters was observed with only Cu2+ substitution while lattice contraction along c-axis was observed with co-doping La3+-Cu2+ in SrM. The magnetic property of these compounds is explained based on Cu2+ occupancy in the absence and presence of La3+ in SrM magnetoplumbite structure. The Cu2+ doped SrFe12-xCuxO19 sample showed a monotonic decrease in Ms value while La3+-Cu2+ showed a noticeable increase in Ms value with x. Furthermore, while coercivity of Cu2+ doped SrM reduced with x, the coercivity of La3+-Cu2+ doped SrM showed a marked 12% increase in coercivity at x = 0.1 (Hc = 4391 Oe) from that of x = 0.0 (3918 Oe). Interestingly, Cu2+ doped SrM displayed invariance in Tc ∼ 458.6 °C with x, while La3+-Cu2+ doping reduced Tc by 5% from its x = 0 (Tc = 451.9 °C) to 429.6 °C. The room temperature Mossbauer spectral analysis confirmed a Cu2+ preference for the 12k site and its occupancy is observed to be influenced by the presence of La3+ ion at the Sr2+ site.

Effect of Ligand Exchange on the Photoluminescence Properties of Cu-Doped Zn-In-Se Quantum Dots

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Xiaofei; Xu, Jianping; Yang, Hui; Zhang, Xiaosong; Mo, Zhaojun; Shi, Shaobo; Li, Lan; Yin, Shougen

2018-04-01

The surface-bound ligands of a semiconductor nanocrystal can affect its electron transition behavior. We investigate the photoluminescence (PL) properties of Cu-doped Zn-In-Se quantum dots (QDs) through the exchange of oleylamine with 6-mercaptohexanol (MCH). Fourier transform infrared and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies, and mass spectrometry reveal that the short-chain MCH molecules are bound to the QD surface. The emission peaks remain unchanged after ligand exchange, and the PL quantum yield is reduced from 49% to 38%. The effects of particle size and defect type on the change in PL behavior upon ligand substitution are excluded through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis absorption, and PL spectroscopies. The origin of the decreased PL intensity is associated with increased ligand density and the stronger ligand electron-donating abilities of MCH-capped QDs that induce an increase in the nonradiative transition probability. A lower PL quenching transition temperature is observed for MCH-capped QDs and is associated with increasing electron-acoustic phonon coupling due to the lower melting temperature of MCH.

Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon Membranes with Co/CoP Janus-Type Nanocrystals as Hydrogen Evolution Electrode in Both Acidic and Alkaline Environments

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hong

2017-03-31

Self-supported electrocatalysts being generated and employed directly as electrodes for energy conversion has been intensively pursued in the fields of materials chemistry and energy. Herein, we report a synthetic strategy to prepare freestanding hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped nanoporous graphitic carbon membranes functionalized with Janus-type Co/CoP nanocrystals (termed as HNDCM-Co/CoP), which were successfully applied as a highly efficient, binder-free electrode in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Benefited from multiple structural merits, such as a high degree of graphitization, three-dimensionally interconnected micro/meso/macropores, uniform nitrogen doping, well-dispersed Co/CoP nanocrystals, as well as the confinement effect of the thin carbon layer on the nanocrystals, HNDCM-Co/CoP exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity and long-term operation stability for HER under both acidic and alkaline conditions. As a proof-of-concept of practical usage, a 5.6 cm × 4 cm × 60 μm macroscopic piece of HNDCM-Co/CoP was prepared in our laboratory. Driven by a solar cell, electroreduction of water in alkaline conditions (pH 14) was performed, and H was produced at a rate of 16 mL/min, demonstrating its potential as real-life energy conversion systems.

Probing the structure of CuInS{sub 2}-ZnS core-shell and similar nanocrystals by Raman spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dzhagan, Volodymyr, E-mail: dzhagan@isp.kiev.ua [Semiconductor Physics, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz (Germany); V. E. Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductors Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv 03028 (Ukraine); Kempken, Björn [Energy and Semiconductor Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg (Germany); Valakh, Mykhailo [V. E. Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductors Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv 03028 (Ukraine); Parisi, Jürgen; Kolny-Olesiak, Joanna [Energy and Semiconductor Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg (Germany); Zahn, Dietrich R.T. [Semiconductor Physics, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz (Germany)

2017-02-15

CuInS{sub 2}/ZnS core-shell and alloyed nanocrystals (NCs) are promising candidates for applications in biolabeling, photocatalysis, solar energy conversion, and light emitting diodes. The growth mechanism and subsequent internal structure of such heterogeneous NCs are therefore of crucial importance, as it strongly affects their optical and electronic properties. Here, we investigated using resonant Raman spectroscopy the structure of CuInS{sub 2}/ZnS and Cu-Zn-In-S/ZnS core-shell NCs, as well as the evolution of Cu{sub 2−x}S NCs into CuInS{sub 2}via the heterogeneous Cu{sub 2−x}S/CuInS{sub 2} phase. We demonstrate that the particular phases can be distinguished based on their characteristic Raman modes and tuning the exciting laser energy into resonance with the bandgap of the particular phase.

Study of Paramagnetic Species in γ-irradiated Lithium Borate Glasses Doped With Cu2+ Ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansour, A.; Abd-Allah, W.M.; El-Alaily, N.A.; Ezz-Eldin, F.M.

2013-01-01

Mixed alkali borate glasses doped with different concentration of Cu O ranging from (0.1-10) wt% have been prepared by the melt quenching technique. The prepared samples were studied by means of density, molar volume, infrared spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements before and after successive gamma irradiation (50-200 kGy). The results showed that the density increase while molar volume decrease with the increase of CuO %. The infrared absorption studies revealed that structure of the glass network consists of BO 3 , BO 4 and B-O-Cu linkages. Gamma irradiation causes minor changes in the IR spectral bands which are related to the bond break of the B-O bond and formation non-bridging oxygen. Gamma irradiation causes irregular change in the intensities of the EPR spectra for samples doped with 0.1, 0.2 and 10 wt % of Cu O, however, no change in the EPR spectra of 2 and 5 wt % of Cu O for all absorbed doses (50-200 kGy). It is expected that the Cu-doped lithium borate glass 2 and 5 wt % of Cu O may be used for radiation shielding.

