ZnO nanodisk based UV detectors with printed electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Alenezi, Mohammad R; Alshammari, Abdullah S; Alzanki, Talal H; Jarowski, Peter; Henley, Simon John; Silva, S Ravi P

2014-04-08

The fabrication of highly functional materials for practical devices requires a deep understanding of the association between morphological and structural properties and applications. A controlled hydrothermal method to produce single crystal ZnO hexagonal nanodisks, nanorings, and nanoroses using a mixed solution of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) without the need of catalysts, substrates, or templates at low temperature (75 °C) is introduced. Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) ultraviolet (UV) detectors were fabricated based on individual and multiple single-crystal zinc oxide (ZnO) hexagonal nanodisks. High quality single crystal individual nanodisk devices were fabricated with inkjet-printed silver electrodes. The detectors fabricated show record photoresponsivity (3300 A/W) and external quantum efficiency (1.2 × 10(4)), which we attribute to the absence of grain boundaries in the single crystal ZnO nanodisk and the polarity of its exposed surface.

Synthesis and characterization of polymer matrix composite material with combination of ZnO filler and nata de coco fiber as a candidate of semiconductor material

Science.gov (United States)

Saputra, Asep Handaya; Anindita, Hana Nabila

2015-12-01

Synthesis of semiconductor composite using acrylic matrix filled with ZnO and nata de coco fiber has been conducted in this research. The purpose of this research is to obtain semiconductor composite material that has a good mechanical strength and thermal resistance. In situ polymerization method is used in this research and the composites are ready to be characterized after 12 hours. The main parameter that is characterized is the electric conductivity of the composite. Additional parameters are also characterized such as composite's elastic modulus and glass transition temperature. The composites that has been made in this research can be classified as semiconductor material because the conductivity is in the range of 10-8-103 S/cm. In general the addition of ZnO and nata de coco filler can increase the conductivity of the composite. The highest semiconductor characteristic in acrylic/ZnO composite is obtained from 30% volume filler that reach 3.4 x 10-7 S/cm. Similar with acrylic/ZnO composite, in acrylic/nata de coco fiber composite the highest semiconductor characteristic is also obtained from 30% volume filler that reach 1.15 x 10-7 S/cm. Combination of 20% volume of ZnO, 10% volume of nata de coco, and 70% volume of acrylic resulting in composite with electric conductivity of 1.92 x 10-7 S/cm. In addition, combination of ZnO and nata de coco fiber as filler in composite can also improve the characteristic of composite where composite with 20% volume of ZnO filler and 10% volume of nata de coco fiber resulting in composite with elastic modulus of 1.79 GPa and glass transition temperature of 175.73°C which is higher than those in acrylic/ZnO composite.

Superior photoelectrochemical properties of ZnO nanorods/poly(3-hexylthiophene) hybrid photoanodes

Science.gov (United States)

Majumder, T.; Hmar, J. J. L.; Dhar, S.; Mondal, S. P.

2017-06-01

Photoelectrochemical properties of ZnO nanorods (ZnO NRs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) polymer hybrid photoanodes have been studied. The hybrid photoanodes demonstrated higher photoconversion efficiency, incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) and lower interfacial resistance compared to pristine ZnO nanorods and P3HT based electrodes. The origin of superior photoelectrochemical properties of ZnO/P3HT photoanodes has been explained using carrier transport mechanism at semiconductor/electrolyte junction. The stability of ZnO NRs/P3HT photoanode has been demonstrated.

Thermoelectric properties of the 3C, 2H, 4H, and 6H polytypes of the wide-band-gap semiconductors SiC, GaN, and ZnO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng Huang

2015-09-01

Full Text Available We have investigated the thermoelectric properties of the 3C, 2H, 4H, and 6H polytypes of the wide-band-gap(n-type semiconductors SiC, GaN, and ZnO based on first-principles calculations and Boltzmann transport theory. Our results show that the thermoelectric performance increases from 3C to 6H, 4H, and 2H structures with an increase of hexagonality for SiC. However, for GaN and ZnO, their power factors show a very weak dependence on the polytype. Detailed analysis of the thermoelectric properties with respect to temperature and carrier concentration of 4H-SiC, 2H-GaN, and 2H-ZnO shows that the figure of merit of these three compounds increases with temperature, indicating the promising potential applications of these thermoelectric materials at high temperature. The significant difference of the polytype-dependent thermoelectric properties among SiC, GaN, and ZnO might be related to the competition between covalency and ionicity in these semiconductors. Our calculations may provide a new way to enhance the thermoelectric properties of wide-band-gap semiconductors through atomic structure design, especially hexagonality design for SiC.

Physical deoxygenation of graphene oxide paper surface and facile in situ synthesis of graphene based ZnO films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Jijun; Wang, Minqiang; Zhang, Xiangyu; Ran, Chenxin; Shao, Jinyou; Ding, Yucheng

2014-01-01

In-situ sputtering ZnO films on graphene oxide (GO) paper are used to fabricate graphene based ZnO films. Crystal structure and surface chemical states are investigated. Results indicated that GO paper can be effectively deoxygenated by in-situ sputtering ZnO on them without adding any reducing agent. Based on the principle of radio frequency magnetron sputtering, we propose that during magnetron sputtering process, plasma streams contain large numbers of electrons. These electrons not only collide with argon atoms to produce secondary electrons but also they are accelerated to bombard the substrates (GO paper) resulting in effective deoxygenation of oxygen-containing functional groups. In-situ sputtering ZnO films on GO paper provide an approach to design graphene-semiconductor nanocomposites

Resistive Switching Characteristics in Electrochemically Synthesized ZnO Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuhan Jing

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The semiconductor industry has long been seeking a new kind of non-volatile memory technology with high-density, high-speed, and low-power consumption. This study demonstrated the electrochemical synthesis of ZnO films without adding any soft or hard templates. The effect of deposition temperatures on crystal structure, surface morphology and resistive switching characteristics were investigated. Our findings reveal that the crystallinity, surface morphology and resistive switching characteristics of ZnO thin films can be well tuned by controlling deposition temperature. A conducting filament based model is proposed to explain the switching mechanism in ZnO thin films.

Key Topics in Producing New Ultraviolet Led and Laser Devices Based on Transparent Semiconductor Zinc Oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuezemen, S.

2004-01-01

Recently, it has been introduced that ZnO as II-VI semiconductor is promising various technological applications, especially for optoelectronic short wavelength light emitting devices due to its wide and direct band gap profile. The most important advantage of ZnO over the other currently used wide band gap semiconductors such as GaN is that its nearly 3 times higher exciton binding energy (60 meV), which permits efficient excitonic emission at room temperature and above. As-grown ZnO is normally n-type because of the Zn-rich defects such as zinc interstitials (Zn i ) oxygen vacancies (Vo), natively acting as shallow donors and main source of n-type conductivity in as-grown material. Therefore, making p-type ZnO has been more difficult due to unintentional compensation of possible acceptors by these residual donors. In order to develop electro luminescent and laser devices based on the ultraviolet (UV) exciton emission of ZnO, it will be important to fabricate good p-n junctions. Attempts to observe p-type conductivity in ours and our collaborators' laboratories in USA, either by co-doping with N or tuning O pressure have been first successful achievements, resulting in hole concentrations up to 10 1 9 cm - 3 in reactively sputtered thin layers of ZnO. Moreover, in order to produce ZnO based quantum well lasers similar to the previously introduced n-AlGaAs/GaAs/p-AlGaAs structures; we have attempted to grow Zn 1 -xSn x O thin films to enlarge the band gap energy. An increase up to 170 meV has been observed in Zn 1 -xSn x O thin films and this is enough barrier to be able to trap electron-hole pairs in quantum well structures. As a result, two important key issues; p-type conductivity and enhancement of the band gap energy in order to step forward towards the production of electro luminescent UV LEDs and quantum well lasers have been investigated and will be presented in this study

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2012-01-01

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

Enhancing Performance of SnO2-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using ZnO Passivation Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. M. N. M. B. Wanninayake

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Although liquid electrolyte based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs have shown higher photovoltaic performance in their class, they still suffer from some practical limitations such as solvent evaporation, leakage, and sealing imperfections. These problems can be circumvented to a certain extent by replacing the liquid electrolytes with quasi-solid-state electrolytes. Even though SnO2 shows high election mobility when compared to the semiconductor material commonly used in DSCs, the cell performance of SnO2-based DSCs is considerably low due to high electron recombination. This recombination effect can be reduced through the use of ultrathin coating layer of ZnO on SnO2 nanoparticles surface. ZnO-based DSCs also showed lower performance due to its amphoteric nature which help dissolve in slightly acidic dye solution. In this study, the effect of the composite SnO2/ZnO system was investigated. SnO2/ZnO composite DSCs showed 100% and 38% increase of efficiency compared to the pure SnO2-based and ZnO-based devices, respectively, with the gel electrolyte consisting of LiI salt.

Co-Doped ZnO nanoparticles: minireview.

Science.gov (United States)

Djerdj, Igor; Jaglicić, Zvonko; Arcon, Denis; Niederberger, Markus

2010-07-01

Diluted magnetic semiconductors with a Curie temperature exceeding 300 K are promising candidates for spintronic devices and spin-based electronic technologies. We review recent achievements in the field of one of them: Co-doped ZnO at the nanoparticulate scale.

A vacuum pressure sensor based on ZnO nanobelt film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, X J; Cao, X C; Sun, J; Yuan, B; Zhu, Z; Zhang, Y; Li, Q H

2011-01-01

A vacuum pressure sensor was fabricated by assembling ZnO nanobelt film on the interdigital electrodes, and the current-voltage characteristics were measured with an Agilent semiconductor parameter tester. Under different pressures of 1.0 x 10 3 , 6.7 x 10 -3 , 8.2 x 10 -4 and 9.5 x 10 -5 mbar, the currents are 8.71, 28.1, 46.1 and 89.6 nA, and the pressure sensitive resistances are 1150, 356, 217 and 112 MΩ, respectively. In the range of 10 -5 -10 3 mbar the smaller the pressure is, the higher the current is. The pressure sensitive resistance of the vacuum pressure sensor increases linearly with the logarithmic pressure, and the measurement range is at least one order of magnitude wider than that of the previous sensors. Under the final pressure, the vacuum pressure sensor has maximum sensitivity (9.29) and power consumption of 0.9 μW. The sensitivity is larger than that of the previous sensor based on a ZnO single nanowire at that pressure, and the power consumption is much lower than that for the sensor based on a ZnO nanowire array. The pressure sensitive mechanism is reasonably explained by using oxygen chemisorption and energy band theory.

Theoretical prediction of low-density hexagonal ZnO hollow structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tuoc, Vu Ngoc, E-mail: tuoc.vungoc@hust.edu.vn [Institute of Engineering Physics, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet Road, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Huan, Tran Doan [Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3136 (United States); Thao, Nguyen Thi [Institute of Engineering Physics, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet Road, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hong Duc University, 307 Le Lai, Thanh Hoa City (Viet Nam); Tuan, Le Manh [Hong Duc University, 307 Le Lai, Thanh Hoa City (Viet Nam)

2016-10-14

Along with wurtzite and zinc blende, zinc oxide (ZnO) has been found in a large number of polymorphs with substantially different properties and, hence, applications. Therefore, predicting and synthesizing new classes of ZnO polymorphs are of great significance and have been gaining considerable interest. Herein, we perform a density functional theory based tight-binding study, predicting several new series of ZnO hollow structures using the bottom-up approach. The geometry of the building blocks allows for obtaining a variety of hexagonal, low-density nanoporous, and flexible ZnO hollow structures. Their stability is discussed by means of the free energy computed within the lattice-dynamics approach. Our calculations also indicate that all the reported hollow structures are wide band gap semiconductors in the same fashion with bulk ZnO. The electronic band structures of the ZnO hollow structures are finally examined in detail.

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.

The surface defect-related electroluminescence from the ZnO microwire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding Meng; Zhao Dongxu; Yao Bin; Li Binghui; Zhang Zhenzhong; Shan Chongxin; Shen Dezhen, E-mail: dxzhao2000@yahoo.com.cn [Key Laboratory of Excited State Processes, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130021 (China)

2011-02-23

Surface defect-related electroluminescence (EL) was realized from a single ZnO microwire-based metal-semiconductor-metal structure on a glass substrate. ZnO microwires were successfully fabricated using a simple chemical vapour deposition approach. Schottky contacts were detected between Au electrodes and the ZnO microwire. The EL spectrum showed a broad emission band covering the visible range from 400 to 700 nm. The possible EL emission mechanism is discussed in detail in this paper.

Functionalized vertically aligned ZnO nanorods for application in electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor based pH sensors and label-free immuno-sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Narendra; Senapati, Sujata; Kumar, Jitendra; Panda, Siddhartha; Kumar, Satyendra

2016-01-01

Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on a SiO 2 /Si surface by optimization of the temperature and atmosphere for annealing of the seed. The seed layer annealed at 500 °C in vacuum provided well separated and uniform seeds which also provided the best condition to get densely packed, uniformly distributed, and vertically aligned nanorods. These nanorods grown on the substrates were used to fabricate electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) devices for pH sensing. Etching of ZnO at acidic pH prevents the direct use of nanorods for pH sensing. Therefore, the nanorods functionalised with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) were utilized for pH sensing and showed the pH sensitivity of 50.1 mV/pH. APTES is also known to be used as a linker to immobilize biomolecules (such as antibodies). The EIS device with APTES functionalized nanorods was used for the label free detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Finally, voltage shifts of 23 mV and 35 mV were observed with PSA concentrations of 1 ng/ml and 100 ng/ml, respectively. (paper)

Electronic Transport Properties of One Dimensional Zno Nanowires Studied Using Maximally-Localized Wannier Functions

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xu; Gu, Yousong; Wang, Xueqiang

2012-08-01

One dimensional ZnO NWs with different diameters and lengths have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and Maximally Localized Wannier Functions (MLWFs). It is found that ZnO NWs are direct band gap semiconductors and there exist a turn on voltage for observable current. ZnO nanowires with different diameters and lengths show distinctive turn-on voltage thresholds in I-V characteristics curves. The diameters of ZnO NWs are greatly influent the transport properties of ZnO NWs. For the ZnO NW with large diameter that has more states and higher transmission coefficients leads to narrow band gap and low turn on voltage. In the case of thinner diameters, the length of ZnO NW can effects the electron tunneling and longer supercell lead to higher turn on voltage.

Photoluminescence studies of ZnO doped with stable and radioactive impurities

CERN Document Server

Cullen, Joseph; Martin O, Henry

In this work the IIb-VI compound semiconductor ZnO is doped, via ion implantation of stable and radioactive isotopes, in order to investigate the chemical nature of exciton re-combinations bound to previously unidentified defects. Photo-luminescence (PL) is discussed and is used extensively as the primary investigative technique. A new defect emission feature, centred around 3.324 eV, is found to be related to Ge impurities occupying substitutional Zn sites in ZnO. This centre is investigated by temperature dependent PL, piezo-spectroscopy and Zeeman spectroscopy. The centre is donor-like in nature. Uniaxial stress measurements indicate that the defect centre has trigonal symmetry and applied magnetic field measurements reveal the neutral charge state of the centre and the donor-like binding mechanism. Subsequent to this, a study is undertaken of the iso-electronic defect Hg in ZnO studying the zero phonon feature at 3.279 eV and its associated phonon replica band. Temperature dependent measurements reveal tw...

Zinc Alloys for the Fabrication of Semiconductor Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Yungryel; Lee, Tae S.

2009-01-01

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

Local irradiation effects of one-dimensional ZnO based self-powered asymmetric Schottky barrier UV photodetector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Yaxue [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Qi, Junjie, E-mail: junjieqi@ustb.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Biswas, Chandan [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States); Li, Feng; Zhang, Kui; Li, Xin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhang, Yue, E-mail: yuezhang@ustb.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials and Technologies, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China)

2015-09-15

A self-powered metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) UV photodetector was successfully fabricated based on Ag/ZnO/Au structure with asymmetric Schottky barriers. This exhibits excellent performance compared to many previous studies. Very high photo-to-dark current ratio (approximately 10{sup 5}–10{sup 6}) was demonstrated without applying any external bias, and very fast switching time of less than 30 ms was observed during the investigation. Opposite photocurrent direction was generated by irradiating different Schottky diodes in the fabricated photodetector. Furthermore, the device performance was optimized by largely irradiating both the ZnO microwire (MW) junctions. Schottky barrier effect theory and O{sub 2} adsorption–desorption theories were used to investigate the phenomenon. The device has potential applications in self-powered UV detection field and can be used as electrical power source for electronic, optoelectronic and mechanical devices. - Highlights: • A self-powered Schottky barrier UV photodetector based on 1-D ZnO is fabricated. • For the first time we investigate the local irradiation effects of UV detector. • Irradiating both the junctions and ZnO can optimize the performance of the device.

Novel room temperature ferromagnetic semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Amita [KTH Royal Inst. of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden)

2004-06-01

Today's information world, bits of data are processed by semiconductor chips, and stored in the magnetic disk drives. But tomorrow's information technology may see magnetism (spin) and semiconductivity (charge) combined in one 'spintronic' device that exploits both charge and 'spin' to carry data (the best of two worlds). Spintronic devices such as spin valve transistors, spin light emitting diodes, non-volatile memory, logic devices, optical isolators and ultra-fast optical switches are some of the areas of interest for introducing the ferromagnetic properties at room temperature in a semiconductor to make it multifunctional. The potential advantages of such spintronic devices will be higher speed, greater efficiency, and better stability at a reduced power consumption. This Thesis contains two main topics: In-depth understanding of magnetism in Mn doped ZnO, and our search and identification of at least six new above room temperature ferromagnetic semiconductors. Both complex doped ZnO based new materials, as well as a number of nonoxides like phosphides, and sulfides suitably doped with Mn or Cu are shown to give rise to ferromagnetism above room temperature. Some of the highlights of this work are discovery of room temperature ferromagnetism in: (1) ZnO:Mn (paper in Nature Materials, Oct issue, 2003); (2) ZnO doped with Cu (containing no magnetic elements in it); (3) GaP doped with Cu (again containing no magnetic elements in it); (4) Enhancement of Magnetization by Cu co-doping in ZnO:Mn; (5) CdS doped with Mn, and a few others not reported in this thesis. We discuss in detail the first observation of ferromagnetism above room temperature in the form of powder, bulk pellets, in 2-3 mu-m thick transparent pulsed laser deposited films of the Mn (<4 at. percent) doped ZnO. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectra recorded from 2 to 200nm areas showed homogeneous

Synthesis and properties of the diluted magnetic semiconductor ZnO doped with nickel ions by combustion reaction; Sintese e propriedades do semicondutor magnetico diluido ZnO dopado com ions de niquel por meio da reacao de combustao

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morais, A.; Torquato, R.A.; Costa, A.C.F.M, E-mail: m.artur@hotmail.com.br [Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), Joao Pessoa, PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais; Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais

2017-10-01

One of the greatest challenges for the development of the spintronics this creation of materials having semiconductivity and magnetism at above room temperatures, enabling the creation of devices with greater processing speeds. This work aims to synthesize by combustion reaction semiconductor ZnO doped with nickel ions at a concentration of 0.08 mol for applications such as diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS). The combustion reaction is quite simple and promising in obtaining single-phase materials at the nanoscale. The obtained powder was subjected to the characterizations of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and UV-vis spectroscopy. The crystalline material exhibits ZnO crystalline structure and coercive field of 161,36 Oe, showing that the material exhibits the properties of an SMD. (author)

Growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods using textured ZnO films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meléndrez Manuel

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract A hydrothermal method to grow vertical-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays on ZnO films obtained by atomic layer deposition (ALD is presented. The growth of ZnO nanorods is studied as function of the crystallographic orientation of the ZnO films deposited on silicon (100 substrates. Different thicknesses of ZnO films around 40 to 180 nm were obtained and characterized before carrying out the growth process by hydrothermal methods. A textured ZnO layer with preferential direction in the normal c-axes is formed on substrates by the decomposition of diethylzinc to provide nucleation sites for vertical nanorod growth. Crystallographic orientation of the ZnO nanorods and ZnO-ALD films was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Composition, morphologies, length, size, and diameter of the nanorods were studied using a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersed x-ray spectroscopy analyses. In this work, it is demonstrated that crystallinity of the ZnO-ALD films plays an important role in the vertical-aligned ZnO nanorod growth. The nanorod arrays synthesized in solution had a diameter, length, density, and orientation desirable for a potential application as photosensitive materials in the manufacture of semiconductor-polymer solar cells. PACS 61.46.Hk, Nanocrystals; 61.46.Km, Structure of nanowires and nanorods; 81.07.Gf, Nanowires; 81.15.Gh, Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced CVD, MOCVD, ALD, etc.

Impurity sublattice localization in ZnO revealed by li marker diffusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azarov, A.Yu.; Knutsen, K.E.; Neuvonen, P.T.

2013-01-01

Sublattice localization of impurities in compound semiconductors, e.g., ZnO, determines their electronic and optical action. Despite that the impurity position may be envisaged based on charge considerations, the actual localization is often unknown, limiting our understanding of the incorporation...... and possible doping mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrate that the preferential sublattice occupation for a number of impurities in ZnO can be revealed by monitoring Li diffusion. In particular, using ion implantation, the impurity incorporation into the Zn sublattice (holds for, B, Mg, P, Ag, Cd, and Sb...

A Review on the Fabrication of Hierarchical ZnO Nanostructures for Photocatalysis Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Xia

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Semiconductor photocatalysis provides potential solutions for many energy and environmental-related issues. Recently, various semiconductors with hierarchical nanostructures have been fabricated to achieve efficient photocatalysts owing to their multiple advantages, such as high surface area, porous structures, as well as enhanced light harvesting. ZnO has been widely investigated and considered as the most promising alternative photocatalyst to TiO2. Herein, we present a review on the fabrication methods, growth mechanisms and photocatalytic applications of hierarchical ZnO nanostructures. Various synthetic strategies and growth mechanisms, including multistep sequential growth routes, template-based synthesis, template-free self-organization and precursor or self-templating strategies, are highlighted. In addition, the fabrication of multicomponent ZnO-based nanocomposites with hierarchical structures is also included. Finally, the application of hierarchical ZnO nanostructures and nanocomposites in typical photocatalytic reactions, such as pollutant degradation and H2 evolution, is reviewed.

Electric-field driven insulator-metal transition and tunable magnetoresistance in ZnO thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Le; Chen, Shanshan; Chen, Xiangyang; Ye, Zhizhen; Zhu, Liping

2018-04-01

Electrical control of the multistate phase in semiconductors offers the promise of nonvolatile functionality in the future semiconductor spintronics. Here, by applying an external electric field, we have observed a gate-induced insulator-metal transition (MIT) with the temperature dependence of resistivity in ZnO thin films. Due to a high-density carrier accumulation, we have shown the ability to inverse change magnetoresistance in ZnO by ionic liquid gating from 10% to -2.5%. The evolution of photoluminescence under gate voltage was also consistent with the MIT, which is due to the reduction of dislocation. Our in-situ gate-controlled photoluminescence, insulator-metal transition, and the conversion of magnetoresistance open up opportunities in searching for quantum materials and ZnO based photoelectric devices.

Tuning magnetism by biaxial strain in native ZnO.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Chengxiao; Wang, Yuanxu; Cheng, Zhenxiang; Zhang, Guangbiao; Wang, Chao; Yang, Gui

2015-07-07

Magnetic ZnO, one of the most important diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS), has attracted great scientific interest because of its possible technological applications in optomagnetic devices. Magnetism in this material is usually delicately tuned by the doping level, dislocations, and local structures. The rational control of magnetism in ZnO is a highly attractive approach for practical applications. Here, the tuning effect of biaxial strain on the d(0) magnetism of native imperfect ZnO is demonstrated through first-principles calculations. Our calculation results show that strain conditions have little effect on the defect formation energy of Zn and O vacancies in ZnO, but they do affect the magnetism significantly. For a cation vacancy, increasing the compressive strain will obviously decrease its magnetic moment, while tensile strain cannot change the moment, which remains constant at 2 μB. For a singly charged anion vacancy, however, the dependence of the magnetic moment on strain is opposite to that of the Zn vacancy. Furthermore, the ferromagnetic state is always present, irrespective of the strain type, for ZnO with two zinc vacancies, 2VZns. A large tensile strain is favorable for improving the Curie temperature and realizing room temperature ferromagnetism for ZnO-based native semiconductors. For ZnO with two singly charged oxygen vacancies, 2Vs, no ferromagnetic ordering can be observed. Our work points the way to the rational design of materials beyond ZnO with novel non-intrinsic functionality by simply tuning the strain in a thin film form.

First principles study of magneto-optical properties of Fe-doped ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaoqiang, Guo [College of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051 (China); Qingyu, Hou, E-mail: by0501119@126.com [College of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051 (China); Zhenchao, Xu [College of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051 (China); Chunwang, Zhao [College of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051 (China); College of Arts and Sciences, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306 (China)

2016-12-15

Studies on optical band gaps and absorption spectra of Fe-doped ZnO have conflicting conclusions, such as contradictory redshifted and blueshifted spectra. To solve this contradiction, we constructed models of un-doped and Fe-doped ZnO using first-principles theory and optimized the geometry of the three models. Electronic structures and absorption spectra were also calculated using the GGA+U method. Higher doping content of Fe resulted in larger volume of doped system, and higher total energy resulted in lower stability. Higher formation energy also led to more difficult doping. Meanwhile, the band gaps broadened and the absorption spectra exhibited an evident blue shift. The calculations were in good agreement with the experimental results. Given the unipolar structure of ZnO, four possible magnetic coupling configurations for Zn{sub 14}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 16} were calculated to investigate the magnetic properties. Results suggest that Fe doping can improve ferromagnetism in the ZnO system and that ferromagnetic stabilization was mediated by p–d exchange interaction between Fe-3d and O-2p orbitals. Therefore, the doped system is expected to obtain high stability and high Curie temperature of diluted magnetic semiconductor material, which are useful as theoretical bases for the design and preparation of the Fe-doped ZnO system’s magneto-optical properties. - Highlights: • A biomonitoring tool for the freshwater zone of template estuaries. • Water quality characterization related to nutrients and organic matter enrichment. • The percentage of a group of 24 tolerant species were capable of detecting the impairment of the water quality. • Characterization of morpho-functional traits of the selected tolerant species.

Study of quantum confinement effects in ZnO nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Movlarooy, Tayebeh

2018-03-01

Motivation to fact that zinc oxide nanowires and nanotubes with successful synthesis and the mechanism of formation, stability and electronic properties have been investigated; in this study the structural, electronic properties and quantum confinement effects of zinc oxide nanotubes and nanowires with different diameters are discussed. The calculations within density functional theory and the pseudo potential approximation are done. The electronic structure and energy gap for Armchair and zigzag ZnO nanotubes with a diameter of about 4 to 55 Angstrom and ZnO nanowires with a diameter range of 4 to 23 Å is calculated. The results revealed that due to the quantum confinement effects, by reducing the diameter of nanowires and nanotubes, the energy gap increases. Zinc oxide semiconductor nanostructures since having direct band gap with size-dependent and quantum confinement effect are recommended as an appropriate candidate for making nanoscale optoelectronic devices.

Comparison of modification strategies towards enhanced charge carrier separation and photocatalytic degradation activity of metal oxide semiconductors (TiO{sub 2}, WO{sub 3} and ZnO)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, S. Girish [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012 Karnataka (India); Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering and Technology, CMR University, Bengaluru, 562149, Karnataka (India); Rao, K.S.R. Koteswara, E-mail: raoksrk@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012 Karnataka (India)

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Semiconductor metal oxides: Modifications, charge carrier dynamics and photocatalysis. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2}, WO{sub 3} and ZnO based photocatalysis is reviewed. • Advances to improve the efficiency are emphasized. • Differences and similarities in the modifications are highlighted. • Charge carrier dynamics for each strategy are discussed. - Abstract: Metal oxide semiconductors (TiO{sub 2}, WO{sub 3} and ZnO) finds unparalleled opportunity in wastewater purification under UV/visible light, largely encouraged by their divergent admirable features like stability, non-toxicity, ease of preparation, suitable band edge positions and facile generation of active oxygen species in the aqueous medium. However, the perennial failings of these photocatalysts emanates from the stumbling blocks like rapid charge carrier recombination and meager visible light response. In this review, tailoring the surface-bulk electronic structure through the calibrated and veritable approaches such as impurity doping, deposition with noble metals, sensitizing with other compounds (dyes, polymers, inorganic complexes and simple chelating ligands), hydrogenation process (annealing under hydrogen atmosphere), electronic integration with other semiconductors, modifying with carbon nanostructures, designing with exposed facets and tailoring with hierarchical morphologies to overcome their critical drawbacks are summarized. Taking into account the materials intrinsic properties, the pros and cons together with similarities and striking differences for each strategy in specific to TiO{sub 2}, WO{sub 3} & ZnO are highlighted. These subtlety enunciates the primacy for improving the structure-electronic properties of metal oxides and credence to its fore in the practical applications. Future research must focus on comparing the performances of ZnO, TiO{sub 2} and WO{sub 3} in parallel to get insight into their photocatalytic behaviors. Such comparisons not only reveal

Smoothing of ZnO films by gas cluster ion beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, H.; Liu, S.W.; Wang, X.M.; Iliev, M.N.; Chen, C.L.; Yu, X.K.; Liu, J.R.; Ma, K.; Chu, W.K.

2005-01-01

Planarization of wide-band-gap semiconductor ZnO surface is crucial for thin-film device performance. In this study, the rough initial surfaces of ZnO films deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering on Si substrates were smoothed by gas cluster ion beams. AFM measurements show that the average surface roughness (R a ) of the ZnO films could be reduced considerably from 16.1 nm to 0.9 nm. Raman spectroscopy was used to monitor the structure of both the as-grown and the smoothed ZnO films. Rutherford back-scattering in combination with channeling effect was used to study the damage production induced by the cluster bombardment

Hybrid p-n junction light-emitting diodes based on sputtered ZnO and organic semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Na, Jong H.; Kitamura, M.; Arita, M.; Arakawa, Y.

2009-01-01

We fabricated light-emitting hybrid p-n junction devices using low temperature deposited ZnO and organic films, in which the ZnO and the organic films served as the n- and p-type component, respectively. The devices have a rectification factor as high as ∼10 3 and a current density greater than 2 A/cm 2 . Electroluminescence of the hybrid device shows the mixture of the emission bands arising from radiative charge recombination in organic and ZnO. The substantial device properties could provide various opportunities for low cost and large area multicolor light-emitting sources.

Study on the performance of ZnO nanomaterial-based surface acoustic wave ultraviolet detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Wenbo; He, Yongning; Zhao, Xiaolong; Liu, Han; Kang, Xue; Wen, Changbao

2013-01-01

A ZnO nanomaterial-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) ultraviolet (UV) detector is highly desirable for UV radiation detection due to its high sensitivity. In this work, firstly the ZnO nanomaterial-based SAW UV detectors operating at three different frequencies (∼50, ∼100 and ∼200 MHz) were fabricated. Then, four ZnO nanomaterial sensing layers with different thicknesses were synthesized on the SAW UV detectors operating at ∼200 MHz. The morphology, crystallization and photoluminescence of ZnO nanomaterial sensing layers were characterized using the scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and fluorescence spectrometer, respectively. The SAW UV detectors based on different operating frequencies and ZnO nanomaterial sensing layer's thicknesses were exposed under UV illumination at a wavelength of 365 nm and their UV responses were measured. The experimental results indicate that the frequency shift of ZnO nanomaterial-based SAW UV detector can be significantly improved by increasing operating frequency or ZnO nanomaterial sensing layer's thickness. Furthermore, the detectors exhibit good selectivity of UV illumination, an ultrahigh UV sensitivity of about 9.6 ppm (µW cm −2 ) −1  and fast transient properties. The experimental results agree well with the acousto-electric effect theory. What deserves to be noted is that, under a UV intensity of 150 µW cm −2 , the frequency shift of the SAW UV detector operating at ∼50 MHz with a thin ZnO nanomaterial sensing layer was only ∼50 kHz while that of the SAW UV detector operating at ∼200 MHz with a thick ZnO nanomaterial sensing layer could reach ∼292 kHz. These results suggest the huge potential applications of ultra-sensitive ZnO nanomaterial-based SAW UV detectors for remote wireless UV and radiation monitoring. (paper)

An analysis of the extension of a ZnO piezoelectric semiconductor nanofiber under an axial force

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chunli; Wang, Xiaoyuan; Chen, Weiqiu; Yang, Jiashi

2017-02-01

This paper presents a theoretical analysis on the axial extension of an n-type ZnO piezoelectric semiconductor nanofiber under an axial force. The phenomenological theory of piezoelectric semiconductors consisting of Newton’s second law of motion, the charge equation of electrostatics and the conservation of charge was used. The equations were linearized for small axial force and hence small electron concentration perturbation, and were reduced to one-dimensional equations for thin fibers. Simple and analytical expressions for the electromechanical fields and electron concentration in the fiber were obtained. The fields are either totally or partially described by hyperbolic functions relatively large near the ends of the fiber and change rapidly there. The behavior of the fields is sensitive to the initial electron concentration and the applied axial force. For higher initial electron concentrations the fields are larger near the ends and change more rapidly there.

Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using a hydrothermal method and a study its optical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharti, Dattatraya B; Bharati, A V

2017-05-01

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with a granular morphology were synthesized using a hydrothermal method. Structural analysis revealed that ZnO NPs had a single crystal wurtzite hexagonal structure. Solvent polarity was responsible for varying and controlling their size and morphology. The process was very trouble free and scalable. In addition, it could be used for fundamental studies on tunable morphology formation. This hydrothermal method showed different morphology with different co-surfactants such as a floral-like or wire-like belt sheet structures etc. Based on their surface morphology, the same material had different applications as a catalyst in various organic reactions and also could be used as a photocatalyst and fuel cell, solar cell or in semiconductors etc. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence of the resulting product was performed to study its purity, morphology and size, plus its optical properties via measurement of band gap energy and light absorbance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ZnO1-xTex and ZnO1-xSx semiconductor alloys as competent materials for opto-electronic and solar cell applications: a comparative analysis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Utsa Das; Partha P.Pal

2017-01-01

ZnO1-xTex ternary alloys have great potential to work as a photovoltaic (PV) absorber in solar cells.ZnO1-xSx is also a ZnO based alloy that have uses in solar cells.In this paper we report the comparative study of various parameters of ZnO1-xTex and ZnO1-xSx for selecting it to be a competent material for solar cell applications.The parameters are mainly being calculated using the well-known VCA (virtual crystal approximation) and VBAC (Valence Band Anti-Crossing) model.It was certainly being analysed that the incorporation of Te atoms produces a high band gap lower than S atoms in the host ZnO material.The spin-orbit splitting energy value of ZnO1-xTex was found to be higher than that of ZnO1-xSx.Beside this,the strain effects are also higher in ZnO1-xTex than ZnO1-xSx.The remarkable notifying result which the paper is reporting is that at a higher percentage of Te atoms in ZnO1-xTex,the spin-orbit splitting energy value rises above the band gap value,which signifies a very less internal carrier recombination that decreases the leakage current and increases the efficiency of the solar ceil.Moreover,it also covers a wide wavelength range compared to ZnO1-xSx.

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 ZnO

Comparative study of ZnO nanorods and thin films for chemical and biosensing applications and the development of ZnO nanorods based potentiometric strontium ion sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Khun, K.; Ibupoto, Z. H.; Chey, C. O.; Lu, Jun.; Nur, O.; Willander, M.

2013-03-01

In this study, the comparative study of ZnO nanorods and ZnO thin films were performed regarding the chemical and biosensing properties and also ZnO nanorods based strontium ion sensor is proposed. ZnO nanorods were grown on gold coated glass substrates by the hydrothermal growth method and the ZnO thin films were deposited by electro deposition technique. ZnO nanorods and thin films were characterised by field emission electron microscopy [FESEM] and X-ray diffraction [XRD] techniques and this study has shown that the grown nanostructures are highly dense, uniform and exhibited good crystal quality. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy [TEM] was used to investigate the quality of ZnO thin film and we observed that ZnO thin film was comprised of nano clusters. ZnO nanorods and thin films were functionalised with selective strontium ionophore salicylaldehyde thiosemicarbazone [ST] membrane, galactose oxidase, and lactate oxidase for the detection of strontium ion, galactose and L-lactic acid, respectively. The electrochemical response of both ZnO nanorods and thin films sensor devices was measured by using the potentiometric method. The strontium ion sensor has exhibited good characteristics with a sensitivity of 28.65 ± 0.52 mV/decade, for a wide range of concentrations from 1.00 × 10-6 to 5.00 × 10-2 M, selectivity, reproducibility, stability and fast response time of 10.00 s. The proposed strontium ion sensor was used as indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of strontium ion versus ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid [EDTA]. This comparative study has shown that ZnO nanorods possessed better performance with high sensitivity and low limit of detection due to high surface area to volume ratio as compared to the flat surface of ZnO thin films.

Identification of conduction and hot electron property in ZnS, ZnO and SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Jinzhao; Xu Zheng; Zhao Suling; Li Yuan; Yuan Guangcai; Wang Yongsheng; Xu Xurong

2007-01-01

The impact excitation and ionization is the most important process in layered optimization scheme and solid state cathodoluminescence. The conduction property (semiconductor property) of SiO 2 , ZnS and ZnO is studied based on organic/inorganic electroluminescence. The hot electron property (acceleration and multiplication property) of SiO 2 and ZnS is investigated based on the solid state cathodoluminescence. The results show that the SiO 2 has the fine hot electron property and the conduction property is not as good as ZnO and ZnS

Field evaporation of ZnO: A first-principles study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Yu, E-mail: yuxia@dal.ca; Karahka, Markus; Kreuzer, H. J. [Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5 (Canada)

2015-07-14

With recent advances in atom probe tomography of insulators and semiconductors, there is a need to understand high electrostatic field effects in these materials as well as the details of field evaporation. We use density functional theory to study field effects in ZnO clusters calculating the potential energy curves, the local field distribution, the polarizability, and the dielectric constant as a function of field strength. We confirm that, as in MgO, the HOMO-LUMO gap of a ZnO cluster closes at the evaporation field strength signaling field-induced metallization of the insulator. Following the structural changes in the cluster at the evaporation field strength, we can identify the field evaporated species, in particular, we show that the most abundant ion, Zn{sup 2+}, is NOT post-ionized but leaves the surface as 2+ largely confirming the experimental observations. Our results also help to explain problems related to stoichiometry in the mass spectra measured in atom probe tomography.

Paramagnetism and antiferromagnetic interactions in single-phase Fe-implanted ZnO

CERN Document Server

Pereira, Lino Miguel da Costa; Correia, João Guilherme; Van Bael, M J; Temst, Kristiaan; Vantomme, André; Araújo, João Pedro

2013-01-01

As the intrinsic origin of the high temperature ferromagnetism often observed in wide-gap dilute magnetic semiconductors becomes increasingly debated, there is a growing need for comprehensive studies on the single-phase region of the phase diagram of these materials. Here we report on the magnetic and structural properties of Fe-doped ZnO prepared by ion implantation of ZnO single crystals. A detailed structural characterization shows that the Fe impurities substitute for Zn in ZnO in a wurtzite Zn$_{1−x}$Fe$_{x}$O phase which is coherent with the ZnO host. In addition, the density of beam-induced defects is progressively decreased by thermal annealing up to 900$^{\\circ}$C, from highly disordered after implantation to highly crystalline upon subsequent annealing. Based on a detailed analysis of the magnetometry data, we demonstrate that isolated Fe impurities occupying Zn substitutional sites behave as localized paramagnetic moments down to 2$^{\\circ}$K, irrespective of the Fe concentration and the density...

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2014-01-01

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

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2014-03-25

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

Disposable urea biosensor based on nanoporous ZnO film fabricated from omissible polymeric substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahmanian, Reza; Mozaffari, Sayed Ahmad; Abedi, Mohammad

2015-01-01

In the present study, a facile and simple fabrication method of a semiconductor based urea biosensor was reported via three steps: (i) producing a ZnO–PVA composite film by means of a polymer assisted electrodeposition of zinc oxide (ZnO) on the F-doped SnO 2 conducting glass (FTO) using water soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), (ii) obtaining a nanoporous ZnO film by PVA omission via a subsequent post-treatment by annealing of the ZnO–PVA film, and (iii) preparation of a FTO/ZnO/Urs biosensor by exploiting a nanoporous ZnO film as an efficient and excellent platform area for electrostatic immobilization of urease enzyme (Urs) which was forced by the difference in their isoelectric point (IEP). The characterization techniques focused on the analysis of the ZnO–PVA film surfaces before and after annealing, which had a prominent effect on the porosity of the prepared ZnO film. The surface characterization of the nanostructured ZnO film by a field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE–SEM), exhibited a film surface area as an effective bio-sensing matrix for enzyme immobilization. The structural characterization and monitoring of the biosensor fabrication was performed using UV–Vis, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Raman Spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The impedimetric results of the FTO/ZnO/Urs biosensor showed a high sensitivity for urea detection within 8.0–110.0 mg dL −1 with the limit of detection as 5.0 mg dL −1 . - Highlights: • Novel disposable impedimetric urea biosensor fabrication based on ZnO–nanoporous transducer • Exploiting omissible PVA polymer as a simple strategy for ZnO–nanoporous film preparation • ZnO–nanoporous film as a good pore framework with large surface area/volume for enzyme immobilization • Application of impedimetric measurement for urea monitoring due to its rapidity, sensitivity, and repeatability

Disposable urea biosensor based on nanoporous ZnO film fabricated from omissible polymeric substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahmanian, Reza; Mozaffari, Sayed Ahmad, E-mail: mozaffari@irost.ir; Abedi, Mohammad

2015-12-01

In the present study, a facile and simple fabrication method of a semiconductor based urea biosensor was reported via three steps: (i) producing a ZnO–PVA composite film by means of a polymer assisted electrodeposition of zinc oxide (ZnO) on the F-doped SnO{sub 2} conducting glass (FTO) using water soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), (ii) obtaining a nanoporous ZnO film by PVA omission via a subsequent post-treatment by annealing of the ZnO–PVA film, and (iii) preparation of a FTO/ZnO/Urs biosensor by exploiting a nanoporous ZnO film as an efficient and excellent platform area for electrostatic immobilization of urease enzyme (Urs) which was forced by the difference in their isoelectric point (IEP). The characterization techniques focused on the analysis of the ZnO–PVA film surfaces before and after annealing, which had a prominent effect on the porosity of the prepared ZnO film. The surface characterization of the nanostructured ZnO film by a field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE–SEM), exhibited a film surface area as an effective bio-sensing matrix for enzyme immobilization. The structural characterization and monitoring of the biosensor fabrication was performed using UV–Vis, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Raman Spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The impedimetric results of the FTO/ZnO/Urs biosensor showed a high sensitivity for urea detection within 8.0–110.0 mg dL{sup −1} with the limit of detection as 5.0 mg dL{sup −1}. - Highlights: • Novel disposable impedimetric urea biosensor fabrication based on ZnO–nanoporous transducer • Exploiting omissible PVA polymer as a simple strategy for ZnO–nanoporous film preparation • ZnO–nanoporous film as a good pore framework with large surface area/volume for enzyme immobilization • Application of impedimetric measurement for urea monitoring due to its rapidity, sensitivity, and

Study of chemically synthesized ZnO nano particles under a bio template using radioactive ion beam

CERN Multimedia

This is a project proposal to study nano sized semiconductor ZnO system, useful in biology and medicinal purposes, using radioactive ion beam from ISOLDE. Doping of the nano particles with Cu, Cd and Ga ions (in their variable valancy states) are expected to impart changes in the electrical structure and properties in the said system under study. The morphological changes, chemical environment, micro structure, electrical and optical properties of the nano size particles of ZnO system (developed under a bio template of folic acid) after the interaction with radioactive ion beam will be studied. The provision of perturbed angular correlation (PAC) study with respect to the changes in chemical environment, where ever possible will be attempted.

The alkali and alkaline earth metal doped ZnO nanotubes: DFT studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peyghan, Ali Ahmadi; Noei, Maziar

2014-01-01

Doping of several alkali and alkaline earth metals into sidewall of an armchair ZnO nanotube has been investigated by employing the density functional theory in terms of energetic, geometric, and electronic properties. It has been found that doping processes of the alkali and alkaline metals are endothermic and exothermic, respectively. Based on the results, contrary to the alkaline metal doping, the electronic properties of the tube are much more sensitive to alkali metal doping so that it is transformed from intrinsic semiconductor with HOMO–LUMO energy gap of 3.77 eV to an extrinsic semiconductor with the energy gap of ∼1.11–1.95 eV. The doping of alkali and alkaline metals increases and decreases the work function of the tube, respectively, which may influence the electron emission from the tube surface

Admittance spectroscopy of spray-pyrolyzed ZnO film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavasoglu, Nese; Kavasoglu, A. Sertap

2008-01-01

A ZnO film was deposited using the spray pyrolysis method. The admittance spectroscopy method was used to establish the contributions to electrical behavior from grains, grain boundaries, and electrodes of film. Proper equivalent electrical circuit of a ZnO film composed of a single parallel resistor, capacitor, and inductor network connected with a series resistance was proposed. Moreover, we displayed metal-semiconductor transition (MST) in the ZnO film via admittance spectroscopy

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.

Mixed Zn and O substitution of Co and Mn in ZnO

CERN Document Server

Pereira, Lino Miguel da Costa; Decoster, Stefan; Correia, João Guilherme; Amorim, Lígia Marina; da Silva, Manuel Ribeiro; Araújo, João Pedro; Vantomme, André

2011-01-01

The physical properties of an impurity atom in a semiconductor are primarily determined by the lattice site it occupies. In general, this occupancy can be correctly predicted based on chemical intuition, but not always. We report on one such exception in the dilute magnetic semiconductors Co- and Mn-doped ZnO, experimentally determining the lattice location of Co and Mn using $\\beta$-emission channeling from the decay of radioactive $^{61}$Co and $^{56}$Mn implanted at the ISOLDE facility at CERN. Surprisingly, in addition to the majority substituting for Zn, we find up to 18% (27%) of the Co (Mn) atoms in O sites, which is virtually unaffected by thermal annealing up to 900 °C. We discuss how this anion site configuration, which had never been considered before for any transition metal in any metal oxide material, may in fact have a low formation energy. This suggests a change in paradigm regarding transition-metal incorporation in ZnO and possibly other oxides and wide-gap semiconductors.

Gas Sensing Studies of an n-n Hetero-Junction Array Based on SnO2 and ZnO Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anupriya Naik

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A composite metal oxide semiconductor (MOS sensor array based on tin dioxide (SNO2 and zinc oxide (ZnO has been fabricated using a straight forward mechanical mixing method. The array was characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The array was evaluated against a number of environmentally important reducing and oxidizing gases across a range of operating temperatures (300–500 °C. The highest response achieved was against 100 ppm ethanol by the 50 wt% ZnO–50 wt% SnO2 device, which exhibited a response of 109.1, a 4.5-fold increase with respect to the pure SnO2 counterpart (which displayed a response of 24.4 and a 12.3-fold enhancement with respect to the pure ZnO counterpart (which was associated with a response of 8.9, towards the same concentration of the analyte. Cross sensitivity studies were also carried out against a variety of reducing gases at an operating temperature of 300 °C. The sensors array showed selectivity towards ethanol. The enhanced behaviour of the mixed oxide materials was influenced by junction effects, composition, the packing structure and the device microstructure. The results show that it is possible to tune the sensitivity and selectivity of a composite sensor, through a simple change in the composition of the composite.

Exploring the potential of laser assisted flow deposition grown ZnO for photovoltaic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, J., E-mail: joana.catarina@ua.pt [Departamento de Física & I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Cerqueira, A.F.R.; Sousa, M.G.; Santos, N.F. [Departamento de Física & I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Pimentel, A.; Fortunato, E. [CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Cunha, A.F. da; Monteiro, T.; Costa, F.M. [Departamento de Física & I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal)

2016-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a widely studied wide band gap semiconductor with applications in several fields, namely to enhance solar cells efficiency. Its ability to be grown in a wide variety of nanostructured morphologies, allowing the designing of the surface area architecture constitutes an important advantage over other semiconductors. Laser assisted flow deposition (LAFD) is a recently developed growth method, based on a vapour-solid mechanism, which proved to be a powerful approach in the production of ZnO micro/nanostructures with different morphologies as well as high crystallinity and optical quality. In the present work we report the use of the LAFD technique to grow functional ZnO nanostructures (nanoparticles and tetrapods) working as nano templates to improve the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) efficiency. The structural and morphological characterization of the as-grown ZnO crystals were performed by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy, respectively, and the optical quality was assessed by photoluminescence spectroscopy. DSSCs were produced using a combination of these nanostructures, which were subsequently sensitized with N719 dye. An efficiency of ∼3% was achieved under simulated AM 1.5 illumination conditions for a dye loading time of 1 h. - Highlights: • Laser assisted flow deposition proved to be an efficient technique to produce high quality ZnO. • Active layer formed by an interconnected network of tetrapods and a small amount of nanoparticles. • Efficiency of ∼3% obtained under simulated AM 1.5 illumination conditions.

Structural and optical characterization of indium-antimony complexes in ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Türker, M.; Deicher, M., E-mail: manfred.deicher@tech-phys.uni-sb.de; Johnston, K.; Wolf, H.; Wichert, Th. [Universität des Saarlandes, Experimentalphysik (Germany)

2015-04-15

One of the main obstacles to the technical application of the wide-gap semiconductor ZnO represents the difficulty to achieve reliable p-type doping of ZnO with group V elements (N, P, As, Sb) acting as acceptors located on O lattice sites. The theoretically proposed concepts of cluster-doping or codoping may lead to an enhanced and stable p-type conductivity of ZnO. We report on PAC results obtained by codoping experiments of ZnO by ion implantation using the donor {sup 111}In and the group-V acceptor Sb. The formation of In-Sb pairs has been observed. Based on these PAC results, there is no evidence for the formation of In-acceptor complexes involving more than one Sb acceptor. These results has been complemented by photoluminescence measurements.

Controllable synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles with high intensity visible photoemission and investigation of its mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv Yunbo; Xiao Wen; Li Weiyan; Xue Junmin; Ding Jun

2013-01-01

ZnO is known as a good photoluminescent semiconductor due to its ability to emit visible light. However, the visible emission mechanism is still under debate. In this work, we have successfully synthesized nanoparticles using LiOH, KOH and NaOH as bases and have achieved visible emission of various colours, such as blue, cyan, green and orange. We demonstrate that LiOH is the most efficient base to control the properties of ZnO nanoparticle emission by varying LiOH concentration. Moreover, detailed studies by TEM, UV and XRD show that ZnO particle size plays an important role in the colour of the emitted light and smaller particles tend to emit shorter wavelength photons. The visible emission is suggested to arise from an electron transition from the conduction band to a deep-trapped defect state. Our experimental results suggest the presence of oxygen vacancies on the ZnO nanoparticle surface. (paper)

Flexible substrate based 2D ZnO (n)/graphene (p) rectifying junction as enhanced broadband photodetector using strain modulation

Science.gov (United States)

Sahatiya, Parikshit; Jones, S. Solomon; Thanga Gomathi, P.; Badhulika, Sushmee

2017-06-01

Strain modulation is considered to be an effective way to modulate the electronic structure and carrier behavior in flexible semiconductors heterojunctions. In this work, 2D Graphene (Gr)/ZnO junction was successfully fabricated on flexible eraser substrate using simple, low-cost solution processed hydrothermal method and has been utilized for broadband photodetection in the UV to visible range at room temperature. Optimization in terms of process parameters were done to obtain 2D ZnO over 2D graphene which shows decrease in bandgap and broad absorption range from UV to visible. Under compressive strain piezopotential induced by the atoms displacements in 2D ZnO, 87% enhanced photosensing for UV light was observed under 30% strain. This excellent performance improvement can be attributed to piezopotential induced under compressive strain in 2D ZnO which results in lowering of conduction band energy and raising the schottky barrier height thereby facilitating electron-hole pair separation in 2D Gr/ZnO junction. Detailed mechanism studies in terms of density of surface states and energy band diagram is presented to understand the proposed phenomena. Results provide an excellent approach for improving the optoelectronic performance of 2D Gr/ZnO interface which can also be applied to similar semiconductor heterojunctions.

