Novel organic semiconductors and dielectric materials for high performance and low-voltage organic thin-film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Myung-Han

Two novel classes of organic semiconductors based on perfluoroarene/arene-modified oligothiophenes and perfluoroacyl/acyl-derivatized quaterthiophens are developed. The frontier molecular orbital energies of these compounds are studied by optical spectroscopy and electrochemistry while solid-state/film properties are investigated by thermal analysis, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) performance parameters are discussed in terms of the interplay between semiconductor molecular energetics and film morphologies/microstructures. For perfluoroarene-thiophene oligomer systems, majority charge carrier type and mobility exhibit a strong correlation with the regiochemistry of perfluoroarene incorporation. In quaterthiophene-based semiconductors, carbonyl-functionalization allows tuning of the majority carrier type from p-type to ambipolar and to n-type. In situ conversion of a p-type semiconducting film to n-type film is also demonstrated. Very thin self-assembled or spin-on organic dielectric films have been integrated into OTFTs to achieve 1 - 2 V operating voltages. These new dielectrics are deposited either by layer-by-layer solution phase deposition of molecular precursors or by spin-coating a mixture of polymer and crosslinker, resulting in smooth and virtually pinhole-free thin films having exceptionally large capacitances (300--700 nF/cm2) and low leakage currents (10 -9 - 10-7 A/cm2). These organic dielectrics are compatible with various vapor- or solution-deposited p- and n-channel organic semiconductors. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that spin-on crosslinked-polymer-blend dielectrics can be employed for large-area/patterned electronics, and complementary inverters. A general approach for probing semiconductor-dielectric interface effects on OTFT performance parameters using bilayer gate dielectrics is presented. Organic semiconductors having p-, n-type, or ambipolar majority charge carriers are grown on

Positron Studies of Defects in Thin Films and Semiconductors

OpenAIRE

Edwardson, C J

2013-01-01

Positron studies of defects in thin films and semiconductors are reviewed. The resultsobtained from experimental studies of Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation (DBAR)from variable energies are presented. Normalisation methods for the DBAR parameters S andW have been developed, allowing for direct comparisons of the results for different samplestaken over long periods of time. The evaluation of the P:V parameter, the peak-to-valley ratioin a full annihilation spectrum, has been improv...

Nucleation and strain-stabilization during organic semiconductor thin film deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yang; Wan, Jing; Smilgies, Detlef-M; Bouffard, Nicole; Sun, Richard; Headrick, Randall L

2016-09-07

The nucleation mechanisms during solution deposition of organic semiconductor thin films determine the grain morphology and may influence the crystalline packing in some cases. Here, in-situ optical spectromicroscopy in reflection mode is used to study the growth mechanisms and thermal stability of 6,13-bis(trisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene thin films. The results show that the films form in a supersaturated state before transforming to a solid film. Molecular aggregates corresponding to subcritical nuclei in the crystallization process are inferred from optical spectroscopy measurements of the supersaturated region. Strain-free solid films exhibit a temperature-dependent blue shift of optical absorption peaks due to a continuous thermally driven change of the crystalline packing. As crystalline films are cooled to ambient temperature they become strained although cracking of thicker films is observed, which allows the strain to partially relax. Below a critical thickness, cracking is not observed and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements confirm that the thinnest films are constrained to the lattice constants corresponding to the temperature at which they were deposited. Optical spectroscopy results show that the transition temperature between Form I (room temperature phase) and Form II (high temperature phase) depends on the film thickness, and that Form I can also be strain-stabilized up to 135 °C.

Plasma Processing of Metallic and Semiconductor Thin Films in the Fisk Plasma Source

Science.gov (United States)

Lampkin, Gregory; Thomas, Edward, Jr.; Watson, Michael; Wallace, Kent; Chen, Henry; Burger, Arnold

1998-01-01

The use of plasmas to process materials has become widespread throughout the semiconductor industry. Plasmas are used to modify the morphology and chemistry of surfaces. We report on initial plasma processing experiments using the Fisk Plasma Source. Metallic and semiconductor thin films deposited on a silicon substrate have been exposed to argon plasmas. Results of microscopy and chemical analyses of processed materials are presented.

Blending crystalline/liquid crystalline small molecule semiconductors: A strategy towards high performance organic thin film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chao; He, Yaowu; Li, Aiyuan; Zhang, Dongwei; Meng, Hong

2016-10-01

Solution processed small molecule polycrystalline thin films often suffer from the problems of inhomogeneity and discontinuity. Here, we describe a strategy to solve these problems through deposition of the active layer from a blended solution of crystalline (2-phenyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene, Ph-BTBT) and liquid crystalline (2-(4-dodecylphenyl) [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene, C12-Ph-BTBT) small molecule semiconductors with the hot spin-coating method. Organic thin film transistors with average hole mobility approaching 1 cm2/V s, much higher than that of single component devices, have been demonstrated, mainly due to the improved uniformity, continuity, crystallinity, and stronger intermolecular π-π stacking in blend thin films. Our results indicate that the crystalline/liquid crystalline semiconductor blend method is an effective way to enhance the performance of organic transistors.

Organic semiconductor growth and morphology considerations for organic thin-film transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Virkar, Ajay A; Mannsfeld, Stefan; Bao, Zhenan; Stingelin, Natalie

2010-09-08

Analogous to conventional inorganic semiconductors, the performance of organic semiconductors is directly related to their molecular packing, crystallinity, growth mode, and purity. In order to achieve the best possible performance, it is critical to understand how organic semiconductors nucleate and grow. Clever use of surface and dielectric modification chemistry can allow one to control the growth and morphology, which greatly influence the electrical properties of the organic transistor. In this Review, the nucleation and growth of organic semiconductors on dielectric surfaces is addressed. The first part of the Review concentrates on small-molecule organic semiconductors. The role of deposition conditions on film formation is described. The modification of the dielectric interface using polymers or self-assembled mono-layers and their effect on organic-semiconductor growth and performance is also discussed. The goal of this Review is primarily to discuss the thin-film formation of organic semiconducting species. The patterning of single crystals is discussed, while their nucleation and growth has been described elsewhere (see the Review by Liu et. al).([¹]) The second part of the Review focuses on polymeric semiconductors. The dependence of physico-chemical properties, such as chain length (i.e., molecular weight) of the constituting macromolecule, and the influence of small molecular species on, e.g., melting temperature, as well as routes to induce order in such macromolecules, are described.

PEALD grown high-k ZrO{sub 2} thin films on SiC group IV compound semiconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khairnar, A. G., E-mail: agkhairnar@gmail.com; Patil, V. S.; Agrawal, K. S.; Salunke, R. S.; Mahajan, A. M., E-mail: ammahajan@nmu.ac.in [North Maharashtra University, Department of Electronics, School of Physical Sciences (India)

2017-01-15

The study of ZrO{sub 2} thin films on SiC group IV compound semiconductor has been studied as a high mobility substrates. The ZrO{sub 2} thin films were deposited using the Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition System. The thickness of the thin films were measured using ellipsometer and found to be 5.47 nm. The deposited ZrO{sub 2} thin films were post deposition annealed in rapid thermal annealing chamber at temperature of 400°Ð¡. The atomic force microscopy and X-гау photoelectron spectroscopy has been carried out to study the surface topography, roughness and chemical composition of thin film, respectively.

Determination of the transport levels in thin films of organic semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krause, Stefan

2009-07-27

The approach of using the combination of Ultraviolet (UPS) and Inverse Photoemission (IPS) to determine the transport levels in thin films of organic semiconductors is the scope of this work. For this matter all influences on the peak position and width in Photoelectron Spectroscopy are discussed with a special focus on organic semiconductors. Many of these influences are shown with experimental results of the investigation of diindenoperylene on Ag(111). These findings are applied to inorganic semiconductors silicon in order to establish the use of UPS and IPS on a well-understood system. Finally, the method is used to determine the transport level of several organic semiconductors (PTCDA, Alq3, CuPc, DIP, PBI-H4) and the corresponding exciton binding energies are calculated by comparison to optical absorption data. (orig.)

Field emission mechanism from a single-layer ultra-thin semiconductor film cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan Zhiqiang; Wang Ruzhi; Yuan Ruiyang; Yang Wei; Wang Bo; Yan Hui

2007-01-01

Field emission (FE) from a single-layer ultra-thin semiconductor film cathode (SUSC) on a metal substrate has been investigated theoretically. The self-consistent quantum FE model is developed by synthetically considering the energy band bending and electron scattering. As a typical example, we calculate the FE properties of ultra-thin AlN film with an adjustable film thickness from 1 to 10 nm. The calculated results show that the FE characteristic is evidently modulated by varying the film thickness, and there is an optimum thickness of about 3 nm. Furthermore, a four-step FE mechanism is suggested such that the distinct FE current of a SUSC is rooted in the thickness sensitivity of its quantum structure, and the optimum FE properties of the SUSC should be attributed to the change in the effective potential combined with the attenuation of electron scattering

Production of CdTe Semiconductor Thin Films by Electrodeposition Technique for Solar Cell Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet PEKSÖZ

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Electro-deposited cadmium tellurite (CuTe thin film was grown onto ITO-coated glass substrate for 120 seconds at the room temperature and a constant cathodic potential of -0.85 V. Deposition solution was prepared from cadmium chloride (CdCl2, sodium tellurite (Na2TeO3 and pure water. The pH value of the deposition solution was adjusted to 2.0 by adding HCl. The EDX analysis shows that the film has 52% Cd and 48% Te elemental compositions. Film thickness was found to be 140 nm. The CdTe thin film exhibits p-type semiconductor character, and has an energy bandgap of 1.47 eV. 

Growth Of Organic Semiconductor Thin Films with Multi-Micron Domain Size and Fabrication of Organic Transistors Using a Stencil Nanosieve.

Science.gov (United States)

Fesenko, Pavlo; Flauraud, Valentin; Xie, Shenqi; Kang, Enpu; Uemura, Takafumi; Brugger, Jürgen; Genoe, Jan; Heremans, Paul; Rolin, Cédric

2017-07-19

To grow small molecule semiconductor thin films with domain size larger than modern-day device sizes, we evaporate the material through a dense array of small apertures, called a stencil nanosieve. The aperture size of 0.5 μm results in low nucleation density, whereas the aperture-to-aperture distance of 0.5 μm provides sufficient crosstalk between neighboring apertures through the diffusion of adsorbed molecules. By integrating the nanosieve in the channel area of a thin-film transistor mask, we show a route for patterning both the organic semiconductor and the metal contacts of thin-film transistors using one mask only and without mask realignment.

Interfaces and thin films physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Equer, B.

1988-01-01

The 1988 progress report of the Interfaces and Thin Film Physics laboratory (Polytechnic School France) is presented. The research program is focused on the thin films and on the interfaces of the amorphous semiconductor materials: silicon and silicon germanium, silicon-carbon and silicon-nitrogen alloys. In particular, the following topics are discussed: the basic processes and the kinetics of the reactive gas deposition, the amorphous materials manufacturing, the physico-chemical characterization of thin films and interfaces and the electron transport in amorphous semiconductors. The construction and optimization of experimental devices, as well as the activities concerning instrumentation, are also described [fr

Thin film transistor performance of amorphous indium–zinc oxide semiconductor thin film prepared by ultraviolet photoassisted sol–gel processing

Science.gov (United States)

Kodzasa, Takehito; Nobeshima, Taiki; Kuribara, Kazunori; Yoshida, Manabu

2018-05-01

We have fabricated an amorphous indium–zinc oxide (IZO, In/Zn = 3/1) semiconductor thin-film transistor (AOS-TFT) by the sol–gel technique using ultraviolet (UV) photoirradiation and post-treatment in high-pressure O2 at 200 °C. The obtained TFT showed a hole carrier mobility of 0.02 cm2 V‑1 s‑1 and an on/off current ratio of 106. UV photoirradiation leads to the decomposition of the organic agents and hydroxide group in the IZO gel film. Furthermore, the post-treatment annealing at a high O2 pressure of more than 0.6 MPa leads to the filling of the oxygen vacancies in a poor metal–oxygen network in the IZO film.

General Observation of Photocatalytic Oxygen Reduction to Hydrogen Peroxide by Organic Semiconductor Thin Films and Colloidal Crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Gryszel, Maciej; Sytnyk, Mykhailo; Jakešová, Marie; Romanazzi, Giuseppe; Gabrielsson, Roger; Heiss, Wolfgang; Głowacki, Eric Daniel

2018-04-25

Low-cost semiconductor photocatalysts offer unique possibilities for industrial chemical transformations and energy conversion applications. We report that a range of organic semiconductors are capable of efficient photocatalytic oxygen reduction to H 2 O 2 in aqueous conditions. These semiconductors, in the form of thin films, support a 2-electron/2-proton redox cycle involving photoreduction of dissolved O 2 to H 2 O 2 , with the concurrent photooxidation of organic substrates: formate, oxalate, and phenol. Photochemical oxygen reduction is observed in a pH range from 2 to 12. In cases where valence band energy of the semiconductor is energetically high, autoxidation competes with oxidation of the donors, and thus turnover numbers are low. Materials with deeper valence band energies afford higher stability and also oxidation of H 2 O to O 2 . We found increased H 2 O 2 evolution rate for surfactant-stabilized nanoparticles versus planar thin films. These results evidence that photochemical O 2 reduction may be a widespread feature of organic semiconductors, and open potential avenues for organic semiconductors for catalytic applications.

Efficient thin-film stack characterization using parametric sensitivity analysis for spectroscopic ellipsometry in semiconductor device fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Likhachev, D.V.

2015-01-01

During semiconductor device fabrication, control of the layer thicknesses is an important task for in-line metrology since the correct thickness values are essential for proper device performance. At the present time, ellipsometry is widely used for routine process monitoring and process improvement as well as characterization of various materials in the modern nanoelectronic manufacturing. The wide recognition of this technique is based on its non-invasive, non-intrusive and non-destructive nature, high measurement precision, accuracy and speed, and versatility to characterize practically all types of materials used in modern semiconductor industry (dielectrics, semiconductors, metals, polymers, etc.). However, it requires the use of one of the multi-parameter non-linear optimization methods due to its indirect nature. This fact creates a big challenge for analysis of multilayered structures since the number of simultaneously determined model parameters, for instance, thin film thicknesses and model variables related to film optical properties, should be restricted due to parameter cross-correlations. In this paper, we use parametric sensitivity analysis to evaluate the importance of various model parameters and to suggest their optimal search ranges. In this work, the method is applied practically for analysis of a few structures with up to five-layered film stack. It demonstrates an evidence-based improvement in accuracy of multilayered thin-film thickness measurements which suggests that the proposed approach can be useful for industrial applications. - Highlights: • An improved method for multilayered thin-film stack characterization is proposed. • The screening-type technique based on so-called “elementary effects” was employed. • The model parameters were ranked according to relative importance for model output. • The method is tested using two examples of complex thin-film stack characterization. • The approach can be useful in many practical

Efficient thin-film stack characterization using parametric sensitivity analysis for spectroscopic ellipsometry in semiconductor device fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Likhachev, D.V., E-mail: dmitriy.likhachev@globalfoundries.com

2015-08-31

During semiconductor device fabrication, control of the layer thicknesses is an important task for in-line metrology since the correct thickness values are essential for proper device performance. At the present time, ellipsometry is widely used for routine process monitoring and process improvement as well as characterization of various materials in the modern nanoelectronic manufacturing. The wide recognition of this technique is based on its non-invasive, non-intrusive and non-destructive nature, high measurement precision, accuracy and speed, and versatility to characterize practically all types of materials used in modern semiconductor industry (dielectrics, semiconductors, metals, polymers, etc.). However, it requires the use of one of the multi-parameter non-linear optimization methods due to its indirect nature. This fact creates a big challenge for analysis of multilayered structures since the number of simultaneously determined model parameters, for instance, thin film thicknesses and model variables related to film optical properties, should be restricted due to parameter cross-correlations. In this paper, we use parametric sensitivity analysis to evaluate the importance of various model parameters and to suggest their optimal search ranges. In this work, the method is applied practically for analysis of a few structures with up to five-layered film stack. It demonstrates an evidence-based improvement in accuracy of multilayered thin-film thickness measurements which suggests that the proposed approach can be useful for industrial applications. - Highlights: • An improved method for multilayered thin-film stack characterization is proposed. • The screening-type technique based on so-called “elementary effects” was employed. • The model parameters were ranked according to relative importance for model output. • The method is tested using two examples of complex thin-film stack characterization. • The approach can be useful in many practical

Nanostructured pyronin Y thin films as a new organic semiconductor: Linear/nonlinear optics, band gap and dielectric properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zahran, H.Y. [Metallurgical Lab.1, Nanoscience Laboratory for Environmental and Bio-medical Applications (NLEBA), Semiconductor Lab., Department of Physics, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, 11757 Cairo (Egypt); Advanced Functional Materials & Optoelectronic Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha (Saudi Arabia); Yahia, I.S., E-mail: dr_isyahia@yahoo.com [Metallurgical Lab.1, Nanoscience Laboratory for Environmental and Bio-medical Applications (NLEBA), Semiconductor Lab., Department of Physics, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, 11757 Cairo (Egypt); Advanced Functional Materials & Optoelectronic Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha (Saudi Arabia); Alamri, F.H. [Advanced Functional Materials & Optoelectronic Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha (Saudi Arabia)

2017-05-15

Pyronin Y dye (PY) is a kind of xanthene derivatives. Thin films of pyronin Y were deposited onto highly cleaned glass substrates using low-cost/spin coating technique. The structure properties of pyronin Y thin films with different thicknesses were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM). PY thin films for all the studied thicknesses have an amorphous structure supporting the short range order of the grain size. AFM supports the nanostructure with spherical/clusters morphologies of the investigated thin films. The optical constants of pyronin Y thin films for various thicknesses were studied by using UV–vis–NIR spectrophotometer in the wavelength range 350–2500 nm. The transmittance T(λ), reflectance R(λ) spectral and absorbance (abs(λ)) were obtained for all film thicknesses at room temperature and the normal light incident. These films showed a high transmittance in the wide scale wavelengths. For different thicknesses of the studied thin films, the optical band gaps were determined and their values around 2 eV. Real and imaginary dielectric constants, dissipation factor and the nonlinear optical parameters were calculated in the wavelengths to the range 300–2500 nm. The pyronin Y is a new organic semiconductor with a good optical absorption in UV–vis regions and it is suitable for nonlinear optical applications. - Highlights: • Pyronin Y (PY) nanostructured thin films were deposited by using spin coating technique. • XRD/AFM were used to study the structure of PY films. • The optical band gap was calculated on the basis of Tauc's model. • Linear/nonlinear optical parameters are calculated and interpreted via the applied optical theories. • PY thin films is a new organic semiconductor for its application in optoelectronic devices.

Effects of thickness on the nanocrystalline structure and semiconductor-metal transition characteristics of vanadium dioxide thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Zhenfei; Zhou, Xun; Yan, Dawei; Wang, Du; Li, Zeyu; Yang, Cunbang; Jiang, Yadong

2014-01-01

Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) thin films were grown on glass substrates by using reactive direct current magnetron sputtering and in situ thermal treatments at low preparation temperatures (≤ 350 °C). The VO 2 thin films were characterized by grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The semiconductor-metal transition (SMT) characteristics of the films were investigated by four-point probe resistivity measurements and infrared spectrometer equipped with heating pads. The testing results showed that the crystal structure, morphology, grain size and semiconductor-metal transition temperature (T SMT ) significantly changed as the film thickness decreased. Multilayer structures were observed in the particles of thinner films whose average particle size is much larger than the film thickness and average VO 2 grain size. A competition mechanism between the suppression effect of decreased thickness and coalescence of nanograins was proposed to understand the film growth and the formation of multilayer structure. The value of T SMT was found to decrease as average VO 2 grain size became smaller, and SE results showed that small nanograin size significantly affected the electronic structure of VO 2 film. - Highlights: • Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide thin films were prepared. • Multilayer structures were observed in the films with large particles. • The transition temperature of the film is correlated with its electronic structure

Preparation and characterization of ZnO transparent semiconductor thin films by sol-gel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsay, Chien-Yie; Fan, Kai-Shiung; Chen, Sih-Han; Tsai, Chia-Hao

2010-01-01

Transparent semiconductor thin films of zinc oxide (ZnO) were deposited onto alkali-free glass substrates by the sol-gel method and spin-coating technique. In this study, authors investigate the influence of the heating rate of the preheating process (4 or 10 o C/min) on the crystallization, surface morphology, and optical properties of sol-gel derived ZnO thin films. The ZnO sol was synthesized by dissolving zinc acetate dehydrate in ethanol, and then adding monoethanolamine. The as-coated films were preheated at 300 o C for 10 min and annealed at 500 o C for 1 h in air ambiance. Experimental results indicate that the heating rate of the preheating process strongly affected the surface morphology and transparency of ZnO thin film. Specifically, a heating rate of 10 o C/min for the preheating process produces a preferred orientation along the (0 0 2) plane and a high transmittance of 92% at a wavelength of 550 nm. Furthermore, this study reports the fabrication of thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a transparent ZnO active channel layer and evaluates their electrical performance.

Effects of thickness on the nanocrystalline structure and semiconductor-metal transition characteristics of vanadium dioxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Zhenfei, E-mail: zhfluo8@yahoo.com [Terahertz Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Zhou, Xun, E-mail: zx_zky@yahoo.com [Terahertz Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Yan, Dawei [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Wang, Du; Li, Zeyu [Terahertz Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Yang, Cunbang [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Jiang, Yadong [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China)

2014-01-01

Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) thin films were grown on glass substrates by using reactive direct current magnetron sputtering and in situ thermal treatments at low preparation temperatures (≤ 350 °C). The VO{sub 2} thin films were characterized by grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The semiconductor-metal transition (SMT) characteristics of the films were investigated by four-point probe resistivity measurements and infrared spectrometer equipped with heating pads. The testing results showed that the crystal structure, morphology, grain size and semiconductor-metal transition temperature (T{sub SMT}) significantly changed as the film thickness decreased. Multilayer structures were observed in the particles of thinner films whose average particle size is much larger than the film thickness and average VO{sub 2} grain size. A competition mechanism between the suppression effect of decreased thickness and coalescence of nanograins was proposed to understand the film growth and the formation of multilayer structure. The value of T{sub SMT} was found to decrease as average VO{sub 2} grain size became smaller, and SE results showed that small nanograin size significantly affected the electronic structure of VO{sub 2} film. - Highlights: • Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide thin films were prepared. • Multilayer structures were observed in the films with large particles. • The transition temperature of the film is correlated with its electronic structure.

Preparation of n-type semiconductor SnO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahal, Achour; Benramache, Said; Benhaoua, Boubaker

2013-01-01

We studied fluorine-doped tin oxide on a glass substrate at 350°C using an ultrasonic spray technique. Tin (II) chloride dehydrate, ammonium fluoride dehydrate, ethanol and NaOH were used as the starting material, dopant source, solvent and stabilizer, respectively. The SnO 2 : F thin films were deposited at 350°C and a pending time of 60 and 90 s. The as-grown films exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite structure and have (101) orientation. The G = 31.82 nm value of the grain size is attained from SnO 2 : F film grown at 90 s, and the transmittance is greater than 80% in the visible region. The optical gap energy is found to measure 4.05 eV for the film prepared at 90 s, and the increase in the electrical conductivity of the film with the temperature of the sample is up to a maximum value of 265.58 (Ω·cm) −1 , with the maximum activation energy value of the films being found to measure 22.85 meV, indicating that the films exhibit an n-type semiconducting nature. (semiconductor materials)

Solution processable semiconductor thin films: Correlation between morphological, structural, optical and charge transport properties

Science.gov (United States)

Isik, Dilek

This Ph.D. thesis is a result of multidisciplinary research bringing together fundamental concepts in thin film engineering, materials science, materials processing and characterization, electrochemistry, microfabrication, and device physics. Experiments were conducted by tackling scientific problems in the field of thin films and interfaces, with the aim to correlate the morphology, crystalline structure, electronic structure of thin films with the functional properties of the films and the performances of electronic devices based thereon. Furthermore, novel strategies based on interfacial phenomena at electrolyte/thin film interfaces were explored and exploited to control the electrical conductivity of the thin films. Three main chemical systems were the object of the studies performed during this Ph.D., two types of organic semiconductors (azomethine-based oligomers and polymers and soluble pentacene derivatives) and one metal oxide semiconductor (tungsten trioxide, WO3). To explore the morphological properties of the thin films, atomic force microscopy was employed. The morphological properties were further investigated by hyperspectral fluorescence microscopy and tentatively correlated to the charge transport properties of the films. X-ray diffraction (Grazing incidence XRD, GIXRD) was used to investigate the crystallinity of the film and the effect of the heat treatment on such crystallinity, as well as to understand the molecular arrangement of the organic molecules in the thin film. The charge transport properties of the films were evaluated in thin film transistor configuration. For electrolyte gated thin film transistors, time dependent transient measurements were conducted, in parallel to more conventional transistor characterizations, to explore the specific effects played on the gating by the anion and cation constituting the electrolyte. The capacitances of the electrical double layers at the electrolyte/WO3 interface were obtained from

Anion-induced N-doping of naphthalenediimide polymer semiconductor in organic thin-film transistors

KAUST Repository

Han, Yang

2018-03-13

Molecular doping is an important strategy to improve the charge transport properties of organic semiconductors in various electronic devices. Compared to p-type dopants, the development of n-type dopants is especially challenging due to poor dopant stability against atmospheric conditions. In this article, we report the n-doping of the milestone naphthalenediimide-based conjugated polymer P(NDI2OD-T2) in organic thin film transistor devices by soluble anion dopants. The addition of the dopants resulted in the formation of stable radical anions in thin films, as confirmed by EPR spectroscopy. By tuning the dopant concentration via simple solution mixing, the transistor parameters could be readily controlled. Hence the contact resistance between the electrodes and the semiconducting polymer could be significantly reduced, which resulted in the transistor behaviour approaching the desirable gate voltage-independent model. Reduced hysteresis was also observed, thanks to the trap filling by the dopant. Under optimal doping concentrations the channel on-current was increased several fold whilst the on/off ratio was simultaneously increased by around one order of magnitude. Hence doping with soluble organic salts appears to be a promising route to improve the charge transport properties of n-type organic semiconductors.

Anion-induced N-doping of naphthalenediimide polymer semiconductor in organic thin-film transistors

KAUST Repository

Han, Yang; Fei, Zhuping; Lin, Yen-Hung; Martin, Jaime; Tuna, Floriana; Anthopoulos, Thomas D.; Heeney, Martin

2018-01-01

Molecular doping is an important strategy to improve the charge transport properties of organic semiconductors in various electronic devices. Compared to p-type dopants, the development of n-type dopants is especially challenging due to poor dopant stability against atmospheric conditions. In this article, we report the n-doping of the milestone naphthalenediimide-based conjugated polymer P(NDI2OD-T2) in organic thin film transistor devices by soluble anion dopants. The addition of the dopants resulted in the formation of stable radical anions in thin films, as confirmed by EPR spectroscopy. By tuning the dopant concentration via simple solution mixing, the transistor parameters could be readily controlled. Hence the contact resistance between the electrodes and the semiconducting polymer could be significantly reduced, which resulted in the transistor behaviour approaching the desirable gate voltage-independent model. Reduced hysteresis was also observed, thanks to the trap filling by the dopant. Under optimal doping concentrations the channel on-current was increased several fold whilst the on/off ratio was simultaneously increased by around one order of magnitude. Hence doping with soluble organic salts appears to be a promising route to improve the charge transport properties of n-type organic semiconductors.

Review of recent developments in amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistor devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Joon Seok; Maeng, Wan-Joo; Kim, Hyun-Suk; Park, Jin-Seong

2012-01-01

The present article is a review of the recent progress and major trends in the field of thin-film transistor (TFT) research involving the use of amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOS). First, an overview is provided on how electrical performance may be enhanced by the adoption of specific device structures and process schemes, the combination of various oxide semiconductor materials, and the appropriate selection of gate dielectrics and electrode metals in contact with the semiconductor. As metal oxide TFT devices are excellent candidates for switching or driving transistors in next generation active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD) or active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) displays, the major parameters of interest in the electrical characteristics involve the field effect mobility (μ FE ), threshold voltage (V th ), and subthreshold swing (SS). A study of the stability of amorphous oxide TFT devices is presented next. Switching or driving transistors in AMLCD or AMOLED displays inevitably involves voltage bias or constant current stress upon prolonged operation, and in this regard many research groups have examined and proposed device degradation mechanisms under various stress conditions. The most recent studies involve stress experiments in the presence of visible light irradiating the semiconductor, and different degradation mechanisms have been proposed with respect to photon radiation. The last part of this review consists of a description of methods other than conventional vacuum deposition techniques regarding the formation of oxide semiconductor films, along with some potential application fields including flexible displays and information storage.

Solid Surfaces, Interfaces and Thin Films

CERN Document Server

Lüth, Hans

2010-01-01

This book emphasises both experimental and theoretical aspects of surface, interface and thin film physics. As in previous editions the preparation of surfaces and thin films, their atomic and morphological, their vibronic and electronic properties as well as fundamentals of adsorption are treated. Because of their importance in modern information technology and nanostructure physics particular emphasis is paid to electronic surface and interface states, semiconductor space charge layers and heterostructures as well as to superconductor/semiconductor interfaces and magnetic thin films. The latter topic was significantly extended in this new edition by more details about the giant magnetoresistance and a section about the spin-transfer torque mechanism including one new problem as exercise. Two new panels about Kerr-effect and spin-polarized scanning tunnelling microscopy were added, too. Furthermore, the meanwhile important group III-nitride surfaces and high-k oxide/semiconductor interfaces are shortly discu...

Standard-free electron-probe microanalysis of thin films of HTSC-oxide and semiconductors (h<1μm)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kvardakov, A.M.; Mikhajlova, A.Ya.; San'gin, V.P.; Lazarev, V.B.

1993-01-01

A simplified variant of the standard-free electron-probe microanalysis is elaborated to carry out rapid analysis of chemical composition of >1μm thickness thin films of high-temperature superconductor oxides and semiconductors on alien substrates. The suggested technique has increased the efficiency of search for optimal conditions of preparation YBa 2 Cu 3 O x thin films existing in magnetron and InSb ion-beam techniques of spraying on SrTiO 3 and α-Al 2 O 3 monocrystal base substrates

Semiconductor/metal nanocomposites formed by in situ reduction method in multilayer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Yanli; Wang Enbo; Tian Chungui; Mao Baodong; Wang Chunlei

2009-01-01

A layer-by-layer adsorption and in situ reduction method was adopted for synthesizing semiconductor/metal nanocomposites in multilayer ultra-thin films. Alternate adsorption of ZnO nanoparticles modified with poly(ethyleneimine), hydrogentetrachloroaurate and poly(styrenesulfonate) sodium results in the formation of ZnO/AuCl 4 - -loaded multilayer films. In situ reduction of the incorporated metal ions by heating yields ZnO/Au nanocomposites in the films. UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the components of the composite films. UV-vis spectra indicate regular growth of the films. The electrochemistry behavior of the multilayer films was studied in detail on indium tin oxide electrode. The combined results suggest that the layer-by-layer adsorption and subsequent reduction method used here provides an effective way to synthesize ZnO/Au nanocomposites in the polymer matrix

Thin film complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device using a single-step deposition of the channel layer

KAUST Repository

Nayak, Pradipta K.; Caraveo-Frescas, J. A.; Wang, Zhenwei; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Wang, Q. X.; Alshareef, Husam N.

2014-01-01

We report, for the first time, the use of a single step deposition of semiconductor channel layer to simultaneously achieve both n-and p-type transport in transparent oxide thin film transistors (TFTs). This effect is achieved by controlling

Semiconductor- to metallic-like behavior in Bi thin films on KCl substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bui, Thanh Nhan; Raskin, Jean-Pierre; Hackens, Benoit

2016-01-01

Bi thin films, with a thickness of 100 nm, are deposited by electron-beam evaporation on a freshly cleaved (100) KCl substrate. The substrate temperature during film growth (T_d_e_p) ranges from room temperature up to 170 °C. Films deposited at room temperature exhibit a maze-like microstructure typical of the rhombohedral (110) texture, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. For T_d_e_p above 80 °C, a different microstructure appears, characterized by concentric triangular shapes corresponding to the trigonal (111) texture. Temperature dependence of the resistivity shows a transition from a semiconductor-like behavior for films deposited at room temperature to a metallic-like behavior for T_d_e_p above 80 °C. From magnetoresistance measurements between room temperature and 1.6 K, we extract the electron and hole mobilities, concentrations, and mean free paths, which allow to draw a complete picture of the transport properties of both types of films.

Thin Film Photovoltaic/Thermal Solar Panels

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

David JOHNSTON

2008-01-01

A solar panel is described.in which thin films of semiconductor are deposited onto a metal substrate.The semiconductor-metal combination forms a thin film photovoltaic cell,and also acts as a reflector,absorber tandem, which acts as a solar selective surface,thus enhancing the solar thermal performance of the collector plate.The use of thin films reduces the distance heat is required to flow from the absorbing surface to the metal plate and heat exchange conduits.Computer modelling demonstrated that,by suitable choice of materials,photovohaic efficiency call be maintained,with thermal performance slishtly reduced,compared to that for thermal-only panels.By grading the absorber layer-to reduce the band gap in the lower region-the thermal performance can be improved,approaching that for a thermal-only solar panel.

XPS and angle resolved XPS, in the semiconductor industry: Characterization and metrology control of ultra-thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brundle, C.R.; Conti, Giuseppina; Mack, Paul

2010-01-01

This review discusses the development of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XPS, used as a characterization and metrology method for ultra-thin films in the semiconductor wafer processing industry. After a brief explanation of how the relative roles of XPS and Auger electron spectroscopy, AES, have changed over the last 15 years or so in the semiconductor industry, we go into some detail as to what is implied by metrology, as opposed to characterization, for thin films in the industry, and then describe how XPS, and particularly angle resolved XPS, ARXPS, have been implemented as a metrology 'tool' for thickness, chemical composition, and non-destructive depth profiling, of transistor gate oxide material, a key requirement in front-end processing. We take a historical approach, dealing first with the early use for SiO 2 films on Si(1 0 0), then moving to silicon oxynitride, SiO x N y in detail, and finally and briefly HfO 2 -based material, which is used today in the most advanced devices (32 nm node).

In situ X-ray synchrotron study of organic semiconductor ultra-thin films growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moulin, J.-F.; Dinelli, F.; Massi, M.; Albonetti, C.; Kshirsagar, R.; Biscarini, F.

2006-01-01

In this work we present an X-ray diffraction study of the early stages of growth of an organic semiconductor (sexithiophene, T 6 ) thin film prepared by high vacuum sublimation. Specular reflectometry and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction were used to monitor the formation of T 6 films on silicon oxide. Our results show that T 6 grows as a crystalline layer from the beginning of the evaporation. The reflectometry analysis suggests that, in the range of rates and temperatures studied, the growth is never layer by layer but rather 3D in nature. In-plane GIXD has allowed us to observe for the first time a thin film phase of T 6 formed of molecules standing normal to the substrate and arranged in a compressed unit cell with respect to the bulk, i.e. the unit cell parameters b and c are relatively smaller. We have followed the dynamics of formation of this new phase and identified the threshold of appearance of the bulk phase, which occurs above ∼5-6 monolayers. These results are relevant to the problem of organic thin film transistors, for which we have previously demonstrated experimentally that only the first two monolayers of T 6 films are involved in the electrical transport. The layers above the second one do not effectively contribute to charge mobility, either because they are more 'disordered' or because of a screening of the gate field

LaF3 thin films as chemically sensitive material for semiconductor sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szeponik, J.; Moritz, W.; Sellam, F.

1991-01-01

A new kind of semiconductor based fluoride sensor was prepared by growing thin polycrystalline LaF 3 films directly on silicon substrates using vacuum vapour deposition technique. The EICS (Electrolyte Ion Conductor Semiconductor) structure was investigated by means of impedance spectroscopy, C-V measurements and exchange measurements with labeled ions ( 18 F). Whereas charge and potential conditions at the LaF 3 /electrolyte interface are governed by the fast fluoride exchange the LaF 3 bulk and the blocked Si/LaF 3 interface determine the electrical behavior. Although the Si/LaF 3 contact is not reversible the potential stability of the EICS structure is surprisingly high. Additional results at epitaxial LaF 3 layers, prepared by MBE, were taken into account for comparision with those at polycrystalline layers. (orig.)

Room temperature deposition of magnetite thin films on organic substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arisi, E.; Bergenti, I.; Cavallini, M.; Murgia, M.; Riminucci, A.; Ruani, G.; Dediu, V.

2007-01-01

We report on the growth of magnetite films directly on thin layers of organic semiconductors by means of an electron beam ablation method. The deposition was performed at room temperature in a reactive plasma atmosphere. Thin films show ferromagnetic (FM) hysteresis loops and coercive fields of hundreds of Oersted. Micro Raman analysis indicates no presence of spurious phases. The morphology of the magnetite film is strongly influenced by the morphology of the underlayer of the organic semiconductor. These results open the way for the application of magnetite thin films in the field of organic spintronics

Dithienocoronenediimide-based copolymers as novel ambipolar semiconductors for organic thin-film transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Usta, Hakan; Newman, Christopher; Chen, Zhihua; Facchetti, Antonio

2012-07-17

A new class of ambipolar donor-acceptor π-conjugated polymers based on a dithienocoronenediimide core is presented. Solution-processed top-gate/bottom-contact thin film transistors (TFTs) exhibit electron and hole mobilities of up to 0.30 cm(2)/V·s and 0.04 cm(2)/V·s, respectively, which are the highest reported to date for an ambipolar polymer in ambient conditions. The polymers presented here are the first examples of coronenediimide-based semiconductors showing high organic TFT performances. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Micro-patterned ZnO semiconductors for high performance thin film transistors via chemical imprinting with a PDMS stamp.

Science.gov (United States)

Seong, Kieun; Kim, Kyongjun; Park, Si Yun; Kim, Youn Sang

2013-04-07

Chemical imprinting was conducted on ZnO semiconductor films via a chemical reaction at the contact regions between a micro-patterned PDMS stamp and ZnO films. In addition, we applied the chemical imprinting on Li doped ZnO thin films for high performance TFTs fabrication. The representative micro-patterned Li doped ZnO TFTs showed a field effect mobility of 4.2 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) after sintering at 300 °C.

Photosensitive srtuctures on the basis of Pb1-xMnxTe semimagnetic semiconductors thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehrabova, M.A.; Kerimova, T.I.; Memishova, R.M.; Nuriyev, I.R.; Ismayilov, T.G.

2010-01-01

Full text : Narrow-band semimagnetic semiconductors (SMS) Pb 1 -xMn x Te are unique materials for infrared optoelectronics. The investigation of Faraday effect in Pb 1 -xMn x Te thin films of SMS is of a special interest. So it can be used at the construction of optic isolators, amplifiers, IR detectors and other equipments. In the given work Pb 1 -xMn x Te thin films (SMS) have been produced, the interband Faraday effect in these semiconductors has been theoretically and experimentally studied. Opportunities of making IR detectors have been studied. Pb 1 -xMn x Te thin films have been grown at BaF 2 substrates by the method of molecular beam condensation. The optimal conditions of producing thin films with high crystallic perfection, electrophysical and optical parameters have been determined. The energy spectrum and wave functions have been theoretically calculated for quantum-sized films of Pb 1 -xMn x Te SMS in the case when the surface of the film is perpendicular to the axis X and the spin-spin exchange interaction occurs between the electrons in the conductivity band (valence band) and the electrons of half-filled d-shells of manganese ions as well as taking into account electron spins and the band nonparabolicity. For the calculation of the spectra and wave functions double-band Kane model has been used. On the basis of the found formulae an analytical equation has been found out for interband Faraday rotation (IFR) depending on the energy of the incident photon, band gap and the film thickness. It has been shown that by the decrease in the band gap the value of the IFR angle increases too. The formula of parabolic approximation has been also obtained. The dependence of IFR angle on photon energy, band gap and the film thickness has been built. It has been specified that the decrease of the film thickness leads to a strong increase of IFR angle. The contribution of nonparabolicity into IFR angle has been established, so taking into consideration the band

Chemical bath deposition of thin semiconductor films for use as buffer layers in CuInS2 thin film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaufmann, C.A.

2002-01-01

A CulnS 2 thin film solar cell is a multilayered semiconductor device. The solar cells discussed have a layer sequence Mo/CulnS 2 /buffer/i-ZnO/ZnO:Ga, where a heterojunction establishes between the p-type absorber and the n-type front contact. Conventionally the buffer consists of CdS, deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD). Apart from providing process oriented benefits the buffer layer functions as a tool for engineering the energy band line-up at the heterojunction interface. Motivated through environmental concern and EU legislation it is felt necessary to substitute this potentially toxic layer by an alternative, Cd-free component. This thesis investigates the suitability of various Zn- and In-compounds, in particular In(OH,O) x S y , as alternative buffer layer materials using CBD. Initial experiments were carried out depositing Zn-based compounds from aqueous solutions. Characterization of the layers, the solution and the processed solar cells was performed. This thesis focuses on the investigation of the CBD process chemistry for the deposition of In-compound thin films. A careful study of the morphology and composition of the deposited thin films was conducted using electron microscopy (SEM, HREM), elastic recoil detection analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and optical transmission spectroscopy. This allowed conclusions concerning the nucleation and film growth mechanism from the chemical bath. Connections between bath chemistry, different growth phases, layer morphology and solar cell performance were sought and an improved deposition process was developed. As a result, Cd-free CulnS 2 thin film solar cells with efficiencies of up to 10.6%) (total area) could be produced. Overall the substitution of CdS is shown to be possible by different alternative compounds, such as Zn(OH,O) x S y or In(OH,O) x S y . In the case of In(OH,O) x S y , an understanding of the CBD process and the effect of different growth phases on the resulting solar cell

Voltage transients in thin-film InSb Hall sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexey Bardin

Full Text Available The work is reached to study temperature transients in thin-film Hall sensors. We experimentally study InSb thin-film Hall sensor. We find transients of voltage with amplitude about 10 μV on the sensor ports after current switching. We demonstrate by direct measurements that the transients is caused by thermo-e.m.f., and both non-stationarity and heterogeneity of temperature in the film. We find significant asymmetry of temperature field for different direction of the current, which is probably related to Peltier effect. The result can be useful for wide range of scientist who works with switching of high density currents in any thin semiconductor films. 2000 MSC: 41A05, 41A10, 65D05, 65D17, Keywords: Thin-films, Semiconductors, Hall sensor, InSb, thermo-e.m.f.

Dry lithography of large-area, thin-film organic semiconductors using frozen CO(2) resists.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahlke, Matthias E; Mendoza, Hiroshi A; Ashall, Daniel T; Yin, Allen S; Baldo, Marc A

2012-12-04

To address the incompatibility of organic semiconductors with traditional photolithography, an inert, frozen CO(2) resist is demonstrated that forms an in situ shadow mask. Contact with a room-temperature micro-featured stamp is used to pattern the resist. After thin film deposition, the remaining CO(2) is sublimed to lift off unwanted material. Pixel densities of 325 pixels-per-inch are shown. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Sputtering materials for VLSI and thin film devices

CERN Document Server

Sarkar, Jaydeep

2010-01-01

An important resource for students, engineers and researchers working in the area of thin film deposition using physical vapor deposition (e.g. sputtering) for semiconductor, liquid crystal displays, high density recording media and photovoltaic device (e.g. thin film solar cell) manufacturing. This book also reviews microelectronics industry topics such as history of inventions and technology trends, recent developments in sputtering technologies, manufacturing steps that require sputtering of thin films, the properties of thin films and the role of sputtering target performance on overall p

Experimental studies on the nonlinear dynamics of ferroelectric thin films and layered ferroelectricum/semiconductor structures in oscillating systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barz, Kay

2010-01-01

In this work experimental techniques for characterization of ferroelectric nm-thin films and ferroelectric/semiconductor structures by means of nonlinear phenomena are discussed. The thin film sample is applied in a series resonant circuit. By recording time series data and amplitude-frequency-characteristics (resonance frequency shift), the nonlinear behavior can be analyzed with respect to the theoretical aspects of these effects in the framework of nonlinear dynamics. The evolving ferroelectric hysteresis is represented by the amplitude-frequency-characteristic in a very detailed form. Interpretations are presented on how transient alterations like fatigue or retention loss, affect the amplitude-frequency-characteristics. Time series analysis allows to separate the specific influence of the nonlinear components and their corresponding time constants. The work closes with suggestions for a systematic application of the presented techniques for an extended characterization of ferroelectric thin films. (orig.)