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with Magnesium Doped CuPc as an Efficient Electron Injection Layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jun-Song, Cao; Min, Guan; Guo-Hua, Cao; Yi-Ping, Zeng; Jin-Min, Li; Da-Shan, Qin

2008-01-01

Bright organic electroluminescent devices are developed using a metal-doped organic layer intervening between the cathode and the emitting layer. The typical device structure is a glass substrate/indium-tin oxide (ITO)/copper phthalocyanine(CuPc)/N,N-bis-(1-naphthl)-diphenyl-1, 1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB)/Tris(8-quinolinolato) alu-minum(Alq 3 )/Mg-doped CuPc/Ag. At a driving voltage of 11 V, the device with a layer of Mg-doped CuPc (1:2 in weight) shows a brightness of 4312 cd/m 2 and a current efficiency of 2.52 cd/A, while the reference device exhibits 514 cd/m 2 and 1.25 cd/A

Effect of thermal annealing on the structure and magnetism of Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by solid state reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Dong [Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory, Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Chen, Z.Q., E-mail: chenzq@whu.edu.c [Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory, Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Wang, D.D.; Gong, J. [Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory, Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Cao, C.Y.; Tang, Z. [Department of Electronic and Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241 (China); Huang, L.R. [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, College of Opto-electronics Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2010-11-15

High purity Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZnO nanocomposites were annealed in air at different temperatures between 100 and 1200 {sup o}C to get Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals. The structure and grain size of the Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZnO nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction 2{theta} scans. Annealing induces an increase of the grain size from 25 to 195 nm and appearance of franklinite phase of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}. Positron annihilation measurements reveal large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZnO nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature. After annealing at temperatures higher than 1000 {sup o}C, the number of vacancies decreases to the lower detection limit of positrons. Room temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals using physical properties measurement system. The ferromagnetism remains after annealing up to 1000 {sup o}C, suggesting that it is not related with the interfacial defects.

Spatially Correlated, Single Nanomaterial-Level Structural and Optical Profiling of Cu-Doped ZnO Nanorods Synthesized via Multifunctional Silicides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johnson Truong

2018-04-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate a straightforward and effective method to synthesize vertically oriented, Cu-doped ZnO nanorods (NRs using a novel multipurpose platform of copper silicide nanoblocks (Cu3Si NBs preformed laterally in well-defined directions on Si. The use of the surface-organized Cu3Si NBs for ZnO NR growth successfully results in densely assembled Cu-doped ZnO NRs on each NB platform, whose overall structures resemble thick bristles on a brush head. We show that Cu3Si NBs can uniquely serve as a catalyst for ZnO NRs, a local dopant source of Cu, and a prepatterned guide to aid the local assembly of the NRs on the growth substrate. We also ascertain the crystalline structures, optical properties, and spectroscopic signatures of the Cu-doped ZnO NRs produced on the NBs, both at each module of NRs/NB and at their ensemble level. Subsequently, we determine their augmented properties relative to the pristine form of undoped ZnO NRs and the source material of Cu3Si NBs. We provide spatially correlated structural and optical data for individual modules of Cu-doped ZnO NRs assembled on a Cu3Si NB by resolving them along the different positions on the NB. Ensemble-averaged versus individual behaviors of Cu-doped ZnO NRs on Cu3Si NBs are then compared. We further discuss the potential impact of such ZnO-derived NRs on their relatively unexplored biological and biomedical applications. Our efforts will be particularly useful when exploiting each integrated module of self-aligned, Cu-doped ZnO NRs on a NB as a discretely addressable, active element in solid-state sensors and miniaturized luminescent bioprobes.

Implications of orbital hybridization on the electronic properties of doped quantum dots: the case of Cu:CdSe

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Joshua T.; Forsythe, Kyle; Hutchins, Jamie; Meulenberg, Robert W.

2016-04-01

This paper investigates how chemical dopants affect the electronic properties of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and why a model that incorporates the concepts of orbital hybridization must be used to understand these properties. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy measurements show that copper dopants in CdSe QDs occur primarily through a statistical doping mechanism. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) experiments provide a detailed insight on the valence band (VB) structure of doped and undoped QDs. Using UPS measurements, we are able to observe photoemission from the Cu d-levels above VB maximum of the QDs which allows a complete picture of the energy band landscape of these materials. This information provides insights into many of the physical properties of doped QDs, including the highly debated near-infrared photoluminescence in Cu doped CdSe QDs. We show that all our results point to a common theme of orbital hybridization in Cu doped CdSe QDs which leads to optically and electronically active states below the conduction band minimum. Our model is supported from current-voltage measurements of doped and undoped materials, which exhibit Schottky to Ohmic behavior with Cu doping, suggestive of a tuning of the lowest energy states near the Fermi level.This paper investigates how chemical dopants affect the electronic properties of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and why a model that incorporates the concepts of orbital hybridization must be used to understand these properties. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy measurements show that copper dopants in CdSe QDs occur primarily through a statistical doping mechanism. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) experiments provide a detailed insight on the valence band (VB) structure of doped and undoped QDs. Using UPS measurements, we are able to observe photoemission from the Cu d-levels above VB maximum of the QDs which allows a complete picture of the energy band landscape of

Synthesis of two-dimensional nanowall of Cu-Doped TiO2 and its application as photoanode in DSSCs

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlan, Dahyunir; Md Saad, Siti Khatijah; Berli, Ade Usra; Bajili, Abdil; Umar, Akrajas Ali