Enhancement of ZnO based flexible nano generators via sol gel technique for sensing and energy harvesting applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajagopalan, Pandey; Singh, Vipul; I A, Palani

2018-01-10

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a remarkable inorganic semiconductor with exceptional piezoelectric properties compared to other semiconductors. However, in comparison to lead-based hazardous piezoelectric materials, its features have undesired limitations. Here we report the 5~6 folds enhancement in the piezoelectric properties via chemical doping of copper matched to intrinsic ZnO. The flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator (F-PENG) device was fabricated using an unpretentious solution process of spin coating with other advantages like robust, low weight, improved adhesion, and low cost. The devices were used to demonstrate energy harvesting from a Standard weight as low as 4 gm and can work as a self-powered mass sensor in a broad range of 4 to 100 gm. The device exhibited a novel energy harvesting technique from a wind source due to its inherent flexibility. At three different velocities (10~30 m/s) and five different angles of attack (0~180 degrees), the device validated the ability to discern different velocities and directions of flow. The device will be useful for mapping the flow of air apart from harvesting the energy. The simulation was done to verify the underlining mechanism of aerodynamics involved in it. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

First-principles study on electronic and magnetic properties of (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Huawei; Lu, Pengfei; Cai, Ningning; Zhang, Xianlong; Yu, Zhongyuan; Gao, Tao; Wang, Shumin

2014-01-01

First-principle calculations have been performed to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA+U schemes. The formation energy of five different configurations is investigated and the ground state is demonstrated to be ferromagnetic ordering. By applying the U correction, the band gap energy of pure ZnO is close to the experimental values, while the ferromagnetic ordering of the ground state remains unchanged. The ferromagnetic stabilization is mediated by double exchange mechanism. In addition, defects corresponding to Zn-vacancy and O-vacancy cannot enhance the ferromagnetism obviously. These results indicate that (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO are promising magneto-electronic and spintronic materials. - Highlights: • We have considered 5 different configurations of Mn/Fe codoped bulk ZnO. • The formation energy is calculated to investigate the structural stability. • The double exchange mechanism is responsible for the ferromagnetic behavior. • Defects are not effective method to get room temperature ferromagnetism. • Mn/Fe codoped ZnO are promising ferromagnetic semiconductor materials

First-principles study on electronic and magnetic properties of (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Huawei [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876 (China); Lu, Pengfei, E-mail: photon.bupt@gmail.com [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876 (China); Cai, Ningning; Zhang, Xianlong; Yu, Zhongyuan [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876 (China); Gao, Tao [Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); Wang, Shumin [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Photonics Laboratory, Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Gothenburg (Sweden)

2014-02-15

First-principle calculations have been performed to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA+U schemes. The formation energy of five different configurations is investigated and the ground state is demonstrated to be ferromagnetic ordering. By applying the U correction, the band gap energy of pure ZnO is close to the experimental values, while the ferromagnetic ordering of the ground state remains unchanged. The ferromagnetic stabilization is mediated by double exchange mechanism. In addition, defects corresponding to Zn-vacancy and O-vacancy cannot enhance the ferromagnetism obviously. These results indicate that (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO are promising magneto-electronic and spintronic materials. - Highlights: • We have considered 5 different configurations of Mn/Fe codoped bulk ZnO. • The formation energy is calculated to investigate the structural stability. • The double exchange mechanism is responsible for the ferromagnetic behavior. • Defects are not effective method to get room temperature ferromagnetism. • Mn/Fe codoped ZnO are promising ferromagnetic semiconductor materials.

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

Transition metal implanted ZnO. A correlation between structure and magnetism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Shengqiang

2008-07-01

Nowadays ferromagnetism is often found in potential diluted magnetic semiconductor systems. However, many authors question the origin of this ferromagnetism, i.e. if the observed ferromagnetism stems from ferromagnetic precipitates rather than from carriermediated magnetic coupling of ionic impurities, as required for a diluted magnetic semiconductor. In this thesis, this question will be answered for transition-metal implanted ZnO single crystals. Magnetic secondary phases, namely metallic Fe, Co and Ni nanocrystals, are formed inside ZnO. They are - although difficult to detect by common approaches of structural analysis - responsible for the observed ferromagnetism. Particularly Co and Ni nanocrystals are crystallographically oriented with respect to the ZnO matrix. Their structure phase transformation and corresponding evolution of magnetic properties upon annealing have been established. Finally, an approach, pre-annealing ZnO crystals at high temperature before implantation, has been demonstrated to sufficiently suppress the formation of metallic secondary phases. (orig.)

Photoelectrochemical performance of DSSC with monodisperse and polydisperse ZnO SPs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wahyuono, Ruri Agung, E-mail: r-agung-w@ep.its.ac.id; Risanti, Doty D., E-mail: r-agung-w@ep.its.ac.id [Department of Engineering Physics, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (Indonesia); Shirosaki, Tomohiro; Nagaoka, Shoji [Kumamoto Industrial Research Institute (Japan); Takafuji, Makoto; Ihara, Hirotaka [Department of Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kumamoto University (Japan)

2014-02-24

Zinc oxide, ZnO, is one of oxide semiconductors being used in DSSC. ZnO is promising material for having fairly higher energy band gap and much higher bulk electron mobility than that of anatase TiO{sub 2}, the most widely used semiconductor for DSSC photoelectrode. This study introduces the synthesis of ZnO by precipitation method. The synthesis involves ZnAc dihydrate and diethylene glycol (DEG) for the chemicals. Various size of ZnO spherical particles (SPs) are obtained in polydisperse and monodisperse particles. Monolayer and bilayer DSSCs are fabricated in sandwich structure and sensitized with N719 dye for 3 and 5 hours. Monolayer DSSC using monodisperse particles (422 nm) is able to generate highest conversion efficiency of 0.569% (V{sub oc} = 541.3 mV, J{sub sc} = 1.92 mA/cm{sup 2}, and fill factor of 54.78%). Bilayer DSSC, i.e. combined 422 - 185 nm ZnO layer, can optimize the photocurrent action spectra in UV regime leading to high conversion efficiency of 0.568 (V{sub oc} = 568.2 mV, J{sub sc} = 2.22 mA/cm{sup 2}, and fill factor of 47.25%). The longer sensitizing time does not always produce better conversion efficiency since it can induce the dissolution of Zn atoms and formation of Zn{sup 2+} - dye resisting the electron transport from dye to ZnO photoelectrode.

GaN and ZnO nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuendling, Soenke; Soekmen, Uensal; Behrends, Arne; Al-Suleiman, Mohamed Aid Mansur; Merzsch, Stephan; Li, Shunfeng; Bakin, Andrey; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Waag, Andreas [Institut fuer Halbleitertechnik, Technische Universitaet Braunschweig, Braunschweig (Germany); Laehnemann, Jonas; Jahn, Uwe; Trampert, Achim; Riechert, Henning [Paul-Drude-Institut fuer Festkoerperelektronik, Berlin (Germany)

2010-10-15

GaN and ZnO are both wide band gap semiconductors with interesting properties concerning optoelectronic and sensor device applications. Due to the lack or the high costs of native substrates, alternatives like sapphire, silicon, or silicon carbide are taken, but the resulting lattice and thermal mismatches lead to increased defect densities which reduce the material quality. In contrast, nanostructures with high aspect ratio have lower defect densities as compared to layers. In this work, we give an overview on our results achieved on both ZnO as well as GaN based nanorods. ZnO nanostructures were grown by a wet chemical approach as well as by VPT on different substrates - even on flexible polymers. To compare the growth results we analyzed the structures by XRD and PL and show possible device applications. The GaN nano- and microstructures were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy either in a self-organized process or by selective area growth for a better control of shape and material composition. Finally we take a look onto possible device applications, presenting our attempts, e.g., to build LEDs based on GaN nanostructures. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Characterization of Mn doped ZnO nanopowder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlenker, Eva; Bakin, Andrey; Al-Suleiman, Mohamed; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Waag, Andreas [Institute of Semiconductor Technology, TU Braunschweig (Germany); Schmid, Herbert; Mader, Werner [Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, University Bonn (Germany); Bremers, Heiko; Hangleiter, Andreas [Institute of Applied Physics, TU Braunschweig (Germany)

2008-07-01

In the quest of materials for spintronic applications, diluted magnetic semiconductors recently attracted much attention. The main challenge is finding a ferromagnetic material with Curie temperature T{sub c}>300 K whose magnetic properties can be controlled electrically. The interest was particularly focused on Zn(TM)O since theoretical calculations predict that ZnO containing Mn could exhibit ferromagnetism with T{sub c} above room temperature. In the present study, the structural and magnetic properties of Mn doped ZnO nanopowder are investigated and compared to undoped ZnO crystals. Doping of ZnO with Mn results in increased lattice constants as revealed by XRD. However, an inhomogeneous distribution of the Mn dopants within the nanopowder was revealed by energy-dispersive X-ray and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Magnetic properties are investigated by means of SQUID measurements on aggregates of powder particles as well as by MFM to study the behavior of single grains. The MFM image differs significantly from the topography as imaged by AFM and suggests the existence of long-ranging magnetic signals emerging from the sample.

Exploring excitonic signal in optical conductivity of ZnO through first-order electron-hole vertex correction

Science.gov (United States)

Khoirunnisa, Humaira; Aziz Majidi, Muhammad

2018-04-01

The emergence of exitonic signal in the optical response of a wide band-gap semiconductor has been a common knowledge in physics. There have been numerous experimental studies exploring the important role of excitons on influencing both the transport and optical properties of the materials. Despite the existence of much information on excitonic effects, there has not been much literature that explores detailed theoretical explanation on how the exitonic signal appears and how it evolves with temperature. Here, we propose a theoretical study on the optical conductivity of ZnO, a well-known wide band-gap semiconductor that we choose as a case study. ZnO has been known to exhibit excitonic states in its optical spectra in the energy range of ∼3.13-3.41 eV, with a high exciton binding energy of ∼60 meV. An experimental study on ZnO in 2014 revealed such a signal in its optical conductivity spectrum. We present a theoretical investigation on the appearance of excitonic signal in optical conductivity of ZnO. We model the wurtzite ZnO within an 8-band k.p approximation. We calculate the optical conductivity by incorporating the first-order vertex correction derived from the Feynman diagrams. Our calculation up to the first-order correction spectrum qualitatively confirms the existence of excitons in wurtzite ZnO.

Electrochemical Sensing, Photocatalytic and Biological Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles: Synthesis via Green Chemistry Route

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, L. S. Reddy; Archana, B.; Lingaraju, K.; Kavitha, C.; Suresh, D.; Nagabhushana, H.; Nagaraju, G.

2016-05-01

In this paper, we have successfully synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (Nps) via solution combustion method using sugarcane juice as the novel fuel. The structure and morphology of the synthesized ZnO Nps have been analyzed using various analytical tools. The synthesized ZnO Nps exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye, indicating that the ZnO Nps are potential photocatalytic semiconductor materials. The synthesized ZnO Nps also show good electrochemical sensing of dopamine. ZnO Nps exhibit significant bactericidal activity against Klebsiella aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Eschesichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, the ZnO Nps show good antioxidant activity by potentially scavenging 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The above studies clearly demonstrate versatile applications of ZnO synthesized by simple eco-friendly route.

Comparison on electrically pumped random laser actions of hydrothermal and sputtered ZnO films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Canxing; Jiang, Haotian; Li, Yunpeng; Ma, Xiangyang; Yang, Deren

2013-01-01

Random lasing (RL) in polycrystalline ZnO films is an intriguing research subject. Here, we have comparatively investigated electrically pumped RL behaviors of two metal-insulator-semiconductor structured devices using the hydrothermal and sputtered ZnO films as the semiconductor components, i.e., the light-emitting layers, respectively. It is demonstrated that the device using the hydrothermal ZnO film exhibits smaller threshold current and larger output optical power of the electrically pumped RL. The morphological characterization shows that the hydrothermal ZnO film is somewhat porous and is much rougher than the sputtered one, suggesting that in the former stronger multiple light scattering can occur. Moreover, the photoluminescence characterization indicates that there are fewer defects in the hydrothermal ZnO film than in the sputtered one, which means that the photons can pick up larger optical gain through stimulated emission in the hydrothermal ZnO film. Therefore, it is believed that the stronger multiple light scattering and larger optical gain contribute to the improved performance of the electrically pumped RL from the device using the hydrothermal ZnO film

Efficient solution route to transparent ZnO semiconductor films using colloidal nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Suehiro

2016-09-01

Full Text Available ZnO nanocrystals (NCs were synthesized by heating Zn (II acetylacetonate in oleic acid/oleylamine in the presence of 1,2-hexadecanediol at 220 °C. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM and dynamic light scattering (DLS measurements revealed the formation of monodispersed ZnO NCs of ca. 7 nm. ZnO NC assembled films were fabricated on a glass substrate by deposition with the colloidal ZnO NCs dispersed in toluene. The film composed of the NCs showed good optical transparency in the visible to near-infrared region. A device coupling the ZnO NC film with a p-type Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS NC film exhibited an obvious diode-like current–voltage behavior. The results suggest that the transparent ZnO film has a potentiality to be used for an n-type window layer in some optoelectronic applications.

Gate-Tunable Spin Exchange Interactions and Inversion of Magnetoresistance in Single Ferromagnetic ZnO Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Modepalli, Vijayakumar; Jin, Mi-Jin; Park, Jungmin; Jo, Junhyeon; Kim, Ji-Hyun; Baik, Jeong Min; Seo, Changwon; Kim, Jeongyong; Yoo, Jung-Woo

2016-04-26

Electrical control of ferromagnetism in semiconductor nanostructures offers the promise of nonvolatile functionality in future semiconductor spintronics. Here, we demonstrate a dramatic gate-induced change of ferromagnetism in ZnO nanowire (NW) field-effect transistors (FETs). Ferromagnetism in our ZnO NWs arose from oxygen vacancies, which constitute deep levels hosting unpaired electron spins. The magnetic transition temperature of the studied ZnO NWs was estimated to be well above room temperature. The in situ UV confocal photoluminescence (PL) study confirmed oxygen vacancy mediated ferromagnetism in the studied ZnO NW FET devices. Both the estimated carrier concentration and temperature-dependent conductivity reveal the studied ZnO NWs are at the crossover of the metal-insulator transition. In particular, gate-induced modulation of the carrier concentration in the ZnO NW FET significantly alters carrier-mediated exchange interactions, which causes even inversion of magnetoresistance (MR) from negative to positive values. Upon sweeping the gate bias from -40 to +50 V, the MRs estimated at 2 K and 2 T were changed from -11.3% to +4.1%. Detailed analysis on the gate-dependent MR behavior clearly showed enhanced spin splitting energy with increasing carrier concentration. Gate-voltage-dependent PL spectra of an individual NW device confirmed the localization of oxygen vacancy-induced spins, indicating that gate-tunable indirect exchange coupling between localized magnetic moments played an important role in the remarkable change of the MR.

ZnO Luminescence and scintillation studied via photoexcitation, X-ray excitation, and gamma-induced positron spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, J.; Colosimo, A. M.; Anwand, W.; Boatner, L. A.; Wagner, A.; Stepanov, P. S.; Trinh, T. T.; Liedke, M. O.; Krause-Rehberg, R.; Cowan, T. E.; Selim, F. A.

2016-08-01

The luminescence and scintillation properties of ZnO single crystals were studied by photoluminescence and X-ray-induced luminescence (XRIL) techniques. XRIL allowed a direct comparison to be made between the near-band emission (NBE) and trap emissions providing insight into the carrier recombination efficiency in the ZnO crystals. It also provided bulk luminescence measurements that were not affected by surface states. The origin of a green emission, the dominant trap emission in ZnO, was then investigated by gamma-induced positron spectroscopy (GIPS) - a unique defect spectroscopy method that enables positron lifetime measurements to be made for a sample without contributions from positron annihilation in the source materials. The measurements showed a single positron decay curve with a 175 ps lifetime component that was attributed to Zn vacancies passivated by hydrogen. Both oxygen vacancies and hydrogen-decorated Zn vacancies were suggested to contribute to the green emission. By combining scintillation measurements with XRIL, the fast scintillation in ZnO crystals was found to be strongly correlated with the ratio between the defect luminescence and NBE. This study reports the first application of GIPS to semiconductors, and it reveals the great benefits of the XRIL technique for the study of emission and scintillation properties of materials.

Optimization of CVD parameters for long ZnO NWs grown on ITO ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a II–VI compound semiconductor with a wide direct energy .... observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM/JEOL–. JSM 5140) ... SEM images of ZnO NWs growth on ITO–glass at argon to oxygen flow rate = 200/20 ...

Defect Characterization in Semiconductors with Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Tuomisto, Filip

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is an experimental technique that allows the selective detection of vacancy defects in semiconductors, providing a means to both identify and quantify them. This chapter gives an introduction to the principles of the positron annihilation techniques and then discusses the physics of some interesting observations on vacancy defects related to growth and doping of semiconductors. Illustrative examples are selected from studies performed in silicon, III-nitrides, and ZnO.

Solvothermal Synthesis of One-Dimensional Transition Metal Doped ZnO Nanocrystals and Their Applications in Smart Window Devices

OpenAIRE

Šutka, A; Timusk, M; Kisand, V; Saal, K; Joost, U; Lõhmus, R

2015-01-01

Oxide semiconductor nanowire (NW) suspension based devices have been attracted growing interest in smart window applications due to their great controllability of light transmittance, simplicity and long term stability. Recently, we demonstrated smart window device using the suspension of electrospun TiO2 or solvothermally synthesized ZnO NWs in viscous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix. The operating principle of the oxide semiconductor NW and PDMS device is based on the alterable orientati...

Giant negative photoresistance of ZnO single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barzola-Quiquia, Jose; Esquinazi, Pablo [Division of Superconductivity and Magnetism, University of Leipzig (Germany); Heluani, Silvia [Laboratorio de Fisica del Solido, FCEyT, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman, 4000 S. M. de Tucuman (Argentina); Villafuerte, Manuel [Dept. de Fisica, FCEyT, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman (Argentina); CONICET, Tucuman (Argentina); Poeppl, Andreas [Division of Magnetic Resonance of Complex Quantum Solids, University of Leipzig, D-04103 Leipzig (Germany)

2011-07-01

ZnO is a wide band gap semiconductor exhibiting the largest charge-carrier mobility among oxides. ZnO is a material with potential applications for short-wavelength optoelectronic devices, as a blue light emitting diodes and in spintronics. In this contribution we have measured the temperature dependence (30 K < T < 300 K) of the electrical resistance of ZnO single crystals prepared by hydrothermal method in darkness and under the influence of light in the ultraviolet range. The resistance decreases several orders of magnitude at temperatures T < 200 K after illumination. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies under illumination reveal that the excitation of Li acceptor impurities is the origin for the giant negative photoresistance effect. Permanent photoresistance effect is also observed, which remains many hours after leaving the crystal in darkness.

Study of the thermal conductivity of ZnO nanowires/PMMA composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igamberdiev, Kh. T.; Yuldashev, Sh. U.; Cho, H. D.; Kang, T. W.; Rakhimova, Sh. M.; Akhmedov, T. Kh.

2012-01-01

From thermal conductivity measurements on ZnO nanowires (NWs)/poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA composites, the thermal conductivities of the ZnO nanowires were determined. The thermal conductivity of a ZnO NW decreases considerably with decreasing nanowire diameter, and for a ZnO nanowire with a diameter of 250 nm, the thermal conductivity at room temperature is approximately two times lower than that of bulk ZnO at the same temperature. The results of this study show that the thermal conductivity of a ZnO NW is mainly determined by increased phonon-surface boundary scattering. These results could be useful for the design of ZnO-nanowire-based devices.

Acceptors in ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCluskey, Matthew D., E-mail: mattmcc@wsu.edu; Corolewski, Caleb D.; Lv, Jinpeng; Tarun, Marianne C.; Teklemichael, Samuel T. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2814 (United States); Walter, Eric D. [Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352 (United States); Norton, M. Grant; Harrison, Kale W. [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2920 (United States); Ha, Su [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-6515 (United States)

2015-03-21

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has potential for a range of applications in the area of optoelectronics. The quest for p-type ZnO has focused much attention on acceptors. In this paper, Cu, N, and Li acceptor impurities are discussed. Experimental evidence indicates these point defects have acceptor levels 3.2, 1.4, and 0.8 eV above the valence-band maximum, respectively. The levels are deep because the ZnO valence band is quite low compared to conventional, non-oxide semiconductors. Using MoO{sub 2} contacts, the electrical resistivity of ZnO:Li was measured and showed behavior consistent with bulk hole conduction for temperatures above 400 K. A photoluminescence peak in ZnO nanocrystals is attributed to an acceptor, which may involve a Zn vacancy. High field (W-band) electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on the nanocrystals revealed an axial center with g{sub ⊥} = 2.0015 and g{sub //} = 2.0056, along with an isotropic center at g = 2.0035.

Performance and stability analysis of curcumin dye as a photo sensitizer used in nanostructured ZnO based DSSC

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, D.; De, D.; Ayaz, A.

2018-03-01

Environmental friendly natural dye curcumin extracted from low-cost Curcumina longa stem is used as a photo-sensitizer for the fabrication of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Nanostructured ZnO is fabricated on a transparent conducting glass (TCO), using a cost-effective chemical bath deposition technique. Scanning electron microscopic images show hexagonal patterned ZnO nano-towers decorated with several nanosteps. The average length of ZnO nano-tower is 5 μm and diameter is 1.2 μm. The UV-Vis spectroscopic study of the curcumin dye is used to understand the light absorption behavior as well as band gap energy of the extracted natural dye. The dye shows wider absorption band-groups over 350-470 nm and 500-600 nm with two peaks positioned at 425 nm and 525 nm. The optical band gap energy and energy band position of the dye is derived which supports its stability and high electron affinity that makes it suitable for light harvesting and effortless electron transfer from dye to the semiconductor or interface between them. FTIR spectrum of curcumin dye-sensitized ZnO-based DSSC shows the presence of anchoring groups and colouring constitutes. The I-V and P-V curves of the fabricated DSSC are measured under simulated light (100 mW/cm2). The highest visible light to electric conversion efficiency of 0.266% (using ITO) and 0.33% (using FTO) is achieved from the curcumin dye-sensitized cell.

Mechanisms of current flow in metal-semiconductor ohmic contacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blank, T. V.; Gol'dberg, Yu. A.

2007-01-01

Published data on the properties of metal-semiconductor ohmic contacts and mechanisms of current flow in these contacts (thermionic emission, field emission, thermal-field emission, and also current flow through metal shunts) are reviewed. Theoretical dependences of the resistance of an ohmic contact on temperature and the charge-carrier concentration in a semiconductor were compared with experimental data on ohmic contacts to II-VI semiconductors (ZnSe, ZnO), III-V semiconductors (GaN, AlN, InN, GaAs, GaP, InP), Group IV semiconductors (SiC, diamond), and alloys of these semiconductors. In ohmic contacts based on lightly doped semiconductors, the main mechanism of current flow is thermionic emission with the metal-semiconductor potential barrier height equal to 0.1-0.2 eV. In ohmic contacts based on heavily doped semiconductors, the current flow is effected owing to the field emission, while the metal-semiconductor potential barrier height is equal to 0.3-0.5 eV. In alloyed In contacts to GaP and GaN, a mechanism of current flow that is not characteristic of Schottky diodes (current flow through metal shunts formed by deposition of metal atoms onto dislocations or other imperfections in semiconductors) is observed

Preparation and Study of NH3 Gas Sensing Behavior of Fe2O3 Doped ZnO Thick Film Resistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. R. Patil

2006-08-01

Full Text Available The preparation, characterization and gas sensing properties of pure and Fe2O3-ZnO mixed oxide semiconductors have been investigated. The mixed oxides were obtained by mixing ZnO and Fe2O3 in the proportion 1:1, 1:0.5 and 0.5:1. Pure ZnO was observed to be insensitive to NH3 gas. However, mixed oxides (with ZnO: Fe2O3 =1:0.5 were observed to be highly sensitive to ammonia gas. Upon exposure to NH3 gas, the barrier height of Fe2O3-ZnO intergranular regions decreases markedly due to the chemical transformation of Fe2O3 into well conducting ferric ammonium hydroxide leading to a drastic decrease in resistance. The crucial gas response was found to NH3 gas at 3500C and no cross response was observed to other hazardous and polluting gases. The effects of microstructure and doping concentration on the gas response, selectivity, response and recovery of the sensor in the presence of NH3 gas were studied and discussed.

Stable and Fast-Response Capacitive Humidity Sensors Based on a ZnO Nanopowder/PVP-RGO Multilayer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Yang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, capacitive-type humidity sensors were prepared by sequentially drop-coating the aqueous suspensions of zinc oxide (ZnO nanopowders and polyvinyl pyrrolidone–reduced graphene oxide (PVP-RGO nanocomposites onto interdigitated electrodes. Significant improvements in both sensitivity and linearity were achieved for the ZnO/PVP-RGO sensors compared with the PVP-RGO/ZnO, PVP-RGO, and ZnO counterparts. Moreover, the produced ZnO/PVP-RGO sensors exhibited rather small hysteresis, fast response-recovery time, and long-term stability. Based on morphological and structural analyses, it can be inferred that the excellent humidity sensing properties of the ZnO/PVP-RGO sensors may be attributed to the high surface-to-volume ratio of the multilayer structure and the supporting roles of the PVP-RGO nanocomposites. The results in this work hence provide adequate guidelines for designing high-performance humidity sensors that make use of the multilayer structure of semiconductor oxide materials and PVP-RGO nanocomposites.

All-inorganic white light emitting devices based on ZnO nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nannen, Ekaterina

2012-09-21

Semiconductor nanaocrystals (NCs) are very promising candidates for lightweight large-area rollable displays and light emitting devices (LEDs). They are expected to combine the efficiency, robustness and color tunability of conventional semiconductor LEDs with the flexible fabrication techniques known from OLED technology, since the NCs are compatible with solution processing and therefore can be deposited on virtually any substrates including glass and plastic. Today, NC-LEDs consist of chemically synthesized QDs embedded in organic charge injection and transport layers. The organic layers limit the robustness of the NC-LEDs and result in significant constrictions within the device fabrication procedure, such as organic evaporation steps, inert (i.e. humidity and oxygen free) atmosphere and obligatory encapsulation. These limitations during the production process as well as complex chemical synthesis route of the implemented NCs and organic components lead to high fabrication costs and low turnover. So far, only prototype devices have been introduced by several research groups and industrial companies. Still, the main concern retarding NC-LEDs from market launch is the high content of toxic heavy metals like Cd in the active nanocrystalline light emitting material. Within this work, possible environmentally safe and ambient-air-compatible alternatives to conventional QDs and organics were explored, with the main focus on design and fabrication of completely inorganic white NC-LEDs with commercial ZnO nanoparticles as an active light emitting material. While the electrical transport properties through the NC-network of the commercially available VP AdNano {sup registered} ZnO2O particles were already to some extent explored, their optical properties and therefore suitability as an active light emitter in NC-LEDs were not studied so far. (orig.)

Rare earths in GaN and ZnO studied with the PAC method; Seltene Erden in GaN und ZnO untersucht mit der PAC-Methode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nedelec, R.

2007-07-01

The present thesis deals with the implantation and annealing behaviour of two examples of large-band-gap semiconductors GaN and ZnO. The studies begin with the annealing behaviour of GaN after the implantation of {sup 172}Lu. For GaN the annealing process begins at low temperatures with the decreasing of the damping of the lattice frequency. At essentially higher temperatures finally the substitunial contribution increases. This behaviour is also observed for other probe nuclei in GaN. For ZnO the behaviour at low temperature is different. Both for {sup 172}Lu and for {sup 181}Hf the damping is already after the implantation very low. The increasement of the substitutional contribution occurs like in GaN at higher temperatures. Thereafter for GaN and ZnO PAC spectra were token up at different measurement temperatures between 25 and 873 K. For {sup 172}Lu in GaN and in ZnO a strong temperature dependence of the lattice field gradient was observed. Also for {sup 181}Hf in ZnO a strong temperature dependence is observed. For {sup 172}Lu by means of a model for the interaction of quadrupole moments of electronic shells with the nucleus a lattice field gradient of {+-}5.9.10{sup 15} Vcm{sup -2} could be determined. For {sup 172}Lu in ZnO the model yields at 293 K a lattice field gradient of +14.10{sup 15} Vcm{sup -2} respectively -13.10{sup 15} Vcm{sup -2}. The corrsponding measurement with {sup 181}Hf yields a lattice field gradient of {+-}5.7.10{sup 15} Vcm{sup -2}.

Comparison of modification strategies towards enhanced charge carrier separation and photocatalytic degradation activity of metal oxide semiconductors (TiO2, WO3 and ZnO)

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, S. Girish; Rao, K. S. R. Koteswara

2017-01-01

Metal oxide semiconductors (TiO2, WO3 and ZnO) finds unparalleled opportunity in wastewater purification under UV/visible light, largely encouraged by their divergent admirable features like stability, non-toxicity, ease of preparation, suitable band edge positions and facile generation of active oxygen species in the aqueous medium. However, the perennial failings of these photocatalysts emanates from the stumbling blocks like rapid charge carrier recombination and meager visible light response. In this review, tailoring the surface-bulk electronic structure through the calibrated and veritable approaches such as impurity doping, deposition with noble metals, sensitizing with other compounds (dyes, polymers, inorganic complexes and simple chelating ligands), hydrogenation process (annealing under hydrogen atmosphere), electronic integration with other semiconductors, modifying with carbon nanostructures, designing with exposed facets and tailoring with hierarchical morphologies to overcome their critical drawbacks are summarized. Taking into account the materials intrinsic properties, the pros and cons together with similarities and striking differences for each strategy in specific to TiO2, WO3 & ZnO are highlighted. These subtlety enunciates the primacy for improving the structure-electronic properties of metal oxides and credence to its fore in the practical applications. Future research must focus on comparing the performances of ZnO, TiO2 and WO3 in parallel to get insight into their photocatalytic behaviors. Such comparisons not only reveal the changed surface-electronic structure upon various modifications, but also shed light on charge carrier dynamics, free radical generation, structural stability and compatibility for photocatalytic reactions. It is envisioned that these cardinal tactics have profound implications and can be replicated to other semiconductor photocatalysts like CeO2, In2O3, Bi2O3, Fe2O3, BiVO4, AgX, BiOX (X = Cl, Br & I), Bi2WO6, Bi2MoO6

Piezoelectric ZnO nanostructure for energy harvesting

CERN Document Server

Leprince-Wang, Yamin

2015-01-01

Over the past decade, ZnO as an important II-VI semiconductor has attracted much attention within the scientific community over the world owing to its numerous unique and prosperous properties. This material, considered as a "future material", especially in nanostructural format, has aroused many interesting research works due to its large range of applications in electronics, photonics, acoustics, energy and sensing. The bio-compatibility, piezoelectricity & low cost fabrication make ZnO nanostructure a very promising material for energy harvesting.

Growth of ZnO nanotube arrays and nanotube based piezoelectric nanogenerators

KAUST Repository

Xi, Yi; Song, Jinhui; Xu, Sheng; Yang, Rusen; Gao, Zhiyuan; Hu, Chenguo; Wang, Zhong Lin

2009-01-01

We present a systematic study of the growth of hexagonal ZnO nanotube arrays using a solution chemical method by varying the growth temperature (<100 °C), time and solution concentration. A piezoelectric nanogenerator using the as-grown ZnO nanotube arrays has been demonstrated for the first time. The nanogenerator gives an output voltage up to 35 mV. The detailed profile of the observed electric output is understood based on the calculated piezoelectric potential in the nanotube with consideration of the Schottky contact formed between the metal tip and the nanotube; and the mechanism agrees with that proposed for nanowire based nanogenerator. Our study shows that ZnO nanotubes can also be used for harvesting mechanical energy. © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Core - shell upconversion nanoparticle - semiconductor heterostructures for photodynamic therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Dou, Qing Qing; Rengaramchandran, Adith; Selvan, Subramanian Tamil; Paulmurugan, Ramasamy; Zhang, Yong

2015-02-01

Core-shell nanoparticles (CSNPs) with diverse chemical compositions have been attracting greater attention in recent years. However, it has been a challenge to develop CSNPs with different crystal structures due to the lattice mismatch of the nanocrystals. Here we report a rational design of core-shell heterostructure consisting of NaYF4:Yb,Tm upconversion nanoparticle (UCN) as the core and ZnO semiconductor as the shell for potential application in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The core-shell architecture (confirmed by TEM and STEM) enables for improving the loading efficiency of photosensitizer (ZnO) as the semiconductor is directly coated on the UCN core. Importantly, UCN acts as a transducer to sensitize ZnO and trigger the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce cancer cell death. We also present a firefly luciferase (FLuc) reporter gene based molecular biosensor (ARE-FLuc) to measure the antioxidant signaling response activated in cells during the release of ROS in response to the exposure of CSNPs under 980 nm NIR light. The breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and 4T1) exposed to CSNPs showed significant release of ROS as measured by aminophenyl fluorescein (APF) and ARE-FLuc luciferase assays, and ~45% cancer cell death as measured by MTT assay, when illuminated with 980 nm NIR light.

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.

MOF-5 decorated hierarchical ZnO nanorod arrays and its photoluminescence

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yinmin; Lan, Ding; Wang, Yuren; Cao, He; Jiang, Heng

2011-04-01

The strategy to manipulate nanoscale materials into well-organized hierarchical architectures is very important to both material synthesis and nanodevice applications. Here, nanoscale MOF-5 crystallites were successfully fabricated onto ordered hierarchical ZnO arrays based on aqueous chemical synthesis and molecule self-assembly technology guided room temperature diffusion method, which has the advantages of energy saving and simple operation. The structures and morphologies of the samples were performed by X-ray powder diffraction and field emission scanning electronic microscopy. The MOF-5 crystallites have good quality and bind well to the hexagonal-patterned ZnO arrays. The photoluminescence spectrum shows that the emission of hybrid MOF-5-ZnO films displays a blue shift in green emission and intensity reduction in UV emission. This ordered hybrid semiconductor material is expected to exploit the great potentiality in sensors, micro/nanodevices, and screen displays.

Photocatalytic Water Oxidation on ZnO: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharifah Bee Abdul Hamid

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The investigation of the water oxidation mechanism on photocatalytic semiconductor surfaces has gained much attention for its potential to unlock the technological limitations of producing H2 from carbon-free sources, i.e., H2O. This review seeks to highlight the available scientific and fundamental understanding towards the water oxidation mechanism on ZnO surfaces, as well as present a summary on the modification strategies carried out to increase the photocatalytic response of ZnO.

In2Ga2ZnO7 oxide semiconductor based charge trap device for NAND flash memory

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Eun Suk; Kim, Jun Shik; Jeon, Seok Min; Lee, Seung Jun; Jang, Younjin; Cho, Deok-Yong; Hwang, Cheol Seong

2018-04-01

The programming characteristics of charge trap flash memory device adopting amorphous In2Ga2ZnO7 (a-IGZO) oxide semiconductors as channel layer were evaluated. Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and RF-sputtering processes were used to grow a 45 nm thick a-IGZO layer on a 20 nm thick SiO2 (blocking oxide)/p++-Si (control gate) substrate, where 3 nm thick atomic layer deposited Al2O3 (tunneling oxide) and 5 nm thick low-pressure CVD Si3N4 (charge trap) layers were intervened between the a-IGZO and substrate. Despite the identical stoichiometry and other physicochemical properties of the MOCVD and sputtered a-IGZO, a much faster programming speed of MOCVD a-IGZO was observed. A comparable amount of oxygen vacancies was found in both MOCVD and sputtered a-IGZO, confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and bias-illumination-instability test measurements. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed a higher Fermi level (E F) of the MOCVD a-IGZO (∼0.3 eV) film than that of the sputtered a-IGZO, which could be ascribed to the higher hydrogen concentration in the MOCVD a-IGZO film. Since the programming in a flash memory device is governed by the tunneling of electrons from the channel to charge trapping layer, the faster programming performance could be the result of a higher E F of MOCVD a-IGZO.

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.

Emission channeling studies on transition-metal doped GaN and ZnO: Cation versus anion substitution

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2070176; Wahl, Ulrich; Martins Correia, Joao; Amorim, Lígia; Silva, Daniel; Decoster, Stefan; Castro Ribeiro Da Silva, Manuel; Temst, Kristiaan; Vantomme, André

2014-01-01

The magnetic and electric properties of impurities in semiconductors are strongly dependent on the lattice sites which they occupy. While the majority site can often be predicted based on chemical similarities with the host elements and is usually simple to confirm experimentally, minority sites are far more complicated to predict, detect and identify. We have carried out extensive beta− emission channeling studies on the lattice location of transition metal impurities in wide-gap dilute magnetic semiconductors, namely Co and Mn in GaN and ZnO, making use of radioactive 61Co and 56Mn implanted at the ISOLDE facility at CERN. In addition to the majority occupation of cation (Ga, Zn) sites, we located significant fractions (of the order of 20%) of the Co and Mn impurities in anion (N, O) sites, which are virtually unaffected by thermal annealing up to 900 °C. Here, we present the beta− emission channeling experiments on 61Co-implanted GaN. We discuss these results in the context of our recent reports of mi...

The structural, electrical and optical properties of Mg-doped ZnO with different interstitial Mg concentration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Yonghong, E-mail: hchyh@njust.edu.cn [School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100 (China); Institute of Optoelectronics & Nanomaterials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Zeng, Haibo [Institute of Optoelectronics & Nanomaterials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Du, Jifu [School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100 (China); Hu, Ziyu [Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100084 (China); Zhang, Shengli [Institute of Optoelectronics & Nanomaterials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China)

2016-10-01

Through first principle calculations, we studied the structural, electronic and optical properties of ZnO doped by interstitial Mg. With the increase of Mg content (x), the derivations of lattice parameters from the wurtzite ZnO become more and more significant. The Mg-doped ZnO with x below 15.79% is found to be n-type semiconductor. The minimum of energy band gap and light transmittance in high energy region (7.5–25 eV) decrease while the conductivity and refractive index increase with increasing x. Further increasing x up to 20%, the Mg-doped ZnO is found to be direct-band-gap semiconductor with great structural derivation from wurtzite phase. The light transmittance increases while the refractive index decreases with the increase of x due to the change of geometry and electronic structure. So, it’s concluded that the electronic and optical properties of ZnO doped by interstitial Mg may be greatly influenced by Mg content. - Graphical abstract: The minimum of energy gap decreases while the corresponding relative number of electrons into the conduction bands increases when the interstitial Mg content x in Mg-doped ZnO increases (0 ≤ x ≤ 15.79%). - Highlights: • The energy band gap decreases with the increase of interstitial Mg content from 5.88% to 15.79%. • The conductivity increases with the increase of interstitial Mg content from 5.88% to 15.79%. • The Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1-x}O (interstitial Mg content x= 20%) is found to be a direct-band-gap semiconductor. • The light transmittance decreases with the increase of interstitial Mg content from 5.88% to 15.79%. • The refractive index increases with the increase of interstitial Mg content from 5.88% to 15.79%.

EDITORIAL: Focus on Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors FOCUS ON DILUTE MAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTORS

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, Scott A.; Gallagher, Bryan

2008-05-01

Chisholm, J D Budai and D P Norton Role of charge carriers for ferromagnetism in cobalt-doped rutile TiO2 T Fukumura, H Toyosaki, K Ueno, M Nakano and M Kawasaki Ab-initio study of exchange constants and electronic structure in diluted magnetic group-IV semiconductors Silvia Picozzi and Marjana Ležaić Phase coherent transport in (Ga,Mn)As D Neumaier, K Wagner, U Wurstbauer, M Reinwald, W Wegscheider and D Weiss Hydrogen interstitials-mediated ferromagnetism in MnxGe1-x magnetic semiconductors Xin-Xin Yao, Shi-Shen Yan, Shu-Jun Hu, Xue-Ling Lin, Chong Han, Yan-Xue Chen, Guo-Lei Liu and Liang-Mo Mei Electronic structures of magnetic semiconductors FeCr2Se4 and Fe0.5Cu0.5Cr2Se4 B I Min, Seung Su Baik, H C Choi, S K Kwon and J-S Kang Investigation of pure and Co2+-doped ZnO quantum dot electronic structures using the density functional theory: choosing the right functional Ekaterina Badaeva, Yong Feng, Daniel R Gamelin and Xiaosong Li Magnetic properties of sol-gel-derived doped ZnO as a potential ferromagnetic semiconductor: a synchrotron-based study N R S Farley, K W Edmonds, A A Freeman, G van der Laan, C R Staddon, D H Gregory and B L Gallagher Local electronic structure of Cr in the II-VI diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor Zn1-xCrxTe M Kobayashi, Y Ishida, J I Hwang, G S Song, A Fujimori, C S Yang, L Lee, H-J Lin, D J Huang, C T Chen, Y Takeda, K Terai, S-I Fujimori, T Okane, Y Saitoh, H Yamagami, K Kobayashi, A Tanaka, H Saito and K Ando Lack of ferromagnetism in n-type cobalt-doped ZnO epitaxial thin films T C Kaspar, T Droubay, S M Heald, P Nachimuthu, C M Wang, V Shutthanandan, C A Johnson, D R Gamelin and S A Chambers XMCD studies on Co and Li doped ZnO magnetic semiconductors Thomas Tietze, Milan Gacic, Gisela Schütz, Gerhard Jakob, Sebastian Brück and Eberhard Goering Ferromagnetic semiconductors and the role of disorder B W Wessels An extensive comparison of anisotropies in MBE grown (Ga,Mn)As material C Gould, S Mark, K Pappert, R G Dengel, J Wenisch, R P

Studies on intrinsic defects related to Zn vacancy in ZnO nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, V.P.; Das, D.; Rath, Chandana

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Williamson–Hall analysis of ZnO indicates strain in the lattice and size is of 20 nm. ► PL shows a broad emission peak in visible range due to native defects. ► Raman active modes corresponding to P6 3 mc and a few additional modes are observed. ► FTIR detects few local vibrational modes of hydrogen attached to zinc vacancies. ► V Zn -H and Zn + O divacancies are confirmed by PAS. -- Abstract: ZnO being a well known optoelectronic semiconductor, investigations related to the defects are very promising. In this report, we have attempted to detect the defects in ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the conventional coprecipitation route using various spectroscopic techniques. The broad emission peak observed in photoluminescence spectrum and the non zero slope in Williamson–Hall analysis indicate the defects induced strain in the ZnO lattice. A few additional modes observed in Raman spectrum could be due to the breakdown of the translation symmetry of the lattice caused by defects and/or impurities. The presence of impurities can be ruled out as XRD pattern shows pure wurtzite structure. The presence of the vibrational band related to the Zn vacancies (V Zn ), unintentional hydrogen dopants and their complex defects confirm the defects in ZnO lattice. Positron life time components τ 1 and τ 2 additionally support V Zn attached to hydrogen and to a cluster of Zn and O di-vacancies respectively.

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 and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles for photocatalysis application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazzo, Tatiana Martelli; Minervino, Gabriela Bosco; Medalha Filho, Carlos Alberto, E-mail: tatimazzo@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Baixada Santista, SP (Brazil); Oliveira, Regiane Cristina; Longo, Elson [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: The search for more effective ways to prevent and remedy environmental problems has a strong academic and technological appeal. Based on the study of a variety of compounds, zinc oxide (ZnO) is an excellent candidate for the synthesis of multifunctional nanoparticles due to their potential technological application in various fields [1]. In this work, we were synthesized flowers-like ZnO by coprecipitation and hydrothermal microwave methods. All materials were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction, Micro-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. All XRD patterns correspond to hexagonal structure, which is in agreement with the respective JCPDS card no. 36-1451 for pure ZnO phase with group space group (P63mc) and two molecular formula units per unit cell (Z = 2). Analysis of Micro-Raman spectroscopy showed the presence of vibrational modes in all samples and confirmed the hexagonal ZnO structure. The microscopy images clearly show a change of the morphology of the sample obtained by the co- precipitation method in comparison with those obtained by hydrothermal microwave method. In accordance with the photodegradation the results revealed that the ZnO processed at 140 deg C for 32 minutes have higher photocatalytic efficiency degradation. The Rodamine B dye was completely decolorized at 30 minutes. The pseudo-first order model indicate an increasing in the (k) values with the increase microwave processing time and that improve the ZnO photocatalytic performance. In this work we reported a low-temperature way to prepare the ZnO photocatalytic semiconductor and the results showed a great potential of this material for that application. References: [1] Pearton, S. J; Norton, D. P; et al, Journal of Science and Technology. 22 (2004) 932-948 [2] Kansal, S. K.; Kaur, N. Nanoscale Research Letters 4 (2009) 709-716. (author)

Analysis of surface states in ZnO nanowire field effect transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, Ye; Yoon, Jongwon; Kim, Hyeongnam; Lee, Takhee; Lu, Wu

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The electron transport in ZnO nanowire FETs is space charged limited below a trap temperature. • Metallic contacts to ZnO nanowires exhibit non-linear behavior with a Schottky barrier height of ∼0.35 eV. • The surface state density is in the range of 1.04 × 10 10 –1.24 × 10 10 /cm 2 . • The trap activation energy is ∼0.26 eV. - Abstract: Nanowires (NWs) have attracted considerable interests for scaled electronic and optoelectronic device applications. However, NW based semiconductor devices normally suffer from surface states due to the existence of dangling bonds or surface reconstruction. Because of their large surface-to-volume ratio, surface states in NWs can easily affect the metallic contacts to NWs and electron transport in NW. Here, we present ZnO NW surface analysis by performing current–voltage characterization on ZnO NW Schottky barrier field effect transistors with different metal contacts (Ti, Al, Au) at both room temperature and cryogenic temperature. Our results show that three metal contacts are all Schottky contacts to ZnO NWs due to surface states. Our further study reveals: (a) the surface states related Schottky barrier height (SBH) can be extracted from a back to back Schottky diodes model and the SBH values are in the range of 0.34–0.37 eV for three metal contacts; (b) the trap activation energy determined from the Arrhenius plots of different Schottky metal contacts is in the range of 0.23–0.29 eV, which is oxygen vacancies related; and (c) based on the space-charge-limited model, the surface state density of ZnO NW is in the range of 1.04 × 10 10 –1.24 × 10 10 /cm 2

Thienoacene-based organic semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2011-10-11

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

Polyaniline hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods with long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bera, Susanta; Khan, Hasmat; Biswas, Indranil; Jana, Sunirmal

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Polyaniline (PANI) hybridized ZnO nanorods was synthesized by solution method. • Surface defects were found in the nanorods. • The hybrid material exhibited an enhancement in visible light absorption. • A long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity of the material was found. • Advancement in the properties would be PANI hybridization and surface defects. - Abstract: We report surfactant/template free precursor solution based synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods by a two-step process. Initially, ZnO nanorods have been prepared at 95 °C, followed by hybridization (coating) of PANI onto the ZnO via in situ polymerization of aniline monomer, forming ZnO-PANI nanohybrid (ZP). The structural properties of ZP have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. The presence of surface defects especially the oxygen vacancies in ZnO has been characterized by photoluminescence emission, high resolution TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and micro-Raman spectral measurements. The chemical interaction of PANI with ZnO has been examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and XPS analyses. A significant enhancement in visible absorption of ZP sample is found as evidenced from UV–vis diffused reflectance spectral study. BET nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm shows an improved textural property (pore size, pore volume) of ZP. Moreover, a long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity (PEC) of ZP is found compare to pristine ZnO. The synergic effect of PANI hybridization and the presence of surface defects in ZnO NRs can enhance the PEC by prolonging the recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers. The effect can also provide large number of active sites to make electrolyte diffusion and mass transportation easier in the nanohybrid. This simple synthesis strategy can be adopted for PANI hybridization with different metal oxide semiconductors

Polyaniline hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods with long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bera, Susanta; Khan, Hasmat [Sol-Gel Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, P.O. Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, West Bengal (India); Biswas, Indranil [Materials Characterization and Instrumentation Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, P.O. Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, West Bengal (India); Jana, Sunirmal, E-mail: sjana@cgcri.res.in [Sol-Gel Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, P.O. Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, West Bengal (India)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Polyaniline (PANI) hybridized ZnO nanorods was synthesized by solution method. • Surface defects were found in the nanorods. • The hybrid material exhibited an enhancement in visible light absorption. • A long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity of the material was found. • Advancement in the properties would be PANI hybridization and surface defects. - Abstract: We report surfactant/template free precursor solution based synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods by a two-step process. Initially, ZnO nanorods have been prepared at 95 °C, followed by hybridization (coating) of PANI onto the ZnO via in situ polymerization of aniline monomer, forming ZnO-PANI nanohybrid (ZP). The structural properties of ZP have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. The presence of surface defects especially the oxygen vacancies in ZnO has been characterized by photoluminescence emission, high resolution TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and micro-Raman spectral measurements. The chemical interaction of PANI with ZnO has been examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and XPS analyses. A significant enhancement in visible absorption of ZP sample is found as evidenced from UV–vis diffused reflectance spectral study. BET nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm shows an improved textural property (pore size, pore volume) of ZP. Moreover, a long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity (PEC) of ZP is found compare to pristine ZnO. The synergic effect of PANI hybridization and the presence of surface defects in ZnO NRs can enhance the PEC by prolonging the recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers. The effect can also provide large number of active sites to make electrolyte diffusion and mass transportation easier in the nanohybrid. This simple synthesis strategy can be adopted for PANI hybridization with different metal oxide semiconductors

Magnetic properties in (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO nanowire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Huawei; Lu, Pengfei; Cong, Zixiang; Yu, Zhongyuan; Cai, Ningning; Zhang, Xianlong; Gao, Tao; Wang, Shumin

2013-01-01

Using the first-principles density functional theory, we have studied the electronic structures and magnetic properties of Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires systematically. The calculated results of formation energy indicate that the configuration of the lowest energy where Mn and Fe atoms form nearest neighbors on the outer cylindrical surface layer along the [0001] direction, will be determined. The magnetic coupling of 8 types of Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires was investigated and ferromagnetic state was found in certain configurations. The mechanism is from the fierce hybridization between 3d of Mn and Fe with O 2p near the Fermi level. The relative energy difference for configuration VIII is 0.221 eV, which indicates that room temperature ferromagnetism could be obtained in such a system and Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires are a promising nanoscale spintronic material. - Highlights: • The stable structure prefers that Mn/Fe form nearest neighbors on the outer surface. • The fierce p–d hybridization is responsible for ferromagnetic (FM) coupling. • Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowire is a promising FM semiconductor material

Magnetic properties in (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO nanowire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Huawei [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876 (China); Lu, Pengfei, E-mail: photon.bupt@gmail.com [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876 (China); Cong, Zixiang [School of Information and Communication Engineering, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100976 (China); Yu, Zhongyuan; Cai, Ningning; Zhang, Xianlong [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876 (China); Gao, Tao [Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); Wang, Shumin [Photonics Laboratory, Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Gothenburg (Sweden); State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2013-12-02

Using the first-principles density functional theory, we have studied the electronic structures and magnetic properties of Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires systematically. The calculated results of formation energy indicate that the configuration of the lowest energy where Mn and Fe atoms form nearest neighbors on the outer cylindrical surface layer along the [0001] direction, will be determined. The magnetic coupling of 8 types of Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires was investigated and ferromagnetic state was found in certain configurations. The mechanism is from the fierce hybridization between 3d of Mn and Fe with O 2p near the Fermi level. The relative energy difference for configuration VIII is 0.221 eV, which indicates that room temperature ferromagnetism could be obtained in such a system and Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires are a promising nanoscale spintronic material. - Highlights: • The stable structure prefers that Mn/Fe form nearest neighbors on the outer surface. • The fierce p–d hybridization is responsible for ferromagnetic (FM) coupling. • Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowire is a promising FM semiconductor material.