Fabrication and characterization of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene active semiconductor thin films prepared by flow-coating method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohamad, Khairul Anuar; Rusnan, Fara Naila; Seria, Dzulfahmi Mohd Husin; Saad, Ismail; Alias, Afishah [Nano Engineering & Materials (NEMs) Research Group, Faculty of Engineering Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400 Sabah (Malaysia); Katsuhiro, Uesugi; Hisashi, Fukuda [Division of Engineering for Composite Functions, Muroran Institute of Technology 27-1 Mizumoto, Muroran 050-8585 Hokkaido (Japan)

2015-08-28

Investigation on the physical characterization and comparison of organic thin film based on a soluble 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) (TIPS) pentacene is reported. Oriented thin-films of pentacene have been successfully deposited by flow-coating method, in which the chloroform solution is sandwiched between a transparent substrate and a slide glass, followed by slow-drawing of the substrate with respect to the slide glass. Molecular orientation of flow-coated TIPS-pentacene is comparable to that of the thermal-evaporated pentacene thin film by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results. XRD results showed that the morphology of flow-coated soluble pentacene is similar to that of the thermal-evaporated pentacene thin films in series of (00l) diffraction peaks where the (001) diffraction peaks are strongest in the nominally out-of-plane intensity and interplanar spacing located at approximately 2θ = 5.33° (d-spacing, d{sub 001} = 16 Å). Following that, ITO/p-TIPS-pentacene/n-ZnO/Au vertical diode was fabricated. The diode exhibited almost linear characteristics at low voltage with nonlinear characteristics at higher voltage which similar to a pn junction behavior. The results indicated that the TIPS-pentacene semiconductor active thin films can be used as a hole injection layer for fabrication of a vertical organic transistor.

Ion beam-based characterization of multicomponent oxide thin films and thin film layered structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krauss, A.R.; Rangaswamy, M.; Lin, Yuping; Gruen, D.M.; Schultz, J.A.; Schmidt, H.K.; Chang, R.P.H.

1992-01-01

Fabrication of thin film layered structures of multi-component materials such as high temperature superconductors, ferroelectric and electro-optic materials, and alloy semiconductors, and the development of hybrid materials requires understanding of film growth and interface properties. For High Temperature Superconductors, the superconducting coherence length is extremely short (5--15 Angstrom), and fabrication of reliable devices will require control of film properties at extremely sharp interfaces; it will be necessary to verify the integrity of thin layers and layered structure devices over thicknesses comparable to the atomic layer spacing. Analytical techniques which probe the first 1--2 atomic layers are therefore necessary for in-situ characterization of relevant thin film growth processes. However, most surface-analytical techniques are sensitive to a region within 10--40 Angstrom of the surface and are physically incompatible with thin film deposition and are typically restricted to ultra high vacuum conditions. A review of ion beam-based analytical methods for the characterization of thin film and multi-layered thin film structures incorporating layers of multicomponent oxides is presented. Particular attention will be paid to the use of time-of-flight techniques based on the use of 1- 15 key ion beams which show potential for use as nondestructive, real-time, in-situ surface diagnostics for the growth of multicomponent metal and metal oxide thin films

PHOTOSENSITIVE STRUCTURES ON THE BASIS OF THIN FILMS OF SEMIMAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTORS Pb1-x Mnx Te

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehrabova, M.A; Nuriyev, I.R; Ismayilov, T.G; Kerimova, T.I; Mamishova, R.M

2011-01-01

Full text: Narrow-band semimagnetic semiconductors (SMS) Pb1-xMnxTe are unique materials for infrared (IR) optoelectronics.The investigation of Faraday effect in Pb1-xMnxTe thin films of SMS is of a special interest. So it can be used at the construction of optic isolators, amplifiers, IR detectors and other equipments.In the given work Pb1-xMnxTe thin films (SMS) have been produced, the interband Faraday effect in these semiconductors has been theoretically and experimentally studied. Opportunities of making IR detectors have been studied. Pb1-xMnxTe (x=0.005 0.06) thin films have been grown at BaF2 substrates by the method of molecular beam condensation. The optimal conditions of producing thin films with high crystallic perfection, electrophysical and optical parameters have been determined [1]. The energy spectrum and wave functions have been theoretically calculated for quantum-sized films of Pb1-xMnxTe SMS in the case when the surface of the film is perpendicular to the axis X and the spin-spin exchange interaction occurs between the electrons in the conductivity band (valence band) and the electrons of half-filled d-shells of manganese ions as well as taking into account electron spins and the band nonparabolicity. For the calculation of the spectra and wave functions double-band Kane model has been used. On the basis of the found formulae an analytical equation has been found out for interband Faraday rotation (IFR) depending on the energy of the incident photon, band gap and the film thickness. It has been shown that by the decrease in the band gap the value of the IFR angle increases too [2]. The formula of parabolic approximation has been also obtained. The dependence of IFR angle on photon energy, band gap and the film thickness has been built. It has been specified that the decrease of the film thickness leads to a strong increase of IFR angle. The contribution of nonparabolicity into IFR angle has been established, so taking into consideration the

Metal oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors for flexible electronics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petti, Luisa; Vogt, Christian; Büthe, Lars; Cantarella, Giuseppe; Tröster, Gerhard [Electronics Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (Switzerland); Münzenrieder, Niko [Electronics Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (Switzerland); Sensor Technology Research Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer (United Kingdom); Faber, Hendrik; Bottacchi, Francesca; Anthopoulos, Thomas D. [Department of Physics and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London (United Kingdom)

2016-06-15

The field of flexible electronics has rapidly expanded over the last decades, pioneering novel applications, such as wearable and textile integrated devices, seamless and embedded patch-like systems, soft electronic skins, as well as imperceptible and transient implants. The possibility to revolutionize our daily life with such disruptive appliances has fueled the quest for electronic devices which yield good electrical and mechanical performance and are at the same time light-weight, transparent, conformable, stretchable, and even biodegradable. Flexible metal oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (TFTs) can fulfill all these requirements and are therefore considered the most promising technology for tomorrow's electronics. This review reflects the establishment of flexible metal oxide semiconductor TFTs, from the development of single devices, large-area circuits, up to entirely integrated systems. First, an introduction on metal oxide semiconductor TFTs is given, where the history of the field is revisited, the TFT configurations and operating principles are presented, and the main issues and technological challenges faced in the area are analyzed. Then, the recent advances achieved for flexible n-type metal oxide semiconductor TFTs manufactured by physical vapor deposition methods and solution-processing techniques are summarized. In particular, the ability of flexible metal oxide semiconductor TFTs to combine low temperature fabrication, high carrier mobility, large frequency operation, extreme mechanical bendability, together with transparency, conformability, stretchability, and water dissolubility is shown. Afterward, a detailed analysis of the most promising metal oxide semiconducting materials developed to realize the state-of-the-art flexible p-type TFTs is given. Next, the recent progresses obtained for flexible metal oxide semiconductor-based electronic circuits, realized with both unipolar and complementary technology, are reported. In

Atomic Layer Deposited Thin Films for Dielectrics, Semiconductor Passivation, and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Runshen

, ultra-thin layer of encapsulating ZnS is coated on the surface of GaSb and GaSb/InAs substrates. The 2 nm-thick ZnS film is found to provide a long-term protection against reoxidation for one order and a half longer times than prior reported passivation likely due to its amorphous structure without pinholes. Finally, a combination of binary ALD processes is developed and demonstrated for the growth of yttria-stabilized zirconia films using alkylamido-cyclopentadiengyls zirconium and tris(isopropyl-cyclopentadienyl)yttrium, as zirconium and yttrium precursors, respectively, with ozone being the oxidant. The desired cubic structure of YSZ films is apparently achieved after post-deposition annealing. Further, platinum is atomic layer deposited as electrode on YSZ (8 mol% of Yttria) within the same system. In order to control the morphology of as-deposited Pt thin structure, the nucleation behavior of Pt on amorphous and cubic YSZ is investigated. Three different morphologies of Pt are observed, including nanoparticle, porous and dense films, which are found to depend on the ALD cycle number and the structure and morphology of they underlying ALD YSZ films.

X-ray analysis of spintronic semiconductor and half metal thin film systems; Roentgenstrukturuntersuchungen an spintronischen Halbleiter- und Halbmetall-Duennschichtsystemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stahl, Andreas

2010-07-01

In this work the structural properties of spintronic semiconductor and halfmetalic thin-film systems were investigated. The layer thicknesses and interface roughnesses of the multi-layer systems were estimated by X-ray reflectivity measurements. The fits were performed using the software Fewlay which uses the Parratt formalism to calculate the reflectivities. The relaxation of the films was analyzed by reciprocal space mapping on preferably highly indexed Bragg reflexes. (orig.)

Fabrication of ionic liquid electrodeposited Cu--Sn--Zn--S--Se thin films and method of making

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Raghu Nath

2016-01-12

A semiconductor thin-film and method for producing a semiconductor thin-films comprising a metallic salt, an ionic compound in a non-aqueous solution mixed with a solvent and processing the stacked layer in chalcogen that results in a CZTS/CZTSS thin films that may be deposited on a substrate is disclosed.

Semiconductor interfaces of polycrystalline CdTe thin-film solar cells. Characterization and modification of electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsche, J.

2003-01-01

In this thesis for the first time the electronic properties of the semiconductor interfaces in polycrystalline CdTe thin-film solar cells, as well as the morphological and electronic properties of the single semiconductor surfaces were systematically characterized by surface-sensitive measuring methods. The morphological surface properties were analyzed by scanning force microscopy. As substrate materials with SnO 2 /ITO covered glass was applied, where the CdS and CdTe layers were deposited. Furthermore the electronic and morphological material properties of differently treated SnO 2 surfaces were characterized. Beside the studies with scanning force microscopy sputtering depth profiles and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were measured

RHEED transmission mode and pole figures thin film and nanostructure texture analysis

CERN Document Server

Wang, Gwo-Ching

2014-01-01

This unique book covers the fundamental principle of electron diffraction, basic instrumentation of RHEED, definitions of textures in thin films and nanostructures, mechanisms and control of texture formation, and examples of RHEED transmission mode measurements of texture and texture evolution of thin films and nanostructures. Also presented is a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode called RHEED pole figure technique that can be used to monitor the texture evolution in thin film growth and nanostructures and is not limited to single crystal epitaxial film growth. Details of the construction of RHEED pole figures and the interpretation of observed pole figures are presented.  Materials covered include metals, semiconductors, and thin insulators. This book also: Presents a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode Introduces a variety of textures from metals, semiconductors, compound semiconductors, and their characteristics in RHEED pole figures Provides examples of RHEED measurements o...

Conductive polymer/fullerene blend thin films with honeycomb framework for transparent photovoltaic application

Science.gov (United States)

Cotlet, Mircea; Wang, Hsing-Lin; Tsai, Hsinhan; Xu, Zhihua

2015-04-21

Optoelectronic devices and thin-film semiconductor compositions and methods for making same are disclosed. The methods provide for the synthesis of the disclosed composition. The thin-film semiconductor compositions disclosed herein have a unique configuration that exhibits efficient photo-induced charge transfer and high transparency to visible light.

Clean graphene electrodes on organic thin-film devices via orthogonal fluorinated chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Jonathan H; Barton, Robert A; Cox, Marshall P; Alexandrou, Konstantinos; Petrone, Nicholas; Olivieri, Giorgia; Yang, Shyuan; Hone, James; Kymissis, Ioannis

2015-04-08

Graphene is a promising flexible, highly transparent, and elementally abundant electrode for organic electronics. Typical methods utilized to transfer large-area films of graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition on metal catalysts are not compatible with organic thin-films, limiting the integration of graphene into organic optoelectronic devices. This article describes a graphene transfer process onto chemically sensitive organic semiconductor thin-films. The process incorporates an elastomeric stamp with a fluorinated polymer release layer that can be removed, post-transfer, via a fluorinated solvent; neither fluorinated material adversely affects the organic semiconductor materials. We used Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy to show that chemical vapor deposition graphene can be successfully transferred without inducing defects in the graphene film. To demonstrate our transfer method's compatibility with organic semiconductors, we fabricate three classes of organic thin-film devices: graphene field effect transistors without additional cleaning processes, transparent organic light-emitting diodes, and transparent small-molecule organic photovoltaic devices. These experiments demonstrate the potential of hybrid graphene/organic devices in which graphene is deposited directly onto underlying organic thin-film structures.

High Photoluminescence Quantum Yields in Organic Semiconductor-Perovskite Composite Thin Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Giulia; La-Placa, Maria-Grazia; Sessolo, Michele; Bolink, Henk J

2017-10-09

One of the obstacles towards efficient radiative recombination in hybrid perovskites is a low exciton binding energy, typically in the orders of tens of meV. It has been shown that the use of electron-donor additives can lead to a substantial reduction of the non-radiative recombination in perovskite films. Herein, the approach using small molecules with semiconducting properties, which are candidates to be implemented in future optoelectronic devices, is presented. In particular, highly luminescent perovskite-organic semiconductor composite thin films have been developed, which can be processed from solution in a simple coating step. By tuning the relative concentration of methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr 3 ) and 9,9spirobifluoren-2-yl-diphenyl-phosphine oxide (SPPO1), it is possible to achieve photoluminescent quantum yields (PLQYs) as high as 85 %. This is attributed to the dual functions of SPPO1 that limit the grain growth while passivating the perovskite surface. The electroluminescence of these materials was investigated by fabricating multilayer LEDs, where charge injection and transport was found to be severely hindered for the perovskite/SPPO1 material. This was alleviated by partially substituting SPPO1 with a hole-transporting material, 1,3-bis(N-carbazolyl)benzene (mCP), leading to bright electroluminescence. The potential of combining perovskite and organic semiconductors to prepare materials with improved properties opens new avenues for the preparation of simple lightemitting devices using perovskites as the emitter. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation and characterization of vanadium oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monfort, O.; Plesch, G. [Comenius University of Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Roch, T. [Comenius University of Bratislava, Faculty of Mathematics Physics and Informatics, Department of Experimental Physics, 84248 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2013-04-16

The thermotropic VO{sub 2} films have many applications, since they exhibit semiconductor-conductor switching properties at temperature around 70 grad C. Vanadium oxide thin films were prepared via sol-gel method. Spin coater was used to depose these films on Si/SiO{sub 2} and lime glass substrates. Thin films of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} can be reduced to metastable VO{sub 2} thin films at the temperature of 450 grad C under the pressure of 10{sup -2} Pa. These films are then converted to thermotropic VO{sub 2} at 700 grad C in argon under normal pressure. (authors)

Properties of Spray Pyrolysied Copper Oxide Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. S. Roy

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Copper oxide (CuO thin films were deposited on well cleaned glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique (SPT from cupric acetate (Cu(CH3COO2.H2O precursor solutions of 0.05 – 0.15 M molar concentrations (MC at a substrate temperature of 350 °C and at an air pressure of 1 bar. Effect of varying MC on the surface morphology, structural optical and electrical properties of CuO thin films were investigated. XRD patterns of the prepared films revealed the formation of CuO thin films having monoclinic structure with the main CuO (111 orientation and crystalline size ranging from 8.02 to 9.05 nm was observed. The optical transmission of the film was found to decrease with the increase of MC. The optical band gap of the thin films for 0.10 M was fond to be 1.60 eV. The room temperature electrical resistivity varies from 31 and 24 ohm.cm for the films grown with MC of 0.05 and 0.10 M respectively. The change in resistivity of the films was studied with respect to the change in temperature was shown that semiconductor nature is present. This information is expected to underlie the successful development of CuO films for solar windows and other semi-conductor applications including gas sensors.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liwen Sang

2013-08-01

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

Silicon-integrated thin-film structure for electro-optic applications

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A crystalline thin-film structure suited for use in any of an number of electro-optic applications, such as a phase modulator or a component of an interferometer, includes a semiconductor substrate of silicon and a ferroelectric, optically-clear thin film of the perovskite BaTiO.sub.3 overlying the surface of the silicon substrate. The BaTiO.sub.3 thin film is characterized in that substantially all of the dipole moments associated with the ferroelectric film are arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate to enhance the electro-optic qualities of the film.

SURFACE MODIFICATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR THIN FILM OF TiO2 ON GRAPHITE SUBSTRATE BY Cu-ELECTRODEPOSITION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fitria Rahmawati

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Surface modification of graphite/TiO2 has been done by mean of Cu electrodeposition. This research aims to study the effect of Cu electrodeposition on photocatalytic enhancing of TiO2. Electrodeposition has been done using CuSO4 0,4 M as the electrolyte at controlled current. The XRD pattern of modified TiO2 thin film on graphite substrate exhibited new peaks at 2θ= 43-44o and 2θ= 50-51o that have been identified as Cu with crystal cubic system, face-centered crystal lattice and crystallite size of 26-30 nm. CTABr still remains in the material as impurities. Meanwhile, based on morphological analysis, Cu particles are dissipated in the pore of thin film. Graphite/TiO2/Cu has higher photoconversion efficiency than graphite/TiO2.   Keywords: semiconductor, graphite/TiO2, Cu electrodeposition

Transparent megahertz circuits from solution-processed composite thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xingqiang; Wan, Da; Wu, Yun; Xiao, Xiangheng; Guo, Shishang; Jiang, Changzhong; Li, Jinchai; Chen, Tangsheng; Duan, Xiangfeng; Fan, Zhiyong; Liao, Lei

2016-04-21

Solution-processed amorphous oxide semiconductors have attracted considerable interest in large-area transparent electronics. However, due to its relative low carrier mobility (∼10 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)), the demonstrated circuit performance has been limited to 800 kHz or less. Herein, we report solution-processed high-speed thin-film transistors (TFTs) and integrated circuits with an operation frequency beyond the megahertz region on 4 inch glass. The TFTs can be fabricated from an amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide/single-walled carbon nanotube (a-IGZO/SWNT) composite thin film with high yield and high carrier mobility of >70 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). On-chip microwave measurements demonstrate that these TFTs can deliver an unprecedented operation frequency in solution-processed semiconductors, including an extrinsic cut-off frequency (f(T) = 102 MHz) and a maximum oscillation frequency (f(max) = 122 MHz). Ring oscillators further demonstrated an oscillation frequency of 4.13 MHz, for the first time, realizing megahertz circuit operation from solution-processed semiconductors. Our studies represent an important step toward high-speed solution-processed thin film electronics.

Pseudomorphic growth of organic semiconductor thin films driven by incommensurate epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sassella, A.; Campione, M.; Raimondo, L.; Borghesi, A.; Bussetti, G.; Cirilli, S.; Violante, A.; Goletti, C.; Chiaradia, P.

2009-01-01

A stable pseudomorphic phase of α-quaterthiophene, a well known organic semiconductor, is obtained by growing films with organic molecular beam epitaxy (OMBE) on a single crystal of another organic semiconductor, namely, tetracene. The structural characteristics of the new phase are investigated by monitoring in situ the OMBE process by reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy; thus assessing that incommensurate epitaxy is in this case, the driving force for tuning the molecular packing in organic molecular films and in turn, their solid state properties

Evidence of the semiconductor-metal transition in V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films by the pulsed laser photoacoustic method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez-Pacheco, A.; Acosta-Najarro, D. R.; Cruz-Manjarrez, H.; Rodriguez-Fernandez, L.; Pineda-Santamaria, J. C; Aguilar-Franco, M. [Instituto de Fisica-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico DF (Mexico); Castaneda-Guzman, R. [Laboratorio de Fotofisica y Peliculas Delgadas, CCADET-UNAM, Mexico DF (Mexico)

2013-05-14

In this work, the pulsed photoacoustic technique was used to investigate the semiconductor-metal transition of thin vanadium pentoxide films (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) under increasing temperature. The V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films were simultaneously deposited by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature, on corning glass and SnO{sub 2}:F/glass substrates, in order to compare the photoacoustic response. The elemental and structural analysis of the V{sub 2}O{sub 5} films was performed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The optical transmission and band gap were determined using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The electrical properties were measured using four-point probe measurements with the Van der Pauw geometry.

Non-linear optics of nano-scale pentacene thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Yahia, I. S.; Alfaify, S.; Jilani, Asim; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh.; Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A.; Abutalib, M. M.; Al-Bassam, A.; El-Naggar, A. M.

2016-07-01

We have found the new ways to investigate the linear/non-linear optical properties of nanostructure pentacene thin film deposited by thermal evaporation technique. Pentacene is the key material in organic semiconductor technology. The existence of nano-structured thin film was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The wavelength-dependent transmittance and reflectance were calculated to observe the optical behavior of the pentacene thin film. It has been observed the anomalous dispersion at wavelength λ 800. The non-linear refractive index of the deposited films was investigated. The linear optical susceptibility of pentacene thin film was calculated, and we observed the non-linear optical susceptibility of pentacene thin film at about 6 × 10-13 esu. The advantage of this work is to use of spectroscopic method to calculate the liner and non-liner optical response of pentacene thin films rather than expensive Z-scan. The calculated optical behavior of the pentacene thin films could be used in the organic thin films base advanced optoelectronic devices such as telecommunications devices.

Organic semiconductor rubrene thin films deposited by pulsed laser evaporation of solidified solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Majewska, N.; Gazda, M.; Jendrzejewski, R.; Majumdar, S.; Sawczak, M.; Śliwiński, G.

2017-08-01

Organic semiconductor rubrene (C42H28) belongs to most preferred spintronic materials because of the high charge carrier mobility up to 40 cm2(V·s)-1. However, the fabrication of a defect-free, polycrystalline rubrene for spintronic applications represents a difficult task. We report preparation and properties of rubrene thin films deposited by pulsed laser evaporation of solidified solutions. Samples of rubrene dissolved in aromatic solvents toluene, xylene, dichloromethane and 1,1-dichloroethane (0.23-1% wt) were cooled to temperatures in the range of 16.5-163 K and served as targets. The target ablation was provided by a pulsed 1064 nm or 266 nm laser. For films of thickness up to 100 nm deposited on Si, glass and ITO glass substrates, the Raman and AFM data show presence of the mixed crystalline and amorphous rubrene phases. Agglomerates of rubrene crystals are revealed by SEM observation too, and presence of oxide/peroxide (C42H28O2) in the films is concluded from matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight spectroscopic analysis.

Studies on applications of functional organic-thin-films for lithography on semiconductor device production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Kazufumi

1988-12-01

This report describes some experimental results of studies in an attempt to contribute to the development of ultra-fine lithography which is used for the manufacture of semiconductor devices with design rule below 0.5 μm, and contains (1) manufacture of the exposure apparatus, (2) establishment of the resist process technology, and (3) preparation of the resist materials. The author designed and manufactured the KrF excimer laser stepper which is supposed to be most promising for practical uses. In the resist processing technology, the water-soluble contrast enhanced lithography (CEL) process was developed and this process has advantages is that high pattern contrast and large focus depth latitude were easily obtained. Finally, for resist materials, use of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films was investigated since the LB technique provides the method to prepare extremely thin organic films which are uniform in molecular level, and the reaction mechanism of the LB films of unsaturated compounds under irradiation with high energy beams was elucidated. (author)

Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same

Science.gov (United States)

Basol, Bulent M.; Tseng, Eric S.; Rod, Robert L.

1983-06-14

A method of fabricating a thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cell which comprises depositing a film of a near intrinsic or n-type semiconductor compound formed of at least one of the metal elements of Class II B of the Periodic Table of Elements and at least tellurium and then heating said film at a temperature between about 250.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. for a time sufficient to convert said film to a suitably low resistivity p-type semiconductor compound. Such film may be deposited initially on the surface of an n-type semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, there may be deposited on the converted film a layer of n-type semiconductor compound different from the film semiconductor compound. The resulting photovoltaic cell exhibits a substantially increased power output over similar cells not subjected to the method of the present invention.

The optical properties of plasma polymerized polyaniline thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goktas, Hilal, E-mail: hilal_goktas@yahoo.com [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Physics Department, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey); Demircioglu, Zahide; Sel, Kivanc [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Physics Department, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey); Gunes, Taylan [Yalova University, Energy Systems Engineering Department, 77100 Yalova (Turkey); Kaya, Ismet [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Chemistry Department, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey)

2013-12-02

We report herein the characterizations of polyaniline thin films synthesized using double discharge plasma system. Quartz glass substrates were coated at a pressure of 80 Pa, 19.0 kV pulsed and 1.5 kV dc potential. The substrates were located at different regions in the reactor to evaluate the influence of the position on the morphological and molecular structure of the obtained thin films. The molecular structure of the thin films was investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV–visible photospectrometers (UV–vis), and the morphological studies were carried out by scanning electron microscope. The FTIR and UV–vis data revealed that the molecular structures of the synthesized thin films were in the form of leuocoemeraldine and exhibited similar structures with the films produced via chemical or electrochemical methods. The optical energy band gap values of the as-grown samples ranged from 2.5 to 3.1 eV, which indicated that these materials have potential applications in semiconductor devices. The refractive index in the transparent region (from 650 to 1000 nm) steadily decreased from 1.9 to 1.4 and the extinction coefficient was found to be on order of 10{sup −4}. The synthesized thin films showed various degrees of granular morphologies depending on the location of the substrate in the reactor. - Highlights: • Polyaniline thin films were synthesized for the first time via double discharge plasma system. • The films have similar structure to that of the chemically synthesized films. • The morphology of the films could be tuned by this technique. • These materials would have potential applications at semiconductor devices.

Geometric shape control of thin film ferroelectrics and resulting structures

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick J.

2000-01-01

A monolithic crystalline structure and a method of making involves a semiconductor substrate, such as silicon, and a ferroelectric film, such as BaTiO.sub.3, overlying the surface of the substrate wherein the atomic layers of the ferroelectric film directly overlie the surface of the substrate. By controlling the geometry of the ferroelectric thin film, either during build-up of the thin film or through appropriate treatment of the thin film adjacent the boundary thereof, the in-plane tensile strain within the ferroelectric film is relieved to the extent necessary to permit the ferroelectric film to be poled out-of-plane, thereby effecting in-plane switching of the polarization of the underlying substrate material. The method of the invention includes the steps involved in effecting a discontinuity of the mechanical restraint at the boundary of the ferroelectric film atop the semiconductor substrate by, for example, either removing material from a ferroelectric film which has already been built upon the substrate, building up a ferroelectric film upon the substrate in a mesa-shaped geometry or inducing the discontinuity at the boundary by ion beam deposition techniques.

Layer-by-layer modification of thin-film metal-semiconductor multilayers with ultrashort laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Romashevskiy, S. A.; Tsygankov, P. A.; Ashitkov, S. I.; Agranat, M. B.

2018-05-01

The surface modifications in a multilayer thin-film structure (50-nm alternating layers of Si and Al) induced by a single Gaussian-shaped femtosecond laser pulse (350 fs, 1028 nm) in the air are investigated by means of atomic-force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical microscopy (OM). Depending on the laser fluence, various modifications of nanometer-scale metal and semiconductor layers, including localized formation of silicon/aluminum nanofoams and layer-by-layer removal, are found. While the nanofoams with cell sizes in the range of tens to hundreds of nanometers are produced only in the two top layers, layer-by-layer removal is observed for the four top layers under single pulse irradiation. The 50-nm films of the multilayer structure are found to be separated at their interfaces, resulting in a selective removal of several top layers (up to 4) in the form of step-like (concentric) craters. The observed phenomenon is associated with a thermo-mechanical ablation mechanism that results in splitting off at film-film interface, where the adhesion force is less than the bulk strength of the used materials, revealing linear dependence of threshold fluences on the film thickness.

a Brief Survey on Basic Properties of Thin Films for Device Application

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, M. C.; Shekhawat, M. S.

Thin film materials are the key elements of continued technological advances made in the fields of optoelectronic, photonic and magnetic devices. Thin film studies have directly or indirectly advanced many new areas of research in solid state physics and chemistry which are based on phenomena uniquely characteristic of the thickness, geometry and structure of the film. The processing of materials into thin films allows easy integration into various types of devices. Thin films are extremely thermally stable and reasonably hard, but they are fragile. On the other hand organic materials have reasonable thermal stability and are tough, but are soft. Thin film mechanical properties can be measured by tensile testing of freestanding films and by the micro beam cantilever deflection technique, but the easiest way is by means of nanoindentation. Optical experiments provide a good way of examining the properties of semiconductors. Particularly measuring the absorption coefficient for various energies gives information about the band gaps of the material. Thin film materials have been used in semiconductor devices, wireless communications, telecommunications, integrated circuits, rectifiers, transistors, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, photoconductors and light crystal displays, lithography, micro- electromechanical systems (MEMS) and multifunctional emerging coatings, as well as other emerging cutting technologies.

Three-dimensional minority carrier lifetime mapping of thin film semiconductors for solar cell applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hardin, Brian [PLANT PV, Inc., Belmont, CA (United States); Peters, Craig [PLANT PV, Inc., Belmont, CA (United States); Barnard, Edward [PLANT PV, Inc., Belmont, CA (United States)

2015-09-30

This project addresses the difficulty of accurately measuring charge carrier dynamics in novel semiconductor materials for thin film photovoltaic cells. We have developed a two- photon lifetime tomography technique to separate bulk minority carrier lifetime from surface recombination effects and effects of recombination at sub-surface defects. This technique also enables us to characterize how local defects such as grain boundaries– buried below the surface of a sample–affect carrier lifetimes in the active layer, dynamics that have been previously inaccessible. We have applied this newly developed technique to illuminate how CdCl₂ treatment improves CdTe PV efficiency. From striking 3D lifetime tomography maps, a clear, sub- surface understanding emerges of the photophysical changes that occur in CdTe active medium following exposure to CdCl₂, a standard step in the fabrication of high-efficiency CdTe-based solar cells. This work demonstrates a well-defined method to quantify grain-boundary, interface, and bulk recombination in CdTe and other optically-active polycrystalline semiconductor materials; information that can provide critical information to the development of next- generation photovoltaics and many other semiconductor technologies.

ZnTe Amorphous Semiconductor Nanowires Array Electrodeposited into Polycarbonate Membrane Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohgai, T; Ikeda, T; Ohta, J

2013-01-01

ZnTe amorphous semiconductor nanowires array was electrodeposited into the nanochannels of ion-track etched polycarbonate membrane thin films from acidic aqueous solution at 313 K. ZnTe electrodeposits with Zn-rich composition was obtained over the wide range of cathode potential from −0.8 V to −1.1 V and the growth rate of ZnTe amorphous nanowires was around 3 nm.sec −1 at the cathode potential of −0.8 V. Cylindrical shape of the nanowires was precisely transferred from the nanochannels and the aspect ratio reached up to ca. 40. ZnTe amorphous phase electrodeposited at 313 K was crystallized by annealing at 683 K and the band gap energy of ZnTe crystalline phase reached up to ca. 2.13 eV.

Voltage transients in thin-film InSb Hall sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Bardin, Alexey; Ignatjev, Vyacheslav; Orlov, Andrey; Perchenko, Sergey

The work is reached to study temperature transients in thin-film Hall sensors. We experimentally study InSb thin-film Hall sensor. We find transients of voltage with amplitude about 10 μ V on the sensor ports after current switching. We demonstrate by direct measurements that the transients is caused by thermo-e.m.f., and both non-stationarity and heterogeneity of temperature in the film. We find significant asymmetry of temperature field for different direction of the current, which is probably related to Peltier effect. The result can be useful for wide range of scientist who works with switching of high density currents in any thin semiconductor films.

High-Performance Single-Crystalline Perovskite Thin-Film Photodetector

KAUST Repository

Yang, Zhenqian

2018-01-10

The best performing modern optoelectronic devices rely on single-crystalline thin-film (SC-TF) semiconductors grown epitaxially. The emerging halide perovskites, which can be synthesized via low-cost solution-based methods, have achieved substantial success in various optoelectronic devices including solar cells, lasers, light-emitting diodes, and photodetectors. However, to date, the performance of these perovskite devices based on polycrystalline thin-film active layers lags behind the epitaxially grown semiconductor devices. Here, a photodetector based on SC-TF perovskite active layer is reported with a record performance of a 50 million gain, 70 GHz gain-bandwidth product, and a 100-photon level detection limit at 180 Hz modulation bandwidth, which as far as we know are the highest values among all the reported perovskite photodetectors. The superior performance of the device originates from replacing polycrystalline thin film by a thickness-optimized SC-TF with much higher mobility and longer recombination time. The results indicate that high-performance perovskite devices based on SC-TF may become competitive in modern optoelectronics.

Design and operation of a 2-D thin-film semiconductor neutron detector array for use as a beamport monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unruh, Troy C.; Bellinger, Steven L.; Huddleston, David E.; McNeil, Walter J.; Patterson, Eric; Sobering, Tim J.; McGregor, Douglas S.

2009-01-01

Silicon-based diodes coated with a thin film of neutron reactive materials have been shown to produce excellent low-efficiency neutron detectors. This work employs the same technology, but groups 25 equally sized and spaced diodes on a single 29 mm by 29 mm substrate. A 5x5 array was fabricated and coated with a thin film of 6 LiF for use as a low-efficiency neutron beam monitor. The 5x5 neutron detector array is coupled to an array of amplifiers, allowing the response to be interpreted using a LabVIEW FPGA. The 5x5 array has been characterized in a diffracted neutron beam. This work is a part of on-going research to develop various designs of high- and low-efficiency semiconductor neutron detectors.

Performance improvement for solution-processed high-mobility ZnO thin-film transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Chensha; Loutfy, Rafik O; Li Yuning; Wu Yiliang; Ong, Beng S

2008-01-01

The fabrication technology of stable, non-toxic, transparent, high performance zinc oxide (ZnO) thin-film semiconductors via the solution process was investigated. Two methods, which were, respectively, annealing a spin-coated precursor solution and annealing a drop-coated precursor solution, were compared. The prepared ZnO thin-film semiconductor transistors have well-controlled, preferential crystal orientation and exhibit superior field-effect performance characteristics. But the ZnO thin-film transistor (TFT) fabricated by annealing a drop-coated precursor solution has a distinctly elevated linear mobility, which further approaches the saturated mobility, compared with that fabricated by annealing a spin-coated precursor solution. The performance of the solution-processed ZnO TFT was further improved when substituting the spin-coating process by the drop-coating process

Performance improvement for solution-processed high-mobility ZnO thin-film transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Chensha; Loutfy, Rafik O [Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7 (Canada); Li Yuning; Wu Yiliang; Ong, Beng S [Materials Design and Integration Laboratory, Xerox Research Centre of Canada, 2660 Speakman Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5K 2L1 (Canada)], E-mail: lichnsa@163.com

2008-06-21

The fabrication technology of stable, non-toxic, transparent, high performance zinc oxide (ZnO) thin-film semiconductors via the solution process was investigated. Two methods, which were, respectively, annealing a spin-coated precursor solution and annealing a drop-coated precursor solution, were compared. The prepared ZnO thin-film semiconductor transistors have well-controlled, preferential crystal orientation and exhibit superior field-effect performance characteristics. But the ZnO thin-film transistor (TFT) fabricated by annealing a drop-coated precursor solution has a distinctly elevated linear mobility, which further approaches the saturated mobility, compared with that fabricated by annealing a spin-coated precursor solution. The performance of the solution-processed ZnO TFT was further improved when substituting the spin-coating process by the drop-coating process.

Schottky contact analysis of photovoltaic chalcopyrite thin film absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlenker, E.; Mertens, V.; Parisi, J.; Reineke-Koch, R.; Koentges, M.

2007-01-01

Current-voltage and capacitance-voltage measurements serve to analyze thermally evaporated Al Schottky contacts on Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 based photovoltaic thin film devices, either taken as grown or etched in a bromine-methanol solution. The characteristics of the Schottky contacts on the as-grown films give evidence for some dielectric layer developing between the metal and the semiconductor. Etching the semiconductor surface prior to evaporation of the Al front contact yields a pure metal-semiconductor behavior, including effects that can be attributed to an additional diode at the Mo contact. Simulations confirm the experimental results

Thin Film Solar Cells and their Optical Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanislav Jurecka

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In this work we report on the optical parameters of the semiconductor thin film for solar cell applications determination. The method is based on the dynamical modeling of the spectral reflectance function combined with the stochastic optimization of the initial reflectance model estimation. The spectral dependency of the thin film optical parameters computations is based on the optical transitions modeling. The combination of the dynamical modeling and the stochastic optimization of the initial theoretical model estimation enable comfortable analysis of the spectral dependencies of the optical parameters and incorporation of the microstructure effects on the solar cell properties. The results of the optical parameters ofthe i-a-Si thin film determination are presented.

(ZnO) m pellets as cause of variability in thin film transistor

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Indium–gallium–zinc oxide (IGZO) is a novel amorphous oxide semiconductor, which recently has received much attention for thin film transistors (TFTs) in flat panel displays. Published literature reports significant variations in the properties of thin films and TFTs prepared from IGZO even though the reported process ...

Solid surfaces, interfaces and thin films

CERN Document Server

Lüth, Hans

2015-01-01

This book emphasises both experimental and theoretical aspects of surface, interface and thin-film physics. As in previous editions the preparation of surfaces and thin films, their atomic and morphological structure, their vibronic and electronic properties as well as fundamentals of adsorption are treated. Because of their importance in modern information technology and nanostructure research, particular emphasis is paid to electronic surface and interface states, semiconductor space charge layers and heterostructures. A special chapter of the book is devoted to collective phenomena at interfaces and in thin films such as superconductivity and magnetism. The latter topic includes the meanwhile important issues giant magnetoresistance and spin-transfer torque mechanism, both effects being of high interest in information technology. In this new edition, for the first time, the effect of spin-orbit coupling on surface states is treated. In this context the class of the recently detected topological insulators,...

High-Performance Single-Crystalline Perovskite Thin-Film Photodetector

KAUST Repository

Yang, Zhenqian; Deng, Yuhao; Zhang, Xiaowei; Wang, Suo; Chen, Huazhou; Yang, Sui; Khurgin, Jacob; Fang, Nicholas X.; Zhang, Xiang; Ma, Renmin

2018-01-01

The best performing modern optoelectronic devices rely on single-crystalline thin-film (SC-TF) semiconductors grown epitaxially. The emerging halide perovskites, which can be synthesized via low-cost solution-based methods, have achieved substantial

Device and method for luminescence enhancement by resonant energy transfer from an absorptive thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Akselrod, Gleb M.; Bawendi, Moungi G.; Bulovic, Vladimir; Tischler, Jonathan R.; Tisdale, William A.; Walker, Brian J.

2017-12-12

Disclosed are a device and a method for the design and fabrication of the device for enhancing the brightness of luminescent molecules, nanostructures, and thin films. The device includes a mirror, a dielectric medium or spacer, an absorptive layer, and a luminescent layer. The absorptive layer is a continuous thin film of a strongly absorbing organic or inorganic material. The luminescent layer may be a continuous luminescent thin film or an arrangement of isolated luminescent species, e.g., organic or metal-organic dye molecules, semiconductor quantum dots, or other semiconductor nanostructures, supported on top of the absorptive layer.

Improvement of physical properties of IGZO thin films prepared by excimer laser annealing of sol–gel derived precursor films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsay, Chien-Yie; Huang, Tzu-Teng

2013-01-01

Indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) transparent semiconductor thin films were prepared by KrF excimer laser annealing of sol–gel derived precursor films. Each as-coated film was dried at 150 °C in air and then annealed using excimer laser irradiation. The influence of laser irradiation energy density on surface conditions, optical transmittances, and electrical properties of laser annealed IGZO thin films were investigated, and the physical properties of the excimer laser annealed (ELA) and the thermally annealed (TA) thin films were compared. Experimental results showed that two kinds of surface morphology resulted from excimer laser annealing. Irradiation with a lower energy density (≤250 mJ cm −2 ) produced wavy and irregular surfaces, while irradiation with a higher energy density (≥350 mJ cm −2 ) produced flat and dense surfaces consisting of uniform nano-sized amorphous particles. The explanation for the differences in surface features and film quality is that using laser irradiation energy to form IGZO thin films improves the film density and removes organic constituents. The dried IGZO sol–gel films irradiated with a laser energy density of 350 mJ/cm 2 had the best physical properties of all the ELA IGZO thin films. The mean resistivity of the ELA 350 thin films (4.48 × 10 3 Ω cm) was lower than that of TA thin films (1.39 × 10 4 Ω cm), and the average optical transmittance in the visible range (90.2%) of the ELA 350 thin films was slightly higher than that of TA thin films (89.7%). - Highlights: • IGZO semiconductor films were prepared by laser annealing of sol–gel derived films. • Surface roughness and resistivity of ELA samples were affected by energy density. • The ELA 350 IGZO film exhibited the best properties among all of ELA IGZO films. • Transmittance and resistivity of ELA 350 films are greater than those of TA films

Improvement of physical properties of IGZO thin films prepared by excimer laser annealing of sol–gel derived precursor films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsay, Chien-Yie, E-mail: cytsay@fcu.edu.tw; Huang, Tzu-Teng

2013-06-15

Indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) transparent semiconductor thin films were prepared by KrF excimer laser annealing of sol–gel derived precursor films. Each as-coated film was dried at 150 °C in air and then annealed using excimer laser irradiation. The influence of laser irradiation energy density on surface conditions, optical transmittances, and electrical properties of laser annealed IGZO thin films were investigated, and the physical properties of the excimer laser annealed (ELA) and the thermally annealed (TA) thin films were compared. Experimental results showed that two kinds of surface morphology resulted from excimer laser annealing. Irradiation with a lower energy density (≤250 mJ cm{sup −2}) produced wavy and irregular surfaces, while irradiation with a higher energy density (≥350 mJ cm{sup −2}) produced flat and dense surfaces consisting of uniform nano-sized amorphous particles. The explanation for the differences in surface features and film quality is that using laser irradiation energy to form IGZO thin films improves the film density and removes organic constituents. The dried IGZO sol–gel films irradiated with a laser energy density of 350 mJ/cm{sup 2} had the best physical properties of all the ELA IGZO thin films. The mean resistivity of the ELA 350 thin films (4.48 × 10{sup 3} Ω cm) was lower than that of TA thin films (1.39 × 10{sup 4} Ω cm), and the average optical transmittance in the visible range (90.2%) of the ELA 350 thin films was slightly higher than that of TA thin films (89.7%). - Highlights: • IGZO semiconductor films were prepared by laser annealing of sol–gel derived films. • Surface roughness and resistivity of ELA samples were affected by energy density. • The ELA 350 IGZO film exhibited the best properties among all of ELA IGZO films. • Transmittance and resistivity of ELA 350 films are greater than those of TA films.

Enhanced electrical properties of oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors with high conductivity thin layer insertion for the channel region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nguyen, Cam Phu Thi; Raja, Jayapal; Kim, Sunbo; Jang, Kyungsoo; Le, Anh Huy Tuan; Lee, Youn-Jung; Yi, Junsin, E-mail: junsin@skku.edu

2017-02-28

Highlights: • The characteristics of thin film transistors using double active layers are examined. • Electrical characteristics have been improved for the double active layers devices. • The total trap density can be decreased by insert-ion of ultrathin ITO film. - Abstract: This study examined the performance and the stability of indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) by inserting an ultra-thin indium tin oxide (ITO) layer at the active/insulator interface. The electrical properties of the double channel device (ITO thickness of 5 nm) were improved in comparison with the single channel ITZO or ITO devices. The TFT characteristics of the device with an ITO thickness of less than 5 nm were degraded due to the formation of an island-like morphology and the carriers scattering at the active/insulator interface. The 5 nm-thick ITO inserted ITZO TFTs (optimal condition) exhibited a superior field effect mobility (∼95 cm{sup 2}/V·s) compared with the ITZO-only TFTs (∼34 cm{sup 2}/V·s). The best characteristics of the TFT devices with double channel layer are due to the lowest surface roughness (0.14 nm) and contact angle (50.1°) that result in the highest hydrophicility, and the most effective adhesion at the surface. Furthermore, the threshold voltage shifts for the ITO/ITZO double layer device decreased to 0.80 and −2.39 V compared with 6.10 and −6.79 V (for the ITZO only device) under positive and negative bias stress, respectively. The falling rates of E{sub A} were 0.38 eV/V and 0.54 eV/V for the ITZO and ITO/ITZO bi-layer devices, respectively. The faster falling rate of the double channel devices suggests that the trap density, including interface trap and semiconductor bulk trap, can be decreased by the ion insertion of a very thin ITO film into the ITZO/SiO{sub 2} reference device. These results demonstrate that the double active layer TFT can potentially be applied to the flat panel display.