2017-07-01

Two-dimensional nanowall of Cu-doped TiO2 (CuTNW) has been prepared in this work to study the role of Cu doping on its photoactivity properties and its photovoltaic performance as photoanode in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). TiO2 nanowall with five Cu ion doping, i.e. 6.25, 12.5, 25.0, 50.0 and 100.0 mM, were prepared via a liquid-phase deposition method using ammoniumhexafluorotitanate and hexamethylenetetramine as the reagents with a growth temperature of 90 °C. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray energy dispersion (EDX) and diffuse optical reflectance spectroscopy analysis results confirmed the successfulness of the Cu doping process in the TiO2 nanowall and effective modification on the photoactivity of the TiO2 nanowall. We found that the power conversion efficiency of the DSSC utilizing TiO2 nanowall as photoanode can be enhanced up to 2 times, i.e. from 0.2% to 0.44%, when the TiO2 nanowall doped with Cu ion. The nanostructure preparation, device fabrication and the mechanism for the device performance enhancement will be discussed.

Photoluminescence characteristics of sintered silica glass doped with Cu ions using mesoporous SiO{sub 2}-PVA nanocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeda, Hiroshi [Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Murata, Takahiro [Faculty of Education and Master' s Course in Education, Kumamoto University, 2-40-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan); Fujino, Shigeru, E-mail: fujino@astec.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan)

2015-07-15

Monolithic silica glasses doped with Cu ions were prepared by immersing a mesoporous SiO{sub 2}-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite in a copper nitrate solution followed by sintering at 1100 °C for 12 h in air. The Cu ions were reduced from divalent to monovalent during the sintering process and consequently Cu{sup +} was doped into the silica glass matrix. The sintered glass possessed blue or yellow photoluminescence (PL) under UV irradiation, depending on the total concentration of Cu ions in the sintered silica glass. At a lower concentration below 30 ppm, the isolated Cu{sup +} existed in the glass matrix resulting in the blue PL. However, above 70 ppm, the Cu{sup +}–Cu{sup +} pairs were present, exhibiting the yellow PL. It was demonstrated that the PL characteristics of the sintered silica glasses doped with monovalent copper ions were affected by the total concentration of Cu ions in the glass, which can be adjusted as a function of the immersion conditions. - Highlights: • Silica glass doped with Cu{sup +} was fabricated by sintering the nanocomposite. • The Cu ions were reduced from divalent to monovalent during the sintering process. • The sintered glass possessed blue or yellow PL under UV irradiation. • The blue and yellow PL are due to isolated Cu{sup +} and Cu{sup +}–Cu{sup +} pairs, respectively. • The PL characteristics depended on the total concentration of Cu ions in the glass.

Electrospinning in Situ Synthesis of Graphene-Doped Porous Copper Indium Disulfide/Carbon Composite Nanofibers for Highly Efficient Counter Electrode in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Jianxin; Zhou, Mengjuan; Wang, Lidan; Zhao, Shuyuan; Wang, Qian; Ding, Bin; Cui, Shizhong

2016-01-01

Highlights: • P-GN@CuInS 2(*) /C nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning, in situ synthesis. • CuInS 2 nanocrystals were uniformly anchored in wrapped RGO to form nanofiber structure. • P-GN@CuInS 2 /C nanofibers exhibited porous and 3D superfine fiber morphology. • Graphene nanosheets led well-dispersed growth of CuInS 2 nanocrystals in nanofibers. • DSSC assembled using p-GN@CuInS 2 /C CE delivered a conversion efficiency of 7.23%. - Abstract: Porous graphene-doped copper indium disulfide/carbon (p-GN@CuInS 2 /C) composite nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning, in situ synthesis, and carbonization. A polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution containing graphene oxide nanosheets, copper dichloride (CuCl 2 ), indium trichloride (InCl 3 ), and thiourea (Tu.) in a mixed solvent of N,N-dimethylformamide/trichloromethane (DMF/CF) was used as the precursor solution for electrospinning. The resulting porous GN@CuInS 2 /C nanofibers were 107 ± 24 nm in diameter, and graphene nanosheets anchored with chalcopyrite CuInS 2 nanocrystals 7–12 nm in diameter were overlapped and embedded in the carbon matrix, aligning along the fiber axial direction. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of the p-GN@CuInS 2 /C composite nanofibers was 795 m 2 /g, with a total pore volume of 0.71 cm 3 /g. These values were significantly larger than those of the sample without graphene and CuInS 2 /C nanofibers. A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) assembled using the p-GN@CuInS 2 /C nanofibers as the counter electrode (CE) delivered a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 7.23%, which was higher than the efficiencies of DSSCs assembled using the samples without graphene (6.48%) and with the CuInS 2 /C nanofibers (5.45%). It was also much higher than that of the DSSC with a Pt CE (6.34%). The excellent photoelectric performance of the p-GN@CuInS 2 /C CE was attributed to its special hierarchical porous structure, which facilitated permeation of the liquid

Thermoelectric properties of Cu/Ag doped type-III Ba24Ge100 clathrates

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Jiefei; Su, Xianli; Yan, Yonggao; Liu, Wei; Zhang, Zhengkai; She, Xiaoyu; Uher, Ctirad; Tang, Xinfeng

2017-09-01

Type-III Ba24Ge100 clathrates possess low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity at room temperature and, as such, have a great potential as thermoelectric materials for power generation. However, the Seebeck coefficient is very low due to the intrinsically high carrier concentration. In this paper, a series of Ba24CuxGe100-x and Ba24AgyGe100-y specimens were prepared by vacuum melting combined with the subsequent spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. Doping Cu or Ag on the Ge site not only suppresses the concentration of electrons but it also decreases the thermal conductivity. In addition, the carrier mobility and the Seebeck coefficient increase due to the decrease in the carrier concentration. Thus, the power factor is greatly improved, leading to an improvement in the dimensionless figure of merit ZT. Cu-doped Ba24Cu6Ge94 reaches the maximum ZT value of about 0.17 at 873 K, while Ag-doped Ba24Ag6Ge94 attains the dimensionless figure of merit ZT of 0.31 at 873 K, more than 2 times higher value compared to un-doped Ba24Ge100.