The structural, electronic and optical properties of Nd doped ZnO using first-principles calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Jun-Qing; Zhang, Jian-Min; Chen, Guo-Xiang; Wu, Hua; Yang, Xu

2018-04-01

The density functional theory calculations using general gradient approximation (GGA) applying Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) as correlation functional have been systematically performed to research the formation energy, the electronic structures, band structures, total and partial DOS, and optical properties of Nd doping ZnO with the content from 6.25% to 12.5%. The formation energies are negative for both models, which show that two structures are energetically stable. Nd doping ZnO crystal is found to be a direct band gap semiconductor and Fermi level shifts upward into conduction band, which show the properties of n-type semiconductor. Band structures are more compact after Nd doping ZnO, implying that Nd doping induces the strong interaction between different atoms. Nd doping ZnO crystal presents occupied states at near Fermi level, which mainly comes from the Nd 4f orbital. The calculated optical properties imply that Nd doping causes a red-shift of absorption peaks, and enhances the absorption of the visible light.

Epitaxial ZnO gate dielectrics deposited by RF sputter for AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Seonno; Lee, Seungmin; Kim, Hyun-Seop; Cha, Ho-Young; Lee, Hi-Deok; Oh, Jungwoo

2018-01-01

Radio frequency (RF)-sputtered ZnO gate dielectrics for AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistors (MOS-HEMTs) were investigated with varying O2/Ar ratios. The ZnO deposited with a low oxygen content of 4.5% showed a high dielectric constant and low interface trap density due to the compensation of oxygen vacancies during the sputtering process. The good capacitance-voltage characteristics of ZnO-on-AlGaN/GaN capacitors resulted from the high crystallinity of oxide at the interface, as investigated by x-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The MOS-HEMTs demonstrated comparable output electrical characteristics with conventional Ni/Au HEMTs but a lower gate leakage current. At a gate voltage of -20 V, the typical gate leakage current for a MOS-HEMT with a gate length of 6 μm and width of 100 μm was found to be as low as 8.2 × 10-7 mA mm-1, which was three orders lower than that of the Ni/Au Schottky gate HEMT. The reduction of the gate leakage current improved the on/off current ratio by three orders of magnitude. These results indicate that RF-sputtered ZnO with a low O2/Ar ratio is a good gate dielectric for high-performance AlGaN/GaN MOS-HEMTs.

Magnetism in V-/Mn-doped ZnO layers fabricated on sapphire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mofor, A.C.; El-Shaer, A.; Schlenker, E.; Bakin, A.; Waag, A. [Technical University Braunschweig, Institute of Semiconductor Technology, Braunschweig (Germany); Reuss, F.; Kling, R.; Schoch, W.; Limmer, W. [University Ulm, Department of Semiconductor Physics, Ulm (Germany); Ahlers, H.; Siegner, U.; Sievers, S.; Albrecht, M. [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig (Germany); Eisenmenger, J.; Mueller, T.; Ziemann, P. [University Ulm, Department of Solid State Physics, Ulm (Germany); Huebel, A.; Denninger, G. [Universitaet Stuttgart, 2. Physkalisches Institut, Stuttgart (Germany)

2007-07-15

Doping ZnO with transition metals (TM) is an obvious approach to produce diluted magnetic semiconductors for magnetoelectronic and spintronic applications. We have carried out experimental studies on the fabrication and characterisation of Mn-doped ZnO layers and V-doped ZnO layers and nanorods, the results of which are reviewed in this paper. From SQUID measurements, both epitaxial and implanted ZnMnO layers show paramagnetic behaviour. Epitaxial ZnVO layers show ferromagnetic SQUID signals, but the presence of any secondary phases in the ZnVO layers may not be ruled out. We also show that the used Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates produce a ferromagnetic SQUID signal, that complicates the analysis of magnetisation data and hence the confirmation of ferromagnetism only from SQUID results. (orig.)

AuNPs Hybrid Black ZnO Nanorods Made by a Sol-Gel Method for Highly Sensitive Humidity Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongyan Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A highly sensitive self-powered humidity sensor has been realized from AuNPs hybrid black zinc oxide (ZnO nanorods prepared through a sol-gel method. XRD pattern reveals that both ZnO and ZnO/AuNPs exhibit a wurtzite structure. ZnO/AuNPs nanorods grow in a vertical alignment, which possesses high uniformity and forms dense arrays with a smaller diameter than that of ZnO nanoparticles. All ZnO/AuNPs and pure black ZnO show lower band gap energy than the typically reported 3.34 eV of pure ZnO. Furthermore, the band gap of ZnO/AuNPs nanocomposites is effectively influenced by the amount of AuNPs. The humidity sensing tests clearly prove that all the ZnO/AuNPs humidity sensors exhibit much higher response than that of ZnO sensors, and the sensitivity of such ZnO/AuNPs nanorods (6 mL AuNPs display a change three orders higher than that of pure ZnO with relative humidity (RH ranging from 11% to 95% at room temperature. The response and recovery time of the ZnO/AuNPs are 5.6 s and 32.4 s, respectively. This study of the construction of semiconductor/noble metal sensors provides a rational way to control the morphology of semiconductor nanomaterials and to design a humidity sensor with high performance.

ZnO nanowire-based glucose biosensors with different coupling agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Juneui [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Sangwoo, E-mail: swlim@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fabrication of ZnO nanowire-based glucose biosensors using different coupling agents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highest sensitivity for (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane-treated biosensor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Larger amount of glucose oxidase and lower electron transfer resistance for (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane-treated biosensor. - Abstract: ZnO-nanowire-based glucose biosensors were fabricated by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) onto a linker attached to ZnO nanowires. Different coupling agents were used, namely (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS), (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), and (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane (APS), to increase the affinity of GOx binding to ZnO nanowires. The amount of GOx immobilized on the ZnO nanowires, the performance, sensitivity, and Michaelis-Menten constant of each biosensor, and the electron transfer resistance through the biosensor were all measured in order to investigate the effect of the coupling agent on the ZnO nanowire-based biosensor. Among the different biosensors, the APS-treated biosensor had the highest sensitivity (17.72 {mu}A cm{sup -2} mM{sup -1}) and the lowest Michaelis-Menten constant (1.37 mM). Since APS-treated ZnO nanowires showed the largest number of C-N groups and the lowest electron transfer resistance through the biosensor, we concluded that these properties were the key factors in the performance of APS-treated glucose biosensors.

ZnO nanowire-based glucose biosensors with different coupling agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Juneui; Lim, Sangwoo

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Fabrication of ZnO nanowire-based glucose biosensors using different coupling agents. ► Highest sensitivity for (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane-treated biosensor. ► Larger amount of glucose oxidase and lower electron transfer resistance for (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane-treated biosensor. - Abstract: ZnO-nanowire-based glucose biosensors were fabricated by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) onto a linker attached to ZnO nanowires. Different coupling agents were used, namely (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS), (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), and (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane (APS), to increase the affinity of GOx binding to ZnO nanowires. The amount of GOx immobilized on the ZnO nanowires, the performance, sensitivity, and Michaelis–Menten constant of each biosensor, and the electron transfer resistance through the biosensor were all measured in order to investigate the effect of the coupling agent on the ZnO nanowire-based biosensor. Among the different biosensors, the APS-treated biosensor had the highest sensitivity (17.72 μA cm −2 mM −1 ) and the lowest Michaelis–Menten constant (1.37 mM). Since APS-treated ZnO nanowires showed the largest number of C-N groups and the lowest electron transfer resistance through the biosensor, we concluded that these properties were the key factors in the performance of APS-treated glucose biosensors.

Thiophene-Based Organic Semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-10-24

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

Bulk ZnO: Current Status, Challenges, and Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

2009-04-01

von Wenckstern, H. Schmidt, M. Lorenz, and M. Grundmann, “Defects in virgin and N+-implanted ZnO single crystals studied by positron annihilation...characterization, and device applications of semiconductor and complex oxide thin films. He is a co-author of more than 50 papers in referred...REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR PAPER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (DOUBLE-CLICK HERE TO EDIT) < 1 Abstract— Rediscovered in the last decade, zinc oxide

Spectroscopic investigations on the interaction of thioacetamide with ZnO quantum dots and application for its fluorescence sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Dipika; Negi, Devendra P. S.

2018-01-01

The purpose of the present work was to develop a method for the sensing of thioacetamide by using spectroscopic techniques. Thioacetamide is a carcinogen and it is important to detect its presence in food-stuffs. Semiconductor quantum dots are frequently employed as sensing probes since their absorption and fluorescence properties are highly sensitive to the interaction with substrates present in the solution. In the present work, the interaction between thioacetamide and ZnO quantum dots has been investigated by using UV-visible, fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy. Besides, dynamic light scattering (DLS) has also been utilized for the interaction studies. UV-visible absorption studies indicated the bonding of the lone pair of sulphur atom of thioacetamide with the surface of the semiconductor. The fluorescence band of the ZnO quantum dots was found to be quenched in the presence of micromolar concentrations of thioacetamide. The quenching was found to follow the Stern-Volmer relationship. The Stern-Volmer constant was evaluated to be 1.20 × 105 M- 1. Infrared spectroscopic measurements indicated the participation of the sbnd NH2 group and the sulphur atom of thioacetamide in bonding with the surface of the ZnO quantum dots. DLS measurements indicated that the surface charge of the semiconductor was shielded by the thioacetamide molecules.

Recent progress on doped ZnO nanostructures for visible-light photocatalysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samadi, Morasae; Zirak, Mohammad; Naseri, Amene; Khorashadizade, Elham; Moshfegh, Alireza Z.

2016-01-01

Global environmental pollution and energy supply demand have been regarded as important concerns in recent years. Metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts is a promising approach to apply environmental remediation as well as fuel generation from water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction. ZnO nanostructures have been shown promising photocatalytic activities due to their non-toxic, inexpensive, and highly efficient nature. However, its wide band gap hinders photo-excitation for practical photocatalytic applications under solar light as an abundant, clean and safe energy source. To overcome this barrier, many strategies have been developed in the last decade to apply ZnO nanostructured photocatalysts under visible light. In this review, we have classified different approaches to activate ZnO as a photocatalyst in visible-light spectrum. Utilization of various nonmetals, transition metals and rare-earth metals for doping in ZnO crystal lattice to create visible-light-responsive doped ZnO photocatalysts is discussed. Generation of localized energy levels within the gap in doped ZnO nanostructures has played an important role in effective photocatalytic reaction under visible-light irradiation. The effect of dopant type, ionic size and its concentration on the crystal structure, electronic property and morphology of doped ZnO with a narrower band gap is reviewed systematically. Finally, a comparative study is performed to evaluate two classes of metals and nonmetals as useful dopants for ZnO nanostructured photocatalysts under visible light. - Highlights: • Metals and nonmetals used as a dopant to shift ZnO band gap toward visible-light. • Modification of electronic structure played a crucial role in doped ZnO activity. • Correlation between dopant's characteristics and ZnO visible activity was reviewed. • Photo-degradation of doped ZnO was studied and compared for different dopants.

Recent progress on doped ZnO nanostructures for visible-light photocatalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samadi, Morasae; Zirak, Mohammad [Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11555-9161, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Naseri, Amene [Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-8639, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khorashadizade, Elham [Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11555-9161, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moshfegh, Alireza Z., E-mail: moshfegh@sharif.edu [Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11555-9161, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-8639, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-04-30

Global environmental pollution and energy supply demand have been regarded as important concerns in recent years. Metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts is a promising approach to apply environmental remediation as well as fuel generation from water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction. ZnO nanostructures have been shown promising photocatalytic activities due to their non-toxic, inexpensive, and highly efficient nature. However, its wide band gap hinders photo-excitation for practical photocatalytic applications under solar light as an abundant, clean and safe energy source. To overcome this barrier, many strategies have been developed in the last decade to apply ZnO nanostructured photocatalysts under visible light. In this review, we have classified different approaches to activate ZnO as a photocatalyst in visible-light spectrum. Utilization of various nonmetals, transition metals and rare-earth metals for doping in ZnO crystal lattice to create visible-light-responsive doped ZnO photocatalysts is discussed. Generation of localized energy levels within the gap in doped ZnO nanostructures has played an important role in effective photocatalytic reaction under visible-light irradiation. The effect of dopant type, ionic size and its concentration on the crystal structure, electronic property and morphology of doped ZnO with a narrower band gap is reviewed systematically. Finally, a comparative study is performed to evaluate two classes of metals and nonmetals as useful dopants for ZnO nanostructured photocatalysts under visible light. - Highlights: • Metals and nonmetals used as a dopant to shift ZnO band gap toward visible-light. • Modification of electronic structure played a crucial role in doped ZnO activity. • Correlation between dopant's characteristics and ZnO visible activity was reviewed. • Photo-degradation of doped ZnO was studied and compared for different dopants.

Nanoscale semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell heterostructures: facile synthesis and light emission

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Gong Ping; Chen, Rui; Guo, Dong Lai; Wong, Lai Mun; Wang, Shi Jie; Sun, Han Dong; Wu, Tom

2011-08-01

Controllably constructing hierarchical nanostructures with distinct components and designed architectures is an important theme of research in nanoscience, entailing novel but reliable approaches of bottom-up synthesis. Here, we report a facile method to reproducibly create semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell nanostructures, which involves first coating uniform MgO shells onto metal oxide nanostructures in solution and then decorating them with Au nanoparticles. The semiconductor nanowire core can be almost any material and, herein, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3 are used as examples. We also show that linear chains of short ZnO nanorods embedded in MgO nanotubes and porous MgO nanotubes can be obtained by taking advantage of the reduced thermal stability of the ZnO core. Furthermore, after MgO shell-coating and the appropriate annealing treatment, the intensity of the ZnO near-band-edge UV emission becomes much stronger, showing a 25-fold enhancement. The intensity ratio of the UV/visible emission can be increased further by decorating the surface of the ZnO/MgO nanowires with high-density plasmonic Au nanoparticles. These heterostructured semiconductor-insulator-metal nanowires with tailored morphologies and enhanced functionalities have great potential for use as nanoscale building blocks in photonic and electronic applications.Controllably constructing hierarchical nanostructures with distinct components and designed architectures is an important theme of research in nanoscience, entailing novel but reliable approaches of bottom-up synthesis. Here, we report a facile method to reproducibly create semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell nanostructures, which involves first coating uniform MgO shells onto metal oxide nanostructures in solution and then decorating them with Au nanoparticles. The semiconductor nanowire core can be almost any material and, herein, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3 are used as examples. We also show that linear chains of short ZnO nanorods embedded in

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

Preparation of nanometer sized Mn doped Zn based oxides powder for DMS applications

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Das, J

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In order to study the size dependent DMS (Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor) behavior of Mn doped ZnO, the authors have systematically prepared a series of nanosized green powder based on Mn doped ZnO (Zn 1-x Mn x O, where x=0.02 - 0.1) materials using...

Direct evidence for As as a Zn-site impurity in ZnO

CERN Document Server

Wahl, Ulrich; Correia, J G; Lourenço-Santana-Marques, Ana Claudia; Alves, E; Carvalho-Soares, José

2005-01-01

Arsenic has been reported in the literature as one of the few p-type dopants in the technologically promising II-VI semiconductor ZnO. However, there is an ongoing debate whether the p-type character is due to As simply replacing O atoms or to the formation of more complicated defect complexes, possibly involving As on Zn sites. We have determined the lattice location of implanted As in ZnO by means of conversion electron emission channeling from radioactive $^{73}$As. In contrast to what one might expect from its nature as a group V element, we find that As does not occupy substitutional O sites but in its large majority substitutional Zn sites. Arsenic in ZnO (and probably also in GaN) is thus an interesting example for an impurity in a semiconductor where the major impurity lattice site is determined by atomic size and electronegativity rather than its position in the periodic system.

The influence of material type and composition of TiO2- ZnO on manufacturing of paste for the application of DSSC

Science.gov (United States)

Retnaningsih, L.; Muliani, L.; Aggraini, P. N.; Hidayat, J.

2016-11-01

Research, fabrication and material selection for the application of Dye- sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been performed on glass FTO (Flour Tin Oxide). The material is used in the form of TiO2 paste, TiO2 powder and ZnO powder. Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), is a fotoelektrokimia-based solar cells where the absorption process light done by the dye molecules and the process of separation of inorganic semiconductor materials by charge of Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and Zinc oxide (ZnO). The purpose of this research is to know the exact composition of TiO2 and ZnO materials in order to produce the best efficiency with DSSC. On this research was done making prototype dye-sensitized solar cell using dye Z 907, and semiconductor nanoparticles TiO2 and ZnO powder that is made into a paste by mixing different composition in two variations of samples: A = ZnO (powder) + 40% TiO2 (powder) and B = 60% TiO2 (powder) (40%) + TiO2 (pasta) 60%. The second variation of this high efficiency is value at sample B i.e. TiO2 (powder) + 40% TiO2 (paste) of 60%.

The influence of material type and composition of TiO2- ZnO on manufacturing of paste for the application of DSSC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Retnaningsih, L.; Muliani, L.; Aggraini, P. N.; Hidayat, J.

2016-01-01

Research, fabrication and material selection for the application of Dye- sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been performed on glass FTO (Flour Tin Oxide). The material is used in the form of TiO 2 paste, TiO 2 powder and ZnO powder. Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), is a fotoelektrokimia-based solar cells where the absorption process light done by the dye molecules and the process of separation of inorganic semiconductor materials by charge of Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and Zinc oxide (ZnO). The purpose of this research is to know the exact composition of TiO 2 and ZnO materials in order to produce the best efficiency with DSSC. On this research was done making prototype dye-sensitized solar cell using dye Z 907, and semiconductor nanoparticles TiO 2 and ZnO powder that is made into a paste by mixing different composition in two variations of samples: A = ZnO (powder) + 40% TiO 2 (powder) and B = 60% TiO 2 (powder) (40%) + TiO 2 (pasta) 60%. The second variation of this high efficiency is value at sample B i.e. TiO 2 (powder) + 40% TiO 2 (paste) of 60%. (paper)

Investigation of photocalalytic activity of ZnO prepared by spray pyrolis with various precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourfaa, F; Lamri Zeggar, M; A, A; Aida, M S; Attaf, N

2016-01-01

Semiconductor photocatalysts such as ZnO has attracted much attention in recent years due to their various applications for the degradation of organic pollutants in water, air and in dye sensitized photovoltaic solar cell. In the present work, ZnO thin films were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis by using different precursors namely: acetate, chloride and zinc nitrate in order to investigate their influence on ZnO photocatalytic activity. The films crystalline structure was studied by mean of X- ray diffraction measurements (XRD) and the films surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The films optical properties were studied by mean of UV-visible spectroscopy. The prepared films were tested for the degradation of the red reactive dye largely used in textile industry. As a result, we found that the zinc nitrate is the best precursor to prepare ZnO thin films suitable for a good photocatalytic activity. (paper)

Synthesis of ZnO nanorods and observation of resistive switching memory in ZnO based polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Manjula G.; Malakar, Meenakshi; Mohapatra, Saumya R.; Chowdhury, Avijit

2018-05-01

This research reports the observation of bipolar resistive switching memory in ZnO nanorod based polymer nanocomposites. We synthesized ZnO nanorods by wet-chemical method and characterized them using XRD, UV-VIS spectroscopy and SEM. The synthesized materials have hexagonal ZnO phase with grain size of 24 nm and having strong orientation along (101) direction as observed from XRD. The SEM micrograph confirms the formation of ZnO nanorods with diameter in the range of 10 to 20 nm and length of the order of 1 µm. From optical absorption spectra the band gap is estimated to be 2.42 eV. ZnO nanorods were dispersed in PVDF-HFP polymer matrix to prepare the nanocomposite. This nanocomposite was used as active layer in the devices having sandwich structure of ITO/PVDF-HFP+ZnO nanorods/Al. Bipolar non-volatile memory was observed with ON-OFF resistance ratio of the order of 103 and with a wide voltage window of 2.3V. The switching mechanism could be due to the trapping and de-trapping of electrons by the ZnO nanorods in the nanocomposite during ON and OFF states respectively.

Kinetic Study of Application of ZnO as a Photocatalyst in Heterogeneous Medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. J. Vora

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol over ZnO was carried out in the presence of light. Control experiments were carried out. The photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol was observed spectro-photmerically. The various parameters like concentrations of substrate, pH, amounts and band gaps of semiconductor, impact of light intensity, sensitizers and radical quenchers affected the kinetics of the degradation process. A probable mechanism for this process has been proposed.

Controllable growth and magnetic properties of nickel nanoclusters electrodeposited on the ZnO nanorod template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Yang; Zhao Dongxu; Shen Dezhen; Zhang Jiying; Wang Xiaohua

2009-01-01

The ZnO nanorods were used as a template to fabricate nickel nanoclusters by electrodeposition. The ZnO nanorod arrays act as a nano-semiconductor electrode for depositing metallic and magnetic nickel nanoclusters. The growth sites of Ni nanoclusters could be controlled by adjusting the applied potential. Under -1.15 V the Ni nanoclusters could be grown on the tips of ZnO nanorods. On increasing the potential to be more negative the ZnO nanorods were covered by Ni nanoclusters. The magnetic properties of the electrodeposited Ni nanoclusters also evolved with the applied potentials.

Controllable growth and magnetic properties of nickel nanoclusters electrodeposited on the ZnO nanorod template

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang Yang; Zhao Dongxu; Shen Dezhen; Zhang Jiying [Key Laboratory of Excited State Processes, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 East Nan-Hu Road, Open Economic Zone, Changchun 130033 (China); Wang Xiaohua, E-mail: dxzhao2000@yahoo.com.c [National Key Laboratory of High Power Semiconductor Laser, Changchun University of Science and Technology, 7089 WeiXing Road, ChangChun 130022 (China)

2009-12-09

The ZnO nanorods were used as a template to fabricate nickel nanoclusters by electrodeposition. The ZnO nanorod arrays act as a nano-semiconductor electrode for depositing metallic and magnetic nickel nanoclusters. The growth sites of Ni nanoclusters could be controlled by adjusting the applied potential. Under -1.15 V the Ni nanoclusters could be grown on the tips of ZnO nanorods. On increasing the potential to be more negative the ZnO nanorods were covered by Ni nanoclusters. The magnetic properties of the electrodeposited Ni nanoclusters also evolved with the applied potentials.

Strategies of making TiO2 and ZnO visible light active

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehman, Shama; Ullah, Ruh; Butt, A.M.; Gohar, N.D.

2009-01-01

In modern purification techniques employing semiconductor mediated photooxidation of toxic substances, zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) are the most widely used metal oxides due to their unique blend of properties. However, the band edges of these semiconductors lie in the UV region which makes them inactive under visible light irradiation. Researchers have been interested in the modification of electronic and optical properties of these metal oxides for their efficient use in water and air purification under visible light irradiation. Visible light activity has been induced in TiO 2 and ZnO by surface modification via organic materials/semiconductor coupling and band gap modification by doping with metals and nonmetals, co-doping with nonmetals, creation of oxygen vacancies and oxygen sub-stoichiometry. This paper encompasses the progress and developments made so far through these techniques in the visible light photocatalysis with TiO 2 and ZnO. Recently, nitrogen doping in titania has been extensively carried out and therefore somewhat detailed discussion in this respect has been presented. Visible light activation of titania clusters encapsulated in zeolite-Y by nitrogen doping and incorporation of dye or organic sensitizers inside the zeolite framework, has also been highlighted in this review.

Hydrogen-related complexes in Li-diffused ZnO single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Corolewski, Caleb D.; Parmar, Narendra S.; Lynn, Kelvin G.; McCluskey, Matthew D.

2016-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide band gap semiconductor and a potential candidate for next generation white solid state lighting applications. In this work, hydrogen-related complexes in lithium diffused ZnO single crystals were studied. In addition to the well-known Li-OH complex, several other hydrogen defects were observed. When a mixture of Li2O and ZnO is used as the dopant source, zinc vacancies are suppressed and the bulk Li concentration is very high (>1019 cm-3). In that case, the predominant hydrogen complex has a vibrational frequency of 3677 cm-1, attributed to surface O-H species. When Li2CO3 is used, a structured blue luminescence band and O-H mode at 3327 cm-1 are observed at 10 K. These observations, along with positron annihilation measurements, suggest a zinc vacancy-hydrogen complex, with an acceptor level ˜0.3 eV above the valence-band maximum. This relatively shallow acceptor could be beneficial for p-type ZnO.

Hydrogen-related complexes in Li-diffused ZnO single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corolewski, Caleb D.; Parmar, Narendra S.; Lynn, Kelvin G.; McCluskey, Matthew D.

2016-01-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide band gap semiconductor and a potential candidate for next generation white solid state lighting applications. In this work, hydrogen-related complexes in lithium diffused ZnO single crystals were studied. In addition to the well-known Li-OH complex, several other hydrogen defects were observed. When a mixture of Li_2O and ZnO is used as the dopant source, zinc vacancies are suppressed and the bulk Li concentration is very high (>10"1"9" cm"−"3). In that case, the predominant hydrogen complex has a vibrational frequency of 3677 cm"−"1, attributed to surface O-H species. When Li_2CO_3 is used, a structured blue luminescence band and O-H mode at 3327 cm"−"1 are observed at 10 K. These observations, along with positron annihilation measurements, suggest a zinc vacancy–hydrogen complex, with an acceptor level ∼0.3 eV above the valence-band maximum. This relatively shallow acceptor could be beneficial for p-type ZnO.

Nanoscaled Electrocatalytic Optically Modulated ZnO Nanoparticles through Green Process of Punica granatum L. and Their Antibacterial Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xolile Fuku

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Most recently, green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles has become an interesting subject of the nanoscience and nanotechnology. The use of plant systems has been deemed a green route and a dependable method for nanoparticle biosynthesis, owing to its environmental friendly nature. The present work demonstrates the bioreductive green synthesis of nanosized zinc oxide (ZnO using peel extracts of pomegranate. Highly crystalline ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs which are 5 nm in particle size were characterised by HRTEM and XRD. FT-IR spectra confirmed the presence of the biomolecules and formation of plant protein-coated ZnO NPs and also the pure ZnO NPs. Electrochemical investigation revealed the redox properties and the conductivity of the as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles. The optical band gap of ZnO NPs was calculated to be 3.48 eV which indicates that ZnO NPs can be used in metal oxide semiconductor-based devices. Further, the nanomaterials were also found to be good inhibitors of bacterial strains at both low and high concentrations of 5–10 mg mL−1.

Identifying individual n- and p-type ZnO nanowires by the output voltage sign of piezoelectric nanogenerator

KAUST Repository

Lin, S S

2009-08-18

Based on a comparative study between the piezoelectric outputs of n-type nanowires (NWs) and n-core/p-shell NWs along with the previous study (Lu et al 2009 Nano. Lett. 9 1223), we demonstrate a one-step technique for identifying the conductivity type of individual ZnO nanowires (NWs) based on the output of a piezoelectric nanogenerator without destroying the sample. A negative piezoelectric output voltage indicates an NW is n-type and it appears after the tip scans across the center of the NW, while a positive output voltage reveals p-type conductivity and it appears before the tip scans across the central line of the NW. This atomic force microscopy based technique is reliable for statistically mapping the majority carrier type in ZnO NWs arrays. The technique may also be applied to other wurtzite semiconductors, such as GaN, CdS and ZnS. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Toward hydrogen detection at room temperature with printed ZnO nanoceramics films activated with halogen lighting

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Van Son; Jubera, Véronique; Garcia, Alain; Debéda, Hélène

2015-12-01

Though semiconducting properties of ZnO have been extensively investigated under hazardous gases, research is still necessary for low-cost sensors working at room temperature. Study of printed ZnO nanopowders-based sensors has been undertaken for hydrogen detection. A ZnO paste made with commercial nanopowders is deposited onto interdigitated Pt electrodes and sintered at 400 °C. The ZnO layer structure and morphology are first examined by XRD, SEM, AFM and emission/excitation spectra prior to the study of the effect of UV-light on the electrical conduction of the semiconductor oxide. The response to hydrogen exposure is subsequently examined, showing that low UV-light provided by halogen lighting enhances the gas response and allows detection at room temperature with gas responses similar to those obtained in dark conditions at 150 °C. A gas response of 44% (relative change in current) under 300 ppm is obtained at room temperature. Moreover, it is demonstrated that very low UV-light power (15 μW/mm2) provided by the halogen lamp is sufficient to give sensitivities as high as those for much higher powers obtained with a UV LED (7.7 mW/mm2). These results are comparable to those obtained by others for 1D or 2D ZnO nanostructures working at room temperature or at temperatures up to 250 °C.

Non-vacuum, single-step conductive transparent ZnO patterning by ultra-short pulsed laser annealing of solution-deposited nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Daeho; Pan, Heng; Kim, Eunpa; Grigoropoulos, Costas P. [University of California, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Berkeley, CA (United States); Ko, Seung Hwan [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hee K. [AppliFlex LLC, Sunnyvale, CA (United States)

2012-04-15

A solution-processable, high-concentration transparent ZnO nanoparticle (NP) solution was successfully synthesized in a new process. A highly transparent ZnO thin film was fabricated by spin coating without vacuum deposition. Subsequent ultra-short-pulsed laser annealing at room temperature was performed to change the film properties without using a blanket high temperature heating process. Although the as-deposited NP thin film was not electrically conductive, laser annealing imparted a large conductivity increase and furthermore enabled selective annealing to write conductive patterns directly on the NP thin film without a photolithographic process. Conductivity enhancement could be obtained by altering the laser annealing parameters. Parametric studies including the sheet resistance and optical transmittance of the annealed ZnO NP thin film were conducted for various laser powers, scanning speeds and background gas conditions. The lowest resistivity from laser-annealed ZnO thin film was about 4.75 x 10{sup -2} {omega} cm, exhibiting a factor of 10{sup 5} higher conductivity than the previously reported furnace-annealed ZnO NP film and is even comparable to that of vacuum-deposited, impurity-doped ZnO films within a factor of 10. The process developed in this work was applied to the fabrication of a thin film transistor (TFT) device that showed enhanced performance compared with furnace-annealed devices. A ZnO TFT performance test revealed that by just changing the laser parameters, the solution-deposited ZnO thin film can also perform as a semiconductor, demonstrating that laser annealing offers tunability of ZnO thin film properties for both transparent conductors and semiconductors. (orig.)

Novel bilayer structure ZnO based photoanode for enhancing conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Jin [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi' an, Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049, Shaanxi (China); Que Wenxiu, E-mail: wxque@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi' an, Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049, Shaanxi (China); Jia Qiaoying; Zhong Peng; Liao Yulong [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi' an, Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049, Shaanxi (China); Ye Xiangdong; Ding Yucheng [State Key Laboratory of Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi' an, Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049, Shaanxi (China)

2011-07-07

Highlights: > The ZnO nanocrystallite aggregates on the ZnO nanowire arrays (ZnO-(NCAs/NWs)) photoanode are successfully fabricated. > Results indicate that such a configuration of the ZnO-(NCAs/NWs) photoanode can significantly improve the efficiency of the DSSC. > The electron transport properties of the DSSC based on the ZnO-(NCAs/NWs) photoanode is discussed deeply. - Abstract: ZnO film with a novel bilayer structure, which consists of ZnO nanowire (ZnO NW) arrays as underlayer and polydisperse ZnO nanocrystallite aggregates (ZnO NCAs) as overlayer, is fabricated and studied as dye-sensitized solar-cell (DSSC) photoanode. Results indicate that such a configuration of the ZnO nanocrystallite aggregates on the ZnO nanowire arrays (ZnO-(NCAs/NWs)) can significantly improve the efficiency of the DSSC due to its fast electron transport, relatively high surface area and enhanced light-scattering capability. The short-circuit current density (J{sub sc}) and the energy-conversion efficiency ({eta}) of the DSSC based on the ZnO-(NCAs/NWs) photoanode are estimated and the values are 9.19 mA cm{sup -2} and 3.02%, respectively, which are much better than those of the cells formed only by the ZnO NWs (J{sub sc} = 4.02 mA cm{sup -2}, {eta} = 1.04%) or the ZnO NCAs (J{sub sc} = 7.14 mA cm{sup -2}, {eta} = 2.56%) photoanode. Moreover, the electron transport properties of the DSSC based on the ZnO-(NCAs/NWs) photoanode are also discussed.

Architectures radiales à base de nanofils de ZnO pour des applications photovoltaïques

OpenAIRE

Parize , Romain

2017-01-01

Solar energy has a huge potential for the futur electricity generation. The research in this area is therefore accelerating these last years; Especially, the development of non-toxic semiconductor materials, which can be elaborated by a low-cost and easy-to-use techniques such as growths in liquid chemistry. In this context, zinc oxide (ZnO) has become increasingly important in research laboratories.This thesis has been carried out for several purposes. The first was to improve our understand...

Temperature dependent dual hydrogen sensor response of Pd nanoparticle decorated Al doped ZnO surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, D.; Barman, P. B.; Hazra, S. K., E-mail: surajithazra@yahoo.co.in [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh-173234 (India); Dutta, D. [IC Design and Fabrication Centre, Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata-700032 (India); Kumar, M.; Som, T. [SUNAG Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar 751005 (India)

2015-10-28

Sputter deposited Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin films exhibit a dual hydrogen sensing response in the temperature range 40 °C–150 °C after surface modifications with palladium nanoparticles. The unmodified AZO films showed no response in hydrogen in the temperature range 40 °C–150 °C. The operational temperature windows on the low and high temperature sides have been estimated by isolating the semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature zone of the sensor device. The gas response pattern was modeled by considering various adsorption isotherms, which revealed the dominance of heterogeneous adsorption characteristics. The Arrhenius adsorption barrier showed dual variation with change in hydrogen gas concentration on either side of the semiconductor-to-metal transition. A detailed analysis of the hydrogen gas response pattern by considering the changes in nano palladium due to hydrogen adsorption, and semiconductor-to-metal transition of nanocrystalline Al doped ZnO layer due to temperature, along with material characterization studies by glancing incidence X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, are presented.

Dynamic hyperfine interactions in {sup 111}In({sup 111}Cd)-doped ZnO semiconductor: PAC results supported by ab initio calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munoz, Emiliano L., E-mail: munoz@fisica.unlp.edu.ar [Departamento de Fisica and Instituto de Fisica La Plata (IFLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CC 67, 1900 La Plata (Argentina); Mercurio, Marcio E.; Cordeiro, Moacir R.; Pereira, Luciano F.D.; Carbonari, Artur W. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas y Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Renteria, Mario [Departamento de Fisica and Instituto de Fisica La Plata (IFLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CC 67, 1900 La Plata (Argentina)

2012-08-15

In this work, we present results of Time-Differential {gamma}-{gamma} Perturbed-Angular-Correlations (PAC) experiments performed in {sup 111}Cd-doped ZnO semiconductor. The PAC technique has been applied in order to characterize the electric-field-gradient (EFG) tensor at ({sup 111}In (EC){yields}) {sup 111}Cd nuclei located, as was later demonstrated, at defect-free cation sites of the ZnO host structure. The PAC experiments were performed in the temperature range of 77-1075 K. At first glance, the unexpected presence of low-intensity dynamic hyperfine interactions was observed, which were analyzed with a perturbation factor based on the Baeverstam and Othaz model. The experimental EFG results were compared with ab initio calculations performed with the Full-Potential Augmented Plane Wave plus local orbital (FP-APW+lo) method, in the framework of the Density Functional Theory (DFT), using the Wien2K code. The presence of the dynamic hyperfine interactions has been analyzed enlightened by the FP-APW+lo calculations of the EFG performed as a function of the charge state of the cell. We could correlate the large strength of the dynamic hyperfine interaction with the strong variation of the EFG due to changes in the electronic charge distribution in the Cd vicinity during the time-window of the PAC measurement. It was also revealed that the Cd impurity decays to a final stable neutral charge state (Cd{sup 2+}) fast enough (in few ns) to produce the nearly undamped observed PAC spectra.

Cobalt-doped ZnO as dilute magnetic semiconductor; Cobalt dotiertes ZnO als verduennter magnetischer Halbleiter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gacic, Milan

2009-04-24

Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) are technologically promising materials that show ferromagnetic as well as semiconducting properties. These are one of the crucial compounds concerning the development of spintronic devices. The main problem so far ist that for applications the Curie temperature of most of the DMS compounds is much too low. However, DMS compounds based on ZnO as Zn{sub 1-x}Co{sub x}O seem to show ferromagnetism above room temperature, but the ferromagnetic exchange is not fully understood. Intensive experimental investigations need to be done. In the course of this theses Zn{sub 0.95}Co{sub 0.05}O thin films were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition and investigated concerning their magnetic, magnetoelectric and structural properties in order to understand the ferromagnetism in this material. Different experimental methods have been used, as magnetometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), electron spin resonance (ESR) and magnetoelectric transport measurements. At special preparation conditions, where a high defect density is induced, the samples are clearly ferromagnetic above room temperature with a saturation magnetization of 2 {mu}{sub b}/Co and a remanence of 90%. Electrical transport measurements show a clear magnetoresistance as well as a anomalous Hall effect. The anomalous Hall effect rises with the magnetization indicating intrinsic ferromagnetism and a certain degree of spin polarization. As the ferromagnetism disappears with rising charge carrier density the ferromagnetic interaction cannot be mediated by the conduction electrons. A more precise evaluation of the magnetoelectric results shows that there is an additional conducting impurity band which could even be spinpolarized. So there are indications that the ferromagnetism is due to magnetic polarons. Some of the structural and magnetometric results as well as the electron spin resonance measurements suggest an additional extrinsic contribution

Inverse spin Hall effect induced by spin pumping into semiconducting ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jung-Chuan [Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan (China); Huang, Leng-Wei [Graduate Institute of Applied Physics, National Chengchi University, Taipei 11605, Taiwan (China); Hung, Dung-Shing, E-mail: dshung@mail.mcu.edu.tw [Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan (China); Department of Information and Telecommunications Engineering, Ming Chuan University, Taipei 111, Taiwan (China); Chiang, Tung-Han [Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Huang, J. C. A., E-mail: jcahuang@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Liang, Jun-Zhi [Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Department of Physics, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei 242, Taiwan (China); Lee, Shang-Fan, E-mail: leesf@phys.sinica.edu.tw [Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan (China); Graduate Institute of Applied Physics, National Chengchi University, Taipei 11605, Taiwan (China)

2014-02-03

The inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) of n-type semiconductor ZnO thin films with weak spin-orbit coupling has been observed by utilizing the spin pumping method. In the ferromagnetic resonance condition, the spin pumping driven by the dynamical exchange interaction of a permalloy film injects a pure spin current into the adjacent ZnO layer. This spin current gives rise to a DC voltage through the ISHE in the ZnO layer, and the DC voltage is proportional to the microwave excitation power. The effect is sizeable even when the spin backflow is considered.

Inverse spin Hall effect induced by spin pumping into semiconducting ZnO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jung-Chuan; Huang, Leng-Wei; Hung, Dung-Shing; Chiang, Tung-Han; Huang, J. C. A.; Liang, Jun-Zhi; Lee, Shang-Fan

2014-01-01

The inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) of n-type semiconductor ZnO thin films with weak spin-orbit coupling has been observed by utilizing the spin pumping method. In the ferromagnetic resonance condition, the spin pumping driven by the dynamical exchange interaction of a permalloy film injects a pure spin current into the adjacent ZnO layer. This spin current gives rise to a DC voltage through the ISHE in the ZnO layer, and the DC voltage is proportional to the microwave excitation power. The effect is sizeable even when the spin backflow is considered

Spectroscopic investigations on the interaction of thioacetamide with ZnO quantum dots and application for its fluorescence sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Dipika; Negi, Devendra P S

2018-01-15

The purpose of the present work was to develop a method for the sensing of thioacetamide by using spectroscopic techniques. Thioacetamide is a carcinogen and it is important to detect its presence in food-stuffs. Semiconductor quantum dots are frequently employed as sensing probes since their absorption and fluorescence properties are highly sensitive to the interaction with substrates present in the solution. In the present work, the interaction between thioacetamide and ZnO quantum dots has been investigated by using UV-visible, fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy. Besides, dynamic light scattering (DLS) has also been utilized for the interaction studies. UV-visible absorption studies indicated the bonding of the lone pair of sulphur atom of thioacetamide with the surface of the semiconductor. The fluorescence band of the ZnO quantum dots was found to be quenched in the presence of micromolar concentrations of thioacetamide. The quenching was found to follow the Stern-Volmer relationship. The Stern-Volmer constant was evaluated to be 1.20×10 5 M -1 . Infrared spectroscopic measurements indicated the participation of the NH 2 group and the sulphur atom of thioacetamide in bonding with the surface of the ZnO quantum dots. DLS measurements indicated that the surface charge of the semiconductor was shielded by the thioacetamide molecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Designed Room Temperature Multilayered Magnetic Semiconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Bouma, Dinah Simone; Charilaou, Michalis; Bordel, Catherine; Duchin, Ryan; Barriga, Alexander; Farmer, Adam; Hellman, Frances; Materials Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Team

2015-03-01

A room temperature magnetic semiconductor has been designed and fabricated by using an epitaxial antiferromagnet (NiO) grown in the (111) orientation, which gives surface uncompensated magnetism for an odd number of planes, layered with the lightly doped semiconductor Al-doped ZnO (AZO). Magnetization and Hall effect measurements of multilayers of NiO and AZO are presented for varying thickness of each. The magnetic properties vary as a function of the number of Ni planes in each NiO layer; an odd number of Ni planes yields on each NiO layer an uncompensated moment which is RKKY-coupled to the moments on adjacent NiO layers via the carriers in the AZO. This RKKY coupling oscillates with the AZO layer thickness, and it disappears entirely in samples where the AZO is replaced with undoped ZnO. The anomalous Hall effect data indicate that the carriers in the AZO are spin-polarized according to the direction of the applied field at both low temperature and room temperature. NiO/AZO multilayers are therefore a promising candidate for spintronic applications demanding a room-temperature semiconductor.

CuAu–ZnO–graphene nanocomposite: A novel graphene-based bimetallic alloy-semiconductor catalyst with its enhanced photocatalytic degradation performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Hong; Ye, Xiaoliang; Duan, Kaiyue; Xue, Muyin; Du, Yongling; Ye, Weichun; Wang, Chunming

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: In this work, we have successfully synthesized a novel graphene-based bimetallic alloy-semiconductor catalyst: CuAu–ZnO–Gr nanocomposite, and which behaved an enhanced photocatalytic activity. - Highlights: • A bimetallic alloy-based catalyst: CuAu–ZnO–Gr is synthesized. • CuAu–ZnO–Gr behaves an enhanced photocatalytic activity. • The detailed explanation of photocatalytic mechanism of CuAu–ZnO–Gr. - Abstract: The bimetallic alloy CuAu nanoparticles (NPs) can produce more photogenerated electrons when compared with single metal Au NPs. Moreover, graphene (Gr) sheets can help the charge separation and slow down the recombination of the electron hole pairs of ZnO. Hence, a novel graphene-based bimetallic alloy-semiconductor catalyst: CuAu–ZnO–Gr nanocomposite is synthesized. Due to the synergistic effect among CuAu NPs, ZnO nanopyramids, and Gr sheets, CuAu–ZnO–Gr behaves an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the photocatalytic degradation of synthetic colorants methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), indigotin (IN), sunset yellow (SY), and tartrazine (TT) under the simulated sunlight irradiation. Furthermore, the apparent rate constants (k app ) of MO, MB, IN, SY, and TT degradation are estimated respectively. In addition, the as-prepared CuAu–ZnO–Gr nanocomposite is characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectrum, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and EDX mapping. As a result of the facile synthesis route and the enhanced photocatalytic activity, this new material CuAu–ZnO–Gr can be a promising photocatalyst for the degradation of dyes

CuAu–ZnO–graphene nanocomposite: A novel graphene-based bimetallic alloy-semiconductor catalyst with its enhanced photocatalytic degradation performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Hong [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Ye, Xiaoliang [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Duan, Kaiyue; Xue, Muyin; Du, Yongling; Ye, Weichun [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Wang, Chunming, E-mail: wangcm@lzu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2015-07-05

Graphical abstract: In this work, we have successfully synthesized a novel graphene-based bimetallic alloy-semiconductor catalyst: CuAu–ZnO–Gr nanocomposite, and which behaved an enhanced photocatalytic activity. - Highlights: • A bimetallic alloy-based catalyst: CuAu–ZnO–Gr is synthesized. • CuAu–ZnO–Gr behaves an enhanced photocatalytic activity. • The detailed explanation of photocatalytic mechanism of CuAu–ZnO–Gr. - Abstract: The bimetallic alloy CuAu nanoparticles (NPs) can produce more photogenerated electrons when compared with single metal Au NPs. Moreover, graphene (Gr) sheets can help the charge separation and slow down the recombination of the electron hole pairs of ZnO. Hence, a novel graphene-based bimetallic alloy-semiconductor catalyst: CuAu–ZnO–Gr nanocomposite is synthesized. Due to the synergistic effect among CuAu NPs, ZnO nanopyramids, and Gr sheets, CuAu–ZnO–Gr behaves an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the photocatalytic degradation of synthetic colorants methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), indigotin (IN), sunset yellow (SY), and tartrazine (TT) under the simulated sunlight irradiation. Furthermore, the apparent rate constants (k{sub app}) of MO, MB, IN, SY, and TT degradation are estimated respectively. In addition, the as-prepared CuAu–ZnO–Gr nanocomposite is characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectrum, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and EDX mapping. As a result of the facile synthesis route and the enhanced photocatalytic activity, this new material CuAu–ZnO–Gr can be a promising photocatalyst for the degradation of dyes.

Development of Galactose Biosensor Based on Functionalized ZnO Nanorods with Galactose Oxidase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Khun

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The fabrication of galactose biosensor based on functionalised ZnO nanorods is described. The galactose biosensor was developed by immobilizing galactose oxidase on ZnO nanorods in conjunction with glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker molecule. The IRAS study provided evidence for the interaction of galactose oxidase with the surface of ZnO nanorods. The electromotive force (EMF response of the galactose biosensor was measured by potentiometric method. We observed that the proposed biosensor has a linear detection range over a concentration range from 10 mM to 200 mM with good sensitivity of 89.10±1.23 mV/decade. In addition, the proposed biosensor has shown fast time response of less than 10 s and a good selectivity towards galactose in the presence of common interferents such as ascorbic acid, uric acid, glucose, and magnesium ions. The galactose biosensor based on galactose oxidase immobilized ZnO nanorods has a shelf life more than four weeks.

Minority anion substitution by Ni in ZnO

CERN Document Server

Pereira, Lino Miguel da Costa; Correia, João Guilherme; Amorim, Lígia Marina; Silva, Daniel José; David-Bosne, Eric; Decoster, Stefan; da Silva, Manuel Ribeiro; Temst, Kristiaan; Vantomme, André

2013-01-01

We report on the lattice location of implanted Ni in ZnO using the $\\beta$− emission channeling technique. In addition to the majority substituting for the cation (Zn), a significant fraction of the Ni atoms occupy anion (O) sites. Since Ni is chemically more similar to Zn than it is to O, the observed O substitution is rather puzzling. We discuss these findings with respect to the general understanding of lattice location of dopants in compound semiconductors. In particular, we discuss potential implications on the magnetic behavior of transition metal doped dilute magnetic semiconductors.

Energy Level Alignment at Aqueous GaN and ZnO Interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Hybertsen, Mark S.; Kharche, Neerav; Muckerman, James T.

2014-03-01

Electronic energy level alignment at semiconductor-electrolyte interfaces is fundamental to electrochemical activity. Motivated in particular by the search for new materials that can be more efficient for photocatalysis, we develop a first principles method to calculate this alignment at aqueous interfaces and demonstrate it for the specific case of non-polar GaN and ZnO interfaces with water. In the first step, density functional theory (DFT) based molecular dynamics is used to sample the physical interface structure and to evaluate the electrostatic potential step at the interface. In the second step, the GW approach is used to evaluate the reference electronic energy level separately in the bulk semiconductor (valence band edge energy) and in bulk water (the 1b1 energy level), relative to the internal electrostatic energy reference. Use of the GW approach naturally corrects for errors inherent in the use of Kohn-Sham energy eigenvalues to approximate the electronic excitation energies in each material. With this predicted interface alignment, specific redox levels in water, with potentials known relative to the 1b1 level, can then be compared to the semiconductor band edge positions. Our results will be discussed in the context of experiments in which photoexcited GaN and ZnO drive the hydrogen evolution reaction. Research carried out at Brookhaven National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886 with the U.S. Department of Energy.

CdS-Sensitized ZnO Nanorod Photoelectrodes: Photoelectrochemistry and Photoinduced Absorption Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Idriss Bedja

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Thin films of ZnO semiconductor nanorods (ZnO-nr of 6 μm length and thin ZnO nanoparticulate films (ZnO-np have been prepared and modified with Q-dots CdS for comparison study. PIA (photoinduced absorption spectroscopy, a multipurpose tool in the study of dye-sensitized solar cells, is used to study a quantum-dot-modified metal-oxide nanostrucutred electrode. Q-dot CdS-sensitized ZnO-nr (1D network sensitized photoelectrode has demonstrated best performances in both photoelectrical response (IPCE max = 92% and broadening response into far visible comparing to ZnO-np-based CdS solar cell. Preadsorbing ZnO-nr with ZnO-np does not bring further improvement. Time constant for electron injection into ZnO-nr conduction band was relatively fast decay of 6.5 ms, similar to TiO2-coated CdS, and proves at least a well pore filling of ZnO-nr film by ultrafine CdS particles. Unidirectional electron transfer mechanistic in ZnO-nr has played a major role in these performances.

Self-aligned nanocrystalline ZnO hexagons by facile solid-state and co-precipitation route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thorat, J. H.; Kanade, K. G.; Nikam, L. K.; Chaudhari, P. D.; Panmand, R. P.; Kale, B. B.

2012-01-01

In this study, we report the synthesis of well-aligned nanocrystalline hexagonal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles by facile solid-state and co-precipitation method. The co-precipitation reactions were performed using aqueous and ethylene glycol (EG) medium using zinc acetate and adipic acid to obtain zinc adipate and further decomposition at 450 °C to confer nanocrystalline ZnO hexagons. XRD shows the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the ZnO. Thermal study reveals complete formation of ZnO at 430 °C in case of solid-state method, whereas in case of co-precipitation method complete formation was observed at 400 °C. Field emission scanning electron microscope shows spherical morphology for ZnO synthesized by solid-state method. The aqueous-mediated ZnO by co-precipitation method shows rod-like morphology. These rods are formed via self assembling of spherical nanoparticles, however, uniformly dispersed spherical crystallites were seen in EG-mediated ZnO. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) investigations clearly show well aligned and highly crystalline transparent and thin hexagonal ZnO. The particle size was measured using TEM and was observed to be 50–60 nm in case of solid-state method and aqueous-mediated co-precipitation method, while 25–50 nm in case of EG-mediated co-precipitation method. UV absorption spectra showed sharp absorption peaks with a blue shift for EG-mediated ZnO, which demonstrate the mono-dispersed lower particle size. The band gap of the ZnO was observed to be 3.4 eV which is higher than the bulk, implies nanocrystalline nature of the ZnO. The photoluminescence studies clearly indicate the strong violet and weak blue emission in ZnO nanoparticles which is quite unique. The process investigated may be useful to synthesize other oxide semiconductors and transition metal oxides.