Laser-Printed Organic Thin-Film Transistors

KAUST Repository

Diemer, Peter J.

2017-09-20

Solution deposition of organic optoelectronic materials enables fast roll-to-roll manufacturing of photonic and electronic devices on any type of substrate and at low cost. But controlling the film microstructure when it crystallizes from solution can be challenging. This represents a major limitation of this technology, since the microstructure, in turn, governs the charge transport properties of the material. Further, the solvents typically used are hazardous, which precludes their incorporation in large-scale manufacturing processes. Here, the first ever organic thin-film transistor fabricated with an electrophotographic laser printing process using a standard office laser printer is reported. This completely solvent-free additive manufacturing method allows for simultaneous deposition, purification, and patterning of the organic semiconductor layer. Laser-printed transistors using triisopropylsilylethynyl pentacene as the semiconductor layer are realized on flexible substrates and characterized, making this a successful first demonstration of the potential of laser printing of organic semiconductors.

Applications of confocal laser scanning microscopy in research into organic semiconductor thin films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schiek, Manuela; Balzer, Frank

2014-01-01

At the center of opto-electronic devices are thin layers of organic semiconductors, which need to be sandwiched between planar electrodes. With the growing demand for opto-electronic devices now and in the future, new electrode materials are needed to meet the requirements of organic semiconductors...

Weak antilocalization induced by Rashba spin-orbit interaction in layered III-VI compound semiconductor GaSe thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Takasuna, Shoichi; Shiogai, Junichi; Matsuzaka, Shunichiro; Kohda, Makoto; Oyama, Yutaka; Nitta, Junsaku

2017-10-01

Magnetoconductance (MC) at low temperature was measured to investigate spin-related transport affected by spin-orbit interaction (SOI) in III-VI compound n -type GaSe thin films. Results reveal that MC shows weak antilocalization (WAL). Its temperature and gate voltage dependences reveal that the dominant spin relaxation is governed by the D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism associated with the Rashba SOI. The estimated Rashba SOI strength in GaSe is much stronger than that of III-V compound GaAs quantum wells, although the energy gap and spin split-off band in GaSe closely resemble those in GaAs. The angle dependence of WAL amplitude in the in-plane magnetic field direction is almost isotropic. This isotropy indicates that the strength of the Dresselhaus SOI is negligible compared with the Rashba SOI strength. The SOI effect in n -GaSe thin films differs greatly from those of III-V compound semiconductors and transition-metal dichalcogenides.

Heterogenous integration of a thin-film GaAs photodetector and a microfluidic device on a silicon substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Fuchuan; Xiao, Jing; Udawala, Fidaali; Seo, Sang-Woo

2011-01-01

In this paper, heterogeneous integration of a III–V semiconductor thin-film photodetector (PD) with a microfluidic device is demonstrated on a SiO 2 –Si substrate. Thin-film format of optical devices provides an intimate integration of optical functions with microfluidic devices. As a demonstration of a multi-material and functional system, the biphasic flow structure in the polymeric microfluidic channels was co-integrated with a III–V semiconductor thin-film PD. The fluorescent drops formed in the microfluidic device are successfully detected with an integrated thin-film PD on a silicon substrate. The proposed three-dimensional integration structure is an alternative approach to combine optical functions with microfluidic functions on silicon-based electronic functions.

Magneto-Optical Thin Films for On-Chip Monolithic Integration of Non-Reciprocal Photonic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Lei; Hu, Juejun; Jiang, Peng; Kim, Hyun Suk; Kim, Dong Hun; Onbasli, Mehmet Cengiz; Dionne, Gerald F; Ross, Caroline A

2013-11-08

Achieving monolithic integration of nonreciprocal photonic devices on semiconductor substrates has been long sought by the photonics research society. One way to achieve this goal is to deposit high quality magneto-optical oxide thin films on a semiconductor substrate. In this paper, we review our recent research activity on magneto-optical oxide thin films toward the goal of monolithic integration of nonreciprocal photonic devices on silicon. We demonstrate high Faraday rotation at telecommunication wavelengths in several novel magnetooptical oxide thin films including Co substituted CeO₂ -δ , Co- or Fe-substituted SrTiO 3- δ , as well as polycrystalline garnets on silicon. Figures of merit of 3~4 deg/dB and 21 deg/dB are achieved in epitaxial Sr(Ti 0.2 Ga 0.4 Fe 0.4 )O 3- δ and polycrystalline (CeY₂)Fe₅O 12 films, respectively. We also demonstrate an optical isolator on silicon, based on a racetrack resonator using polycrystalline (CeY₂)Fe₅O 12 /silicon strip-loaded waveguides. Our work demonstrates that physical vapor deposited magneto-optical oxide thin films on silicon can achieve high Faraday rotation, low optical loss and high magneto-optical figure of merit, therefore enabling novel high-performance non-reciprocal photonic devices monolithically integrated on semiconductor substrates.

Liquid crystals for organic thin-film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Iino, Hiroaki; Usui, Takayuki; Hanna, Jun-Ichi

2015-04-01

Crystalline thin films of organic semiconductors are a good candidate for field effect transistor (FET) materials in printed electronics. However, there are currently two main problems, which are associated with inhomogeneity and poor thermal durability of these films. Here we report that liquid crystalline materials exhibiting a highly ordered liquid crystal phase of smectic E (SmE) can solve both these problems. We design a SmE liquid crystalline material, 2-decyl-7-phenyl-[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (Ph-BTBT-10), for FETs and synthesize it. This material provides uniform and molecularly flat polycrystalline thin films reproducibly when SmE precursor thin films are crystallized, and also exhibits high durability of films up to 200 °C. In addition, the mobility of FETs is dramatically enhanced by about one order of magnitude (over 10 cm2 V-1 s-1) after thermal annealing at 120 °C in bottom-gate-bottom-contact FETs. We anticipate the use of SmE liquid crystals in solution-processed FETs may help overcome upcoming difficulties with novel technologies for printed electronics.

OUT Success Stories: Thin-Film PV: Leadership in Materials R and D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitchford, P.

2002-01-01

Photovoltaics (PV) is a modern energy technology that makes use of semiconductor materials to convert sunlight directly to electricity. The idea of thin film technology is to produce truly low-cost PV devices by using pennies worth of active semiconductor materials

Sodium beta-alumina thin films as gate dielectrics for AlGaN/GaN metal—insulator—semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Ben-Lang; Chen Chao; Li Yan-Rong; Zhang Wan-Li; Liu Xing-Zhao

2012-01-01

Sodium beta-alumina (SBA) is deposited on AlGaN/GaN by using a co-deposition process with sodium and Al 2 O 3 as the precursors. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum reveals that the deposited thin film is amorphous. The binding energy and composition of the deposited thin film, obtained from the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement, are consistent with those of SBA. The dielectric constant of the SBA thin film is about 50. Each of the capacitance—voltage characteristics obtained at five different frequencies shows a high-quality interface between SBA and AlGaN. The interface trap density of metal—insulator—semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistor (MISHEMT) is measured to be (3.5∼9.5)×10 10 cm −2 ·eV −1 by the conductance method. The fixed charge density of SBA dielectric is on the order of 2.7×10 12 cm −2 . Compared with the AlGaN/GaN metal—semiconductor heterostructure high-electron-mobility transistor (MESHEMT), the AlGaN/GaN MISHEMT usually has a threshold voltage that shifts negatively. However, the threshold voltage of the AlGaN/GaN MISHEMT using SBA as the gate dielectric shifts positively from −5.5 V to −3.5 V. From XPS results, the surface valence-band maximum (VBM-EF) of AlGaN is found to decrease from 2.56 eV to 2.25 eV after the SBA thin film deposition. The possible reasons why the threshold voltage of AlGaN/GaN MISHEMT with the SBA gate dielectric shifts positively are the influence of SBA on surface valence-band maximum (VBM-EF), the reduction of interface traps and the effects of sodium ions, and/or the fixed charges in SBA on the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). (condensed matter: structural, mechanical, and thermal properties)

Advances in copper-chalcopyrite thin films for solar energy conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaneshiro, Jess; Gaillard, Nicolas; Rocheleau, Richard; Miller, Eric [Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1680 East-West Road, Post 109, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

2010-01-15

Promising alternatives to crystalline silicon as the basic building block of solar cells include copper-chalcopyrite thin films such as copper indium gallium diselenide, a class of thin films exhibiting bandgap-tunable semiconductor behavior, direct bandgaps and high absorption coefficients. These properties allow for the development of novel solar-energy conversion configurations like ultra-high efficiency multi-junction solar cells utilizing combinations of photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical junctions for hydrogen production. This paper discusses the current worldwide status as well as the development and optimization of copper-chalcopyrite thin films deposited onto various substrate types for different photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical applications at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute. (author)

Assessing the antimicrobial activity of zinc oxide thin films using disk diffusion and biofilm reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gittard, Shaun D.; Perfect, John R.; Monteiro-Riviere, Nancy A.; Wei Wei; Jin Chunming; Narayan, Roger J.

2009-01-01

The electronic and chemical properties of semiconductor materials may be useful in preventing growth of microorganisms. In this article, in vitro methods for assessing microbial growth on semiconductor materials will be presented. The structural and biological properties of silicon wafers coated with zinc oxide thin films were evaluated using atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and MTT viability assay. The antimicrobial properties of zinc oxide thin films were established using disk diffusion and CDC Biofilm Reactor studies. Our results suggest that zinc oxide and other semiconductor materials may play a leading role in providing antimicrobial functionality to the next-generation medical devices

Properties of Nanostructure Bismuth Telluride Thin Films Using Thermal Evaporation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swati Arora

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Bismuth telluride has high thermoelectric performance at room temperature; in present work, various nanostructure thin films of bismuth telluride were fabricated on silicon substrates at room temperature using thermal evaporation method. Tellurium (Te and bismuth (Bi were deposited on silicon substrate in different ratio of thickness. These films were annealed at 50°C and 100°C. After heat treatment, the thin films attained the semiconductor nature. Samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM to show granular growth.

Electric Transport Phenomena of Nanocomposite Organic Polymer Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Jira, Nicholas C.; Sabirianov, Ildar; Ilie, Carolina C.

We discuss herein the nanocomposite organic thin film diodes for the use of plasmonic solar cells. This experimental work follows the theoretical calculations done for plasmonic solar cells using the MNPBEM toolbox for MatLab. These calculations include dispersion curves and amount of light scattering cross sections for different metallic nanoparticles. This study gives us clear ideas on what to expect from different metals, allowing us to make the best choice on what to use to obtain the best results. One specific technique for light trapping in thin films solar cells utilizes metal nanoparticles on the surface of the semiconductor. The characteristics of the metal, semiconductor interface allows for light to be guided in between them causing it to be scattered, allowing for more chances of absorption. The samples were fabricated using organic thin films made from polymers and metallic nanoparticles, more specifically Poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) copolymer and silver or gold nanoparticles. The two fabrication methods applied include spin coating and Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The transport properties are obtained by analyzing the I-V curves. We will also discuss the resistance, resistivity, conductance, density of charge carriers. SUNY Oswego SCAC Grant.

Microstructure and thermochromic properties of VOX-WOX-VOX ceramic thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khamseh, S.; Ghahari, M.; Araghi, H.; Faghihi Sani, M.A.

2016-01-01

W-doped VO 2 films have been synthesized via oxygen annealing of V-W-V (vanadium-tungsten-vanadium) multilayered films. The effects of middle layer's thickness of V-W-V multilayered film on structure and properties of VO X -WO X -VO X ceramic thin films were investigated. The as-deposited V-W-V multilayered film showed amorphous-like structure when mixed structure of VO 2 (M) and VO 2 (B) was formed in VO X -WO X -VO X ceramic thin films. Tungsten content of VO X -WO X -VO X ceramic thin films increased with increasing middle layer's thickness. With increasing middle layer's thickness, room temperature square resistance (R sq ) of VO X -WO X -VO X ceramic thin films increased from 65 to 86 kΩ/sq. The VO X -WO X -VO X ceramic thin film with the thinnest middle layer showed significant SMT (semiconductor-metal transition) when SMT became negligible on increasing middle layer's thickness. (orig.)

Optical characterization of a-Si:H thin films grown by Hg-Photo-CVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barhdadi, A.; Karbal, S.; M'Gafad, N.; Benmakhlouf, A.; Chafik El Idrissi, M.; Aka, B.M.

2006-08-01

Mercury-Sensitized Photo-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (Hg-Photo-CVD) technique opens new possibilities for reducing thin film growth temperature and producing novel semiconductor materials suitable for the future generation of high efficiency thin film solar cells onto low cost flexible plastic substrates. This paper provides some experimental data resulting from the optical characterization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films grown by this deposition technique. Experiments have been performed on both as-deposited layers and thermal annealed ones. (author) [fr

Thin film complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device using a single-step deposition of the channel layer

KAUST Repository

Nayak, Pradipta K.

2014-04-14

We report, for the first time, the use of a single step deposition of semiconductor channel layer to simultaneously achieve both n-and p-type transport in transparent oxide thin film transistors (TFTs). This effect is achieved by controlling the concentration of hydroxyl groups (OH-groups) in the underlying gate dielectrics. The semiconducting tin oxide layer was deposited at room temperature, and the maximum device fabrication temperature was 350C. Both n and p-type TFTs showed fairly comparable performance. A functional CMOS inverter was fabricated using this novel scheme, indicating the potential use of our approach for various practical applications.

Thermoelectric effects of amorphous Ga-Sn-O thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Tokiyoshi; Uenuma, Mutsunori; Kimura, Mutsumi

2017-07-01

The thermoelectric effects of an amorphous Ga-Sn-O (a-GTO) thin film have been evaluated as a physical parameter of a novel oxide semiconductor. Currently, a-GTO thin films are greatly desired not only because they do not contain rare metals and are therefore free from problems on the exhaustion of resources and the increase in cost but also because their initial characteristics and performance stabilities are excellent when they are used in thin-film transistors. In this study, an a-GTO thin film was deposited on a quartz substrate by RF magnetron sputtering and postannealing was performed in air at 350 °C for 1 h using an annealing furnace. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of the a-GTO thin film were -137 µV/K and 31.8 S/cm at room temperature, and -183 µV/K and 43.8 S/cm at 397 K, respectively, and as a result, the power factor was 1.47 µW/(cm·K2) at 397 K; these values were roughly as high as those of amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) thin films. Therefore, a-GTO thin films will be a candidate material for thermoelectric devices fabricated in a large area at a low cost by controlling the carrier mobility, carrier density, device structures, and so forth.

Electrochemical synthesis of photoactive In/sub 2/Se/sub 3/ thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrero, J; Ortega, J

1987-12-01

In/sub 2/Se/sub 3/ thin films were grown by alternate electrodeposition of selenium and indium from separate baths onto titanium substrates with subsequent thermal annealing. The influence of annealing temperature on the properties of the obtained films was examined. The results of X-ray diffraction patterns led to the conclusion that films were ..beta..-phase when the temperature ranged between 300 and 500/sup 0/C. At 600/sup 0/C the thin film loses Se and the ratio Se/In decreases. Only photoanodic response, n-type thin films, was observed when the samples were tested in a photoelectrochemical cell with a sulfite/sulfate redox couple. Values of the photocurrent on the spectra response were increased when the annealing temperature was also increased, showing the best photocurrent values at 500/sup 0/C, and the films that were annealed at 600/sup 0/C showed no photoactivity. Spectral responses after chemical etching of the samples showed a significant increase of the photocurrent. Application of Gaertner-Butler's model to the interface semiconductor-electrolyte makes it possible to obtain the semiconductor energy gap, on samples heated at 500/sup 0/C, corresponding to a direct allowed band transition.

Appraisal on Textured Grain Growth and Photoconductivity of ZnO Thin Film SILAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepu Thomas

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ZnO thin films were prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption reaction (SILAR method. The textured grain growth along c-axis in pure ZnO thin films and doped with Sn was studied. The structural analysis of the thin films was done by X-ray diffraction and surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy. Textured grain growth of the samples was measured by comparing the peak intensities. Textured grain growth and photo current in ZnO thin films were found to be enhanced by doping with Sn. ZnO thin film having good crystallinity with preferential (002 orientation is a semiconductor with photonic properties of potential benefit to biophotonics. From energy dispersive X-ray analysis, it is inferred that oxygen vacancy creation is responsible for the enhanced textured grain growth in ZnO thin films.

Magneto-Optical Thin Films for On-Chip Monolithic Integration of Non-Reciprocal Photonic Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Cengiz Onbasli

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Achieving monolithic integration of nonreciprocal photonic devices on semiconductor substrates has been long sought by the photonics research society. One way to achieve this goal is to deposit high quality magneto-optical oxide thin films on a semiconductor substrate. In this paper, we review our recent research activity on magneto-optical oxide thin films toward the goal of monolithic integration of nonreciprocal photonic devices on silicon. We demonstrate high Faraday rotation at telecommunication wavelengths in several novel magnetooptical oxide thin films including Co substituted CeO2−δ, Co- or Fe-substituted SrTiO3−δ, as well as polycrystalline garnets on silicon. Figures of merit of 3~4 deg/dB and 21 deg/dB are achieved in epitaxial Sr(Ti0.2Ga0.4Fe0.4O3−δ and polycrystalline (CeY2Fe5O12 films, respectively. We also demonstrate an optical isolator on silicon, based on a racetrack resonator using polycrystalline (CeY2Fe5O12/silicon strip-loaded waveguides. Our work demonstrates that physical vapor deposited magneto-optical oxide thin films on silicon can achieve high Faraday rotation, low optical loss and high magneto-optical figure of merit, therefore enabling novel high-performance non-reciprocal photonic devices monolithically integrated on semiconductor substrates.

Mesoscale control of organic crystalline thin films: effects of film morphology on the performance of organic transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jaekyun; Park, Sungkyu [Chung-Ang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yonghoon [Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

We report mesoscale control of small molecular 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) crystalline thin films by varying the solute concentration in the fluidic channel method. A stepwise increase in the TIPS-pentacene concentration in the solution enabled us to prepare highly-crystallized ribbons, thin films, and thick films in a mesoscale range, respectively. All three types of deposited films exhibited an in-plane crystalline nature of (001) direction being normal to the substrate as well as crystalline domain growth parallel to the direction of the receding meniscus inside the fluidic channel. In addition, the film's morphology and thickness were found to have a great influence on the field-effect mobility of the transistors, and the highest average and maximum mobilities were achieved from transistors with thin-film semiconductor channels.

Flexible Electronics: Integration Processes for Organic and Inorganic Semiconductor-Based Thin-Film Transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio F. Vidor

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Flexible and transparent electronics have been studied intensively during the last few decades. The technique establishes the possibility of fabricating innovative products, from flexible displays to radio-frequency identification tags. Typically, large-area polymeric substrates such as polypropylene (PP or polyethylene terephthalate (PET are used, which produces new requirements for the integration processes. A key element for flexible and transparent electronics is the thin-film transistor (TFT, as it is responsible for the driving current in memory cells, digital circuits or organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs. In this paper, we discuss some fundamental concepts of TFT technology. Additionally, we present a comparison between the use of the semiconducting organic small-molecule pentacene and inorganic nanoparticle semiconductors in order to integrate TFTs suitable for flexible electronics. Moreover, a technique for integration with a submicron resolution suitable for glass and foil substrates is presented.

Method for producing textured substrates for thin-film photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Lauf, Robert J.

1994-01-01

The invention pertains to the production of ceramic substrates used in the manufacture of thin-film photovoltaic cells used for directly converting solar energy to electrical energy. Elongated ribbon-like sheets of substrate precursor containing a mixture of ceramic particulates, a binder, and a plasticizer are formed and then while green provided with a mechanically textured surface region used for supporting the thin film semiconductor of the photovoltaic cell when the sheets of the substrate precursor are subsequently cut into substrate-sized shapes and then sintered. The textured surface pattern on the substrate provides enhanced light trapping and collection for substantially increasing the solar energy conversion efficiency of thin-film photovoltaic cells.

Electrical properties and transport mechanisms in phase change memory thin films of quasi-binary-line GeTe–Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} chalcogenide semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sherchenkov, A. A. [National Research University of Electronic Technology (Russian Federation); Kozyukhin, S. A., E-mail: sergkoz@igic.ras.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry (Russian Federation); Lazarenko, P. I.; Babich, A. V. [National Research University of Electronic Technology (Russian Federation); Bogoslovskiy, N. A. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical–Technical Institute (Russian Federation); Sagunova, I. V.; Redichev, E. N. [National Research University of Electronic Technology (Russian Federation)

2017-02-15

The temperature dependences of the resistivity and current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of phase change memory thin films based on quasi-binary-line GeTe–Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} chalcogenide semiconductors Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}, GeSb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}, and GeSb{sub 4}Te{sub 7} are investigated. The effect of composition variation along the quasibinary line on the electrical properties and transport mechanisms of the thin films is studied. The existence of three ranges with different I–V characteristics is established. The position and concentration of energy levels controlling carrier transport are estimated. The results obtained show that the electrical properties of the thin films can significantly change during a shift along the quasi-binary line GeTe–Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3}, which is important for targeted optimization of the phase change memory technology.

Amorphous Hafnium-Indium-Zinc Oxide Semiconductor Thin Film Transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng-Po Chang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We reported on the performance and electrical properties of co-sputtering-processed amorphous hafnium-indium-zinc oxide (α-HfIZO thin film transistors (TFTs. Co-sputtering-processed α-HfIZO thin films have shown an amorphous phase in nature. We could modulate the In, Hf, and Zn components by changing the co-sputtering power. Additionally, the chemical composition of α-HfIZO had a significant effect on reliability, hysteresis, field-effect mobility (μFE, carrier concentration, and subthreshold swing (S of the device. Our results indicated that we could successfully and easily fabricate α-HfIZO TFTs with excellent performance by the co-sputtering process. Co-sputtering-processed α-HfIZO TFTs were fabricated with an on/off current ratio of ~106, higher mobility, and a subthreshold slope as steep as 0.55 V/dec.

Controllable film densification and interface flatness for high-performance amorphous indium oxide based thin film transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ou-Yang, Wei, E-mail: OUYANG.Wei@nims.go.jp, E-mail: TSUKAGOSHI.Kazuhito@nims.go.jp; Mitoma, Nobuhiko; Kizu, Takio; Gao, Xu; Lin, Meng-Fang; Tsukagoshi, Kazuhito, E-mail: OUYANG.Wei@nims.go.jp, E-mail: TSUKAGOSHI.Kazuhito@nims.go.jp [International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectronics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Nabatame, Toshihide [MANA Foundry and MANA Advanced Device Materials Group, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)

2014-10-20

To avoid the problem of air sensitive and wet-etched Zn and/or Ga contained amorphous oxide transistors, we propose an alternative amorphous semiconductor of indium silicon tungsten oxide as the channel material for thin film transistors. In this study, we employ the material to reveal the relation between the active thin film and the transistor performance with aid of x-ray reflectivity study. By adjusting the pre-annealing temperature, we find that the film densification and interface flatness between the film and gate insulator are crucial for achieving controllable high-performance transistors. The material and findings in the study are believed helpful for realizing controllable high-performance stable transistors.

Grain Boundary Induced Bias Instability in Soluble Acene-Based Thin-Film Transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Ky V.; Payne, Marcia M.; Anthony, John E.; Lee, Jung Hun; Song, Eunjoo; Kang, Boseok; Cho, Kilwon; Lee, Wi Hyoung

2016-01-01

Since the grain boundaries (GBs) within the semiconductor layer of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have a strong influence on device performance, a substantial number of studies have been devoted to controlling the crystallization characteristics of organic semiconductors. We studied the intrinsic effects of GBs within 5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene (TES-ADT) thin films on the electrical properties of OFETs. The GB density was easily changed by controlling nulceation event in TES-ADT thin films. When the mixing time was increased, the number of aggregates in as-spun TES-ADT thin films were increased and subsequent exposure of the films to 1,2-dichloroethane vapor led to a significant increase in the number of nuleation sites, thereby increasing the GB density of TES-ADT spherulites. The density of GBs strongly influences the angular spread and crystallographic orientation of TES-ADT spherulites. Accordingly, the FETs with higher GB densities showed much poorer electrical characteristics than devices with lower GB density. Especially, GBs provide charge trapping sites which are responsible for bias-stress driven electrical instability. Dielectric surface treatment with a polystyrene brush layer clarified the GB-induced charge trapping by reducing charge trapping at the semiconductor-dielectric interface. Our study provides an understanding on GB induced bias instability for the development of high performance OFETs. PMID:27615358

Progress in Thin Film Solar Cells Based on Cu2ZnSnS4

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongxia Wang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The research in thin film solar cells has been dominated by light absorber materials based on CdTe and Cu(In,GaSe2 (CIGS in the last several decades. The concerns of environment impact of cadmium and the limited availability of indium in those materials have driven the research towards developing new substitute light absorbers made from earth abundant, environment benign materials. Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS semiconductor material has emerged as one of the most promising candidates for this aim and has attracted considerable interest recently. Significant progress in this relatively new research area has been achieved in the last three years. Over 130 papers on CZTS have been published since 2007, and the majority of them are on the preparation of CZTS thin films by different methods. This paper, will review the wide range of techniques that have been used to deposit CZTS semiconductor thin films. The performance of the thin film solar cells using the CZTS material will also be discussed.

Growth of crystalline semiconductor materials on crystal surfaces

CERN Document Server

Aleksandrov, L

2013-01-01

Written for physicists, chemists, and engineers specialising in crystal and film growth, semiconductor electronics, and various applications of thin films, this book reviews promising scientific and engineering trends in thin films and thin-films materials science. The first part discusses the physical characteristics of the processes occurring during the deposition and growth of films, the principal methods of obtaining semiconductor films and of reparing substrate surfaces on which crystalline films are grown, and the main applications of films. The second part contains data on epitaxial i

A high power ZnO thin film piezoelectric generator

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Weiwei; Li, Tao; Li, Yutong; Qiu, Junwen; Ma, Xianjun; Chen, Xiaoqiang; Hu, Xuefeng; Zhang, Wei

2016-02-01

A highly efficient and large area piezoelectric ZnO thin film nanogenerator (NG) was fabricated. The ZnO thin film was deposited onto a Si substrate by pulsed laser ablation at a substrate temperature of 500 °C. The deposited ZnO film exhibited a preferred c-axis orientation and a high piezoelectric value of 49.7 pm/V characterized using Piezoelectric Force Microscopy (PFM). Thin films of ZnO were patterned into rectangular power sources with dimensions of 0.5 × 0.5 cm2 with metallic top and bottom electrodes constructed via conventional semiconductor lithographic patterning processes. The NG units were subjected to periodic bending/unbending motions produced by mechanical impingement at a fixed frequency of 100 Hz at a pressure of 0.4 kg/cm2. The output electrical voltage, current density, and power density generated by one ZnO NG were recorded. Values of ∼95 mV, 35 μA cm-2 and 5.1 mW cm-2 were recorded. The level of power density is typical to that produced by a PZT NG on a flexible substrate. Higher energy NG sources can be easily created by adding more power units either in parallel or in series. The thin film ZnO NG technique is highly adaptable with current semiconductor processes, and as such, is easily integrated with signal collecting circuits that are compatible with mass production. A typical application would be using the power harvested from irregular human foot motions to either to operate blue LEDs directly or to drive a sensor network node in mille-power level without any external electric source and circuits.

Synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films by a precursor solution paste for thin film solar cell applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Jin Woo; Ismail, Agus; Park, Se Jin; Kim, Woong; Yoon, Sungho; Min, Byoung Koun

2013-05-22

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is a very promising semiconductor material when used for the absorber layer of thin film solar cells because it consists of only abundant and inexpensive elements. In addition, a low-cost solution process is applicable to the preparation of CZTS absorber films, which reduces the cost when this film is used for the production of thin film solar cells. To fabricate solution-processed CZTS thin film using an easily scalable and relatively safe method, we suggest a precursor solution paste coating method with a two-step heating process (oxidation and sulfurization). The synthesized CZTS film was observed to be composed of grains of a size of ~300 nm, showing an overall densely packed morphology with some pores and voids. A solar cell device with this film as an absorber layer showed the highest efficiency of 3.02% with an open circuit voltage of 556 mV, a short current density of 13.5 mA/cm(2), and a fill factor of 40.3%. We also noted the existence of Cd moieties and an inhomogeneous Zn distribution in the CZTS film, which may have been triggered by the presence of pores and voids in the CZTS film.

Elevated transition temperature in Ge doped VO2 thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Krammer, Anna; Magrez, Arnaud; Vitale, Wolfgang A.; Mocny, Piotr; Jeanneret, Patrick; Guibert, Edouard; Whitlow, Harry J.; Ionescu, Adrian M.; Schüler, Andreas

2017-07-01

Thermochromic GexV1-xO2+y thin films have been deposited on Si (100) substrates by means of reactive magnetron sputtering. The films were then characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), four-point probe electrical resistivity measurements, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. From the temperature dependent resistivity measurements, the effect of Ge doping on the semiconductor-to-metal phase transition in vanadium oxide thin films was investigated. The transition temperature was shown to increase significantly upon Ge doping (˜95 °C), while the hysteresis width and resistivity contrast gradually decreased. The precise Ge concentration and the film thickness have been determined by RBS. The crystallinity of phase-pure VO2 monoclinic films was confirmed by XRD. These findings make the use of vanadium dioxide thin films in solar and electronic device applications—where higher critical temperatures than 68 °C of pristine VO2 are needed—a viable and promising solution.

Effect of composition on SILAR deposited CdxZn1-xS thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Ashith V., K.; Gowrish Rao, K.

2018-04-01

In the group of II-VI compound semiconductor, cadmium zinc sulphide (CdxZn1-xS) thin films have broad application in photovoltaic, optoelectronic devices etc. For heterojunction aspects, CdxZn1-xS thin film can be used as heterojunction partner for CdTe as the absorber layer. In this work, CdZnS thin films prepared on glass substrates by Successive Ion Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method by varying the composition. The XRD patterns of deposited films showed polycrystalline with the hexagonal phase. The crystallite size of the films was estimated from W-H plot. The bond length of the film varied w.r.to the composition of the CdxZn1-xS films. The urbach energy of the films was calcualted from absorbance data.

Effect of titanium oxide-polystyrene nanocomposite dielectrics on morphology and thin film transistor performance for organic and polymeric semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Della Pelle, Andrea M. [LGS Innovations, 15 Vreeland Rd., Florham Park, NJ 07932 (United States); Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst, MA 01003 (United States); Maliakal, Ashok, E-mail: maliakal@lgsinnovations.com [LGS Innovations, 15 Vreeland Rd., Florham Park, NJ 07932 (United States); Sidorenko, Alexander [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, 600 South 43rd St., Philadelphia, PA 191034 (United States); Thayumanavan, S. [Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst, MA 01003 (United States)

2012-07-31

Previous studies have shown that organic thin film transistors with pentacene deposited on gate dielectrics composed of a blend of high K titanium oxide-polystyrene core-shell nanocomposite (TiO{sub 2}-PS) with polystyrene (PS) perform with an order of magnitude increase in saturation mobility for TiO{sub 2}-PS (K = 8) as compared to PS devices (K = 2.5). The current study finds that this performance enhancement can be translated to alternative small single crystal organics such as {alpha}-sexithiophene ({alpha}-6T) (enhancement factor for field effect mobility ranging from 30-100 Multiplication-Sign higher on TiO{sub 2}-PS/PS blended dielectrics as compared to homogenous PS dielectrics). Interestingly however, in the case of semicrystalline polymers such as (poly-3-hexylthiophene) P3HT, this dramatic enhancement is not observed, possibly due to the difference in processing conditions used to fabricate these devices (film transfer as opposed to thermal evaporation). The morphology for {alpha}-sexithiophene ({alpha}-6T) grown by thermal evaporation on TiO{sub 2}-PS/PS blended dielectrics parallels that observed in pentacene devices. Smaller grain size is observed for films grown on dielectrics with higher TiO{sub 2}-PS content. In the case of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) devices, constructed via film transfer, morphological differences exist for the P3HT on different substrates, as discerned by atomic force microscopy studies. However, these devices only exhibit a modest (2 Multiplication-Sign ) increase in mobility with increasing TiO{sub 2}-PS content in the films. After annealing of the transferred P3HT thin film transistor (TFT) devices, no appreciable enhancement in mobility is observed across the different blended dielectrics. Overall the results support the hypothesis that nucleation rate is responsible for changes in film morphology and device performance in thermally evaporated small molecule crystalline organic semiconductor TFTs. The increased nucleation

Effect of titanium oxide–polystyrene nanocomposite dielectrics on morphology and thin film transistor performance for organic and polymeric semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Della Pelle, Andrea M.; Maliakal, Ashok; Sidorenko, Alexander; Thayumanavan, S.

2012-01-01

Previous studies have shown that organic thin film transistors with pentacene deposited on gate dielectrics composed of a blend of high K titanium oxide–polystyrene core–shell nanocomposite (TiO 2 –PS) with polystyrene (PS) perform with an order of magnitude increase in saturation mobility for TiO 2 –PS (K = 8) as compared to PS devices (K = 2.5). The current study finds that this performance enhancement can be translated to alternative small single crystal organics such as α-sexithiophene (α-6T) (enhancement factor for field effect mobility ranging from 30-100× higher on TiO 2 –PS/PS blended dielectrics as compared to homogenous PS dielectrics). Interestingly however, in the case of semicrystalline polymers such as (poly-3-hexylthiophene) P3HT, this dramatic enhancement is not observed, possibly due to the difference in processing conditions used to fabricate these devices (film transfer as opposed to thermal evaporation). The morphology for α-sexithiophene (α-6T) grown by thermal evaporation on TiO 2 –PS/PS blended dielectrics parallels that observed in pentacene devices. Smaller grain size is observed for films grown on dielectrics with higher TiO 2 –PS content. In the case of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) devices, constructed via film transfer, morphological differences exist for the P3HT on different substrates, as discerned by atomic force microscopy studies. However, these devices only exhibit a modest (2×) increase in mobility with increasing TiO 2 –PS content in the films. After annealing of the transferred P3HT thin film transistor (TFT) devices, no appreciable enhancement in mobility is observed across the different blended dielectrics. Overall the results support the hypothesis that nucleation rate is responsible for changes in film morphology and device performance in thermally evaporated small molecule crystalline organic semiconductor TFTs. The increased nucleation rate produces organic polycrystalline films with small grain

Growth of high quality large area MgB2 thin films by reactive evaporation

OpenAIRE

Moeckly, Brian H.; Ruby, Ward S.

2006-01-01

We report a new in-situ reactive deposition thin film growth technique for the production of MgB2 thin films which offers several advantages over all existing methods and is the first deposition method to enable the production of high-quality MgB2 films for real-world applications. We have used this growth method, which incorporates a rotating pocket heater, to deposit MgB2 films on a variety of substrates, including single-crystalline, polycrystalline, metallic, and semiconductor materials u...

Preventing Thin Film Dewetting via Graphene Capping.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Peigen; Bai, Peter; Omrani, Arash A; Xiao, Yihan; Meaker, Kacey L; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Yan, Aiming; Jung, Han Sae; Khajeh, Ramin; Rodgers, Griffin F; Kim, Youngkyou; Aikawa, Andrew S; Kolaczkowski, Mattew A; Liu, Yi; Zettl, Alex; Xu, Ke; Crommie, Michael F; Xu, Ting

2017-09-01

A monolayer 2D capping layer with high Young's modulus is shown to be able to effectively suppress the dewetting of underlying thin films of small organic semiconductor molecule, polymer, and polycrystalline metal, respectively. To verify the universality of this capping layer approach, the dewetting experiments are performed for single-layer graphene transferred onto polystyrene (PS), semiconducting thienoazacoronene (EH-TAC), gold, and also MoS 2 on PS. Thermodynamic modeling indicates that the exceptionally high Young's modulus and surface conformity of 2D capping layers such as graphene and MoS 2 substantially suppress surface fluctuations and thus dewetting. As long as the uncovered area is smaller than the fluctuation wavelength of the thin film in a dewetting process via spinodal decomposition, the dewetting should be suppressed. The 2D monolayer-capping approach opens up exciting new possibilities to enhance the thermal stability and expands the processing parameters for thin film materials without significantly altering their physical properties. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of Polymer Binders on UV-Responsive Organic Thin-Film Phototransistors with Benzothienobenzothiophene Semiconductor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ljubic, Darko; Smithson, Chad S; Wu, Yiliang; Zhu, Shiping

2016-02-17

The influence of polymer binders on the UV response of organic thin-film phototransistors (OTF-PTs) is reported. The active channel of the OTF-PTs was fabricated by blending a UV responsive 2,7-dipenty-[1]benzothieno[2,3-b][1]benzothiophene (C5-BTBT) as small molecule semiconductor and a branched unsaturated polyester (B-upe) as dielectric binder (ratio 1:1). To understand the influence of the polymer composition on the photoelectrical properties and UV response of C5-BTBT, control blends were prepared using common dielectric polymers, namely, poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), polycarbonate (PC), and polystyrene (PS), for comparison. Thin-film morphology and nanostructure of the C5-BTBT/polymer blends were investigated by means of optical and atomic force microscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction, respectively. Electrical and photoelectrical characteristics of the studied OTF-PTs were evaluated in the dark and under UV illumination with a constant light intensity (P = 3 mW cm(-2), λ = 365 nm), respectively, using two- and three-terminal I-V measurements. Results revealed that the purposely chosen B-upe polymer binder strongly affected the UV response of OTF-PTs. A photocurrent increase of more than 5 orders of magnitude in the subthreshold region was observed with a responsivity as high as 9.7 AW(-1), at VG = 0 V. The photocurrent increase and dramatic shift of VTh,average (∼86 V) were justified by the high number of photogenerated charge carriers upon the high trap density in bulk 8.0 × 10(12) cm(-2) eV(-1) generated by highly dispersed C5-BTBT in B-upe binder. Compared with other devices, the B-upe OTF-PTs had the fastest UV response times (τr1/τr2 = 0.5/6.0) reaching the highest saturated photocurrent (>10(6)), at VG = -5 V and VSD = -60 V. The enhanced UV sensing properties of B-upe based OTF-PTs were attributed to a self-induced thin-film morphology. The enlarged interface facilitated the electron withdrawing/donating functional groups in the polymer chains in

Sol–gel deposited ceria thin films as gate dielectric for CMOS ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Sol–gel deposited ceria thin films as gate dielectric for CMOS technology. ANIL G KHAIRNAR ... The semiconductor roadmap following Moore's law is responsible for ..... The financial support from University Grants Commi- ssion (UGC), New ...

Seebeck coefficient of synthesized Titanium Dioxide thin film on FTO glass substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Usop, R.; Hamed, N. K. A.; Megat Hasnan, M. M. I.; Ikeda, H.; Sabri, M. F. M.; Ahmad, M. K.; Said, S. M.; Salleh, F.

2018-04-01

In order to fabricate a thermoelectric device on glass substrate for harvesting waste heat energy through house appliances, the Seebeck coefficient of translucent TiO2 thin film was investigated. The TiO2 thin film was synthesized by using hydrothermal method with F-SnO2 coated glass as substrate. From scanning electron microscopy analysis, the synthesized TiO2 thin film was found to be in nanometer-scale rod structure with a thickness of 4 µm. The Seebeck coefficient was measured in the temperature range of 300 – 400 K. The Seebeck coefficient is found to be in negative value which shows that synthesized film is an n-type semiconductor material, and is lower than the value of bulk-size material. This reduction in Seebeck coefficient of TiO2 thin film is likely due to the low dimensional effect and the difference of carrier concentration.

Smooth Growth of Organic Semiconductor Films on Graphene for High-Efficiency Electronics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hlawacek, G.; Khokhar, F.S.; van Gastel, Raoul; Poelsema, Bene; Teichert, Christian

2011-01-01

High-quality thin films of conjugated molecules with smooth interfaces are important to assist the advent of organic electronics. Here, we report on the layer-by-layer growth of the organic semiconductor molecule p-sexiphenyl (6P) on the transparent electrode material graphene. Low energy electron

Influence of temperature on thermoelectric properties of Fe{sub x}Co{sub 1−x}S{sub 2} thin films: A semiconductor to semimetal conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clamagirand, J.M.; Ares, J.R., E-mail: joser.ares@uam.es; Flores, E.; Diaz-Chao, P.; Leardini, F.; Ferrer, I.J.; Sánchez, C.

2016-02-01

In this work, we investigate the thermoelectric properties of p and n-type thin films obtained by cobalt doping of FeS{sub 2}. Films were synthesized by direct sulfuration of Co–Fe thin bilayers at 300 °C. It is found that at room temperature (RT), the Seebeck coefficient is reduced from 80 μV/K to − 70 μV/K when Co concentration is increased and the electrical resistivity of the films is decreased two orders of magnitude. X-ray diffraction and Raman measurements point out that Co is replacing Fe into the pyrite lattice and, subsequently is promoting a semiconductor to semimetal conversion. The influence of temperature on transport properties of different Fe{sub x}Co{sub 1−x}S{sub 2} films has been investigated. Whereas the Seebeck coefficient is hardly modified, the film resistivity is drastically decreased when temperature increases what has been attributed to the thermal activation of electrical carriers. The influence of Co doping on the band scheme of FeS{sub 2} is shown. To this aim, donor and acceptor states are included into its forbidden gap. Whereas the band scheme of FeS{sub 2} exhibits an acceptor level with an E = 0.11 ± 0.03 eV above the top of the valence band due to iron vacancies, a wide donor level close to the bottom of the conduction band (E = 0.08 ± 0.05 eV) is created by the progressive replacement of iron by cobalt into the FeS{sub 2} lattice. - Highlights: • Thermoelectric properties of pyrite and Co-doped pyrite thin films were measured. • Whereas ρ decreases, S remains practically unaltered on increasing temperature (RT-300 °C). • On increasing Co-concentration, films exhibit a p semiconductor to n type semimetal conversion. • Donor states close to the botton of the conduction band are created by Co doping. • Energy of the donor level decreases and gets wider due to Co-concentration.

Generalized bipolariton model. propagation of a ultrashort laser pulse through a thin semiconductor film in the conditions of two-photon generation of biexcitons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igor Beloussov

2013-01-01

A generalized bipolariton model is proposed. Bipolaritons is formed from virtual excitons of four kinds. There exists both attractive and repulsive interaction between these excitons, though only excitons of a specific type can interact with light. A substantial difference between conventional and our models is shown for the case of nonlinear transmission/reflection of ultrashort laser pulses by a thin semiconductor film under two-photon generation of biexcitons. (author)

Electrical resistivity of ferrimagnetic magnetite thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varshney, Dinesh; Yogi, A.; Kaurav, N.; Gupta, R.P.; Phase, D.M.

2006-01-01

We have grown Fe 3 O 4 (III) epitaxial film on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrate by pulsed laser deposition, with thickness of 130 nm. X-ray diffraction studies of magnetite show the spinel cubic structure of film with preferential (III) orientation. The electrical resistivity measurement demonstrates that the properties of thin film of magnetite are basically similar to those of bulk magnetite and clearly shows semiconductor-insulator transition at Verwey transition temperature (≅140 K). We have found higher Verwey transition temperature when compared with earlier reports on similar type of system. Possible causes for increase in transition temperature are discussed. (author)

Formation of VO{sub 2} by rapid thermal annealing and cooling of sputtered vanadium thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ba, Cheikhou O. F., E-mail: cheikhou.ba.1@ulaval.ca; Fortin, Vincent; Bah, Souleymane T.; Vallée, Réal [Centre d' optique, photonique et laser (COPL), Université Laval, Québec G1V 0A6 (Canada); Pandurang, Ashrit [Thin Films and Photonics Research Group (GCMP), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick E1A 3E9 (Canada)

2016-05-15

Sputtered vanadium-rich films were subjected to rapid thermal annealing-cooling (RTAC) in air to produce vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) thin films with thermochromic switching behavior. High heating and cooling rates in the thermal oxidation process provided an increased ability to control the film's microstructure. X-ray diffraction patterns of the films revealed less intense VO{sub 2} peaks compared to traditional polycrystalline samples fabricated with a standard (slower) cooling time. Such films also exhibit a high optical switching reflectance contrast, unlike the traditional polycrystalline VO{sub 2} thin films, which show a more pronounced transmittance switching. The authors find that the RTAC process stabilizes the VO{sub 2} (M2) metastable phase, enabling a rutile-semiconductor phase transition (R-M2), followed by a semiconductor–semiconductor phase transition (M2-M1).