Atomic scale insight into the amorphous structure of Cu doped GeTe phase-change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Linchuan; Sa, Baisheng; Zhou, Jian; Sun, Zhimei; Song, Zhitang

2014-01-01

GeTe shows promising application as a recording material for phase-change nonvolatile memory due to its fast crystallization speed and extraordinary amorphous stability. To further improve the performance of GeTe, various transition metals, such as copper, have been doped in GeTe in recent works. However, the effect of the doped transition metals on the stability of amorphous GeTe is not known. Here, we shed light on this problem for the system of Cu doped GeTe by means of ab initio molecular dynamics calculations. Our results show that the doped Cu atoms tend to agglomerate in amorphous GeTe. Further, base on analyzing the pair correlation functions, coordination numbers and bond angle distributions, remarkable changes in the local structure of amorphous GeTe induced by Cu are obviously seen. The present work may provide some clues for understanding the effect of early transition metals on the local structure of amorphous phase-change compounds, and hence should be helpful for optimizing the structure and performance of phase-change materials by doping transition metals.

Synthesis and photovoltaic application of coper (I) sulfide nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Yue; Wadia, Cyrus; Ma, Wanli; Sadtler, Bryce; Alivisatos, A.Paul

2008-06-24

We present the rational synthesis of colloidal copper(I) sulfide nanocrystals and demonstrate their application as an active light absorbing component in combination with CdS nanorods to make a solution-processed solar cell with 1.6percent power conversion efficiency on both conventional glass substrates and flexible plastic substrates with stability over a 4 month testing period.

Enhanced electrical transport and thermoelectric properties in Ni doped Cu3SbSe4

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Aparabal; Dhama, P.; Das, Anish; Sarkar, Kalyan Jyoti; Banerji, P.

2018-05-01

In this study, we report the enhanced thermoelectric performance of Cu3SbSe4 by Ni doping at Cu site. Cu3-xNixSbSe4 (x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05) were prepared by melt growth, ball milling followed by spark plasma sintering. Structural characterization, phase analysis and surface morphology were carried out using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Electrical and thermal properties of all the samples were investigated in the temperature range 300 - 650 K. Decrease in electrical resistivity with Ni doping due to increase in carrier concentration with enhanced Seebeck coefficient via increase in density of state near the Fermi level gives a remarkably high power factor. At the same time, thermal conductivity was found to decrease due to increased carrier-phonon scattering and acoustic phonon scattering. Consequently, a remarkable enhancement in the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT˜ 0.65) of Cu3-xNixSbSe4 was achieved for x = 0.01 sample. Thus, Ni doping is an effective approach to improve the efficiency of Cu3SbSe4.

Band alignment at the Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S{sub x}Se{sub 1-x}){sub 4}/CdS interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haight, Richard; Barkhouse, Aaron; Gunawan, Oki; Shin, Byungha; Copel, Matt; Hopstaken, Marinus; Mitzi, David B [IBM TJ Watson Research Center, P.O. Box 218, Yorktown Hts., New York 10598 (United States)

2011-06-20

Energy band alignments between CdS and Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S{sub x}Se{sub 1-x}){sub 4} (CZTSSe) grown via solution-based and vacuum-based deposition routes were studied as a function of the [S]/[S+Se] ratio with femtosecond laser ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, medium energy ion scattering, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Band bending in the underlying CZTSSe layer was measured via pump/probe photovoltage shifts of the photoelectron spectra and offsets were determined with photoemission under flat band conditions. Increasing the S content of the CZTSSe films produces a valence edge shift to higher binding energy and increases the CZTSSe band gap. In all cases, the CdS conduction band offsets were spikes.

Room temperature magnetic and dielectric properties of cobalt doped CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Mu, Chunhong; Song, Yuanqiang; Wang, Haibin; Wang, Xiaoning

2015-05-01

CaCu3Ti4-xCoxO12 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4) ceramics were prepared by a conventional solid state reaction, and the effects of cobalt doping on the room temperature magnetic and dielectric properties were investigated. Both X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Cu and Co rich phase at grain boundaries of Co-doped ceramics. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs of Co-doped samples showed a striking change from regular polyhedral particle type in pure CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) to sheet-like grains with certain growth orientation. Undoped CaCu3Ti4O12 is well known for its colossal dielectric constant in a broad temperature and frequency range. The dielectric constant value was slightly changed by 5 at. % and 10 at. % Co doping, whereas the second relaxation process was clearly separated in low frequency region at room temperature. A multirelaxation mechanism was proposed to be the origin of the colossal dielectric constant. In addition, the permeability spectra measurements indicated Co-doped CCTO with good magnetic properties, showing the initial permeability (μ') as high as 5.5 and low magnetic loss (μ″ < 0.2) below 3 MHz. And the interesting ferromagnetic superexchange coupling in Co-doped CaCu3Ti4O12 was discussed.

Post-growth annealing treatment effects on properties of Na-doped CuInS2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zribi, M.; Kanzari, M.; Rezig, B.

2008-01-01

Structural and optical properties of Na-doped CuInS 2 thin films grown by double source thermal evaporation method were studied. The films were annealed from 250 to 500 deg. C in a vacuum after evaporation. X-ray diffraction pattern indicated that there are traces of Cu and In 6 S 7 , which disappeared on annealing above 350 deg. C. Good quality CuInS 2 :Na 0.3% films were obtained on annealing at 500 deg. C. Furthermore, we found that the absorption coefficient of Na-doped CuInS 2 thin films reached 1.5 x 10 5 cm -1 . The change in band gap of the doped samples annealed in the temperatures from 250 to 500 deg. C was in the range 0.038-0.105 eV

Thermoluminescence characteristics of Cu2O doped Calcium Lithium borate glass irradiated with the cobalt-60 gamma rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rammadhan, Ismail; Taha, Saddon; Wagiran, H.