Self-aligned nanocrystalline ZnO hexagons by facile solid-state and co-precipitation route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thorat, J. H. [Mahatma Phule College, Department of Chemistry (India); Kanade, K. G. [Annasaheb Awate College (India); Nikam, L. K. [B.G. College (India); Chaudhari, P. D.; Panmand, R. P.; Kale, B. B., E-mail: kbbb1@yahoo.com [Center for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) (India)

2012-02-15

In this study, we report the synthesis of well-aligned nanocrystalline hexagonal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles by facile solid-state and co-precipitation method. The co-precipitation reactions were performed using aqueous and ethylene glycol (EG) medium using zinc acetate and adipic acid to obtain zinc adipate and further decomposition at 450 Degree-Sign C to confer nanocrystalline ZnO hexagons. XRD shows the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the ZnO. Thermal study reveals complete formation of ZnO at 430 Degree-Sign C in case of solid-state method, whereas in case of co-precipitation method complete formation was observed at 400 Degree-Sign C. Field emission scanning electron microscope shows spherical morphology for ZnO synthesized by solid-state method. The aqueous-mediated ZnO by co-precipitation method shows rod-like morphology. These rods are formed via self assembling of spherical nanoparticles, however, uniformly dispersed spherical crystallites were seen in EG-mediated ZnO. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) investigations clearly show well aligned and highly crystalline transparent and thin hexagonal ZnO. The particle size was measured using TEM and was observed to be 50-60 nm in case of solid-state method and aqueous-mediated co-precipitation method, while 25-50 nm in case of EG-mediated co-precipitation method. UV absorption spectra showed sharp absorption peaks with a blue shift for EG-mediated ZnO, which demonstrate the mono-dispersed lower particle size. The band gap of the ZnO was observed to be 3.4 eV which is higher than the bulk, implies nanocrystalline nature of the ZnO. The photoluminescence studies clearly indicate the strong violet and weak blue emission in ZnO nanoparticles which is quite unique. The process investigated may be useful to synthesize other oxide semiconductors and transition metal oxides.

Photocatalytic semiconductors synthesis, characterization, and environmental applications

CERN Document Server

Hernández-Ramírez, Aracely

2014-01-01

This critical volume examines the different methods used for the synthesis of a great number of photocatalysts, including TiO2, ZnO and other modified semiconductors, as well as characterization techniques used for determining the optical, structural and morphological properties of the semiconducting materials. Additionally, the authors discuss photoelectrochemical methods for determining the light activity of the photocatalytic semiconductors by means of measurement of properties such as band gap energy, flat band potential and kinetics of hole and electron transfer. Photocatalytic Semiconductors: Synthesis, Characterization and Environmental Applications provide an overview of the semiconductor materials from first- to third-generation photocatalysts and their applications in wastewater treatment and water disinfection. The book further presents economic and toxicological aspects in the production and application of photocatalytic materials.

Piezoelectric and optoelectronic properties of electrospinning hybrid PVDF and ZnO nanofibers

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jian; Zhang, Qian; Lin, Kabin; Zhou, Lei; Ni, Zhonghua

2018-03-01

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a unique ferroelectric polymer with significant promise for energy harvesting, data storage, and sensing applications. ZnO is a wide direct band gap semiconductor (3.37 eV), commonly used as ultraviolet photodetectors, nanoelectronics, photonicsand piezoelectric generators. In this study, we produced high output piezoelectric energy harvesting materials using hybrid PVDF/ZnO nanofibers deposited via electrospinning. The strong electric fields and stretching forces during the electrospinning process helps to align dipoles in the nanofiber crystal such that the nonpolar α-phase (random orientation of dipoles) is transformed into polar β-phase in produced nanofibers. The effect of the additional ZnO nanowires on the nanofiber β-phase composition and output voltage are investigated. The maximum output voltage generated by a single hybrid PVDF and ZnO nanofiber (33 wt% ZnO nanowires) is over 300% of the voltage produced by a single nanofiber made of pure PVDF. The ZnO NWs served not only as a piezoelectric material, but also as a semiconducting material. The electrical conductivity of the hybrid PVDF/ZnO nanofibers increased by more than a factor of 4 when exposed under ultraviolet (UV) light.

Hydrogen-related complexes in Li-diffused ZnO single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corolewski, Caleb D. [Materials Science and Engineering Program, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2814 (United States); Parmar, Narendra S.; Lynn, Kelvin G. [Center for Materials Research, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2814 (United States); McCluskey, Matthew D., E-mail: mattmcc@wsu.edu [Materials Science and Engineering Program, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2814 (United States); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2814 (United States)

2016-07-21

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide band gap semiconductor and a potential candidate for next generation white solid state lighting applications. In this work, hydrogen-related complexes in lithium diffused ZnO single crystals were studied. In addition to the well-known Li-OH complex, several other hydrogen defects were observed. When a mixture of Li{sub 2}O and ZnO is used as the dopant source, zinc vacancies are suppressed and the bulk Li concentration is very high (>10{sup 19 }cm{sup −3}). In that case, the predominant hydrogen complex has a vibrational frequency of 3677 cm{sup −1}, attributed to surface O-H species. When Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3} is used, a structured blue luminescence band and O-H mode at 3327 cm{sup −1} are observed at 10 K. These observations, along with positron annihilation measurements, suggest a zinc vacancy–hydrogen complex, with an acceptor level ∼0.3 eV above the valence-band maximum. This relatively shallow acceptor could be beneficial for p-type ZnO.

Highly efficient betanin dye based ZnO and ZnO/Au Schottky barrier solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thankappan, Aparna, E-mail: aparna.subhash@gmail.com [International School of Photonics (ISP), Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi (India); Inter University Centre for Nanomaterials and Devices (IUCND), Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi (India); Divya, S.; Augustine, Anju K.; Girijavallaban, C.P.; Radhakrishnan, P.; Thomas, Sheenu; Nampoori, V.P.N. [International School of Photonics (ISP), Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi (India)

2015-05-29

Performance of dye sensitized solar cells based on betanin natural dye from red beets with various nanostructured photoanodes on transparent conducting glass has been investigated. In four different electrolyte systems cell efficiency of 2.99% and overall photon to current conversion efficiency of 20% were achieved using ZnO nanosheet electrode with iodide based electrolyte in acetonitrile solution. To enhance solar harvesting in organic solar cells, uniform sized metal nanoparticles (gold (Au) of ~ 8 nm) synthesized via microwave irradiation method were incorporated into the device consisting of ZnO. Enhanced power conversion efficiency of 1.71% was achieved with ZnO/Au nanocomposite compared to the 0.868% efficiency of the bare ZnO nanosheet cell with ferrocene based electrolyte. - Highlights: • The influence of electrolytes has been studied. • Cell efficiency of 2.99% was achieved by ZnO. • Enhancement of efficiency with incorporation of Au nano.

Sims Characterisation of ZnO Layer Prepared By Pulsed Laser Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrej Vincze

2005-01-01

Full Text Available New material development requires new technologies to create and prepare basic material for semiconductor industry and device applications. Materials have given properties, which exhibit particulary small tolerances. One of the most important and promising material is recently ZnO. ZnO has specific properties for near UV emission and absorption optical devices. The pulsed laser deposition (PLD is one of the methods to prepare this type of material. The aim of this paper is to compare properties of ZnO layers deposited from pure Zn target in oxygen atmosphere and the analysis of their surface properties by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS, atomic force microscopy (AFM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM.

High Temperature Thermoelectric Properties of ZnO Based Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Han, Li

of the dopants and dopant concentrations, a large power factor was obtainable. The sample with the composition of Zn0.9Cd0.1Sc0.01O obtained the highest zT ∼0.3 @1173 K, ~0.24 @1073K, and a good average zT which is better than the state-of-the-art n-type thermoelectric oxide materials. Meanwhile, Sc-doped Zn......This thesis investigated the high temperature thermoelectric properties of ZnO based materials. The investigation first focused on the doping mechanisms of Al-doped ZnO, and then the influence of spark plasma sintering conditions on the thermoelectric properties of Al, Ga-dually doped Zn......O. Following that, the nanostructuring effect for Al-doped ZnO was systematically investigated using samples with different microstructure morphologies. At last, the newly developed ZnCdO materials with superior thermoelectric properties and thermal stability were introduced as promising substitutions...

Defect-driven interfacial electronic structures at an organic/metal-oxide semiconductor heterojunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Winget, Paul; Schirra, Laura K; Cornil, David; Li, Hong; Coropceanu, Veaceslav; Ndione, Paul F; Sigdel, Ajaya K; Ginley, David S; Berry, Joseph J; Shim, Jaewon; Kim, Hyungchui; Kippelen, Bernard; Brédas, Jean-Luc; Monti, Oliver L A

2014-07-16

The electronic structure of the hybrid interface between ZnO and the prototypical organic semiconductor PTCDI is investigated via a combination of ultraviolet and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS/XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The interfacial electronic interactions lead to a large interface dipole due to substantial charge transfer from ZnO to 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylicdiimide (PTCDI), which can be properly described only when accounting for surface defects that confer ZnO its n-type properties. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-04-15

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-01-01

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

Heavy lithium-doped ZnO thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

1. Introduction. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a semiconductor with a wide and .... tal structure with preferred orientation along (0 0 2). ... This shift to higher angles could be attributed to residual ... segregated at the grain boundaries and they suppress the.

Hydrothermal temperature effect on crystal structures, optical properties and electrical conductivity of ZnO nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Dhafina, Wan Almaz; Salleh, Hasiah; Daud, Mohd Zalani; Ghazali, Mohd Sabri Mohd; Ghazali, Salmah Mohd

2017-09-01

ZnO is an wide direct band gap semiconductor and possess rich family of nanostructures which turned to be a key role in the nanotechnology field of applications. Hydrothermal method was proven to be simple, robust and low cost among the reported methods to synthesize ZnO nanostructures. In this work, the properties of ZnO nanostructures were altered by varying temperatures of hydrothermal process. The changes in term of morphological, crystal structures, optical properties and electrical conductivity were investigated. A drastic change of ZnO nanostructures morphology and decreases of 002 diffraction peak were observed as the hydrothermal temperature increased. The band gap of samples decreased as the size of ZnO nanostructure increased, whereas the electrical conductivity had no influence on the band gap value but more on the morphology of ZnO nanostructures instead.

Chemical bath deposited PbS thin films on ZnO nanowires for photovoltaic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gertman, Ronen [Dept of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be' er Sheva 84105 (Israel); Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be' er Sheva 84105 (Israel); Osherov, Anna; Golan, Yuval [Dept of Materials Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be' er Sheva 84105 (Israel); Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be' er Sheva 84105 (Israel); Visoly-Fisher, Iris, E-mail: irisvf@bgu.ac.il [Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be' er Sheva 84105 (Israel); Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus 84990 (Israel)

2014-01-01

Photovoltaic devices usually exploit mid-range band-gap semiconductors which absorb in the visible range of the solar spectrum. However, much energy is lost in the IR and near-IR range. We combined the advantages of small band-gap, bulk-like PbS deposited by facile, cheap and direct chemical bath deposition (CBD), with the good electronic properties of ZnO and the large surface area of nanowires, towards low cost photovoltaic devices utilizing IR and near-IR light. Surprisingly, CBD of PbS on ZnO, and particularly on ZnO nanowires, was not studied hitherto. Therefore, the mechanism of PbS growth by chemical bath deposition on ZnO nanowires was studied in details. A visible proof is shown for a growth mechanism starting from amorphous Pb(OH){sub 2} layer, that evolved into the ‘ion-by-ion’ growth mechanism. The growth mechanism and the resulting morphology at low temperatures were controlled by the thiourea concentration. The grain size affected the magnitude of the band-gap and was controlled by the deposition temperatures. Deposition above 40 °C resulted in bulk-like PbS with an optical band-gap of 0.4 eV. Methods were demonstrated for achieving complete PbS coverage of the complex ZnO NW architecture, a crucial requirement in optoelectronic devices to prevent shorts. Measurements of photocurrents under white and near-IR (784 nm) illumination showed that despite a 200 meV barrier for electron transfer at the PbS/ZnO interface, extraction of photo-electrons from PbS to the ZnO was feasible. The ability to harvest electrons from a narrow band-gap semiconductor deposited on a large surface-area electrode can advance the field towards high efficiency, low cost IR and near-IR sensors and third generation solar cells. - Highlights: • PbS was deposited on ZnO nanowires using chemical bath deposition. • At 50 °C the growth mechanism starts from an amorphous Pb(OH){sub 2} layer. • At 5 °C the growth mechanism of PbS can be controlled by thiourea concentrations

Activities towards p-type doping of ZnO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brauer, G; Kuriplach, J; Ling, C C; Djurisic, A B

2011-01-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an interesting and promising semiconductor material for many potential applications, e.g. in opto-electronics and for sensor devices. However, its p-type doping represents a challenging problem, and the physical reasons of its mostly n-type conductivity are not perfectly clear at present. Efforts to achieve p-type conductivity by ion implantation are reviewed, and ways to achieve p-type ZnO nanorods and thin films through various growth conditions are summarized. Then, issues associated with the preparation of Schottky contacts is discussed in some detail as this is a requirement of the device formation process. Finally, the possible incorporation of hydrogen and nitrogen into structural defects, which can act as trapping sites for positrons, is discussed in the context of experimental and theoretical positron results and the estimated H and N content in a variety of ZnO materials.

Activities towards p-type doping of ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brauer, G [Institut fuer Ionenstrahlphysik und Materialforschung, Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Postfach 510119, D-01314 Dresden (Germany); Kuriplach, J [Department of Low Temperature Physics, Charles University, V Holetovickach 2, CZ-18000 Prague (Czech Republic); Ling, C C; Djurisic, A B, E-mail: g.brauer@fzd.de [Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road (Hong Kong)

2011-01-10

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an interesting and promising semiconductor material for many potential applications, e.g. in opto-electronics and for sensor devices. However, its p-type doping represents a challenging problem, and the physical reasons of its mostly n-type conductivity are not perfectly clear at present. Efforts to achieve p-type conductivity by ion implantation are reviewed, and ways to achieve p-type ZnO nanorods and thin films through various growth conditions are summarized. Then, issues associated with the preparation of Schottky contacts is discussed in some detail as this is a requirement of the device formation process. Finally, the possible incorporation of hydrogen and nitrogen into structural defects, which can act as trapping sites for positrons, is discussed in the context of experimental and theoretical positron results and the estimated H and N content in a variety of ZnO materials.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of ZnO nanorod-based dye-sensitized solar cells by using Ga doped ZnO seed layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dou, Yuanyao [State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Department of Applied Physics, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Wu, Fang, E-mail: fang01234@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Department of Applied Physics, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Mao, Caiying [Department of Applied Physics, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Fang, Liang, E-mail: lfang@cqu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Department of Applied Physics, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Guo, Shengchun [Department of Applied Physics, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Zhou, Miao [State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China)

2015-06-05

Highlights: • ZnO nanorods were grown on Ga-doped ZnO seed layers using hydrothermal method. • Using the ZnO nanorods as photoanodes for fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells. • The highest η of 1.23% can be achieved in a DSSC with 3 at.% Ga-doped in seeds. • The effects of ZnO seed layers on electron transport properties were investigated. • The enhancement performance of DSSCs contributed to higher dye loading and η{sub cc}. - Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays were grown on FTO substrates with a Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) seed layer by a hydrothermal method. GZO seed layers were obtained via sol–gel technology with Ga concentration in the range of 0–4 at.%. The dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using ZnO nanorod arrays as the photoanode layers were prepared. The effect of Ga dopant concentrations in ZnO seed layer on the morphology features of ZnO nanorod arrays and the performance of DSSCs were systematically investigated. Results indicate that the average diameter and density of ZnO nanorod arrays decrease with increasing Ga concentration, but their length shows an opposite trend. The photocurrent density–voltage (J–V) characteristics reveal that the DSSCs with GZO seed layer exhibit significantly improved photovoltaic performance. In particular, the highest energy conversion efficiency (η) of 1.23% can be achieved in a DSSC with 3 at.% Ga doping, which is increased by 86.36% compared with that of the undoped DSSC. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectra and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to explore the photon-to-electron conversion process in DSSCs. It is demonstrated that the performance enhancement of DSSCs based on GZO seed layer can be attributed to higher amount of dye loading, more efficient electron transportation and better electrons collection efficiency.

Homostructured ZnO-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors deposited at low temperature by vapor cooling condensation system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Tzu-Shun [Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 701 Tainan, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lee, Ching-Ting, E-mail: ctlee@ee.ncku.edu.tw [Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 701 Tainan, Taiwan, ROC (China); Institute of Microelectronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, 701 Tainan, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2015-11-01

Highlights: • The vapor cooling condensation system was designed and used to deposit homostructured ZnO-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. • The resulting homostructured ZnO-based MOSFETs operated at a reverse voltage of −6 V had a very low gate leakage current of 24 nA. • The associated I{sub DSS} and the g{sub m(max)} were 5.64 mA/mm and 1.31 mS/mm, respectively. - Abstract: The vapor cooling condensation system was designed and used to deposit homostructured ZnO-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) on sapphire substrates. Owing to the high quality of the deposited, various ZnO films and interfaces, the resulting MOSFETs manifested attractive characteristics, such as the low gate leakage current of 24 nA, the low average interface state density of 2.92 × 10{sup 11} cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1}, and the complete pinch-off performance. The saturation drain–source current, the maximum transconductance, and the gate voltage swing of the resulting homostructured ZnO-based MOSFETs were 5.64 mA/mm, 1.31 mS/mm, and 3.2 V, respectively.

Resonant tunneling diodes based on ZnO for quantum cascade structures (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Hinkov, Borislav; Schwarz, Benedikt; Harrer, Andreas; Ristanic, Daniela; Schrenk, Werner; Hugues, Maxime; Chauveau, Jean-Michel; Strasser, Gottfried

2017-02-01

The terahertz (THz) spectral range (lambda 30µm - 300µm) is also known as the "THz-gap" because of the lack of compact semiconductor devices. Various real-world applications would strongly benefit from such sources like trace-gas spectroscopy or security-screening. A crucial step is the operation of THz-emitting lasers at room temperature. But this seems out of reach with current devices, of which GaAs-based quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) seem to be the most promising ones. They are limited by the parasitic, non-optical LO-phonon transitions (36meV in GaAs), being on the same order as the thermal energy at room temperature (kT = 26meV). This can be solved by using larger LO-phonon materials like ZnO (E_LO = 72meV). But to master the fabrication of ZnO-based QC structures, a high quality epitaxial growth is crucial followed by a well-controlled fabrication process including ZnO/ZnMgO etching. We use devices grown on m-plane ZnO-substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. They are patterned by reactive ion etching in a CH4-based chemistry (CH4:H2:Ar/30:3:3 sccm) into 50μm to 150μm square mesas. Resonant tunneling diode structures are investigated in this geometry and are presented including different barrier- and well-configurations. We extract contact resistances of 8e-5 Omega cm^2 for un-annealed Ti/Au contacts and an electron mobility of above 130cm^2/Vs, both in good agreement with literature. Proving that resonant electron tunneling can be achieved in ZnO is one of the crucial building blocks of a QCL. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 665107.

Red luminescence from hydrothermally synthesized Eu-doped ZnO ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

turally characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy ... II–VI compound semiconductor with large exciton binding .... ions occupy a site with inversion symmetry and 617 nm ... TEM image of Eu-doped ZnO nanoparticles with (a) 1⋅2 at. .... Jacquier B, Lebrasseur E, Guy S, Belarouci A and Menchini F.

Study of surface modifications for improved selected metal (II-VI) semiconductor based devices

Science.gov (United States)

Blomfield, Christopher James

Metal-semiconductor contacts are of fundamental importance to the operation of all semiconductor devices. There are many competing theories of Schottky barrier formation but as yet no quantitative predictive model exists to adequately explain metal-semiconductor interfaces. The II-VI compound semiconductors CdTe, CdS and ZnSe have recently come to the fore with the advent of high efficiency photovoltaic cells and short wavelength light emitters. Major problems still exist however in forming metal contacts to these materials with the desired properties. This work presents results which make a significant contribution to the theory of metal/II-VI interface behaviour in terms of Schottky barriers to n-type CdTe, CdS and ZnSe.Predominantly aqueous based wet chemical etchants were applied to the surfaces of CdTe, CdS and ZnSe which were subsequently characterised by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The ionic nature of these II-VI compounds meant that they behaved as insoluble salts of strong bases and weak acids. Acid etchants induced a stoichiometric excess of semiconductor anion at the surface which appeared to be predominantly in the elemental or hydrogenated state. Alkaline etchants conversely induced a stoichiometric excess of semiconductor cation at the surface which appeared to be in an oxidised state.Metal contacts were vacuum-evaporated onto these etched surfaces and characterised by current-voltage and capacitance-voltage techniques. The surface preparation was found to have a clear influence upon the electrical properties of Schottky barriers formed to etched surfaces. Reducing the native surface oxide produced near ideal Schottky diodes. An extended study of Au, Ag and Sb contacts to [mathematical formula] substrates again revealed the formation of several discrete Schottky barriers largely independent of the metal used; for [mathematical formula]. Deep levels measured within this study and those reported in the literature led to the conclusion that Fermi

Positron annihilation spectroscopic characterization of defects in wide band gap oxide semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, A.; Luitel, Homnath; Gogurla, N.; Sanyal, D.

2017-03-01

Annealing effect of granular ZnO has been studied by Doppler broadened electron positron annihilated γ-ray (0.511 MeV) line shape measurement. Ratio curve analysis shows that granular ZnO samples contain both Zn and O vacancies. Such defects exist as agglomerates of several vacancies and start to recover above 400 °C annealing. It has also been observed that due to annealing temperature difference of 125 °C (from 325 °C to 450 °C), huge change occurs in low temperature photoluminescence (PL) of ZnO. Significant reduction of free to bound (FB) transition ~3.315 eV is observed for increasing the annealing temperature. It has been conjectured that ~3.315 eV PL in ZnO is related to particular decoration (unknown) of both Zn and O vacancies. The methodology of revealing defect-property correlation as employed here can also be applied to other types of semiconductors.

Cu2O-based solar cells using oxide semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minami, Tadatsugu; Nishi, Yuki; Miyata, Toshihiro

2016-01-01

We describe significant improvements of the photovoltaic properties that were achieved in Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/n-type oxide semiconductor/p-type Cu 2 O heterojunction solar cells fabricated using p-type Cu 2 O sheets prepared by thermally oxidizing Cu sheets. The multicomponent oxide thin film used as the n-type semiconductor layer was prepared with various chemical compositions on non-intentionally heated Cu 2 O sheets under various deposition conditions using a pulsed laser deposition method. In Cu 2 O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using various ternary compounds as the n-type oxide thin-film layer, the best photovoltaic performance was obtained with an n-ZnGa 2 O 4 thin-film layer. In most of the Cu 2 O-based heterojunction solar cells using multicomponent oxides composed of combinations of various binary compounds, the obtained photovoltaic properties changed gradually as the chemical composition was varied. However, with the ZnO-MgO and Ga 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 systems, higher conversion efficiencies (η) as well as a high open circuit voltage (V oc ) were obtained by using a relatively small amount of MgO or Al 2 O 3 , e.g., (ZnO) 0.91 –(MgO) 0.09 and (Ga 2 O 3 ) 0.975 –(Al 2 O 3 ) 0.025 , respectively. When Cu 2 O-based heterojunction solar cells were fabricated using Al 2 O 3 –Ga 2 O 3 –MgO–ZnO (AGMZO) multicomponent oxide thin films deposited with metal atomic ratios of 10, 60, 10 and 20 at.% for the Al, Ga, Mg and Zn, respectively, a high V oc of 0.98 V and an η of 4.82% were obtained. In addition, an enhanced η and an improved fill factor could be achieved in AZO/n-type multicomponent oxide/p-type Cu 2 O heterojunction solar cells fabricated using Na-doped Cu 2 O (Cu 2 O:Na) sheets that featured a resistivity controlled by optimizing the post-annealing temperature and duration. Consequently, an η of 6.25% and a V oc of 0.84 V were obtained in a MgF 2 /AZO/n-(Ga 2 O 3 –Al 2 O 3 )/p-Cu 2 O:Na heterojunction solar cell fabricated using

Cu2O-based solar cells using oxide semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Minami, Tadatsugu; Nishi, Yuki; Miyata, Toshihiro

2016-01-01

We describe significant improvements of the photovoltaic properties that were achieved in Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/n-type oxide semiconductor/p-type Cu2O heterojunction solar cells fabricated using p-type Cu2O sheets prepared by thermally oxidizing Cu sheets. The multicomponent oxide thin film used as the n-type semiconductor layer was prepared with various chemical compositions on non-intentionally heated Cu2O sheets under various deposition conditions using a pulsed laser deposition method. In Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using various ternary compounds as the n-type oxide thin-film layer, the best photovoltaic performance was obtained with an n-ZnGa2O4 thin-film layer. In most of the Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells using multicomponent oxides composed of combinations of various binary compounds, the obtained photovoltaic properties changed gradually as the chemical composition was varied. However, with the ZnO-MgO and Ga2O3-Al2O3 systems, higher conversion efficiencies (η) as well as a high open circuit voltage (Voc) were obtained by using a relatively small amount of MgO or Al2O3, e.g., (ZnO)0.91-(MgO)0.09 and (Ga2O3)0.975-(Al2O3)0.025, respectively. When Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells were fabricated using Al2O3-Ga2O3-MgO-ZnO (AGMZO) multicomponent oxide thin films deposited with metal atomic ratios of 10, 60, 10 and 20 at.% for the Al, Ga, Mg and Zn, respectively, a high Voc of 0.98 V and an η of 4.82% were obtained. In addition, an enhanced η and an improved fill factor could be achieved in AZO/n-type multicomponent oxide/p-type Cu2O heterojunction solar cells fabricated using Na-doped Cu2O (Cu2O:Na) sheets that featured a resistivity controlled by optimizing the post-annealing temperature and duration. Consequently, an η of 6.25% and a Voc of 0.84 V were obtained in a MgF2/AZO/n-(Ga2O3-Al2O3)/p-Cu2O:Na heterojunction solar cell fabricated using a Cu2O:Na sheet with a resistivity of approximately 10 Ω·cm and a (Ga0.975Al0

Fabrication and study of sol-gel ZnO films for use in Si-based heterojunction photovoltaic devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniya Mukhamedshina

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper considers the use of zinc oxide thin films prepared via the sol-gel route as an n-type layer in heterojunction ZnO/Si solar cells. The ZnO films were prepared via a simple spin-coating technique using zinc acetate dihydrate as a zinc precursor, isopropanol as a solvent and monoethanolamine as a stabilizing agent. Optical, structural and morphological properties of ZnO were investigated for thin films grown from sol-gel solutions with different concentrations both on glass and silicon substrates. As such, a distribution of crystallite sizes and surface topology parameters corresponding to various zinc acetate dihydrate concentrations were obtained to elucidate optimal film deposition conditions. Correlation between thin film morphology and structural characteristics of ZnO thin films was made based on atomic-force microscopy studies. Finally, our results on fabrication, characterization and simulation of ZnO/Si heterojunctions for use as photovoltaic devices are presented. Although noticeable rectifying and photovoltaic properties were observed for Al/Si/ZnO/Ti/Au devices, there appears to exist a considerable room for device improvement with simulation studies suggesting that efficiencies of the order of 24% may be obtained for devices with optimal silicon wafer passivation, i.e. with lifetimes of the order of 1000 μs.

Optimized adsorption of sulfonated phthalocyanines on ZnO electrodes and their characterization in dye- sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Falgenhauer, Jane; Loewenstein, Thomas; Schlettwein, Derck [Institute of Applied Physics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen (Germany)

2010-07-01

Phthalocyanines belong to the most stable industrial dyes and show some of the highest molar extinction coefficients in the visible range. ZnO is known as a wide band gap semiconductor material which can be conveniently prepared as a porous electrode from solution-based processes. Sulfonated phthalocyanines were adsorbed at such electrodeposited porous ZnO thin films to work as a photosensitizer in a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The adsorption solution of the phthalocyanine was modified in its composition and by adding different detergents in different concentrations. The adsorption solutions and the sensitized ZnO films were investigated by UV/Vis spectroscopy to characterize the aggregation of the dye molecules. Most of the detergents used could minimize the aggregation of the dye molecules in the adsorption solution without hindering the adsorption of the phthalocyanine on the ZnO surface. The photoelectrochemical characteristics of the resulting test cells were determined using a standard liquid electrolyte. The efficiency of the cells did not reach the expected level and reasons for this are discussed based on film morphology, amount of adsorbed dye molecules, competition by detergent adsorption, the optical absorbance of the dyes in the film and aggregate formation.

Are Fe and Co implanted ZnO and III-nitride semiconductors magnetic?

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2081284; Bharuth-Ram, Krish

The chemical nature, lattice site locations and magnetic behaviour of Fe and/or Co ions implanted in nitrides (GaN, AlN, and InN) and in ZnO have been investigated using Mössbauer spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. Mössbauer data on nitride and $^{56}$Fe pre-implanted ZnO samples were obtained from emission Mössbauer spectroscopy (eMS) measurements at the ISOLDE facility, CERN, following the implantation of radioactive $^{57}$Mn$^{*}$ which $\\beta$$^{-}$decays to the 14.4 keV Mössbauer state of $^{57}$Fe. In addition, conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) data were collected on ZnO single crystals co-implanted with $^{57}$Fe + $^{56}$Fe and $^{57}$Fe + $^{59}$Co ions in a box profile. Emission Mössbauer spectra obtained for GaN and AlN reveal magnetic structure in the ‘wings’ assigned to high spin Fe$^{3+}$ weakly coupled to the lattice showing spin-lattice relaxation effects. The observed spin-relaxation rate (τ$^{-1}$) closely follows a ${T}^{2}$ temperat...

Rectifying Behavior of Aligned ZnO Nano rods on Mg0.3Zn0.7O Thin Film Template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salina Muhamad; Suriani Abu Bakar; Mohamad Hafiz Mamat; Rafidah Ahmad; Mohamad Rusop

2011-01-01

Rectifying behavior more than 3 orders of aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nano rods grown on Mg 0.3 Zn 0.7 O thin film template using chemical bath deposition method was observed, giving a barrier height of 0.75 eV, and the ideality factor achieved was almost 6, which was analyzed using thermionic emission theory. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images revealed that the grown ZnO was in hexagonal shape, uniformly distributed and in vertically aligned form. The crystallinity of the sample being studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), where the highest peak was found at (002) phase, confirming that high crystallinity of ZnO was attained. The effect of metal/semiconductor junction between metal and aligned ZnO nano rods was discussed in further details. (author)

ZnO nano-array-based EGFET biosensor for glucose detection

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Junjie; Zhang, Huihui; Ji, Zhaoxia; Xu, Minxuan; Zhang, Yue

2015-06-01

Electrochemical biosensors are normally based on enzymatic catalysis of a reaction that produces or consumes electrons and the sensing membranes dominate the performance. In this work, ZnO nano-array-based EGFETs were fabricated for pH and glucose detection. The ZnO nano-arrays prepared via low-temperature hydrothermal method were well-aligned, with an average length of 2 μm and diameter of 100-150 nm, and have a typical hexagonal wurtzite structure. The sensor performed with a sensitivity of 45 mV/pH and response time of about 6-7 s from pH = 4-12. UV irradiation can improve the Vref response as a result of the formation of a depletion region at the surface of ZnO nanomaterials. Due to its high specific surface area, the ZnO nano-array EGFET sensor showed a sensitivity of -0.395 mV/μM to the glucose detection in a concentration range between 20 and 100 μM. These EGFET glucose biosensors demonstrate a low detectable concentration (20 μM) with good linearity, therefore may be used to detect glucose in saliva and tears at much lower concentrations than that in blood.

Photochemistry at high temperatures - potential of ZnO as a high temperature photocatalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schubnell, M; Beaud, P; Kamber, I [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1997-06-01

Direct conversion of solar radiation into useful, storeable and transportable chemical products is the primary goal of solar chemistry. In this paper we discuss some fundamental aspects of photochemistry at elevated temperatures. We show that luminescence can serve as an indicator of the potential use of a system as a photoconverter. As an example we present experimental data on the chemical potential and on the lifetime of the excited states of ZnO. The low luminescence quantum yield together with a lifetime of about 200 ps indicate that an efficient photochemical conversion on ZnO is highly improbable. We believe this to be a general feature of chemical systems based on a semiconductor photocatalyst, in particular of photoreactions at a solid/gas interface. (author) 3 figs., 6 refs

The investigation of Ce doped ZnO crystal: The electronic, optical and magnetic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Jun-Qing; Zhang, Jian-Min; Qiu, Ze-Gang; Yang, Xu; Li, Zhi-Qin

2018-04-01

The electronic, optical and magnetic properties of Ce doped ZnO crystal have been studied by using first principles method. The research of formation energies show that Ce doped ZnO is energetically stable, and the formation energies reduce from 6.25% to 12.5% for Ce molar percentage. The energy band is still direct band gap after Ce doped, and band gap increases with the increase of Cesbnd Ce distance. The Fermi level moves upward into conduction band and the DOS moves to lower energy with the increase of Ce concentration, which showing the properties of n-type semiconductor. The calculated optical properties imply that Ce doped causes a red-shift of absorption peaks, and enhances the absorption of the visible light. The transition from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic has been found in Ce doped ZnO.

Hybrid electroluminescent device based on MEH-PPV and ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hewidy, Dina; Gadallah, A.-S.; Fattah, G. Abdel

2017-02-15

Hybrid organic/inorganic electroluminescent device based on the structure of glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/MEH-PPV/ZnO/ZnO submicrorods/Al has been manufactured. Spin coating has been used to deposit both PEDOT:PSS and MEH-PPV. Two-step process has been used to synthesis ZnO submicrorods, namely, spin coating and chemical bath deposition. Changing the dimensions of the ZnO submicrorods in this layer structure has been investigated to improve the performance of the organic/inorganic electroluminescence device. Such layer structure provides electroluminescence with narrow emission bands due to a high gain with this structure. X-ray diffraction patterns and scanning electron microscope images show that ZnO submicrorods have hexagon structure. Current-voltage curve for the structure has been reported. Electroluminescence curves (electroluminescence intensity versus wavelength) at different bias voltages have been presented and these results show narrowing in full width at half maximum in the spectra at high current density compared to photoluminescence excitation. The narrowing in the spectrum has been explained. - Highlights: • Manufacturing of MEH-PPV and ZnO electroluminescent device has been reported. • Spin coating and chemical bath deposition have been used for preparation of ZnO. • SEM images and X-ray diffraction of ZnO have been presented. • Current-voltage curves and electroluminescent measurements have been reported.

Lattice location of implanted As in ZnO

CERN Document Server

Wahl, U; Correia, J G; Marques, A C; Alves, E; Soares, J C

2007-01-01

Radioactive 73As ions were implanted into a ZnO single crystal at room temperature with 60 keV up to a fluence of 2×1013 cm−2. Subsequently, the angular emission channeling patterns of emitted conversion electrons were recorded by means of a position-sensitive detector in the as-implanted state and following annealing up to 900 C, and were compared to simulated emission yields for a variety of different lattice sites. We find that As does not occupy substitutional O sites, but mainly occupies the substitutional Zn sites. The fraction of As on O sites was at most a few per cent. Arsenic in ZnO is thus an interesting example of an impurity in a semiconductor where the major impurity lattice site is determined by atomic size and electronegativity rather than its position in the periodic system. Possible consequences with respect to the role of arsenic as a p-type dopant in ZnO are being discussed.

Energy dependence evaluation of a ZnO detector for diagnostic X-ray beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valença, C.P.V.; Silveira, M.A.L.; Macedo, M.A.; Santos, M.A.

2015-01-01

In the last decades the international organizations of human health and radiation protection have recommended certain care for using X-ray as a diagnosis tool. The current concern is to avoid any type of radiological accident or overdose to the patient. This can be done assessing the parameters of the X-ray equipment and there are various types of detectors available for that: ionizing chamber, semiconductor devices, etc. These detectors must be calibrated so that they can be used for any energy range and such a procedure is correlated with what is called the energy dependence of the detector. In accordance with the stated requirements of IEC 61267, the standard radiation quality beams and irradiation conditions (RQRs) are the tools and techniques for calibrating diagnostic X-Ray instruments and detectors. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the behavior of the energy dependence of a detector fabricated from a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofilm. A Pantak industrial X-ray equipment was used to generate the RQR radiation quality beams and test three ZnO detector samples. A 6430 sub-femto-ammeter, Keithley, was used to bias the ZnO detector and simultaneously perform the output readings. The results showed that the ZnO device has some increase in its sensitivity to the ionizing radiation as the X-ray effective energy decreases unlike other types of semiconductor electronic devices typically used as an X-ray detector. We can be concluded that, after calibration, the ZnO device can be used as a diagnostic X-ray detector. (author)

Comparative Study of the Photocatalytic Activity of Semiconductor Nanostructures and Their Hybrid Metal Nanocomposites on the Photodegradation of Malathion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dina Mamdouh Fouad

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This work is devoted to synthesize different semiconductor nanoparticles and their metal-hybrid nanocomposites such as TiO2, Au/TiO2, ZnO, and Au/ZnO. The morphology and crystal structure of the prepared nanomaterials are characterized by the TEM and XRD, respectively. These materials are used as catalysts for the photodegradation of Malathion which is one of the most commonly used pesticides in the developing countries. The degradation of 10 ppm Malathion under ultraviolet (UV and visible light in the presence of the different synthesized nanocomposites was analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC and UV-Visible Spectra. A comprehensive study is carried out for the catalytic efficiency of the prepared nanoparticles. Different factors influencing the catalytic photodegradation are investigated, as different light source, surface coverage, and nature of the organic contaminants. The results indicate that hybrid nanocomposite of the semiconductor-metal hybrid serves as a better catalytic system compared with semiconductor nanoparticles themselves.

Enhanced memory effect with embedded graphene nanoplatelets in ZnO charge trapping layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Atab, Nazek; Nayfeh, Ammar; Cimen, Furkan; Alkis, Sabri; Okyay, Ali K.

2014-01-01

A charge trapping memory with graphene nanoplatelets embedded in atomic layer deposited ZnO (GNIZ) is demonstrated. The memory shows a large threshold voltage V t shift (4 V) at low operating voltage (6/−6 V), good retention (>10 yr), and good endurance characteristic (>10 4 cycles). This memory performance is compared to control devices with graphene nanoplatelets (or ZnO) and a thicker tunnel oxide. These structures showed a reduced V t shift and retention characteristic. The GNIZ structure allows for scaling down the tunnel oxide thickness along with improving the memory window and retention of data. The larger V t shift indicates that the ZnO adds available trap states and enhances the emission and retention of charges. The charge emission mechanism in the memory structures with graphene nanoplatelets at an electric field E ≥ 5.57 MV/cm is found to be based on Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. The fabrication of this memory device is compatible with current semiconductor processing, therefore, has great potential in low-cost nano-memory applications.

ZnO based transparent conductive oxide films with controlled type of conduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaharescu, M., E-mail: mzaharescu@icf.ro [Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu”, Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest (Romania); Mihaiu, S., E-mail: smihaiu@icf.ro [Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu”, Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest (Romania); Toader, A. [Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu”, Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest (Romania); Atkinson, I., E-mail: irinaatkinson@yahoo.com [Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu”, Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest (Romania); Calderon-Moreno, J.; Anastasescu, M.; Nicolescu, M.; Duta, M.; Gartner, M. [Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu”, Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest (Romania); Vojisavljevic, K.; Malic, B. [Institute Jožef Stefan, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Ivanov, V.A.; Zaretskaya, E.P. [State Scientific and Production Association “Scientific-Practical Materials Research Center of the National Academy of Science Belarus, P. Brovska str.19, 220072, Minsk (Belarus)

2014-11-28

The transparent conductive oxide films with controlled type of conduction are of great importance and their preparation is intensively studied. In our work, the preparation of such films based on doped ZnO was realized in order to achieve controlled type of conduction and high concentration of the charge carriers. Sol–gel method was used for films preparation and several dopants were tested (Sn, Li, Ni). Multilayer deposition was performed on several substrates: SiO{sub 2}/Si wafers, silica-soda-lime and/or silica glasses. The structural and morphological characterization of the obtained films were done by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy respectively, while spectroscopic ellipsometry and transmittance measurements were done for determination of optical properties. The selected samples with the best structural, morphological and optical properties were subjected to electrical measurement (Hall and Seebeck effect). In all studied cases, samples with good adherence and homogeneous morphology as well as monophasic wurtzite type structure were obtained. The optical constants (refractive index and extinction coefficient) were calculated from spectroscopic ellipsometry data using Cauchy model. Films with n- or p-type conduction were obtained depending on the composition, number of deposition and thermal treatment temperature. - Highlights: • Transparent conductive ZnO based thin films were prepared by the sol–gel method. • Controlled type of conduction is obtained in (Sn, Li) doped and Li-Ni co-doped ZnO films. • Hall and Seebeck measurements proved the p-type conductivity for Li-Ni co-doped ZnO films. • The p-type conductivity was maintained even after 4-months of storage. • Influence of dopant- and substrate-type on the ZnO films properties was established.

Irregular Aharonov–Bohm effect for interacting electrons in a ZnO quantum ring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakraborty, Tapash; Manaselyan, Aram; Barseghyan, Manuk

2017-01-01

The electronic states and optical transitions of a ZnO quantum ring containing few interacting electrons in an applied magnetic field are found to be very different from those in a conventional semiconductor system, such as a GaAs ring. The strong Zeeman interaction and the Coulomb interaction of the ZnO system, two important characteristics of the electron system in ZnO, exert a profound influence on the electron states and on the optical properties of the ring. In particular, our results indicate that the Aharonov–Bohm (AB) effect in a ZnO quantum ring strongly depends on the electron number. In fact, for two electrons in the ZnO ring, the AB oscillations become aperiodic, while for three electrons (interacting) the AB oscillations completely disappear. Therefore, unlike in conventional quantum ring topology, here the AB effect (and the resulting persistent current) can be controlled by varying the electron number. (paper)

Transparent conductive Ga-doped ZnO films fabricated by MOCVD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behrends, Arne; Wagner, Alexander; Al-Suleiman, Mohamed Aid Mansur; Waag, Andreas; Bakin, Andrey [Institute of Semiconductor Technology, University of Technology Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Str. 66, 38106 Braunschweig (Germany); Lugauer, Hans-Juergen; Strassburg, Martin; Walter, Robert; Weimar, Andreas [OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Leibnizstr. 4, 93055 Regensburg (Germany)

2012-04-15

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are used for a variety of different applications, e.g., in solar cells and light emitting diodes (LEDs). Mostly, sputtering is used, which often results in a degradation of the underlying semiconductor material. In this work we report on a ''soft'' method for the fabrication of ZnO films as TCO layers by using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) at particularly low temperatures. The MOCVD approach has been studied focusing on the TCO key issues: fabrication temperature, morphology, optical, and electrical properties. Very smooth ZnO films with rms values down to 0.8 nm were fabricated at a substrate temperature of only 300 C. Ga-doping is well controllable even for high carrier concentrations up to 2 x 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}, which is above the Mott-density leading to metallic-like behavior of the films. Furthermore all films show excellent optical transparency in the visible spectral range. As a consequence, our MOCVD approach is well suited for the soft fabrication of ZnO-based TCO layers. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Waveguide based external cavity semiconductor lasers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oldenbeuving, Ruud; Klein, E.J.; Offerhaus, Herman L.; Lee, Christopher James; Verhaegen, M.; Boller, Klaus J.

2012-01-01

We report on progress of the project waveguide based external cavity semiconductor laser (WECSL) arrays. Here we present the latest results on our efforts to mode lock an array of tunable, external cavity semiconductor lasers.

Bio-industrial waste silk fibroin protein and carbon nanotube induced carbonized growth of one dimensional ZnO based bio-nanosheets and their enhanced optoelectronic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Saravanan, Adhimoorthy; Huang, Bohr-Ran; Kathiravan, Deepa

2018-06-01

High performance UV/visible photodetectors are successfully fabricated from ZnO/fibroin protein-carbon nanotube (ZFPCNT) composites using a simple hydrothermal method. The as-fabricated ZnO nanorods (ZnO NRs) and ZFPCNT nanostructures were measured under different light illuminations. The measurements showed the UV-light photoresponse of the as-fabricated ZFPCNT nanostructures (55,555) to be approximately 26454% higher than that of the as-prepared ZnO NRs (210). This photodetector can sense photons with energies considerably smaller (2.75 eV) than the band gap of ZnO (3.22 eV). It was observed that the finest distribution of fibroin and CNT into 1D ZnO resulted in rapid electron transportation and hole recombination via carbon/nitrogen dopants from the ZFPCNT. Carbon dopants create new energy levels on the conduction band of the ZFPCNT, which reduces the barrier height to allow for charge carrier transportation under light illumination. Moreover, the nitrogen dopants increase the adsorptivity and amount of oxygen vacancies in the ZFPCNT so that it exhibits fast response/recovery times both in the dark and under light illumination. The selectivity of UV light among the other types of illumination can be ascribed to the deep-level energy traps (ET) of the ZFPCNT. These significant features of ZFPCNT lead to the excellent optical properties and creation of new pathways for the production of low-cost semiconductors and bio-waste protein based UV/visible photodetectors. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Structure and magnetism of transition-metal implanted dilute magnetic semiconductors

CERN Document Server

Pereira, Lino; Temst, K; Araújo, JP; Wahl, U

The discovery of a dilute magnetic semiconductor (DMS) in which ferromagnetism is carrier-mediated and persists above room temperature is a critical step towards the development of semiconductor-based spintronics. Among the many types of DMS materials which have been investigated, the current research interest can be narrowed down to two main classes of materials: (1) narrow-gap III-V semiconductors, mostly GaAs and InAs, doped with Mn; (2) wide-gap oxides and nitrides doped with 3d transition metals, mostly Mn- and Co-doped ZnO and Mn-doped GaN. With a number of interesting functionalities deriving from the carrier-mediated ferromagnetism and demonstrated in various proof-of-concept devices, Mn-doped GaAs has become, among DMS materials, one of the best candidates for technological application. However, despite major developments over the last 15 years, the maximum Curie temperature (185 K) remains well below room temperature. On the other hand, wide-gap DMS materials appear to exhibit ferromagnetic behavior...

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2008-08-27

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

Flexible, transparent and exceptionally high power output nanogenerators based on ultrathin ZnO nanoflakes

Science.gov (United States)

van Ngoc, Huynh; Kang, Dae Joon

2016-02-01

Novel nanogenerator structures composed of ZnO nanoflakes of less than 10 nm thickness were fabricated using a novel method involving a facile synthetic route and a rational design. The fabricated nanogenerators exhibited a short-circuit current density of 67 μA cm-2, a peak-to-peak open-circuit voltage of 110 V, and an overall output power density exceeding 1.2 mW cm-2, and to the best of our knowledge, these are the best values that have been reported so far in the literature on ZnO-based nanogenerators. We demonstrated that our nanogenerator design could instantaneously power 20 commercial green light-emitting diodes without any additional energy storage processes. Both the facile synthetic route for the ZnO nanoflakes and the straightforward device fabrication process present great scaling potential in order to power mobile and personal electronics that can be used in smart wearable systems, transparent and flexible devices, implantable telemetric energy receivers, electronic emergency equipment, and other self-powered nano/micro devices.Novel nanogenerator structures composed of ZnO nanoflakes of less than 10 nm thickness were fabricated using a novel method involving a facile synthetic route and a rational design. The fabricated nanogenerators exhibited a short-circuit current density of 67 μA cm-2, a peak-to-peak open-circuit voltage of 110 V, and an overall output power density exceeding 1.2 mW cm-2, and to the best of our knowledge, these are the best values that have been reported so far in the literature on ZnO-based nanogenerators. We demonstrated that our nanogenerator design could instantaneously power 20 commercial green light-emitting diodes without any additional energy storage processes. Both the facile synthetic route for the ZnO nanoflakes and the straightforward device fabrication process present great scaling potential in order to power mobile and personal electronics that can be used in smart wearable systems, transparent and flexible

Magnetic properties of ZnO nanowires with Li dopants and Zn vacancies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guan, Xinhong; Cai, Ningning [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, P.O. Box 72, Beijing 100876 (China); Yang, Chuanghua [School of Physics and Telecommunication Engineering, Shanxi University of Technology (SNUT), Hanzhong 723001, Shanxi (China); Chen, Jun [Beijing Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100088 (China); Lu, Pengfei, E-mail: photon.bupt@gmail.com [Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Ministry of Education, P.O. Box 72, Beijing 100876 (China)

2016-04-30

The electronic and magnetic properties of ZnO nanowire with Li dopants and vacancies have been investigated using first-principles density functional theory. It is found that the Zn vacancy can induce magnetism while increasing the formation energy of the system. However, the calculated results indicate that the introduction of Li-dopants will reduce the formation energy of system. We also have studied the magnetic couplings with vacancies as well as their corresponding configurations with Li-dopants for four configurations of ZnO nanowires. The results show that ferromagnetic properties can be improved/reversed after the introduction of Li-dopants. Ferromagnetic mechanism is originated from the fierce p–p hybridization of O near the Fermi level. We find that ferromagnetism of Li-doped ZnO nanowires with Zn vacancies can be realized at room temperature and they are promising spintronic materials. - Highlights: • Li-dopants will reduce the formation energy of ZnO nanowires with Zn vacancy. • The fierce p–p hybridization of O near Fermi level is responsible for FM properties. • Li-doped ZnO–V{sub Zn} nanowire is a promising FM semiconductor material.

Preparation and surface modification of hierarchical nanosheets-based ZnO microstructures for dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, Yongming; Lin, Yu, E-mail: linyuyrr@163.com; Lin, Yibing; Yang, Jiyuan

2014-02-15

This paper reports a simple one-step hydrothermal route for the preparation of hierarchical nanosheets-based ZnO microstructures and their application to dye-sensitized solar cells. The morphologies of the products were controlled by the dosage of the reactants. Their physical characteristics were detected by X-ray diffraction, a field-emission scanning electron microscope and a surface analyzer. It is proved that the sample of ZnO microspheres with larger surface area and stronger light-trapping capacity since the superiority of their entirely spherical structures exhibits better photoelectrochemical properties than the mixtures of ZnO microspheres and ZnO microflowers. A dye-sensitized solar cell assembled by the ZnO microspheres as photoanode shows an energy conversion efficiency of 2.94% after surface modification by tetrabutyl titanate solution at 90 {sup °}C. This result is over 1.6 times higher than the non-modified cell fabricated by the ZnO microspheres on the basis of the external improvement and the stability enhancement for the dye-sensitized ZnO photoanode. - Graphical abstract: Influences on energy conversion efficiency of the dye-sensitized solar cells assembled by decorating hierarchical nanosheets-based ZnO microstructures with tetrabutyl titanate solution at different temperatures. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Hierarchical nanosheets-based ZnO microstructures were controllably synthesized. • The ZnO microspheres show good optical and electrochemical properties. • The ZnO microspheres were modified by C{sub 16}H{sub 36}O{sub 4}Ti solution. • Remarkable increase of conversion efficiency is observed after surface modification.