Magnetic-field induced semimetal in topological crystalline insulator thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ezawa, Motohiko

2015-01-01

We investigate electromagnetic properties of a topological crystalline insulator (TCI) thin film under external electromagnetic fields. The TCI thin film is a topological insulator indexed by the mirror-Chern number. It is demonstrated that the gap closes together with the emergence of a pair of gapless cones carrying opposite chirarities by applying in-plane magnetic field. A pair of gapless points have opposite vortex numbers. This is a reminiscence of a pair of Weyl cones in 3D Weyl semimetal. We thus present an a magnetic-field induced semimetal–semiconductor transition in 2D material. This is a giant-magnetoresistance, where resistivity is controlled by magnetic field. Perpendicular electric field is found to shift the gapless points and also renormalize the Fermi velocity in the direction of the in-plane magnetic field. - Highlights: • The band structure of topological crystalline insulator thin films can be controlled by applying in-plane magnetic field. • At the gap closing magnetic field, a pair of gapless cones carrying opposite chirarities emerge. • A pair of gapless points have opposite vortex numbers. • This is a reminiscence of a pair of Weyl cones in 3D Weyl semimetal. • A magnetic-field induced semimetal–semiconductor transition occurs in 2D material

Magnetic-field induced semimetal in topological crystalline insulator thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ezawa, Motohiko, E-mail: ezawa@ap.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

2015-06-19

We investigate electromagnetic properties of a topological crystalline insulator (TCI) thin film under external electromagnetic fields. The TCI thin film is a topological insulator indexed by the mirror-Chern number. It is demonstrated that the gap closes together with the emergence of a pair of gapless cones carrying opposite chirarities by applying in-plane magnetic field. A pair of gapless points have opposite vortex numbers. This is a reminiscence of a pair of Weyl cones in 3D Weyl semimetal. We thus present an a magnetic-field induced semimetal–semiconductor transition in 2D material. This is a giant-magnetoresistance, where resistivity is controlled by magnetic field. Perpendicular electric field is found to shift the gapless points and also renormalize the Fermi velocity in the direction of the in-plane magnetic field. - Highlights: • The band structure of topological crystalline insulator thin films can be controlled by applying in-plane magnetic field. • At the gap closing magnetic field, a pair of gapless cones carrying opposite chirarities emerge. • A pair of gapless points have opposite vortex numbers. • This is a reminiscence of a pair of Weyl cones in 3D Weyl semimetal. • A magnetic-field induced semimetal–semiconductor transition occurs in 2D material.

Pulsed Laser Deposition of BaTiO3 Thin Films on Different Substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaodong Yang

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We have studied the deposition of BaTiO3 (BTO thin films on various substrates. Three representative substrates were selected from different types of material systems: (i SrTiO3 single crystals as a typical oxide, (ii Si wafers as a semiconductor, and (iii Ni foils as a magnetostrictive metal. We have compared the ferroelectric properties of BTO thin films obtained by pulsed laser deposition on these diverse substrates.

Thickness control in electrophoretic deposition of WO3 nanofiber thin films for solar water splitting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Yuanxing; Lee, Wei Cheat; Canciani, Giacomo E.; Draper, Thomas C.; Al-Bawi, Zainab F.; Bedi, Jasbir S.; Perry, Christopher C.; Chen, Qiao

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel method combining electrospinning and electrophoretic deposition was established for the creation of nanostructured semiconductor thin films. • The created thin films displayed a high chemical stability with a controllable thickness. • The PEC water splitting performance of the thin films was optimized by fine-tuning the thickness of the films. • A maximum photoconversion efficiency was achieved by 18 μm nanofibrous thin films. - Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of ground electrospun WO 3 nanofibers was applied to create photoanodes with controlled morphology for the application of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The correlations between deposition parameters and film thicknesses were investigated with theoretical models to precisely control the morphology of the nanostructured porous thin film. The photoconversion efficiency was further optimized as a function of film thickness. A maximum photoconversion efficiency of 0.924% from electrospun WO 3 nanofibers that EPD deposited on a substrate was achieved at a film thickness of 18 μm.

One-dimensional self-confinement promotes polymorph selection in large-area organic semiconductor thin films

KAUST Repository

Giri, Gaurav; Li, Ruipeng; Smilgies, Detlef Matthias; Li, Erqiang; Diao, Ying; Lenn, Kristina M.; Chiu, Melanie; Lin, Debora W.; Allen, Ranulfo A.; Reinspach, Julia A.; Mannsfeld, Stefan C B; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T; Clancy, Paulette; Bao, Zhenan; Amassian, Aram

2014-01-01

A crystal's structure has significant impact on its resulting biological, physical, optical and electronic properties. In organic electronics, 6,13(bis-triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene), a small-molecule organic semiconductor, adopts metastable polymorphs possessing significantly faster charge transport than the equilibrium crystal when deposited using the solution-shearing method. Here, we use a combination of high-speed polarized optical microscopy, in situ microbeam grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray-scattering and molecular simulations to understand the mechanism behind formation of metastable TIPS-pentacene polymorphs. We observe that thin-film crystallization occurs first at the air-solution interface, and nanoscale vertical spatial confinement of the solution results in formation of metastable polymorphs, a one-dimensional and large-area analogy to crystallization of polymorphs in nanoporous matrices. We demonstrate that metastable polymorphism can be tuned with unprecedented control and produced over large areas by either varying physical confinement conditions or by tuning energetic conditions during crystallization through use of solvent molecules of various sizes. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

One-dimensional self-confinement promotes polymorph selection in large-area organic semiconductor thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Giri, Gaurav; Li, Ruipeng; Smilgies, Detlef-M; Li, Er Qiang; Diao, Ying; Lenn, Kristina M; Chiu, Melanie; Lin, Debora W; Allen, Ranulfo; Reinspach, Julia; Mannsfeld, Stefan C B; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T; Clancy, Paulette; Bao, Zhenan; Amassian, Aram

2014-04-16

A crystal's structure has significant impact on its resulting biological, physical, optical and electronic properties. In organic electronics, 6,13(bis-triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene), a small-molecule organic semiconductor, adopts metastable polymorphs possessing significantly faster charge transport than the equilibrium crystal when deposited using the solution-shearing method. Here, we use a combination of high-speed polarized optical microscopy, in situ microbeam grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray-scattering and molecular simulations to understand the mechanism behind formation of metastable TIPS-pentacene polymorphs. We observe that thin-film crystallization occurs first at the air-solution interface, and nanoscale vertical spatial confinement of the solution results in formation of metastable polymorphs, a one-dimensional and large-area analogy to crystallization of polymorphs in nanoporous matrices. We demonstrate that metastable polymorphism can be tuned with unprecedented control and produced over large areas by either varying physical confinement conditions or by tuning energetic conditions during crystallization through use of solvent molecules of various sizes.

Electrical properties of thermally evaporated nickel-dimethylglyoxime thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Dakhel, A. A.; Ali-Mohamed Ahmed, Y.

2005-06-01

Thin Bis-(dimethylglyoximato)nickel(II) [Ni(DMG)2] films of amorphous and crystalline structures were prepared by vacuum deposition on Si (P) substrates. The films were characterised by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. The constructed Al/Ni(DMG)2/Si(P) metal-insulator-semiconductor devices were characterised by the measurement of the gate-voltage dependence of their capacitance and ac conductance, from which the surface states density Dit of insulator/semiconductor interface and the density of the fixed charges in the oxide were determined. The ac electrical conduction and dielectric properties of the Ni(DMG)2-Silicon structure were studied at room temperature. The data of the ac measurements of the annealed films follow the correlated barrier-hopping CBH mode, from which the fundamental absorption bandgap, the minimum hopping distance, and other parameters of the model were determined.

Structures and electronic properties of thin-films of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natsume, Yutaka; Minakata, Takashi; Aoyagi, Takeshi

2009-01-01

We report the fabrication and characterization of organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) using several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Pentacene, ovalene, dibenzocoronene and hexabenzocoronene were deposited as organic semiconductors on silicon wafers with gold electrodes as the bottom-contact configuration of the TFTs. The pentacene TFT showed the highest field-effect mobility of more than 0.1 cm 2 /Vs in comparison with the other PAHs. The results clarified that the high field-effect mobility of the pentacene thin film is due to large grain size and intrinsic electronic properties

P-doped strontium titanate grown using two target pulsed laser deposition for thin film solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Man, Hamdi

Thin-film solar cells made of Mg-doped SrTiO3 p-type absorbers are promising candidates for clean energy generation. This material shows p-type conductivity and also demonstrates reasonable absorption of light. In addition, p-type SrTiO3 can be deposited as thin films so that the cost can be lower than the competing methods. In this work, Mg-doped SrTiO3 (STO) thin-films were synthesized and analyzed in order to observe their potential to be employed as the base semiconductor in photovoltaic applications. Mg-doped STO thin-films were grown by using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using a frequency quadrupled Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG) laser and with a substrate that was heated by back surface absorption of infrared (IR) laser light. The samples were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and it was observed that Mg atoms were doped successfully in the stoichiometry. Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) spectroscopy proved that the thin films were polycrystalline. Kelvin Probe work function measurements indicated that the work function of the films were 4.167 eV after annealing. UV/Vis Reflection spectroscopy showed that Mg-doped STO thin-films do not reflect significantly except in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum where the reflection percentage increased up to 80%. Self-doped STO thin-films, Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thin films and stainless steel foil (SSF) were studied in order to observe their characteristics before employing them in Mg-doped STO based solar cells. Self-doped STO thin films were grown using PLD and the results showed that they are capable of serving as the n-type semiconductor in solar cell applications with oxygen vacancies in their structure and low reflectivity. Indium Tin Oxide thin-films grown by PLD system showed low 25-50 ?/square sheet resistance and very low reflection features. Finally, commercially available stainless steel foil substrates were excellent substrates for the inexpensive growth of

Investigation of high- k yttrium copper titanate thin films as alternative gate dielectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monteduro, Anna Grazia; Ameer, Zoobia; Rizzato, Silvia; Martino, Maurizio; Caricato, Anna Paola; Maruccio, Giuseppe; Tasco, Vittorianna; Lekshmi, Indira Chaitanya; Hazarika, Abhijit; Choudhury, Debraj; Sarma, D D

2016-01-01

Nearly amorphous high- k yttrium copper titanate thin films deposited by laser ablation were investigated in both metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) and metal–insulator–metal (MIM) junctions in order to assess the potentialities of this material as a gate oxide. The trend of dielectric parameters with film deposition shows a wide tunability for the dielectric constant and AC conductivity, with a remarkably high dielectric constant value of up to 95 for the thick films and conductivity as low as 6  ×  10 −10 S cm −1 for the thin films deposited at high oxygen pressure. The AC conductivity analysis points out a decrease in the conductivity, indicating the formation of a blocking interface layer, probably due to partial oxidation of the thin films during cool-down in an oxygen atmosphere. Topography and surface potential characterizations highlight differences in the thin film microstructure as a function of the deposition conditions; these differences seem to affect their electrical properties. (paper)

Resource recovery from urban stock, the example of cadmium and tellurium from thin film module recycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simon, F.-G., E-mail: franz-georg.simon@bam.de [BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin (Germany); Holm, O.; Berger, W. [BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin (Germany)

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► The semiconductor layer on thin-film photovoltaic modules can be removed from the glass-plate by vacuum blast cleaning. ► The separation of blasting agent and semiconductor can be performed using flotation with a valuable yield of 55%. ► PV modules are a promising source for the recovery of tellurium in the future. - Abstract: Raw material supply is essential for all industrial activities. The use of secondary raw material gains more importance since ore grade in primary production is decreasing. Meanwhile urban stock contains considerable amounts of various elements. Photovoltaic (PV) generating systems are part of the urban stock and recycling technologies for PV thin film modules with CdTe as semiconductor are needed because cadmium could cause hazardous environmental impact and tellurium is a scarce element where future supply might be constrained. The paper describes a sequence of mechanical processing techniques for end-of-life PV thin film modules consisting of sandblasting and flotation. Separation of the semiconductor material from the glass surface was possible, however, enrichment and yield of valuables in the flotation step were non-satisfying. Nevertheless, recovery of valuable metals from urban stock is a viable method for the extension of the availability of limited natural resources.

Resource recovery from urban stock, the example of cadmium and tellurium from thin film module recycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, F.-G.; Holm, O.; Berger, W.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The semiconductor layer on thin-film photovoltaic modules can be removed from the glass-plate by vacuum blast cleaning. ► The separation of blasting agent and semiconductor can be performed using flotation with a valuable yield of 55%. ► PV modules are a promising source for the recovery of tellurium in the future. - Abstract: Raw material supply is essential for all industrial activities. The use of secondary raw material gains more importance since ore grade in primary production is decreasing. Meanwhile urban stock contains considerable amounts of various elements. Photovoltaic (PV) generating systems are part of the urban stock and recycling technologies for PV thin film modules with CdTe as semiconductor are needed because cadmium could cause hazardous environmental impact and tellurium is a scarce element where future supply might be constrained. The paper describes a sequence of mechanical processing techniques for end-of-life PV thin film modules consisting of sandblasting and flotation. Separation of the semiconductor material from the glass surface was possible, however, enrichment and yield of valuables in the flotation step were non-satisfying. Nevertheless, recovery of valuable metals from urban stock is a viable method for the extension of the availability of limited natural resources

Crystallographic structure and grain size of polycrystalline Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles and thin films studied with XRD and SEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zutz, Folker; Chory, Christine; Riedel, Ingo; Parisi, Juergen [Thin Film Photovoltaics, Energy and Semiconductor Research Laboratory, University of Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg (Germany)

2011-07-01

Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) is a compound semiconductor with an absorption coefficient of >10{sup 4} cm{sup -1} and energy gap of about 1.5 eV. Because CZTS is comprised of abundant and non-toxic precursor elements the semiconductor represents an attractive material for low-cost thin film solar cells. CZTS nanoparticles (NP) were prepared in a low-temperature colloidal synthesis yielding high amounts per synthesis cycle. For thin film deposition the NPs were converted to an ink which can be processed to thin films via printing techniques. Finally, the thin films were annealed in argon atmosphere at different temperatures in order to control the growth of microcrystallites. The photoelectrical quality of the semiconductor sensitively depends on the relative concentrations of the precursor elements (band gap, crystallographic phases) and the average grain size (charge transport). We report on structural investigations (X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy) of CZTS dried powders and thin films processed from inks with varying chemical compositions. Further, the evolution of the grain size was studied as function of the annealing temperature.

Introduction to thin film transistors physics and technology of TFTs

CERN Document Server

Brotherton, S D

2013-01-01

Introduction to Thin Film Transistors reviews the operation, application, and technology of the main classes of thin film transistor (TFT) of current interest for large area electronics. The TFT materials covered include hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), poly-crystalline silicon (poly-Si), transparent amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOS), and organic semiconductors. The large scale manufacturing of a-Si:H TFTs forms the basis of the active matrix flat panel display industry. Poly-Si TFTs facilitate the integration of electronic circuits into portable active matrix liquid crystal displays, and are increasingly used in active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) displays for smart phones. The recently developed AOS TFTs are seen as an alternative option to poly-Si and a-Si:H for AMOLED TV and large AMLCD TV applications, respectively. The organic TFTs are regarded as a cost effective route into flexible electronics. As well as treating the highly divergent preparation and properties of these mat...

Swift heavy ion induced modifications in optical and electrical properties of cadmium selenide thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhary, Ritika; Chauhan, Rishi Pal

2017-07-01

The modification in various properties of thin films using high energetic ion beam is an exciting area of basic and applied research in semiconductors. In the present investigations, cadmium selenide (CdSe) thin films were deposited on ITO substrate using electrodeposition technique. To study the swift heavy ion (SHI) induced effects, the deposited thin films were irradiated with 120 MeV heavy Ag9+ ions using pelletron accelerator facility at IUAC, New Delhi, India. Structural phase transformation in CdSe thin film from metastable cubic phase to stable hexagonal phase was observed after irradiation leading to decrease in the band gap from 2.47 eV to 2.12 eV. The phase transformation was analyzed through X-ray diffraction patterns. During SHI irradiation, Generation of high temperature and pressure by thermal spike along the trajectory of incident ions in the thin films might be responsible for modification in the properties of thin films.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Synthesis and characterization of three-dimensional transition metal ions doped zinc oxide based dilute magnetic semiconductor thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Samanta, Kousik

Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS), especially 3d-transition metal (TM) doped ZnO based DMS materials are the most promising candidates for optoelectronics and spintronics applications; e.g. in spin light emitting diode (SLED), spin transistors, and spin field effect transistors (SFET), etc. In the present dissertation, thin films of Zn1-xTMxO (TM = Co2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+) were grown on (0001) oriented Al2O3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The films were highly c-axis oriented, nearly single crystalline, and defects free for a limited concentration of the dilution of transition metal ions. In particular, we have obtained single crystalline phases of Zn1-xTMxO thin films for up to 10, 3, and 5 stoichiometric percentages of Co2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+ respectively. Raman micro-probe system was used to understand the structural and lattice dynamical properties at different physical conditions. The confinement of optical phonons in the disorder lattice was explained by alloy potential fluctuation (APF) using a spatial correlation (SC) model. The detailed analysis of the optical phonon behavior in disorder lattice confirmed the substitution of the transition metal ions in Zn 2+ site of the ZnO host lattice. The secondary phases of ZnCo 2O4, CuO, and ZnMn2O4 were detected in higher Co, Cu, and Mn doped ZnO thin films respectively; where as, XRD did not detect these secondary phases in the same samples. Room temperature ferromagnetism was observed in Co2+ and Cu2+ ions doped ZnO thin films with maximum saturation magnetization (Ms) of 1.0 and 0.76 muB respectively. The origin of the observed ferromagnetism in Zn1-xCoxO thin films was tested by the controlled introduction of shallow donors (Al) in Zn0.9-x Co0.1O:Alx (x = 0.005 and 0.01) thin films. The saturation magnetization for the 10% Co-doped ZnO (1.0 muB /Co) at 300K reduced (˜0.25 muB/Co) due to Al doping. The observed ferromagnetism and the reduction due to Al doping can be explained by the Bound

Rapid thermally annealed plasma deposited SiNx:H thin films: Application to metal-insulator-semiconductor structures with Si, In0.53Ga0.47As, and InP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martil, I.; Prado, A. del; San Andres, E.; Gonzalez Diaz, G.; Martinez, F.L.

2003-01-01

We present in this article a comprehensive study of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) effects on the physical properties of SiN x :H thin films deposited by the electron cyclotron resonance plasma method. Films of different as-deposited compositions (defined in this article as the nitrogen to silicon ratio, x=N/Si) were analyzed: from Si-rich (x=0.97) to N-rich (x=1.6) films. The evolution of the composition, bonding configuration, and paramagnetic defects with the annealing temperature are explained by means of different network bond reactions that take place depending on the as-deposited film composition. All the analyzed films release hydrogen, while Si-rich and near-stoichiometric (x=1.43) ones also lose nitrogen upon annealing. These films were used to make Al/SiN x :H/semiconductor devices with Si, In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As, and InP. After RTA treatments, the electrical properties of the three different SiN x :H/semiconductor interfaces can be explained, noting the microstructural modifications that SiN x :H experiences upon annealing

Three dimensional strained semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Lars; Conway, Adam; Nikolic, Rebecca J.; Leao, Cedric Rocha; Shao, Qinghui

2016-11-08

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a three dimensional structure comprising a semiconductor material, and at least one thin film in contact with at least one exterior surface of the three dimensional structure for inducing a strain in the structure, the thin film being characterized as providing at least one of: an induced strain of at least 0.05%, and an induced strain in at least 5% of a volume of the three dimensional structure. In another embodiment, a method includes forming a three dimensional structure comprising a semiconductor material, and depositing at least one thin film on at least one surface of the three dimensional structure for inducing a strain in the structure, the thin film being characterized as providing at least one of: an induced strain of at least 0.05%, and an induced strain in at least 5% of a volume of the structure.

Thermal recrystallization of physical vapor deposition based germanium thin films on bulk silicon (100)

KAUST Repository

Hussain, Aftab M.

2013-08-16

We demonstrate a simple, low-cost, and scalable process for obtaining uniform, smooth surfaced, high quality mono-crystalline germanium (100) thin films on silicon (100). The germanium thin films were deposited on a silicon substrate using plasma-assisted sputtering based physical vapor deposition. They were crystallized by annealing at various temperatures ranging from 700 °C to 1100 °C. We report that the best quality germanium thin films are obtained above the melting point of germanium (937 °C), thus offering a method for in-situ Czochralski process. We show well-behaved high-κ /metal gate metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs) using this film. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The influence of monomer concentration on the optical properties of electrochemically synthesized polypyrrole thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thombare, J. V.; Fulari, V. J.; Rath, M. C.; Han, S. H.

2013-01-01

Polypyrrole (PPy) thin films were deposited on stainless steel and ITO coated glass substrate at a constant deposition potential of 0.8 V versus saturated calomel electrode (SCE) by using the electrochemical polymerization method. The PPy thin films were deposited at room temperature at various monomer concentrations ranging from 0.1 M to 0.3 M pyrrole. The structural and optical properties of the polypyrrole thin films were investigated using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultraviolet—visible (UV—vis) spectroscopy. The XRD results show that polypyrrole thin films have a semi crystalline structure. Higher monomer concentration results in a slight increase of crystallinity. The polypyrrole thin films deposited at higher monomer concentration exhibit high visible absorbance. The refractive indexes of the polypyrrole thin films are found to be in the range of 1 to 1.3 and vary with monomer concentration as well as wavelength. The extinction coefficient decreases slightly with monomer concentration. The electrochemically synthesized polypyrrole thin film shows optical band gap energy of 2.14 eV. (semiconductor materials)

Structural, optical and electrical properties of tin oxide thin films for application as a wide band gap semiconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sethi, Riti; Ahmad, Shabir; Aziz, Anver; Siddiqui, Azher Majid, E-mail: amsiddiqui@jmi.ac.in [Department of Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi-110025 (India)

2015-08-28

Tin oxide (SnO) thin films were synthesized using thermal evaporation technique. Ultra pure metallic tin was deposited on glass substrates using thermal evaporator under high vacuum. The thickness of the tin deposited films was kept at 100nm. Subsequently, the as-deposited tin films were annealed under oxygen environment for a period of 3hrs to obtain tin oxide films. To analyse the suitability of the synthesized tin oxide films as a wide band gap semiconductor, various properties were studied. Structural parameters were studied using XRD and SEM-EDX. The optical properties were studied using UV-Vis Spectrophotometry and the electrical parameters were calculated using the Hall-setup. XRD and SEM confirmed the formation of SnO phase. Uniform texture of the film can be seen through the SEM images. Presence of traces of unoxidised Sn has also been confirmed through the XRD spectra. The band gap calculated was around 3.6eV and the optical transparency around 50%. The higher value of band gap and lower value of optical transparency can be attributed to the presence of unoxidised Sn. The values of resistivity and mobility as measured by the Hall setup were 78Ωcm and 2.92cm{sup 2}/Vs respectively. The reasonable optical and electrical parameters make SnO a suitable candidate for optoelectronic and electronic device applications.

Effect of the Precursor Solution Concentration of CuI Thin Film Deposited By Spin Coating Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nur Amalina Muhmmad; Atiq, A.M.; Rusop, M.

2011-01-01

Copper (I) Iodide is a p-type semiconductor with bandgap of 3.1 eV. It is water insoluble solid with three crystalline phases α, β, γ. In this research, the effect of precursor concentration of CuI thin film deposited by spin coating method was studied. The wide band gap p type semiconductor CuI thin film was prepared by mixing the CuI powder (ALDRICH, 98 %) with 50 ml of acetonitrile as a solvent. The CuI concentration varies from 0.025 M to 0.5 M. The speed for spin coating is 1000 rpm for 60 seconds. After the deposition the CuI thin films were annealed at 150 degree Celsius. The electrical and optical properties were characterized by current-voltage (I-V) measurement using Solar Simulator (Bukoh Keiki EP-2000) and ultraviolet visible- near infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) measurement (Jasco V-670). The result shows the CuI thin film properties strongly depends on its precursor concentration. Thickness between 33.65 nm - 441.25 nm was obtained as the concentration increases. The increment of thickness affects the electrical properties which is the resistivity and conductivity of CuI thin film. For optical properties, the transmittance decreases with high concentration as high amount of CuI particle were observed in the thin films. From the transmittance, the absorption coefficient and optical band gap of CuI was determined using Taucs plot. (author)

Quantifying clustering in disordered carbon thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carey, J.D.

2006-01-01

The quantification of disorder and the effects of clustering in the sp 2 phase of amorphous carbon thin films are discussed. The sp 2 phase is described in terms of disordered nanometer-sized conductive sp 2 clusters embedded in a less conductive sp 3 matrix. Quantification of the clustering of the sp 2 phase is estimated from optical as well as from electron and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. Unlike in other disordered group IV thin film semiconductors, we show that care must be exercised in attributing a meaning to the Urbach energy extracted from absorption measurements in the disordered carbon system. The influence of structural disorder, associated with sp 2 clusters of similar size, and topological disorder due to undistorted clusters of different sizes is also discussed. Extensions of this description to other systems are also presented

Thickness-modulated anisotropic ferromagnetism in Fe-doped epitaxial HfO2 thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wenlong; Liu, Ming; Zhang, Ruyi; Ma, Rong; Wang, Hong

2017-10-01

Epitaxial tetragonal Fe-doped Hf0.95Fe0.05O2 (FHO) thin films with various thicknesses were deposited on (001)-oriented NdCaAlO4 (NCAO) substrates by using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) system. The crystal structure and epitaxial nature of the FHO thin films were confirmed by typical x-ray diffraction (XRD) θ-2θ scan and reciprocal space mapping (RSM). The results indicate that two sets of lattice sites exist with two different crystal orientations [(001) and (100)] in the thicker FHO thin films. Further, the intensity of the (100) direction increases with the increase in thicknesses, which should have a significant effect on the anisotropic magnetization of the FHO thin films. Meanwhile, all the FHO thin films possess a tetragonal phase structure. An anisotropy behavior in magnetization has been observed in the FHO thin films. The anisotropic magnetization of the FHO thin films is slowly weakened as the thickness increases. Meanwhile, the saturation magnetization (Ms) of both in-plane and out-of-plane decreases with the increase in the thickness. The change in the anisotropic magnetization and Ms is attributed to the crystal lattice and the variation in the valence of Fe ions. These results indicate that the thickness-modulated anisotropic ferromagnetism of the tetragonal FHO epitaxial thin films is of potential use for the integration of metal-oxide semiconductors with spintronics.

Transparent Oxide Semiconductors for Emerging Electronics

KAUST Repository

Caraveo-Frescas, Jesus Alfonso

2013-11-01

Transparent oxide electronics have emerged as promising materials to shape the future of electronics. While several n-type oxides have been already studied and demonstrated feasibility to be used as active materials in thin film transistors, high performance p-type oxides have remained elusive. This dissertation is devoted to the study of transparent p-type oxide semiconductor tin monoxide and its use in the fabrication of field effect devices. A complete study on the deposition of tin monoxide thin films by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering is performed. Carrier density, carrier mobility and conductivity are studied over a set of deposition conditions where p-type conduction is observed. Density functional theory simulations are performed in order to elucidate the effect of native defects on carrier mobility. The findings on the electrical properties of SnO thin films are then translated to the fabrication of thin films transistors. The low processing temperature of tin monoxide thin films below 200 oC is shown advantageous for the fabrication of fully transparent and flexible thin film transistors. After careful device engineering, including post deposition annealing temperature, gate dielectric material, semiconductor thickness and source and drain electrodes material, thin film transistors with record device performance are demonstrated, achieving a field effect mobility >6.7 cm2V-1s-1. Device performance is further improved to reach a field effect mobility of 10.8 cm2V-1s-1 in SnO nanowire field effect transistors fabricated from the sputtered SnO thin films and patterned by electron beam lithography. Downscaling device dimension to nano scale is shown beneficial for SnO field effect devices not only by achieving a higher hole mobility but enhancing the overall device performance including better threshold voltage, subthreshold swing and lower number of interfacial defects. Use of p-type semiconductors in nonvolatile memory applications is then

Thickness control in electrophoretic deposition of WO{sub 3} nanofiber thin films for solar water splitting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Yuanxing; Lee, Wei Cheat; Canciani, Giacomo E.; Draper, Thomas C.; Al-Bawi, Zainab F. [Department of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ (United Kingdom); Bedi, Jasbir S. [School of Public Health & Zoonoses, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana 141004 Punjab (India); Perry, Christopher C. [Division of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350 (United States); Chen, Qiao, E-mail: qiao.chen@sussex.ac.uk [Department of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ (United Kingdom)

2015-12-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel method combining electrospinning and electrophoretic deposition was established for the creation of nanostructured semiconductor thin films. • The created thin films displayed a high chemical stability with a controllable thickness. • The PEC water splitting performance of the thin films was optimized by fine-tuning the thickness of the films. • A maximum photoconversion efficiency was achieved by 18 μm nanofibrous thin films. - Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of ground electrospun WO{sub 3} nanofibers was applied to create photoanodes with controlled morphology for the application of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The correlations between deposition parameters and film thicknesses were investigated with theoretical models to precisely control the morphology of the nanostructured porous thin film. The photoconversion efficiency was further optimized as a function of film thickness. A maximum photoconversion efficiency of 0.924% from electrospun WO{sub 3} nanofibers that EPD deposited on a substrate was achieved at a film thickness of 18 μm.

Function and application of ultra thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasabe, Hiroyuki

1988-02-01

A film 10-100mm thick which is strong dynamically to some extent and has possibility to manifest fuctions of high degree different from the nature extrapolated from the normal thin film is called an ultra thin film. As an example of its concrete application, there is an electro-luminescence element which is made by laminating 5 layers of LB films of poly-L-phenylalanine on a n-GaP and has vapor-deposited gold electrodes. When voltage of 5V is imposed to it, light emission of 565nm can be observed and the emission efficiency of 2% is obtained. Besides, it has an excellent stability through the lapse of time. There is also a junction element and the ion concentration injected into macromolecule films of this element has a Gaussian distribution from the surface towards the direction of depth. Accordingly, the most active domain in terms of semiconductor as the result of doping is the location in the neighborhood of the peak. Furthermore, a photo memory is also proposed. It is applied to the artificial hemoglobine which is made of LB films, suggesting the feasibility of creating the artificial protein capable of functioning in the conditions in which the natural protein is unable to function. (5 figs, 1 tab, 7 refs)

Dielectric Scattering Patterns for Efficient Light Trapping in Thin-Film Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

van Lare, Claire; Lenzmann, Frank; Verschuuren, Marc A; Polman, Albert

2015-08-12

We demonstrate an effective light trapping geometry for thin-film solar cells that is composed of dielectric light scattering nanocavities at the interface between the metal back contact and the semiconductor absorber layer. The geometry is based on resonant Mie scattering. It avoids the Ohmic losses found in metallic (plasmonic) nanopatterns, and the dielectric scatterers are well compatible with nearly all types of thin-film solar cells, including cells produced using high temperature processes. The external quantum efficiency of thin-film a-Si:H solar cells grown on top of a nanopatterned Al-doped ZnO, made using soft imprint lithography, is strongly enhanced in the 550-800 nm spectral band by the dielectric nanoscatterers. Numerical simulations are in good agreement with experimental data and show that resonant light scattering from both the AZO nanostructures and the embedded Si nanostructures are important. The results are generic and can be applied on nearly all thin-film solar cells.

Highly Crystalline C8-BTBT Thin-Film Transistors by Lateral Homo-Epitaxial Growth on Printed Templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Janneck, Robby; Pilet, Nicolas; Bommanaboyena, Satya Prakash; Watts, Benjamin; Heremans, Paul; Genoe, Jan; Rolin, Cedric

2017-11-01

Highly crystalline thin films of organic semiconductors offer great potential for fundamental material studies as well as for realizing high-performance, low-cost flexible electronics. The fabrication of these films directly on inert substrates is typically done by meniscus-guided coating techniques. The resulting layers show morphological defects that hinder charge transport and induce large device-to-device variability. Here, a double-step method for organic semiconductor layers combining a solution-processed templating layer and a lateral homo-epitaxial growth by a thermal evaporation step is reported. The epitaxial regrowth repairs most of the morphological defects inherent to meniscus-guided coatings. The resulting film is highly crystalline and features a mobility increased by a factor of three and a relative spread in device characteristics improved by almost half an order of magnitude. This method is easily adaptable to other coating techniques and offers a route toward the fabrication of high-performance, large-area electronics based on highly crystalline thin films of organic semiconductors. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Self-standing chitosan films as dielectrics in organic thin-film transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Morgado

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Organic thin film transistors, using self-standing 50 µm thick chitosan films as dielectric, are fabricated using sublimed pentacene or two conjugated polymers deposited by spin coating as semiconductors. Field-effect mobilities are found to be similar to values obtained with other dielectrics and, in the case of pentacene, a value (0.13 cm2/(V•s comparable to high performing transistors was determined. In spite of the low On/Off ratios (a maximum value of 600 was obtained for the pentacene-based transistors, these are promising results for the area of sustainable organic electronics in general and for biocompatible electronics in particular.

Nanostructured hematite thin films for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Science.gov (United States)

Maabong, Kelebogile; Machatine, Augusto G. J.; Mwankemwa, Benard S.; Braun, Artur; Bora, Debajeet K.; Toth, Rita; Diale, Mmantsae

2018-04-01

Nanostructured hematite thin films prepared by dip coating technique were investigated for their photoelectrochemical activity for generation of hydrogen from water splitting. Structural, morphological and optical analyses of the doped/undoped films were performed by X-ray diffraction, high resolution field emission-scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometry and Raman spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical measurements of the films showed enhanced photoresponse and cathodic shift of the onset potential upon Ti doping indicating improved transfer of photoholes at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface. Films doped with 1 at% Ti produced 0.72 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs RHE which is 2 times higher than current density for the pure film (0.30 mA/cm2, at 1.23 V vs RHE). Gas chromatography analysis of the films also showed enhanced hydrogen evolution at 1 at% Ti with respect to pure film.

Electrochemical Deposition of CdTe Semiconductor Thin Films for Solar Cell Application Using Two-Electrode and Three-Electrode Configurations: A Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. K. Echendu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Thin films of CdTe semiconductor were electrochemically deposited using two-electrode and three-electrode configurations in potentiostatic mode for comparison. Cadmium sulphate and tellurium dioxide were used as cadmium and tellurium sources, respectively. The layers obtained using both configurations exhibit similar structural, optical, and electrical properties with no specific dependence on any particular electrode configuration used. These results indicate that electrochemical deposition (electrodeposition of CdTe and semiconductors in general can equally be carried out using two-electrode system as well as the conventional three-electrode system without compromising the essential qualities of the materials produced. The results also highlight the advantages of the two-electrode configuration in process simplification, cost reduction, and removal of a possible impurity source in the growth system, especially as the reference electrode ages.

NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Thin Film Growth Techniques for Low-Dimensional Structures

CERN Document Server

Parkin, S; Dobson, P; Neave, J; Arrott, A

1987-01-01

This work represents the account of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Thin Film Growth Techniques for Low Dimensional Structures", held at the University of Sussex, Brighton, England from 15-19 Sept. 1986. The objective of the workshop was to review the problems of the growth and characterisation of thin semiconductor and metal layers. Recent advances in deposition techniques have made it possible to design new material which is based on ultra-thin layers and this is now posing challenges for scientists, technologists and engineers in the assessment and utilisation of such new material. Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has become well established as a method for growing thin single crystal layers of semiconductors. Until recently, MBE was confined to the growth of III-V compounds and alloys, but now it is being used for group IV semiconductors and II-VI compounds. Examples of such work are given in this volume. MBE has one major advantage over other crystal growth techniques in that the structure of the growi...

Ambiguous Role of Growth-Induced Defects on the Semiconductor-to-Metal Characteristics in Epitaxial VO2/TiO2 Thin Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Mihailescu, Cristian N; Symeou, Elli; Svoukis, Efthymios; Negrea, Raluca F; Ghica, Corneliu; Teodorescu, Valentin; Tanase, Liviu C; Negrila, Catalin; Giapintzakis, John

2018-04-25

Controlling the semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature in epitaxial VO 2 thin films remains an unresolved question both at the fundamental as well as the application level. Within the scope of this work, the effects of growth temperature on the structure, chemical composition, interface coherency and electrical characteristics of rutile VO 2 epitaxial thin films grown on TiO 2 substrates are investigated. It is hereby deduced that the transition temperature is lower than the bulk value of 340 K. However, it is found to approach this value as a function of increased growth temperature even though it is accompanied by a contraction along the V 4+ -V 4+ bond direction, the crystallographic c-axis lattice parameter. Additionally, it is demonstrated that films grown at low substrate temperatures exhibit a relaxed state and a strongly reduced transition temperature. It is suggested that, besides thermal and epitaxial strain, growth-induced defects may strongly affect the electronic phase transition. The results of this work reveal the difficulty in extracting the intrinsic material response to strain, when the exact contribution of all strain sources cannot be effectively determined. The findings also bear implications on the limitations in obtaining the recently predicted novel semi-Dirac point phase in VO 2 /TiO 2 multilayer structures.

Electrodeposited ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} onto TiO{sub 2} thin films for semiconductor-sensitized photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assaker, Ibtissem Ben, E-mail: ibtissem.ben-assaker@laposte.net [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie Technopole borj cedria, Bp 95, Hammamm lif 2050 (Tunisia); Gannouni, Mounir; Naceur, Jamila Ben [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie Technopole borj cedria, Bp 95, Hammamm lif 2050 (Tunisia); Almessiere, Munirah Abdullah; Al-Otaibi, Amal Lafy; Ghrib, Taher [Laboratory of Physical Alloys (LPA), College of Science, University of Dammam (Saudi Arabia); Shen, Shouwen [Advanced Analysis Unit, Technical Service Division Research & Development Center Saudi Aramco, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia); Chtourou, Radhouane [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie Technopole borj cedria, Bp 95, Hammamm lif 2050 (Tunisia)

2015-10-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} thin films was grown using electrodeposition route onto TiO{sub 2}/ITO coated glass substrate. • Study of the heterostructure ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}/TiO{sub 2} thin films. • Photocatalytic activity of ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}/TiO{sub 2} heterostructure under visible light irradiation. • High performance of Photoelectrochemical properties in the presence of the junction ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}/TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: In this study, ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}/TiO{sub 2} heterostructure was successfully synthesized on ITO-coated glass substrates via a facile two-step process from aqueous solution. First, TiO{sub 2} thin film was prepared by sol–gel and deposited onto ITO coated glass substrate by spin-coating method. Then the zinc indium sulfide semiconductor was fabricated via electrodeposition technique onto TiO{sub 2}/ITO coated glass electrode. The X-ray diffraction patterns confirm that the heterostructure is mixed of both Anatase TiO{sub 2} and Rhombohedric ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that the morphology change with the deposition of ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} over TiO{sub 2} thin film and a total coverage of the electrode surface was obtained. Optical absorption spectroscopy study of ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}/TiO{sub 2} heterostructure exhibits a remarkable red-shift compared to the TiO{sub 2} and ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} achieve the best efficiency of visible light absorption. Therefore, it is expected to apply to visible-light photocatalysis and solar cells. To investigate the effect of the heterojunction on the photocatalytic activity of ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}/TiO{sub 2} thin films, photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} was performed. ZnIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}/TiO{sub 2} heterostructure exhibited strong photocatalytic activity, and the degradation of methylene blue eached 91% after irradiation only for 4 h. Also, the study of the photocurrent density produced

Crystal Structure, Optical, and Electrical Properties of SnSe and SnS Semiconductor Thin Films Prepared by Vacuum Evaporation Techniques for Solar Cell Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ariswan; Sutrisno, H.; Prasetyawati, R.

2017-05-01

Thin films of SnSe and SnS semiconductors had been prepared by vacuum evaporation techniques. All prepared samples were characterized on their structure, optical, and electrical properties in order to know their application in technology. The crystal structure of SnSe and SnS was determined by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) instrument. The morphology and chemical composition were obtained by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive of X-Ray Analysis (EDAX). The optical property such as band gap was determined by DR-UV-Vis (Diffuse Reflectance-Ultra Violet-Visible) spectroscopy, while the electrical properties were determined by measuring the conductivity by four probes method. The characterization results indicated that both SnSe and SnS thin films were polycrystalline. SnSe crystallized in an orthorhombic crystal system with the lattice parameters of a = 11.47 Å, b = 4.152 Å and c = 4.439 Å, while SnS had an orthorhombic crystal system with lattice parameters of a = 4.317 Å, b = 11.647 Å and c = 3.981 Å. Band gaps (Eg) of SnSe and SnS were 1.63 eV and 1.35 eV, respectively. Chemical compositions of both thin films were non-stoichiometric. Molar ratio of Sn : S was close to ideal which was 1 : 0.96, while molar ratio of Sn : S was 1 : 0.84. The surface morphology described the arrangement of the grains on the surface of the thin film with sizes ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 microns. Color similarity on the surface of the SEM images proved a homogenous thin layer.

One-dimensional self-confinement promotes polymorph selection in large-area organic semiconductor thin films

KAUST Repository

Giri, Gaurav

2014-04-16

A crystal\\'s structure has significant impact on its resulting biological, physical, optical and electronic properties. In organic electronics, 6,13(bis-triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene), a small-molecule organic semiconductor, adopts metastable polymorphs possessing significantly faster charge transport than the equilibrium crystal when deposited using the solution-shearing method. Here, we use a combination of high-speed polarized optical microscopy, in situ microbeam grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray-scattering and molecular simulations to understand the mechanism behind formation of metastable TIPS-pentacene polymorphs. We observe that thin-film crystallization occurs first at the air-solution interface, and nanoscale vertical spatial confinement of the solution results in formation of metastable polymorphs, a one-dimensional and large-area analogy to crystallization of polymorphs in nanoporous matrices. We demonstrate that metastable polymorphism can be tuned with unprecedented control and produced over large areas by either varying physical confinement conditions or by tuning energetic conditions during crystallization through use of solvent molecules of various sizes. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Characterization of thin films with synchrotron radiation in SPring-8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komiya, Satoshi

2005-01-01

Many studies about thin films by using synchrotron radiation in SPring-8 were reviewed. Structural analyses and assessment of thin films used for electronics, and also assessment of insulating films for the gate used in LSI were carried out. Film thickness, unevenness, and density of SiO 2 films in order of nanomer thickness were determined by interference fringes of x-ray reflection curves. The interface structure of (SiO 2 /Si) films was studied by x-ray crystal truncation rod scattering, and the correlation between leakage character depending on nitrogen concentration and interface structure was clarified on SiON film. The oxygen concentration in HfO films in nanometer thickness was determined by x-ray fluorescence analysis, and the interface reaction for HfO 2 /SiO 2 was clearly observed by electron spectroscopy. The structure of amorphous thin films with large dielectric constant was analyzed by x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectrum. Devices fabricated from multi-layer films showing giant magnetic resistance were developed for hard disk with a large memory. The character of giant magnetic resistance was governed by multi-layer thin film structure piled up by magnetic and nonmagnetic polycrystalline thin metals. For the multi-layer structure, the concentration distribution of constituent elements was determined to the direction of film thickness by x-ray reflection analysis and grazing incident x-ray fluorescence analysis. In the semiconductor laser source, Ga 1-x In x N, used for DVD, the local structure around In ions was studied by XAFS since constituent instability, especially overpopulation of In element, caused the deterioration of lifetime and light emission of the laser. The lattice constant of the light emission layer in InGaAs was measured by x-ray micro-beams. (author)

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials as semiconducting channels in thin-film field-effect transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Kagan; Mitzi; Dimitrakopoulos

1999-10-29

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials promise both the superior carrier mobility of inorganic semiconductors and the processability of organic materials. A thin-film field-effect transistor having an organic-inorganic hybrid material as the semiconducting channel was demonstrated. Hybrids based on the perovskite structure crystallize from solution to form oriented molecular-scale composites of alternating organic and inorganic sheets. Spin-coated thin films of the semiconducting perovskite (C(6)H(5)C(2)H(4)NH(3))(2)SnI(4) form the conducting channel, with field-effect mobilities of 0.6 square centimeters per volt-second and current modulation greater than 10(4). Molecular engineering of the organic and inorganic components of the hybrids is expected to further improve device performance for low-cost thin-film transistors.