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to prepare and investigate the thermoluminescence characteristics for the un-doped and Cu 2 O doped calcium lithium borate glass upon adding various Cu 2 O concentrations of 0.005% to 0.1 mol%. The glasses were prepared by melt quenching method and irradiated with 60 CO gamma-ray having different doses in the range of (0.5–4) Gy, (5–10) Gy, and (20–100) Gy. The amorphous phases were identified for optimization glass samples, effect of heating rate, glowing curves, linearity, sensitivity, fading, reproducibility of response and minimum detectable dose are also studied. The TL sample with 0.02 mol% Cu 2 O concentration has higher response compared to the other samples concentration for a delivered dose of 50 Gy, The recorded glow curves consist a dominant peak at 187 °C for a heating rate of 5 °C s −1 . However, the value of effective atomic number Z eff is 8.84 for 0.02Cu 2 O doped which are near to the atomic number of soft tissue. - Highlights: •We have prepared and investigate the crystalline structure for the un-doped and Cu 2 O doped calcium lithium borate glass are carried out. •Investigate the amorphous structure of calcium lithium borate glass. •Determine the best setting of annealing temperature, annealing time and heating rate for Cu 2 O doped calcium lithium borate glass. •The doping effects of Cu 2 O on the thermoluminescence properties of calcium lithium borate glass subjected gamma radiations. •The new dosimeter showed simple glow curve with single prominent peak centred at 187 °C and linear dose–response range 0.5–100 Gy, good reproducibility, the fading of the signal is relatively slow. •Effective atomic number for Cu 2 O doped Calcium lithium borate close to the effective atomic number of soft tissue.

Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Nanocomposites composed of Eu-doped anatase grafted with CuO. • Increase in photocatalytic hydrogen production due to CuO acting as electrons sink. • CuO in composites decreasing the photoinduced total mineralization of phenol. • Selective photoinduced antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus species. - Abstract: TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO 2 (Eu). In investigated TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

Synthesis, structure, magnetic, electrical and electrochemical properties of Al, Cu and Mg doped MnO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hashem, Ahmed M., E-mail: ahmedh242@yahoo.com [National Research Centre, Inorganic Chemistry Department, Behoes St., Dokki, Cairo (Egypt); Institute for Complex Materials, IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstr. 20, D-01069 Dresden (Germany); Abuzeid, Hanaa M. [National Research Centre, Inorganic Chemistry Department, Behoes St., Dokki, Cairo (Egypt); Narayanan, N. [Institute for Complex Materials, IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstr. 20, D-01069 Dresden (Germany); Ehrenberg, Helmut [Institute for Complex Materials, IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstr. 20, D-01069 Dresden (Germany); Materials Science, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, Petersenstr. 23, D-64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Julien, C.M. [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Physicochimie des Electrolytes, Colloides et Sciences Analytiques (PECSA), 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France)

2011-10-17

Highlights: {yields} Al, Mg and Cu doped MnO{sub 2} as cathode in Li-ion batteries. {yields} Pure phase MnO{sub 2} for virgin and doped MnO{sub 2} were obtained. {yields} Doping elements improve the electrical conductivity of MnO{sub 2}. {yields} Electrochemical behaviour of MnO{sub 2} improved after doping by Al, Mg and Cu. - Abstract: Pure and doped manganese dioxides were prepared by wet-chemical method using fumaric acid and potassium permanganate as raw materials. X-ray diffraction patterns show that pure and Al, Cu and Mg doped manganese dioxides (d-MnO{sub 2}) crystallized in the cryptomelane-MnO{sub 2} structure. Thermal analysis show that, with the assistance of potassium ions inside the 2 x 2 tunnel, the presence of Al, Cu and Mg doping elements increases the thermal stability of d-MnO{sub 2}. The electrical conductivity of d-MnO{sub 2} increases in comparison with pure MnO{sub 2}, while Al-doped MnO{sub 2} exhibits the lower resistivity. As shown in the magnetic measurements, the value of the experimental effective magnetic moment of Mn ions decreases with introduction of dopants, which is attributed to the presence of a mixed valency of high-spin state Mn{sup 4+}/Mn{sup 3+}. Doped MnO{sub 2} materials show good capacity retention in comparison with virgin MnO{sub 2}. Al-doped MnO{sub 2} shows the best electrochemical results in terms of capacity retention and recharge efficiency.

Charge transport in metal oxide nanocrystal-based materials

Science.gov (United States)

Runnerstrom, Evan Lars

There is probably no class of materials more varied, more widely used, or more ubiquitous than metal oxides. Depending on their composition, metal oxides can exhibit almost any number of properties. Of particular interest are the ways in which charge is transported in metal oxides: devices such as displays, touch screens, and smart windows rely on the ability of certain metal oxides to conduct electricity while maintaining visible transparency. Smart windows, fuel cells, and other electrochemical devices additionally rely on efficient transport of ionic charge in and around metal oxides. Colloidal synthesis has enabled metal oxide nanocrystals to emerge as a relatively new but highly tunable class of materials. Certain metal oxide nanocrystals, particularly highly doped metal oxides, have been enjoying rapid development in the last decade. As in myriad other materials systems, structure dictates the properties of metal oxide nanocrystals, but a full understanding of how nanocrystal synthesis, the processing of nanocrystal-based materials, and the structure of nanocrystals relate to the resulting properties of nanocrystal-based materials is still nascent. Gaining a fundamental understanding of and control over these structure-property relationships is crucial to developing a holistic understanding of metal oxide nanocrystals. The unique ability to tune metal oxide nanocrystals by changing composition through the introduction of dopants or by changing size and shape affords a way to study the interplay between structure, processing, and properties. This overall goal of this work is to chemically synthesize colloidal metal oxide nanocrystals, process them into useful materials, characterize charge transport in materials based on colloidal metal oxide nanocrystals, and develop ways to manipulate charge transport. In particular, this dissertation characterizes how the charge transport properties of metal oxide nanocrystal-based materials depend on their processing and