ZnO-based semiconductors studied by Raman spectroscopy. Semimagnetic alloying, doping, and nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumm, Marcel

2009-07-01

ZnO-based semiconductors were studied by Raman spectroscopy and complementary methods (e.g. XRD, EPS) with focus on semimagnetic alloying with transition metal ions, doping (especially p-type doping with nitrogen as acceptor), and nanostructures (especially wet-chemically synthesized nanoparticles). (orig.)

Tuning the photovoltage of dye-sensitized solar cells based on electrodeposited ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oekermann, Torsten [Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Callinstrasse 3- 3A, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Peter, Laurence [Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Yoshida, Tsukasa [Graduate School of Engineering, Gifu University, Yanagido 1-1, Gifu 501-1193 (Japan)

2007-07-01

Nanoporous, fully crystalline ZnO films can be prepared by cathodic electrodeposition from aqueous solutions of Zn salts under the influence of structure-directing agents such as surfactants. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) based on such films have emerged as a possible alternative for nanocrystalline TiO2-based DSSC due to the very high porosity and good electron transport properties of the films. In this study, we have investigated the influence of the sensitizer dye molecules on the photovoltage of the ZnO-based DSSC. Impedance measurements show that the adsorbed dye molecules lead to a shift of the flatband potential of the ZnO. Electron pushing or withdrawing effects of the dye molecules and protonation or deprotonation of the ZnO surface are discussed as possible explanations. The shifts in the flatband potential partly explain the differences in the photovoltages caused by different dyes, however, differences in the electron injection efficiency and the blocking of electron back reaction by the dye molecules have to be taken into account, too, for a complete description.

Carbon doped ZnO: Synthesis, characterization and interpretation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, D.K.; Mohapatra, J.; Sharma, M.K.; Chattarjee, R.; Singh, S.K.; Varma, Shikha; Behera, S.N.; Nayak, Sanjeev K.; Entel, P.

2013-01-01

A novel thermal plasma in-flight technique has been adopted to synthesize nanocrystalline ZnO and carbon doped nanocrystalline ZnO matrix. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies on these samples show the average particle sizes to be around 32 nm for ZnO and for carbon doped ZnO. An enhancement of saturation magnetization in nanosized carbon doped ZnO matrix by a factor of 3.8 has been found in comparison to ZnO nanoparticles at room temperature. Raman measurement clearly indicates the presence of Zn–C complexes surrounded by ZnO matrix in carbon doped ZnO. This indicates that the ferromagnetic signature in carbon doped ZnO arises from the creation of defects or the development of oxy-carbon clusters, in the carbon doped ZnO system. Theoretical studies based on density functional theory also support the experimental analyses. - Highlights: ► Synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO and carbon doped ZnO matrix by inflight thermal plasma reactor. ► Enhancement of ferromagnetism in nanosized carbon doped ZnO in comparison to ZnO nanoparticles. ► Raman measurement indicates the presence of Zn–C complexes surrounded by ZnO matrix. ► Ferromagnetic signature in carbon doped ZnO arises from the development of oxy-carbon clusters. ► DFT supports experimental evidence of ferromagnetism in C doped ZnO nanoparticles.

ZnO based potentiometric and amperometric nanosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Willander, Magnus; Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain

2014-09-01

The existence of nanomaterials provides the solid platform for sensing applications due to owing of high sensitivity and a low concentration limit of detection. More likely used nanomaterials for sensing applications includes gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, magnetic nanoparticles such as Fe3O4, quantum dots and metal oxides etc. Recently nanomaterial and biological detection becomes an interdisciplinary field and is very much focussed by the researchers. Among metal oxides ZnO is largely considered due to its less toxic nature, biocompatible, cheap and easy to synthesis. ZnO nanomaterial is highly used for the chemical sensing, especially electrochemical sensing due to its fascinating properties such as high surface to volume ratio, atoxic, biosafe and biocompatible. Moreover, ZnO nanostructures exhibit unique features which could expose a suitable nanoenviroment for the immobilization of proteineous material such as enzymes, DNA, antibodies, etc. and in doing so it retains the biological efficiency of the immobilized bio sensitive material. The following review describes the two different coatings (i.e., ionophore and enzyme) on the surface of ZnO nanorods for the chemical sensing of zinc ion detection, thallium (I) ion detection, and L-lactic acid and the measurement of galactose molecules. ZnO nanorods provide the excellent transducing properties in the generation of strong electrical signals. Moreover, this review is very much focused on the applications of ZnO nanostructures in the sensing field.

Detection of Defect-Induced Magnetism in Low-Dimensional ZnO Structures by Magnetophotocurrent.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorite, Israel; Kumar, Yogesh; Esquinazi, Pablo; Zandalazini, Carlos; de Heluani, Silvia Perez

2015-09-09

The detection of defect-induced magnetic order in single low-dimensional oxide structures is in general difficult because of the relatively small yield of magnetically ordered regions. In this work, the effect of an external magnetic field on the transient photocurrent measured after light irradiation on different ZnO samples at room temperature is studied. It has been found that a magnetic field produces a change in the relaxation rate of the transient photocurrent only in magnetically ordered ZnO samples. This rate can decrease or increase with field, depending on whether the magnetically ordered region is in the bulk or only at the surface of the ZnO sample. The phenomenon reported here is of importance for the development of magneto-optical low-dimensional oxides devices and provides a new guideline for the detection of magnetic order in low-dimensional magnetic semiconductors. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evolution of ZnO architecture on a nanoporous TiO{sub 2} film by a hydrothermal method and the photoelectrochemical performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang Yinhua; Wu Xiaoli; Zhang Wenli; Ni Liang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Sun Yueming, E-mail: yms418@126.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China)

2011-03-15

The synthesis of ZnO architecture on a fluorine-doped SnO{sub 2} (FTO) conducting glass pre-coated with nanoporous TiO{sub 2} film has been achieved by a one-step hydrothermal method at a temperature of 70 deg. C. The effect of the reaction time on the morphology of the ZnO architecture has been investigated, and a possible growth mechanism for the formation of the ZnO architecture is discussed in detail. The morphology and phase structures of the as-obtained composite films have been investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the growth time greatly affects the morphology of the obtained ZnO architecture. The photoelectrochemical performances of as-prepared composite films are measured by assembling them into dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSC based on the as-prepared composite film (2 h) has obtained the best power conversion efficiency of 1.845%. (semiconductor materials)

A quantum-mechanical study of ZnO and TiO2 based dye sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cicero, Giancarlo [Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Department, Politecnico of Torino, Torino (Italy); Mallia, Giuseppe; Liborio, Leandro [Imperial College London, Thomas Young Centre, Chemistry Department, London (United Kingdom); Harrison, Nicholas M. [Imperial College London, Thomas Young Centre, Chemistry Department, London (United Kingdom); STFC, Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury, Warrington WA4 4AD (United Kingdom)

2010-07-01

Since the pioneering work of Regan and Graetzel, a great attention has been paid to dye sensitized solar cell (DSC) as cheap, effective and environmentally benign candidates for a new generation solar power devices. Optimization of the DSC is still a challenging task as it is a highly complex interacting molecular system. Surface properties of the oxide and in particular proper sensitization with dye molecules may highly affect the efficiency of these cells. Aim of this study is to address the binding of cathecol and isonicotinic acid to oxide surfaces usually employed in DSC, namely ZnO and TiO{sub 2}, in terms of geometry, stability, electronic structure and band alignment. To this end, we employ quantum mechanical simulations based on hybrid density functional theory. Our analysis helps understanding whether the difference between ZnO and TiO{sub 2} in photoeletricity generation efficiency is due to the changes in the bonding geometry of the dye anchoring groups or to electronic effects.

Potentiometric Titrations for Measuring the Capacitance of Colloidal Photodoped ZnO Nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Brozek, Carl K; Hartstein, Kimberly H; Gamelin, Daniel R

2016-08-24

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals offer a unique opportunity to bridge molecular and bulk semiconductor redox phenomena. Here, potentiometric titration is demonstrated as a method for quantifying the Fermi levels and charging potentials of free-standing colloidal n-type ZnO nanocrystals possessing between 0 and 20 conduction-band electrons per nanocrystal, corresponding to carrier densities between 0 and 1.2 × 10(20) cm(-3). Potentiometric titration of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals has not been described previously, and little precedent exists for analogous potentiometric titration of any soluble reductants involving so many electrons. Linear changes in Fermi level vs charge-carrier density are observed for each ensemble of nanocrystals, with slopes that depend on the nanocrystal size. Analysis indicates that the ensemble nanocrystal capacitance is governed by classical surface electrical double layers, showing no evidence of quantum contributions. Systematic shifts in the Fermi level are also observed with specific changes in the identity of the charge-compensating countercation. As a simple and contactless alternative to more common thin-film-based voltammetric techniques, potentiometric titration offers a powerful new approach for quantifying the redox properties of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals.

Solid-state synthesis of ZnO and ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} to form p–n junction composite in the use of dye sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Jing; Xie, Yahong, E-mail: xyh0707@163.com; Zhou, Xiaofeng; Yang, Jianya

2016-08-15

In this study, ZnO and ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanostructures are rapidly synthesized at relatively low temperature and without any organic surfactants using an economical, simple, and environmentally friendly solid-state synthesis. Results shows that the formation of p–n heterojunction electric field at the interface between ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and ZnO is significantly effective in improving the open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) by efficiently promoting the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs on the surface of semiconductor, and an enhanced light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) reaches 7.28%, which improve by 54.9% compared with that of pure ZnO based DSSCs (4.70%). - Highlights: • A ZnO–ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanostructure was fabricated by a low-temperature solid-state method. • A p–n heterojunction electric field was successfully formed at the interface between ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and ZnO. • The p–n heterojunction could effectively promote the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. • The power conversion efficiency of the DSSCs improved by 54.9% compared with that of pure ZnO based DSSCs (4.70%).

Structural and Optical Properties of Eu Doped ZnO Nanorods prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition

KAUST Repository

Alarawi, Abeer

2014-01-01

Nano structured wide band gap semiconductors have attracted attention of many researchers due to their potential electronic and optoelectronic applications. In this thesis, we report successful synthesis of well aligned Eu doped ZnO nano

Eosin Yellowish Dye-Sensitized ZnO Nanostructure-Based Solar Cells Employing Solid PEO Redox Couple Electrolyte

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. S. Kanmani

2012-01-01

Full Text Available ZnO nanostructures are synthesized by low-temperature methods, and they possess polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure with preferential c-axial growth. Morphological study by SEM shows the presence of ~30 nm sized spherical-shaped ZnO nanoparticle, the branched flower-like ZnO composed of many nanorods (length: 1.2 to 4.2 μm and diameter: 0.3 to 0.4 μm, and ~50 nm diameter of individual ZnO nanorods. Reduction in photoemission intensity of nanorods infers the decrease in electron-hole recombination rate, which offers better photovoltaic performance. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC based on ZnO nanorods sensitized with Eosin yellowish dye exhibits a maximum optimal energy conversion efficiency of 0.163% compared to that of nanoparticles and nanoflowers, due to better dye loading and direct conduction pathway for electron transport.

Synthesis of cadmium oxide doped ZnO nanostructures using electrochemical deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Trilok; Pandya, D.K.; Singh, R.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Ternary ZnCdO alloy semiconductor nanostructures were grown using electrochemical deposition. → X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the nanostructures were of wurtzite structure and possessed a compressive stress along the c-axis direction. → The cut-off wavelength shifted from blue to red on account of the Cd incorporation in the ZnO and the average transmittance decreased by ∼31%. → The bandgap tuning for 4-16 at% Cd in the initial solution was achieved in the range of 3.08-3.32 eV (up to 0.24 eV). - Abstract: Ternary ZnCdO alloy semiconductor nanostructures were grown using electrochemical deposition. Crystalline nanostructures/nanorods with cadmium concentration ranging from 4 to 16 at% in the initial solution were electrodeposited on tin doped indium oxide (ITO) conducting glass substrates at a constant cathodic potential -0.9 V and subsequently annealed in air at 300 deg. C. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the nanostructures were of wurtzite structure and possessed a compressive stress along the c-axis direction. The elemental composition of nanostructures was confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). ZnO nanostructures were found to be highly transparent and had an average transmittance of 85% in the visible range of the spectrum. After the incorporation of Cd content into ZnO the average transmittance decreased and the bandgap tuning was also achieved.

Defect identification in semiconductors with positron annihilation: experiment and theory

Science.gov (United States)

Tuomisto, Filip

2015-03-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is a very powerful technique for the detection, identification and quantification of vacancy-type defects in semiconductors. In the past decades, it has been used to reveal the relationship between opto-electronic properties and specific defects in a wide variety of materials - examples include parasitic yellow luminescence in GaN, dominant acceptor defects in ZnO and broad-band absorption causing brown coloration in natural diamond. In typical binary compound semiconductors, the selective sensitivity of the technique is rather strongly limited to cation vacancies that possess significant open volume and suitable charge (negative of neutral). On the other hand, oxygen vacancies in oxide semiconductors are a widely debated topic. The properties attributed to oxygen vacancies include the inherent n-type conduction, poor p-type dopability, coloration (absorption), deep level luminescence and non-radiative recombination, while the only direct experimental evidence of their existence has been obtained on the crystal surface. We will present recent advances in combining state-of-the-art positron annihilation experiments and ab initio computational approaches. The latter can be used to model both the positron lifetime and the electron-positron momentum distribution - quantities that can be directly compared with experimental results. We have applied these methods to study vacancy-type defects in III-nitride semiconductors (GaN, AlN, InN) and oxides such as ZnO, SnO2, In2O3andGa2O3. We will show that cation-vacancy-related defects are important compensating centers in all these materials when they are n-type. In addition, we will show that anion (N, O) vacancies can be detected when they appear as complexes with cation vacancies.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO and TiO2 hollow spheres with enhanced photoreactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaofang; Lv Kangle; Deng Kejian; Tang Junfeng; Su Rong; Sun Jie; Chen Lianqing

2009-01-01

To study the relationship between the morphology and the photoreactivity of the catalyst, hollow spheres of two semiconductors of ZnO and TiO 2 were synthesized by using sulfonated polystyrene (PS) as template. The catalyst samples were then characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N 2 sorption. Reactive brilliant red X3B, an anionic organic dye, was used in this study as a model chemical with the aim of organic pollutants control. The results show that, whatever the catalyst was, both the adsorptive ability and photoreactivity of the hollow spheres were much higher than that of nanoparticles. The adsorption and photoreactivity of ZnO hollow spheres increased by a factor of 7.36 and 4.66, respectively compared with ZnO nanoparticles, while 3.74 times increased in adsorption and 3.41 times increased in photoreactivity for TiO 2 hollow spheres compared with TiO 2 nanoparticles. Correlations between adsorption and photoreactivity reflected the importance of adsorption in the enhanced photoreactivity of ZnO and TiO 2 hollow spheres

A flexible UV nanosensor based on reduced graphene oxide decorated ZnO nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenxing; Zhan, Xueying; Wang, Yajun; Muhammad, Safdar; Huang, Ying; He, Jun

2012-03-01

A low-cost, compatible with flexible electronics, high performance UV sensor has been achieved from a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) decorated hydrangea-like ZnO film on a PDMS substrate. The hydrangea-like ZnO UV sensor has the best UV sensing performance among devices made of three kinds of ZnO nanostructures synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and demonstrated a dramatic enhancement in on/off ratio and photoresponse current by introducing an appropriate weight ratio of RGO. The on/off ratio of the 0.05% RGO/ZnO sensor increases almost one order of magnitude compared to that of a pristine hydrangea-like ZnO UV sensor. While for the 5% RGO decorated ZnO sensor, the photoresponse current reaches as high as ~1 μA and exceeds 700 times that of a ZnO UV sensor. These results indicate that RGO is an appropriate material to enhance the performance of ZnO nanostructure UV sensors based on its unique features, especially the high optical transparency and excellent electronic conductivity. Our findings will make RGO/ZnO nanohybrids extraordinarily promising in optoelectronics, flexible electronics and sensor applications.

Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of hierarchically branched ZnO nanostructures on ensembles of gold nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ongaro, Michael; Gambirasi, Arianna; Favaro, Monica; Ugo, Paolo

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► ZnO branched nanofibres for photoelectrochemical applications. ► Branched nanostructures are obtained by electrochemical deposition of ZnO on gold template nanowires. ► Branched nanowires crystallographic phase determined by electron back scatter diffraction. ► Branched structures display improved performances for the photoelectrochemical oxidation of water. - Abstract: This study presents an electrosynthetic methodology to obtain hierarchically structured ZnO electrodes with improved surface area, by exploiting gold nanowires ensembles (3D-NEEs) as the growing substrate. By this way, semiconductor electrodes organized in the shape of fir-like branches are obtained. Branched nanofibres are characterized by electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), the latter technique allowing the determination of the crystalline habit of individual nanostructures. The hierarchical branched nanowires show enhanced performances with respect to water photooxidation in comparison with already known nanostructured materials such as 1D-ZnO nanowires.

In-situ PXRD studies of ZnO nanoparticle growth: How do various salts influence the hydrothermal growth of ZnO?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøjesen, Espen Drath

ZnO is a material of great scientific and everyday relevance; it is used widely in all sorts of application. Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles can be performed by a wide assortment of methods and a tremendous variety of sizes and shapes, it has been suggested that ZnO is the one known compound showing...... the broadest range of nanostructures. Previously many different in-situ characterization methods have been used to investigate the ZnO formation under various synthesis conditions; these include UV-VIS and SAXS. These methods were primarily used to give information on particle size of ZnO formed using soft...... chemical methods and non-aqueous solvents. In our work we have studied the formation of ZnO during hydrothermal syntheses using in-situ powder X-ray diffraction, thus enabling us to extract crystallographic as well as microstructural information. The data was analyzed using Rietveld refinement and whole...

Use of ZnO as antireflective, protective, antibacterial, and biocompatible multifunction nanolayer of thermochromic VO2 nanofilm for intelligent windows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Huaijuan; Li, Jinhua; Bao, Shanhu; Li, Jian; Liu, Xuanyong; Jin, Ping

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A multifunctional VO 2 /ZnO bilayer film is designed and deposited by magnetron sputtering apparatus. • The ZnO top layer can enhance the antireflective, antioxidative and anti-corrosion functions of the VO 2 film. • The ZnO top layer can endow VO 2 film with excellent antibacterial performance. • The ZnO top layer can attenuate the cytotoxicity of VO 2 thin film. - Abstract: A multifunctional VO 2 /ZnO bilayer film is designed and deposited by magnetron sputtering apparatus. The integration of the antireflective, antioxidative and anti-corrosion functions, and antibacterial performance makes the heterostructure film a promising candidate in the energy-saving smart window. The ZnO thin film as the antireflection layer can markedly boost the solar regulation efficiency (ΔT sol ) from 7.7% to 12.2% and possesses excellent luminous transmittance (T lum-L = 50.3%) in the low-temperature semiconductor phase. The ZnO layer as the protection barrier can not only protect VO 2 thin film from oxidation to much toxic V 2 O 5 , but also decrease the release of V ions. Besides, the synergistic effect of releasing killing by Zn 2+ ions and contact killing by ZnO NPs makes ZnO thin film an outstanding antibacterial coating. In terms of the biological safety, ZnO coating with appropriate film thickness can effectively attenuate the cytotoxicity of VO 2 on human HIBEpiC cells. We hope this work can provide new insights for better designing of novel multifunctional VO 2 -based intelligent energy-saving windows.

Solar light assisted photocatalysis of water using a zinc oxide semiconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinde, S. S.; Bhosale, C. H.; Rajpure, K. Y.

2013-01-01

The photocatalytic decomposition of an eco-persistent AO7 dye with sunlight in an oxygenated aqueous suspension has been studied under a nano-crystalline hexagonal ZnO photocatalyst. The effect of substrate temperature on the structural, morphological and photoactive properties has been investigated. The degradation of the AO7 dye is achieved using a photoelectrochemical reactor module equipped with ZnO synthesized electrodes. Kinetic parameters have been investigated in terms of a first order rate equation. The rate constant for this heterogeneous photocatalysis was evaluated as a function of the initial concentration of original species. A substantial reduction in AO7 dye is achieved as analyzed from COD and TOC studies. The mechanism for the degradation could be explained on the basis of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. (semiconductor materials)

Development of ZnO based charged particle monitor for processing facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagida, Takayuki; Kawaguchi, Noriaki; Fujimoto, Yutaka

2011-01-01

In the present paper, we describe the development of an α-ray imaging detector based on a ZnO single crystalline scintillator and a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT). The ZnO crystal was grown by the hydrothermal synthesis method with 2-in.-φ in diameter. The ZnO specimen was polished but to be 0.5 mm in thickness. After optically coupling with PSPMT, the crystal was irradiated with, 241 Am α-ray for evaluation of both spatial resolution and pulse height spectrum. Using the charge center of the gravity method, two-dimensional α-ray images were successfully obtained. The efficiency of the energy window in terms of imaging quality was also examined. (author)

Research Update: Doping ZnO and TiO2 for solar cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert L. Z. Hoye

2013-12-01

Full Text Available ZnO and TiO2 are two of the most commonly used n-type metal oxide semiconductors in new generation solar cells due to their abundance, low-cost, and stability. ZnO and TiO2 can be used as active layers, photoanodes, buffer layers, transparent conducting oxides, hole-blocking layers, and intermediate layers. Doping is essential to tailor the materials properties for each application. The dopants used and their impact in solar cells are reviewed. In addition, the advantages, disadvantages, and commercial potential of the various fabrication methods of these oxides are presented.

Photocatalytic degradation of the Paracetamol drug using Lanthanum doped ZnO nanoparticles and their in-vitro cytotoxicity assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shakir, Mohammad; Faraz, Mohd; Sherwani, Mohd Asif; Al-Resayes, Saud I.

2016-01-01

The doping of semiconductor by rare earth metals nanoparticles is an effective way for increasing photocatalytic activity. Zinc oxide and Lanthanum doped Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by modifying the gel-combustion method. It was found that La can greatly enhance the cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles towards various cell lines and Paracetamol drug. These nanoparticles were characterized by various spectroscopic and other techniques which clearly revealed the presence of lanthanum ions. The absorption edge shifts towards the visible region after doping with La ions. This shift shows that the doping of La ions is favorable for absorbing the visible light. The comparative photocatalytic and cytotoxicity activity revealed that La doped ZnO nanoparticles remarkably enhanced activities as compared to the ZnO nanoparticles. The outcome of these studies offers valuable for planning La doped ZnO nanoparticles having cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activities helpful for the formulation of anticancer product and waste water remediation.

Photocatalytic degradation of the Paracetamol drug using Lanthanum doped ZnO nanoparticles and their in-vitro cytotoxicity assay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shakir, Mohammad, E-mail: shakir078@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India); Faraz, Mohd [Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India); Sherwani, Mohd Asif [Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India); Al-Resayes, Saud I. [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)

2016-08-15

The doping of semiconductor by rare earth metals nanoparticles is an effective way for increasing photocatalytic activity. Zinc oxide and Lanthanum doped Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by modifying the gel-combustion method. It was found that La can greatly enhance the cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles towards various cell lines and Paracetamol drug. These nanoparticles were characterized by various spectroscopic and other techniques which clearly revealed the presence of lanthanum ions. The absorption edge shifts towards the visible region after doping with La ions. This shift shows that the doping of La ions is favorable for absorbing the visible light. The comparative photocatalytic and cytotoxicity activity revealed that La doped ZnO nanoparticles remarkably enhanced activities as compared to the ZnO nanoparticles. The outcome of these studies offers valuable for planning La doped ZnO nanoparticles having cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activities helpful for the formulation of anticancer product and waste water remediation.

A selective iodide ion sensor electrode based on functionalized ZnO nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Khun, Kimleang; Willander, Magnus

2013-02-04

In this research work, ZnO nanotubes were fabricated on a gold coated glass substrate through chemical etching by the aqueous chemical growth method. For the first time a nanostructure-based iodide ion selective electrode was developed. The ZnO nanotubes were functionalized with miconazole ion exchanger and the electromotive force (EMF) was measured by the potentiometric method. The iodide ion sensor exhibited a linear response over a wide range of concentrations (1 × 10-6 to 1 × 10-1 M) and excellent sensitivity of -62 ± 1 mV/decade. The detection limit of the proposed sensor was found to be 5 × 10-7 M. The effects of pH, temperature, additive, plasticizer and stabilizer on the potential response of iodide ion selective electrode were also studied. The proposed iodide ion sensor demonstrated a fast response time of less than 5 s and high selectivity against common organic and the inorganic anions. All the obtained results revealed that the iodide ion sensor based on functionalized ZnO nanotubes may be used for the detection of iodide ion in environmental water samples, pharmaceutical products and other real samples.

A Selective Iodide Ion Sensor Electrode Based on Functionalized ZnO Nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magnus Willander

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In this research work, ZnO nanotubes were fabricated on a gold coated glass substrate through chemical etching by the aqueous chemical growth method. For the first time a nanostructure-based iodide ion selective electrode was developed. The ZnO nanotubes were functionalized with miconazole ion exchanger and the electromotive force (EMF was measured by the potentiometric method. The iodide ion sensor exhibited a linear response over a wide range of concentrations (1 × 10−6 to 1 × 10−1 M and excellent sensitivity of –62 ± 1 mV/decade. The detection limit of the proposed sensor was found to be 5 × 10−7 M. The effects of pH, temperature, additive, plasticizer and stabilizer on the potential response of iodide ion selective electrode were also studied. The proposed iodide ion sensor demonstrated a fast response time of less than 5 s and high selectivity against common organic and the inorganic anions. All the obtained results revealed that the iodide ion sensor based on functionalized ZnO nanotubes may be used for the detection of iodide ion in environmental water samples, pharmaceutical products and other real samples.

Mössbauer Studies of dilute Magnetic Semiconductors

CERN Multimedia

Gislason, H P; Debernardi, A; Dlamini, W B

2002-01-01

The recent discovery of (dilute) magnetic semiconductors with wide band gaps, e.g. GaN, ZnO and other oxides, having Curie temperatures, T$_{\\textrm{c}}$, well above room temperature, has prompted extraordinary experimental and theoretical efforts to understand, control and exploit this unexpected finding not least in view of the obvious potential of such materials for the fabrication of "spin-(elec)tronic" or magneto-optic devices. Ferromagnetism (FM) was achieved mostly by doping with dilute 3d transition metal impurities, notably Mn, Fe, and Co (in \\% concentrations), during growth or by subsequent ion implantation. However, it is fair to state that experimentally the conditions for the occurrence of ferro-, antiferro- or paramagnetism with these impurities are not yet controlled as generally at least two conflicting forms of magnetism or none have been reported for each system - albeit often produced by different techniques. Theory is challenged as "conventional" models seem to fail and no generally accep...

Optimizing magneto-optical effects in the ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riahi, H.; Thevenard, L.; Maaref, M.A.; Gallas, B.; Lemaître, A.; Gourdon, C

2015-01-01

A trilayer of the ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs, a SiO 2 buffer layer and a piezoelectric ZnO layer, is investigated in view of its use in device implementation to study surface acoustic wave-assisted magnetization switching. The magneto-optical properties: Kerr rotation and ellipticity and magnetic contrast in Kerr microscopy images are investigated as a function of temperature. While the ZnO layer prevents any good quality imaging of magnetic domains, we show that with the SiO 2 layer only the polar Kerr rotation and the magnetic contrast are increased by a factor of 2. This result is in good quantitative agreement with calculations using an optical interference model and could be further improved. The detrimental effects of the dielectric layers capping on the Curie temperature and coercive field of the GaMnAs layer can be kept to a reasonable level. - Highlights: • GaMnAs/SiO 2 /ZnO studied for surface acoustic wave assisted magnetization switching. • The Kerr rotation and magneticcontrast increase by a factor 2 with SiO 2 on GaMnAs. • Good quantitative agreement with an optical interference model. • Little detrimental effect of SiO 2 and ZnO on the ferromagnetic properties of GaMnAs

Self-assembly and optical properties of patterned ZnO nanodot arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Yijian; Zheng Maojun; Ma Li

2007-01-01

Patterned ZnO nanodot (ND) arrays and a ND-cavity microstructure were realized on an anodic alumina membrane (AAM) surface through a spin-coating sol-gel process, which benefits from the morphology and localized negative charge surface of AAM as well as the optimized sol concentration. The growth mechanism is believed to be a self-assembly process. This provides a simple approach to fabricate semiconductor quantum dot (QD) arrays and a QD-cavity system with its advantage in low cost and mass production. Strong ultra-violet emission, a multi-phonon process, and its special structure-related properties were observed in the patterned ZnO ND arrays

Structural and Optical Properties of Eu Doped ZnO Nanorods prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition

KAUST Repository

Alarawi, Abeer

2014-06-23

Nano structured wide band gap semiconductors have attracted attention of many researchers due to their potential electronic and optoelectronic applications. In this thesis, we report successful synthesis of well aligned Eu doped ZnO nano-rods prepared, for the first time to our knowledge, by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) without any catalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns shows that these Eu doped ZnO nanorods are grown along the c-axis of ZnO wurtzite structure. We have studied the effect of the PLD growth conditions on forming vertically aligned Eu doped ZnO nanorods. The structural properties of the material are investigated using a -scanning electron microscope (SEM). The PLD parameters must be carefully controlled in order to obtain c-axis oriented ZnO nanorods on sapphire substrates, without the use of any catalyst. The experiments conducted in order to identify the optimal growth conditions confirmed that, by adjusting the target-substrate distance, substrate temperature, laser energy and deposition duration, the nanorod size could be successfully controlled. Most importantly, the results indicated that the photoluminescence (PL) properties reflect the quality of the ZnO nanorods. These parameters can change the material’s structure from one-dimensional to two-dimensional however the laser energy and frequency affect the size and the height of the nanorods; the xygen pressure changes the density of the nanorods.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Rare Earth Metal (Nd and Gd doped ZnO Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Logamani

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Presence of harmful organic pollutants in wastewater effluents causes serious environmental problems and therefore purification of this contaminated water by a cost effective treatment method is one of the most important issue which is in urgent need of scientific research. One such promising treatment technique uses semiconductor photocatalyst for the reduction of recalcitrant pollutants in water. In the present work, rare earth metals (Nd and Gd doped ZnO nanostructured photocatalyst have been synthesized by wet chemical method. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS. The XRD results showed that the prepared samples were well crystalline with hexagonal Wurtzite structure. The results of EDS revealed that rare earth elements were doped into ZnO structure. The effect of rare earth dopant on morphology and photocatalytic degradation properties of the prepared samples were studied and discussed. The results revealed that the rare earth metal doped ZnO samples showed enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye than pure nano ZnO photocatalyst.

Thiazole-based organic semiconductors for organic electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yuze; Fan, Haijun; Li, Yongfang; Zhan, Xiaowei

2012-06-19

Over the past two decades, organic semiconductors have been the subject of intensive academic and commercial interests. Thiazole is a common electron-accepting heterocycle due to electron-withdrawing nitrogen of imine (C=N), several moieties based on thiazole have been widely introduced into organic semiconductors, and yielded high performance in organic electronic devices. This article reviews recent developments in the area of thiazole-based organic semiconductors, particularly thiazole, bithiazole, thiazolothiazole and benzobisthiazole-based small molecules and polymers, for applications in organic field-effect transistors, solar cells and light-emitting diodes. The remaining problems and challenges, and the key research direction in near future are discussed. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultra-high sensitive hydrazine chemical sensor based on low-temperature grown ZnO nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehta, S.K.; Singh, Kulvinder; Umar, Ahmad; Chaudhary, G.R.; Singh, Sukhjinder

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Systematic representation of the fabricated amperometric hydrazine chemical sensor based on ZnO NPs/Au modified electrode. Highlights: ► Synthesis of well-crystalline ZnO NPs has been achieved in aqueous solution. ► ZnO NPs act as efficient electron mediators for hydrazine sensor. ► Extremely high sensitivity and low-detection limit have been obtained. - Abstract: Using well-crystalline ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), an ultra high sensitive hydrazine amperometric sensor has been fabricated and reported in this paper. The ZnO NPs have been synthesized by very simple aqueous solution process at 90 °C and characterized in detail in terms of their morphological, compositional, structural and optical properties. The detailed investigations reveal that the synthesized products are well-crystalline NPs, possessing wurtzite hexagonal phase and exhibit good optical properties. The fabricated amperometric hydrazine sensor exhibits ultra-high sensitivity of ∼97.133 μA cm −2 μM −1 and very low-detection limit of 147.54 nM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which an ultra-high sensitivity and low-detection limit have been obtained for the hydrazine chemical sensor based on ZnO nanostructures.

Effect of ZnO decoration on the photovoltaic performance of TiO{sub 2} based dye sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Long; Zhai, Bao-gai [School of Mathematics and Physics, Changzhou University, Jiangsu 213164 (China); Ma, Qing-lan [School of Electronics and Information, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019 (China); Huang, Yuan Ming, E-mail: dongshanisland@126.com [School of Electronics and Information, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019 (China)

2014-08-25

Highlights: • Various ZnO morphologies coated TiO{sub 2} photoanodes are formed and applied to DSSCs. • The effect of photoanode morphology on performance of DSSCs was studied. • ZnO NRs@TiO{sub 2} electrode provides more dye absorption and fast transfer pathway. • The η of DSSC with ZnO NRs@TiO{sub 2} is increased over fourfold than other DSSCs. - Abstract: ZnO nanoparticles and one-dimensional vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on the TiO{sub 2} layers in the photoanodes via the hydrothermal method at 60 and 90 °C, respectively. The effect of ZnO decoration on the photovoltaic performance of TiO{sub 2} based dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was investigated. The morphologies, crystalline structures and optical properties of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO nanorods were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer and photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. The photocurrent–voltage curves of the fabricated DSSCs showed that the ZnO nanorods decorated DSSCs exhibited better photovoltaic performance than the ZnO nanoparticles decorated DSSCs. The improved performance of the ZnO nanorods decorated DSSCs can be ascribed to the fact that the vertically aligned ZnO nanorods provide high specific surface area for dye adsorption and the efficient pathway for electron transportation.

Decreased Charge Transport Barrier and Recombination of Organic Solar Cells by Constructing Interfacial Nanojunction with Annealing-Free ZnO and Al Layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunyu; Zhang, Dezhong; Li, Zhiqi; Zhang, Xinyuan; Guo, Wenbin; Zhang, Liu; Ruan, Shengping; Long, Yongbing

2017-07-05

To overcome drawbacks of the electron transport layer, such as complex surface defects and unmatched energy levels, we successfully employed a smart semiconductor-metal interfacial nanojunciton in organic solar cells by evaporating an ultrathin Al interlayer onto annealing-free ZnO electron transport layer, resulting in a high fill factor of 73.68% and power conversion efficiency of 9.81%. The construction of ZnO-Al nanojunction could effectively fill the surface defects of ZnO and reduce its work function because of the electron transfer from Al to ZnO by Fermi level equilibrium. The filling of surface defects decreased the interfacial carrier recombination in midgap trap states. The reduced surface work function of ZnO-Al remodulated the interfacial characteristics between ZnO and [6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC 71 BM), decreasing or even eliminating the interfacial barrier against the electron transport, which is beneficial to improve the electron extraction capacity. The filled surface defects and reduced interfacial barrier were realistically observed by photoluminescence measurements of ZnO film and the performance of electron injection devices, respectively. This work provides a simple and effective method to simultaneously solve the problems of surface defects and unmatched energy level for the annealing-free ZnO or other metal oxide semiconductors, paving a way for the future popularization in photovoltaic devices.

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

Synthesis and characterization of metal oxide semiconductors by a facile co-electroplating-annealing method and formation of ZnO/CuO pn heterojunctions with rectifying behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Turkdogan, Sunay; Kilic, Bayram

2018-01-01

We have developed a unique growth method and demonstrated the growth of CuO and ZnO semiconductor materials and the fabrication of their pn heterojunctions in ambient atmosphere. The pn heterojunctions were constructed using inherently p-type CuO and inherently n-type ZnO materials. Both p- and n-type semiconductors and pn heterojunctions were prepared using a simple but versatile growth method that relies on the transformation of electroplated Cu and Zn metals into CuO and ZnO semiconductors, respectively and is capable of a large-scale production desired in most of the applications. The structural, chemical, optical and electrical properties of the materials and junctions were investigated using various characterization methods and the results show that our growth method, materials and devices are quite promising to be utilized for various applications including but not limited to solar cells, gas/humidity sensors and photodetectors.

Lasing in ZnO and CdS nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thielmann, Andreas; Geburt, Sebastian; Kozlik, Michael; Kuehnel, Julian; Borschel, Christian; Ronning, Carsten [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany)

2011-07-01

The development of nanoscaled semiconductor lasers could be the key resolution to the still persistent size mismatch between integrated microelectronic devices and semiconductor optoelectronic devices. Semiconductor nanowires offer an elegant path to the development of nanoscaled lasers as their geometry with two planar end facets naturally combines a fiber-like waveguide with an optical resonator. The possible stimulation of the material's emission processes enables lasing of resonant optical modes. ZnO and CdS nanowires of different aspect ratios have been synthesized via the VLS mechanism and were characterized by SEM, EDX and ensemble PL measurements. Power dependent PL measurements on single nanowires excited with pulsed laser light at 355 nm have been performed between 10 K and room temperature and were set in correlation to the nanowires' respective morphology. Sharp emission lines which show characteristics of Fabry-Perot modes could be observed above a power threshold. The measured power dependencies reveal amplified stimulated emission and lasing at high excitation densities.

Homojunction p-n photodiodes based on As-doped single ZnO nanowire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, H. D.; Zakirov, A. S.; Yuldashev, Sh. U.; Kang, T. W.; Ahn, C. W.; Yeo, Y. K.

2013-01-01

Photovoltaic device was successfully grown solely based on the single ZnO p-n homojunction nanowire. The ZnO nanowire p-n diode consists of an as-grown n-type segment and an in-situ arsenic doped p-type segment. This p-n homojunction acts as a good photovoltaic cell, producing a photocurrent almost 45 times larger than the dark current under reverse-biased condition. Our results demonstrate that present ZnO p-n homojunction nanowire can be used as a self-powered ultraviolet photodetector as well as a photovoltaic cell, which can also be used as an ultralow electrical power source for nano-scale electronic, optoelectronic, and medical devices

Superhydrophobic surface based on a coral-like hierarchical structure of ZnO.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Wu

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces has attracted much interest in the past decade. The fabrication methods that have been studied are chemical vapour deposition, the sol-gel method, etching technique, electrochemical deposition, the layer-by-layer deposition, and so on. Simple and inexpensive methods for manufacturing environmentally stable superhydrophobic surfaces have also been proposed lately. However, work referring to the influence of special structures on the wettability, such as hierarchical ZnO nanostructures, is rare.This study presents a simple and reproducible method to fabricate a superhydrophobic surface with micro-scale roughness based on zinc oxide (ZnO hierarchical structure, which is grown by the hydrothermal method with an alkaline aqueous solution. Coral-like structures of ZnO were fabricated on a glass substrate with a micro-scale roughness, while the antennas of the coral formed the nano-scale roughness. The fresh ZnO films exhibited excellent superhydrophilicity (the apparent contact angle for water droplet was about 0°, while the ability to be wet could be changed to superhydrophobicity after spin-coating Teflon (the apparent contact angle greater than 168°. The procedure reported here can be applied to substrates consisting of other materials and having various shapes.The new process is convenient and environmentally friendly compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, the hierarchical structure generates the extraordinary solid/gas/liquid three-phase contact interface, which is the essential characteristic for a superhydrophobic surface.

Morphologically controlled ZnO nanostructures as electron transport materials in polymer-based organic solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kyu-Chae; Lee, Eun-Jin; Baek, Youn-Kyoung; Lim, Dong-Chan; Kang, Yong-Cheol; Kim, Yang-Do; Kim, Ki Hyun; Kim, Jae Pil; Kim, Young-Kuk

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Enhanced efficiency of solar cells using ZnO nanocrystals for charge transport. • Morphology of the charge transport layer is controlled. • Mixture of nanoparticles and nanorods are advantageous for cell efficiency. - ABSTRACT: The morphology of ZnO electron transport layers based on ZnO nanoparticles were modified with incorporation of ZnO nanorods via their co-deposition from mixed colloidal solution of nanoparticles and nanorods. In particular, the short circuit current density and the fill factor of the constructed photovoltaic device were simultaneously improved by applying mixture of ZnO nanoparticles and nanorods. As a result, a large improvement of power conversion efficiency up to 9% for the inverted organic solar cells having a blend of low band gap polymers and fullerene derivative as an active layer was demonstrated with the morphologically controlled ZnO electron transport layer.

Characterization of thermal destruction behavior of hybrid composites based on polyoxymethylene, ethylene-octene copolymer impact modifier and ZnO nanofiller

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meri, Remo Merijs; Zicans, Janis; Abele, Agnese; Ivanova, Tatjana; Kalnins, Martins [Riga Technical University, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Institute of Polymer Materials, Paula Valdena street 3/7, Riga, LV-1048 (Latvia)

2016-05-18

Hybrid polymer nanocomposites, composed of polyoxymethylene (POM), ethylene octene copolymer (EOC) and plasma synthesized tetrapod shaped zinc oxide (ZnO), were prepared by using melt compounding. The content of EOC in the POM based composites was varied between 10 and 50 mass %, while the content of ZnO was constant (2 mass %). Thermal behaviour of POM based systems was studied by using thermogravimetric analysis coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The influence of the elastomer content and/or ZnO addition on the thermal stability of POM based systems was evaluated. The influence of the α-octene content in the elastomer on the thermal decomposition behaviour of POM and its nanocomposites with ZnO was also evaluated. Results of thermogravimetric analysis showed that, by rising either the elastomer or ZnO content, thermal stability of the investigated POM composites was increased. The modifying effect of EOC17 in respect of thermal resistance was somewhat larger than that of EOC38 because of the smaller amount of tertiary carbon atoms in the macromolecular structure of the former elastomer. Improved thermal resistance of ZnO containing POM based composites was because of impermeable structure the inorganic nanofiller allowing decrease gas exchange rate and facilitating non-combustible gases, such as CO{sub 2}, stay in the zone of burning. Addition of ZnO have a potential to influence structure of the polymer blend matrix itself by improving its barrier characteristics.

Development and surface characterization of a glucose biosensor based on a nanocolumnar ZnO film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, A., E-mail: adriana.rodrigues@partner.kit.edu [Instituto de Física − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Castegnaro, M.V. [Instituto de Física − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Arguello, J.; Alves, M.C.M. [Instituto de Química − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15003, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Morais, J., E-mail: jonder@if.ufrgs.br [Instituto de Física − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

2017-04-30

Highlights: • Glucose biosensor based on self-assembled nanocolumnar ZnO deposited on stainless steel. • XPS applied to investigate the GOx immobilization on the ZnO nanocolumns surface. • Observable chemical shifts on O1s and Zn2p corroborates enzime immobilization. - Abstract: Highly oriented nanostructured ZnO films were grown on the surface of stainless steel plates (ZnO/SS) by chemical bath deposition (CBD). The films consisted of vertically aligned ZnO nanocolumns, ∼1 μm long and ∼80 nm wide, as observed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and FIB (focused ion beam). XRD (X-ray diffraction) confirmed the c-axis preferred orientation of the ZnO columns, which were functionalized with the glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme into a biosensor of glucose. The electrochemical response studied by CV (cyclic voltammetry) proved that the biosensor was capable of detecting glucose from 1.5 up to 16 mM concentration range. XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analysis, excited with synchrotron radiation, probed the atom specific chemical environment at the electrode’s surface and shed some light on the nature of the ZnO-GOx interaction.

Signatures of Quantized Energy States in Solution-Processed Ultrathin Layers of Metal-Oxide Semiconductors and Their Devices

KAUST Repository

Labram, John G.

2015-02-13

Physical phenomena such as energy quantization have to-date been overlooked in solution-processed inorganic semiconducting layers, owing to heterogeneity in layer thickness uniformity unlike some of their vacuum-deposited counterparts. Recent reports of the growth of uniform, ultrathin (<5 nm) metal-oxide semiconductors from solution, however, have potentially opened the door to such phenomena manifesting themselves. Here, a theoretical framework is developed for energy quantization in inorganic semiconductor layers with appreciable surface roughness, as compared to the mean layer thickness, and present experimental evidence of the existence of quantized energy states in spin-cast layers of zinc oxide (ZnO). As-grown ZnO layers are found to be remarkably continuous and uniform with controllable thicknesses in the range 2-24 nm and exhibit a characteristic widening of the energy bandgap with reducing thickness in agreement with theoretical predictions. Using sequentially spin-cast layers of ZnO as the bulk semiconductor and quantum well materials, and gallium oxide or organic self-assembled monolayers as the barrier materials, two terminal electronic devices are demonstrated, the current-voltage characteristics of which resemble closely those of double-barrier resonant-tunneling diodes. As-fabricated all-oxide/hybrid devices exhibit a characteristic negative-differential conductance region with peak-to-valley ratios in the range 2-7.

MBE System for Antimonide Based Semiconductor Lasers

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Lester, Luke

1999-01-01

.... SLR-770 inductively coupled plasma (ICP) processing system. The SLR-770 has been invaluable in the study of plasma etching of AlGaAsSb and GaSb-materials that form the backbone of antimonide-based semiconductor lasers...

Crystallinity improvement of ZnO nanorods by optimization of low-cost electrodeposition technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Özdal, Teoman, E-mail: teomanozdal@hotmail.com; Taktakoğlu, Renna; Özdamar, Havva; Esen, Mehmet; Takçı, Deniz Kadir; Kavak, Hamide

2015-10-01

Extremely low-cost electrodeposition technique was developed to deposit ZnO nanorods. The growth process was performed using standard DC power supply, milliammeter and two-electrode electrochemical cell. The deposition was carried out on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates by changing deposition parameters such as cathodic deposition current and time, solution molarity and temperature. The parameters varied to obtain optimum transparent semiconductor material for optoelectronic applications. Structural characterizations by X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicate the formation of polycrystalline phase ZnO with strong c-axis orientation and were sensitive to deposition temperatures and molarity as well. Average optical transmittance for the best two ZnO nanorod series was around 60% and 42%, respectively. The optical energy band gap of the ZnO nanorods decreased from 3.24 eV to 3.21 eV as the deposition time increased. All the nanorods were n-type with a high carrier concentration of 1 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} and low 1–2 × 10{sup −3} Ωcm resistivity. - Highlights: • n-Type ZnO nanorods were electrochemically deposited employing standard DC power supply and milliammeter. • ZnO nanorods show very good polycrystalline and electrical properties consistent with the literature. • ZnO nanorod structures are hexagonal wurtzite and highly oriented along the c-axis perpendicular to the substrates. • Produced ZnO nanorod structures show good transparent conductive oxide properties.

Mechanism and Growth of Flexible ZnO Nanostructure Arrays in a Facile Controlled Way

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yangping Sheng

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Nanostructure arrays-based flexible devices have revolutionary impacts on the application of traditional semiconductor devices. Here, a one-step method to synthesize flexible ZnO nanostructure arrays on Zn-plated flexible substrate in Zn(NO32/NH3⋅H2O solution system at 70–90∘C was developed. We found out that the decomposition of Zn(OH2 precipitations, formed in lower NH3⋅H2O concentration, in the bulk solution facilitates the formation of flower-like structure. In higher temperature, 90∘C, ZnO nanoplate arrays were synthesized by the hydrolysis of zinc hydroxide. Highly dense ZnO nanoparticale layer formed by the reaction of NH3⋅H2O with Zn plating layer in the initial self-seed process could improve the vertical alignment of the nanowires arrays. The diameter of ZnO nanowire arrays, from 200 nm to 60 nm, could be effectively controlled by changing the stability of Zn(NH342+ complex ions by varying the ratio of Zn(NO32 to NH3⋅H2O which further influence the release rate of Zn2+ ions. This is also conformed by different amounts of the Zn vacancy as determined by different UV emissions of the PL spectra in the range of 380–403 nm.

Large-scale syntheses of uniform ZnO nanorods and ethanol gas sensors application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jin; Li Jin; Li Jiahui; Xiao Guoqing; Yang Xiaofeng

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The uniform ZnO nanorods could be synthesized by a low temperature, solution-based method. → The results showed that the sample had uniform rod-like morphology with a narrow size distribution and highly crystallinity. → Room-temperature photoluminescence spectra of these nanorods show an exciton emission around 382 nm and a weak deep level emission, indicating the nanorods have high quality. → The sensor exhibited high sensitivity and fast response to ethanol gas at a work temperature of 400 deg. C. - Abstract: Uniform ZnO nanorods with a gram scale were prepared by a low temperature and solution-based method. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL). The results showed that the sample had uniform rod-like morphology with a narrow size distribution and highly crystallinity. Room-temperature PL spectra of these nanorods show an exciton emission around 382 nm and a negligible deep level emission, indicating the nanorods have high quality. The gas-sensing properties of the materials have been investigated. The results indicate that the as-prepared nanorods show much better sensitivity and stability. The n-type semiconductor gas sensor exhibited high sensitivity and fast response to ethanol gas at a work temperature of 400 deg. C. ZnO nanorods are excellent potential candidates for highly sensitive gas sensors and ultraviolet laser.

Effects of Temperature on the Microstructure and Magnetic Property of Cr-Doped ZnO DMS Prepared by Hydrothermal Route Assisted by Pulsed Magnetic Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiwei Wang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the present work, Cr-doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductor was synthesized by hydrothermal method under pulsed magnetic fields. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, VSM, Raman, and XPS techniques. Results demonstrated that Zn ions in the ZnO crystal lattice were partially displaced by Chromium (III ions. All samples show room temperature ferromagnetism which was enhanced by pulsed magnetic fields. The mechanism of ferromagnetism of Cr-doped ZnO particles was discussed.

Parameter identification of ZnO surge arrester models based on genetic algorithms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bayadi, Abdelhafid [Laboratoire d' Automatique de Setif, Departement d' Electrotechnique, Faculte des Sciences de l' Ingenieur, Universite Ferhat ABBAS de Setif, Route de Bejaia Setif 19000 (Algeria)

2008-07-15

The correct and adequate modelling of ZnO surge arresters characteristics is very important for insulation coordination studies and systems reliability. In this context many researchers addressed considerable efforts to the development of surge arresters models to reproduce the dynamic characteristics observed in their behaviour when subjected to fast front impulse currents. The difficulties with these models reside essentially in the calculation and the adjustment of their parameters. This paper proposes a new technique based on genetic algorithm to obtain the best possible series of parameter values of ZnO surge arresters models. The validity of the predicted parameters is then checked by comparing the predicted results with the experimental results available in the literature. Using the ATP-EMTP package, an application of the arrester model on network system studies is presented and discussed. (author)

Colloidal nanocrystal ZnO- and TiO2-modified electrodes sensitized with chlorophyll a and carotenoids: a photoelectrochemical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrella, Andrea; Cosma, Pinalysa; Lucia Curri, M.; Rochira, Sergio; Agostiano, Angela

2011-01-01

Heterostructures formed of films of organic-capped ZnO and TiO 2 nanocrystals (both with the size of ca. 6 nm) and photosynthetic pigments were prepared and characterized. The surface of optically transparent electrodes (Indium Tin Oxide) was modified with nanocrystals and prepared by colloidal synthetic routes. The nanostructured electrodes were sensitized by a mixture of chlorophyll a and carotenoids. The characterization of the hybrid structures, carried out by means of steady-state optical measurements, demonstrated such class of dyes able to extend the photoresponse of the large band-gap semiconductors. The charge-transfer processes between the components of the heterojunction were investigated, and photoelectrochemical measurements taken on the sensitized ZnO and TiO 2 nanocrystals electrodes elucidated the photoactivity of the heterojunctions as a function of the dyes and of the red–ox mediator used in solution. The effect of methyl viologen as different red–ox mediator was also evaluated in order to show its effect on the heterojunction photoactivity. The overall results contributed to describe the photoelectrochemical potential of the investigated heterojunctions, highlighting a higher response of the dye-sensitized ZnO nanocrystals, and then provided the TiO 2 -modified counterparts.