The optical constants of the organic thin films in the case of xanthats adsorption at the surface of semiconductors minerals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todoran, Radu; Todoran, Daniela

2008-01-01

The paper present the determinations of some kinetic parameters that characterize the kinetics of the adsorption phenomenon of some organic xanthate molecule on the surface of some natural semiconductor mineral (galena, sphalerite) in order to understand the inward mechanism of this phenomenon. Among the methods of inquiry that allow kinetics determination in situ the optical ones were chosen relying on the change of the liquid-mineral semiconductor interface, and permitting continuous inquires without disturbing the inward development of the processes. Into the computation, we took into the consideration the physical values which feature the roughness of the solid surface, the diffusion into liquid media and the energetic non-homogeneities of the surface. The R s /R p =f(θ) characteristic helps us to establish the thickness of the adsorbed layer, as well as to determine the optical parameters of the thin film. the experimental results allow us to get some information on the mineral and mineral-solution of xanthate, as well allow us to get some information on the parameters which, in correlation with other proportions experimentally determined - could had as to estimations of the dynamic of the surface of a semiconductor solid body. (Author)

Low-voltage polymer/small-molecule blend organic thin-film transistors and circuits fabricated via spray deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunter, By Simon; Anthopoulos, Thomas D., E-mail: t.anthopoulos@ic.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, South Kensington SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Ward, Jeremy W.; Jurchescu, Oana D. [Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109 (United States); Payne, Marcia M.; Anthony, John E. [Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506 (United States)

2015-06-01

Organic thin-film electronics have long been considered an enticing candidate in achieving high-throughput manufacturing of low-power ubiquitous electronics. However, to achieve this goal, more work is required to reduce operating voltages and develop suitable mass-manufacture techniques. Here, we demonstrate low-voltage spray-cast organic thin-film transistors based on a semiconductor blend of 2,8-difluoro- 5,11-bis (triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene and poly(triarylamine). Both semiconductor and dielectric films are deposited via successive spray deposition in ambient conditions (air with 40%–60% relative humidity) without any special precautions. Despite the simplicity of the deposition method, p-channel transistors with hole mobilities of >1 cm{sup 2}/Vs are realized at −4 V operation, and unipolar inverters operating at −6 V are demonstrated.

Electrodeposition of nanocrystalline CdSe thin films from dimethyl sulfoxide solution: Nucleation and growth mechanism, structural and optical studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henriquez, R.; Badan, A.; Grez, P.; Munoz, E.; Vera, J.; Dalchiele, E.A.; Marotti, R.E.; Gomez, H.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Electrodeposition of CdSe nanocrystalline semiconductor thin films. → Polycrystalline wurtzite structure with a slight (1010) preferred orientation. → Absorption edge shifts in the optical properties due to quantum confinement effects. - Abstract: Cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanocrystalline semiconductor thin films have been synthesized by electrodeposition at controlled potential based in the electrochemical reduction process of molecular selenium in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution. The nucleation and growth mechanism of this process has been studied. The XRD pattern shows a characteristic polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure with a slight (1 0 1 0) crystallographic preferred orientation. The crystallite size of nanocrystalline CdSe thin films can be simply controlled by the electrodeposition potential. A quantum size effect is deduced from the correlation between the band gap energy and the crystallite size.

Preparation and optical properties of gold-dispersed BaTiO3 thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kineri, T; Mori, M [TDK Corp., Tokyo (Japan). R and D Center; Kadono, K; Sakaguchi, T; Miya, M; Wakabayashi, H [Osaka National Research Inst., Osaka (Japan); Tsuchiya, T [Science Univ. of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan). Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology

1993-12-01

Recently, metal or semiconductor-doped glasses were widely studied because of their large resonant third-order nonlinearity. These glasses are utilized in an optical information field as all optical logic devices in the future. The gold-doped glass films or thin layers have a large third-order nonlinear susceptibility [chi] and are prepared by r.f. sputtering method, etc. The optical properties, particularly the refractive index or dielectric constant of the matrix, are very important for the optical nonlinearity of these materials. In this study, gold-dispersed BaTiO3 thin films and gold-dispersed SiO2 thin films are prepared using r.f. magnetron sputtering method, and the optical properties of the films are compared. The [chi] of the films are measured and the effect of the matrix of the films on [chi] is investigated. The headings in the paper are: Introduction, Experimental procedure, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. 13 refs., 9 figs.

Solid thin film materials for use in thin film charge-coupled devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, S.J.

1983-01-01

Solid thin films deposited by vacuum deposition were evaluated to ascertain their effectiveness for use in the manufacturing of charge-coupled devices (CCDs). Optical and electrical characteristics of tellurium and Bi 2 Te 3 solid thin films were obtained in order to design and to simulate successfully the operation of thin film (TF) CCDs. In this article some of the material differences between single-crystal material and the island-structured thin film used in TFCCDs are discussed. The electrical parameters were obtained and tabulated, e.g. the mobility, conductivity, dielectric constants, permittivity, lifetime of holes and electrons in the thin films and drift diffusion constants. The optical parameters were also measured and analyzed. After the design was complete, experimental TFCCDs were manufactured and were successfully operated utilizing the aforementioned solid thin films. (Auth.)

Titanyl phthalocyanine ambipolar thin film transistors making use of carbon nanotube electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Coppedè, Nicola; Valitova, Irina; Mahvash, Farzaneh; Tarabella, Giuseppe; Ranzieri, Paolo; Iannotta, Salvatore; Santato, Clara; Martel, Richard; Cicoira, Fabio

2014-12-01

The capability of efficiently injecting charge carriers into organic films and finely tuning their morphology and structure is crucial to improve the performance of organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). In this work, we investigate OTFTs employing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the source-drain electrodes and, as the organic semiconductor, thin films of titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) grown by supersonic molecular beam deposition (SuMBD). While CNT electrodes have shown an unprecedented ability to improve charge injection in OTFTs, SuMBD is an effective technique to tune film morphology and structure. Varying the substrate temperature during deposition, we were able to grow both amorphous (low substrate temperature) and polycrystalline (high substrate temperature) films of TiOPc. Regardless of the film morphology and structure, CNT electrodes led to superior charge injection and transport performance with respect to benchmark Au electrodes. Vacuum annealing of polycrystalline TiOPc films with CNT electrodes yielded ambipolar OTFTs.

Thin-film photovoltaic technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhattacharya, R.N. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO (United States)

2010-07-01

The high material and processing costs associated with single-crystal and polycrystalline silicon wafers that are commonly used in photovoltaic cells render these modules expensive. This presentation described thin-film solar cell technology as a promising alternative to silicon solar cell technology. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin films along with copper, indium, gallium, and selenium (CIGS) thin films have become the leaders in this field. Their large optical absorption coefficient can be attributed to a direct energy gap that allows the use of thin layers (1-2 {mu}m) of active material. The efficiency of thin-film solar cell devices based on CIGS is 20 per cent, compared to 16.7 per cent for thin-film solar cell devices based on CdTe. IBM recently reported an efficiency of 9.7 per cent for a new type of inorganic thin-film solar cell based on a Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S, Se){sub 4} compound. The efficiency of an organic thin-film solar cell is 7.9 per cent. This presentation included a graph of PV device efficiencies and discussed technological advances in non-vacuum deposited, CIGS-based thin-film solar cells. 1 fig.

Preparation of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Thin Film as Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) from Zinc Complex Compound on Thin Film Solar Cells: A Study of O2 Effect on Annealing Process

Science.gov (United States)

Muslih, E. Y.; Kim, K. H.

2017-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) for thin film solar cell application was successfully prepared through two step preparations which consisted of deposition by spin coating at 2000 rpm for 10 second and followed by annealing at 500 °C for 2 hours under O2 and ambient atmosphere. Zinc acetate dehydrate was used as a precursor which dissolved in ethanol and acetone (1:1 mol) mixture in order to make a zinc complex compound. In this work, we reported the O2 effect, reaction mechanism, structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties. ZnO thin film in this work shows a single phase of wurtzite, with n-type semiconductor and has band gap, carrier concentration, mobility, and resistivity as 3.18 eV, 1.21 × 10-19cm3, 11 cm2/Vs, 2.35 × 10-3 Ωcm respectively which is suitable for TCO at thin film solar cell.

Processing of semiconductors and thin film solar cells using electroplating

Science.gov (United States)

Madugu, Mohammad Lamido

The global need for a clean, sustainable and affordable source of energy has triggered extensive research especially in renewable energy sources. In this sector, photovoltaic has been identified as a cheapest, clean and reliable source of energy. It would be of interest to obtain photovoltaic material in thin film form by using simple and inexpensive semiconductor growth technique such as electroplating. Using this growth technique, four semiconductor materials were electroplated on glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate from aqueous electrolytes. These semiconductors are indium selenide (In[x]Sey), zinc sulphide (ZnS), cadmium sulphide (CdS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe). In[x]Se[y] and ZnS were incorporated as buffer layers while CdS and CdTe layers were utilised as window and absorber layers respectively. All materials were grown using two-electrode (2E) system except for CdTe which was grown using 3E and 2E systems for comparison. To fully optimise the growth conditions, the as-deposited and annealed layers from all the materials were characterised for their structural, morphological, optical, electrical and defects structures using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical absorption (UV-Vis spectroscopy), photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell measurements, current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V), DC electrical measurements, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. Results show that InxSey and ZnS layers were amorphous in nature and exhibit both n-type and p-type in electrical conduction. CdS layers are n-type in electrical conduction and show hexagonal and cubic phases in both the as-deposited and after annealing process. CdTe layers show cubic phase structure with both n-type and p-type in electrical conduction. CdTe-based solar cell structures with a n-n heterojunction plus large Schottky barrier, as well as multi-layer graded

[Preparation and spectral characterization of CdS(y)Te(1-y) thin films].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Feng, Liang-Huan; Wu, Li-Li; Zhang, Jing-Quan; Li, Bing; Lei, Zhi; Cai, Ya-Ping; Zheng, Jia-Gui; Cai, Wei; Zhang, Dong-Min

2008-03-01

CdS(y)Te(1-y) (0 co-evaporation of powders of CdTe and CdS. For the characterization of the structure and composition of the CdS(y)Te(1-y) thin films the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used. The results indicate that the values of sulfur content y detected and controlled by the quartz wafer detector show good agreement with the EDS results. The films were found to be cubic for x or = 0.3. The 20-50 nm of grain sizes for CdS(y)Te(1-y) thin films were calculated using a method of XRD analysis. Finally, the optical properties of CdS(y)Te(1-y) thin films were characterized by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy alone. According to a method from Swanepoel, together with the first-order Sellmeier model, the thickness, of d-535 nm, energy gap of E(g)-1.41 eV, absorption coefficient, alpha(lambda) and refractive index, n(lambda) of CdS(0.22) Te(0.78) thin films were determined from the transmittance at normal incidence of light in the wavelength range 300-2 500 nm. The results also indicate that the CdS(y)Te(1-y) thin films with any composition (0 co-evaporation, and the method to characterize the optical properties of CdS(y)Te(1-y) thin films can be implemented for other semiconductor thin films.

A stochastic model of solid state thin film deposition: Application to chalcopyrite growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert J. Lovelett

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Developing high fidelity quantitative models of solid state reaction systems can be challenging, especially in deposition systems where, in addition to the multiple competing processes occurring simultaneously, the solid interacts with its atmosphere. In this work, we develop a model for the growth of a thin solid film where species from the atmosphere adsorb, diffuse, and react with the film. The model is mesoscale and describes an entire film with thickness on the order of microns. Because it is stochastic, the model allows us to examine inhomogeneities and agglomerations that would be impossible to characterize with deterministic methods. We demonstrate the modeling approach with the example of chalcopyrite Cu(InGa(SeS2 thin film growth via precursor reaction, which is a common industrial method for fabricating thin film photovoltaic modules. The model is used to understand how and why through-film variation in the composition of Cu(InGa(SeS2 thin films arises and persists. We believe that the model will be valuable as an effective quantitative description of many other materials systems used in semiconductors, energy storage, and other fast-growing industries.

Thin film processes II

CERN Document Server

Kern, Werner

1991-01-01

This sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes, gives a clear, practical exposition of important thin film deposition and etching processes that have not yet been adequately reviewed. It discusses selected processes in tutorial overviews with implementation guide lines and an introduction to the literature. Though edited to stand alone, when taken together, Thin Film Processes II and its predecessor present a thorough grounding in modern thin film techniques.Key Features* Provides an all-new sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes* Introduces new topics, and sever

Metal-semiconductor transition materials. FeS and VO2 thin films by RF reactive sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Ganhua

2007-06-01

In the present work, two MST systems, FeS and VO 2 thin films were investigated. Iron sulfide thin films over a range of composition were prepared by reactive sputtering. The influence of the substrate, sputter power, substrate temperature and stoichiometry on the structure and MST of iron sulfide films was investigated. Iron sulfide films deposited at different temperatures show temperature dependent structure and MST. FeS films on float glass show (110) and (112) orientations when the substrate temperature is 200 and 500 C, respectively. The transition temperature and width of the hysteresis loop determined from the temperature dependent conductivity curves of iron sulfide films decrease with the substrate temperature. Fe and S excess in FeS films both result in the decrease of the transition temperature and width of the hysteresis loop. The vacuum-annealing affects the MST of FeS films significantly. When FeS films were annealed below the deposition temperature, the transition temperature decreases; otherwise increases. The residual stress plays an important role during the annealing process. The higher the residual stress inside the FeS films is, the higher the transition temperature of FeS films. With the increase of the annealing temperature, the residual stress in FeS films is first released and then enhances, which gives rise first to the decrease and then increase of the transition temperature of FeS films. At high substrate temperatures, the residual stress is higher. In addition, the MST of FeS films was influenced by the ambient aging. With the increase of the aging time, the transition temperature first increases and then decreases. FeS films with different thicknesses were prepared. The correlation between the film thickness (grain size) and the MST switching characteristics of FeS films was established. With the decrease of the grain size, the density of grain boundaries increases, causing the increase of the conductivity of the semiconducting phase

Progress in Polycrystalline Thin-Film Cu(In,GaSe2 Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Udai P. Singh

2010-01-01

Full Text Available For some time, the chalcopyrite semiconductor CuInSe2 and its alloy with Ga and/or S [Cu(InGaSe2 or Cu(InGa(Se,S2], commonly referred as CIGS, have been leading thin-film material candidates for incorporation in high-efficiency photovoltaic devices. CuInSe2-based solar cells have shown long-term stability and the highest conversion efficiencies among all thin-film solar cells, reaching 20%. A variety of methods have been reported to prepare CIGS thin film. Efficiency of solar cells depends upon the various deposition methods as they control optoelectronic properties of the layers and interfaces. CIGS thin film grown on glass or flexible (metal foil, polyimide substrates require p-type absorber layers of optimum optoelectronic properties and n-type wideband gap partner layers to form the p-n junction. Transparent conducting oxide and specific metal layers are used for front and back contacts. Progress made in the field of CIGS solar cell in recent years has been reviewed.

Charge transport in amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Germs, W.C.; Adriaans, W.H.; Tripathi, A.K.; Roelofs, W.S.C.; Cobb, B.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Gelinck, G.H.; Kemerink, M.

2012-01-01

We investigate the mechanism of charge transport in indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO), an amorphous metal-oxide semiconductor. We measured the field-effect mobility and the Seebeck coefficient (S=ΔV/ΔT) of a-IGZO in thin-film transistors as a function of charge-carrier density for different

Charge transport in amorphous InGaZnO thin film transistors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Germs, W.C.; Adriaans, W.H.; Tripathi, A.K.; Roelofs, W.S.C.; Cobb, B.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Gelinck, G.H.; Kemerink, M.

2012-01-01

We investigate the mechanism of charge transport in indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO), an amorphous metal-oxide semiconductor. We measured the field-effect mobility and the Seebeck coefficient (S=¿V/¿T) of a-IGZO in thin-film transistors as a function of charge-carrier density for different

Low cost thin film poly-silicon solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

This report presents the results of a project to design and develop a high density plasma based thin-film poly-silicon (TFPS) deposition system based on PQL proprietary advanced plasma technology to produce semiconductor quality TFPS for fabricating a TFPS solar cell. Details are given of the TFPS deposition system, the material development programme, solar cell structure, and cell efficiencies. The reproducibility of the deposition process and prospects for commercial exploitation are discussed.

Electrical resistivity of thin metal films

CERN Document Server

Wissmann, Peter

2007-01-01

The aim of the book is to give an actual survey on the resistivity of thin metal and semiconductor films interacting with gases. We discuss the influence of the substrate material and the annealing treatment of the films, presenting our experimental data as well as theoretical models to calculate the scattering cross section of the conduction electrons in the frame-work of the scattering hypothesis. Main emphasis is laid on the comparison of gold and silver films which exhibit nearly the same lattice structure but differ in their chemical activity. In conclusion, the most important quantity for the interpretation is the surface charging z while the correlation with the optical data or the frustrated IR vibrations seems the show a more material-specific character. Z can be calculated on the basis of the density functional formalism or the self-consistent field approximation using Mulliken’s population analysis.

Two-dimensional models for the optical response of thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yilei; Heinz, Tony F.

2018-04-01

In this work, we present a systematic study of 2D optical models for the response of thin layers of material under excitation by normally incident light. The treatment, within the framework of classical optics, analyzes a thin film supported by a semi-infinite substrate, with both the thin layer and the substrate assumed to exhibit local, isotropic linear response. Starting from the conventional three-dimensional (3D) slab model of the system, we derive a two-dimensional (2D) sheet model for the thin film in which the optical response is described by a sheet optical conductivity. We develop criteria for the applicability of this 2D sheet model for a layer with an optical thickness far smaller than the wavelength of the light. We examine in detail atomically thin semi-metallic and semiconductor van-der-Waals layers and ultrathin metal films as representative examples. Excellent agreement of the 2D sheet model with the 3D slab model is demonstrated over a broad spectral range from the radio frequency limit to the near ultraviolet. A linearized version of system response for the 2D model is also presented for the case where the influence of the optically thin layer is sufficiently weak. Analytical expressions for the applicability and accuracy of the different optical models are derived, and the appropriateness of the linearized treatment for the materials is considered. We discuss the advantages, as well as limitations, of these models for the purpose of deducing the optical response function of the thin layer from experiment. We generalize the theory to take into account in-plane anisotropy, layered thin film structures, and more general substrates. Implications of the 2D model for the transmission of light by the thin film and for the implementation of half- and totally absorbing layers are discussed.

Photocatalytic activity of galvanically synthesized nanostructure SnO{sub 2} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jana, Sumanta, E-mail: sumantajana85@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Mitra, Bibhas Chandra [Department of Physics, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Bera, Pulakesh [Department of Chemistry, Panskura Banamali College, Purba Medinipur, Panskura 721152, WB (India); Sikdar, Moushumi [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Mondal, Anup, E-mail: anupmondal2000@yahoo.co.in [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India)

2014-07-25

Graphical abstract: Nanostructured porous tin dioxide (SnO{sub 2}) thin films have been synthesized by simple and cost effective galvanic technique. The synthesized porous SnO{sub 2} thin films show excellent photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO) dye under light irradiation. The porous morphological grain growth due to annealing is likely to play an active role for this degradation. - Highlights: • SnO{sub 2} thin films have been successfully synthesized by galvanic technique. • A drastic morphological change occurs after annealing as deposited SnO{sub 2} thin films. • Morphological advantage results enhanced photodegradation of dye. - Abstract: The study demonstrates an approach to synthesize nanostructure SnO{sub 2} thin films on TCO (transparent conducting oxide) coated glass substrates by galvanic technique. Aqueous solution of hydrated stannic chloride (SnCl{sub 4}⋅5H{sub 2}O) in potassium nitrate (KNO{sub 3}) solution was used as the working solution. The process involves no sophisticated reactor or toxic chemicals, and proceeds continuously under ambient condition; it provides an economic way of synthesizing nanostructure SnO{sub 2} semiconductor thin films. The influence of sintering temperature on crystalline structure, morphology, electrical and dielectric properties has been studied. A detail analysis of I−V, C−V and dielectrics for annealed SnO{sub 2} thin films have been carried out. The morphological advantage i.e. nanoporous flake like structure allows more efficient transport of reactant molecules to the active interfaces and results a strong photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO) dye.

Miniature pulsed vacuum arc plasma gun and apparatus for thin-film fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Ian G.; MacGill, Robert A.; Galvin, James E.; Ogletree, David F.; Salmeron, Miquel

1998-01-01

A miniature (dime-size in cross-section) vapor vacuum arc plasma gun is described for use in an apparatus to produce thin films. Any conductive material can be layered as a film on virtually any substrate. Because the entire apparatus can easily be contained in a small vacuum chamber, multiple dissimilar layers can be applied without risk of additional contamination. The invention has special applications in semiconductor manufacturing.

Exciton-polaron quenching in organic thin-film transistors studied by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Per Baunegaard With; Leißner, Till; Osadnik, Andreas

Organic semiconductors show great potential in electronic and optical applications. However, a major challenge is the degradation of the semiconductor materials that cause a reduction in device performance. Here, we present our investigations of Organic Thin Film Transistors (OTFT) based...... that correlates with the local charge density indicates a pronounced exciton quenching by the injected charges. Subsequent FLIM measurements on previously biased OTFT devices show a general decrease in fluorescence lifetime suggesting degradation of the organic semiconductor. This is correlated with the results...

Titanyl phthalocyanine ambipolar thin film transistors making use of carbon nanotube electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coppedè, Nicola; Tarabella, Giuseppe; Ranzieri, Paolo; Iannotta, Salvatore; Valitova, Irina; Cicoira, Fabio; Mahvash, Farzaneh; Santato, Clara; Martel, Richard

2014-01-01

The capability of efficiently injecting charge carriers into organic films and finely tuning their morphology and structure is crucial to improve the performance of organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). In this work, we investigate OTFTs employing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the source-drain electrodes and, as the organic semiconductor, thin films of titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) grown by supersonic molecular beam deposition (SuMBD). While CNT electrodes have shown an unprecedented ability to improve charge injection in OTFTs, SuMBD is an effective technique to tune film morphology and structure. Varying the substrate temperature during deposition, we were able to grow both amorphous (low substrate temperature) and polycrystalline (high substrate temperature) films of TiOPc. Regardless of the film morphology and structure, CNT electrodes led to superior charge injection and transport performance with respect to benchmark Au electrodes. Vacuum annealing of polycrystalline TiOPc films with CNT electrodes yielded ambipolar OTFTs. (paper)

Nanoscale semiconductor Pb{sub 1-x}Sn{sub x}Se (x = 0.2) thin films synthesized by electrochemical atomic layer deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin Shaoxiong; Zhang Xin; Shi Xuezhao; Wei Jinping; Lu Daban; Zhang Yuzhen; Kou Huanhuan [Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Wang Chunming, E-mail: wangcm@lzu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2011-04-15

In this paper the fabrication and characterization of IV-VI semiconductor Pb{sub 1-x}Sn{sub x}Se (x = 0.2) thin films on gold substrate by electrochemical atomic layer deposition (EC-ALD) method at room temperature are reported. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is used to determine approximate deposition potentials for each element. The amperometric I-t technique is used to fabricate the semiconductor alloy. The elements are deposited in the following sequence: (Se/Pb/Se/Pb/Se/Pb/Se/Pb/Se/Sn ...), each period is formed using four ALD cycles of PbSe followed by one cycle of SnSe. Then the deposition manner above is cyclic repeated till a satisfactory film with expected thickness of Pb{sub 1-x}Sn{sub x}Se is obtained. The morphology of the deposit is observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern is used to study its crystalline structure; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the deposit indicates an approximate ratio 1.0:0.8:0.2 of Se, Pb and Sn, as the expected stoichiometry for the deposit. Open-circuit potential (OCP) studies indicate a good p-type property, and the good optical activity makes it suitable for fabricating a photoelectric switch.

Mechanical characterization of zeolite low dielectric constant thin films by nanoindentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, Mark; Li Zijian; Wang Junlan; Ya, Yushan

2007-01-01

With semiconductor technologies continuously pushing the miniaturization limits, there is a growing interest in developing novel low dielectric constant materials to replace the traditional dense SiO 2 insulators. In order to survive the multi-level integration process and provide reliable material and structure for the desired integrated circuits (IC) functions, the new low-k materials have to be mechanically strong and stable. Therefore the material selection and mechanical characterization are vital for the successful development of next generation low-k dielectrics. A new class of low-k materials, nanoporous pure-silica zeolite, is prepared in thin films using IC compatible spin coating process and characterized using depth sensing nanoindentation technique. The elastic modulus of the zeolite thin films is found to be significantly higher than that of other low-k materials with similar porosity and dielectric constants. Correlations between the mechanical, microstructural and electrical properties of the thin films are discussed in detail

Low-Concentration Indium Doping in Solution-Processed Zinc Oxide Films for Thin-Film Transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue Zhang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available We investigated the influence of low-concentration indium (In doping on the chemical and structural properties of solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO films and the electrical characteristics of bottom-gate/top-contact In-doped ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs. The thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry analysis results showed that thermal annealing at 400 °C for 40 min produces In-doped ZnO films. As the In content of ZnO films was increased from 1% to 9%, the metal-oxygen bonding increased from 5.56% to 71.33%, while the metal-hydroxyl bonding decreased from 72.03% to 9.63%. The X-ray diffraction peaks and field-emission scanning microscope images of the ZnO films with different In concentrations revealed a better crystalline quality and reduced grain size of the solution-processed ZnO thin films. The thickness of the In-doped ZnO films also increased when the In content was increased up to 5%; however, the thickness decreased on further increasing the In content. The field-effect mobility and on/off current ratio of In-doped ZnO TFTs were notably affected by any change in the In concentration. Considering the overall TFT performance, the optimal In doping concentration in the solution-processed ZnO semiconductor was determined to be 5% in this study. These results suggest that low-concentration In incorporation is crucial for modulating the morphological characteristics of solution-processed ZnO thin films and the TFT performance.

A study of using femtosecond LIBS in analyzing metallic thin film-semiconductor interface

Science.gov (United States)

Galmed, A. H.; Kassem, A. K.; von Bergmann, H.; Harith, M. A.

2011-01-01

Metals and metal alloys are usually employed as interconnections to guide electrical signals between components into the very large scale integrated (VLSI) devices. These devices demand higher complexity, better performance and lower cost. Thin film is a common geometry for these metallic applications, requiring a substrate for rigidity. Accurate depth profile analysis of coatings is becoming increasingly important with expanding industrial use in technological fields. A number of articles devoted to LIBS applications for depth-resolved analysis have been published in recent years. In the present work, we are studying the ability of femtosecond LIBS to make depth profiling for a Ti thin film of thickness 213 nm deposited onto a silicon (100) substrate before and after thermal annealing. The measurements revealed that an average ablation rates of 15 nm per pulse have been achieved. The thin film was examined using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), while the formation of the interface was examined using Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) before and after annealing. To verify the depth profiling results, a theoretical simulation model is presented that gave a very good agreement with the experimental results.

Epitaxial patterning of thin-films: conventional lithographies and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Wei; Krishnan, Kannan M

2014-01-01

Thin-film based novel magnetic and electronic devices have entered a new era in which the film crystallography, structural coherence, and epitaxy play important roles in determining their functional properties. The capabilities of controlling such structural and functional properties are being continuously developed by various physical deposition technologies. Epitaxial patterning strategies further allow the miniaturization of such novel devices, which incorporates thin-film components into nanoscale architectures while keeping their functional properties unmodified from their ideal single-crystal values. In the past decade, epitaxial patterning methods on the laboratory scale have been reported to meet distinct scientific inquires, in which the techniques and processes used differ from one to the other. In this review we summarize many of these pioneering endeavors in epitaxial patterning of thin-film devices that use both conventional and novel lithography techniques. These methods demonstrate epitaxial patterning for a broad range of materials (metals, oxides, and semiconductors) and cover common device length scales from micrometer to sub-hundred nanometer. Whilst we have been motivated by magnetic materials and devices, we present our outlook on developing systematic-strategies for epitaxial patterning of functional materials which will pave the road for the design, discovery and industrialization of next-generation advanced magnetic and electronic nano-devices. (topical review)

Determination of Insulator-to-Semiconductor Transition in Sol-Gel Oxide Semiconductors Using Derivative Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Woobin; Choi, Seungbeom; Kim, Kyung Tae; Kang, Jingu; Park, Sung Kyu; Kim, Yong-Hoon

2015-12-23

We report a derivative spectroscopic method for determining insulator-to-semiconductor transition during sol-gel metal-oxide semiconductor formation. When an as-spun sol-gel precursor film is photochemically activated and changes to semiconducting state, the light absorption characteristics of the metal-oxide film is considerable changed particularly in the ultraviolet region. As a result, a peak is generated in the first-order derivatives of light absorption ( A' ) vs. wavelength (λ) plots, and by tracing the peak center shift and peak intensity, transition from insulating-to-semiconducting state of the film can be monitored. The peak generation and peak center shift are described based on photon-energy-dependent absorption coefficient of metal-oxide films. We discuss detailed analysis method for metal-oxide semiconductor films and its application in thin-film transistor fabrication. We believe this derivative spectroscopy based determination can be beneficial for a non-destructive and a rapid monitoring of the insulator-to-semiconductor transition in sol-gel oxide semiconductor formation.

In situ preparation, electrical and surface analytical characterization of pentacene thin film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Lassnig, R.; Striedinger, B.; Hollerer, M.; Fian, A.; Stadlober, B.; Winkler, A.

2015-01-01

The fabrication of organic thin film transistors with highly reproducible characteristics presents a very challenging task. We have prepared and analyzed model pentacene thin film transistors under ultra-high vacuum conditions, employing surface analytical tools and methods. Intentionally contaminating the gold contacts and SiO2 channel area with carbon through repeated adsorption, dissociation, and desorption of pentacene proved to be very advantageous in the creation of devices with stable and reproducible parameters. We mainly focused on the device properties, such as mobility and threshold voltage, as a function of film morphology and preparation temperature. At 300 K, pentacene displays Stranski-Krastanov growth, whereas at 200 K fine-grained, layer-like film growth takes place, which predominantly influences the threshold voltage. Temperature dependent mobility measurements demonstrate good agreement with the established multiple trapping and release model, which in turn indicates a predominant concentration of shallow traps in the crystal grains and at the oxide-semiconductor interface. Mobility and threshold voltage measurements as a function of coverage reveal that up to four full monolayers contribute to the overall charge transport. A significant influence on the effective mobility also stems from the access resistance at the gold contact-semiconductor interface, which is again strongly influenced by the temperature dependent, characteristic film growth mode. PMID:25814770

Pyrolyzed thin film carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Yu-Chong (Inventor); Liger, Matthieu (Inventor); Harder, Theodore (Inventor); Konishi, Satoshi (Inventor); Miserendino, Scott (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A method of making carbon thin films comprises depositing a catalyst on a substrate, depositing a hydrocarbon in contact with the catalyst and pyrolyzing the hydrocarbon. A method of controlling a carbon thin film density comprises etching a cavity into a substrate, depositing a hydrocarbon into the cavity, and pyrolyzing the hydrocarbon while in the cavity to form a carbon thin film. Controlling a carbon thin film density is achieved by changing the volume of the cavity. Methods of making carbon containing patterned structures are also provided. Carbon thin films and carbon containing patterned structures can be used in NEMS, MEMS, liquid chromatography, and sensor devices.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-11-01

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

Synthesis and characterization of copper antimony tin sulphide thin films for solar cell applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ali, N., E-mail: nisar.ali@utm.my [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Skudai, 81310 Johor (Malaysia); Department of Physics, Govt. Post Graduate Jehanzeb College Saidu Sharif, Swat, 19200 (Pakistan); Hussain, A. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Skudai, 81310 Johor (Malaysia); Ahmed, R., E-mail: rashidahmed@utm.my [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Skudai, 81310 Johor (Malaysia); Wan Shamsuri, W.N. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Skudai, 81310 Johor (Malaysia); Fu, Y.Q., E-mail: richard.fu@northumbria.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Environment, University of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST (United Kingdom)

2016-12-30

Highlights: • A new and novel material for solar cell applications is demonstrated as a replacement for toxic and expansive compounds. • The materials used in this compound are abundant and low cost. • Compound exhibit unusual optical and electrical properties. • The band gap was found to be comparable with that of GaAs. - Abstract: Low price thin film modules based on Copper antimony tin sulphide (CATS) are introduced for solar harvesting to compete for the already developed compound semiconductors. Here, CATS thin films were deposited on soda lime glass by thermal evaporation technique followed by a rapid thermal annealing in an argon atmosphere. From Our XRD analysis, it was revealed that the annealed samples were poly-crystalline and their crystallinity was improved with increasing annealing temperature. The constituent elements and their corresponding chemical states were identified using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The obtained optical band gap of 1.4 eV for CATS thin film is found nearly equal to GaAs – one of the highly efficient thin film material for solar cell technology. Furthermore, our observed good optical absorbance and low transmittance for the annealed CATS thin films in the visible region of light spectrum assured the aptness of the CATS thin films for solar cell applications.

2,6-Bis(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3,7-dipentadecyltetrathienoacene (DBT-TTAR2 as an Alternative of Highly Soluble p-type Organic Semiconductor for Organic Thin Film Transistor (OTFT Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mery B. Supriadi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available A new compound of organic semiconductor based on tetrathienoacene (TTA derivatives, DBT-TTAR2 was synthesized and characterized. The corporation of dibenzo[b,d]thiophene (DBT group and alkyl substituent in both ends of TTA core have a significant effect on their π-π molecular conjugation length, energy gaps value and solubility properties. DBT-TTAR2 is fabricated as p-type organic semiconductor of organic thin film transistor (OTFT by solution process at Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan. A good optical, electrochemical, and thermal properties of DBT-TTAR2 showed that its exhibits a better performance as highly soluble p-type organic semiconductor.

thin films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

microscopy (SEM) studies, respectively. The Fourier transform ... Thin films; chemical synthesis; hydrous tin oxide; FTIR; electrical properties. 1. Introduction ... dehydrogenation of organic compounds (Hattori et al 1987). .... SEM images of (a) bare stainless steel and (b) SnO2:H2O thin film on stainless steel substrate at a ...

Electrical transport properties of thermally evaporated phthalocyanine (H 2Pc) thin films

Science.gov (United States)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Farid, A. M.; Attia, A. A.; Ali, H. A. M.

2006-08-01

Thin films of H 2Pc of various thicknesses have been deposited onto glass substrates using thermal evaporation technique at room temperature. The dark electrical resistivity measurements were carried out at different temperatures in the range 298-473 K. An estimation of mean free path ( lo) of charge carriers in H 2Pc thin films was attempted. Measurements of thermoelectric power confirm that H 2Pc thin films behave as a p-type semiconductor. The current density-voltage characteristics of Au/H 2Pc/Au at room temperature showed ohmic conduction mechanism at low voltages. At higher voltages the space-charge-limited conduction (SCLC) accompanied by an exponential trap distribution was dominant. The temperature dependence of current density allows the determination of some essential parameters such as the hole mobility ( μh), the total trap concentration ( Nt), the characteristic temperature ( Tt) and the trap density P( E).

Mott-Schottky analysis of thin ZnO films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Windisch, Charles F. Jr.; Exarhos, Gregory J.

2000-01-01

Thin ZnO films, both native and doped with secondary metal ions, have been prepared by sputter deposition and also by casting from solutions containing a range of precursor salts. The conductivity and infrared reflectivity of these films are subsequently enhanced chemically following treatment in H 2 gas at 400 degree sign C or by cathodic electrochemical treatment in a neutral (pH=7) phosphate buffer solution. While Hall-type measurements usually are used to evaluate the electrical properties of such films, the present study investigated whether a conventional Mott-Schottky analysis could be used to monitor the change in concentration of free carriers in these films before and after chemical and electrochemical reduction. The Mott-Schottky approach would be particularly appropriate for electrochemically modified films since the measurements could be made in the same electrolyte used for the post-deposition electrochemical processing. Results of studies on sputtered pure ZnO films in ferricyanide solution were promising. Mott-Schottky plots were linear and gave free carrier concentrations typical for undoped semiconductors. Film thicknesses estimated from the Mott-Schottky data were also reasonably close to thicknesses calculated from reflectance measurements. Studies on solution-deposited films were less successful. Mott-Schottky plots were nonlinear, apparently due to film porosity. A combination of dc polarization and atomic force microscopy measurements confirmed this conclusion. The results suggest that Mott-Schottky analysis would be suitable for characterizing solution-deposited ZnO films only after extensive modeling was performed to incorporate the effects of film porosity on the characteristics of the space-charge region of the semiconductor. (c) 2000 American Vacuum Society

Photoelectrocatrocatalytic hydrolysis of starch by using sprayed ZnO thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sapkal, R. T.; Shinde, S. S.; Rajpure, K.Y.; Bhosale, C. H.

2013-01-01

Thin films of zinc oxide have been deposited onto glass/FTO substrates at optimized 400 °C by using a chemical spray pyrolysis technique. Deposited films are character photocatalytic activity by using XRD, an SEM, a UV-vis spectrophotometer, and a PEC single-cell reactor. Films are polycrystalline and have a hexagonal (wurtzite) crystal structure with c-axis (002) orientation growth perpendicular to the substrate surface. The observed direct band gap is about 3.22 eV for typical films prepared at 400 °C. The photocatalytic activity of starch with a ZnO photocatalyst has been studied by using a novel photoelectrocatalytic process. (semiconductor materials)

A comparative study of ultraviolet photoconductivity relaxation in zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited by different techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadav, Harish Kumar; Gupta, Vinay

2012-01-01

Photoresponse characteristics of ZnO thin films deposited by three different techniques namely rf diode sputtering, rf magnetron sputtering, and electrophoretic deposition has been investigated in the metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) configuration. A significant variation in the crystallinity, surface morphology, and photoresponse characteristics of ZnO thin film with change in growth kinetics suggest that the presence of defect centers and their density govern the photodetector relaxation properties. A relatively low density of traps compared to the true quantum yield is found very crucial for the realization of practical ZnO thin film based ultraviolet (UV) photodetector.

A comparative study of ultraviolet photoconductivity relaxation in zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited by different techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yadav, Harish Kumar; Gupta, Vinay [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 (India)

2012-05-15

Photoresponse characteristics of ZnO thin films deposited by three different techniques namely rf diode sputtering, rf magnetron sputtering, and electrophoretic deposition has been investigated in the metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) configuration. A significant variation in the crystallinity, surface morphology, and photoresponse characteristics of ZnO thin film with change in growth kinetics suggest that the presence of defect centers and their density govern the photodetector relaxation properties. A relatively low density of traps compared to the true quantum yield is found very crucial for the realization of practical ZnO thin film based ultraviolet (UV) photodetector.

Composition-dependent nanostructure of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} powders and thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schnohr, C.S., E-mail: c.schnohr@uni-jena.de [Institut für Festkörperphysik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany); Kämmer, H.; Steinbach, T.; Gnauck, M. [Institut für Festkörperphysik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany); Rissom, T.; Kaufmann, C.A.; Stephan, C. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Schorr, S. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstr. 74-100, 12249 Berlin (Germany)

2015-05-01

Atomic-scale structural parameters of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} powders and polycrystalline thin films were determined as a function of the In and Cu contents using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. No difference in the two sample types is observed for the average bond lengths demonstrating the strong tendency towards bond length conservation typical for tetrahedrally coordinated semiconductors. In contrast, the bond length variation is significantly smaller in the thin films than in the powders, particularly for Cu-poor material. This difference in the nanostructure is proposed to originate from differences in the preparation conditions, most prominently from the different history of Cu composition. - Highlights: • Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} powders and thin films are studied with X-ray absorption spectroscopy. • Structural parameters are determined as a function of the In and Cu contents. • The element-specific average bond lengths are identical for powders and thin films. • The Ga-Se/In-Se bond length variation is smaller for thin films than for powders. • The differences are believed to stem from the different history of the Cu content.

Thin Film Microbatteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudney, Nancy J.

2008-01-01

Thin film batteries are built layer by layer by vapor deposition. The resulting battery is formed of parallel plates, much as an ordinary battery construction, just much thinner. The figure (Fig. 1) shows an example of a thin film battery layout where films are deposited symmetrically onto both sides of a supporting substrate. The full stack of films is only 10 to 15 (micro)m thick, but including the support at least doubles the overall battery thickness. When the support is thin, the entire battery can be flexible. At least six companies have commercialized or are very close to commercializing such all-solid-state thin film batteries and market research predicts a growing market and a variety of applications including sensors, RFID tags, and smarter cards. In principle with a large deposition system, a thin film battery might cover a square meter, but in practice, most development is targeting individual cells with active areas less than 25 cm 2 . For very small battery areas, 2 , microfabrication processes have been developed. Typically the assembled batteries have capacities from 0.1 to 5 mAh. The operation of a thin film battery is depicted in the schematic diagram (Fig. 2). Very simply, when the battery is allowed to discharge, a Li + ion migrates from the anode to the cathode film by diffusing through the solid electrolyte. When the anode and cathode reactions are reversible, as for an intercalation compound or alloy, the battery can be recharged by reversing the current. The difference in the electrochemical potential of the lithium determines the cell voltage. Most of the thin films used in current commercial variations of this thin film battery are deposited in vacuum chambers by RF and DC magnetron sputtering and by thermal evaporation onto unheated substrates. In addition, many publications report exploring a variety of other physical and chemical vapor deposition processes, such as pulsed laser deposition, electron cyclotron resonance sputtering, and

Review of recent progresses on flexible oxide semiconductor thin film transistors based on atomic layer deposition processes

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Jiazhen; Han, Ki-Lim; Hong, TaeHyun; Choi, Wan-Ho; Park, Jin-Seong

2018-01-01

The current article is a review of recent progress and major trends in the field of flexible oxide thin film transistors (TFTs), fabricating with atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. The ALD process offers accurate controlling of film thickness and composition as well as ability of achieving excellent uniformity over large areas at relatively low temperatures. First, an introduction is provided on what is the definition of ALD, the difference among other vacuum deposition techniques, and the brief key factors of ALD on flexible devices. Second, considering functional layers in flexible oxide TFT, the ALD process on polymer substrates may improve device performances such as mobility and stability, adopting as buffer layers over the polymer substrate, gate insulators, and active layers. Third, this review consists of the evaluation methods of flexible oxide TFTs under various mechanical stress conditions. The bending radius and repetition cycles are mostly considering for conventional flexible devices. It summarizes how the device has been degraded/changed under various stress types (directions). The last part of this review suggests a potential of each ALD film, including the releasing stress, the optimization of TFT structure, and the enhancement of device performance. Thus, the functional ALD layers in flexible oxide TFTs offer great possibilities regarding anti-mechanical stress films, along with flexible display and information storage application fields. Project supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) (No. NRF-2017R1D1A1B03034035), the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (No. #10051403), and the Korea Semiconductor Research Consortium.