Simple model for the power-law blinking of single semiconductor nanocrystals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verberk, Rogier; Oijen, Antoine M. van; Orrit, Michel

2002-01-01

We assign the blinking of nanocrystals to electron tunneling towards a uniform spatial distribution of traps. This naturally explains the power-law distribution of off times, and the power-law correlation function we measured on uncapped CdS dots. Capped dots, on the other hand, present extended on

A facile synthesis and spectral characterization of Cu{sup 2+} doped CdO/ZnS nanocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joyce Stella, R.; Thirumala Rao, G.; Babu, B.; Pushpa Manjari, V. [Department of Physics, University College of Sciences, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar, AP 522510 (India); Reddy, Ch. Venkata; Shim, Jaesool [School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Ravikumar, R.V.S.S.N., E-mail: rvssn@yahoo.co.in [Department of Physics, University College of Sciences, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar, AP 522510 (India)

2015-06-15

A facile two-step method is demonstrated for the preparation of Cu{sup 2+} doped CdO/ZnS nanocomposite. Systematic investigations like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), optical absorption, photoluminescence (PL) and magnetic studies are carried out for the prepared material. From powder XRD, the nanocomposites are comprised for cubic phase of both CdO and ZnS in a close contact with each other. The ground state wave function of dopant ions has been estimated from EPR studies. Optical and EPR data confirm that doped Cu{sup 2+}ions occupy rhombically distorted octahedral sites with the host material. Due to doping, band gap has been changed and blue shifts occurred in PL. Magnetic measurements indicate a possible ferromagnetic response, associated to the exchange interaction between local spin-polarized electrons of Cu{sup 2+} ions and conductive electrons. - Graphical abstract: M–H curve of Cu{sup 2+} doped CdO–ZnS nanocomposites. The magnetic properties of Cu{sup 2+} doped CdO/ZnS nanocomposite has been investigated using vibrating sample magnetometer given as magnetization and hysteresis (M–H) curve. The magnetization curve with noticeable coercivity of M–H loop clearly indicate the existence of ferromagnetic ordering in Cu{sup 2+} doped CdO/ZnS nanocomposite at room temperature. According to the Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) theory, the exchange interaction between local spin-polarized electrons (such as the electrons of Cu{sup 2+} ions) and conductive electrons is the main cause that leads to the ferromagnetism. Coercivity (Hc) of the field is about 98 Oe, saturation magnetization (Ms) and remnant magnetization (Mr) of present sample is estimated to be 15.8×10{sup −3} and 1.43×10{sup −3} emu/g respectively. The ferromagnetism observed in the prepared material is not commencing with other impurities but expected to

Evidence for Chemical and Electronic Nonuniformities in the Formation of the Interface of RbF-Treated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 with CdS.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicoara, Nicoleta; Kunze, Thomas; Jackson, Philip; Hariskos, Dimitrios; Duarte, Roberto Félix; Wilks, Regan G; Witte, Wolfram; Bär, Marcus; Sadewasser, Sascha

2017-12-20

We report on the initial stages of CdS buffer layer formation on Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGSe) thin-film solar cell absorbers subjected to rubidium fluoride (RbF) postdeposition treatment (PDT). A detailed characterization of the CIGSe/CdS interface for different chemical bath deposition (CBD) times of the CdS layer is obtained from spatially resolved atomic and Kelvin probe force microscopy and laterally integrating X-ray spectroscopies. The observed spatial inhomogeneity in the interface's structural, chemical, and electronic properties of samples undergoing up to 3 min of CBD treatments is indicative of a complex interface formation including an incomplete coverage and/or nonuniform composition of the buffer layer. It is expected that this result impacts solar cell performance, in particular when reducing the CdS layer thickness (e.g., in an attempt to increase the collection in the ultraviolet wavelength region). Our work provides important findings on the absorber/buffer interface formation and reveals the underlying mechanism for limitations in the reduction of the CdS thickness, even when an alkali PDT is applied to the CIGSe absorber.

Upconversion and pump saturation mechanisms in Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Y2Ti2O7 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Fengxiao; Song, Feng; Zhang, Gong; Han, Yingdong; Li, Qiong; Tian, Jianguo; Ming, Chengguo

2014-01-01

The Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanocrystals were synthesized by the sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscopy, and photoluminescence spectra were measured to verify the Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanocrystalline produced in the sample annealed at 800 °C. The anomalous slopes of the fitted line in the log-log plots for upconversion emissions and the pump-saturation effect of near-infrared emission were observed in the nanocrystalline samples. A theoretical model of practical Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped system based on the rate equations were put forward and explained the experimental phenomena well

Electron paramagnetic resonance in Cu-doped ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Buchheit, R.; Acosta-Humánez, F.; Almanza, O.

2016-04-01

In this work, ZnO and Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles (Zn1-xCuxO, x = 3%), with a calcination temperature of 500∘C were synthesized using the sol-gel method. The particles were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at X-band, measurement in a temperature range from 90 K to room temperature. AAS confirmed a good correspondence between the experimental doping concentration and the theoretical value. XRD reveals the presence of ZnO phase in hexagonal wurtzite structure and a nanoparticle size for the samples synthesized. EPR spectroscopy shows the presence of point defects in both samples with g-values of g = 1.959 for shallow donors and g = 2.004 for ionized vacancies. It is important when these materials are required have been used as catalysts, as suggested that it is not necessary prepare them at higher temperature. A simulation of the Cu EPR signal using an anisotropic spin Hamiltonian was performed and showed good coincidence with the experimental spectra. It was shown that Cu2+ ions enter interstitial octahedral sites of orthorhombic symmetry in the wurtzite crystal structure. Temperature dependence of the EPR linewidth and signal intensity shows a paramagnetic behavior of the sample in the measurement range. A Néel temperature TN = 78 ± 19 K was determined.