Enhancing the numerical aperture of lenses using ZnO nanostructure-based turbid media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khokhra, Richa; Barman, Partha Bir; Kumar, Rajesh; Kumar, Manoj; Rawat, Nitin; Jang, Hwanchol; Lee, Heung-No

2013-01-01

Nanosheets, nanoparticles, and microstructures of ZnO were synthesized via a wet chemical method. ZnO films with a thickness of 44–46 μm were fabricated by spray coating, and these have been investigated for their potential use in turbid lens applications. A morphology-dependent comparative study of the transmittance of ZnO turbid films was conducted. Furthermore, these ZnO turbid films were used to enhance the numerical aperture (NA) of a Nikon objective lens. The variation in NA with different morphologies was explained using size-dependent scattering by the fabricated films. A maximum NA of around 1.971 of the objective lens with a turbid film of ZnO nanosheets was achieved. (paper)

Characterization of spatial manipulation on ZnO nanocomposites consisting of Au nanoparticles, a graphene layer, and ZnO nanorods

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shen-Che; Lu, Chien-Cheng; Su, Wei-Ming; Weng, Chen-Yuan; Chen, Yi-Cian; Wang, Shing-Chung; Lu, Tien-Chang; Chen, Ching-Pang; Chen, Hsiang

2018-01-01

Three types of ZnO-based nanocomposites were fabricated consisting of 80-nm Au nanoparticles (NPs), a graphene layer, and ZnO nanorods (NRs). To investigate interactions between the ZnO NRs and Au nanoparticle, multiple material analysis techniques including field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), surface contact angle measurements, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopic characterizations were performed. Results indicate that incorporating a graphene layer could block the interaction between the ZnO NRs and the Au NPs. Furthermore, the Raman signal of the Au NPs could be enhanced by inserting a graphene layer on top of the ZnO NRs. Investigation of these graphene-incorporated nanocomposites would be helpful to future studies of the physical properties and Raman analysis of the ZnO-based nanostructure design.

Strong blue emission from ZnO nanocrystals synthesized in acetone-based solvent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efafi, B.; Majles Ara, M.H.; Mousavi, S.S.

2016-01-01

In this research, ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized by an improved sol–gel method. UV–vis, FTIR and photoluminescence spectra of the ZnO solution synthesized by this route indicated different properties compared to the other preparation methods. It was observed from FTIR that the sol (prepared using acetone) with the low concentration contains a noticeable amount of the Zn–O bond. The PL spectrum with a strong blue emission confirmed that these nanocrystals are good candidate for use in applications where a monochromatic emission is required. To the best of our knowledge, monochromatic emission ZnO devices have been fabricated through high technology instruments but this paper introduces a simple method for preparation of ZnO with the high intensity blue peak. The size and morphology of ZnO nanocrystals have been studied using FESEM. The nanocrystal size was estimated about 70 nm which was in good agreement with XRD data. - Highlights: • Preparation of ZnO nanocrystals through a novel method by the use of acetone as the solvent. • Observation of the strong blue emission peak from the ZnO prepared solution. • Reduction of green emission in the synthesized sample compared to the other methods of preparation.

Strong blue emission from ZnO nanocrystals synthesized in acetone-based solvent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Efafi, B. [NanoPhotonics Lab., Physics Department, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Departments of Physics, Iran University of Science & Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Majles Ara, M.H., E-mail: majlesara@gmail.com [NanoPhotonics Lab., Physics Department, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mousavi, S.S. [NanoPhotonics Lab., Physics Department, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-10-15

In this research, ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized by an improved sol–gel method. UV–vis, FTIR and photoluminescence spectra of the ZnO solution synthesized by this route indicated different properties compared to the other preparation methods. It was observed from FTIR that the sol (prepared using acetone) with the low concentration contains a noticeable amount of the Zn–O bond. The PL spectrum with a strong blue emission confirmed that these nanocrystals are good candidate for use in applications where a monochromatic emission is required. To the best of our knowledge, monochromatic emission ZnO devices have been fabricated through high technology instruments but this paper introduces a simple method for preparation of ZnO with the high intensity blue peak. The size and morphology of ZnO nanocrystals have been studied using FESEM. The nanocrystal size was estimated about 70 nm which was in good agreement with XRD data. - Highlights: • Preparation of ZnO nanocrystals through a novel method by the use of acetone as the solvent. • Observation of the strong blue emission peak from the ZnO prepared solution. • Reduction of green emission in the synthesized sample compared to the other methods of preparation.

Penetration length-dependent hot electrons in the field emission from ZnO nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yicong; Song, Xiaomeng; Li, Zhibing; She, Juncong; Deng, Shaozhi; Xu, Ningsheng; Chen, Jun

2018-01-01

In the framework of field emission, whether or not hot electrons can form in the semiconductor emitters under a surface penetration field is of great concern, which will provide not only a comprehensive physical picture of field emission from semiconductor but also guidance on how to improve device performance. However, apart from some theoretical work, its experimental evidence has not been reported yet. In this article, the field penetration length-dependent hot electrons were observed in the field emission of ZnO nanowires through the in-situ study of its electrical and field emission characteristic before and after NH3 plasma treatment in an ultrahigh vacuum system. After the treatment, most of the nanowires have an increased carrier density but reduced field emission current. The raised carrier density was caused by the increased content of oxygen vacancies, while the degraded field emission current was attributed to the lower kinetic energy of hot electrons caused by the shorter penetration length. All of these results suggest that the field emission properties of ZnO nanowires can be optimized by modifying their carrier density to balance both the kinetic energy of field induced hot electrons and the limitation of saturated current under a given field.

Study of annealing effect on the growth of ZnO nanorods on ZnO seed layers

Science.gov (United States)

Sannakashappanavar, Basavaraj S.; Pattanashetti, Nandini A.; Byrareddy, C. R.; Yadav, Aniruddh Bahadur

2018-04-01

A zinc oxide (ZnO) seed layer was deposited on the SiO2/Si substrate by RF sputtering. To study the effect of annealing, the seed layers were classified into annealed and unannealed thin films. Annealing of the seed layers was carried at 450°C. Surface morphology of the seed layers were studied by Atomic force microscopy. ZnO nanorods were then grown on both the types of seed layer by hydrothermal method. The morphology and the structural properties of the nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy. The effect of seed layer annealing on the growth and orientation of the ZnO nanorods were clearly examined on comparing with the nanorods grown on unannealed seed layer. The nanorods grown on annealed seed layers were found to be well aligned and oriented. Further, the I-V characteristic study was carried out on these aligned nanorods. The results supports positively for the future work to further enhance the properties of developed nanorods for their wide applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Optimizing magneto-optical effects in the ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riahi, H., E-mail: hassenriahi1987@gmail.com [Laboratoire Matériaux Molécules et Applications, IPEST, Université de Carthage, La Marsa (Tunisia); Thevenard, L. [CNRS, UMR7588, Institut des Nanosciences de Paris, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France); Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, UMR7588, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France); Maaref, M.A. [Laboratoire Matériaux Molécules et Applications, IPEST, Université de Carthage, La Marsa (Tunisia); Gallas, B. [CNRS, UMR7588, Institut des Nanosciences de Paris, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France); Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, UMR7588, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France); Lemaître, A. [Laboratoire de Photonique et de Nanostructures – CNRS, Route de Nozay, 91460 Marcoussis (France); Gourdon, C [CNRS, UMR7588, Institut des Nanosciences de Paris, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France); Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, UMR7588, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France)

2015-12-01

A trilayer of the ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs, a SiO{sub 2} buffer layer and a piezoelectric ZnO layer, is investigated in view of its use in device implementation to study surface acoustic wave-assisted magnetization switching. The magneto-optical properties: Kerr rotation and ellipticity and magnetic contrast in Kerr microscopy images are investigated as a function of temperature. While the ZnO layer prevents any good quality imaging of magnetic domains, we show that with the SiO{sub 2} layer only the polar Kerr rotation and the magnetic contrast are increased by a factor of 2. This result is in good quantitative agreement with calculations using an optical interference model and could be further improved. The detrimental effects of the dielectric layers capping on the Curie temperature and coercive field of the GaMnAs layer can be kept to a reasonable level. - Highlights: • GaMnAs/SiO{sub 2}/ZnO studied for surface acoustic wave assisted magnetization switching. • The Kerr rotation and magneticcontrast increase by a factor 2 with SiO{sub 2} on GaMnAs. • Good quantitative agreement with an optical interference model. • Little detrimental effect of SiO{sub 2} and ZnO on the ferromagnetic properties of GaMnAs.

PDMS-based triboelectric and transparent nanogenerators with ZnO nanorod arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Yeong Hwan; Nagaraju, Goli; Lee, Soo Hyun; Yu, Jae Su

2014-05-14

Vertically-grown ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs) on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET), as a top electrode of nanogenerators, were investigated for the antireflective property as well as an efficient contact surface in bare polydimethysiloxane (PDMS)-based triboelectric nanogenerators. Compared to conventional ITO-coated PET (i.e., ITO/PET), the ZnO NRAs considerably suppressed the reflectance from 20 to 9.7% at wavelengths of 300-1100 nm, creating a highly transparent top electrode, as demonstrated by theoretical analysis. Also, the interval time between the peaks of generated output voltage under external pushing forces was significantly decreased from 1.84 to 0.19 s because the reduced contact area of the PDMS by discrete surfaces of the ZnO NRAs on ITO/PET causes a rapid sequence for triboelectric charge generation process including rubbing and separating. Therefore, the use of this top electrode enabled to operate the transparent PDMS-based triboelectric nanogenerator at high frequency of external pushing force. Under different external forces of 0.3-10 kgf, the output voltage and current were also characterized.

ZnO Coatings with Controlled Pore Size, Crystallinity and Electrical Conductivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roman SCHMACK

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Zinc oxide is a wide bandgap semiconductor with unique optical, electrical and catalytic properties. Many of its practical applications rely on the materials pore structure, crystallinity and electrical conductivity. We report a synthesis method for ZnO films with ordered mesopore structure and tuneable crystallinity and electrical conductivity. The synthesis relies on dip-coating of solutions containing micelles of an amphiphilic block copolymer and complexes of Zn2+ ions with aliphatic ligands. A subsequent calcination at 400°C removes the template and induces crystallization of the pore walls. The pore structure is controlled by the template polymer, whereas the aliphatic ligands control the crystallinity of the pore walls. Complexes with a higher thermal stability result in ZnO films with a higher content of residual carbon, smaller ZnO crystals and therefore lower electrical conductivity. The paper discusses the ability of different types of ligands to assist in the synthesis of mesoporous ZnO and relates the structure and thermal stability of the precursor complexes to the crystallinity and electrical conductivity of the zinc oxide.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.22.1.8634

A carbon nanotube-based transparent conductive substrate for flexible ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Juan; Bittner, Florian [Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstr. 3a, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Hecht, David S.; Ladous, Corinne [Unidym, 1244 Reamwood Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA (United States); Ellinger, Jan [Tesa SE, Quickbornstr. 24, 20253 Hamburg (Germany); Oekermann, Torsten, E-mail: torstensan@t-online.de [Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstr. 3a, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Wark, Michael, E-mail: michael.wark@techem.ruhr-uni-bochum.de [Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstr. 3a, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitaetsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum (Germany)

2013-03-01

A transparent carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated polyethylenterephthalat film was used as conducting substrate for the photoanode of a flexible ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The porous ZnO films were fabricated by an electrochemical deposition method at low temperature. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the CNT/ZnO interface adds to the overall impedance of the cell, leading to a higher series resistance compared to DSSCs based on substrates employing a transparent conducting oxide. Nevertheless, an overall conversion efficiency of 2.5% was obtained with porous ZnO films electrodeposited on the CNT substrate for 60 min. Thicker films led to an increased loss by recombination, which could not be compensated by faster electron transport due to the decrease of the light intensity inside the ZnO film with increasing distance from the back contact. - Highlights: ► ZnO was electrochemically deposited on carbon nanotube (CNT) coated polymer. ► Highly porous ZnO was obtained at temperatures not exceeding 70 °C. ► The porous ZnO was tested as photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells. ► Conversion efficiency of 2.5% was found on the high resistance CNT substrates. ► Barriers formed at the CNT–ZnO interface are determined by impedance spectroscopy.

The sensitivity and dynamic response of field ionization gas sensor based on ZnO nanorods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min Jiahua; Liang Xiaoyan; Wang Bin; Wang Linjun; Zhao Yue; Shi Weimin; Xia Yiben

2011-01-01

Field ionization gas sensors based on ZnO nanorods (50–300 nm in diameter, and 3–8 μm in length) with and without a buffer layer were fabricated, and the influence of the orientation of nano-ZnO on the ionization response of devices was discussed, including the sensitivity and dynamic response of the ZnO nanorods with preferential orientation. The results indicated that ZnO nanorods as sensor anode could dramatically decrease the breakdown voltage. The XRD and SEM images illustrated that nano-ZnO with a ZnO buffer layer displayed high c-axis orientation, which helps to significantly reduce the breakdown voltage. Device A based on ZnO nanorods with a ZnO buffer layer could distinguish toluene and acetone. The dynamic responses of device A to the NO x compounds presented the sensitivity of 0.045 ± 0.007 ppm/pA and the response speed within 17–40 s, and indicated a linear relationship between NO x concentration and current response at low NO x concentrations. In addition, the dynamic responses to benzene, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, and methanol reveals that the device has higher sensitivity to gas with larger static polarizability and lower ionization energy.

A carbon nanotube-based transparent conductive substrate for flexible ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du, Juan; Bittner, Florian; Hecht, David S.; Ladous, Corinne; Ellinger, Jan; Oekermann, Torsten; Wark, Michael

2013-01-01

A transparent carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated polyethylenterephthalat film was used as conducting substrate for the photoanode of a flexible ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The porous ZnO films were fabricated by an electrochemical deposition method at low temperature. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the CNT/ZnO interface adds to the overall impedance of the cell, leading to a higher series resistance compared to DSSCs based on substrates employing a transparent conducting oxide. Nevertheless, an overall conversion efficiency of 2.5% was obtained with porous ZnO films electrodeposited on the CNT substrate for 60 min. Thicker films led to an increased loss by recombination, which could not be compensated by faster electron transport due to the decrease of the light intensity inside the ZnO film with increasing distance from the back contact. - Highlights: ► ZnO was electrochemically deposited on carbon nanotube (CNT) coated polymer. ► Highly porous ZnO was obtained at temperatures not exceeding 70 °C. ► The porous ZnO was tested as photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells. ► Conversion efficiency of 2.5% was found on the high resistance CNT substrates. ► Barriers formed at the CNT–ZnO interface are determined by impedance spectroscopy

High-mobility pyrene-based semiconductor for organic thin-film transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Hyunduck; Lee, Sunyoung; Cho, Nam Sung; Jabbour, Ghassan E; Kwak, Jeonghun; Hwang, Do-Hoon; Lee, Changhee

2013-05-01

Numerous conjugated oligoacenes and polythiophenes are being heavily studied in the search for high-mobility organic semiconductors. Although many researchers have designed fused aromatic compounds as organic semiconductors for organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), pyrene-based organic semiconductors with high mobilities and on-off current ratios have not yet been reported. Here, we introduce a new pyrene-based p-type organic semiconductor showing liquid crystal behavior. The thin film characteristics of this material are investigated by varying the substrate temperature during the deposition and the gate dielectric condition using the surface modification with a self-assembled monolayer, and systematically studied in correlation with the performances of transistor devices with this compound. OTFT fabricated under the optimum deposition conditions of this compound, namely, 1,6-bis(5'-octyl-2,2'-bithiophen-5-yl)pyrene (BOBTP) shows a high-performance transistor behavior with a field-effect mobility of 2.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on-off current ratio of 7.6 × 10(6) and enhanced long-term stability compared to the pentacene thin-film transistor.

GGA+U investigations of impurity d-electrons effects on the electronic and magnetic properties of ZnO

KAUST Repository

Ul Haq, Bakhtiar

2014-08-01

Stimulation of novel features in ZnO by impurity electrons has attracted a remarkable attention of researchers from the past decade. Consequently, ZnO has found several applications in the field of spintronics and optoelectronics. We report, the effect of 3d-(V, Ag) electrons on the properties of ZnO in stable wurtzite (WZ) and metastable zincblende (ZB) phase using the density functional theory. Introduction of V-3d electrons was found to induce a high magnetic moment value of 5.22 in WZ and 3.26 in the ZB phase, and moreover transform the semiconductor character of ZnO into a metallic nature. Ag-d electrons result in the p-type half-metallic nature of ZnO with a weak ferromagnetic background. Our calculations for ground-state magnetic ordering show that ZnO in the presence of impure 3d-(V, Ag) electrons favors ferromagnetic ordering, and obey the double exchange mechanism. However, impurity atoms have very marginal effect on the lattice parameters of ZnO, thereby exposing its potential to absorb the impurity atoms in high concentration. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of a sol–gel precursor and its evolution towards ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gómez-Núñez, Alberto [University of Barcelona, Department of Electronics, Martí i Franquès 1, E08028 Barcelona (Spain); López, Concepción [University of Barcelona, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Martí i Franquès 1, E08028 Barcelona (Spain); Alonso-Gil, Santiago [University of Barcelona, Department of Organic Chemistry, Martí i Franquès 1, E08028 Barcelona (Spain); Roura, Pere [University of Girona, Department of Physics, Campus Montilivi, Edif. PII, E17071 Girona (Spain); Vilà, Anna, E-mail: anna.vila@ub.edu [University of Barcelona, Department of Electronics, Martí i Franquès 1, E08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2015-07-15

The processes involved in the assembly of zinc acetate dihydrate {Zn(CH_3COO)_2·2H_2O} and ethanolamine (H{sub 2}NCH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}OH), with or without 2-methoxyethanol as solvent, have been analysed by infrared spectra, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, powder X-ray diffraction and computational studies. Thermal evolution of the mixtures was characterized by thermoanalytical and structural techniques (thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy). Computational studies together with experiments served to thoroughly describe the precursor and its decomposition. The thermal decomposition of the mixture and its transformation into crystalline ZnO take place in a temperature range between 50 and 450 °C through different processes. With solvent, the processes need temperatures 90 °C higher with respect to the mixture without solvent, and ZnO arises at 250 °C. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Tetramer structure of the zinc-acetate plus ethanolamine precursor confirmed by IR, MS and theoretical calculations. • Precursor crystal structure determined to be of the monoclinic P2{sub 1}/m system. • High influence of the metoxyethanol solvent on the formation temperature of ZnO. • Detailed description of the thermal evolution from the zinc-based precursor to ZnO.

Preparation and characterization of ALD deposited ZnO thin films studied for gas sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyadjiev, S.I., E-mail: boiajiev@gmail.com [MTA-BME Technical Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, H-1111 (Hungary); Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Georgieva, V. [Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Yordanov, R. [Department of Microelectronics, Technical University of Sofia, 8 Kliment Ohridski Blvd., 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria); Raicheva, Z. [Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Szilágyi, I.M. [MTA-BME Technical Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, H-1111 (Hungary); Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, H-1111 (Hungary)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • For the first time the gas sensing towards NO{sub 2} of very thin ALD ZnO films is studied. • The very thin ALD ZnO films showed excellent sensitivity to NO{sub 2} at room temperature. • These very thin film ZnO-based QCM sensors very well register even low concentrations. • The sensors have fully reversible sorption and are able to be recovered in short time. • Described fast and cost-effective ALD deposition of ZnO thin films for QCM gas sensor. - Abstract: Applying atomic layer deposition (ALD), very thin zinc oxide (ZnO) films were deposited on quartz resonators, and their gas sensing properties were studied using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The gas sensing of the ZnO films to NO{sub 2} was tested in the concentration interval between 10 and 5000 ppm. On the basis of registered frequency change of the QCM, for each concentration the sorbed mass was calculated. Further characterization of the films was carried out by various techniques, i.e. by SEM-EDS, XRD, ellipsometry, and FTIR spectroscopy. Although being very thin, the films were gas sensitive to NO{sub 2} already at room temperature and could register very well as low concentrations as 100 ppm, while the sorption was fully reversible. Our results for very thin ALD ZnO films show that the described fast, simple and cost-effective technology could be implemented for producing gas sensors working at room temperature and being capable to detect in real time low concentrations of NO{sub 2}.

Boron doped nanostructure ZnO films deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karakaya, Seniye, E-mail: seniyek@ogu.edu.tr; Ozbas, Omer

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Nanostructure undoped and boron doped ZnO films were deposited by USP technique. • Influences of doping on the surface and optical properties of the ZnO films were investigated. • XRD spectra of the films exhibited a variation in crystalline quality depending on the B content. - Abstract: ZnO is an II–VI compound semiconductor with a wide direct band gap of 3.3 eV at room temperature. Doped with group III elements (B, Al or Ga), it becomes an attractive candidate to replace tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) or indium tin oxide (ITO) as transparent conducting electrodes in solar cell devices and flat panel display due to competitive electrical and optical properties. In this work, ZnO and boron doped ZnO (ZnO:B) films have been deposited onto glass substrates at 350 ± 5 °C by a cost-efficient ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The optical, structural, morphological and electrical properties of nanostructure undoped and ZnO:B films have been investigated. Electrical resistivity of films has been analyzed by four-probe technique. Optical properties and thicknesses of the films have been examined in the wavelength range 1200–1600 nm by using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements. The optical constants (refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k)) and the thicknesses of the films have been fitted according to Cauchy model. The optical method has been used to determine the band gap value of the films. Transmission spectra have been taken by UV spectrophotometer. It is found that both ZnO and ZnO:B films have high average optical transmission (≥80%). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that the obtained ZnO has a hexagonal wurtzite type structure. The morphological properties of the films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface morphology of the nanostructure films is found to depend on the concentration of B. As a result, ZnO:B films are promising contender for their potential use as transparent window layer and

Understanding lattice defects to influence ferromagnetic order of ZnO nanoparticles by Ni, Cu, Ce ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verma, Kuldeep Chand, E-mail: dkuldeep.physics@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014 (India); Kotnala, R.K., E-mail: rkkotnala@gmail.com [CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India)

2017-02-15

Future spintronics technologies based on diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) will rely heavily on a sound understanding of the microscopic origins of ferromagnetism in such materials. It remains unclear, however, whether the ferromagnetism in DMS is intrinsic - a precondition for spintronics - or due to dopant clustering. For this, we include a simultaneous doping from transition metal (Ni, Cu) and rare earth (Ce) ions in ZnO nanoparticles that increase the antiferromagnetic ordering to achieve high-T{sub c} ferromagnetism. Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns indicate that the dopant ions in ZnO had a wurtzite structure and the dopants, Ni{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Ce{sup 3+} ions, are highly influenced the lattice constants to induce lattice defects. The Ni, Cu, Ce ions in ZnO have nanoparticles formation than nanorods was observed in pure sample. FTIR involve some organic groups to induce lattice defects and the metal-oxygen bonding of Zn, Ni, Cu, Ce and O atoms to confirm wurtzite structure. Raman analysis evaluates the crystalline quality, structural disorder and defects in ZnO lattice with doping. Photoluminescence spectra have strong near-band-edge emission and visible emission bands responsible for defects due to oxygen vacancies. The energy band gap is calculated using Tauc relation. Room temperature ferromagnetism has been described due to bound magnetic polarons formation with Ni{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Ce{sup 3+} ions in ZnO via oxygen vacancies. The zero field and field cooling SQUID measurement confirm the strength of antiferromagnetism in ZnO. The field cooling magnetization is studied by Curie-Weiss law that include antiferromagnetic interactions up to low temperature. The XPS spectra have involve +3/+4 oxidation states of Ce ions to influence the observed ferromagnetism. - Graphical abstract: The lattice defects/vacancies attributed by Ni and Ce ions in the wurtzite ZnO structure are responsible in high T{sub c} -ferromagnetism due to long-range magnetic

A comparative study of semiconductor-based plasmonic metamaterials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naik, Gururaj V.; Boltasseva, Alexandra

2011-01-01

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

Retracted: Study of the wettability of ZnO nanofilms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ujjwal M Joshi

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Al-doped and un-doped ZnO thin films deposited on quartz substrates by the nebulized spray pyrolysis method were studied to investigate the wettability of the surface. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the wettability of ZnO thin film by changing the concentration of Al doping. Microstructure and water contact angles of the films were measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and using a contact angle goniometer. SEM studies revealed that the grain size within the film increases with the doping concentration. The contact angles were studied to see the effect of aluminum doping on the hydrophilicity of the film. ZnO films were found to be hydrophobic in nature. A good correlation was observed between the SEM micrographs and contact angle results. The nature of the film was found to change from being hydrophobic to hydrophilic after the treatment in low-pressure DC glow discharge plasma, which, however, was reversible with the storage time.

First-principle study on bonding mechanism of ZnO by LDA+U method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, G.C.; Sun, L.Z.; Zhong, X.L.; Chen Xiaoshuang; Wei Lu; Wang, J.B.

2007-01-01

The electronic structure and the bonding mechanism of ZnO have been studied by using the Full-Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method within the density-functional theory (DFT) based on LDA+U exchange correlation potential. The valence and the bonding charge density are calculated and compared with those derived from LDA and GGA to describe the bonding mechanism. The charge transfer along with the bonding process is analyzed by using the theory of Atoms in Molecules (AIM). The bonding, the topological characteristics and the p-d coupling effects on the bonding mechanism of ZnO are shown quantitatively with the critical points (CPs) along the bonding trajectory and the charge in the atomic basins. Meanwhile, the bonding characteristics for wurtzite, zinc blende and rocksalt phase of ZnO are discussed systematically in the present paper

Chemo-sensors development based on low-dimensional codoped Mn2O3-ZnO nanoparticles using flat-silver electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Mohammed M; Gruner, George; Al-Ghamdi, Mohammed Saad; Daous, Muhammed A; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Asiri, Abdullah M

2013-03-28

Semiconductor doped nanostructure materials have attained considerable attention owing to their electronic, opto-electronic, para-magnetic, photo-catalysis, electro-chemical, mechanical behaviors and their potential applications in different research areas. Doped nanomaterials might be a promising owing to their high-specific surface-area, low-resistances, high-catalytic activity, attractive electro-chemical and optical properties. Nanomaterials are also scientifically significant transition metal-doped nanostructure materials owing to their extraordinary mechanical, optical, electrical, electronic, thermal, and magnetic characteristics. Recently, it has gained significant interest in manganese oxide doped-semiconductor materials in order to develop their physico-chemical behaviors and extend their efficient applications. It has not only investigated the basic of magnetism, but also has huge potential in scientific features such as magnetic materials, bio- & chemi-sensors, photo-catalysts, and absorbent nanomaterials. The chemical sensor also displays the higher-sensitivity, reproducibility, long-term stability, and enhanced electrochemical responses. The calibration plot is linear (r2 = 0.977) over the 0.1 nM to 50.0 μM 4-nitrophenol concentration ranges. The sensitivity and detection limit is ~4.6667 μA cm-2 μM-1 and ~0.83 ± 0.2 nM (at a Signal-to-Noise-Ratio, SNR of 3) respectively. To best of our knowledge, this is the first report for detection of 4-nitrophenol chemical with doped Mn2O3-ZnO NPs using easy and reliable I-V technique in short response time. As for the doped nanostructures, NPs are introduced a route to a new generation of toxic chemo-sensors, but a premeditate effort has to be applied for doped Mn2O3-ZnO NPs to be taken comprehensively for large-scale applications, and to achieve higher-potential density with accessible to individual chemo-sensors. In this report, it is also discussed the prospective utilization of Mn2O3-ZnO NPs on the basis

Photoelectron spectroscopic study on electronic structure of butterfly-templated ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamada, Masao; Sugiyama, Harue; Takahashi, Kazutoshi; Guo, Qixin [Synchrotron Light Application Center, Saga University, Honjo 1, Saga 840-8502 (Japan); Gu, Jiajun; Zhang, Wang; Fan, Tongxiang; Zhang, Di [State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030 (China)

2010-06-15

Biological systems have complicated hierarchical architecture involving nano-structures inside, and are expected as another candidate for new nano-templates. The present work reports the photoelectron spectroscopic study on electronic structure of the butterfly-templated ZnO that were successfully produced from butterfly wings. Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectrum (UPS) of the butterfly-templated ZnO shows clearly the valence band and a Zn-3d peak, indicating that the butterfly-templated ZnO has the same electronic structure as bulk ZnO. However, the details show that the energy positions of the Zn-3d level and the valence-band structure are different between them. The present results indicate that the bonding interaction between Zn-4sp and O-2p orbitals is stronger in the butterfly-templated ZnO, probably due to the nano-structures inside. Important parameters such as band bending and electron affinity are also obtained. The larger band bending and the lower electron affinity are found in the butterfly-templated ZnO (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Third generation biosensing matrix based on Fe-implanted ZnO thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Shibu; Gupta, Vinay; Sreenivas, K.; Tan, H. H.; Jagadish, C.

2010-09-01

Third generation biosensor based on Fe-implanted ZnO (Fe-ZnO) thin film has been demonstrated. Implantation of Fe in rf-sputtered ZnO thin film introduces redox center along with shallow donor level and thereby enhance its electron transfer property. Glucose oxidase (GOx), chosen as model enzyme, has been immobilized on the surface of the matrix. Cyclic voltammetry and photometric assay show that the prepared bioelectrode, GOx/Fe-ZnO/ITO/Glass is sensitive to the glucose concentration with enhanced response of 0.326 μA mM-1 cm-2 and low Km of 2.76 mM. The results show promising application of Fe-implanted ZnO thin film as an attractive matrix for third generation biosensing.

Third generation biosensing matrix based on Fe-implanted ZnO thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saha, Shibu; Gupta, Vinay; Sreenivas, K.; Tan, H. H.; Jagadish, C.

2010-01-01

Third generation biosensor based on Fe-implanted ZnO (Fe-ZnO) thin film has been demonstrated. Implantation of Fe in rf-sputtered ZnO thin film introduces redox center along with shallow donor level and thereby enhance its electron transfer property. Glucose oxidase (GOx), chosen as model enzyme, has been immobilized on the surface of the matrix. Cyclic voltammetry and photometric assay show that the prepared bioelectrode, GOx/Fe-ZnO/ITO/Glass is sensitive to the glucose concentration with enhanced response of 0.326 μA mM -1 cm -2 and low Km of 2.76 mM. The results show promising application of Fe-implanted ZnO thin film as an attractive matrix for third generation biosensing.

Effect of Ga doping and point defect on magnetism of ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Qingyu [College of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, 010051 Hohhot (China); Zhao, Chunwang, E-mail: cwzhao@shmtu.edu.cn [College of Arts and Sciences, Shanghai Maritime University, 201306 Shanghai (China); Jia, Xiaofang; Qu, Lingfeng [College of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, 010051 Hohhot (China)

2017-02-01

The combined influence mechanism of Ga doping and Zn vacancy or O vacancy on magnetism of ZnO is studied using the first-principle calculation. The coexistence of Ga doping and Zn vacancy can achieve a Curie temperature higher than room temperature and the Ga doped ZnO system is a p-type diluted degenerate semiconductor with metalized ferromagnetism. The magnetism of the doping system of Ga doping and Zn vacancy is mainly contributed by double-exchange interaction through the holes of Zn vacancy taking carrier as medium. However, the system of Ga doping and O vacancy is non-magnetic. In the coexistence of Ga doping and Zn vacancy or O vacancy, a close relative distance between doping and vacancy will reduce the formation energy of the doping system but increase the easiness of doping and vacancy, as well as enhance the stability of the doping system.

Photoluminescence as a tool for characterizing point defects in semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Reshchikov, Michael

2012-02-01

Photoluminescence is one of the most powerful tools used to study optically-active point defects in semiconductors, especially in wide-bandgap materials. Gallium nitride (GaN) and zinc oxide (ZnO) have attracted considerable attention in the last two decades due to their prospects in optoelectronics applications, including blue and ultraviolet light-emitting devices. However, in spite of many years of extensive studies and a great number of publications on photoluminescence from GaN and ZnO, only a few defect-related luminescence bands are reliably identified. Among them are the Zn-related blue band in GaN, Cu-related green band and Li-related orange band in ZnO. Numerous suggestions for the identification of other luminescence bands, such as the yellow band in GaN, or green and yellow bands in ZnO, do not stand up under scrutiny. In these conditions, it is important to classify the defect-related luminescence bands and find their unique characteristics. In this presentation, we will review the origin of the major luminescence bands in GaN and ZnO. Through simulations of the temperature and excitation intensity dependences of photoluminescence and by employing phenomenological models we are able to obtain important characteristics of point defects such as carrier capture cross-sections for defects, concentrations of defects, and their charge states. These models are also used to find the absolute internal quantum efficiency of photoluminescence and obtain information about nonradiative defects. Results from photoluminescence measurements will be compared with results of the first-principle calculations, as well as with the experimental data obtained by other techniques such as positron annihilation spectroscopy, deep-level transient spectroscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Determination of reactive oxygen species from ZnO micro-nano structures with shape-dependent photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Weiwei; Zhao, Hongxiao; Jia, Huimin [Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Henan 461000 (China); Yin, Jun-Jie [Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD 20740 (United States); Zheng, Zhi, E-mail: zhengzhi99999@gmail.com [Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Henan 461000 (China)

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with shape dependent photocatalytic activity were prepared by hydrothermal reaction. The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were identified precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Highlights: • ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies were prepared by solvothermal reaction. • Multi-pod like ZnO structures exhibited superior photocatalytic activity. • The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were characterized precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. • The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies have been prepared by the changing solvents used during their synthesis by solvothermal reaction. Three typical shapes of ZnO structures including hexagonal, bell bottom like and multi-pod formed and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Multi pod like ZnO structures exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity toward degradation of methyl orange. Using electron spin resonance spectroscopy coupled with spin trapping techniques, we demonstrate an effective way to identify precisely the generation of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide and singlet oxygen from the irradiated ZnO multi pod structures. The type of reactive oxygen species formed was predictable from the band gap structure of ZnO. These results indicate that the shape of micro-nano structures significantly affects the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, and demonstrate the value of electron spin resonance spectroscopy for characterizing the type of reactive oxygen species formed during photoexcitation of semiconductors.

Determination of reactive oxygen species from ZnO micro-nano structures with shape-dependent photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Weiwei; Zhao, Hongxiao; Jia, Huimin; Yin, Jun-Jie; Zheng, Zhi

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with shape dependent photocatalytic activity were prepared by hydrothermal reaction. The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were identified precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Highlights: • ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies were prepared by solvothermal reaction. • Multi-pod like ZnO structures exhibited superior photocatalytic activity. • The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were characterized precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. • The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies have been prepared by the changing solvents used during their synthesis by solvothermal reaction. Three typical shapes of ZnO structures including hexagonal, bell bottom like and multi-pod formed and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Multi pod like ZnO structures exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity toward degradation of methyl orange. Using electron spin resonance spectroscopy coupled with spin trapping techniques, we demonstrate an effective way to identify precisely the generation of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide and singlet oxygen from the irradiated ZnO multi pod structures. The type of reactive oxygen species formed was predictable from the band gap structure of ZnO. These results indicate that the shape of micro-nano structures significantly affects the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, and demonstrate the value of electron spin resonance spectroscopy for characterizing the type of reactive oxygen species formed during photoexcitation of semiconductors

Tantalum-based semiconductors for solar water splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Zhang, Jijie; Gong, Jinlong

2014-07-07

Solar energy utilization is one of the most promising solutions for the energy crises. Among all the possible means to make use of solar energy, solar water splitting is remarkable since it can accomplish the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy. The produced hydrogen is clean and sustainable which could be used in various areas. For the past decades, numerous efforts have been put into this research area with many important achievements. Improving the overall efficiency and stability of semiconductor photocatalysts are the research focuses for the solar water splitting. Tantalum-based semiconductors, including tantalum oxide, tantalate and tantalum (oxy)nitride, are among the most important photocatalysts. Tantalum oxide has the band gap energy that is suitable for the overall solar water splitting. The more negative conduction band minimum of tantalum oxide provides photogenerated electrons with higher potential for the hydrogen generation reaction. Tantalates, with tunable compositions, show high activities owning to their layered perovskite structure. (Oxy)nitrides, especially TaON and Ta3N5, have small band gaps to respond to visible-light, whereas they can still realize overall solar water splitting with the proper positions of conduction band minimum and valence band maximum. This review describes recent progress regarding the improvement of photocatalytic activities of tantalum-based semiconductors. Basic concepts and principles of solar water splitting will be discussed in the introduction section, followed by the three main categories regarding to the different types of tantalum-based semiconductors. In each category, synthetic methodologies, influencing factors on the photocatalytic activities, strategies to enhance the efficiencies of photocatalysts and morphology control of tantalum-based materials will be discussed in detail. Future directions to further explore the research area of tantalum-based semiconductors for solar water splitting

Empirical optimization of DFT  +  U and HSE for the band structure of ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Bashyal, Keshab; Pyles, Christopher K.; Afroosheh, Sajjad; Lamichhane, Aneer; Zayak, Alexey T.

2018-02-01

ZnO is a well-known wide band gap semiconductor with promising potential for applications in optoelectronics, transparent electronics, and spintronics. Computational simulations based on the density functional theory (DFT) play an important role in the research of ZnO, but the standard functionals, like Perdew-Burke-Erzenhof, result in largely underestimated values of the band gap and the binding energies of the Zn3d electrons. Methods like DFT  +  U and hybrid functionals are meant to remedy the weaknesses of plain DFT. However, both methods are not parameter-free. Direct comparison with experimental data is the best way to optimize the computational parameters. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) is commonly considered as a benchmark for the computed electronic densities of states. In this work, both DFT  +  U and HSE methods were parametrized to fit almost exactly the binding energies of electrons in ZnO obtained by XPS. The optimized parameterizations of DFT  +  U and HSE lead to significantly worse results in reproducing the ion-clamped static dielectric tensor, compared to standard high-level calculations, including GW, which in turn yield a perfect match for the dielectric tensor. The failure of our XPS-based optimization reveals the fact that XPS does not report the ground state electronic structure for ZnO and should not be used for benchmarking ground state electronic structure calculations.

Specifications of ZnO growth for heterostructure solar cell and PC1D based simulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babar Hussain

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This data article is related to our recently published article (Hussain et al., in press [1] where we have proposed a new solar cell model based on n-ZnO as front layer and p-Si as rear region. The ZnO layer will act as an active n-layer as well as antireflection (AR coating saving considerable processing cost. There are several reports presenting use of ZnO as window/antireflection coating in solar cells (Mansoor et al., 2015; Haq et al., 2014; Hussain et al., 2014; Matsui et al., 2014; Ding et al., 2014 [2–6] but, here, we provide data specifically related to simultaneous use of ZnO as n-layer and AR coating. Apart from the information we already published, we provide additional data related to growth of ZnO (with and without Ga incorporation layers using MOCVD. The data related to PC1D based simulation of internal and external quantum efficiencies with and without antireflection effects of ZnO as well as the effects of doping level in p-Si on current–voltage characteristics have been provided.

Dimensional effects in semiconductor nanowires; Dimensionseffekte in Halbleiternanodraehten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stichtenoth, Daniel

2008-06-23

Nanomaterials show new physical properties, which are determined by their size and morphology. These new properties can be ascribed to the higher surface to volume ratio, to quantum size effects or to a form anisotropy. They may enable new technologies. The nanowires studied in this work have a diameter of 4 to 400 nm and a length up to 100 {mu}m. The semiconductor material used is mainly zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc sulfide (ZnS) and gallium arsenide (GaAs). All nanowires were synthesized according to the vapor liquid solid mechanism, which was originally postulated for the growth of silicon whiskers. Respective modifications for the growth of compound semiconductor nanowires are discussed. Detailed luminescence studies on ZnO nanowires with different diameters show pronounced size effects which can be attributed to the origins given above. Similar to bulk material, a tuning of the material properties is often essential for a further functionalization of the nanowires. This is typical realized by doping the source material. It becomes apparent, that a controlled doping of nanowires during the growth process is not successful. Here an alternative method is chosen: the doping after the growth by ion implantation. However, the doping by ion implantation goes always along with the creation of crystal defects. The defects have to be annihilated in order to reach an activation of th introduced dopants. At high ion fluences and ion masses the sputtering of surface atoms becomes more important. This results in a characteristic change in the morphology of the nanowires. In detail, the doping of ZnO and ZnS nanowires with color centers (manganese and rare earth elements) is demonstrated. Especially, the intra 3d luminescence of manganese implanted ZnS nanostructures shows a strong dependence of the nanowire diameter and morphology. This dependence can be described by expanding Foersters model (which describes an energy transfer to the color centers) by a dimensional parameter

Arsenic in ZnO and GaN: substitutional cation or anion sites?

CERN Document Server

Wahl, Ulrich; Rita, Elisabete; Marques, Ana Claudia; Alves, Eduardo; Carvalho Soares, José

2007-01-01

We have determined the lattice location of ion implanted As in ZnO and GaN by means of conversion electron emission channeling from radioactive $^{73}$As. In contrast to what one might expect from its nature as a group V element, we find that As does not occupy substitutional O sites in ZnO but in its large majority substitutional Zn sites. Arsenic in ZnO is thus an interesting example for an impurity in a semiconductor where the major impurity lattice site is determined by atomic size and electronegativity rather than its position in the periodic system. In contrast, in GaN the preference of As for substitutional cation sites is less pronounced and about half of the implanted As atoms occupy Ga and the other half N sites. Apparently, the smaller size-mismatch between As and N and the chemical similarity of both elements make it feasible that As partly substitutes for N atoms.

Development of Antibacterial Composite Films Based on Isotactic Polypropylene and Coated ZnO Particles for Active Food Packaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clara Silvestre

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed at developing new films based on isotactic polypropylene (iPP for food packaging applications using zinc oxide (ZnO with submicron dimension particles obtained by spray pyrolysis. To improve compatibility with iPP, the ZnO particles were coated with stearic acid (ZnOc. Composites based on iPP with 2 wt % and 5 wt % of ZnOc were prepared in a twin-screw extruder and then filmed by a calender. The effect of ZnOc on the properties of iPP were assessed and compared with those obtained in previous study on iPP/ZnO and iPP/iPPgMA/ZnO. For all composites, a homogeneous distribution and dispersion of ZnOc was obtained indicating that the coating with stearic acid of the ZnO particles reduces the surface polarity mismatch between iPP and ZnO. The iPP/ZnOc composite films have relevant zinc oxide with respect to E. coli, higher thermal stability and improved mechanical and impact properties than the pure polymer and the composites iPP/ZnO and iPP/iPPgMA/ZnO. This study demonstrated that iPP/ZnOc films are suitable materials for potential application in the active packaging field.

ZnO nanoparticles based fiber optic gas sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Narasimman, S.; Sivacoumar, R.; Alex, Z. C. [MEMS and Sensor Division, School of Electronics Engineering, VIT University, Vellore 632 014 (India); Balakrishnan, L., E-mail: bslv85@gmail.com; Meher, S. R. [Materials Physics Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632 014 (India)

2016-05-23

In this work, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by simple aqueous chemical route method. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The sensitivity of the nanoparticles was studied for different gases like acetone, ammonia and ethanol in terms of variation in spectral light intensity. The XRD and SEM analysis confirms the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structure with the grain size of 11.2 nm. The small cladding region of the optical fiber was replaced with the synthesized nanoparticles. The light spectrum was recorded for different gas concentrations. The synthesized nanoparticles showed high sensitivity towards ammonia in low ppm level and acetone in high ppm level.

Composites of Laminar Nanostructured ZnO and VOx-Nanotubes Hybrid as Visible Light Active Photocatalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eglantina Benavente

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A series of hybrid heterostructured nanocomposites of ZnO with V2O5 nanotubes (VOx-NTs in different mixing ratios were synthesized, with the aim of reducing the recombination of photoinduced charge carriers and to optimize the absorption of visible light. The study was focused on the use of heterostructured semiconductors that can extend light absorption to the visible range and enhance the photocatalytic performance of ZnO in the degradation of methylene blue as a model pollutant. The addition of VOx-NTs in the synthesis mixture led to a remarkable performance in the degradation of the model dye, with hybrid ZnO (stearic acid/VOx-NTs at a ratio of 1:0.06 possessing the highest photocatalytic activity, about seven times faster than pristine zinc oxide. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopic measurements and experiments in the presence of different trapping elements allowed us to draw conclusions regarding the band positions and photocatalytic degradation mechanism. The photocatalytic activity measured in three subsequent cycles showed good reusability as no significant loss in efficiency of dye degradation was observed.

Photoelectrochemical Stability and Alteration Products of n-Type Single-Crystal ZnO Photoanodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. E. Paulauskas

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The photoelectrochemical stability and surface-alteration characteristics of doped and undoped n-type ZnO single-crystal photoanode electrodes were investigated. The single-crystal ZnO photoanode properties were analyzed using current-voltage measurements plus spectral and time-dependent quantum-yield methods. These measurements revealed a distinct anodic peak and an accompanying cathodic surface degradation process at negative potentials. The features of this peak depended on time and the NaOH concentration in the electrolyte, but were independent of the presence of electrode illumination. Current measurements performed at the peak indicate that charging and discharging effects are apparently taking place at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface. This result is consistent with the significant reactive degradation that takes place on the ZnO single crystal photoanode surface and that ultimately leads to the reduction of the ZnO surface to Zn metal. The resulting Zn-metal reaction products create unusual, dendrite-like, surface alteration structural features that were analyzed using x-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. ZnO doping methods were found to be effective in increasing the n-type character of the crystals. Higher doping levels result in smaller depletion widths and lower quantum yields, since the minority carrier diffusion lengths are very short in these materials.

Improvements to the hierarchically structured ZnO nanosphere based dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Yongzhe; Wu Lihui; Liu Yanping; Xie Erqing, E-mail: zhangyzh04@126.co, E-mail: xieeq@lzu.edu.c [School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2009-04-21

Hierarchically structured ZnO nanospheres are synthesized by a wet-chemical method and ZnO sphere-consisting films are applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). It is found that the overall light-to-electricity conversion efficiency ({eta}) is significantly enhanced from 0.474% to 1.03% due to light scattering compared with the ZnO nanoparticle-based DSSC. However, the fill factor (FF) and open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) decrease obviously. After annealing the films in an oxygen environment and placing a ZnO blocking layer on the fluorine-doped SnO{sub 2} (FTO) conducting substrate, the FF and V{sub oc} are greatly improved and {eta} increases from 1.03% to 1.59% and 2.25%, respectively. According to the results of x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence, the significant improvements in the cell performances might be due to the suppression of the recombination and the decrease in the resistances existing in the cell.

Defect-induced ferromagnetism in semiconductors: A controllable approach by particle irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Shengqiang

2014-01-01

Making semiconductors ferromagnetic has been a long dream. One approach is to dope semiconductors with transition metals (TM). TM ions act as local moments and they couple with free carriers to develop collective magnetism. However, there are no fundamental reasons against the possibility of local moment formation from localized sp states. Recently, ferromagnetism was observed in nonmagnetically doped, but defective semiconductors or insulators including ZnO and TiO 2 . This kind of observation challenges the conventional understanding of ferromagnetism. Often the defect-induced ferromagnetism has been observed in samples prepared under non-optimized condition, i.e. by accident or by mistake. Therefore, in this field theory goes much ahead of experimental investigation. To understand the mechanism of the defect-induced ferromagnetism, one needs a better controlled method to create defects in the crystalline materials. As a nonequilibrium and reproducible approach of inducing defects, ion irradiation provides such a possibility. Energetic ions displace atoms from their equilibrium lattice sites, thus creating mainly vacancies, interstitials or antisites. The amount and the distribution of defects can be controlled by the ion fluence and energy. By ion irradiation, we have generated defect-induced ferromagnetism in ZnO, TiO 2 and SiC. In this short review, we also summarize some results by other groups using energetic ions to introduce defects, and thereby magnetism in various materials. Ion irradiation combined with proper characterizations of defects could allow us to clarify the local magnetic moments and the coupling mechanism in defective semiconductors. Otherwise we may have to build a new paradigm to understand the defect-induced ferromagnetism

Fundamental studies of desulfurization processes: reaction of methanethiol on ZnO and Cs/ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Dvorak, Joseph; Jirsak, Tomas; Rodriguez, José A.

2001-05-01

The reaction of methanethiol on ZnO and Cs promoted ZnO surfaces has been studied with synchrotron based photoemission and thermal desorption spectroscopy. On ZnO, methanethiol undergoes selective reaction to produce carbon monoxide (37-58%), methane (23-38%), formaldehyde (12-15%), ethane (1-11%), and a mixture of ethylene and acetylene (3-13%). At low temperatures (cleavage occurs to yield methyl intermediate and atomic S. Carbon is removed from the surface as gaseous products above 500 K, and atomic sulfur remains bound to the zinc sites of the surface. Submonolayer amounts of cesium do not have a significant promotional effect on C-S bond cleavage, whereas Cs multilayers are found to significantly lower the activation barrier for C-S bond cleavage. This study illustrates the chemistry associated with the desulfurization of thiols on a catalytically relevant oxide surface.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-05-09

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

Studies on antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles by ROS induced lipid peroxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, R K; Nenavathu, Bhavani P; Gangishetty, Mahesh K; Reddy, A V R

2012-06-01

Recent studies indicated the role of ROS toward antibacterial activity. In our study we report ROS mediated membrane lipid oxidation of Escherichia coli treated with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as supported by detection and spectrophotometric measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) by TBARS (thiobarbituric acid-reactive species) assay. The antibacterial effects of ZnO NPs were studied by measuring the growth curve of E. coli, which showed concentration dependent bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal effects of ZnO NPs. The antibacterial effects were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further, antibacterial effect of ZnO NPs was found to decrease by introducing histidine to the culture medium treated with ZnO NPs. The ROS scavenging action of histidine was confirmed by treating histidine to the batch of Escherichia coli+ZnO NPs at the end of the lag phase of the growth curve (Set-I) and during inoculation (Set-II). A moderate bacteriostatic effect (lag in the E. coli growth) was observed in Set-II batch while Set-I showed no bacteriostatic effect. From these evidences we confirmed that the antibacterial effect of bare as well as TG capped ZnO NPs were due to membrane lipid peroxidation caused by the ROS generated during ZnO NPs interaction in culture medium. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence eigenmodes in the ZnO semiconductor microcavity on the Ag/Si substrate

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Luo, X.; Wang, J.; Mao, H.; Remeš, Zdeněk; Král, Karel

2013-01-01

Roč. 112, č. 4 (2013), s. 821-825 ISSN 0947-8396 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LH12186 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : ZnO * photoluminescence * microcavity Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.694, year: 2013

Systematic approach on the fabrication of Co doped ZnO semiconducting nanoparticles by mixture of fuel approach for Antibacterial applications

Science.gov (United States)

Rajendar, V.; Dayakar, T.; Shobhan, K.; Srikanth, I.; Venkateswara Rao, K.