Solvent-induced crystallization for hybrid perovskite thin-film photodetector with high-performance and low working voltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Wei; Yang, Shuzhen; Fan, Peng; Pan, Anlian; Wu, Runsheng; Yang, Junliang

2017-01-01

Organometal trihalide perovskites have emerged as a class of solution-processed semiconductors exhibiting remarkable optoelectronic properties. Using a high-quality perovskite thin film prepared by solvent-induced crystallization method and adopting a novel device configuration based on photon recycling effect, a perovskite thin-film photodetector has been constructed with the highest external quantum efficiency of 4.1  ×  10 4 % and responsivity of 219 A W −1 at a low bias of 1 V so far. The device working mechanism was further disclosed based on energy band bending model. The high-performance and low working-voltage perovskite thin-film photodetector will find potential applications in photodetection and optoelectronic integrated circuits. (paper)

Metal-semiconductor transition materials. FeS and VO{sub 2} thin films by RF reactive sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu Ganhua

2007-06-15

In the present work, two MST systems, FeS and VO{sub 2} thin films were investigated. Iron sulfide thin films over a range of composition were prepared by reactive sputtering. The influence of the substrate, sputter power, substrate temperature and stoichiometry on the structure and MST of iron sulfide films was investigated. Iron sulfide films deposited at different temperatures show temperature dependent structure and MST. FeS films on float glass show (110) and (112) orientations when the substrate temperature is 200 and 500 C, respectively. The transition temperature and width of the hysteresis loop determined from the temperature dependent conductivity curves of iron sulfide films decrease with the substrate temperature. Fe and S excess in FeS films both result in the decrease of the transition temperature and width of the hysteresis loop. The vacuum-annealing affects the MST of FeS films significantly. When FeS films were annealed below the deposition temperature, the transition temperature decreases; otherwise increases. The residual stress plays an important role during the annealing process. The higher the residual stress inside the FeS films is, the higher the transition temperature of FeS films. With the increase of the annealing temperature, the residual stress in FeS films is first released and then enhances, which gives rise first to the decrease and then increase of the transition temperature of FeS films. At high substrate temperatures, the residual stress is higher. In addition, the MST of FeS films was influenced by the ambient aging. With the increase of the aging time, the transition temperature first increases and then decreases. FeS films with different thicknesses were prepared. The correlation between the film thickness (grain size) and the MST switching characteristics of FeS films was established. With the decrease of the grain size, the density of grain boundaries increases, causing the increase of the conductivity of the semiconducting

Thickness and microstructure effects in the optical and electrical properties of silver thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Guowen, E-mail: gding@intermolecular.com; Clavero, César; Schweigert, Daniel; Le, Minh [Intermolecular, Inc., 3011 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134 (United States)

2015-11-15

The optical and electrical response of metal thin films approaching thicknesses in the range of the electron mean free path is highly affected by electronic scattering with the interfaces and defects. Here, we present a theoretical and experimental study on how thickness and microstructure affect the properties of Ag thin films. We are able to successfully model the electrical resistivity and IR optical response using a thickness dependent electronic scattering time. Remarkably, the product of electronic scattering time and resistivity remains constant regardless of the thickness (τx ρ = C), with a value of 59 ± 2 μΩ cm ⋅ fs for Ag films in the investigated range from 3 to 74 nm. Our findings enable us to develop a theoretically framework that allows calculating the optical response of metal thin films in the IR by using their measured thickness and resistivity. An excellent agreement is found between experimental measurements and predicted values. This study also shows the theoretical lower limit for emissivity in Ag thin films according to their microstructure and thickness. Application of the model presented here will allow rapid characterization of the IR optical response of metal thin films, with important application in a broad spectrum of fundamental and industrial applications, including optical coatings, low-emissivity windows and semiconductor industry.

Benzothienobenzothiophene-based conjugated oligomers as semiconductors for stable organic thin-film transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Han; Li, Weili; Tian, Hongkun; Wang, Haibo; Yan, Donghang; Zhang, Jingping; Geng, Yanhou; Wang, Fosong

2014-04-09

Two benzothienobenzothiophene (BTBT)-based conjugated oligomers, i.e., 2,2'-bi[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (1) and 5,5'-bis([1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophen-2-yl)-2,2'-bithiophene (2), were prepared and characterized. Both oligomers exhibit excellent thermal stability, with 5% weight-loss temperatures (T(L)) above 370 °C; no phase transition was observed before decomposition. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) levels of 1 and 2 are -5.3 and -4.9 eV, respectively, as measured by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Thin-film X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy characterizations indicate that both oligomers form highly crystalline films with large domain sizes on octadecyltrimethoxysilane-modified substrates. Organic thin-film transistors with top-contact and bottom-gate geometry based on 1 and 2 exhibited mobilities up to 2.12 cm(2)/V·s for 1 and 1.39 cm(2)/V·s for 2 in an ambient atmosphere. 1-based devices exhibited great air and thermal stabilities, as evidenced by the slight performance degradation after 2 months of storage under ambient conditions and after thermal annealing at temperatures below 250 °C.

Charge transport through exciton shelves in cadmium chalcogenide quantum dot-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Samuel M.; Noh, Hyunwoo; Singh, Vivek; Cha, Jennifer N.; Nagpal, Prashant

2015-02-01

Quantum dot (QD), or semiconductor nanocrystal, thin films are being explored for making solution-processable devices due to their size- and shape-tunable bandgap and discrete higher energy electronic states. While DNA has been extensively used for the self-assembly of nanocrystals, it has not been investigated for the simultaneous conduction of multiple energy charges or excitons via exciton shelves (ES) formed in QD-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films. Here, we present studies on charge conduction through exciton shelves, which are formed via chemically coupled QDs and DNA, between electronic states of the QDs and the HOMO-LUMO levels in the complementary DNA nucleobases. While several challenges need to be addressed in optimizing the formation of devices using QD-DNA thin films, a higher charge collection efficiency for hot-carriers and our detailed investigations of charge transport mechanism in these thin films highlight their potential for applications in nano-bioelectronic devices and biological transducers.

Charge transport through exciton shelves in cadmium chalcogenide quantum dot-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goodman, Samuel M.; Singh, Vivek [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Noh, Hyunwoo [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Program and Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Cha, Jennifer N. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Program and Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Nagpal, Prashant, E-mail: pnagpal@colorado.edu [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, 2445 Kittredge Loop, Boulder, Colorado 80309 (United States)

2015-02-23

Quantum dot (QD), or semiconductor nanocrystal, thin films are being explored for making solution-processable devices due to their size- and shape-tunable bandgap and discrete higher energy electronic states. While DNA has been extensively used for the self-assembly of nanocrystals, it has not been investigated for the simultaneous conduction of multiple energy charges or excitons via exciton shelves (ES) formed in QD-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films. Here, we present studies on charge conduction through exciton shelves, which are formed via chemically coupled QDs and DNA, between electronic states of the QDs and the HOMO-LUMO levels in the complementary DNA nucleobases. While several challenges need to be addressed in optimizing the formation of devices using QD-DNA thin films, a higher charge collection efficiency for hot-carriers and our detailed investigations of charge transport mechanism in these thin films highlight their potential for applications in nano-bioelectronic devices and biological transducers.

Charge transport through exciton shelves in cadmium chalcogenide quantum dot-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodman, Samuel M.; Singh, Vivek; Noh, Hyunwoo; Cha, Jennifer N.; Nagpal, Prashant

2015-01-01

Quantum dot (QD), or semiconductor nanocrystal, thin films are being explored for making solution-processable devices due to their size- and shape-tunable bandgap and discrete higher energy electronic states. While DNA has been extensively used for the self-assembly of nanocrystals, it has not been investigated for the simultaneous conduction of multiple energy charges or excitons via exciton shelves (ES) formed in QD-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films. Here, we present studies on charge conduction through exciton shelves, which are formed via chemically coupled QDs and DNA, between electronic states of the QDs and the HOMO-LUMO levels in the complementary DNA nucleobases. While several challenges need to be addressed in optimizing the formation of devices using QD-DNA thin films, a higher charge collection efficiency for hot-carriers and our detailed investigations of charge transport mechanism in these thin films highlight their potential for applications in nano-bioelectronic devices and biological transducers

Friction and wear behavior of nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films deposited via MOCVD under dry contact

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U.S. Mbamara

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Most researches on doped ZnO thin films are tilted toward their applications in optoelectronics and semiconductor devices. Research on their tribological properties is still unfolding. In this work, nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films were deposited on 304 L stainless steel substrate from a combination of zinc acetate and ammonium acetate precursor by MOCVD technique. Compositional and structural studies of the films were done using Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS and X-ray Diffraction (XRD. The frictional behavior of the thin film coatings was evaluated using a ball-on-flat configuration in reciprocating sliding under dry contact condition. After friction test, the flat and ball counter-face surfaces were examined to assess the wear dimension and failure mechanism. Both friction behavior and wear (in the ball counter-face were observed to be dependent on the crystallinity and thickness of the thin film coatings.

Microstructure and thermochromic properties of VO{sub X}-WO{sub X}-VO{sub X} ceramic thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khamseh, S.; Ghahari, M. [Institute for Color Science and Technology, Department of Nanomaterial and Nanocoatings, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Araghi, H. [Islamic Azad University, Department of Materials Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Faghihi Sani, M.A. [Sharif University of Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-03-15

W-doped VO{sub 2} films have been synthesized via oxygen annealing of V-W-V (vanadium-tungsten-vanadium) multilayered films. The effects of middle layer's thickness of V-W-V multilayered film on structure and properties of VO{sub X}-WO{sub X}-VO{sub X} ceramic thin films were investigated. The as-deposited V-W-V multilayered film showed amorphous-like structure when mixed structure of VO{sub 2} (M) and VO{sub 2} (B) was formed in VO{sub X}-WO{sub X}-VO{sub X} ceramic thin films. Tungsten content of VO{sub X}-WO{sub X}-VO{sub X} ceramic thin films increased with increasing middle layer's thickness. With increasing middle layer's thickness, room temperature square resistance (R{sub sq}) of VO{sub X}-WO{sub X}-VO{sub X} ceramic thin films increased from 65 to 86 kΩ/sq. The VO{sub X}-WO{sub X}-VO{sub X} ceramic thin film with the thinnest middle layer showed significant SMT (semiconductor-metal transition) when SMT became negligible on increasing middle layer's thickness. (orig.)

Enhanced chemical sensing organic thin-film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Tanese, M. C.; Torsi, L.; Farinola, G. M.; Valli, L.; Hassan Omar, O.; Giancane, G.; Ieva, E.; Babudri, F.; Palmisano, F.; Naso, F.; Zambonin, P. G.

2007-09-01

Organic thin film transistor (OTFT) sensors are capable of fast, sensitive and reliable detection of a variety of analytes. They have been successfully tested towards many chemical and biological "odor" molecules showing high selectivity, and displaying the additional advantage of being compatible with plastic technologies. Their versatility is based on the possibility to control the device properties, from molecular design up to device architecture. Here phenylene-thiophene based organic semiconductors functionalized with ad hoc chosen side groups are used as active layers in sensing OTFTs. These materials, indeed, combine the detection capability of organic molecules (particularly in the case of bio-substituted systems) with the electronic properties of the conjugated backbone. A new OTFT structure including Langmuir-Schäfer layer by layer organic thin films is here proposed to perform chemical detection of organic vapors, including vapor phase chiral molecules such as citronellol vapors, with a detection limit in the ppm range. Thermally evaporated α6T based OTFT sensors are used as well to be employed as standard system in order to compare sensors performances.

Methods of making copper selenium precursor compositions with a targeted copper selenide content and precursor compositions and thin films resulting therefrom

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Calvin J [Lakewood, CO; Miedaner, Alexander [Boulder, CO; van Hest, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria; Ginley, David S [Evergreen, CO; Leisch, Jennifer [Denver, CO; Taylor, Matthew [West Simsbury, CT; Stanbery, Billy J [Austin, TX

2011-09-20

Precursor compositions containing copper and selenium suitable for deposition on a substrate to form thin films suitable for semi-conductor applications. Methods of forming the precursor compositions using primary amine solvents and methods of forming the thin films wherein the selection of temperature and duration of heating controls the formation of a targeted species of copper selenide.

Bias-induced migration of ionized donors in amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors with full bottom-gate and partial top-gate structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mallory Mativenga

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Bias-induced charge migration in amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (TFTs confirmed by overshoots of mobility after bias stressing dual gated TFTs is presented. The overshoots in mobility are reversible and only occur in TFTs with a full bottom-gate (covers the whole channel and partial top-gate (covers only a portion of the channel, indicating a bias-induced uneven distribution of ionized donors: Ionized donors migrate towards the region of the channel that is located underneath the partial top-gate and the decrease in the density of ionized donors in the uncovered portion results in the reversible increase in mobility.

Ambipolar Small-Molecule:Polymer Blend Semiconductors for Solution-Processable Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Minji; Hwang, Hansu; Park, Won-Tae; Khim, Dongyoon; Yeo, Jun-Seok; Kim, Yunseul; Kim, Yeon-Ju; Noh, Yong-Young; Kim, Dong-Yu

2017-01-25

We report on the fabrication of an organic thin-film semiconductor formed using a blend solution of soluble ambipolar small molecules and an insulating polymer binder that exhibits vertical phase separation and uniform film formation. The semiconductor thin films are produced in a single step from a mixture containing a small molecular semiconductor, namely, quinoidal biselenophene (QBS), and a binder polymer, namely, poly(2-vinylnaphthalene) (PVN). Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on QBS/PVN blend semiconductor are then assembled using top-gate/bottom-contact device configuration, which achieve almost four times higher mobility than the neat QBS semiconductor. Depth profile via secondary ion mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy images indicate that the QBS domains in the films made from the blend are evenly distributed with a smooth morphology at the bottom of the PVN layer. Bias stress test and variable-temperature measurements on QBS-based OFETs reveal that the QBS/PVN blend semiconductor remarkably reduces the number of trap sites at the gate dielectric/semiconductor interface and the activation energy in the transistor channel. This work provides a one-step solution processing technique, which makes use of soluble ambipolar small molecules to form a thin-film semiconductor for application in high-performance OFETs.

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor); Dikin, Dmitriy A. (Inventor); Nguyen, SonBinh T. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

Thin Film Structure of Tetraceno(2,3-B)thiophene Characterized By Grazing Incidence X-Ray Scattering And Near-Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Q.; Mannsfeld, S.C.B.; Tang, M.L.; Toney, M.F.; Luening, J.; Bao, Z.A.

2008-01-01

Understanding the structure-property relationship for organic semiconductors is crucial in rational molecular design and organic thin film process control. Charge carrier transport in organic field-effect transistors predominantly occurs in a few semiconductor layers close to the interface in contact with the dielectric layer, and the transport properties depend sensitively on the precise molecular packing. Therefore, a better understanding of the impact of molecular packing and thin film morphology in the first few monolayers above the dielectric layer on charge transport is needed to improve the transistor performance. In this Article, we show that the detailed molecular packing in thin organic semiconductor films can be solved through a combination of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD), near-edge X-ray absorption spectra fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, energy minimization packing calculations, and structure refinement of the diffraction data. We solve the thin film structure for 2 and 20 nm thick films of tetraceno(2,3-b)thiophene and detect only a single phase for these thicknesses. The GIXD yields accurate unit cell dimensions, while the precise molecular arrangement in the unit cell was found from the energy minimization and structure refinement; the NEXAFS yields a consistent molecular tilt. For the 20 nm film, the unit cell is triclinic with a = 5.96 A, b = 7.71 A, c = 15.16 A, alpha = 97.30 degrees, beta = 95.63 degrees, gamma = 90 degrees; there are two molecules per unit cell with herringbone packing (49-59 degree angle) and tilted about 7 degrees from the substrate normal. The thin film structure is significantly different from the bulk single-crystal structure, indicating the importance of characterizing thin film to correlate with thin film device performance. The results are compared to the corresponding data for the chemically similar and widely used pentacene. Possible effects of the observed thin film structure and morphology on

Illuminating the Potential of Thin-Film Photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Katahara, John K.

Widespread adoption of photovoltaics (PV) as an alternative electricity source will be predicated upon improvements in price performance compared to traditional power sources. Solution processing of thin-film PV is one promising way to reduce the capital expenditure (CAPEX) of manufacturing solar cells. However, it is imperative that a shift to solution processing does not come at the expense of device performance. One particularly problematic parameter for thin-film PV has historically been the open-circuit voltage (VOC ). As such, there is a pressing need for characterization tools that allow us to quickly and accurately evaluate the potential performance of solution-processed PV absorber layers. This work describes recent progress in developing photoluminescence (PL) techniques for probing optoelectronic quality in semiconductors. We present a generalized model of absorption that encompasses ideal direct-gap semiconductor absorption and various band tail models. This powerful absorption model is used to fit absolute intensity PL data and extract quasi-Fermi level splitting (maximum attainable VOC) for a variety of PV absorber technologies. This technique obviates the need for full device fabrication to get feedback on optoelectronic quality of PV absorber layers and has expedited materials exploration. We then use this absorption model to evaluate the thermodynamic losses due to different band tail cases and estimate tail losses in Cu 2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe). The effect of sub-bandgap absorption on PL quantum yield (PLQY) and voltage is elucidated, and new analysis techniques for extracting VOC from PLQY are validated that reduce computation time and provide us even faster feedback on material quality. We then use PL imaging to develop a mechanism describing the degradation of solution-processed CH3NH3PbI3 films under applied bias and illumination.

Dielectric Properties of Cd1-xZnxSe Thin Film Semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahab, L.A.; Farrag, A.A.; Zayed, H.A.

2012-01-01

Cd 1-x Zn x Se (x=0, 0.5 and 1) thin films of thickness 300 nm have been deposited on highly cleaned glass substrates (Soda-lime glass) by thermal evaporation technique under pressure 10-5 Torr. The crystal structure, lattice parameters and grain size were determined from X-ray diffraction patterns of these films. The dielectric response and ac conductivity of the films are investigated in the frequency range from 80 Hz to 5 MHz and temperature range from 300 K to 420 K. AC conductivity increases linearly with the frequency according to the power relation σ a c (ψ)=A (ψ) s . The dielectric constant and loss show low values at high frequencies. The relaxation time t, resistance R and capacitance C were calculated from Nyquist diagram. The behavior can be modeled by an equivalent parallel RC circuit.

Thermoelectric properties of cobalt–antimonide thin films prepared by radio frequency co-sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmed, Aziz; Han, Seungwoo, E-mail: swhan@kimm.re.kr

2015-07-31

Co–Sb thin films with an Sb content in the range 65–76 at.%, were deposited on a thermally oxidized Si (100) substrate preheated at 200 °C using radio-frequency co-sputtering. Evaluation using scanning electron microscopy images and X-ray diffraction reveals that the films were polycrystalline, with a grain size in the range 100–250 nm. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis indicates single-phase CoSb{sub 2} and CoSb{sub 3} films, as well as multiphase thin films with either CoSb{sub 2} or CoSb{sub 3} as the dominant phase. The electrical and thermoelectric properties were measured and found to be strongly dependent on the observed phases and the defect concentrations. The CoSb{sub 2} thin films were found to exhibit a significant n-type thermoelectric effect, which, coupled with the very low electrical resistivity, resulted in a larger power factor than that of the CoSb{sub 3} thin films. We find power factors of 0.73 mWm{sup −1} K{sup −2} and 0.67 mWm{sup −1} K{sup −2} for the CoSb{sub 2} and CoSb{sub 3} thin films, respectively. - Highlights: • Polycrystalline Co–Sb thin films were obtained by present deposition strategy. • CoSb{sub 2} and CoSb{sub 3} have semimetal and semiconductor characteristics respectively. • The Seebeck coefficient depends heavily on defect concentration and impurity phases. • Film properties in the second heating cycle were different from the first. • CoSb{sub 2} is found to possess significant n-type thermopower.

Transparent, high mobility InGaZnO thin films deposited by PLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suresh, Arun; Gollakota, Praveen; Wellenius, Patrick; Dhawan, Anuj; Muth, John F.

2008-01-01

Transparent oxide semiconductor, InGaZnO, thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition at room temperature. The carrier concentration was found to vary by several orders of magnitude from insulating to 10 19 carriers/cm 3 depending on the oxygen partial pressure during deposition. Hall mobilities as high as 16 cm 2 /V s were observed. This is approximately an order of magnitude higher than the mobility of amorphous silicon and indicates that InGaO 3 (ZnO) x with x ≤ 5 may be suitable for transparent, thin film transistor applications. Post-deposition annealing was found to strongly influence the carrier concentration while annealing effects on the electron mobility was less influential

Heterojunction oxide thin-film transistors with unprecedented electron mobility grown from solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Faber, Hendrik; Das, Satyajit; Lin, Yen-Hung; Pliatsikas, Nikos; Zhao, Kui; Kehagias, Thomas; Dimitrakopulos, George; Amassian, Aram; Patsalas, Panos A; Anthopoulos, Thomas D

2017-03-01

Thin-film transistors made of solution-processed metal oxide semiconductors hold great promise for application in the emerging sector of large-area electronics. However, further advancement of the technology is hindered by limitations associated with the extrinsic electron transport properties of the often defect-prone oxides. We overcome this limitation by replacing the single-layer semiconductor channel with a low-dimensional, solution-grown In 2 O 3 /ZnO heterojunction. We find that In 2 O 3 /ZnO transistors exhibit band-like electron transport, with mobility values significantly higher than single-layer In 2 O 3 and ZnO devices by a factor of 2 to 100. This marked improvement is shown to originate from the presence of free electrons confined on the plane of the atomically sharp heterointerface induced by the large conduction band offset between In 2 O 3 and ZnO. Our finding underscores engineering of solution-grown metal oxide heterointerfaces as an alternative strategy to thin-film transistor development and has the potential for widespread technological applications.

Heterojunction oxide thin-film transistors with unprecedented electron mobility grown from solution

KAUST Repository

Faber, Hendrik

2017-04-28

Thin-film transistors made of solution-processed metal oxide semiconductors hold great promise for application in the emerging sector of large-area electronics. However, further advancement of the technology is hindered by limitations associated with the extrinsic electron transport properties of the often defect-prone oxides. We overcome this limitation by replacing the single-layer semiconductor channel with a low-dimensional, solution-grown In2O3/ZnO heterojunction. We find that In2O3/ZnO transistors exhibit band-like electron transport, with mobility values significantly higher than single-layer In2O3 and ZnO devices by a factor of 2 to 100. This marked improvement is shown to originate from the presence of free electrons confined on the plane of the atomically sharp heterointerface induced by the large conduction band offset between In2O3 and ZnO. Our finding underscores engineering of solution-grown metal oxide heterointerfaces as an alternative strategy to thin-film transistor development and has the potential for widespread technological applications.

Synthesis and characterization of electrochemically deposited nanocrystalline CdTe thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Ragini Raj, E-mail: raginirajsingh@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Bhopal University, Bhopal-462026 (India); Department of Physical Electronics, Iby and Aladar Fleishman Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv-69978 (Israel); Painuly, Diksha [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, Thiruanantpuram, Kerala (India); Pandey, R.K. [Department of Physics, Bhopal University, Bhopal-462026 (India)

2009-07-15

Electrodeposition is emerging as a method for the synthesis of semiconductor thin films and nanostructures. In this work we prepared the nanocrystalline CdTe thin films on indium tin oxide coated glass substrate from aqueous acidic bath at the deposition temperature 50 {+-} 1 deg. C. The films were grown potentiostatically from -0.60 V to -0.82 V with respect to saturated calomel reference electrode. The structural, compositional, morphological and optical properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive analysis by X-rays (EDAX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV-vis spectroscopy respectively and cyclic voltammetery. The structural and optical studies revealed that films are nanocrystalline in nature and possess cubic phase, also the films are preferentially oriented along the cubic (1 1 1) plane. The effect of cadmium composition on the deposited morphology was also investigated. The size dependent blue shift in the experimentally determined absorption edge has been compared with the theoretical predictions based on the effective mass approximation and tight binding approximation. It is shown that the experimentally determined absorption edges depart from the theoretically calculated values.

Photoconductivity study of acid on Zinc phthalocyanine pyridine thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Sukhwinder, E-mail: ss7667@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Govt. College for Girls, Ludhiana (India); Saini, G. S. S.; Tripathi, S. K. [Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh (India)

2016-05-06

The Metal Phthalocyanine (MPc) have attracted much interest because of chemical and high thermal stability. Molecules forming a crystal of MPc are held together by weak attractive Vander Waals forces. Organic semiconductors have π conjugate bonds which allow electrons to move via π-electron cloud overlaps. Conduction mechanisms for organic semiconductor are mainly through tunneling; hopping between localized states, mobility gaps, and phonon assisted hopping. The photo conductivity of thin films of these complexes changes when exposed to oxidizing and reducing gases. Arrhenius plot is used to find the thermal activation energy in the intrinsic region and impurity scattering region. Arrhenius plotsare used to find the thermal activation energy.

Chemical vapour deposition of vanadium oxide thermochromic thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Piccirillo, Clara

Thermochromic materials change optical properties, such as transmittance or reflectance, with a variation in temperature. An ideal intelligent (smart) material will allow solar radiation in through a window in cold conditions, but reflect that radiation in warmer conditions. The variation in the properties is often associated with a phase change, which takes place at a definite temperature, and is normally reversible. Such materials are usually applied to window glass as thin films. This thesis presents the work on the development of thermochromic vanadium (IV) oxide (VO2) thin films - both undoped and doped with tungsten, niobium and gold nanoparticles - which could be employed as solar control coatings. The films were deposited using Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD), using improved Atmospheric Pressure (APCVD), novel Aerosol Assisted (AACVD) and novel hybrid AP/AACVD techniques. The effects of dopants on the metalto- semiconductor transition temperature and transmittance/reflectance characteristics were also investigated. This work significantly increased the understanding of the mechanisms behind thermochromic behaviour, and resulted in thermochromic materials based on VO2 with greatly improved properties.

Metal-insulator transition in tin doped indium oxide (ITO thin films: Quantum correction to the electrical conductivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepak Kumar Kaushik

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Tin doped indium oxide (ITO thin films are being used extensively as transparent conductors in several applications. In the present communication, we report the electrical transport in DC magnetron sputtered ITO thin films (prepared at 300 K and subsequently annealed at 673 K in vacuum for 60 minutes in low temperatures (25-300 K. The low temperature Hall effect and resistivity measurements reveal that the ITO thin films are moderately dis-ordered (kFl∼1; kF is the Fermi wave vector and l is the electron mean free path and degenerate semiconductors. The transport of charge carriers (electrons in these disordered ITO thin films takes place via the de-localized states. The disorder effects lead to the well-known ‘metal-insulator transition’ (MIT which is observed at 110 K in these ITO thin films. The MIT in ITO thin films is explained by the quantum correction to the conductivity (QCC; this approach is based on the inclusion of quantum-mechanical interference effects in Boltzmann’s expression of the conductivity of the disordered systems. The insulating behaviour observed in ITO thin films below the MIT temperature is attributed to the combined effect of the weak localization and the electron-electron interactions.

Metal-insulator transition in tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films: Quantum correction to the electrical conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Kaushik, Deepak Kumar; Kumar, K. Uday; Subrahmanyam, A.

2017-01-01

Tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films are being used extensively as transparent conductors in several applications. In the present communication, we report the electrical transport in DC magnetron sputtered ITO thin films (prepared at 300 K and subsequently annealed at 673 K in vacuum for 60 minutes) in low temperatures (25-300 K). The low temperature Hall effect and resistivity measurements reveal that the ITO thin films are moderately dis-ordered (kFl˜1; kF is the Fermi wave vector and l is the electron mean free path) and degenerate semiconductors. The transport of charge carriers (electrons) in these disordered ITO thin films takes place via the de-localized states. The disorder effects lead to the well-known `metal-insulator transition' (MIT) which is observed at 110 K in these ITO thin films. The MIT in ITO thin films is explained by the quantum correction to the conductivity (QCC); this approach is based on the inclusion of quantum-mechanical interference effects in Boltzmann's expression of the conductivity of the disordered systems. The insulating behaviour observed in ITO thin films below the MIT temperature is attributed to the combined effect of the weak localization and the electron-electron interactions.

Host thin films incorporating nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, Uzma

The focus of this research project was the investigation of the functional properties of thin films that incorporate a secondary nanoparticulate phase. In particular to assess if the secondary nanoparticulate material enhanced a functional property of the coating on glass. In order to achieve this, new thin film deposition methods were developed, namely use of nanopowder precursors, an aerosol assisted transport technique and an aerosol into atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition system. Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) was used to deposit 8 series of thin films on glass. Five different nanoparticles silver, gold, ceria, tungsten oxide and zinc oxide were tested and shown to successfully deposit thin films incorporating nanoparticles within a host matrix. Silver nanoparticles were synthesised and doped within a titania film by AACVD. This improved solar control properties. A unique aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) into atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) system was used to deposit films of Au nanoparticles and thin films of gold nanoparticles incorporated within a host titania matrix. Incorporation of high refractive index contrast metal oxide particles within a host film altered the film colour. The key goal was to test the potential of nanopowder forms and transfer the suspended nanopowder via an aerosol to a substrate in order to deposit a thin film. Discrete tungsten oxide nanoparticles or ceria nanoparticles within a titanium dioxide thin film enhanced the self-cleaning and photo-induced super-hydrophilicity. The nanopowder precursor study was extended by deposition of zinc oxide thin films incorporating Au nanoparticles and also ZnO films deposited from a ZnO nanopowder precursor. Incorporation of Au nanoparticles within a VO: host matrix improved the thermochromic response, optical and colour properties. Composite VC/TiC and Au nanoparticle/V02/Ti02 thin films displayed three useful

Synthesis of thin films and materials utilizing a gaseous catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Morse, Daniel E; Schwenzer, Birgit; Gomm, John R; Roth, Kristian M; Heiken, Brandon; Brutchey, Richard

2013-10-29

A method for the fabrication of nanostructured semiconducting, photoconductive, photovoltaic, optoelectronic and electrical battery thin films and materials at low temperature, with no molecular template and no organic contaminants. High-quality metal oxide semiconductor, photovoltaic and optoelectronic materials can be fabricated with nanometer-scale dimensions and high dopant densities through the use of low-temperature biologically inspired synthesis routes, without the use of any biological or biochemical templates.

Metal-insulator phase transition in a VO2 thin film observed with terahertz spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jepsen, Peter Uhd; Fischer, Bernd M.; Thoman, Andreas

2006-01-01

We investigate the dielectric properties of a thin VO2 film in the terahertz frequency range in the vicinity of the semiconductor-metal phase transition. Phase-sensitive broadband spectroscopy in the frequency region below the phonon bands of VO2 gives insight into the conductive properties...... of the film during the phase transition. We compare our experimental data with models proposed for the evolution of the phase transition. The experimental data show that the phase transition occurs via the gradual growth of metallic domains in the film, and that the dielectric properties of the film...

Growth of high-quality large-area MgB2 thin films by reactive evaporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moeckly, B H; Ruby, W S

2006-01-01

We report a new in situ reactive deposition thin film growth technique for the production of MgB 2 thin films which offers several advantages over all existing methods and is the first deposition method to enable the production of high-quality MgB 2 films for real-world applications. We have used this growth method, which incorporates a rotating pocket heater, to deposit MgB 2 films on a variety of substrates, including single-crystalline, polycrystalline, metallic, and semiconductor materials up to 4 inch in diameter. This technique allows growth of double-sided, large-area films in the intermediate temperature range of 400-600 deg. C. These films are clean, well-connected, and consistently display T c values of 38-39 K with low resistivity and residual resistivity values. They are also robust and uncommonly stable upon exposure to atmosphere and water. (rapid communication)

NMR characterization of thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald II, Rex E.; Klingler, Robert J.; Rathke, Jerome W.; Diaz, Rocio; Vukovic, Lela

2010-06-15

A method, apparatus, and system for characterizing thin film materials. The method, apparatus, and system includes a container for receiving a starting material, applying a gravitational force, a magnetic force, and an electric force or combinations thereof to at least the starting material, forming a thin film material, sensing an NMR signal from the thin film material and analyzing the NMR signal to characterize the thin film of material.

NMR characterization of thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald, II, Rex E.; Klingler, Robert J.; Rathke, Jerome W.; Diaz, Rocio; Vukovic, Lela

2008-11-25

A method, apparatus, and system for characterizing thin film materials. The method, apparatus, and system includes a container for receiving a starting material, applying a gravitational force, a magnetic force, and an electric force or combinations thereof to at least the starting material, forming a thin film material, sensing an NMR signal from the thin film material and analyzing the NMR signal to characterize the thin film of material.

ZnO Thin Film Electronics for More than Displays

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, Jose Israel

Zinc oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) are investigated in this work for large-area electronic applications outside of display technology. A constant pressure, constant flow, showerhead, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process has been developed to fabricate high mobility TFTs and circuits on rigid and flexible substrates at 200 °C. ZnO films and resulting devices prepared by PEALD and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) have been compared. Both PEALD and PLD ZnO films result in densely packed, polycrystalline ZnO thin films that were used to make high performance devices. PEALD ZnO TFTs deposited at 300 °C have a field-effect mobility of ˜ 40 cm2/V-s (and > 20 cm2/V-S deposited at 200 °C). PLD ZnO TFTs, annealed at 400 °C, have a field-effect mobility of > 60 cm2/V-s (and up to 100 cm2/V-s). Devices, prepared by either technique, show high gamma-ray radiation tolerance of up to 100 Mrad(SiO2) with only a small radiation-induced threshold voltage shift (VT ˜ -1.5 V). Electrical biasing during irradiation showed no enhanced radiation-induced effects. The study of the radiation effects as a function of material stack thicknesses revealed the majority of the radiation-induced charge collection happens at the semiconductor-passivation interface. A simple sheet-charge model at that interface can describe the radiation-induced charge in ZnO TFTs. By taking advantage of the substrate-agnostic process provided by PEALD, due to its low-temperature and excellent conformal coatings, ZnO electronics were monolithically integrated with thin-film complex oxides. Application-based examples where ZnO electronics provide added functionality to complex oxide-based devices are presented. In particular, the integration of arrayed lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 or PZT) thin films with ZnO electronics for microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) and deformable mirrors is demonstrated. ZnO switches can provide voltage to PZT capacitors with fast charging and slow

Fabrication of p-type conductivity in SnO{sub 2} thin films through Ga doping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsay, Chien-Yie, E-mail: cytsay@fcu.edu.tw; Liang, Shan-Chien

2015-02-15

Highlights: • P-type Ga-doped SnO{sub 2} semiconductor films were prepared by sol-gel spin coating. • Optical bandgaps of the SnO{sub 2}:Ga films are narrower than that of the SnO{sub 2} film. • SnO{sub 2}:Ga films exhibited p-type conductivity as Ga doping content higher than 10%. • A p-n heterojunction composed of p-type SnO{sub 2}:Ga and n-type ZnO:Al was fabricated. - Abstract: P-type transparent tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) based semiconductor thin films were deposited onto alkali-free glass substrates by a sol-gel spin-coating method using gallium (Ga) as acceptor dopant. In this study, we investigated the influence of Ga doping concentration ([Ga]/[Sn] + [Ga] = 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) on the structural, optical and electrical properties of SnO{sub 2} thin films. XRD analysis results showed that dried Ga-doped SnO{sub 2} (SnO{sub 2}:Ga) sol-gel films annealed in oxygen ambient at 520 °C for 1 h exhibited only the tetragonal rutile phase. The average optical transmittance of as-prepared thin film samples was higher than 87.0% in the visible light region; the optical band gap energy slightly decreased from 3.92 eV to 3.83 eV with increases in Ga doping content. Hall effect measurement showed that the nature of conductivity of SnO{sub 2}:Ga thin films changed from n-type to p-type when the Ga doping level was 10%, and when it was at 15%, Ga-doped SnO{sub 2} thin films exhibited the highest mean hole concentration of 1.70 × 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3}. Furthermore, a transparent p-SnO{sub 2}:Ga (Ga doping level of 15%)/n-ZnO:Al (Al doping level of 2%) heterojunction was fabricated on alkali-free glass. The I-V curve measurement for the p-n heterojunction diode showed a typical rectifying characteristic with a forward turn-on voltage of 0.65 V.

Gasochromic performance of WO3-nanorod thin films fabricated with an ArF excimer laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaacob, M. H.; Ou, J. Z.; Wlodarski, W.; Kim, C. S.; Lee, J. Y.; Kim, Y. H.; Oh, C. M.; Dhakal, K. P.; Kim, J. Y.; Kang, J. H.

2012-01-01

Thin films with tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) nanorods were fabricated by using an ArF pulsed laser deposition system. Because the ArF excimer laser operates at a very short wavelength of 193 nm, short enough to expect strong absorption of the photons in the semiconductor oxide targets, and because the clusters incoming to the substrates have high momentum, we could build thin films with good surface morphology. Highly homogeneous arrays of nanorods with sizes mostly in the range of 30 - 40 nm were observed. The absorbance response towards hydrogen (H 2 ) gas was investigated for a WO 3 film coated with 25-A-thick palladium (Pd). The Pd/WO 3 -nanorod thin films exhibited excellent gasochromic response when measured in the visible-NIR range (400 - 1000 nm). As low as 0.06% H 2 concentration was clearly sensed. A significant reversible absorbance change and fast recovery ( 2 at different concentrations.

Handbook of thin film technology

CERN Document Server

Frey, Hartmut

2015-01-01

“Handbook of Thin Film Technology” covers all aspects of coatings preparation, characterization and applications. Different deposition techniques based on vacuum and plasma processes are presented. Methods of surface and thin film analysis including coating thickness, structural, optical, electrical, mechanical and magnetic properties of films are detailed described. The several applications of thin coatings and a special chapter focusing on nanoparticle-based films can be found in this handbook. A complete reference for students and professionals interested in the science and technology of thin films.

Rare Earth Oxide Thin Films

CERN Document Server

Fanciulli, Marco

2007-01-01

Thin rare earth (RE) oxide films are emerging materials for microelectronic, nanoelectronic, and spintronic applications. The state-of-the-art of thin film deposition techniques as well as the structural, physical, chemical, and electrical properties of thin RE oxide films and of their interface with semiconducting substrates are discussed. The aim is to identify proper methodologies for the development of RE oxides thin films and to evaluate their effectiveness as innovative materials in different applications.

Thin-film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aberle, Armin G.

2009-01-01

The rapid progress that is being made with inorganic thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies, both in the laboratory and in industry, is reviewed. While amorphous silicon based PV modules have been around for more than 20 years, recent industrial developments include the first polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells on glass and the first tandem solar cells based on stacks of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon films ('micromorph cells'). Significant thin-film PV production levels are also being set up for cadmium telluride and copper indium diselenide.

Process for forming thin film, heat treatment process of thin film sheet, and heat treatment apparatus therefor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, S.

1984-01-01

The invention provides a process for forming a magnetic thin film on a base film, a heat treatment process of a thin film sheet consisting of the base film and the magnetic thin film, and an apparatus for performing heat treatment of the thin film sheet. Tension applied to the thin film sheet is substantially equal to that applied to the base film when the magnetic thin film is formed thereon. Then, the thin film sheet is treated with heat. The thin film sheet is heated with a given temperature gradient to a reactive temperature at which heat shrinkage occurs, while the tension is being applied thereto. Thereafter, the thin film sheet to which the tension is still applied is cooled with substantially the same temperature gradient as applied in heating. The heat treatment apparatus has a film driving unit including a supply reel, a take-up reel, a drive source and guide rollers; a heating unit including heating plates, heater blocks and a temperature controller for heating the sheet to the reactive temperature; and a heat insulating unit including a thermostat and another temperature controller for maintaining the sheet at the nonreactive temperature which is slightly lower than the reactive temperature

Study of electrostatically self-assembled thin films of CdS and ZnS nanoparticle semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Suryajaya

In this work, CdS and ZnS semiconducting colloid nanoparticles coated with organic shell, containing either SO[3-] or NH[2+] groups, were deposited as thin films using the technique of electrostatic self-assembly. The films produced were characterized with UV-vis spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry - for optical properties; atomic force microscopy (AFM) - for morphology study; mercury probe - for electrical characterisation; and photon counter - for electroluminescence study. UV-vis spectra show a substantial blue shift of the main absorption band of both CdS and ZnS, either in the form of solutions or films, with respect to the bulk materials. The calculation of nanoparticles' radii yields the value of about 1.8 nm for both CdS and ZnS.The fitting of standard ellipsometry data gave the thicknesses (d) of nanoparticle layers of around 5 nm for both CdS and ZnS which corresponds well to the size of particles evaluated from UV-vis spectral data if an additional thickness of the organic shell is taken into account. The values of refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) obtained were about 2.28 and 0.7 at 633 nm wavelength, for both CdS and ZnS.Using total internal reflection (TIRE), the process of alternative deposition of poly-allylamine hydrochloride (PAH) and CdS (or ZnS) layers could be monitored in-situ. The dynamic scan shows that the adsorption kinetic of the first layer of PAH or nanoparticles was slower than that of the next layer. The fitting of TIRE spectra gavethicknesses of about 7 nm and 12 nm for CdS and ZnS, respectively. It supports the suggestion of the formation of three-dimensional aggregates of semiconductor nanoparticles intercalated with polyelectrolyte.AFM images show the formation of large aggregates of nanoparticles, about 40-50 nm, for the films deposited from original colloid solutions, while smaller aggregates, about 12-20 nm, were obtained if the colloid solutions were diluted.Current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance

Comprehensive review on the development of high mobility in oxide thin film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jun Young; Lee, Sang Yeol

2017-11-01

Oxide materials are one of the most advanced key technology in the thin film transistors (TFTs) for the high-end of device applications. Amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOSs) have leading technique for flat panel display (FPD), active matrix organic light emitting display (AMOLED) and active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) due to their excellent electrical characteristics, such as field effect mobility ( μ FE ), subthreshold swing (S.S) and threshold voltage ( V th ). Covalent semiconductor like amorphous silicon (a-Si) is attributed to the anti-bonding and bonding states of Si hybridized orbitals. However, AOSs have not grain boundary and excellent performances originated from the unique characteristics of AOS which is the direct orbital overlap between s orbitals of neighboring metal cations. High mobility oxide TFTs have gained attractive attention during the last few years and today in display industries. It is progressively developed to increase the mobility either by exploring various oxide semiconductors or by adopting new TFT structures. Mobility of oxide thin film transistor has been rapidly increased from single digit to higher than 100 cm2/V·s in a decade. In this review, we discuss on the comprehensive review on the mobility of oxide TFTs in a decade and propose bandgap engineering and novel structure to enhance the electrical characteristics of oxide TFTs.

Thickness and microstructure effects in the optical and electrical properties of silver thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guowen Ding

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The optical and electrical response of metal thin films approaching thicknesses in the range of the electron mean free path is highly affected by electronic scattering with the interfaces and defects. Here, we present a theoretical and experimental study on how thickness and microstructure affect the properties of Ag thin films. We are able to successfully model the electrical resistivity and IR optical response using a thickness dependent electronic scattering time. Remarkably, the product of electronic scattering time and resistivity remains constant regardless of the thickness (τx ρ = C, with a value of 59 ± 2 μΩ cm ⋅ fs for Ag films in the investigated range from 3 to 74 nm. Our findings enable us to develop a theoretically framework that allows calculating the optical response of metal thin films in the IR by using their measured thickness and resistivity. An excellent agreement is found between experimental measurements and predicted values. This study also shows the theoretical lower limit for emissivity in Ag thin films according to their microstructure and thickness. Application of the model presented here will allow rapid characterization of the IR optical response of metal thin films, with important application in a broad spectrum of fundamental and industrial applications, including optical coatings, low-emissivity windows and semiconductor industry.

Methods for enhancing P-type doping in III-V semiconductor films

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Feng; Stringfellow, Gerald; Zhu, Junyi

2017-08-01

Methods of doping a semiconductor film are provided. The methods comprise epitaxially growing the III-V semiconductor film in the presence of a dopant, a surfactant capable of acting as an electron reservoir, and hydrogen, under conditions that promote the formation of a III-V semiconductor film doped with the p-type dopant. In some embodiments of the methods, the epitaxial growth of the doped III-V semiconductor film is initiated at a first hydrogen partial pressure which is increased to a second hydrogen partial pressure during the epitaxial growth process.

Hybrid Perovskite Thin-Film Photovoltaics: In Situ Diagnostics and Importance of the Precursor Solvate Phases

KAUST Repository

Munir, Rahim

2016-11-07

Solution-processed hybrid perovskite semiconductors attract a great deal of attention, but little is known about their formation process. The one-step spin-coating process of perovskites is investigated in situ, revealing that thin-film formation is mediated by solid-state precursor solvates and their nature. The stability of these intermediate phases directly impacts the quality and reproducibility of thermally converted perovskite films and their photovoltaic performance.