Simulation of MeV electron energy deposition in CdS quantum dots absorbed in silicate glass for radiation dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baharin, R; Hobson, P R; Smith, D R, E-mail: ruzalina.baharin@brunel.ac.u [Centre for Sensors and Instrumentation, School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH (United Kingdom)

2010-09-01

We are currently developing 2D dosimeters with optical readout based on CdS or CdS/CdSe core-shell quantum-dots using commercially available materials. In order to understand the limitations on the measurement of a 2D radiation profile the 3D deposited energy profile of MeV energy electrons in CdS quantum-dot-doped silica glass have been studied by Monte Carlo simulation using the CASINO and PENELOPE codes. Profiles for silica glass and CdS quantum-dot-doped silica glass were then compared.

Simulation of MeV electron energy deposition in CdS quantum dots absorbed in silicate glass for radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baharin, R; Hobson, P R; Smith, D R

2010-01-01

We are currently developing 2D dosimeters with optical readout based on CdS or CdS/CdSe core-shell quantum-dots using commercially available materials. In order to understand the limitations on the measurement of a 2D radiation profile the 3D deposited energy profile of MeV energy electrons in CdS quantum-dot-doped silica glass have been studied by Monte Carlo simulation using the CASINO and PENELOPE codes. Profiles for silica glass and CdS quantum-dot-doped silica glass were then compared.

Fabrication of folic acid sensor based on the Cu doped SnO2 nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavanya, N; Radhakrishnan, S; Sudhan, N; Sekar, C; Leonardi, S G; Neri, G; Cannilla, C

2014-01-01

A novel folic acid biosensor has been fabricated using Cu doped SnO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by a simple microwave irradiation method. Powder XRD and TEM studies confirmed that both the pure and Cu doped SnO 2 (Cu: 0, 10, 20wt%) crystallized in tetragonal rutile-type structure with spherical morphology. The average crystallite size of pure SnO 2 was estimated to be around 16 nm. Upon doping, the crystallite sizes decreased to 9 nm and 5 nm for 10 and 20wt% Cu doped SnO 2 respectively. XPS studies confirmed the electronic state of Sn and Cu to be 4+ and 2+ respectively. Cu (20wt%) doped SnO 2 NPs are proved to be a good sensing element for the determination of folic acid (FA). Cu-SnO 2 NPs (20wt%) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) exhibited the lowest detection limit of 0.024 nM over a wide folic acid concentration range of 1.0 × 10 −10 to 6.7 × 10 −5 M at physiological pH of 7.0. The fabricated sensor is highly selective towards the determination of FA even in the presence of a 100 fold excess of common interferent ascorbic acid. The sensor proved to be useful for the estimation of FA content in pharmaceutical sample with satisfactory recovery. (paper)

Doping and defects in YBa2Cu3O7: Results from hybrid density functional theory

KAUST Repository

Schwingenschlögl, Udo

2012-06-21

Modified orbital occupation and inhomogeneous charge distribution in high-Tc oxide compounds due to doping and/or defects play a huge role for the material properties. To establish insight into the charge redistribution, we address metallic YBa2Cu3O7 in two prototypical configurations: Ca doped (hole doping) and O deficient (electron doping). By means of first principles calculations for fully relaxed structures, we evaluate the orbital occupations. We find that the change of the charge density, in particular in the CuO2 planes, shows a complex spatial pattern instead of the expected uniform (de-)population of the valence states.

Catalytic properties of pure and K+-doped Cu O/Mg O system towards 2-propanol conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Molla, S. A.; Amin, N. H.; Hammed, M. N.; Sultan, S. N.; El-Shobaky, G. A.

2013-01-01

Cu O/Mg O system having different compositions was prepared by impregnation method followed by calcination at 400-900 C. The effect of Cu O content, calcination temperature and doping with small amounts of K + species (1-3 mol %) on physicochemical, surface and catalytic properties of the system were investigated using X-ray diffraction, adsorption of N 2 at - 196 C, and conversion of isopropyl alcohol at 150-400 C using a flow technique. The results revealed that the solids having the formulae 0.2 and 0.3 Cu O/Mg O calcined at 400 C consisted of nano sized Mg O and Cu O as major phases together with Cu 2 O as minor phase. The Bet-surface areas of different absorbents are decreased by increasing Cu O content, calcination temperature and K + -doping. Mg O-support material showed very small catalytic activity in 2-propanol conversion. The investigated system behaved as selective catalyst for dehydrogenation of 2-propanol with selectivity >80%. The catalytic activity increased by increasing Cu O content and decreased by increasing the calcination temperature within 400-900 C. K + -doping increased the catalytic activity and catalytic durability. (Author)

The upconversion luminescence and magnetism in Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+} co-doped LaF{sub 3} nanocrystals for potential bimodal imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syamchand, Sasidharanpillai S., E-mail: syamchand.ss@gmail.com; George, Sony, E-mail: emailtosony@gmail.com [University of Kerala, Department of Chemistry (India)