2014-11-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide band gap semiconductor (3.2 eV) with a high exciton binding energy (60 meV), where it has wide applications in advanced spintronic devices. The theoretical prediction of room temperature ferromagnetism and also antibacterial activity will be possible through the investigation of diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS), such as transition metal doped ZnO, especially Cobalt doped ZnO. The aim of the work is the synthesis of Cobalt (Co) doped ZnO nanopowders were prepared Zn1-xCoxO (0 ⩽ x ⩾ 0.09) nanopowders from Sol-Gel auto combustion method have been synthesized with precursors such as Zinc and Cobalt nitrates with the assistance Ammonium acetate & Urea as fuel by increasing the cobalt concentration in zinc oxide and their structural, morphological, optical, Thermal, magnetic and antibacterial properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Transmission Electron microscope (TEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and vibrating sample magneto meter (VSM). From the antibacterial studies, against gram positive Bacillus subtilis bacteria is most abundant bacteria in soil and indoor atmosphere, which affects the stored spintronic devices so that the devices should be made with antibacterial activity of DMS like Co doped ZnO. In this article is found that ZnO:Co nanopowders with higher Co doping level (0.07 and 0.09 wt%) exhibit good antibacterial efficiency. The magnetization curves obtained using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) show a sign of strong room temperature ferromagnetic behavior when the Co doping level is 0.05 wt% and a weak room temperature ferromagnetic behavior Co doping level is below 0.07 wt%, and also they found to exhibit antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic properties, when the Co doping levels are 0.07 and 0.09 wt%, respectively, to enhance and increase the special magnetic and antibacterial property for

Anisotropy-based crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor material

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney Allen; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

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

Spin-relaxation time in the impurity band of wurtzite semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Tamborenea, Pablo I.; Wellens, Thomas; Weinmann, Dietmar; Jalabert, Rodolfo A.

2017-09-01

The spin-relaxation time for electrons in the impurity band of semiconductors with wurtzite crystal structure is determined. The effective Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction Hamiltonian is taken as the source of the spin relaxation at low temperature and for doping densities corresponding to the metallic side of the metal-insulator transition. The spin-flip hopping matrix elements between impurity states are calculated and used to set up a tight-binding Hamiltonian that incorporates the symmetries of wurtzite semiconductors. The spin-relaxation time is obtained from a semiclassical model of spin diffusion, as well as from a microscopic self-consistent diagrammatic theory of spin and charge diffusion in doped semiconductors. Estimates are provided for particularly important materials. The theoretical spin-relaxation times compare favorably with the corresponding low-temperature measurements in GaN and ZnO. For InN and AlN we predict that tuning of the spin-orbit coupling constant induced by an external potential leads to a potentially dramatic increase of the spin-relaxation time related to the mechanism under study.

Investigation of Structural, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of ZnO Codoped with Co and Cd

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lubna Mustafa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Co and Cd have been codoped in ZnO using a simple solid state reaction technique to synthesize dilute magnetic oxide semiconductors of composition Zn0.9Co0.1−xCdxO (x = 0.0-0.1 with an increment of 0.02. Hexagonal wurtzite structure has been obtained for samples up to x = 0.06, using X-ray diffractometry. However, at x = 0.08 and 0.1, secondary peak of CdO is observed. Raman spectra of the samples have been obtained in 200–800 cm−1 range. UV-VIS spectrophotometer is used to study the optical properties, which shows that band gap energy decreases with the increase in Cd concentration. A weak ferromagnetic behavior was evident which decreased further by adding Cd in the series. Room temperature resistivity measurements performed using four-point probe technique showed that their values lie in the semiconductor range. Structural morphology of the samples has been investigated by a scanning electron microscope and grain size has been determined. Raman spectra and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the successful incorporation of Co and Cd ions into the host ZnO lattice.

Nanostructured porous ZnO film with enhanced photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lina; Zheng Yingying; Li Xiaoyun; Dong Wenjun; Tang Weihua; Chen Benyong; Li Chaorong; Li Xiao; Zhang Tierui

2011-01-01

Well-defined ZnO nanostructured films have been fabricated directly on Zn foil via hydrothermal synthesis. During the fabrication of the ZnO nanostructured films, the Zn foil serves as the Zn source and also the substrate. Porous nanosheet-based, nanotube-based and nanoflower-based ZnO films can all be easily prepared by adjusting the alkali type, reaction time and reaction temperature. The composition, morphology and structure of ZnO films are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The porous ZnO nanosheet-based film exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV light irradiation. This can be attributed to the high surface area of the ZnO nanosheet and the large percentage of the exposed [001] facet. Moreover, the self-supporting, recyclable and stable ZnO photocatalytic film can be readily recovered and potentially applied for pollution disposal.

Surface state modulation through wet chemical treatment as a route to controlling the electrical properties of ZnO nanowire arrays investigated with XPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lord, Alex M.; Maffeis, Thierry G.; Allen, Martin W.; Morgan, David; Davies, Philip R.; Jones, Daniel R.; Evans, Jonathan E.; Smith, Nathan A.; Wilks, Steve P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Direct measurement of the surface band bending exhibited by ZnO nanowires using monochromatic XPS. • Modulation of the surface depletion region using wet chemical treatment (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ). • The measured surface potential barrier agrees with electrical measurements of individual nanowires. • H 2 O 2 depletes the nanowire of charge carriers while EtOH donates electrons at the surface. • EtOH has the effect of restoring the surface potential barrier of oxidised nanowires. - Abstract: ZnO is a wide bandgap semiconductor that has many potential applications including solar cell electrodes, transparent thin film transistors and gas/biological sensors. Since the surfaces of ZnO materials have no amorphous or oxidised layers, they are very environmentally sensitive, making control of their semiconductor properties challenging. In particular, the electronic properties of ZnO nanostructures are dominated by surface effects while surface conduction layers have been observed in thin films and bulk crystals. Therefore, the ability to use the ZnO materials in a controlled way depends on the development of simple techniques to modulate their surface electronic properties. Here, we use monochromatic x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the use of different wet chemical treatments (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ) to control the electronic properties of ZnO nanowires by modulating the surface depletion region. The valence band and core level XPS spectra are used to explore the relationship between the surface chemistry of the nanowires and the surface band bending

Metrology-based control and profitability in the semiconductor industry

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Charles

2001-06-01

This paper summarizes three studies of the semiconductor industry conducted at SEMATECH and MIT's Sloan School of Management. In conjunction they lead to the conclusion that rapid problem solving is an essential component of profitability in the semiconductor industry, and that metrology-based control is instrumental to rapid problem solving. The studies also identify the need for defect attribution. Once a source of a defect has been identified, the appropriate resources--human and technological--need to be brought into the physically optimal location for corrective action. The Internet is likely to enable effective defect attribution by inducing collaboration between different companies.

Experimental study on structural, optoelectronic and room temperature sensing performance of Nickel doped ZnO based ethanol sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Sudha, M.; Radha, S.; Kirubaveni, S.; Kiruthika, R.; Govindaraj, R.; Santhosh, N.

2018-04-01

Nano crystalline undoped (1Z) Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and 5, 10 and 15 Wt. % (1ZN, 2ZN and 3ZN) of Nickel doped ZnO based sensors were fabricated using the hydrothermal approach on Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) glass substrates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis proved the hexagonal Wurtzite structure of ZnO. Parametric variations in terms of dislocation density, bond length, lattice parameters and micro strain with respect to dopant concentration were analysed. The prominent variations in the crystallite size, optical band gap and Photoluminescence peak ratio of devices fabricated was observed. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) images showed a change in diameter and density of the nanorods. The effect of the operating temperature, concentration of ethanol and the different doping levels of sensitivity, response and recovery time were investigated. It was inferred that 376% of sensitivity with a very quick response and recovery time of <5 s and 10 s respectively at 150 °C of 3ZN sensor has better performance compared to other three sensors. Also 3ZN sensor showed improved sensitivity of 114%, even at room temperature with response and recovery time of 35 s and 45 s respectively.

Integrated ZnO nanotube arrays as efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xi, Y., E-mail: yxi6@cqu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0245 (United States); Wu, W.Z.; Fang, H. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0245 (United States); Hu, C.G. [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China)

2012-07-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tuning the reaction parameters, we got the best reaction conditions on ITO glass. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Introduce ZnO NTs design of photoanode featuring high aspect ratio structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The design strategy integrates the optical fibers or ITO with ZnO NTs grown. - Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide band gap semiconducting material and has been considered as an alternative material in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. A high-performance nanotube (NT) photoanode must have a large surface area for dye adsorption in order to enhance conversion efficiency. In this work, the way of hydrothermally grown ZnO NT arrays on the indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate is presented by utilizing a systematic study. By adjusting the hydrothermal reaction parameters, we attained the optimizing reaction conditions on the ITO substrate. Moreover, ZnO NT arrays are introduced as a photoanode on various substrates, such as optical fiber and ITO glass, for DSSCs applications. We took the contrast test with conversion efficiency of the DSSC based on ZnO NT arrays versus ZnO nanowire arrays on the ITO substrate, which the DSSC based on ZnO NT arrays shows significantly enhanced power conversion efficiency. Furthermore, the conversion efficiency of DSSC based on the ZnO NT arrays grown on an optical fiber substrate is enhanced up to 1.44%.

Magneto-optical and transport studies of ZnO-based dilute magnetic semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behan, A.J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Neal, J.R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: J.R.Neal@Sheffield.ac.uk; Ibrahim, R.M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Mokhtari, A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Ziese, M. [Universitaet Leipzig, Fakultaet fuer Physik und Geowissenschaften, Abteilung Supra leitung und Magnetismus, Linnestrasse 5, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Blythe, H.J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Fox, A.M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Gehring, G.A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom)

2007-03-15

Thin film samples of ZnO doped with V were grown on sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The magnetization was measured by SQUID magnetometry and the films were found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature. The transmission, Faraday rotation and magnetic circular dichroism were measured as a function of frequency at room temperature over an energy range of 1.5-4.0 eV and carrier concentrations were determined from Hall effect measurements. Clear magneto-optical signals that are ferromagnetic in origin were observed at the ZnO band edge and the optimal conditions for observing large ferromagnetic magneto-optic signals are discussed.

Inkjet-Printed Organic Transistors Based on Organic Semiconductor/Insulating Polymer Blends.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Yoon-Jung; Park, Yeong Don; Lee, Wi Hyoung

2016-08-02

Recent advances in inkjet-printed organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are reviewed in this article. Organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are attractive ink candidates for enhancing the jetting properties, inducing uniform film morphologies, and/or controlling crystallization behaviors of organic semiconductors. Representative studies using soluble acene/insulating polymer blends as an inkjet-printed active layer in OFETs are introduced with special attention paid to the phase separation characteristics of such blended films. In addition, inkjet-printed semiconducting/insulating polymer blends for fabricating high performance printed OFETs are reviewed.

Spectrometer based on the silicon semiconductor detectors for a study of the two charged particles correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krumsztein, Z.W.; Siemiarczuk, T.; Szawlowski, M.

1974-01-01

The spectrometer based on the silicon semiconductor detectors for a study of the correlation between two charged particles is described. The results of the time resolution and particles identification measurements are presented. The tests were performed in the proton beam of the JINR synchrocyclotron. (author)

ZnO Nanorods Based Enzymatic Biosensor for Selective Determination of Penicillin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magnus Willander

2011-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, we have successfully demonstrated the fabrication of a biosensor based on well aligned single-crystal zinc oxide (ZnO nanorods which were grown on gold coated glass substrate using a low temperature aqueous chemical growth (ACG method. The ZnO nanorods were immobilized with penicillinase enzyme using the physical adsorption approach in combination with N-5-azido-2-nitrobenzoyloxysuccinimide (ANB-NOS as cross linking molecules. The potentiometric response of the sensor configuration revealed good linearity over a large logarithmic concentration range from 100 µM to 100 mM. During the investigations, the proposed sensor showed a good stability with high sensitivity of ~121 mV/decade for sensing of penicillin. A quick electrochemical response of less than 5 s with a good selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility and a negligible response to common interferents such as Na1+, K1+, d-glucose, l-glucose, ascorbic acid, uric acid, urea, sucrose, lactose, glycine, penicilloic acid and cephalosporins, was observed.

ZnO Nanorods Based Enzymatic Biosensor for Selective Determination of Penicillin.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Ali, Syed Muhammad Usman; Khun, Kimleang; Chey, Chan Oeurn; Nur, Omer; Willander, Magnus

2011-10-27

In this study, we have successfully demonstrated the fabrication of a biosensor based on well aligned single-crystal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods which were grown on gold coated glass substrate using a low temperature aqueous chemical growth (ACG) method. The ZnO nanorods were immobilized with penicillinase enzyme using the physical adsorption approach in combination with N-5-azido-2-nitrobenzoyloxysuccinimide (ANB-NOS) as cross linking molecules. The potentiometric response of the sensor configuration revealed good linearity over a large logarithmic concentration range from 100 µM to 100 mM. During the investigations, the proposed sensor showed a good stability with high sensitivity of ~121 mV/decade for sensing of penicillin. A quick electrochemical response of less than 5 s with a good selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility and a negligible response to common interferents such as Na1+, K1+, d-glucose, l-glucose, ascorbic acid, uric acid, urea, sucrose, lactose, glycine, penicilloic acid and cephalosporins, was observed.

Ultra violet sensors based on nanostructured ZnO spheres in network of nanowires: a novel approach

OpenAIRE

Hullavarad, SS; Hullavarad, NV; Karulkar, PC; Luykx, A; Valdivia, P

2007-01-01

AbstractThe ZnO nanostructures consisting of micro spheres in a network of nano wires were synthesized by direct vapor phase method. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy measurements were carried out to understand the chemical nature of the sample. ZnO nanostructures exhibited band edge luminescence at 383 nm. The nanostructure based ZnO thin films were used to fabricate UV sensors. The photoresponse measurements were carried out and the responsivity was measured to be 50 mA W−1. The rise a...

Nano-structural properties of ZnO films for Si based heterojunction solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Breivik, T.H. [University of Oslo, Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo (Norway)], E-mail: t.h.breivik@fys.uio.no; Diplas, S. [University of Oslo, Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo (Norway); University of Oslo, Center for Material Science and Nanotechnology, P.O. Box 1126, Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo (Norway); Ulyashin, A.G. [Section for Renewable Energy, Institute for Energy Technology, P.O. Box 40, NO-2027 Kjeller (Norway); Gunnaes, A.E. [University of Oslo, Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo (Norway); Olaisen, B.R.; Wright, D.N.; Holt, A. [Section for Renewable Energy, Institute for Energy Technology, P.O. Box 40, NO-2027 Kjeller (Norway); Olsen, A. [University of Oslo, Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo (Norway)

2007-10-15

Properties and structure of ZnO and ZnO:Al films deposited on c-Si, a-Si:H/Si and glass substrates are studied by various methods. The transmittance of the ZnO:Al was found to be higher when compared to ZnO, and the refractive index lower. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that the screening efficiency in the presence of core holes is enhanced in the Al doped ZnO. The roughness of the ZnO:Al surfaces is strongly substrate dependent. With transmission electron microscopy (TEM) a 2-3 nm thick amorphous interfacial layer was observed independently of substrate and doping. Deposition of ZnO on a-Si:H substrate results in crystallization of the a-Si:H layer independently of Al doping.

Nano-structural properties of ZnO films for Si based heterojunction solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breivik, T.H.; Diplas, S.; Ulyashin, A.G.; Gunnaes, A.E.; Olaisen, B.R.; Wright, D.N.; Holt, A.; Olsen, A.

2007-01-01

Properties and structure of ZnO and ZnO:Al films deposited on c-Si, a-Si:H/Si and glass substrates are studied by various methods. The transmittance of the ZnO:Al was found to be higher when compared to ZnO, and the refractive index lower. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that the screening efficiency in the presence of core holes is enhanced in the Al doped ZnO. The roughness of the ZnO:Al surfaces is strongly substrate dependent. With transmission electron microscopy (TEM) a 2-3 nm thick amorphous interfacial layer was observed independently of substrate and doping. Deposition of ZnO on a-Si:H substrate results in crystallization of the a-Si:H layer independently of Al doping

Defect induced d{sup 0} ferromagnetism in a ZnO grain boundary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assa Aravindh, Sasikala Devi; Schwingenschloegl, Udo; Roqan, Iman S, E-mail: iman.roqan@kaust.edu.sa [Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 2955-6900 (Saudi Arabia)

2015-12-14

Several experimental studies have referred to the grain boundary (GB) defect as the origin of ferromagnetism in zinc oxide (ZnO). However, the mechanism of this hypothesis has never been confirmed. Present study investigates the atomic structure and the effect of point defects in a ZnO GB using the generalized gradient approximation+U approximation. The relaxed GB possesses large periodicity and channels with 8 and 10 numbered atoms having 4 and 3 fold coordination. The Zn vacancy (V{sub Zn}) shows a tendency to be attracted to the GB, relative to the bulk-like region. Although no magnetization is obtained from point defect-free GB, V{sub Zn} induces spin polarization as large as 0.68 μ{sub B}/atom to the O sites at the GB. Ferromagnetic exchange energy >150 eV is obtained by increasing the concentration of V{sub Zn} and by the injection of holes into the system. Electronic structure analysis indicates that the spin polarization without external dopants originates from the O 2p orbitals, a common feature of d{sup 0} semiconductors.

High-dose V+ implantation in ZnO thin film structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vyatkin, A.F.; Zinenko, V.I.; Agaphonov, Yu.A.; Pustovit, A.N.; Roshchupkin, D.V.; Reuss, F.; Kirchner, C.; Kling, R.; Waag, A.

2005-01-01

In the last two decades, diluted magnetic semiconductors have attracted great attention as promising materials for spintronics applications. [K. Sato, H. Katyama-Yoshida, Jpn. J. Phys., Part 2 39 (2000) L555] theoretically predicted that ZnO doped with V, Cr, Fe, Co, and Ni can be ferromagnetic. This has been recently confirmed experimentally for vanadium doped ZnO films which were grown on sapphire substrates, using laser deposition technique [H. Saeki, H.N. Tabata, T. Kawai, Solid State Commun. 120 (2001) 439]. In the present work, high-dose vanadium implantation was used to produce Zn 1-x V x O (x ∼ 0.10) thin film structures (250 nm thick) that had been epitaxially grown on sapphire substrates. Implantation with the dose 2 x 10 16 cm -2 was performed to reach a maximum vanadium concentration of 10 at%. To avoid ZnO film amorphization due to radiation damage accumulation [S.O. Kucheyev, J.S. Williams, C. Jagadish, J. Zou, C. Evans, A.J. Nelson, A.V. Hamza, Phys. Rev. B 67 (2003) 094115], all implants were done at elevated temperatures 300 and 400 deg. C and ion current density 10 μA/cm 2 . X-ray diffraction, SIMS and photoluminescence techniques were exploited to study the implanted samples. No luminescence was observed in the implanted samples after implantation procedures. However, annealing at 800 deg. C for 30 min gave rise to ZnO crystal structure improvement. This implies that healing of implantation induced defects is possible even after heavy-ion bombardment. As a result, the photoluminescence peak at 3.359 eV related to the donorbound exiton was detected

A third kind growth model of tetrapod: Rod-based single crystal ZnO tetrapod nanostructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, J.F.; Huang, H.B.; Wang, Z.Q.; Zhao, X.N.; Yang, S.G.; Yu Zhongzhen

2008-01-01

In this paper, rod-based ZnO tetrapods were successfully synthesized by burning Zn particles in air covered with two firebricks. The products show hexagonal wurtzite phase. The microstructures of the tetrapod were studied carefully by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), SAED and HRTEM. The results show that tetrapod has single crystalline phase with one broader nanorod growing along [0 0 0 1] direction, three triangular nanosheets, growing out of the three trisection planes along [101-bar0] direction, and three epitaxial nanowires, growing from each tip of the triangular nanosheets. Based on the experimental results, a rod-based growth model was proposed to interpret its growth mechanism. Room temperature photoluminescence spectrum reveals that the ZnO tetrapods have ultra violet (UV) emission band (389 nm) and a green emission band (517 nm)

Blood plasma separation in ZnO nanoflowers-supported paper based microfluidic for glucose sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Muhimmah, Luthviyah Choirotul; Roekmono, Hadi, Harsono; Yuwono, Rio Akbar; Wahyuono, Ruri Agung

2018-04-01

Blood plasma separation is essential to analyze and quantify the bio-substances in the human blood and hence, allows for diagnosing various diseases. This paper presents the two layer paper-based microfluidic analytical devices coated with ZnO nanoflowers (ZnO NF-µPAD) for a rapid blood plasma separation and glucose sensing. Plasma separation in ZnO NF-µPAD was evaluated experimentally and numerically using computational fluid dynamics package for a flow over porous networks. Glucose detection was carried out using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) measurements. The glucose concentrations in the red blood samples investigated here vary in the range of 150 - 310 mg.dl-1. The plasma separation process on ZnO NF-μPAD requires 240 ± 93 s. The spectroscopic data reveals that the IR absorptions and Raman signals at the typical vibrational frequencies of glucose are increasing at higher glucose concentration. After subtraction from absorption background arising from ZnO NF and the paper, linearly increasing IR absorption (913 and 1349 cm-1) and Raman signals (1346 and 1461 cm-1) are observable with a relatively good sensitivity.

Voids, nanochannels and formation of nanotubes with mobile Sn fillings in Sn doped ZnO nanorods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortega, Y; Dieker, Ch; Jaeger, W; Piqueras, J; Fernandez, P

2010-01-01

ZnO nanorods containing different hollow structures have been grown by a thermal evaporation-deposition method with a mixture of ZnS and SnO 2 powders as precursor. Transmission electron microscopy shows rods with rows of voids as well as rods with empty channels along the growth axis. The presence of Sn nanoprecipitates associated with the empty regions indicates, in addition, that these are generated by diffusion processes during growth, probably due to an inhomogeneous distribution of Sn. The mechanism of forming voids and precipitates appears to be based on diffusion processes similar to the Kirkendall effect, which can lead to void formation at interfaces of bulk materials or in core-shell nanostructures. In some cases the nanorods are ZnO tubes partially filled with Sn that has been found to melt and expand by heating the nanotubes under the microscope electron beam. Such metal-semiconductor nanostructures have potential applications as thermal nanosensors or as electrical nanocomponents.

Tutorial: Junction spectroscopy techniques and deep-level defects in semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Peaker, A. R.; Markevich, V. P.; Coutinho, J.

2018-04-01

The term junction spectroscopy embraces a wide range of techniques used to explore the properties of semiconductor materials and semiconductor devices. In this tutorial review, we describe the most widely used junction spectroscopy approaches for characterizing deep-level defects in semiconductors and present some of the early work on which the principles of today's methodology are based. We outline ab-initio calculations of defect properties and give examples of how density functional theory in conjunction with formation energy and marker methods can be used to guide the interpretation of experimental results. We review recombination, generation, and trapping of charge carriers associated with defects. We consider thermally driven emission and capture and describe the techniques of Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS), high resolution Laplace DLTS, admittance spectroscopy, and scanning DLTS. For the study of minority carrier related processes and wide gap materials, we consider Minority Carrier Transient Spectroscopy (MCTS), Optical DLTS, and deep level optical transient spectroscopy together with some of their many variants. Capacitance, current, and conductance measurements enable carrier exchange processes associated with the defects to be detected. We explain how these methods are used in order to understand the behaviour of point defects and the determination of charge states and negative-U (Hubbard correlation energy) behaviour. We provide, or reference, examples from a wide range of materials including Si, SiGe, GaAs, GaP, GaN, InGaN, InAlN, and ZnO.

Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; AlSalhi, Mohamad S; Atif, Muhammad; Ansari, Anees A; Willander, Magnus

2013-09-30

In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices.

Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anees A. Ansari

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices.

ZnO Nanostructures for Tissue Engineering Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Laurenti

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This review focuses on the most recent applications of zinc oxide (ZnO nanostructures for tissue engineering. ZnO is one of the most investigated metal oxides, thanks to its multifunctional properties coupled with the ease of preparing various morphologies, such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanoparticles. Most ZnO applications are based on its semiconducting, catalytic and piezoelectric properties. However, several works have highlighted that ZnO nanostructures may successfully promote the growth, proliferation and differentiation of several cell lines, in combination with the rise of promising antibacterial activities. In particular, osteogenesis and angiogenesis have been effectively demonstrated in numerous cases. Such peculiarities have been observed both for pure nanostructured ZnO scaffolds as well as for three-dimensional ZnO-based hybrid composite scaffolds, fabricated by additive manufacturing technologies. Therefore, all these findings suggest that ZnO nanostructures represent a powerful tool in promoting the acceleration of diverse biological processes, finally leading to the formation of new living tissue useful for organ repair.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of C-doped TiO2 and ZnO hybrid nanostructured materials as quantum-dots sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Rangel-Mendez, Jose R.; Matos, Juan; Cházaro-Ruiz, Luis F.; González-Castillo, Ana C.; Barrios-Yáñez, Guillermo

2018-03-01

The microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis of C-doped TiO2 and ZnO hybrid materials was performed. Saccharose, titanium isopropoxide and zinc acetate were used as organic and inorganic sources for the synthesis. The influence of temperature and reaction time on the textural and optoelectronic properties of the hybrid materials was verified. Carbon quantum-dots of TiO2 and ZnO nanostructured spheres were obtained in a second pot by controlled calcination steps of the precursor hybrid materials. A carefully characterization by adsorption-desorption N2 isotherms, XRD, XPS, SEM, UV-vis/DR and electro- and photo-electrochemistry properties of the carbon quantum-dots TiO2 and ZnO spheres was performed. The photoelectrochemical activity of TiO2-C and ZnO-C films proved to be dependent on the conditions of synthesis. It was found a red-shift in the energy band gap of the semiconductors with values of 3.02 eV and 3.13 eV for the TiO2-C and ZnO-C, respectively, clearly lower than those on bare semiconductors, which is associated with the C-doping effect. From the photo-electrochemistry characterization of C-doped TiO2 and ZnO films can be concluded that the present materials have potential applications as photoelectrodes for quantum-dots sensitized solar cells.

Microwave assisted synthesis and characterisation of a zinc oxide/tobacco mosaic virus hybrid material. An active hybrid semiconductor in a field-effect transistor device

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shawn Sanctis

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV has been employed as a robust functional template for the fabrication of a TMV/zinc oxide field effect transistor (FET. A microwave based approach, under mild conditions was employed to synthesize stable zinc oxide (ZnO nanoparticles, employing a molecular precursor. Insightful studies of the decomposition of the precursor were done using NMR spectroscopy and material characterization of the hybrid material derived from the decomposition was achieved using dynamic light scattering (DLS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, grazing incidence X-ray diffractometry (GI-XRD and atomic force microscopy (AFM. TEM and DLS data confirm the formation of crystalline ZnO nanoparticles tethered on top of the virus template. GI-XRD investigations exhibit an orientated nature of the deposited ZnO film along the c-axis. FET devices fabricated using the zinc oxide mineralized virus template material demonstrates an operational transistor performance which was achieved without any high-temperature post-processing steps. Moreover, a further improvement in FET performance was observed by adjusting an optimal layer thickness of the deposited ZnO on top of the TMV. Such a bio-inorganic nanocomposite semiconductor material accessible using a mild and straightforward microwave processing technique could open up new future avenues within the field of bio-electronics.

Surfactant-assisted carbon doping in ZnO nanowires using Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amanullah, Malik; Javed, Qurat-ul-Ain, E-mail: Quratulain@sns.nust.edu.pk; Rizwan, Syed

2016-09-01

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) provides unique properties owing to its wide bandgap, large resistivity range and possibility to tune the physical properties. The surfactant assisted carbon doping was made possible due to the lowering of surface energy. The ZnO and carbon doped ZnO (C-ZnO) nanowires fabricated by hydrothermal process, Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG) is used as surfactant in hydrothermal synthesis followed by post growth annealing treatment at 600 °C–700 °C. At 5%–10% of diluted PEG carbon is doped in ZnO. The crystallinity, structural morphology and elemental composition analysis for ZnO and C-ZnO nanowires were carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques respectively. Carbon doping in ZnO nanowires in the presence of different percentage of surfactant is explained by calculating the change in surface energy with respect to change in PEG molecule concentration. It was found that the surface energy per molecule modulates from 3.92 × 10{sup −8} J/m{sup 2} to 8.16 × 10{sup −7} J/m{sup 2} in the PEG concentration range between 5% and 10%. Our results provides a new theoretical calculations, implemented on real system, to observe the details of PEG-assisted Carbon doping in II-VI semiconductor nanowires. - Highlights: • ZnO and C-ZnO was synthesized by PEG assisted post growth annealing process. • At 5% and 10% of PEG successful synthesis of C-ZnO was found. • XRD, SEM and EDX characterizations confirm the successful synthesis of ZnO and C-ZnO. • Change in surface energy with respect to PEG molecule concentration was calculated.

Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanus cajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manjunath, K.; Ravishankar, T.N. [Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain University, Jakkasandra, Kanakapura Talluk (India); Kumar, Dhanith [Department of Chemistry, B.M.S. Instsitute of Technology, Yelahanka, Bangalore (India); Priyanka, K.P; Varghese, Thomas [Nanoscience Research Centre, Department of Physics, Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, Kerala (India); Naika, H.Raja [Department of Studies and Research in Environmental Science, Tumkur University, Tumkur (India); Nagabhushana, H. [CNR Rao Center for Advanced Materials, Tumkur University, Tumkur (India); Sharma, S.C. [Chattisgarh Swami Vivekananda Technical University, Bhilai (India); Dupont, J. [Institute of Chemistry, Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis, UFRGS, Porto Alegre (Brazil); Ramakrishnappa, T. [Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain University, Jakkasandra, Kanakapura Talluk (India); Nagaraju, G., E-mail: nagarajugn@rediffmail.com [Department of Chemistry, B.M.S. Instsitute of Technology, Yelahanka, Bangalore (India)

2014-09-15

Graphical abstract: Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanuscajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications.Zinc oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a combustible fuel for the first time. The as-prepared product shows good photocatalytic, dielectric, antibacterial, electrochemical properties. - Highlights: • ZnO Nps were synthesized via combustion method using pigeon pea as a fuel. • The structure of the product was confirmed by XRD technique. • The morphology was confirmed by SEM and TEM images. • The as-prepared product shown good photocatalytic activity, dielectric property. • It has also shown good antibacterial and electrochemical properties. - Abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Nps) were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a fuel for the first time. X-Ray diffraction pattern reveals that the product belongs to hexagonal system. FTIR spectrum of ZnO Nps shows the band at 420 cm{sup −1} associated with the characteristic vibration of Zn–O. TEM images show that the nanoparticles are found to be ∼40–80 nm. Furthermore, the as-prepared ZnO Nps exhibits good photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB), indicating that they are indeed a promising photocatalytic semiconductor. The antibacterial properties of ZnO nanopowders were investigated by their bactericidal activity against four bacterial strains.

Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanus cajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manjunath, K.; Ravishankar, T.N.; Kumar, Dhanith; Priyanka, K.P; Varghese, Thomas; Naika, H.Raja; Nagabhushana, H.; Sharma, S.C.; Dupont, J.; Ramakrishnappa, T.; Nagaraju, G.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanuscajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications.Zinc oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a combustible fuel for the first time. The as-prepared product shows good photocatalytic, dielectric, antibacterial, electrochemical properties. - Highlights: • ZnO Nps were synthesized via combustion method using pigeon pea as a fuel. • The structure of the product was confirmed by XRD technique. • The morphology was confirmed by SEM and TEM images. • The as-prepared product shown good photocatalytic activity, dielectric property. • It has also shown good antibacterial and electrochemical properties. - Abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Nps) were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a fuel for the first time. X-Ray diffraction pattern reveals that the product belongs to hexagonal system. FTIR spectrum of ZnO Nps shows the band at 420 cm −1 associated with the characteristic vibration of Zn–O. TEM images show that the nanoparticles are found to be ∼40–80 nm. Furthermore, the as-prepared ZnO Nps exhibits good photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB), indicating that they are indeed a promising photocatalytic semiconductor. The antibacterial properties of ZnO nanopowders were investigated by their bactericidal activity against four bacterial strains

A simplified approach to the band gap correction of defect formation energies: Al, Ga, and In-doped ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Saniz, R.; Xu, Y.; Matsubara, M.; Amini, M. N.; Dixit, H.; Lamoen, D.; Partoens, B.

2013-01-01

The calculation of defect levels in semiconductors within a density functional theory approach suffers greatly from the band gap problem. We propose a band gap correction scheme that is based on the separation of energy differences in electron addition and relaxation energies. We show that it can predict defect levels with a reasonable accuracy, particularly in the case of defects with conduction band character, and yet is simple and computationally economical. We apply this method to ZnO doped with group III elements (Al, Ga, In). As expected from experiment, the results indicate that Zn substitutional doping is preferred over interstitial doping in Al, Ga, and In-doped ZnO, under both zinc-rich and oxygen-rich conditions. Further, all three dopants act as shallow donors, with the +1 charge state having the most advantageous formation energy. Also, doping effects on the electronic structure of ZnO are sufficiently mild so as to affect little the fundamental band gap and lowest conduction bands dispersion, which secures their n-type transparent conducting behavior. A comparison with the extrapolation method based on LDA+U calculations and with the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof hybrid functional (HSE) shows the reliability of the proposed scheme in predicting the thermodynamic transition levels in shallow donor systems.

Superior photocatalytic, electrocatalytic, and self-cleaning applications of Fly ash supported ZnO nanorods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thirumalai, Kuppulingam; Balachandran, Subramanian [Department of Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, 608 002, Tamil Nadu (India); Swaminathan, Meenakshisundaram, E-mail: chemres50@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, 608 002, Tamil Nadu (India); Nanomaterials Laboratory, International Research Centre, Kalasalingam Universty, Krihnankoil, 626126 (India)

2016-11-01

Ever growing research on modified semiconductor oxides made a significant progress in catalytic functional materials. In this article, we report the modification of ZnO photocatalyst by a simple hydrothermal decomposition method utilizing the cheaply available industrial waste fly ash. This modified Fly ash-ZnO photocatalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The XRD pattern indicates the presence of fly ash components and the hexagonal wurtzite structured ZnO. TEM images reveal well defined nanorod like structure. Reduction of photoluminescence intensity of Fly ash-ZnO at 418 nm, when compared to, prepared ZnO, indicates the suppression of recombination of the photogenerated electron–hole pair by loaded Fly ash on ZnO. Fly ash-ZnO exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of azo dyes Reactive Orange 4, Rhodamine-B and Trypan Blue. This catalyst shows higher electrocatalytic activity than ZnO in the oxidation of methanol. Significant hydrophobicity of Fly ash-ZnO reveals its self cleaning property. - Highlights: • The degradation efficiency of Fly ash-ZnO under UV and Solar irradiation is greater than prepared ZnO and TiO{sub 2}‒P25. • Electrocatalytic activity of Fly ash-ZnO exhibits enhanced current production by methanol oxidation. • Fly ash-ZnO shows the high hydrophobicity than ZnO, it can be used as a self cleaning material for industrial applications.

Hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain functional polythiophenes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Fan; Du, Yanhui; Chen, Yiwang

2012-01-01

We report the investigation of the hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on the blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain thiol functional poly(3-thiophenehexanethiol) (P3HT-SH). Grafting of P3HT-SH onto ZnO nanoparticles can promote the dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles within P3HT matrix and facilitate electron injection process into ZnO nanoparticles, resulting in a more efficient photoinduced charge transfer than that in simple physical mixture of P3HT and non-modified ZnO nanoparticles (P3HT/ZnO). Furthermore, the performance of hybrid photovoltaic device based on P3HT/P3HT-SH-modified ZnO blend exhibits an improved device efficiency compared with P3HT/ZnO even before thermal treatment. After being annealed at 80 °C, the P3HT/P3HT-SH-modified ZnO device shows the power conversion efficiency as high as 0.68%, with the short-circuit current density of 1.89 mA/cm 2 , the open-circuit voltage of 0.599 V and a fill factor of 60.5% under AM 1.5 G illumination with 100 mW/cm 2 light intensity. - Highlights: ► Hybrid solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and modified ZnO nanoparticles ► ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain functional polythiophenes ► Uniform dispersion and intimate contact between polymers and nanoparticles ► Efficient charge transfer leading to the improvement of device efficiency

Improvement of Flame-made ZnO Nanoparticulate Thick Film Morphology for Ethanol Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sukon Phanichphant

2007-05-01

Full Text Available ZnO nanoparticles were produced by flame spray pyrolysis using zinc naphthenate as a precursor dissolved in toluene/acetonitrile (80/20 vol%. The particles properties were analyzed by XRD, BET. The ZnO particle size and morphology was observed by SEM and HR-TEM revealing spheroidal, hexagonal, and rod-like morphologies. The crystallite sizes of ZnO spheroidal and hexagonal particles ranged from 10-20 nm. ZnO nanorods were ranged from 10-20 nm in width and 20-50 nm in length. Sensing films were produced by mixing the nanoparticles into an organic paste composed of terpineol and ethyl cellulose as a vehicle binder. The paste was doctor-bladed onto Al2O3 substrates interdigitated with Au electrodes. The morphology of the sensing films was analyzed by optical microscopy and SEM analysis. Cracking of the sensing films during annealing process was improved by varying the heating conditions. The gas sensing of ethanol (25-250 ppm was studied at 400 °C in dry air containing SiC as the fluidized particles. The oxidation of ethanol on the surface of the semiconductor was confirmed by mass spectroscopy (MS. The effect of micro-cracks was quantitatively accounted for as a provider of extra exposed edges. The sensitivity decreased notably with increasing crack of sensing films. It can be observed that crack widths were reduced with decreasing heating rates. Crack-free of thick (5 μm ZnO films evidently showed higher sensor signal and faster response times (within seconds than cracked sensor. The sensor signal increased and the response time decreased with increasing ethanol concentration.

Spinel ferrite nanocrystals embedded inside ZnO: magnetic, electronic andmagneto-transport properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Shengqiang; Potzger, K.; Xu, Qingyu; Kuepper, K.; Talut, G.; Marko, D.; Mucklich, A.; Helm, M.; Fassbender, J.; Arenholz, E.; Schmidt, H.

2009-08-21

In this paper we show that spinel ferrite nanocrystals (NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}, and CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) can be texturally embedded inside a ZnO matrix by ion implantation and post-annealing. The two kinds of ferrites show different magnetic properties, e.g. coercivity and magnetization. Anomalous Hall effect and positive magnetoresistance have been observed. Our study suggests a ferrimagnet/semiconductor hybrid system for potential applications in magneto-electronics. This hybrid system can be tuned by selecting different transition metal ions (from Mn to Zn) to obtain various magnetic and electronic properties.

Optical Biosensors Based on Semiconductor Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raúl J. Martín-Palma

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The increasing availability of semiconductor-based nanostructures with novel and unique properties has sparked widespread interest in their use in the field of biosensing. The precise control over the size, shape and composition of these nanostructures leads to the accurate control of their physico-chemical properties and overall behavior. Furthermore, modifications can be made to the nanostructures to better suit their integration with biological systems, leading to such interesting properties as enhanced aqueous solubility, biocompatibility or bio-recognition. In the present work, the most significant applications of semiconductor nanostructures in the field of optical biosensing will be reviewed. In particular, the use of quantum dots as fluorescent bioprobes, which is the most widely used application, will be discussed. In addition, the use of some other nanometric structures in the field of biosensing, including porous semiconductors and photonic crystals, will be presented.

Insight about electrical properties of low-temperature solution-processed Al-doped ZnO nanoparticle based layers for TFT applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diallo, Abdou Karim; Gaceur, Meriem; Fall, Sadiara; Didane, Yahia; Ben Dkhil, Sadok; Margeat, Olivier, E-mail: margeat@cinam.univ-mrs.fr; Ackermann, Jörg; Videlot-Ackermann, Christine, E-mail: videlot@cinam.univ-mrs.fr

2016-12-15

Highlights: • Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoparticles. • Impact of dispersion state and solid state on electrical properties. • Extrinsic doping with Al for high conducting AZO nanoparticle based layers. • Low-temperature operating nanoparticulate AZO TFTs. - Abstract: Aluminium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled Al doping contents (AZO{sub x} with x = 0–0.8 at% of Al) were explored as new oxide semiconductor materials to study the impact of doping on both solution and solid states. Polycrystalline AZO{sub x} thin films were produced by spin-coating the dispersions following by a thermal post-treatment at low-temperature (80 °C or 150 °C). The coated AZO{sub x} films were employed as active layer in thin-film transistors. Morphology and microstructure were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The impact on the device performances (mobility, conductivity, charge carrier density) of Al-doping content together with the solution state was examined. Spin-coated films delivered an electron mobility up to 3 × 10{sup −2} cm{sup 2}/Vs for the highest Al-doping ratio AZO{sub 0.8}. Despite highly different morphologies, extrinsic doping with aluminium significantly increases the conductivity of low temperature solution-processed AZO{sub x} NPs series based layers by several orders of magnitude from AZO{sub 0} to AZO{sub 0.8}.

Inkjet-Printed Organic Transistors Based on Organic Semiconductor/Insulating Polymer Blends

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Yoon-Jung; Park, Yeong Don; Lee, Wi Hyoung

2016-01-01

Recent advances in inkjet-printed organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are reviewed in this article. Organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are attractive ink candidates for enhancing the jetting properties, inducing uniform film morphologies, and/or controlling crystallization behaviors of organic semiconductors. Representative studies using soluble acene/insulating polymer blends as an inkjet-printed active layer in OFETs are introduced with special attention paid to the phase separation characteristics of such blended films. In addition, inkjet-printed semiconducting/insulating polymer blends for fabricating high performance printed OFETs are reviewed. PMID:28773772

Enzymatic glucose sensor based on Au nanoparticle and plant-like ZnO film modified electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, Kun [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Alex, Saji [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Department of Chemistry, Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014 (India); Siegel, Gene [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Tiwari, Ashutosh, E-mail: tiwari@eng.utah.edu [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States)

2015-01-01

A novel electrochemical glucose sensor was developed by employing a composite film of plant-like Zinc oxide (ZnO) and chitosan stabilized spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on which Glucose oxidaze (GOx) was immobilized. The ZnO was deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass and the AuNPs of average diameter of 23 nm were loaded on ZnO as the second layer. The prepared ITO/ZnO/AuNPs/GOx bioelectrode exhibited a low value of Michaelis–Menten constant of 1.70 mM indicating a good bio-matrix for GOx. The studies of electrochemical properties of the electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that, the presence of AuNPs provides significant enhancement of the electron transfer rate during redox reactions. The linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) shows that the ITO/ZnO/AuNPs/GOx based sensor has a high sensitivity of 3.12 μA·mM{sup −1}·cm{sup −2} in the range of 50 mg/dL to 400 mg/dL glucose concentration. The results show promising application of the gold nanoparticle modified plant-like ZnO composite bioelectrode for electrochemical sensing of glucose.

Synchrotron radiation studies of inorganic-organic semiconductor interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, D.A.; Steiner, H.J.; Vearey-Roberts, A.R.; Bushell, A.; Cabailh, G.; O'Brien, S.; Wells, J.W.; McGovern, I.T.; Dhanak, V.R.; Kampen, T.U.; Zahn, D.R.T.; Batchelor, D.

2003-01-01

Organic semiconductors (polymers and small molecules) are widely used in electronic and optoelectronic technologies. Many devices are based on multilayer structures where interfaces play a central role in device performance and where inorganic semiconductor models are inadequate. Synchrotron radiation techniques such as photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and X-ray standing wave spectroscopy (XSW) provide a powerful means of probing the structural, electronic and chemical properties of these interfaces. The surface-specificity of these techniques allows key properties to be monitored as the heterostructure is fabricated. This methodology has been directed at the growth of hybrid organic-inorganic semiconductor interfaces involving copper phthalocyanine as the model organic material and InSb and GaAs as the model inorganic semiconductor substrates. Core level PES has revealed that these interfaces are abrupt and chemically inert due to the weak bonding between the molecules and the inorganic semiconductor. NEXAFS studies have shown that there is a preferred orientation of the molecules within the organic semiconductor layers. The valence band offsets for the heterojunctions have been directly measured using valence level PES and were found to be very different for copper phthalocyanine on InSb and GaAs (0.7 and -0.3 eV respectively) although an interface dipole is present in both cases

Key techniques for space-based solar pumped semiconductor lasers

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-12-01

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

High efficient ZnO nanowalnuts photocatalyst: A case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Feng [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang 157011 (China); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025 (China); Zhang, Siwen; Liu, Yang [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025 (China); Liu, Hongfeng [School of Basic Medical Sciences, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang 157011 (China); Qu, Fengyu [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025 (China); Cai, Xue, E-mail: xuecai@mail.sdu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang 157011 (China); Wu, Xiang, E-mail: wuxiang@hrbnu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025 (China)

2014-11-15

Highlights: • Walnut-like ZnO nanostructures are synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. • Morphologies and microstructures of the as-obtained ZnO products were investigated. • The photocatalytic results demonstrate that methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution can be degraded over 97% after 45 min under UV light irradiation. - Abstract: Walnut-like ZnO nanostructures are successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The photocatalytic properties of ZnO nanowalnuts are investigated by photodegradating several organic dyes, such as Congo red (CR), methyl orange (MO) and eosin red aqueous solutions under UV irradiation, respectively. The results demonstrate that methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution can be degraded over 97% after 45 min under UV light irradiation. In addition, eosin red and Congo red (CR) aqueous solution degradation experiments are also conducted in the same condition, respectively. It showed that ZnO nanowalnuts represent high photocatalytic activities with a degradation efficiency of 87% for CR with 115 min of irradiation and 97% for eosin red with 55 min of irradiation. The reported ZnO products may be promising candidates as the photocatalysts in waste water treatment.

High efficient ZnO nanowalnuts photocatalyst: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Feng; Zhang, Siwen; Liu, Yang; Liu, Hongfeng; Qu, Fengyu; Cai, Xue; Wu, Xiang

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Walnut-like ZnO nanostructures are synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. • Morphologies and microstructures of the as-obtained ZnO products were investigated. • The photocatalytic results demonstrate that methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution can be degraded over 97% after 45 min under UV light irradiation. - Abstract: Walnut-like ZnO nanostructures are successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The photocatalytic properties of ZnO nanowalnuts are investigated by photodegradating several organic dyes, such as Congo red (CR), methyl orange (MO) and eosin red aqueous solutions under UV irradiation, respectively. The results demonstrate that methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution can be degraded over 97% after 45 min under UV light irradiation. In addition, eosin red and Congo red (CR) aqueous solution degradation experiments are also conducted in the same condition, respectively. It showed that ZnO nanowalnuts represent high photocatalytic activities with a degradation efficiency of 87% for CR with 115 min of irradiation and 97% for eosin red with 55 min of irradiation. The reported ZnO products may be promising candidates as the photocatalysts in waste water treatment

Effect of Mg doping in ZnO buffer layer on ZnO thin film devices for electronic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Giri, Pushpa; Chakrabarti, P.

2016-05-01

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin films have been grown on p-silicon (Si) substrate using magnesium doped ZnO (Mg: ZnO) buffer layer by radio-frequency (RF) sputtering method. In this paper, we have optimized the concentration of Mg (0-5 atomic percent (at. %)) ZnO buffer layer to examine its effect on ZnO thin film based devices for electronic and optoelectronic applications. The crystalline nature, morphology and topography of the surface of the thin film have been characterized. The optical as well as electrical properties of the active ZnO film can be tailored by varying the concentration of Mg in the buffer layer. The crystallite size in the active ZnO thin film was found to increase with the Mg concentration in the buffer layer in the range of 0-3 at. % and subsequently decrease with increasing Mg atom concentration in the ZnO. The same was verified by the surface morphology and topography studies carried out with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic electron microscopy (AFM) respectively. The reflectance in the visible region was measured to be less than 80% and found to decrease with increase in Mg concentration from 0 to 3 at. % in the buffer region. The optical bandgap was initially found to increase from 3.02 eV to 3.74 eV by increasing the Mg content from 0 to 3 at. % but subsequently decreases and drops down to 3.43 eV for a concentration of 5 at. %. The study of an Au:Pd/ZnO Schottky diode reveals that for optimum doping of the buffer layer the device exhibits superior rectifying behavior. The barrier height, ideality factor, rectification ratio, reverse saturation current and series resistance of the Schottky diode were extracted from the measured current voltage (I-V) characteristics.

Site specific interaction between ZnO nanoparticles and tyrosine: A density functional theory study

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Satvinder; Singh, Janpreet; Singh, Baljinder; Singh, Gurinder; Kaura, Aman; Tripathi, S. K.

2018-05-01

First Principles Calculations have been performed on ZnO/Tyrosine atomic complex to study site specific interaction of Tyrosine and ZnO nanoparticles. Calculated results shows that -COOH group present in Tyrosine is energetically more favorable than -NH2 group. Interactions show ionic bonding between ZnO and Tyrosine. All the calculations have been performed under the Density Functional Theory (DFT) framework. Structural and electronic properties of (ZnO)3/Tyrosine complex have been studied. Gaussian basis set approach has been adopted for the calculations. A ring type most stable (ZnO)3 atomic cluster has been modeled, analyzed and used for the calculations.

Ultra violet sensors based on nanostructured ZnO spheres in network of nanowires: a novel approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luykx A

2007-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractThe ZnO nanostructures consisting of micro spheres in a network of nano wires were synthesized by direct vapor phase method. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy measurements were carried out to understand the chemical nature of the sample. ZnO nanostructures exhibited band edge luminescence at 383 nm. The nanostructure based ZnO thin films were used to fabricate UV sensors. The photoresponse measurements were carried out and the responsivity was measured to be 50 mA W−1. The rise and decay time measurements were also measured.

Evolution of the bonding mechanism of ZnO under isotropic compression: A first-principles study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, G.C.; Sun, L.Z.; Wang, J.B.; Zhong, X.L.; Zhou, Y.C.

2008-01-01

The electronic structure and the bonding mechanism of ZnO under isotropic pressure have been studied by using the full-potential linear augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within the density-functional theory (DFT) based on LDA+U exchange correlation (EXC) potential. We used the theory of Atoms in Molecules (AIM) method to analyze the change of the charge transfer and the bonding strength under isotropic pressure. The results of the theoretical analysis show that charge transfer between Zn and O atomic basins nearly linearly increases with the increasing pressure. Charge density along the Zn-O bond increases under the high pressure. The bonding strength and the ionicity of Zn-O bond also increase with the increasing pressure. The linear evolution process of the bonding mechanism under isotropic pressure was shown clearly in the present paper

Hydrogen Sensors Using Nitride-Based Semiconductor Diodes: The Role of Metal/Semiconductor Interfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshihiro Irokawa

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I review my recent results in investigating hydrogen sensors using nitride-based semiconductor diodes, focusing on the interaction mechanism of hydrogen with the devices. Firstly, effects of interfacial modification in the devices on hydrogen detection sensitivity are discussed. Surface defects of GaN under Schottky electrodes do not play a critical role in hydrogen sensing characteristics. However, dielectric layers inserted in metal/semiconductor interfaces are found to cause dramatic changes in hydrogen sensing performance, implying that chemical selectivity to hydrogen could be realized. The capacitance-voltage (C-V characteristics reveal that the work function change in the Schottky metal is not responsible mechanism for hydrogen sensitivity. The interface between the metal and the semiconductor plays a critical role in the interaction of hydrogen with semiconductor devises. Secondly, low-frequency C-V characterization is employed to investigate the interaction mechanism of hydrogen with diodes. As a result, it is suggested that the formation of a metal/semiconductor interfacial polarization could be attributed to hydrogen-related dipoles. In addition, using low-frequency C-V characterization leads to clear detection of 100 ppm hydrogen even at room temperature where it is hard to detect hydrogen by using conventional current-voltage (I-V characterization, suggesting that low-frequency C-V method would be effective in detecting very low hydrogen concentrations.