Hybrid Perovskite Thin-Film Photovoltaics: In Situ Diagnostics and Importance of the Precursor Solvate Phases

KAUST Repository

Munir, Rahim; Sheikh, Arif D.; Abdelsamie, Maged; Hu, Hanlin; Yu, Liyang; Zhao, Kui; Kim, Taesoo; El Tall, Omar; Li, Ruipeng; Smilgies, Detlef M.; Amassian, Aram

2016-01-01

Solution-processed hybrid perovskite semiconductors attract a great deal of attention, but little is known about their formation process. The one-step spin-coating process of perovskites is investigated in situ, revealing that thin-film formation is mediated by solid-state precursor solvates and their nature. The stability of these intermediate phases directly impacts the quality and reproducibility of thermally converted perovskite films and their photovoltaic performance.

A study on crystallization, optical and electrical properties of the advanced ZITO thin films using co-sputtering system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, K.J.; Hung, F.Y.; Chang, S.J.; Chang, S.P.; Mai, Y.C.; Hu, Z.S.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: Conductor and semiconductor ZITO transparent oxide thin films have been obtained by co-sputtering system. Therefore, we could fabricate a fully transparent ZITO optoelectronic device (thin film transistors or photodetector) in the future. The conducting ZITO was used as the electrode. The active layer of TFTs and photodetector employed the semiconducting ZITO. In addition, the investigation of luminescence characteristics on Zn-In-Sn-O (ZITO) film has never been reported. So, the multi-compound ZITO (ZnO combined ITO) films would be measured by photoluminescence (PL) to analyze the effects of ITO doping and oxygen gas content on emission characteristics of film. - Abstract: Multi-functions (conductor, semiconductor and insulator) ZnInSnO (ZITO) transparent oxide thin films have been obtained by a co-sputtering system using ITO target and ZnO target with oxygen gas contents (0-8%). The ZITO film containing a small ITO content had the lowest resistivity (good electron mobility) and higher optical transmittance. In addition, the influences of thermal treatments (post-annealing and substrate temperature) on electrical properties and optical transmittance of ZITO films were studied. Photoluminescence (PL) of the ZITO film confirmed the contribution of ITO content and oxygen gas content on the photo-emission. The ZITO film with zinc atomic concentration of 58 at.% was a good candidate for TCO material (3.08 x 10 -4 Ω cm). Under the substrate temperature of 100 deg. C or post-annealing temperature of 200 o C, the properties of ZITO film could be improved.

Al-Sn doped ZnO thin film nanosensor for monitoring NO2 concentration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.S. Hikku

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor technology is robust and has quick response times. In this work, aluminium and tin co-doped zinc oxide (ASZO thin films were synthesized by a sol–gel dip-coating process as sensors for the greenhouse gas nitrogen dioxide (NO2. The prepared ASZO thin films were characterized using such techniques as X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, atomic force microscopy (AFM and photoluminescence (PL emission studies in order to analyze the elemental confirmation, particle size, surface roughness and optical emission properties, respectively. The XRD data reveals the hexagonal structure of ASZO and that the preferential orientation is along 2θ = 36.19°. SEM images of the ASZO thin film exhibit rod-like formations of ASZO on the substrate. The ASZO films show enhanced sensing behaviour, sensing NO2 gas even at 2 ppm at an operating temperature of 170 °C. The response and recovery times were determined to be 30 and 20 s, respectively.

The Effects of Strain on the Electrical Properties of Thin Evaporated Films of Semiconductor Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Steel, G. G.

1970-01-01

Reports on project intended to establish how electrical resistance, Hall voltage, and magnetoresistance change when a thin film specimen is subjected to mechanical strain. Found resistance of semiconducting film of indium arsenide and indium antimonide decreases with tension and increases with compression. (LS)

Strain-based control of crystal anisotropy for perovskite oxides on semiconductor-based material

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney Allen; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A crystalline structure and a semiconductor device includes a substrate of a semiconductor-based material and a thin film of an anisotropic crystalline material epitaxially arranged upon the surface of the substrate so that the thin film couples to the underlying substrate and so that the geometries of substantially all of the unit cells of the thin film are arranged in a predisposed orientation relative to the substrate surface. The predisposition of the geometries of the unit cells of the thin film is responsible for a predisposed orientation of a directional-dependent quality, such as the dipole moment, of the unit cells. The predisposed orientation of the unit cell geometries are influenced by either a stressed or strained condition of the lattice at the interface between the thin film material and the substrate surface.

Relationships among surface processing at the nanometer scale, nanostructure and optical properties of thin oxide films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Losurdo, Maria

2004-05-01

Spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to study the optical properties of nanostructured semiconductor oxide thin films. Various examples of models for the dielectric function, based on Lorentzian oscillators combined with the Drude model, are given based on the band structure of the analyzed oxide. With this approach, the optical properties of thin films are determined independent of the dielectric functions of the corresponding bulk materials, and correlation between the optical properties and nanostructure of thin films is investigated. In particular, in order to discuss the dependence of optical constants on grain size, CeO{sub 2} nanostructured films are considered and parameterized by two-Lorentzian oscillators or two-Tauc-Lorentz model depending on the nanostructure and oxygen deficiency. The correlation among anisotropy, crystalline fraction and optical properties parameterized by a four-Lorentz oscillator model is discussed for nanocrystalline V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films. Indium tin oxide thin films are discussed as an example of the presence of graded optical properties related to interfacial reactivity activated by processing conditions. Finally, the example of ZnO shows the potential of ellipsometry in discerning crystal and epitaxial film polarity through the analysis of spectra and the detection of surface reactivity of the two polar faces, i.e. Zn-polarity and O-polarity.

Recent advances in ZnO nanostructures and thin films for biosensor applications: Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arya, Sunil K.; Saha, Shibu; Ramirez-Vick, Jaime E.; Gupta, Vinay; Bhansali, Shekhar; Singh, Surinder P.

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO nanostructures have shown binding of biomolecules in desired orientation with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, their compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes them suitable candidate for future small integrated biosensor devices. This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films, and their applications in biosensor technology. Highlights: ► This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films. ► Article highlights the importance of ZnO nanostructures as biosensor matrix. ► Article highlights the advances in various biosensors based on ZnO nanostructures. ► Article describes the potential of ZnO based biosensor for new generation healthcare devices. - Abstract: Biosensors have shown great potential for health care and environmental monitoring. The performance of biosensors depends on their components, among which the matrix material, i.e., the layer between the recognition layer of biomolecule and transducer, plays a crucial role in defining the stability, sensitivity and shelf-life of a biosensor. Recently, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures and thin films have attracted much interest as materials for biosensors due to their biocompatibility, chemical stability, high isoelectric point, electrochemical activity, high electron mobility, ease of synthesis by diverse methods and high surface-to-volume ratio. ZnO nanostructures have shown the binding of biomolecules in desired orientations with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes ZnO nanostructures suitable candidate for future small integrated biosensor devices. This review

Recent advances in ZnO nanostructures and thin films for biosensor applications: Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arya, Sunil K., E-mail: sunilarya333@gmail.com [Bioelectronics Program, Institute of Microelectronics, A-Star 11 Science Park Road, Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117685 (Singapore); Saha, Shibu [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Ramirez-Vick, Jaime E. [Engineering Science and Materials Department, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR 00681 (United States); Gupta, Vinay [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Bhansali, Shekhar [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL (United States); Singh, Surinder P., E-mail: singh.uprm@gmail.com [National Physical Laboratory, Dr K.S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110012 (India)

2012-08-06

Graphical abstract: ZnO nanostructures have shown binding of biomolecules in desired orientation with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, their compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes them suitable candidate for future small integrated biosensor devices. This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films, and their applications in biosensor technology. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Article highlights the importance of ZnO nanostructures as biosensor matrix. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Article highlights the advances in various biosensors based on ZnO nanostructures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Article describes the potential of ZnO based biosensor for new generation healthcare devices. - Abstract: Biosensors have shown great potential for health care and environmental monitoring. The performance of biosensors depends on their components, among which the matrix material, i.e., the layer between the recognition layer of biomolecule and transducer, plays a crucial role in defining the stability, sensitivity and shelf-life of a biosensor. Recently, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures and thin films have attracted much interest as materials for biosensors due to their biocompatibility, chemical stability, high isoelectric point, electrochemical activity, high electron mobility, ease of synthesis by diverse methods and high surface-to-volume ratio. ZnO nanostructures have shown the binding of biomolecules in desired orientations with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes Zn

Oxide thin films for spintronics application growth and characterization

OpenAIRE

Popovici, Nicoleta, 1973-

2009-01-01

Tese de doutoramento, Física (Física), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2009 During my PhD research I have synthesized thin films of a material known as a diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. This material is envisioned to be of importance in the emerging field of spintronics where both the charge and the spin of the carriers can be combined to yield unique functionalities. It was envisaged that if spin polarized charge carri...

Spin Speed and Duration Dependence of TiO2 Thin Films pH Sensing Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad AlHadi Zulkefle

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Titanium dioxide (TiO2 thin films were applied as the sensing membrane of an extended-gate field-effect transistor (EGFET pH sensor. TiO2 thin films were deposited by spin coating method and the influences of the spin speed and spin duration on the pH sensing behavior of TiO2 thin films were investigated. The spin coated TiO2 thin films were connected to commercial metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET to form the extended gates and the MOSFET was integrated in a readout interfacing circuit to complete the EGFET pH sensor system. For the spin speed parameter investigation, the highest sensitivity was obtained for the sample spun at 3000 rpm at a fixed spinning time of 60 s, which was 60.3 mV/pH. The sensitivity was further improved to achieve 68 mV/pH with good linearity of 0.9943 when the spin time was 75 s at the speed of 3000 rpm.

Electronic grain boundary properties in polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se2 semiconductors for thin film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baier, Robert

2012-01-01

Solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGSe) thin film absorbers reach the highest energy conversion efficiency among all thin film solar cells. The record efficiency is at least partly attributed to benign electronic properties of grain boundaries (GBs) in the CIGSe layers. However, despite a high amount of research on this phenomenon the underlying physics is not sufficiently understood. This thesis presents an elaborate study on the electronic properties of GBs in CIGSe thin films. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) was employed to investigate the electronic properties of GBs in dependence of the Ga-content. Five CIGSe thin lms with various Ga-contents were grown by means of similar three stage co-evaporation processes. Both as grown as well as chemically treated (KCN etched) thin films were analyzed. The chemical treatment was employed to remove surface oxides. No difference in electronic GB properties was found with or without the chemical treatment. Therefore, we conclude that a moderate surface oxidation does not alter the electronic properties of GBs. In general, one can observe significant variations of electronic potential barriers at GBs. Under consideration of the averaging effect of the work function signal of nanoscale potential distributions in KPFM measurements which was quantified in the course of this thesis both positive and negative potential barriers in a range between ∼-350 mV and ∼+450 mV were detected. Additionally, variations in the defect densities at GBs between ∼3.1 x 10 11 cm -2 and ∼2.1 x 10 12 cm -2 were found. However, no correlation between the electronic properties of GBs and the Ga-content of CIGSe thin films was discovered. Consequently, one cannot explain the drop in device efficiency observed for CIGSe thin film solar cells with a high Ga-content by a change of the electronic properties of GBs. Combined KPFM and electron backscatter diffraction measurements were employed for the first time on CIGSe thin

TiO 2 Thin Films Prepared via Adsorptive Self-Assembly for Self-Cleaning Applications

KAUST Repository

Xi, Baojuan

2012-02-22

Low-cost controllable solution-based processes for preparation of titanium oxide (TiO 2) thin films are highly desirable, because of many important applications of this oxide in catalytic decomposition of volatile organic compounds, advanced oxidation processes for wastewater and bactericidal treatments, self-cleaning window glass for green intelligent buildings, dye-sensitized solar cells, solid-state semiconductor metal-oxide solar cells, self-cleaning glass for photovoltaic devices, and general heterogeneous photocatalysis for fine chemicals etc. In this work, we develop a solution-based adsorptive self-assembly approach to fabricate anatase TiO 2 thin films on different glass substrates such as simple plane glass and patterned glass at variable compositions (normal soda lime glass or solar-grade borofloat glass). By tuning the number of process cycles (i.e., adsorption-then-heating) of TiO 2 colloidal suspension, we could facilely prepare large-area TiO 2 films at a desired thickness and with uniform crystallite morphology. Moreover, our as-prepared nanostructured TiO 2 thin films on glass substrates do not cause deterioration in optical transmission of glass; instead, they improve optical performance of commercial solar cells over a wide range of incident angles of light. Our as-prepared anatase TiO 2 thin films also display superhydrophilicity and excellent photocatalytic activity for self-cleaning application. For example, our investigation of photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange indicates that these thin films are indeed highly effective, in comparison to other commercial TiO 2 thin films under identical testing conditions. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

In situ characterization of the film coverage and the charge transport in the alkylated-organic thin film transistor

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Takeshi; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Kikuchi, Mamoru; Muraoka, Hiroki; Ogawa, Satoshi; Yoshimoto, Noriyuki; Hirosawa, Ichiro

2018-03-01

We propose an in situ experimental method of investigating the correlations of the film coverage of the organic semiconductor layers and charge transport properties of organic thin film transistors during vacuum deposition. The coverage of each monolayer was estimated using the intensity of off-specular diffuse scattering and diffraction. Experimental data were obtained from the in situ measurements of two-dimensional grazing incidence X-ray scattering and charge transport. The source-drain current increased over the film coverage of the first monolayer (= 0.48). This is in agreement with the critical percolation coverage, indicating that the conductivities of the first and second monolayers are different.

Finite Element Analysis of Film Stack Architecture for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Image Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kuo-Tsai; Hwang, Sheng-Jye; Lee, Huei-Huang

2017-05-02

Image sensors are the core components of computer, communication, and consumer electronic products. Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors have become the mainstay of image-sensing developments, but are prone to leakage current. In this study, we simulate the CMOS image sensor (CIS) film stacking process by finite element analysis. To elucidate the relationship between the leakage current and stack architecture, we compare the simulated and measured leakage currents in the elements. Based on the analysis results, we further improve the performance by optimizing the architecture of the film stacks or changing the thin-film material. The material parameters are then corrected to improve the accuracy of the simulation results. The simulated and experimental results confirm a positive correlation between measured leakage current and stress. This trend is attributed to the structural defects induced by high stress, which generate leakage. Using this relationship, we can change the structure of the thin-film stack to reduce the leakage current and thereby improve the component life and reliability of the CIS components.

Control method and system for use when growing thin-films on semiconductor-based materials

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick J.

2001-01-01

A process and system for use during the growth of a thin film upon the surface of a substrate by exposing the substrate surface to vaporized material in a high vacuum (HV) facility involves the directing of an electron beam generally toward the surface of the substrate as the substrate is exposed to vaporized material so that electrons are diffracted from the substrate surface by the beam and the monitoring of the pattern of electrons diffracted from the substrate surface as vaporized material settles upon the substrate surface. When the monitored pattern achieves a condition indicative of the desired condition of the thin film being grown upon the substrate, the exposure of the substrate to the vaporized materials is shut off or otherwise adjusted. To facilitate the adjustment of the crystallographic orientation of the film relative to the electron beam, the system includes a mechanism for altering the orientation of the surface of the substrate relative to the electron beam.

Biocompatibility of Hydrogen-Diluted Amorphous Silicon Carbide Thin Films for Artificial Heart Valve Coating

Science.gov (United States)

Rizal, Umesh; Swain, Bhabani S.; Rameshbabu, N.; Swain, Bibhu P.

2018-01-01

Amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) thin films were synthesized using trichloromethylsilane by a hot wire chemical vapor deposition process. The deposited films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to confirm its chemical bonding, structural network and composition of the a-SiC:H films. The optical microscopy images reveal that hydrogen dilution increased the surface roughness and pore density of a-SiC:H thin film. The Raman spectroscopy and FTIR spectra reveal chemical network consisting of Si-Si, C-C and Si-C bonds, respectively. The XRD spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy indicate a-SiC:H still has short-range order. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity test ensures the behavior of cell-semiconductor hybrid to monitor the proper coordination. The live-dead assays and MTT assay reveal an increase in green nucleus cell, and cell viability is greater than 88%, respectively, showing non-toxic nature of prepared a-SiC:H film. Moreover, the result indicated by direct contact assay, and cell prefers to adhere and proliferate on a-SiC:H thin films having a positive effect as artificial heart valve coating material.

DC magnetron sputtering prepared Ag-C thin film anode for thin film lithium ion microbatteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.; Tu, J.P.; Shi, D.Q.; Huang, X.H.; Wu, H.M.; Yuan, Y.F.; Zhao, X.B.

2007-01-01

An Ag-C thin film was prepared by DC magnetron co-sputtering, using pure silver and graphite as the targets. The microstructure and morphology of the deposited thin film were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrochemical performances of the Ag-C thin film anode were investigated by means of discharge/charge and cyclic voltammogram (CV) tests in model cells. The electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) characteristics and the chemical diffusion coefficient, D Li of the Ag-C thin film electrode at different discharging states were discussed. It was believed that the excellent cycling performance of the Ag-C electrode was ascribed to the good conductivity of silver and the volume stability of the thin film

Organic conductive films for semiconductor electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Arthur J.

1984-01-01

According to the present invention, improved electrodes overcoated with conductive polymer films and preselected catalysts are provided. The electrodes typically comprise an inorganic semiconductor overcoated with a charge conductive polymer film comprising a charge conductive polymer in or on which is a catalyst or charge-relaying agent.

CaTiO.sub.3 Interfacial template structure on semiconductor-based material and the growth of electroceramic thin-films in the perovskite class

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney Allen; Walker, Frederick Joseph

1998-01-01

A structure including a film of a desired perovskite oxide which overlies and is fully commensurate with the material surface of a semiconductor-based substrate and an associated process for constructing the structure involves the build up of an interfacial template film of perovskite between the material surface and the desired perovskite film. The lattice parameters of the material surface and the perovskite of the template film are taken into account so that during the growth of the perovskite template film upon the material surface, the orientation of the perovskite of the template is rotated 45.degree. with respect to the orientation of the underlying material surface and thereby effects a transition in the lattice structure from fcc (of the semiconductor-based material) to the simple cubic lattice structure of perovskite while the fully commensurate periodicity between the perovskite template film and the underlying material surface is maintained. The film-growth techniques of the invention can be used to fabricate solid state electrical components wherein a perovskite film is built up upon a semiconductor-based material and the perovskite film is adapted to exhibit ferroelectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, electro-optic or large dielectric properties during use of the component.

Thin film metal-oxides

CERN Document Server

Ramanathan, Shriram

2009-01-01

Presents an account of the fundamental structure-property relations in oxide thin films. This title discusses the functional properties of thin film oxides in the context of applications in the electronics and renewable energy technologies.

Thin-film encapsulation of organic electronic devices based on vacuum evaporated lithium fluoride as protective buffer layer

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yingquan; Ding, Sihan; Wen, Zhanwei; Xu, Sunan; Lv, Wenli; Xu, Ziqiang; Yang, Yuhuan; Wang, Ying; Wei, Yi; Tang, Ying

2017-03-01

Encapsulation is indispensable for organic thin-film electronic devices to ensure reliable operation and long-term stability. For thin-film encapsulating organic electronic devices, insulating polymers and inorganic metal oxides thin films are widely used. However, spin-coating of insulating polymers directly on organic electronic devices may destroy or introduce unwanted impurities in the underlying organic active layers. And also, sputtering of inorganic metal oxides may damage the underlying organic semiconductors. Here, we demonstrated that by utilizing vacuum evaporated lithium fluoride (LiF) as protective buffer layer, spin-coated insulating polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and sputtered inorganic material Er2O3, can be successfully applied for thin film encapsulation of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)-based organic diodes. By encapsulating with LiF/PVA/LiF trilayer and LiF/Er2O3 bilayer films, the device lifetime improvements of 10 and 15 times can be achieved. These methods should be applicable for thin-film encapsulation of all kinds of organic electronic devices. Moisture-induced hole trapping, and Al top electrode oxidation are suggest to be the origins of current decay for the LiF/PVA/LiF trilayer and LiF/Er2O3 bilayer films encapsulated devices, respectively.

Fabrication and characteristics of magnetic field sensors based on nano-polysilicon thin-film transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Xiaofeng; Wen Dianzhong; Zhuang Cuicui; Cao Jingya; Wang Zhiqiang

2013-01-01

A magnetic field sensor based on nano-polysilicon thin films transistors (TFTs) with Hall probes is proposed. The magnetic field sensors are fabricated on 〈100〉 orientation high resistivity (ρ > 500 Ω·cm) silicon substrates by using CMOS technology, which adopt nano-polysilicon thin films with thicknesses of 90 nm and heterojunction interfaces between the nano-polysilicon thin films and the high resistivity silicon substrates as the sensing layers. The experimental results show that when V DS = 5.0 V, the magnetic sensitivities of magnetic field sensors based on nano-polysilicon TFTs with length—width ratios of 160 μm/80 μm, 320 μm/80 μm and 480 μm/80 μm are 78 mV/T, 55 mV/T and 34 mV/T, respectively. Under the same conditions, the magnetic sensitivity of the obtained magnetic field sensor is significantly improved in comparison with a Hall magnetic field sensor adopting silicon as the sensing layers. (semiconductor technology)

X-ray radiation damage of organic semiconductor thin films during grazing incidence diffraction experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neuhold, A., E-mail: alfred.neuhold@tugraz.at [Institute of Solid State Physics, Graz University of Technology, Graz (Austria); Novak, J.; Flesch, H.-G.; Moser, A.; Djuric, T. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Graz University of Technology, Graz (Austria); Grodd, L.; Grigorian, S.; Pietsch, U. [Institute of Physics, University Siegen (Germany); Resel, R. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Graz University of Technology, Graz (Austria)

2012-08-01

Since modern synchrotrons with highly intense X-ray beams are in use to investigate organic materials, the stability of soft matter materials during beam exposure is a crucial issue. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and specular X-ray reflectivity measurements were performed on thin films of organic semiconducting materials, like poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), sexithiophene and pentacene. These films were irradiated with an average flux density between 10{sup 15} and 10{sup 16} photons/(s mm{sup 2}) and evidenced a different stability in synchrotron X-ray radiation. The semi-crystalline P3HT showed a clear intensity decrease of the 1 0 0 Bragg peak and 0 2 0 Bragg peak compared to the rather stable diffraction features of the molecular crystals sexithiophene and pentacene. The difference in synchrotron X-ray radiation stability is explained by the interaction of the X-ray beam with the individual chemical components in the molecules as well as by the different crystallinities of the materials. Furthermore, the semi-crystalline P3HT film exhibited an increase of film thickness after irradiation and the surface roughness slightly decreased. To summarize, this study shows a strong influence of synchrotron X-ray radiation to specific organic thin films like e.g. P3HT, while others like pentacene and sexithiophene are observed as quite stable.

Annealing temperature effect on electrical properties of MEH-PPV thin film via spin coating method

Science.gov (United States)

Azhar, N. E. A.; Shariffudin, S. S.; Alrokayan, Salman A. H.; Khan, Haseeb A.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

Organic semiconductor has been discovered in different application devices such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Poly [2-methoxy-5(2' -ethylhexyloxy)-1, 4-phenylenevinylene), MEH-PPV widely used in this device because its ability to produce a good optical quality films. The MEH-PPV was prepared on glass substrate by spin coating method. The thin film was investigated at different annealing temperatures. The scanning electron micrographs (SEM) revealed that sample annealed at 50°C showed uniformity and less aggregation on morphology polymer thin film. Optical properties showed the intensities of visible emission increased as temperatures increased. The current-voltage (I-V) measurement revealed that the temperature of 50°C showed high conductive and it is suitable for optoelectronic device.

Fully transparent conformal organic thin-film transistor array and its application as LED front driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Nan; Ren, Hang; Tang, Qingxin; Zhao, Xiaoli; Tong, Yanhong; Hu, Wenping; Liu, Yichun

2018-02-22

A fully transparent conformal organic thin-film field-effect transistor array is demonstrated based on a photolithography-compatible ultrathin metallic grid gate electrode and a solution-processed C 8 -BTBT film. The resulting organic field-effect transistor array exhibits a high optical transparency of >80% over the visible spectrum, mobility up to 2 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , on/off ratio of 10 5 -10 6 , switching current of >0.1 mA, and excellent light stability. The transparent conformal transistor array is demonstrated to adhere well to flat and curved LEDs as front driving. These results present promising applications of the solution-processed wide-bandgap organic semiconductor thin films in future large-scale transparent conformal active-matrix displays.

Thin films and nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayakumar, S.; Kannan, M.D.; Prasanna, S.

2012-01-01

The objective of this book is to disseminate the most recent research in Thin Films, Nanomaterials, Corrosion and Metallurgy presented at the International Conference on Advanced Materials (ICAM 2011) held in PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India during 12-16 December 2011. The book is a compilation of 113 chapters written by active researchers providing information and critical insights into the recent advancements that have taken place. Important new applications are possible today in the fields of microelectronics, opto-electronics, metallurgy and energy by the application of thin films on solid surfaces. Recent progress in high vacuum technology and new materials has a remarkable effect in thin film quality and cost. This has led to the development of new single or multi-layered thin film devices with diverse applications in a multitude of production areas, such as optics, thermal barrier coatings and wear protections, enhancing service life of tools and to protect materials against thermal and atmospheric influence. On the other hand, thin film process techniques and research are strongly related to the basic research activities in nano technology, an increasingly important field with countless opportunities for applications due to the emergence of new properties at the nanoscale level. Materials and structures that are designed and fabricated at the nano scale level, offer the potential to produce new devices and processes that may enhance efficiencies and reduce costs in many areas, as photovoltaic systems, hydrogen storage, fuel cells and solar thermal systems. In the book, the contributed papers are classified under two sections i) thin films and ii) nanomaterials. The thin film section includes single or multi layer conducting, insulating or semiconducting films synthesized by a wide variety of physical or chemical techniques and characterized or analyzed for different applications. The nanomaterials section deals with novel or exciting materials

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

Fiscal 1974 Sunshine Project result report. R and D on photovoltaic power generation system (R and D on particle non-accelerating growth Si thin film crystal); 1974 nendo taiyoko hatsuden system no kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Ryushi hikasoku seichogata silicon usumaku kessho no kenkyu kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1975-05-28

This research aims at development of the technology for producing photovoltaic power generation systems at a cost less than 1/100 of those by current technology. In fiscal 1974, basic study was made on formation technology of particle non-accelerating growth Si thin film crystals. In addition, evaluation was made on formed thin film crystal characteristics, and studies were also made on junction formation for thin film crystals, and on thin film formation and junction formation for indium phosphide compound semiconductor thin films. The research includes (1) study on formation technology for particle non-accelerating growth Si thin film crystals, (2) evaluation on Si thin film crystals, (3) study on junction formation technology for Si thin film crystals, and (4) study on indium phosphide compound semiconductors. Evaluations were made on thin film formation technology by CVD, and on crystallographical and electrical characteristics of the formed thin films. The evaluation results clarified the compatibility between substrates and Si thin films, the formation condition of columnar structure films, and the effect of growth conditions on a carrier density or mobility. (NEDO)

Atomic layer deposition: an enabling technology for the growth of functional nanoscale semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Biyikli, Necmi; Haider, Ali

2017-09-01

In this paper, we present the progress in the growth of nanoscale semiconductors grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD). After the adoption by semiconductor chip industry, ALD became a widespread tool to grow functional films and conformal ultra-thin coatings for various applications. Based on self-limiting and ligand-exchange-based surface reactions, ALD enabled the low-temperature growth of nanoscale dielectric, metal, and semiconductor materials. Being able to deposit wafer-scale uniform semiconductor films at relatively low-temperatures, with sub-monolayer thickness control and ultimate conformality, makes ALD attractive for semiconductor device applications. Towards this end, precursors and low-temperature growth recipes are developed to deposit crystalline thin films for compound and elemental semiconductors. Conventional thermal ALD as well as plasma-assisted and radical-enhanced techniques have been exploited to achieve device-compatible film quality. Metal-oxides, III-nitrides, sulfides, and selenides are among the most popular semiconductor material families studied via ALD technology. Besides thin films, ALD can grow nanostructured semiconductors as well using either template-assisted growth methods or bottom-up controlled nucleation mechanisms. Among the demonstrated semiconductor nanostructures are nanoparticles, nano/quantum-dots, nanowires, nanotubes, nanofibers, nanopillars, hollow and core-shell versions of the afore-mentioned nanostructures, and 2D materials including transition metal dichalcogenides and graphene. ALD-grown nanoscale semiconductor materials find applications in a vast amount of applications including functional coatings, catalysis and photocatalysis, renewable energy conversion and storage, chemical sensing, opto-electronics, and flexible electronics. In this review, we give an overview of the current state-of-the-art in ALD-based nanoscale semiconductor research including the already demonstrated and future applications.

Optical properties of organic semiconductor thin films. Static spectra and real-time growth studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heinemeyer, Ute

2009-07-20

The aim of this work was to establish the anisotropic dielectric function of organic thin films on silicon covered with native oxide and to study their optical properties during film growth. While the work focuses mainly on the optical properties of Diindenoperylene (DIP) films, also the optical response of Pentacene (PEN) films during growth is studied for comparison. Spectroscopic ellipsometry and differential reflectance spectroscopy are used to determine the dielectric function of the films ex-situ and in-situ, i.e. in air and in ultrahigh vacuum. Additionally, Raman- and fluorescence spectroscopy is utilized to characterize the DIP films serving also as a basis for spatially resolved optical measurements beyond the diffraction limit. Furthermore, X-ray reflectometry and atomic force microscopy are used to determine important structural and morphological film properties. The absorption spectrum of DIP in solution serves as a monomer reference. The observed vibronic progression of the HOMO-LUMO transition allows the determination of the Huang-Rhys parameter experimentally, which is a measure of the electronic vibrational coupling. The corresponding breathing modes are measured by Raman spectroscopy. The optical properties of DIP films on native oxide show significant differences compared to the monomer spectrum due to intermolecular interactions. First of all, the thin film spectra are highly anisotropic due to the structural order of the films. Furthermore the Frenkel exciton transfer is studied and the energy difference between Frenkel and charge transfer excitons is determined. Real-time measurements reveal optical differences between interfacial or surface molecules and bulk molecules that play an important role for device applications. They are not only performed for DIP films but also for PEN films. While for DIP films on glass the appearance of a new mode is visible, the spectra of PEN show a pronounced energy red-shift during growth. It is shown how the

Metal-semiconductor transition at a comparable resistivity level and positive magnetoresistance in Mn3Mn1-x Pd x N thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, T.; Ji, G. P.; Cao, Z. X.; Ji, A. L.

2018-02-01

Thin films of antiperovskite Mn3Mn1-x Pd x N with x up to 0.36 were grown by reactive magnetron co-sputtering method. All the deposits exhibit a [1 0 0] preferential orientation, with the lattice constant slightly enlarged in samples with ever more Pd atoms partially substituting the MnI atoms in Mn3MnN matrix. The replacement of MnI atoms in antiperovskite structure by Pd atoms, besides reducing the saturation magnetization, also invokes a metal-semiconductor transition which occurs remarkably at a comparable resistivity level. Moreover, a positive magnetoresistance was observed in samples of a high Pd content. These tunable electrical and magnetic properties of ternary antiperovskite compounds might promise some ingenious applications in electronic industry.

Reliability assessment of ultra-thin HfO2 films deposited on silicon wafer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Wei-En; Chang, Chia-Wei; Chang, Yong-Qing; Yao, Chih-Kai; Liao, Jiunn-Der

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Nano-mechanical properties on annealed ultra-thin HfO 2 film are studied. ► By AFM analysis, hardness of the crystallized HfO 2 film significantly increases. ► By nano-indention, the film hardness increases with less contact stiffness. ► Quality assessment on the annealed ultra-thin films can thus be achieved. - Abstract: Ultra-thin hafnium dioxide (HfO 2 ) is used to replace silicon dioxide to meet the required transistor feature size in advanced semiconductor industry. The process integration compatibility and long-term reliability for the transistors depend on the mechanical performance of ultra-thin HfO 2 films. The criteria of reliability including wear resistance, thermal fatigue, and stress-driven failure rely on film adhesion significantly. The adhesion and variations in mechanical properties induced by thermal annealing of the ultra-thin HfO 2 films deposited on silicon wafers (HfO 2 /SiO 2 /Si) are not fully understood. In this work, the mechanical properties of an atomic layer deposited HfO 2 (nominal thickness ≈10 nm) on a silicon wafer were characterized by the diamond-coated tip of an atomic force microscope and compared with those of annealed samples. The results indicate that the annealing process leads to the formation of crystallized HfO 2 phases for the atomic layer deposited HfO 2 . The HfSi x O y complex formed at the interface between HfO 2 and SiO 2 /Si, where the thermal diffusion of Hf, Si, and O atoms occurred. The annealing process increases the surface hardness of crystallized HfO 2 film and therefore the resistance to nano-scratches. In addition, the annealing process significantly decreases the harmonic contact stiffness (or thereafter eliminate the stress at the interface) and increases the nano-hardness, as measured by vertically sensitive nano-indentation. Quality assessments on as-deposited and annealed HfO 2 films can be thereafter used to estimate the mechanical properties and adhesion of ultra-thin HfO 2

Fabrication of high crystalline SnS and SnS2 thin films, and their switching device characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hyeongsu; Lee, Jeongsu; Shin, Seokyoon; Lee, Juhyun; Lee, Seungjin; Park, Hyunwoo; Kwon, Sejin; Lee, Namgue; Bang, Minwook; Lee, Seung-Beck; Jeon, Hyeongtag

2018-05-01

Representative tin sulfide compounds, tin monosulfide (SnS) and tin disulfide (SnS2) are strong candidates for future nanoelectronic devices, based on non-toxicity, low cost, unique structures and optoelectronic properties. However, it is insufficient for synthesizing of tin sulfide thin films using vapor phase deposition method which is capable of fabricating reproducible device and securing high quality films, and their device characteristics. In this study, we obtained highly crystalline SnS thin films by atomic layer deposition and obtained highly crystalline SnS2 thin films by phase transition of the SnS thin films. The SnS thin film was transformed into SnS2 thin film by annealing at 450 °C for 1 h in H2S atmosphere. This phase transition was confirmed by x-ray diffractometer and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and we studied the cause of the phase transition. We then compared the film characteristics of these two tin sulfide thin films and their switching device characteristics. SnS and SnS2 thin films had optical bandgaps of 1.35 and 2.70 eV, and absorption coefficients of about 105 and 104 cm‑1 in the visible region, respectively. In addition, SnS and SnS2 thin films exhibited p-type and n-type semiconductor characteristics. In the images of high resolution-transmission electron microscopy, SnS and SnS2 directly showed a highly crystalline orthorhombic and hexagonal layered structure. The field effect transistors of SnS and SnS2 thin films exhibited on–off drain current ratios of 8.8 and 2.1 × 103 and mobilities of 0.21 and 0.014 cm2 V‑1 s‑1, respectively. This difference in switching device characteristics mainly depends on the carrier concentration because it contributes to off-state conductance and mobility. The major carrier concentrations of the SnS and SnS2 thin films were 6.0 × 1016 and 8.7 × 1013 cm‑3, respectively, in this experiment.

Fabrication of SrGe2 thin films on Ge (100), (110), and (111) substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Imajo, T.; Toko, K.; Takabe, R.; Saitoh, N.; Yoshizawa, N.; Suemasu, T.

2018-01-01

Semiconductor strontium digermanide (SrGe2) has a large absorption coefficient in the near-infrared light region and is expected to be useful for multijunction solar cells. This study firstly demonstrates the formation of SrGe2 thin films via a reactive deposition epitaxy on Ge substrates. The growth morphology of SrGe2 dramatically changed depending on the growth temperature (300-700 °C) and the crystal orientation of the Ge substrate. We succeeded in obtaining single-oriented SrGe2 using a Ge (110) substrate at 500 °C. Development on Si or glass substrates will lead to the application of SrGe2 to high-efficiency thin-film solar cells.

Spray Chemical Vapor Deposition of CulnS2 Thin Films for Application in Solar Cell Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Hollingsworth, Jennifer A.; Buhro, William E.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Jenkins. Philip P.; Stan, Mark A.

1998-01-01

Chalcopyrite CuInS2 is a direct band gap semiconductor (1.5 eV) that has potential applications in photovoltaic thin film and photoelectrochemical devices. We have successfully employed spray chemical vapor deposition using the previously known, single-source, metalorganic precursor, (Ph3P)2CuIn(SEt)4, to deposit CuInS2 thin films. Stoichiometric, polycrystalline films were deposited onto fused silica over a range of temperatures (300-400 C). Morphology was observed to vary with temperature: spheroidal features were obtained at lower temperatures and angular features at 400 C. At even higher temperatures (500 C), a Cu-deficient phase, CuIn5S8, was obtained as a single phase. The CuInS2 films were determined to have a direct band gap of ca. 1.4 eV.

Adsorption smoke detector made of thin-film metal-oxide semiconductor sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamian, A.Z.; Adamian, Z.N.; Aroutiounian, V.M.

2001-01-01

Based on results of investigations of the thin-film smoke sensors made of Bi 2 O 3 , irresponsive to a change in relative humidity of the environment, an absorption smoke detector processing circuit, where investigated sensor is used as a sensitive element, is proposed. It is shown that such smoke detector is able to function reliably under conditions of high relative humidity of the environment (up to 100%) and it considerably exceeds the known smoke detectors by the sensitivity threshold

Adsorption smoke detector made of thin-film metal-oxide semiconductor sensor

CERN Document Server

Adamian, A Z; Aroutiounian, V M

2001-01-01

Based on results of investigations of the thin-film smoke sensors made of Bi sub 2 O sub 3 , irresponsive to a change in relative humidity of the environment, an absorption smoke detector processing circuit, where investigated sensor is used as a sensitive element, is proposed. It is shown that such smoke detector is able to function reliably under conditions of high relative humidity of the environment (up to 100%) and it considerably exceeds the known smoke detectors by the sensitivity threshold.

Sputtered highly oriented PZT thin films for MEMS applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kalpat, Sriram S.

Recently there has been an explosion of interest in the field of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). MEMS device technology has become critical in the growth of various fields like medical, automotive, chemical, and space technology. Among the many applications of ferroelectric thin films in MEMS devices, microfluidics is a field that has drawn considerable amount of research from bio-technology industries as well as chemical and semiconductor manufacturing industries. PZT thin films have been identified as best suited materials for micro-actuators and micro-sensors used in MEMS devices. A promising application for piezoelectric thin film based MEMS devices is disposable drug delivery systems that are capable of sensing biological parameters, mixing and delivering minute and precise amounts of drugs using micro-pumps or micro mixers. These devices call for low driving voltages, so that they can be battery operated. Improving the performance of the actuator material is critical in achieving battery operated disposal drug delivery systems. The device geometry and power consumption in MEMS devices largely depends upon the piezoelectric constant of the films, since they are most commonly used to convert electrical energy into a mechanical response of a membrane or cantilever and vice versa. Phenomenological calculation on the crystal orientation dependence of piezoelectric coefficients for PZT single crystal have reported a significant enhancement of the piezoelectric d33 constant by more than 3 times along [001] in the rhombohedral phase as compared to the conventionally used orientation PZT(111) since [111] is the along the spontaneous polarization direction. This could mean considerable improvement in the MEMS device performance and help drive the operating voltages lower. The motivation of this study is to investigate the crystal orientation dependence of both dielectric and piezoelectric coefficients of PZT thin films in order to select the appropriate

Ambipolar SnOx thin-film transistors achieved at high sputtering power

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yunpeng; Yang, Jia; Qu, Yunxiu; Zhang, Jiawei; Zhou, Li; Yang, Zaixing; Lin, Zhaojun; Wang, Qingpu; Song, Aimin; Xin, Qian

2018-04-01

SnO is the only oxide semiconductor to date that has exhibited ambipolar behavior in thin-film transistors (TFTs). In this work, ambipolar behavior was observed in SnOx TFTs fabricated at a high sputtering power of 200 W and post-annealed at 150-250 °C in ambient air. X-ray-diffraction patterns showed polycrystallisation of SnO and Sn in the annealed SnOx films. Scanning-electron-microscopy images revealed that microgrooves appeared after the films were annealed. Clusters subsequently segregated along the microgrooves, and our experiments suggest that they were most likely Sn clusters. Atomic force microscopy images indicate an abrupt increase in film roughness due to the cluster segregations. An important implication of this work is that excess Sn in the film, which has generally been thought to be detrimental to the film quality, may promote the ambipolar conduction when it is segregated from the film to enhance the stoichiometric balance.

Nonlinear Transport in Organic Thin Film Transistors with Soluble Small Molecule Semiconductor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyeok; Song, Dong-Seok; Kwon, Jin-Hyuk; Jung, Ji-Hoon; Kim, Do-Kyung; Kim, SeonMin; Kang, In Man; Park, Jonghoo; Tae, Heung-Sik; Battaglini, Nicolas; Lang, Philippe; Horowitz, Gilles; Bae, Jin-Hyuk

2016-03-01

Nonlinear transport is intensively explained through Poole-Frenkel (PF) transport mechanism in organic thin film transistors with solution-processed small molecules, which is, 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) (TIPS) pentacene. We outline a detailed electrical study that identifies the source to drain field dependent mobility. Devices with diverse channel lengths enable the extensive exhibition of field dependent mobility due to thermal activation of carriers among traps.

Thin film device applications

CERN Document Server

Kaur, Inderjeet

1983-01-01

Two-dimensional materials created ab initio by the process of condensation of atoms, molecules, or ions, called thin films, have unique properties significantly different from the corresponding bulk materials as a result of their physical dimensions, geometry, nonequilibrium microstructure, and metallurgy. Further, these characteristic features of thin films can be drasti­ cally modified and tailored to obtain the desired and required physical characteristics. These features form the basis of development of a host of extraordinary active and passive thin film device applications in the last two decades. On the one extreme, these applications are in the submicron dimensions in such areas as very large scale integration (VLSI), Josephson junction quantum interference devices, magnetic bubbles, and integrated optics. On the other extreme, large-area thin films are being used as selective coatings for solar thermal conversion, solar cells for photovoltaic conver­ sion, and protection and passivating layers. Ind...

Electronic grain boundary properties in polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} semiconductors for thin film solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baier, Robert

2012-06-25

Solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGSe) thin film absorbers reach the highest energy conversion efficiency among all thin film solar cells. The record efficiency is at least partly attributed to benign electronic properties of grain boundaries (GBs) in the CIGSe layers. However, despite a high amount of research on this phenomenon the underlying physics is not sufficiently understood. This thesis presents an elaborate study on the electronic properties of GBs in CIGSe thin films. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) was employed to investigate the electronic properties of GBs in dependence of the Ga-content. Five CIGSe thin lms with various Ga-contents were grown by means of similar three stage co-evaporation processes. Both as grown as well as chemically treated (KCN etched) thin films were analyzed. The chemical treatment was employed to remove surface oxides. No difference in electronic GB properties was found with or without the chemical treatment. Therefore, we conclude that a moderate surface oxidation does not alter the electronic properties of GBs. In general, one can observe significant variations of electronic potential barriers at GBs. Under consideration of the averaging effect of the work function signal of nanoscale potential distributions in KPFM measurements which was quantified in the course of this thesis both positive and negative potential barriers in a range between ∼-350 mV and ∼+450 mV were detected. Additionally, variations in the defect densities at GBs between ∼3.1 x 10{sup 11} cm{sup -2} and ∼2.1 x 10{sup 12} cm{sup -2} were found. However, no correlation between the electronic properties of GBs and the Ga-content of CIGSe thin films was discovered. Consequently, one cannot explain the drop in device efficiency observed for CIGSe thin film solar cells with a high Ga-content by a change of the electronic properties of GBs. Combined KPFM and electron backscatter diffraction measurements were employed for the

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)

Gasochromic performance of WO{sub 3}-nanorod thin films fabricated with an ArF excimer laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yaacob, M. H. [RMIT University, Melbourne (Australia); Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor (Malaysia); Ou, J. Z.; Wlodarski, W. [RMIT University, Melbourne (Australia); Kim, C. S.; Lee, J. Y. [KAIST, Daejon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Y. H. [KIST, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Oh, C. M.; Dhakal, K. P.; Kim, J. Y.; Kang, J. H. [University of Incheon, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-02-15

Thin films with tungsten trioxide (WO{sub 3}) nanorods were fabricated by using an ArF pulsed laser deposition system. Because the ArF excimer laser operates at a very short wavelength of 193 nm, short enough to expect strong absorption of the photons in the semiconductor oxide targets, and because the clusters incoming to the substrates have high momentum, we could build thin films with good surface morphology. Highly homogeneous arrays of nanorods with sizes mostly in the range of 30 - 40 nm were observed. The absorbance response towards hydrogen (H{sub 2}) gas was investigated for a WO{sub 3} film coated with 25-A-thick palladium (Pd). The Pd/WO{sub 3}-nanorod thin films exhibited excellent gasochromic response when measured in the visible-NIR range (400 - 1000 nm). As low as 0.06% H{sub 2} concentration was clearly sensed. A significant reversible absorbance change and fast recovery (<2 min) were observed when the films were exposed to H{sub 2} at different concentrations.