2016-12-15

Biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles with multifunctional properties can serve as potential nanoprobes for multimodal imaging. Herein, we report an upconversion nanocrystal based on lanthanum fluoride which is developed to address the imaging modalities, upconversion luminescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lanthanide ions (Yb{sup 3+} and Ho{sup 3+}) doped LaF{sub 3} nanocrystals (LaF{sub 3} Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+}) are fabricated through a rapid microwave-assisted synthesis. The hexagonal phase LaF{sub 3} nanocrystals exhibit nearly spherical morphology with average diameter of 9.8 nm. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis estimated the doping concentration of Yb{sup 3+} and Ho{sup 3+} as 3.99 and 0.41%, respectively. The nanocrystals show upconversion luminescence when irradiated with near-infrared (NIR) photons of wavelength 980 nm. The emission spectrum consists of bands centred at 542, 645 and 658 nm. The stronger green emission at 542 nm and the weak red emissions at 645 and 658 nm are assigned to {sup 5}S{sub 2} → {sup 5}I{sub 8} and {sup 5}F{sub 5} → {sup 5}I{sub 8} transitions of Ho{sup 3+}, respectively. The pump power dependence of luminescence intensity confirmed the two-photon upconversion process. The nanocrystals exhibit paramagnetism due to the presence of lanthanide ion dopant Ho{sup 3+} and the magnetization is 19.81 emu/g at room temperature. The nanocrystals exhibit a longitudinal relaxivity (r{sub 1}) of 0.12 s{sup −1} mM{sup −1} and transverse relaxivity (r{sub 2}) of 28.18 s{sup −1} mM{sup −1}, which makes the system suitable for developing T2 MRI contrast agents based on holmium. The LaF{sub 3} Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals are surface modified by PEGylation to improve biocompatibility and enhance further functionalisation. The PEGylated nanocrystals are found to be non-toxic up to 50 μg/mL for 48 h of incubation, which is confirmed by the MTT assay as well as

Controlling morphology and crystallite size of Cu(In{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3})Se{sub 2} nano-crystals synthesized using a heating-up method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, Wei-Hsiang [Department of Resources Engineering, Particulate Materials Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101 Taiwan (China); Hsiang, Hsing-I, E-mail: hsingi@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Resources Engineering, Particulate Materials Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101 Taiwan (China); Chia, Chih-Ta [Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, 116 Taiwan (China); Yen, Fu-Su [Department of Resources Engineering, Particulate Materials Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101 Taiwan (China)

2013-12-15

CuIn{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}Se{sub 2}(CIGS) nano-crystals were successfully synthesized via a heating-up process. The non-coordinating solvent (1-octadecene) and selenium/cations ratio effects on the crystalline phase and crystallite size of CIGS nano-crystallites were investigated. It was observed that the CIGS nano-crystallite morphology changed from sheet into spherical shape as the amount of 1-octadecene addition was increased. CIGS nano-crystals were obtained in 9–20 nm sizes as the selenium/cations ratio increased. These results suggest that the monomer reactivity in the solution can be adjusted by changing the solvent type and selenium/cations ratio, hence affecting the crystallite size and distribution. - Graphical abstract: CuIn{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}Se{sub 2}(CIGS) nano-crystals were successfully synthesized via a heating-up process in this study. The super-saturation in the solution can be adjusted by changing the OLA/ODE ratio and selenium/cation ratio.

Chemistry of the Colloidal Group II-VI Nanocrystal Synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Haitao

2007-01-01

In the last two decades, the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology has witnessed tremendous advancement in the synthesis and application of group II-VI colloidal nanocrystals. The synthesis based on high temperature decomposition of organometallic precursors has become one of the most successful methods of making group II-VI colloidal nanocrystals. This method is first demonstrated by Bawendi and coworkers in 1993 to prepare cadmium chalcogenide colloidal quantum dots and later extended by others to prepare other group II-VI quantum dots as well as anisotropic shaped colloidal nanocrystals, such as nanorod and tetrapod. This dissertation focuses on the chemistry of this type of nanocrystal synthesis. The synthesis of group II-VI nanocrystals was studied by characterizing the molecular structures of the precursors and products and following their time evolution in the synthesis. Based on these results, a mechanism was proposed to account for the 2 reaction between the precursors that presumably produces monomer for the growth of nanocrystals. Theoretical study based on density functional theory calculations revealed the detailed free energy landscape of the precursor decomposition and monomer formation pathway. Based on the proposed reaction mechanism, a new synthetic method was designed that uses water as a novel reagent to control the diameter and the aspect ratio of CdSe and CdS nanorods

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.

Analyzing the defect structure of CuO-doped PZT and KNN piezoelectrics from electron paramagnetic resonance.

Science.gov (United States)

Jakes, Peter; Kungl, Hans; Schierholz, Roland; Eichel, Rüdiger-A

2014-09-01

The defect structure for copper-doped sodium potassium niobate (KNN) ferroelectrics has been analyzed with respect to its defect structure. In particular, the interplay between the mutually compensating dimeric (Cu(Nb)'''-V(O)··) and trimeric (V(O)··-Cu(Nb)'''-V(O)··)· defect complexes with 180° and non-180° domain walls has been analyzed and compared to the effects from (Cu'' - V(O)··)(x)× dipoles in CuO-doped lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Attempts are made to relate the rearrangement of defect complexes to macroscopic electromechanical properties.

In situ, real-time thickness measurement techniques for bath-deposited CdS thin films on Cu(In,Ga)Se2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mann, Jonathan R.; Noufi, Rommel

2012-01-01

A technique has been developed that can measure the thickness of a 30–70 nm thin film of cadmium sulfide on a Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 substrate, in real time, as it grows in a chemical bath. The technique does not damage the film, and can be used to monitor batch depositions and roll-to-roll depositions with equal accuracy. The technique is based on reflectance spectroscopy through the chemical bath. - Highlights: ► Reflection spectra were collected during the chemical bath deposition of CdS. ► Two algorithms were generated to extract film thickness from each spectrum. ► Two conventional techniques were used to independently verify CdS film thicknesses. ► The accuracies of the algorithms are within 7% of the actual thicknesses. ► The algorithms offer in situ, real time thicknesses through the chemical bath.

Nuclear magnetic relaxation studies of semiconductor nanocrystals and solids