Biomimetic thin film synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Graff, G.L.; Campbell, A.A.; Gordon, N.R.

1995-05-01

The purpose of this program is to develop a new process for forming thin film coatings and to demonstrate that the biomimetic thin film technology developed at PNL is useful for industrial applications. In the biomimetic process, mineral deposition from aqueous solution is controlled by organic functional groups attached to the underlying substrate surface. The coatings process is simple, benign, inexpensive, energy efficient, and particularly suited for temperature sensitive substrate materials (such as polymers). In addition, biomimetic thin films can be deposited uniformly on complex shaped and porous substrates providing a unique capability over more traditional line-of-sight methods.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-01-18

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

A study on molybdenum sulphoselenide (MoSxSe2−x, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2) thin films: Growth from solution and its properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anand, T. Joseph Sahaya; Shariza, S.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Effect of deposition time on the properties of molybdenum chalcogenide thin films. ► First time to compare the study of binary and ternary molybdenum chalcogenides. ► No previous report on ternary molybdenum sulphoselenide by electrodeposition. ► Semiconducting parameters by CV analysis promising to be good solar cell material. - Abstract: Thin films of molybdenum sulphoselenide, MoS x Se 2−x , (0 ≤ x ≤ 2) have been electrosynthesized on indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-coated glass and stainless steel substrates. The films were characterized for their structural, morphological and compositional characteristics. Their optical and semiconducting parameters were also analysed in order to determine the suitability of the thin films for photoelectrochemical (PEC)/solar cell applications. Structural analysis via X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the films are polycrystalline in nature. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies reveals the films were adherent to the substrate with uniform in nature which also confirmed by Transmission electron microscope (TEM). Compositional analysis via energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) technique confirms the presence of Mo, S and Se elements in the films. The optical studies show that the films are of direct bandgap. Results on the semiconductor parameters analysis of the films showed that the nature of the Mott–Schottky plots indicates that the films obtained are of n-type material. For all films, the semiconductor parameter values come in the better range of other transition metal chalcogenides which has proven that MoSSe thin films are capable as solar/PEC cell materials.

Large-scale complementary macroelectronics using hybrid integration of carbon nanotubes and IGZO thin-film transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Haitian; Cao, Yu; Zhang, Jialu; Zhou, Chongwu

2014-06-13

Carbon nanotubes and metal oxide semiconductors have emerged as important materials for p-type and n-type thin-film transistors, respectively; however, realizing sophisticated macroelectronics operating in complementary mode has been challenging due to the difficulty in making n-type carbon nanotube transistors and p-type metal oxide transistors. Here we report a hybrid integration of p-type carbon nanotube and n-type indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors to achieve large-scale (>1,000 transistors for 501-stage ring oscillators) complementary macroelectronic circuits on both rigid and flexible substrates. This approach of hybrid integration allows us to combine the strength of p-type carbon nanotube and n-type indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors, and offers high device yield and low device variation. Based on this approach, we report the successful demonstration of various logic gates (inverter, NAND and NOR gates), ring oscillators (from 51 stages to 501 stages) and dynamic logic circuits (dynamic inverter, NAND and NOR gates).

Luminescence evolution of porous GaN thin films prepared via UV-assisted electrochemical etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheah, S.F.; Lee, S.C.; Ng, S.S.; Yam, F.K.; Abu Hassan, H.; Hassan, Z.

2015-01-01

Porous gallium nitride (GaN) thin films with different surface morphologies and free carriers properties were fabricated from Si-doped GaN thin films using ultra-violet assisted electrochemical etching approach under various etching voltages. Fluctuation of luminescence signals was observed in the photoluminescence spectra of porous GaN thin films. Taking advantage of the spectral sensitivity of infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy on semiconductor materials, roles of free carriers and porous structure in controlling luminescence properties of GaN were investigated thoroughly. The results revealed that enhancement in luminescence signal is not always attained upon porosification. Although porosification is correlated to the luminescence enhancement, however, free carrier is the primary factor to enhance luminescence intensity. Due to unavoidable significant reduction of free carriers from Si-doped GaN in the porosification process, control of etching depth (i.e., thickness of porous layer formed from the Si-doped layer) is critical in fabricating porous GaN thin film with enhanced luminescence response. - Highlights: • Various pore morphologies with free carrier properties are produced by Si-doped GaN. • Free carriers are important to control the luminescence signal of porous GaN. • Enhancement of luminescence signal relies on the pore depth of Si-doped layer

Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project NREL's Thin Film Photovoltaic (PV) Partnership Project led R&D on emerging thin-film solar technologies in the United States from 1994 to 2009. The project made many advances in thin-film PV technologies that allowed

Phonon Drag in Thin Films, Cases of Bi2Te3 and ZnTe

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Hang; Uher, Ctirad

2014-03-01

At low temperatures, in (semi-)conductors subjected to a thermal gradient, charge carriers (electrons and holes) are swept (dragged) by out-of-equilibrium phonons due to strong electron-phonon interaction, giving rise to a large contribution to the Seebeck coefficient called the phonon-drag effect. Such phenomenon was surprisingly observed in our recent transport study of highly mismatched alloys as potential thermoelectric materials: a significant phonon-drag thermopower reaching 1.5-2.5 mV/K was recorded for the first time in nitrogen-doped ZnTe epitaxial layers on GaAs (100). In thin films of Bi2Te3, we demonstrate a spectacular influence of substrate phonons on charge carriers. We show that one can control and tune the position and magnitude of the phonon-drag peak over a wide range of temperatures by depositing thin films on substrates with vastly different Debye temperatures. Our experiments also provide a way to study the nature of the phonon spectrum in thin films, which is rarely probed but clearly important for a complete understanding of thin film properties and the interplay of the substrate and films. This work is supported by the Center for Solar and Thermal Energy Conversion, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0000957.

Recent Advances of Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wangying; Li, Hao; Xu, Jian-Bin; Wang, Lei

2018-03-06

Solution-processed metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) are considered as one of the most promising transistor technologies for future large-area flexible electronics. This review surveys the recent advances in solution-based oxide TFTs, including n-type oxide semiconductors, oxide dielectrics and p-type oxide semiconductors. Firstly, we provide an introduction on oxide TFTs and the TFT configurations and operating principles. Secondly, we present the recent progress in solution-processed n-type transistors, with a special focus on low-temperature and large-area solution processed approaches as well as novel non-display applications. Thirdly, we give a detailed analysis of the state-of-the-art solution-processed oxide dielectrics for low-voltage electronics. Fourthly, we discuss the recent progress in solution-based p-type oxide semiconductors, which will enable the highly desirable future low-cost large-area complementary circuits. Finally, we draw the conclusions and outline the perspectives over the research field.

Thin Film & Deposition Systems (Windows)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Coating Lab: Contains chambers for growing thin film window coatings. Plasma Applications Coating Lab: Contains chambers for growing thin film window coatings. Solar...

Electrodeposition of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films from a dimethylsulfoxide based electrolytic solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henriquez, R.; Munoz, E.; Gomez, H. [Instituto de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Curauma Valparaiso (Chile); Dalchiele, E.A.; Marotti, R.E. [Instituto de Fisica and CINQUIFIMA, Facultad de Ingenieria, Montevideo (Uruguay); Martin, F.; Leinen, D.; Ramos-Barrado, J.R. [Laboratorio de Materiales y Superficie, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada and Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad de Malaga (Spain)

2013-02-15

Indium (III) oxide (In{sub 2}O{sub 3}) thin films have been obtained after heat treatment of In(OH){sub 3} precursor layers grown by a potential cycling electrodeposition (PCED) method from a dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) based electrolytic solution onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicate the formation of a polycrystalline In{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase with a cubic structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed a smooth morphology of the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films after an optimized heat treatment had been developed. The surface composition and chemical state of the semiconductor films was established by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The nature of the semiconductor material, flat band potential and donor density were determined from Mott-Schottky plots. This study reveals that the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} films exhibited n-type conductivity with an average donor density of 2.2 x 10{sup 17} cm{sup -3}. The optical characteristics were determined through transmittance spectra. The direct and indirect band gap values obtained are according to the accepted values for the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} films of 2.83 and 3.54 eV for the indirect and direct band gap values. (Copyright copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Photochemical oxygen reduction by zinc phthalocyanine and silver/gold nanoparticle incorporated silica thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pal, Manas; Ganesan, Vellaichamy, E-mail: velganesh@yahoo.com; Azad, Uday Pratap

2012-12-15

Silver or gold nanoparticles are synthesized using a borohydride reduction method and are anchored simultaneously into/onto the mercaptopropyl functionalized silica. Later, zinc phthalocyanine is adsorbed onto the above materials. Thin films of these materials are prepared by coating an aqueous colloidal suspension of the respective material onto glass plates. Visible light irradiation of these films in oxygen saturated, stirred aqueous solutions effectively reduces oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. The photocatalytic reduction of oxygen is explained on the basis of the semiconducting properties of the silica films. The back electron transfer reaction is largely prevented by means of a sacrificial electron donor, triethanolamine. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zinc phthalocyanine adsorbed silica materials were prepared. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thin films of these materials photocatalytically reduce oxygen. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The photocatalysis is explained based on semiconductor properties of the materials. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Metal nanoparticles increase the photocatalytic efficiency of the materials.

Improved organic thin-film transistor performance using novel self-assembled monolayers

Science.gov (United States)

McDowell, M.; Hill, I. G.; McDermott, J. E.; Bernasek, S. L.; Schwartz, J.

2006-02-01

Pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors have been fabricated using a phosphonate-linked anthracene self-assembled monolayer as a buffer between the silicon dioxide gate dielectric and the active pentacene channel region. Vast improvements in the subthreshold slope and threshold voltage are observed compared to control devices fabricated without the buffer. Both observations are consistent with a greatly reduced density of charge trapping states at the semiconductor-dielectric interface effected by introduction of the self-assembled monolayer.

Photoluminescence enhancement in nanocomposite thin films of CdS-ZnO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayyub, Pushan; Vasa, Parinda; Taneja, Praveen; Banerjee, Rajarshi; Singh, B.P.

2005-01-01

We show that the photoluminescence emitted from a dense, two-component quantum dot ensemble on a thin film is significantly higher and decays much faster than that from quantum dots of either of the two pure systems (CdS and ZnO). The semiconductor nanocomposite, in which the characteristic grain size of each species was 2-3 nm, was deposited directly on Si wafers by high-pressure magnetron sputtering, and exhibits a single, relatively sharp optical absorption edge

Monolayer-Mediated Growth of Organic Semiconductor Films with Improved Device Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Lizhen; Hu, Xiaorong; Chi, Lifeng

2015-09-15

Increased interest in wearable and smart electronics is driving numerous research works on organic electronics. The control of film growth and patterning is of great importance when targeting high-performance organic semiconductor devices. In this Feature Article, we summarize our recent work focusing on the growth, crystallization, and device operation of organic semiconductors intermediated by ultrathin organic films (in most cases, only a monolayer). The site-selective growth, modified crystallization and morphology, and improved device performance of organic semiconductor films are demonstrated with the help of the inducing layers, including patterned and uniform Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers, crystalline ultrathin organic films, and self-assembled polymer brush films. The introduction of the inducing layers could dramatically change the diffusion of the organic semiconductors on the surface and the interactions between the active layer with the inducing layer, leading to improved aggregation/crystallization behavior and device performance.

Superhydrophilicity of TiO2 nano thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammadizadeh, M.R.; Ashkarran, A.A.

2007-01-01

Full text: Among the several oxide semiconductors, titanium dioxide has a more helpful role in our environmental purification due to its photocatalytic activity, photo-induced superhydrophilicity, and as a result of them non-toxicity, self cleaning, and antifogging effects. After the discovery of superhydrophilicity of titanium dioxide in 1997, several researches have been performed due to its nature and useful applications. The superhydrophilicity property of the surface allows water to spread completely across the surface rather than remains as droplets, thus making the surface antifog and easy-to-clean. The distinction of photo-induced catalytic and hydrophilicity properties of TiO 2 thin films has been accepted although, the origin of hydrophilicity property has not been recognized completely yet. TiO 2 thin films on soda lime glass were prepared by the sol-gel method and spin coating process. The calcination temperature was changed from 100 to 550 C. XRD patterns show increasing the content of polycrystalline anatase phase with increasing the calcination temperature. The AFM results indicate granular morphology of the films, which particle size changes from 22 to 166 nm by increasing the calcination temperature. The RBS, EDX and Raman spectroscopy of the films show the ratio of Ti:O∼0.5, and diffusion of sodium ions from substrate into the layer, by increasing the calcination temperature. The UV/Vis. spectroscopy of the films indicates a red shift by increasing the calcination temperature. The contact angle meter experiment shows that superhydrophilicity of the films depends on the formation of anatase crystal structure and diffused sodium content from substrate to the layer. The best hydrophilicity property was observed at 450 C calcination temperature, where the film is converted to a superhydrophilic surface after 10 minutes under 2mW/cm 2 UV irradiation. TiO 2 thin film on Si(111), Si(100), and quartz substrates needs less time to be converted to

Dielectric response of fully and partially depleted ferroelectric thin films and inversion of the thickness effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misirlioglu, I B; Yildiz, M

2013-01-01

We study the effect of full and partial depletion on the dielectric response characteristics of ferroelectric thin films with impurities via a computational approach. Using a thermodynamic approach along with the fundamental equations for semiconductors, we show that films with partial depletion display unique features and an enhanced dielectric response compared with those fully depleted. We find that the capacitance peak at switching can be significantly suppressed in the case of high impurity densities (>10 25 m −3 ) with relatively low ionization energy, of the order of 0.5 eV. For conserved number of species in films, electromigration of ionized impurities at room temperature is negligible and has nearly no effect on the dielectric response. In films with high impurity density, the dielectric response at zero bias is enhanced with respect to charge-free films or those with relatively low impurity density ( 24 m −3 ). We demonstrate that partially depleted films should be expected to exhibit peculiar capacitance–voltage characteristics at low and high bias and that the thickness effect probed in experiments in ferroelectric thin films could be entirely inverted in thin films with depletion charges where a higher dielectric response can be measured in thicker films. Therefore, depletion charge densities in ferroelectric thin films should be estimated before size-effect-related studies. Finally, we noted that these findings are in good qualitative agreement with dielectric measurements carried out on PbZr x Ti 1−x O 3 . (paper)

Extremely Efficient Design of Organic Thin Film Solar Cells via Learning-Based Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mine Kaya

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Design of efficient thin film photovoltaic (PV cells require optical power absorption to be computed inside a nano-scale structure of photovoltaics, dielectric and plasmonic materials. Calculating power absorption requires Maxwell’s electromagnetic equations which are solved using numerical methods, such as finite difference time domain (FDTD. The computational cost of thin film PV cell design and optimization is therefore cumbersome, due to successive FDTD simulations. This cost can be reduced using a surrogate-based optimization procedure. In this study, we deploy neural networks (NNs to model optical absorption in organic PV structures. We use the corresponding surrogate-based optimization procedure to maximize light trapping inside thin film organic cells infused with metallic particles. Metallic particles are known to induce plasmonic effects at the metal–semiconductor interface, thus increasing absorption. However, a rigorous design procedure is required to achieve the best performance within known design guidelines. As a result of using NNs to model thin film solar absorption, the required time to complete optimization is decreased by more than five times. The obtained NN model is found to be very reliable. The optimization procedure results in absorption enhancement greater than 200%. Furthermore, we demonstrate that once a reliable surrogate model such as the developed NN is available, it can be used for alternative analyses on the proposed design, such as uncertainty analysis (e.g., fabrication error.

The effect of the film thickness and doping content of SnO2:F thin films prepared by the ultrasonic spray method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahal Achour; Benramache Said; Benhaoua Boubaker

2013-01-01

This paper reports on the effects of film thickness and doping content on the optical and electrical properties of fluorine-doped tin oxide. Tin (II) chloride dehydrate, ammonium fluoride dehydrate, ethanol and HCl were used as the starting materials, dopant source, solvent and stabilizer, respectively. The doped films were deposited on a glass substrate at different concentrations varying between 0 and 5 wt% using an ultrasonic spray technique. The SnO 2 :F thin films were deposited at a 350 °C pending time (5, 15, 60 and 90 s). The average transmission was about 80%, and the films were thus transparent in the visible region. The optical energy gap of the doped films with 2.5 wt% F was found to increase from 3.47 to 3.89 eV with increasing film thickness, and increased after doping at 5 wt%. The decrease in the Urbach energy of the SnO 2 :F thin films indicated a decrease in the defects. The increase in the electrical conductivity of the films reached maximum values of 278.9 and 281.9 (Ω·cm) −1 for 2.5 and 5 wt% F, respectively, indicating that the films exhibited an n-type semiconducting nature. A systematic study on the influence of film thickness and doping content on the properties of SnO 2 :F thin films deposited by ultrasonic spray was reported. (semiconductor materials)

Influence of the side chain and substrate on polythiophene thin film surface, bulk, and buried interfacial structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Minyu; Jasensky, Joshua; Zhang, Xiaoxian; Li, Yaoxin; Pichan, Cayla; Lu, Xiaolin; Chen, Zhan

2016-08-10

The molecular structures of organic semiconducting thin films mediate the performance of various devices composed of such materials. To fully understand how the structures of organic semiconductors alter on substrates due to different polymer side chains and different interfacial interactions, thin films of two kinds of polythiophene derivatives with different side-chains, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(3-potassium-6-hexanoate thiophene) (P3KHT), were deposited and compared on various surfaces. A combination of analytical tools was applied in this research: contact angle goniometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize substrate dielectric surfaces with varied hydrophobicity for polymer film deposition; X-ray diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to examine the polythiophene film bulk structure; sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was utilized to probe the molecular structures of polymer film surfaces in air and buried solid/solid interfaces. Both side-chain hydrophobicity and substrate hydrophobicity were found to mediate the crystallinity of the polythiophene film, as well as the orientation of the thiophene ring within the polymer backbone at the buried polymer/substrate interface and the polymer thin film surface in air. For the same type of polythiophene film deposited on different substrates, a more hydrophobic substrate surface induced thiophene ring alignment with the surface normal at both the buried interface and on the surface in air. For different films (P3HT vs. P3KHT) deposited on the same dielectric substrate, a more hydrophobic polythiophene side chain caused the thiophene ring to align more towards the surface at the buried polymer/substrate interface and on the surface in air. We believe that the polythiophene surface, bulk, and buried interfacial molecular structures all influence the hole mobility within the polythiophene film. Successful characterization of an organic conducting

Characterization of organic thin films

CERN Document Server

Ulman, Abraham; Evans, Charles A

2009-01-01

Thin films based upon organic materials are at the heart of much of the revolution in modern technology, from advanced electronics, to optics to sensors to biomedical engineering. This volume in the Materials Characterization series introduces the major common types of analysis used in characterizing of thin films and the various appropriate characterization technologies for each. Materials such as Langmuir-Blodgett films and self-assembled monolayers are first introduced, followed by analysis of surface properties and the various characterization technologies used for such. Readers will find detailed information on: -Various spectroscopic approaches to characterization of organic thin films, including infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy -X-Ray diffraction techniques, High Resolution EELS studies, and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy -Concise Summaries of major characterization technologies for organic thin films, including Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Dynamic Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, and Tra...

Investigation of Electrical, Optical and GaS Sensing properties Sol-Gel Derived WO3 Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumludag, F.

2008-01-01

Tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) is a wide band gap n-type semiconductor. Thin films of WO 3 are considerable interest because of their potential applications in electrochromic devices, and gas sensors. In this work, WO 3 thin films were deposited on IDT (Interdigital electrodes) by a sol-gel dipping process. Precursor solution was prepared by dissolving of tungstic acid in ammonia. We investigated d.c. and a.c. (40 Hz-100 KHz) electrical properties of the films in the temperature range of 293K and 473K in vacuum ambient (10 - 2 mbar). We observed frequency dependent conductivity behavior at high frequencies. Absorption spectra of the film showed that a maximum absorption occurred at 330 nm. We also investigated the response of the films to vapors of the volatile organic compounds (acetone, chloroform, toluene, ethanol, ammonia) and water vapor. The films showed no sensitivity to the test gases at room temperature. Concentration of the vapors were controlled by mass flowmeters. All the measurement system was computerized

Highly stable thin film transistors using multilayer channel structure

KAUST Repository

Nayak, Pradipta K.

2015-03-09

We report highly stable gate-bias stress performance of thin film transistors (TFTs) using zinc oxide (ZnO)/hafnium oxide (HfO2) multilayer structure as the channel layer. Positive and negative gate-bias stress stability of the TFTs was measured at room temperature and at 60°C. A tremendous improvement in gate-bias stress stability was obtained in case of the TFT with multiple layers of ZnO embedded between HfO2 layers compared to the TFT with a single layer of ZnO as the semiconductor. The ultra-thin HfO2 layers act as passivation layers, which prevent the adsorption of oxygen and water molecules in the ZnO layer and hence significantly improve the gate-bias stress stability of ZnO TFTs.

Investigation of the structural, surface, optical and electrical properties of the Indium doped CuxO thin films deposited by a thermionic vacuum arc

Science.gov (United States)

Musaoğlu, Caner; Pat, Suat; Özen, Soner; Korkmaz, Şadan; Mohammadigharehbagh, Reza

2018-03-01

In this study, investigation of some physical properties of In-doped CuxO thin films onto amorphous glass substrates were done. The thin films were depsoied by thermionic vacuum arc technique (TVA). TVA technique gives a thin film with lower precursor impurity according to the other chemical and physical depsoition methods. The microstructural properties of the produced thin films was determined by x-ray diffraction device (XRD). The thickness values were measured as to be 30 nm and 60 nm, respectively. The miller indices of the thin films’ crystalline planes were determined as to be Cu (111), CuO (\\bar{1} 12), CuInO2 (107) and Cu2O (200), Cu (111), CuO (\\bar{1} 12), CuO (\\bar{2} 02), CuInO2 (015) for sample C1 and C2, respectively. The produced In-doped CuO thin films are in polycrystalline structure. The surface properties of produced In doped CuO thin films were determined by using an atomic force microscope (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) tools. The optical properties of the In doped CuO thin films were determined by UV–vis spectrophotometer, interferometer, and photoluminescence devices. p-type semiconductor thin film was obtained by TVA depsoition.

Organic luminescent materials. First results on synthesis and characterization of Alq{sub 3} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baldacchini, G.; Gagliardi, S.; Montereali, R.M.; Pace, A. [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Frascati, Frascati, RM (Italy). Div. Fisica Applicata; Balaji Pode, R. [Nagpur University, Nagpur (India). Dept. of Physics

2000-07-01

Inorganic semiconductor diodes brought a technological revolution in the field of efficient light and laser sources in the last 20 years. New development in this field are expected from organic compounds, thanks to their low cost of synthesis and the relative easiness of growth as thin films. In particular, electrically pumped luminescent devices based on organic thin layers are among the most promising systems for next generation flat panel displays and semiconductor lasers. The tris - (8-hydroxy quinoline)-aluminium complex-Alq{sub 3} - is one of the most studied electro luminescent materials. In this paper, after a short introduction regarding historical development in the field, are reported preliminary results on the growth of Alq{sub 3} films and on their optical and spectroscopic characterization. [Italian] Negli ultimi 20 anni i diodi semiconduttori hanno portato una rivoluzione tecnologica nel campo delle sorgenti luminose e laser. Un nuovo sviluppo possibile in questo campo sono i composti organici, grazie al basso costo di sintesi e la relativa facilita' di crescerli in forma di film sottile. In particolare, dispositivi luminescenti pompati elettricamente basati su film sottili di materiali organici sono promettenti per una nuova generazione di display per schermi piatti e laser a Alq{sub 3} e' uno dei materiali elettroluminescenti piu' studiati. In questo rapporto, dopo una breve introduzione sullo sviluppo storico in questo campo, presentiamo i nostri primi risultati sulla crescita e caratterizzazione ottica di film di Alq{sub 3}.

Self-Limited Growth in Pentacene Thin Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Pachmajer, Stefan; Jones, Andrew O F; Truger, Magdalena; Röthel, Christian; Salzmann, Ingo; Werzer, Oliver; Resel, Roland

2017-04-05

Pentacene is one of the most studied organic semiconducting materials. While many aspects of the film formation have already been identified in very thin films, this study provides new insight into the transition from the metastable thin-film phase to bulk phase polymorphs. This study focuses on the growth behavior of pentacene within thin films as a function of film thickness ranging from 20 to 300 nm. By employing various X-ray diffraction methods, combined with supporting atomic force microscopy investigations, one crystalline orientation for the thin-film phase is observed, while three differently tilted bulk phase orientations are found. First, bulk phase crystallites grow with their 00L planes parallel to the substrate surface; second, however, crystallites tilted by 0.75° with respect to the substrate are found, which clearly dominate the former in ratio; third, a different bulk phase polymorph with crystallites tilted by 21° is found. The transition from the thin-film phase to the bulk phase is rationalized by the nucleation of the latter at crystal facets of the thin-film-phase crystallites. This leads to a self-limiting growth of the thin-film phase and explains the thickness-dependent phase behavior observed in pentacene thin films, showing that a large amount of material is present in the bulk phase much earlier during the film growth than previously thought.

Medium scale carbon nanotube thin film integrated circuits on flexible plastic substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, John A; Cao, Qing; Alam, Muhammad; Pimparkar, Ninad

2015-02-03

The present invention provides device components geometries and fabrication strategies for enhancing the electronic performance of electronic devices based on thin films of randomly oriented or partially aligned semiconducting nanotubes. In certain aspects, devices and methods of the present invention incorporate a patterned layer of randomly oriented or partially aligned carbon nanotubes, such as one or more interconnected SWNT networks, providing a semiconductor channel exhibiting improved electronic properties relative to conventional nanotubes-based electronic systems.

Characterizations of multilayer ZnO thin films deposited by sol-gel spin coating technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.I. Khan

Full Text Available In this work, zinc oxide (ZnO multilayer thin films are deposited on glass substrate using sol-gel spin coating technique and the effect of these multilayer films on optical, electrical and structural properties are investigated. It is observed that these multilayer films have great impact on the properties of ZnO. X-ray Diffraction (XRD confirms that ZnO has hexagonal wurtzite structure. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM showed the crack-free films which have uniformly distributed grains structures. Both micro and nano particles of ZnO are present on thin films. Four point probe measured the electrical properties showed the decreasing trend between the average resistivity and the number of layers. The optical absorption spectra measured using UV–Vis. showed the average transmittance in the visible region of all films is 80% which is good for solar spectra. The performance of the multilayer as transparent conducting material is better than the single layer of ZnO. This work provides a low cost, environment friendly and well abandoned material for solar cells applications. Keywords: Multilayer films, Semiconductor, ZnO, XRD, SEM, Optoelectronic properties

Electronic transport in mixed-phase hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Wienkes, Lee Raymond

Interest in mixed-phase silicon thin film materials, composed of an amorphous semiconductor matrix in which nanocrystalline inclusions are embedded, stems in part from potential technological applications, including photovoltaic and thin film transistor technologies. Conventional mixed-phase silicon films are produced in a single plasma reactor, where the conditions of the plasma must be precisely tuned, limiting the ability to adjust the film and nanoparticle parameters independently. The films presented in this thesis are deposited using a novel dual-plasma co-deposition approach in which the nanoparticles are produced separately in an upstream reactor and then injected into a secondary reactor where an amorphous silicon film is being grown. The degree of crystallinity and grain sizes of the films are evaluated using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction respectively. I describe detailed electronic measurements which reveal three distinct conduction mechanisms in n-type doped mixed-phase amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films over a range of nanocrystallite concentrations and temperatures, covering the transition from fully amorphous to ~30% nanocrystalline. As the temperature is varied from 470 to 10 K, we observe activated conduction, multiphonon hopping (MPH) and Mott variable range hopping (VRH) as the nanocrystal content is increased. The transition from MPH to Mott-VRH hopping around 100K is ascribed to the freeze out of the phonon modes. A conduction model involving the parallel contributions of these three distinct conduction mechanisms is shown to describe both the conductivity and the reduced activation energy data to a high accuracy. Additional support is provided by measurements of thermal equilibration effects and noise spectroscopy, both done above room temperature (>300 K). This thesis provides a clear link between measurement and theory in these complex materials.

X-Ray diffraction analysis of thermally evaporated copper tin selenide thin films at different annealing temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Amirul Syafiq Mohd Yunos; Zainal Abidin Talib; Wan Mahmood Mat Yunus; Josephine Liew Ying Chyi; Wilfred Sylvester Paulus

2010-01-01

Semiconductor thin films Copper Tin Selenide, Cu 2 SnSe 3 , a potential compound for semiconductor radiation detector or solar cell applications were prepared by thermal evaporation method onto well-cleaned glass substrates. The as-deposited films were annealed in flowing purified nitrogen, N 2 , for 2 hours in the temperature range from 100 to 500 degree Celsius. The structure of as-deposited and annealed films has been studied by X-ray diffraction technique. The semi-quantitative analysis indicated from the Reitveld refinement show that the samples composed of Cu 2 SnSe 3 and SnSe. These studies revealed that the films were structured in mixed phase between cubic space group F-43 m (no. 216) and orthorhombic space group P n m a (no. 62). The crystallite size and lattice strain were determined from Scherrer calculation method. The results show that increasing in annealing temperature resulted in direct increase in crystallite size and decrease in lattice strain. (author)

Rigid Biopolymer Nanocrystal Systems for Controlling Multicomponent Nanoparticle Assembly and Orientation in Thin Film Solar Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cha, Jennifer [Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

2016-10-31

We have discovered techniques to synthesize well-defined DN conjugated nanostructures that are stable in a wide variety of conditions needed for DNA mediated assembly. Starting from this, we have shown that DNA can be used to control the assembly and integration of semiconductor nanocrystals into thin film devices that show photovoltaic effects.

Surface morphology modelling for the resistivity analysis of low temperature sputtered indium tin oxide thin films on polymer substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Xuesong; Tang Wu; Weng Xiaolong; Deng Longjiang

2009-01-01

Amorphous or weakly crystalline indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film samples have been prepared on polymethylmethacrylate and polyethylene terephthalate substrates by RF-magnetron sputtering at a low substrate temperature. The surface morphological and electrical properties of the ITO layers were measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a standard four-point probe measurement. The effect of surface morphology on the resistivity of ITO thin films was studied, which presented some different variations from crystalline films. Then, a simplified film system model, including the substrate, continuous ITO layer and ITO surface grain, was proposed to deal with these correlations. Based on this thin film model and the AFM images, a quadratic potential was introduced to simulate the characteristics of the ITO surface morphology, and the classical Kronig-Penney model, the semiconductor electrical theory and the modified Neugebauer-Webb model were used to expound the detailed experimental results. The modelling equation was highly in accord with the experimental variations of the resistivity on the characteristics of the surface morphology.

Superhydrophobic Ag decorated ZnO nanostructured thin film as effective surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Jayram, Naidu Dhanpal; Sonia, S.; Poongodi, S.; Kumar, P. Suresh; Masuda, Yoshitake; Mangalaraj, D.; Ponpandian, N.; Viswanathan, C.

2015-11-01

The present work is an attempt to overcome the challenges in the fabrication of super hydrophobic silver decorated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure thin films via thermal evaporation process. The ZnO nanowire thin films are prepared without any surface modification and show super hydrophobic nature with a contact angle of 163°. Silver is further deposited onto the ZnO nanowire to obtain nanoworm morphology. Silver decorated ZnO (Ag@ZnO) thin films are used as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) studies. The formation of randomly arranged nanowire and silver decorated nanoworm structure is confirmed using FESEM, HR-TEM and AFM analysis. Crystallinity and existence of Ag on ZnO are confirmed using XRD and XPS studies. A detailed growth mechanism is discussed for the formation of the nanowires from nanobeads based on various deposition times. The prepared SERS substrate reveals a reproducible enhancement of 3.082 × 107 M for Rhodamine 6G dye (R6G) for 10-10 molar concentration per liter. A higher order of SERS spectra is obtained for a contact angle of 155°. Thus the obtained thin films show the superhydrophobic nature with a highly enhanced Raman spectrum and act as SERS substrates. The present nanoworm morphology shows a new pathway for the construction of semiconductor thin films for plasmonic studies and challenges the orderly arranged ZnO nanorods, wires and other nano structure substrates used in SERS studies.

High powered pulsed plasma enhanced deposition of thin film semiconductor and optical materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llewellyn, I.P.; Sheach, K.J.A.; Heinecke, R.A.

1993-01-01

A glow discharge deposition technique is described which allows the deposition of a large range of high quality materials without the requirement for substrate heating. The method is differentiated from conventional plasma deposition techniques in that a much higher degree of dissociation is achieved in the gases prior to deposition, such that thermally activated surface reactions are no longer required in order to produce a dense film. The necessary discharge intensity (>300Wcm -3 ) is achieved using a high power radio frequency generator which is pulsed at a low duty cycle (1%) to keep the average energy of the discharge low (100W), in order to avoid the discharge heating the substrate. In addition, by varying the gas composition between discharge pulses, layered structures of materials can be produced, with a disordered interface about 8 A thick. Various uses of the technique in semiconductor and optical filter production are described, and the properties of films deposited using these technique are presented. (orig.)

Thin films for precision optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, J.F.; Maurici, N.; Castro, J.C. de

1983-01-01

The technology of producing dielectric and/or metallic thin films for high precision optical components is discussed. Computer programs were developed in order to calculate and register, graphically, reflectance and transmittance spectra of multi-layer films. The technology of vacuum evaporation of several materials was implemented in our thin-films laboratory; various films for optics were then developed. The possibility of first calculate film characteristics and then produce the film is of great advantage since it reduces the time required to produce a new type of film and also reduces the cost of the project. (C.L.B.) [pt

Band engineering of amorphous silicon ruthenium thin film and its near-infrared absorption enhancement combined with nano-holes pattern on back surface of silicon substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Anran; Zhong, Hao [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Li, Wei, E-mail: wli@uestc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Gu, Deen; Jiang, Xiangdong [School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Jiang, Yadong [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China)

2016-10-30

Highlights: • The increase of Ru concentration leads to a narrower bandgap of a-Si{sub 1-x}Ru{sub x} thin film. • The absorption coefficient of a-Si{sub 1-x}Ru{sub x} is higher than that of SiGe. • A double-layer absorber comprising of a-Si{sub 1-x}Ru{sub x} film and Si nano-holes layer is achieved. - Abstract: Silicon is widely used in semiconductor industry but has poor performance in near-infrared photoelectronic devices because of its bandgap limit. In this study, a narrow bandgap silicon rich semiconductor is achieved by introducing ruthenium (Ru) into amorphous silicon (a-Si) to form amorphous silicon ruthenium (a-Si{sub 1-x}Ru{sub x}) thin films through co-sputtering. The increase of Ru concentration leads to an enhancement of light absorption and a narrower bandgap. Meanwhile, a specific light trapping technique is employed to realize high absorption of a-Si{sub 1-x}Ru{sub x} thin film in a finite thickness to avoid unnecessary carrier recombination. A double-layer absorber comprising of a-Si{sub 1-x}Ru{sub x} thin film and silicon random nano-holes layer is formed on the back surface of silicon substrates, and significantly improves near-infrared absorption while the leaky light intensity is less than 5%. This novel absorber, combining narrow bandgap thin film with light trapping structure, may have a potential application in near-infrared photoelectronic devices.

Analysis of Hard Thin Film Coating

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Dashen

1998-01-01

MSFC is interested in developing hard thin film coating for bearings. The wearing of the bearing is an important problem for space flight engine. Hard thin film coating can drastically improve the surface of the bearing and improve the wear-endurance of the bearing. However, many fundamental problems in surface physics, plasma deposition, etc, need further research. The approach is using electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECRCVD) to deposit hard thin film an stainless steel bearing. The thin films in consideration include SiC, SiN and other materials. An ECRCVD deposition system is being assembled at MSFC.

Thin-film solar cell

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Metselaar, J.W.; Kuznetsov, V.I.

1998-01-01

The invention relates to a thin-film solar cell provided with at least one p-i-n junction comprising at least one p-i junction which is at an angle alpha with that surface of the thin-film solar cell which collects light during operation and at least one i-n junction which is at an angle beta with

A study on linear and non-linear optical constants of Rhodamine B thin film deposited on FTO glass

Science.gov (United States)

Yahia, I. S.; Jilani, Asim; Abutalib, M. M.; AlFaify, S.; Shkir, M.; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh.; Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A.; El-Naggar, A. M.

2016-06-01

The aim of this research was to fabricate/deposit the good quality thin film of Rhodamine B dye on fluorine doped tin oxide glass substrate by the low cost spin coating technique and study their linear and nonlinear optical parameters. The thickness of the thin film was measured about 300 nm with alpha step system. The transmittance of the fabricated thin film was found to be above 75% corresponding to the fluorine doped tin oxide layer. The structural analysis was performed with X-rays diffraction spectroscopy. Atomic force microscope showed the topographic image of deposited thin film. Linear optical constant like absorption coefficient, band gap, and extinction index was calculated. The dielectric constant was calculated to know the optical response of Rhodamine B dye over fluorine doped tin oxide substrate. The nonlinear optical constant like linear optical susceptibility χ(1), nonlinear optical susceptibility χ(3), nonlinear refractive index (n2) were calculated by spectroscopic method. This method has advantage over the experimental method like Z-Scan for organic dye base semiconductors for future advance optoelectronics applications like dye synthesis solar cell.

Investigation of defects in In–Ga–Zn oxide thin film using electron spin resonance signals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nonaka, Yusuke; Kurosawa, Yoichi; Komatsu, Yoshihiro; Ishihara, Noritaka; Oota, Masashi; Nakashima, Motoki; Hirohashi, Takuya; Takahashi, Masahiro; Yamazaki, Shunpei; Obonai, Toshimitsu; Hosaka, Yasuharu; Koezuka, Junichi; Yamauchi, Jun

2014-01-01

In–Ga–Zn oxide (IGZO) is a next-generation semiconductor material seen as an alternative to silicon. Despite the importance of the controllability of characteristics and the reliability of devices, defects in IGZO have not been fully understood. We investigated defects in IGZO thin films using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. In as-sputtered IGZO thin films, we observed an ESR signal which had a g-value of g = 2.010, and the signal was found to disappear under thermal treatment. Annealing in a reductive atmosphere, such as N 2 atmosphere, generated an ESR signal with g = 1.932 in IGZO thin films. The temperature dependence of the latter signal suggests that the signal is induced by delocalized unpaired electrons (i.e., conduction electrons). In fact, a comparison between the conductivity and ESR signal intensity revealed that the signal's intensity is related to the number of conduction electrons in the IGZO thin film. The signal's intensity did not increase with oxygen vacancy alone but also with increases in both oxygen vacancy and hydrogen concentration. In addition, first-principle calculation suggests that the conduction electrons in IGZO may be generated by defects that occur when hydrogen atoms are inserted into oxygen vacancies

Investigation of defects in In–Ga–Zn oxide thin film using electron spin resonance signals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nonaka, Yusuke; Kurosawa, Yoichi; Komatsu, Yoshihiro; Ishihara, Noritaka; Oota, Masashi; Nakashima, Motoki; Hirohashi, Takuya; Takahashi, Masahiro; Yamazaki, Shunpei [Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., 398 Hase, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0036 (Japan); Obonai, Toshimitsu; Hosaka, Yasuharu; Koezuka, Junichi [Advanced Film Device, Inc., 161-2 Masuzuka, Tsuga-machi, Tochigi, Tochigi 328-0114 (Japan); Yamauchi, Jun [Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., 398 Hase, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0036 (Japan); Emeritus Professor of Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan)

2014-04-28

In–Ga–Zn oxide (IGZO) is a next-generation semiconductor material seen as an alternative to silicon. Despite the importance of the controllability of characteristics and the reliability of devices, defects in IGZO have not been fully understood. We investigated defects in IGZO thin films using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. In as-sputtered IGZO thin films, we observed an ESR signal which had a g-value of g = 2.010, and the signal was found to disappear under thermal treatment. Annealing in a reductive atmosphere, such as N{sub 2} atmosphere, generated an ESR signal with g = 1.932 in IGZO thin films. The temperature dependence of the latter signal suggests that the signal is induced by delocalized unpaired electrons (i.e., conduction electrons). In fact, a comparison between the conductivity and ESR signal intensity revealed that the signal's intensity is related to the number of conduction electrons in the IGZO thin film. The signal's intensity did not increase with oxygen vacancy alone but also with increases in both oxygen vacancy and hydrogen concentration. In addition, first-principle calculation suggests that the conduction electrons in IGZO may be generated by defects that occur when hydrogen atoms are inserted into oxygen vacancies.

Fabrication and characterization of vacuum deposited fluorescein thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jalkanen, Pasi, E-mail: pasi.jalkanen@gmail.co [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Physics, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Kulju, Sampo, E-mail: sampo.j.kulju@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Physics, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Arutyunov, Konstantin, E-mail: konstantin.arutyunov@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Physics, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Antila, Liisa, E-mail: liisa.j.antila@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience center (NSC) P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Myllyperkioe, Pasi, E-mail: pasi.myllyperkio@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience center (NSC) P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Ihalainen, Teemu, E-mail: teemu.o.ihalainen@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Biology, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Kaeaeriaeinen, Tommi, E-mail: tommi.kaariainen@lut.f [Lappeenranta University of Technology, ASTRal, P.O. Box 181, FI-50101 Mikkeli (Finland); Kaeaeriaeinen, Marja-Leena, E-mail: marja-leena.kaariainen@lut.f [Lappeenranta University of Technology, ASTRal, P.O. Box 181, FI-50101 Mikkeli (Finland); Korppi-Tommola, Jouko, E-mail: jouko.korppi-tommola@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Biology, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

2011-03-31

Simple vacuum evaporation technique for deposition of dyes on various solid surfaces has been developed. The method is compatible with conventional solvent-free nanofabrication processing enabling fabrication of nanoscale optoelectronic devices. Thin films of fluorescein were deposited on glass, fluorine-tin-oxide (FTO) coated glass with and without atomically layer deposited (ALD) nanocrystalline 20 nm thick anatase TiO{sub 2} coating. Surface topology, absorption and emission spectra of the films depend on their thickness and the material of supporting substrate. On a smooth glass surface the dye initially forms islands before merging into a uniform layer after 5 to 10 monolayers. On FTO covered glass the absorption spectra are similar to fluorescein solution in ethanol. Absorption spectra on ALD-TiO{sub 2} is red shifted compared to the film deposited on bare FTO. The corresponding emission spectra at {lambda} = 458 nm excitation show various thickness and substrate dependent features, while the emission of films deposited on TiO{sub 2} is quenched due to the effective electron transfer to the semiconductor conduction band.

Thin-Film Material Science and Processing | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Thin-Film Material Science and Processing Thin-Film Material Science and Processing Photo of a , a prime example of this research is thin-film photovoltaics (PV). Thin films are important because cadmium telluride thin film, showing from top to bottom: glass, transparent conducting oxide (thin layer

Effects of the substrate temperature on the properties of CuIn5S8 thin films