Nanostructured ZnO films: A study of molecular influence on transport properties by impedance spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sappia, Luciano D.; Trujillo, Matias R. [Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI San Miguel de Tucumán (Argentina); Laboratorio de Medios e Interfases (LAMEIN), Departamento de Bioingeniería, Fac. de Cs. Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Av. Independencia 1800, 4000 San Miguel de Tucumán (Argentina); Lorite, Israel [Division of Superconductivity and Magnetism, Institute for Experimental Physics II, University of Leipzig, Linnéstrasse 5, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Madrid, Rossana E., E-mail: rmadrid@herrera.unt.edu.ar [Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI San Miguel de Tucumán (Argentina); Laboratorio de Medios e Interfases (LAMEIN), Departamento de Bioingeniería, Fac. de Cs. Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Av. Independencia 1800, 4000 San Miguel de Tucumán (Argentina); Tirado, Monica [NanoProject and Laboratorio de Nanomateriales y Propiedades Dieléctricas, Departamento de Física, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Avenida Independencia 1800, Tucumán (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) (Argentina); and others

2015-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We study electrical transport in nanostructured ZnO films by impedance spectroscopy. • Bioaggregates on the surface produce strong changes in film transport properties. • This behavior is explained by modeling data with RC parallel circuits. • Electrical responses of ZnO films to aggregates are promising for biosensing. - Abstract: Nanomaterials based on ZnO have been used to build glucose sensors due to its high isoelectric point, which is important when a protein like Glucose Oxidase (GOx) is attached to a surface. It also creates a biologically friendly environment to preserve the activity of the enzyme. In this work we study the electrical transport properties of ZnO thin films (TFs) and single crystals (SC) in contact with different solutions by using impedance spectroscopy. We have found that the composition of the liquid, by means of the charge of the ions, produces strong changes in the transport properties of the TF. The enzyme GOx and phosphate buffer solutions have the major effect in the conduction through the films, which can be explained by the entrapment of carriers at the grain boundaries of the TFs. These results can help to design a new concept in glucose biosensing.

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)

Linear and nonlinear intraband optical properties of ZnO quantum dots embedded in SiO2 matrix

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepti Maikhuri

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In this work we investigate some optical properties of semiconductor ZnO spherical quantum dot embedded in an amorphous SiO2 dielectric matrix. Using the framework of effective mass approximation, we have studied intraband S-P, and P-D transitions in a singly charged spherical ZnO quantum dot. The optical properties are investigated in terms of the linear and nonlinear photoabsorption coefficient, the change in refractive index, and the third order nonlinear susceptibility and oscillator strengths. Using the parabolic confinement potential of electron in the dot these parameters are studied with the variation of the dot size, and the energy and intensity of incident radiation. The photoionization cross sections are also obtained for the different dot radii from the initial ground state of the dot. It is found that dot size, confinement potential, and incident radiation intensity affects intraband optical properties of the dot significantly.

A novel fabrication methodology for sulfur-doped ZnO nanorods as an active photoanode for improved water oxidation in visible-light regime

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, A.; Ahmed, M. I.; Adam, A.; Azad, A.-M.; Qamar, M.

2017-02-01

Incorporation of foreign moiety in the lattice of semiconductors significantly alters their optoelectronic behavior and opens a plethora of new applications. In this paper, we report the synthesis of sulfur-doped zinc oxide (S-doped ZnO) nanorods by reacting ZnO nanorods with diammonium sulfide in vapor phase. Microscopic investigation revealed that the morphological features, such as, the length (2-4 μm) and width (100-250 nm) of the original hexagonal ZnO nanorods remained intact post-sulfidation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the sulfide sample confirmed the incorporation of sulfur into ZnO lattice. The optical measurements suggested the extension of absorption threshold into visible region upon sulfidation. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) activities of pure and S-doped ZnO nanorods were compared for water oxidation in visible light (λ > 420 nm), which showed several-fold increment in the performance of S-doped ZnO sample; the observed amelioration in the PEC activity was rationalized in terms of preferred visible light absorption and low resistance of sulfide sample, as evidenced by optical and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Multi-analytical study of historical semiconductor pigments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caporosso, V.

2015-01-01

This work is focused on the study of semiconductor-based pigments, which substituted traditional pigments in the second half of the 19. century. Synthetic semiconductor pigments may be chemically unstable due to the presence of many impurities unintentionally introduced during manufacturing. The aim of this work is to provide an insight on the application of X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) for the analysis of these painting materials, including both Cd- and Zn-based pigments. Three different approaches have been followed: the semi-quantitative analysis of samples with similar elemental composition, the complementary use of XRF and Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of elemental and molecular composition and the synchrotron-based XRF and XANES for the detection of impurities. The synergetic combination of different techniques provides information useful for the definition of specific markers for future analysis of paint-samples with implications for the conservation and treatment of late 19. and early 20. century paintings.

Parameters Influencing the Growth of ZnO Nanowires as Efficient Low Temperature Flexible Perovskite-Based Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex Dymshits

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite has proved to be a superior material for photovoltaic solar cells. In this work we investigate the parameters influencing the growth of ZnO nanowires (NWs for use as an efficient low temperature photoanode in perovskite-based solar cells. The structure of the solar cell is FTO (SnO2:F-glass (or PET-ITO (In2O3·(SnO2 (ITO on, polyethylene terephthalate (PET/ZnAc seed layer/ZnO NWs/CH3NH3PbI3/Spiro-OMeTAD/Au. The influence of the growth rate and the diameter of the ZnO NWs on the photovoltaic performance were carefully studied. The ZnO NWs perovskite-based solar cell demonstrates impressive power conversion efficiency of 9.06% on a rigid substrate with current density over 21 mA/cm2. In addition, we successfully fabricated flexible perovskite solar cells while maintaining all fabrication processes at low temperature, achieving power conversion efficiency of 6.4% with excellent stability for over 75 bending cycles.

Defect studies in annealed ZnO by positron annihilation spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanyal, D; Roy, Tapatee Kundu; Chakrabarti, Mahuya; Dechoudhury, Siddhartha; Bhowmick, Debasis; Chakrabarti, Alok [Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, 1/AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064 (India)

2008-01-30

Coincidence Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation technique has been employed to identify the defects in thermally annealed 'as-received' ZnO and thermally annealed ball-milled nanocrystalline ZnO. Results indicate that a significant amount of oxygen vacancy has been created in ZnO due to annealing at about 500 deg. C and above. The results also indicate that the Zn vacancy created during the ball milling process can be easily removed by annealing the sample at about 500 deg. C and above. The defect characterization has also been correlated with the magnetic properties of ZnO.

Defect studies in annealed ZnO by positron annihilation spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanyal, D; Roy, Tapatee Kundu; Chakrabarti, Mahuya; Dechoudhury, Siddhartha; Bhowmick, Debasis; Chakrabarti, Alok

2008-01-01

Coincidence Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation technique has been employed to identify the defects in thermally annealed 'as-received' ZnO and thermally annealed ball-milled nanocrystalline ZnO. Results indicate that a significant amount of oxygen vacancy has been created in ZnO due to annealing at about 500 deg. C and above. The results also indicate that the Zn vacancy created during the ball milling process can be easily removed by annealing the sample at about 500 deg. C and above. The defect characterization has also been correlated with the magnetic properties of ZnO

Interface-defect-mediated photocatalysis of mesocrystalline ZnO assembly synthesized in-situ via a template-free hydrothermal approach

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Wang, Cuicui; Chen, Qifeng; Ren, Baosheng; Guan, Ruifang; Cao, Xiaofeng; Yang, Xiaopeng; Duan, Ran

2017-08-01

Both architecture construction and defects engineering of photocatalysts are highly vital in the photocatalytic activity. We report herein that the interface-defect-mediated photocatalytic activity of pompon-like ZnO (P-ZnO) mesocrystal photocatalyst synthesized via an aqueous approach, in the presence of sodium citrate without any other organic templates. The microstructure and defects of the diverse ZnO photocatalysts were examined with various techniques. The results indicated that the P-ZnO assemblies were composed of mesocrystal nanosheets exposed high energy (002) facet with high crystallinity. More importantly, the defects located at the interfaces among the nanocrystals in ZnO mesocrystals played an important role in the photocatalytic activity than that of interstitial zinc vacancies in bulk, which was confirmed by photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants, such as methylene blue (MB) and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP). The results showed that the P-ZnO exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than that of the nanosized ZnO (N-ZnO), which could be attributed to not only the unique mesocrystal structure and high energy (002) facet exposed, but also the defects located at interfaces among nanocrystals in ZnO mesocrystals. In addition, the formation mechanism of the P-ZnO was investigated via a time-dependent method. It was found that the formation of P-ZnO hierarchical architecture assembled with ZnO mesocrystals involved a nonclassical crystallization growth and Ostwald Ripening process. This study provides a perspective on the improvement in photocatalytic activity via adjusting the bulk and interface defects and construction of hierarchical architectures of semiconductors.

Single fiber UV detector based on hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanorods for wearable computing devices

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Tae Hoon; Han, Jeong In

2018-01-01

There has been increasing interest in zinc oxide (ZnO) based ultraviolet (UV) sensing devices over the last several decades owing to their diverse range of applications. ZnO has extraordinary properties, such as a wide band gap and high exciton binding energy, which make it a beneficial material for UV sensing device. Herein, we show a ZnO UV sensing device fabricated on a cylindrical Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) monofilament. The ZnO active layer was synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis and the Cu electrodes were deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Cu thin film was deposited uniformly on a single PET fiber by rotating it inside the sputtering chamber. Various characteristics were investigated by changing the concentration of the seed solution and the growth solution. The growth of ZnO nanorods was confirmed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) to see the surface state and structure, followed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Also, current-voltage (I-V) curves were obtained to measure photocurrent and conductance. Furthermore, falling response time, rising response time, and responsivity were calculated by analyzing current-time (I-t) curves.

Structural, morphological and electroluminescence studies of Zno:Co nanophosphor

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Anju; Vishwakarma, H. L.

2016-09-01

The nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO) doped with various concentrations of cobalt (Co) were synthesized by chemical precipitation method in the presence of capping agent polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The effect of doping concentration on structural and morphological properties has been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cell volume, bond length, texture coefficient, lattice constants and dislocation density are also studied. Here, we also compared the interplaner spacing and relative peak intensities from their standard values with different angles. Crystallite sizes have been calculated by Debye-Scherrer's formula whose values are decreasing with increase in cobalt content up to 3 %. It has been seen that the growth orientation of the prepared ZnO nanorods was (101). The XRD analysis also ensures that ZnO has a hexagonal (wurtzite) crystal structure. The electroluminescence (EL) cells were prepared by placing pure and cobalt-doped ZnO nanoparticles between ITO-coated conducting glass plate and aluminium foil. Alternating voltage of various frequencies was applied, and EL brightness at different voltages was measured and corresponding current was also recorded. The voltage dependence of electroluminescence (EL) brightness of the ZnO:Co shows exponential increase. The linear voltage-current characteristic indicates ohmic nature. The EL brightness at a particular voltage is found to increase by increasing Co doping, but for higher percentage of Co the EL brightness is reduced. It is also seen that Co does not influence the threshold voltage. The brightness is also affected by increasing the frequency of AC signal.

Photoelectrochemical water splitting under visible light over anti-photocorrosive In2O3-coupling ZnO nanorod arrays photoanode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Jinqiu; Nie, Mengyan; Sun, Kai; Li, Chunhu; Yu, Jianqiang

2015-01-01

In 2 O 3 quantum dots with a high crystallinity were deposited on the surface of ZnO nanorods through a chemistry bath method. The resulting In 2 O 3 -sensitizing ZnO nanorod arrays not only exhibited enhanced photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting under visible-light irradiation, but also possessed anti-photocorrosion property. The photo-induced charge-transfer property of In 2 O 3 could be improved greatly by coupling with ZnO. This observation demonstrated that the heterojunction at the interface between In 2 O 3 and ZnO could efficiently reduce the recombination of photo-induced electron–hole pairs and increase the lifetime of charge carriers and therefore enhance the photo-to-current efficiency of the In 2 O 3 –ZnO nanocrystalline arrays. It reveals that the heterojunction construction between two different semiconductors plays a very important role in determining the dynamic properties of their photogenerated charge carriers and their photo-to-current conversion efficiency

Semiconductors: A 21st Century Social Studies Topic.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunal, Cynthia

2000-01-01

Addresses the reasons for exploring semiconductor technology and organic semiconductors in schools for either middle school or secondary students in an interdisciplinary social studies and science environment. Provides background information on transistors and semiconductors. Offers three social studies lessons and related science lessons if an…

Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Performances of Pyridine Based Monomer and Polymer Capped ZnO Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Satbir; Raj, Tilak; Singh, Amarpal; Kaur, Navneet

2016-06-01

The present research work describes the comparative analysis and performance characteristics of 4-pyridine based monomer and polymer capped ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells. The N, N-dimethyl-N4-((pyridine-4yl)methylene) propaneamine (4,monomer) and polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base (5, polymer) dyes were synthesized through one step condensation reaction between 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde 1 and N, N-dimethylpropylamine 2/polyamine 3. Products obtained N, N-dimethyl-N4-((pyridine-4yl)methylene)propaneamine (4) and polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base (5) were purified and characterized using 1H, 13C NMR, mass, IR and CHN spectroscopy. Both the dyes 4 and 5 were further coated over ZnO nanoparticles and characterized using SEM, DLS and XRD analysis. Absorption profile and emission profile was monitored using fluorescence and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. A thick layer of these inbuilt dye linked ZnO nanoparticles of dyes (4) and (5) was pasted on one of the conductive side of ITO glass followed with a liquid electrolyte and counter electrode of the same conductive glass. Polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base polymer (5) decorated dye sensitized solar cell has shown better exciting photovoltaic properties in the form of short circuit current density (J(sc) = 6.3 mA/cm2), open circuit photo voltage (V(oc) = 0.7 V), fill factor (FF = 0.736) than monomer decorated dye sensitized solar cell. Polymer dye (5) based ZnO solar cell has shown a maximum solar power to electrical conversion efficiency of 3.25%, which is enhanced by 2.16% in case of monomer dye based ZnO solar cell under AM 1.5 sun illuminations.

Improvement in Performance of ZnO based DSC Prepared by Spraying Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rangga Winantyo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the effect of TiCl4 on the performance of ZnO based DSC. ZnO was used due to its stability against photo-corrosion  and  photochemical  properties  similar  to  TiO2.  Thin  films  of  nanocrystalline  ZnO  were  deposited  on transparent conducting oxide glass using spray  method. The ZnO  films  were treated using TiCl4. The cell’s efficiency was found to be 2.5% with TiCl4 post-treatment and 1.9% without TiCl4 post-treatment.

Removal of thorium (IV) ions from aqueous solution by a novel nanoporous ZnO: Isotherms, kinetic and thermodynamic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaynar, Ümit H; Ayvacıklı, Mehmet; Hiçsönmez, Ümran; Kaynar, Sermin Çam

2015-12-01

The adsorption of thorium (IV) from aqueous solutions onto a novel nanoporous ZnO particles prepared by microwave assisted combustion was studied using batch methods under different experimental conditions. The effect of contact time, solution pH, initial concentration and temperature on adsorption process was studied. The ability of this material to remove Th (IV) from aqueous solution was characterises by Langmuir, Freunlinch and Temkin adsorption isotherms. The adsorption percent and distribution coefficient for nanoporous ZnO powders in optimum conditions were 97% ± 1.02; 8080 L kg(-1)for Th (IV), respectively. Based on the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity of nanoporous ZnO for Th (IV) was found to be 1500 g kg(-1). Thermodynamic parameters were determined and discussed. The results indicated that nanoporous ZnO was suitable as sorbent material for recovery and adsorption of Th (IV) ions from aqueous solutions. The radioactive Th (VI) in surface water, sea water and waste waters from technologies producing nuclear fuels, mining (uranium and thorium) and laboratories working with radioactive materials (uranium and thorium) can be removed with this nanoporous ZnO. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Defect study in ZnO related structures-A multi-spectroscopic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ling, C.C.; Cheung, C.K.; Gu, Q.L.; Dai, X.M.; Xu, S.J.; Zhu, C.Y.; Luo, J.M.; Zhu, C.Y.; Tam, K.H.; Djurisic, A.B.; Beling, C.D.; Fung, S.; Lu, L.W.; Brauer, G.; Anwand, W.; Skorupa, W.; Ong, H.C.

2008-01-01

ZnO has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years because of its potential applications for fabricating optoelectronic devices. Using a multi-spectroscopic approach including positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we have studied the two observed phenomena from ZnO related structures. They namely included the H 2 O 2 pre-treatment induced ohmic to rectifying contact conversion on Au/n-ZnO contact and the p-type doping by nitrogen ion implantation. The aim of the studies was to offering comprehensive views as to how the defects influenced the structures electrical and optical properties of the structures. It was also shown that PAS measurement using the monoenergetic positron beam could offer valuable information of vacancy type defects in the vertical ZnO nanorod array structure

Defect study in ZnO related structures-A multi-spectroscopic approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ling, C.C. [Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong (China)], E-mail: ccling@hku.hk; Cheung, C.K.; Gu, Q.L.; Dai, X.M.; Xu, S.J.; Zhu, C.Y.; Luo, J.M.; Zhu, C.Y.; Tam, K.H.; Djurisic, A.B.; Beling, C.D.; Fung, S.; Lu, L.W. [Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong (China); Brauer, G.; Anwand, W.; Skorupa, W. [Institut fuer Ionenstrahlphysik und Materialforschung, Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Postfach 510119, D-01314 Dresden (Germany); Ong, H.C. [Department of Physics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong (China)

2008-10-31

ZnO has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years because of its potential applications for fabricating optoelectronic devices. Using a multi-spectroscopic approach including positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we have studied the two observed phenomena from ZnO related structures. They namely included the H{sub 2}O{sub 2} pre-treatment induced ohmic to rectifying contact conversion on Au/n-ZnO contact and the p-type doping by nitrogen ion implantation. The aim of the studies was to offering comprehensive views as to how the defects influenced the structures electrical and optical properties of the structures. It was also shown that PAS measurement using the monoenergetic positron beam could offer valuable information of vacancy type defects in the vertical ZnO nanorod array structure.

Defect study in ZnO related structures—A multi-spectroscopic approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, C. C.; Cheung, C. K.; Gu, Q. L.; Dai, X. M.; Xu, S. J.; Zhu, C. Y.; Luo, J. M.; Zhu, C. Y.; Tam, K. H.; Djurišić, A. B.; Beling, C. D.; Fung, S.; Lu, L. W.; Brauer, G.; Anwand, W.; Skorupa, W.; Ong, H. C.

2008-10-01

ZnO has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years because of its potential applications for fabricating optoelectronic devices. Using a multi-spectroscopic approach including positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we have studied the two observed phenomena from ZnO related structures. They namely included the H 2O 2 pre-treatment induced ohmic to rectifying contact conversion on Au/ n-ZnO contact and the p-type doping by nitrogen ion implantation. The aim of the studies was to offering comprehensive views as to how the defects influenced the structures electrical and optical properties of the structures. It was also shown that PAS measurement using the monoenergetic positron beam could offer valuable information of vacancy type defects in the vertical ZnO nanorod array structure.

Photoreactivity of ZnO nanoparticles in visible light: Effect of surface states on electron transfer reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baruah, Sunandan; Dutta, Joydeep; Sinha, Sudarson Sekhar; Ghosh, Barnali; Pal, Samir Kumar; Raychaudhuri, A. K.

2009-01-01

Wide band gap metal oxide semiconductors such as zinc oxide (ZnO) show visible band photolysis that has been employed, among others, to degrade harmful organic contaminants into harmless mineral acids. Metal oxides show enhanced photocatalytic activity with the increase in electronic defects in the crystallites. By introducing defects into the crystal lattice of ZnO nanoparticles, we observe a redshift in the optical absorption shifting from the ultraviolet region to the visible region (400-700 nm), which is due to the creation of intermediate defect states that inhibit the electron hole recombination process. The defects were introduced by fast nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles by rapid heating using microwave irradiation and subsequent quenching during the precipitation reaction. To elucidate the nature of the photodegradation process, picosecond resolved time correlated single photon count (TCSPC) spectroscopy was carried out to record the electronic transitions resulting from the de-excitation of the electrons to their stable states. Photodegradation and TCSPC studies showed that defect engineered ZnO nanoparticles obtained through fast crystallization during growth lead to a faster initial degradation rate of methylene blue as compared to the conventionally synthesized nanoparticles

The practice of problem-based investigative teaching reform in semiconductor physics course

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Aiping; Wu, Gaojian; Gu, Dawei; Jiang, Hongying; Wang, Lei

2017-08-01

Semiconductor physics is an important basic course for the students of the majors of applied physics, optoelectronics, and microelectronics. The authors have been carrying out investigative-teaching reform in semiconductor physics teaching. Firstly, the teaching content was re-structured based on scientific problems. Secondly, the students were placed in groups to discuss different scientific problems and to present a few short science-reports. Thirdly, micro-lesson videos were produced for the students to study and analyze before or after class. With comparative analysis, we find out that the semiconductor-physics curriculum content was greatly enriched. In addition, the students' learning motivation and scientific thinking ability increased, and their innovation ability was improved. Overall, the teaching quality of the semiconductor physics course could be significantly improved.

Explanation of ferromagnetism origin in C-doped ZnO by first principle calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Amiri, A.; Lassri, H.; Hlil, E.K.; Abid, M.

2015-01-01

By ab-initio calculations, we systematically study possible source of ferromagnetism C-doped ZnO compound. The electronic structure and magnetic properties of C-doped ZnO with / without ZnO host and C defects were investigated using the Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker (KKR) method combined with coherent potential approximation (CPA). We show that Zn vacancy and presence of C defects (substitutional, interstitial or combination of both) induce the ferromagnetism in C-doped ZnO. From density of state (DOS) analysis, we show that p–p interaction between C atoms and/or C and O atoms is the mechanism of ferromagnetic coupling in C-doped ZnO. - Highlights: • We study the effect of ZnO host and C defects on ferromagnetism in C-doped ZnO. • Details of KKR method calculations performed to investigate both magnetic and electronic structures. • Magnetic moments, total and partial DOS for C-doped ZnO are well calculated and discussed. • Based on DOS calculations we interpret a origin of ferromagnetism in C-doped ZnO. • Mechanism of ferromagnetic coupling is well proposed

Explanation of ferromagnetism origin in C-doped ZnO by first principle calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El Amiri, A., E-mail: aelamiri@casablanca.ma [Laboratoire de Physique Fondamentale et Appliquée (LPFA), Faculté des Sciences Ain Chock, Université Hassan II, B.P. 5366 Mâarif, Casablanca, Maroc (Morocco); Lassri, H. [Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux, Micro-électronique, Automatique et Thermique (LPMMAT). Faculté des Sciences Ain Chock, Université Hassan II, B.P. 5366 Mâarif, Casablanca, Maroc (Morocco); Hlil, E.K. [Institut Néel, CNRS et Université Joseph Fourier, BP 166, 38042 Grenoble (France); Abid, M. [Laboratoire de Physique Fondamentale et Appliquée (LPFA), Faculté des Sciences Ain Chock, Université Hassan II, B.P. 5366 Mâarif, Casablanca, Maroc (Morocco)

2015-01-15

By ab-initio calculations, we systematically study possible source of ferromagnetism C-doped ZnO compound. The electronic structure and magnetic properties of C-doped ZnO with / without ZnO host and C defects were investigated using the Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker (KKR) method combined with coherent potential approximation (CPA). We show that Zn vacancy and presence of C defects (substitutional, interstitial or combination of both) induce the ferromagnetism in C-doped ZnO. From density of state (DOS) analysis, we show that p–p interaction between C atoms and/or C and O atoms is the mechanism of ferromagnetic coupling in C-doped ZnO. - Highlights: • We study the effect of ZnO host and C defects on ferromagnetism in C-doped ZnO. • Details of KKR method calculations performed to investigate both magnetic and electronic structures. • Magnetic moments, total and partial DOS for C-doped ZnO are well calculated and discussed. • Based on DOS calculations we interpret a origin of ferromagnetism in C-doped ZnO. • Mechanism of ferromagnetic coupling is well proposed.

Efficient detection of total cholesterol using (ChEt–ChOx/ZnO/Pt/Si) bioelectrode based on ZnO matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batra, Neha; Sharma, Anjali; Tomar, Monika; Gupta, Vinay

2014-01-01

Present study highlights the importance of ZnO matrix prepared by vapour phase transport technique on platinum coated Si platform (ZnO/Pt/Si) as a potential matrix for the realization of highly sensitive and selective bioelectrode for detection of total cholesterol. Bienzymes cholesterol esterase (ChEt) and cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) have been immobilized onto the surface of ZnO thin film matrix by physical adsorption technique. The prepared bioelectrode (ChEt–ChOx/ZnO/Pt/Si) is utilized for detection of total cholesterol using the cyclic voltammetry technique. The bioelectrode (ChEt–ChOx/ZnO/Pt/Si) is found to exhibit efficient sensing response characteristics with high sensitivity of 190 μA mM −1 cm −2 ; good linearity in the range of 0.5–12 mM total cholesterol concentration, and a very low Michaelis–Menten constant of 0.68 mM which indicates high affinity of bienzymes immobilized on ZnO towards the analyte (total cholesterol). The enhanced response is attributed to the development of ZnO thin film based matrix having good electron transport property and nanoporous morphology for effective loading of enzymes with favourable orientation. - Highlights: • Fabrication of a ZnO nanostructured thin film based efficient matrix • Utilizing prepared matrix for detection of total cholesterol (free + esterified) • Cholesterol oxidase and cholesterol esterase are the corresponding selective enzymes. • Vapour phase transport technique, for the fabrication of nanostructured ZnO matrix • The bioelectrode exhibits enhanced response characteristics towards total cholesterol detection

Efficient detection of total cholesterol using (ChEt–ChOx/ZnO/Pt/Si) bioelectrode based on ZnO matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batra, Neha; Sharma, Anjali [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Tomar, Monika [Department of Physics, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Gupta, Vinay, E-mail: drguptavinay@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India)

2014-07-01

Present study highlights the importance of ZnO matrix prepared by vapour phase transport technique on platinum coated Si platform (ZnO/Pt/Si) as a potential matrix for the realization of highly sensitive and selective bioelectrode for detection of total cholesterol. Bienzymes cholesterol esterase (ChEt) and cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) have been immobilized onto the surface of ZnO thin film matrix by physical adsorption technique. The prepared bioelectrode (ChEt–ChOx/ZnO/Pt/Si) is utilized for detection of total cholesterol using the cyclic voltammetry technique. The bioelectrode (ChEt–ChOx/ZnO/Pt/Si) is found to exhibit efficient sensing response characteristics with high sensitivity of 190 μA mM{sup −1} cm{sup −2}; good linearity in the range of 0.5–12 mM total cholesterol concentration, and a very low Michaelis–Menten constant of 0.68 mM which indicates high affinity of bienzymes immobilized on ZnO towards the analyte (total cholesterol). The enhanced response is attributed to the development of ZnO thin film based matrix having good electron transport property and nanoporous morphology for effective loading of enzymes with favourable orientation. - Highlights: • Fabrication of a ZnO nanostructured thin film based efficient matrix • Utilizing prepared matrix for detection of total cholesterol (free + esterified) • Cholesterol oxidase and cholesterol esterase are the corresponding selective enzymes. • Vapour phase transport technique, for the fabrication of nanostructured ZnO matrix • The bioelectrode exhibits enhanced response characteristics towards total cholesterol detection.

Complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in ...

Science.gov (United States)

Here, we present evidence on complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, which are among the most heavily studied metal oxide particles, during 24 h in vitro toxicological testing with human T-lymphocytes. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy results revealed that Zn speciation profiles of 30 nm and 80 nm ZnO nanoparticles, and ZnSO4- exposed cells were almost identical with the prevailing species being Zn-cysteine. This suggests that ZnO nanoparticles are rapidly transformed during a standard in vitro toxicological assay, and are sequestered intracellularly, analogously to soluble Zn. Complete transformation of ZnO in the test conditions was further supported by almost identical Zn spectra in medium to which ZnO nanoparticles or ZnSO4 was added. Likewise, Cu XANES spectra for CuO and CuSO4-exposed cells and cell culture media were similar. These results together with our observation on similar toxicological profiles of ZnO and soluble Zn, and CuO and soluble Cu, underline the importance of dissolution and subsequent transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles during toxicological testing and provide evidence that the nano-specific effect of ZnO and CuO nanoparticulates is negligible in this system. We strongly suggest to account for this aspect when interpreting the toxicological results of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles. Although a number of studies have discussed the transformation of nanoparticles during

An efficient BTX sensor based on ZnO nanoflowers grown by CBD method

Science.gov (United States)

Acharyya, D.; Bhattacharyya, P.

2015-04-01

In this paper, sensing performance of ZnO nanoflower like structures derived by chemical bath deposition method (CBD), towards Benzene Toluene and Xylene (BTX) vapors is reported. Relatively higher bath temperature (110 °C) and high pH value (pH: 11) of solution escort to higher growth rate along [0 0 0 1] plane of ZnO, which eventually resulted in pointed edge nanorod based flower like structures after 3 h. After detailed structural characterizations (field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)), existence of different defect states (viz. oxygen vacancy (Vo), Zinc vacancy (VZn) and Zinc interstitials (Zni)) were authenticated by Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. BTX sensing performance, employing the nanoflowers as the sensing layer, was carried out in resistive mode with two Pd lateral electrodes. The sensor study was performed at different temperatures (150-350 °C) in the concentration range of 0.5-700 ppm of the respective vapors. The highest normalized resistance response (NRR%) was achieved at 200 °C. At this optimum temperature, normalized resistance responses (39.3/92.6%, 45.8/96.9%, and 47.8/99% respectively) were found to be promising towards 0.5/700 ppm of benzene, toluene and xylene. The response time of the sensor towards the target species were also found to be appreciably fast (15 s, 6 s, and 5 s) towards 700 ppm of benzene, toluene and xylene respectively. Detailed sensing mechanism for BTX with such flower like ZnO structures was explained with the help of interaction of band structures (of ZnO) with the corresponding highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the target species.

Enhanced ultraviolet photo-response in Dy doped ZnO thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Pawan; Singh, Ranveer; Pandey, Praveen C.

2018-02-01

In the present work, a Dy doped ZnO thin film deposited by the spin coating method has been studied for its potential application in a ZnO based UV detector. The investigations on the structural property and surface morphology of the thin film ensure that the prepared samples are crystalline and exhibit a hexagonal crystal structure of ZnO. A small change in crystallite size has been observed due to Dy doping in ZnO. AFM analysis ascertains the grain growth and smooth surface of the thin films. The Dy doped ZnO thin film exhibits a significant enhancement in UV region absorption as compared to the pure ZnO thin film, which suggests that Dy doped ZnO can be used as a UV detector. Under UV irradiation of wavelength 325 nm, the photocurrent value of Dy doped ZnO is 105.54 μA at 4.5 V, which is 31 times greater than that of the un-doped ZnO thin film (3.39 μA). The calculated value of responsivity is found to increase significantly due to the incorporation of Dy in the ZnO lattice. The observed higher value of photocurrent and responsivity could be attributed to the substitution of Dy in the ZnO lattice, which enhances the conductivity, electron mobility, and defects in ZnO and benefits the UV sensing property.

Simultaneous tuning of electric field intensity and structural properties of ZnO: Graphene nanostructures for FOSPR based nicotine sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabassum, Rana; Gupta, Banshi D

2017-05-15

We report theoretical and experimental realization of a SPR based fiber optic nicotine sensor having coatings of silver and graphene doped ZnO nanostructure onto the unclad core of the optical fiber. The volume fraction (f) of graphene in ZnO was optimized using simulation of electric field intensity. Four types of graphene doped ZnO nanostructures viz. nanocomposites, nanoflowers, nanotubes and nanofibers were prepared using optimized value of f. The morphology, photoluminescence (PL) spectra and UV-vis spectra of these nanostructures were studied. The peak PL intensity was found to be highest for ZnO: graphene nanofibers. The optimized value of f in ZnO: graphene nanofiber was reconfirmed using UV-vis spectroscopy. The experiments were performed on the fiber optic probe fabricated with Ag/ZnO: graphene layer and optimized parameters for in-situ detection of nicotine. The interaction of nicotine with ZnO: graphene nanostructures alters the dielectric function of ZnO: graphene nanostructure which is manifested in terms of shift in resonance wavelength. From the sensing signal, the performance parameters were measured including sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), stability, repeatability and selectivity. The real sample prepared using cigarette tobacco leaves and analyzed using the fabricated sensor makes it suitable for practical applications. The achieved values of LOD and LOQ are found to be unrivalled in comparison to the reported ones. The sensor possesses additional advantages such as, immunity to electromagnetic interference, low cost, capability of online monitoring, remote sensing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal Growth and Application of ZnO Nanowire Films with ZnO and TiO2Buffer Layers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang Chunhua

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper reports the effects of the seed layers prepared by spin-coating and dip-coating methods on the morphology and density of ZnO nanowire arrays, thus on the performance of ZnO nanowire-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. The nanowire films with the thick ZnO buffer layer (~0.8–1 μm thick can improve the open circuit voltage of the DSSCs through suppressing carrier recombination, however, and cause the decrease of dye loading absorbed on ZnO nanowires. In order to further investigate the effect of TiO2buffer layer on the performance of ZnO nanowire-based DSSCs, compared with the ZnO nanowire-based DSSCs without a compact TiO2buffer layer, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency and open circuit voltage of the ZnO DSSCs with the compact TiO2layer (~50 nm thick were improved by 3.9–12.5 and 2.4–41.7%, respectively. This can be attributed to the introduction of the compact TiO2layer prepared by sputtering method, which effectively suppressed carrier recombination occurring across both the film–electrolyte interface and the substrate–electrolyte interface.

Studies on the adsorption of RuN{sub 3} dye on sheet-like nanostructured porous ZnO films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Rong; Pan, Jie; Briggs, Evan P.; Thrash, Marvin; Kerr, Lei L. [Department of Paper and Chemical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056 (United States)

2008-04-15

The interface between the ZnO and dye directly impacts the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performance. Nanostructured porous ZnO film was developed by a simple chemical solution process. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images demonstrated the uniform ZnO films with sheet-like nanostructure. Adsorption studies indicated that the maximum adsorption capacity of RuN{sub 3} dye on the surface of ZnO films was approximately 0.016 mmol RuN{sub 3}/g ZnO films. Adsorption studies were conducted at 25 and 40 C. The results showed that the dye adsorption was significantly influenced by temperatures. Moreover, the problem of the dye aggregation on the ZnO surface was reduced at higher adsorption temperatures. The adsorption chemistry was studied with Raman spectroscopy. (author)

Luminescence of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in alcohols and biological application of ZnO passivated by MgO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sikora, Bożena; Fronc, Krzysztof; Kamińska, Izabela; Elbaum, Danek; Koper, Kamil; Stępień, Piotr

2013-01-01

This report presents the results of spectroscopic measurements of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in various alcohols. Luminescence of colloidal ZnO was monitored under different reaction conditions to elucidate the mechanism of the visible emission. We performed the process in different alcohols, temperatures and reaction times for two different reactants: water and NaOH. Based on the presented and previously published results it is apparent that the luminescence of the nanoparticles is influenced by several competing phenomena: the formation of new nucleation centers, the growth of the nanoparticles and surface passivation. Superimposed on the above effects is a size dependent luminescence alteration resulting from the quantum confinement. The study contributes to our understanding of the origin of ZnO nanoparticles’ green emission which is important in a rational design of fluorescent probes for nontoxic biological applications. The ZnO nanoparticles were coated with a magnesium oxide layer and introduced into a HeLa cancer cell. (paper)

Luminescence of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in alcohols and biological application of ZnO passivated by MgO.

Science.gov (United States)

Sikora, Bożena; Fronc, Krzysztof; Kamińska, Izabela; Koper, Kamil; Stępień, Piotr; Elbaum, Danek

2013-05-15

This report presents the results of spectroscopic measurements of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in various alcohols. Luminescence of colloidal ZnO was monitored under different reaction conditions to elucidate the mechanism of the visible emission. We performed the process in different alcohols, temperatures and reaction times for two different reactants: water and NaOH. Based on the presented and previously published results it is apparent that the luminescence of the nanoparticles is influenced by several competing phenomena: the formation of new nucleation centers, the growth of the nanoparticles and surface passivation. Superimposed on the above effects is a size dependent luminescence alteration resulting from the quantum confinement. The study contributes to our understanding of the origin of ZnO nanoparticles' green emission which is important in a rational design of fluorescent probes for nontoxic biological applications. The ZnO nanoparticles were coated with a magnesium oxide layer and introduced into a HeLa cancer cell.

Lewis Acid-Base Chemistry of 7-Azaisoindigo-Based Organic Semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Randell, Nicholas M; Fransishyn, Kyle M; Kelly, Timothy L

2017-07-26

Low-band-gap organic semiconductors are important in a variety of organic electronics applications, such as organic photovoltaic devices, photodetectors, and field effect transistors. Building on our previous work, which introduced 7-azaisoindigo as an electron-deficient building block for the synthesis of donor-acceptor organic semiconductors, we demonstrate how Lewis acids can be used to further tune the energies of the frontier molecular orbitals. Coordination of a Lewis acid to the pyridinic nitrogen of 7-azaisoindigo greatly diminishes the electron density in the azaisoindigo π-system, resulting in a substantial reduction in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy. This results in a smaller highest occupied molecular orbital-LUMO gap and shifts the lowest-energy electronic transition well into the near-infrared region. Both H + and BF 3 are shown to coordinate to azaisoindigo and affect the energy of the S 0 → S 1 transition. A combination of time-dependent density functional theory and UV/vis and 1 H NMR spectroscopic titrations reveal that when two azaisoindigo groups are present and high concentrations of acid are used, both pyridinic nitrogens bind Lewis acids. Importantly, we demonstrate that this acid-base chemistry can be carried out at the solid-vapor interface by exposing thin films of aza-substituted organic semiconductors to vapor-phase BF 3 ·Et 2 O. This suggests the possibility of using the BF 3 -bound 7-azaisoindigo-based semiconductors as n-type materials in various organic electronic applications.

Morphology engineering of ZnO nanostructures for high performance supercapacitors: enhanced electrochemistry of ZnO nanocones compared to ZnO nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiaoli; Yoo, Joung Eun; Lee, Min Ho; Bae, Joonho

2017-06-01

In this work, the morphology of ZnO nanostructures is engineered to demonstrate enhanced supercapacitor characteristics of ZnO nanocones (NCs) compared to ZnO nanowires (NWs). ZnO NCs are obtained by chemically etching ZnO NWs. Electrochemical characteristics of ZnO NCs and NWs are extensively investigated to demonstrate morphology dependent capacitive performance of one dimensional ZnO nanostructures. Cyclic voltammetry measurements on these two kinds of electrodes in a three-electrode cell confirms that ZnO NCs exhibit a high specific capacitance of 378.5 F g-1 at a scan rate of 20 mV s-1, which is almost twice that of ZnO NWs (191.5 F g-1). The charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements also clearly result in enhanced capacitive performance of NCs as evidenced by higher specific capacitances and lower internal resistance. Asymmetric supercapacitors are fabricated using activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode and ZnO NWs and NCs as positive electrodes. The ZnO NC⫽AC can deliver a maximum specific capacitance of 126 F g-1 at a current density of 1.33 A g-1 with an energy density of 25.2 W h kg-1 at the power density of 896.44 W kg-1. In contrast, ZnO NW⫽AC displays 63% of the capacitance obtained from the ZnO NC⫽AC supercapacitor. The enhanced performance of NCs is attributed to the higher surface area of ZnO nanostructures after the morphology is altered from NWs to NCs.

A study on morphology control and optical properties of ZnO nanorods synthesized by microwave heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, M.K.; Huang, C.C.; Lee, Y.C.; Yang, C.S.; Yu, H.C.; Lee, J.W.; Hu, S.Y.; Chen, C.H.

2012-01-01

In this study, we present morphology control investigations on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods synthesized by microwave heating of a mixture of zinc nitrate hexahydrate and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) precursors in deionized water (DI water). To study the morphology and structural variations of the obtained ZnO nanorods in different molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were measured. XRD and SEM images are utilized to examine the crystalline quality as well as the morphological properties of the ZnO nanorods. It is found that morphology control can be achieved by simply adjusting the reactant concentrations and the molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA. Raman scattering and PL spectroscopy measurements were demonstrated to study the size- and shape-dependent optical response of the ZnO nanorods. The Raman scattering result shows that the intensity of LO mode at around 576 cm -1 decreases with the increase in the molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA, indicating the reduction of defect concentrations in the synthesized ZnO nanorods. Room temperature PL spectrum of the synthesized ZnO nanorods reveals an ultraviolet (UV) emission peak and a broad visible emission. An enhancement of UV emission appears in the PL spectra as the molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA increases, indicating that the defect concentration of the synthesized ZnO nanorods can be reduced by increasing the molar ratio. - Highlights: → Morphology of ZnO nanorods can be controlled via microwave-heating synthesis. → Molar ratio of Zn(NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O to C 6 H 12 N 4 affects the aspect ratio of ZnO nanorod. → ZnO nanorod showing higher aspect ratio can exhibit better optical properties.

Defect studies in electron-irradiated ZnO and GaN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuomisto, F.; Look, D.C.; Farlow, G.C.

2007-01-01

We present experimental results obtained with positron annihilation spectroscopy in room-temperature electron-irradiated n-type ZnO and GaN. The cation vacancies act as important compensating centers in 2 MeV electron-irradiated samples, even though their introduction rates are different by 2 orders of magnitude. In addition, negatively charged non-open volume defects that also compensate the n-type conductivity are produced together with the cation vacancies at similar introduction rates. The low introduction rates of compensating defects in ZnO demonstrate the radiation hardness of the material. Isochronal thermal annealings were performed to study the dynamics of the irradiation-induced defects. In 2 MeV electron-irradiated ZnO, all the defects introduced in the irradiation disappear already at 600 K, while 1100 K is needed in GaN. Several separate annealing stages of the defects are observed in both materials, the first at 400 K

Defect studies in electron-irradiated ZnO and GaN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tuomisto, F. [Laboratory of Physics, Helsinki University of Technology, 02015 TKK Espoo (Finland)], E-mail: filip.tuomisto@tkk.fi; Look, D.C. [Semiconductor Research Center, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435 (United States); Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433 (United States); Farlow, G.C. [Physics Department, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435 (United States)

2007-12-15

We present experimental results obtained with positron annihilation spectroscopy in room-temperature electron-irradiated n-type ZnO and GaN. The cation vacancies act as important compensating centers in 2 MeV electron-irradiated samples, even though their introduction rates are different by 2 orders of magnitude. In addition, negatively charged non-open volume defects that also compensate the n-type conductivity are produced together with the cation vacancies at similar introduction rates. The low introduction rates of compensating defects in ZnO demonstrate the radiation hardness of the material. Isochronal thermal annealings were performed to study the dynamics of the irradiation-induced defects. In 2 MeV electron-irradiated ZnO, all the defects introduced in the irradiation disappear already at 600 K, while 1100 K is needed in GaN. Several separate annealing stages of the defects are observed in both materials, the first at 400 K.

Effects of Chromium Dopant on Ultraviolet Photoresponsivity of ZnO Nanorods

Science.gov (United States)

Mokhtari, S.; Safa, S.; Khayatian, A.; Azimirad, R.

2017-07-01

Structural and optical properties of bare ZnO nanorods, ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods, and Cr-doped ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods have been investigated. Encapsulated ZnO nanorods were grown using a simple two-stage method in which ZnO nanorods were first grown on a glass substrate directly from a hydrothermal bath, then encapsulated with a thin layer of Cr-doped ZnO by dip coating. Comparative study of x-ray diffraction patterns showed that Cr was successfully incorporated into the shell layer of ZnO nanorods. Moreover, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed presence of Cr in this sample. It was observed that the thickness of the shell layer around the core of the ZnO nanorods was at least about 20 nm. Transmission electron microscopy of bare ZnO nanorods revealed single-crystalline structure. Based on optical results, both the encapsulation process and addition of Cr dopant decreased the optical bandgap of the samples. Indeed, the optical bandgap values of Cr-doped ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods, ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods, and bare ZnO nanorods were 2.89 eV, 3.15 eV, and 3.34 eV, respectively. The ultraviolet (UV) parameters demonstrated that incorporation of Cr dopant into the shell layer of ZnO nanorods considerably facilitated formation and transportation of photogenerated carriers, optimizing their performance as a practical UV detector. As a result, the photocurrent of the Cr-doped ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods was the highest (0.6 mA), compared with ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods and bare ZnO nanorods (0.21 mA and 0.06 mA, respectively).

A detailed study on Sn4+ doped ZnO for enhanced photocatalytic degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Beura, Rosalin; Pachaiappan, R.; Thangadurai, P.

2018-03-01

The samples of Sn4+ doped (1, 5, 10, 15, 20 & 30%) ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by a low temperature hydrothermal method. Structural analysis by XRD and Raman spectroscopy showed the hexagonal wurtzite phase of ZnO and the formation of a secondary phase Zn2SnO4 beyond 10% doping of Sn4+. Microstructural analysis by TEM also confirmed the wurtzite ZnO with rod as well as particle like structure. Presence of various functional groups (sbnd OH, sbnd CH, Znsbnd O) were confirmed by FTIR. Optical properties were studied by UV-vis absorption, photoluminescence emission spectroscopies and lifetime measurement. Band gap of the undoped and Sn4+ doped ZnO were analyzed by Tauc plot and it was observed that the band gap of the materials had slightly decreased from 3.2 to 3.16 eV and again increased to 3.23 eV with respect to the increase in the doping concentration from 1 to 30%. A significant change was also noticed in the photoluminescence emission properties of ZnO i.e. increase in the intensity of NBE emission and decrease in DLE, on subject to Sn4+ doping. Average PL lifetime had increased from 29.45 ns for ZnO to 30.62 ns upon 1% Sn ion doping in ZnO. Electrical properties studied by solid state impedance spectroscopy showed that the conductivity had increased by one order of magnitude (from 7.48×10-8 to 2.21×10-7 S/cm) on Sn4+ doping. Photocatalytic experiments were performed on methyl orange (MO) as a model industrial dye under UV light irradiation for different irradiation times. The optimum Sn4+ content in order to achieve highest photocatalytic activity was found to be 1% Sn 4+ doping. The enhancement was achieved due to a decrease in the band gap favoring the generation of electron-hole pairs and the enhanced PL life time that delays the recombination of these charge carrier formation. The third reason was that the increased electrical conductivity that indicated the faster charge transfer in this material to enhance the photocatalytic activity. The Sn

Growth and characterization of ZnO nanowires for optical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlSalhi, M S; Atif, M; Ansari, A A; Khun, K; Ibupoto, Z H; Willander, M

2013-01-01

In the present work, cerium oxide CeO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel method and used for the growth of ZnO nanorods. The synthesized nanoparticles were studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were used as the seed layer for the growth of ZnO nanorods by following the hydrothermal growth method. The structural study of ZnO nanorods was carried out by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and XRD techniques. This study demonstrated that the grown ZnO nanorods are well aligned, uniform, of good crystal quality and have diameters of less than 200 nm. Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis revealed that the ZnO nanorods are composed only of zinc, cerium as the seed atom, and oxygen atoms, with no other impurities in the grown nanorods. Moreover, a photoluminescence (PL) approach was applied for the optical characterization, and it was observed that the near-band-edge (NBE) emission was the same as that of the zinc acetate seed layer, however the green and orange/red emission peaks were slightly raised due to possibly higher levels of defects in the cerium oxide seeded ZnO nanorods. This study provides an alternative approach for the controlled synthesis of ZnO nanorods using cerium oxide nanoparticles as the seed nucleation layer, improving both the morphology of the nanorods and the performance of devices based upon them. (paper)

Effective tuning of electron charge and spin distribution in a dot-ring nanostructure at the ZnO interface

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Tapash; Manaselyan, Aram; Barseghyan, Manuk

2018-05-01

Electronic states and the Aharonov-Bohm effect in ZnO quantum dot-ring nanostructures containing few interacting electrons reveal several unique features. We have shown here that in contrast to the dot-rings made of conventional semiconductors, such as InAs or GaAs, the dot-rings in ZnO heterojunctions demonstrate several unique characteristics due to the unusual properties of quantum dots and rings in ZnO. In particular the energy spectra of the ZnO dot-ring and the Aharnov-Bohm oscillations are strongly dependant on the electron number in the dot or in the ring. Therefore even small changes of the confinement potential, sizes of the dot-ring or the magnetic field can drastically change the energy spectra and the behavior of Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in the system. Due to this interesting phenomena it is possible to effectively control with high accuracy the electron charge and spin distribution inside the dot-ring structure. This controlling can be achieved either by changing the magnetic field or the confinement potentials.

Power generation from base excitation of a Kevlar composite beam with ZnO nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Malakooti, Mohammad H.; Hwang, Hyun-Sik; Sodano, Henry A.

2015-04-01

One-dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanotubes with piezoelectric properties have gained interest in the fabrication of small scale power harvesting systems. However, the practical applications of the nanoscale materials in structures with true mechanical strengths have not yet been demonstrated. In this paper, piezoelectric ZnO nanowires are integrated into the fiber reinforced polymer composites serving as an active phase to convert the induced strain energy from ambient vibration into electrical energy. Arrays of ZnO nanowires are grown vertically aligned on aramid fibers through a low-cost hydrothermal process. The modified fabrics with ZnO nanowires whiskers are then placed between two carbon fabrics as the top and the bottom electrodes. Finally, vacuum resin transfer molding technique is utilized to fabricate these multiscale composites. The fabricated composites are subjected to a base excitation using a shaker to generate charge due to the direct piezoelectric effect of ZnO nanowires. Measuring the generated potential difference between the two electrodes showed the energy harvesting application of these multiscale composites in addition to their superior mechanical properties. These results propose a new generation of power harvesting systems with enhanced mechanical properties.

Low-temperature processed ZnO and CdS photodetectors deposited by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Como, N; Moreno, S; Mejia, I; Quevedo-Lopez, M A

2014-01-01

UV-VIS photodetectors using an interdigital configuration, with zinc oxide (ZnO) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) semiconductors deposited by pulsed laser deposition, were fabricated with a maximum processing temperature of 100 °C. Without any further post-growth annealing, the photodetectors are compatible with flexible and transparent substrates. Aluminum (Al) and indium tin oxide (ITO) were investigated as contacts. Focusing on underwater communications, the impact of metal contact (ITO versus Al) was investigated to determine the maximum responsivity using a laser with a 405 nm wavelength. As expected, the responsivity increases for reduced metal finger separation. This is a consequence of reduced carrier transit time for shorter finger separation. For ITO, the highest responsivities for both films (ZnO and CdS) were ∼3 A W −1 at 5 V. On the other hand, for Al contacts, the maximum responsivities at 5 V were ∼0.1 A W −1 and 0.7 A W −1 for CdS and ZnO, respectively. (paper)

A layer-by-layer ZnO nanoparticle-PbS quantum dot self-assembly platform for ultrafast interfacial electron injection

KAUST Repository

Eita, Mohamed Samir

2014-08-28

Absorbent layers of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are now used as material platforms for low-cost, high-performance solar cells. The semiconductor metal oxide nanoparticles as an acceptor layer have become an integral part of the next generation solar cell. To achieve sufficient electron transfer and subsequently high conversion efficiency in these solar cells, however, energy-level alignment and interfacial contact between the donor and the acceptor units are needed. Here, the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique is used to assemble ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), providing adequate PbS QD uptake to achieve greater interfacial contact compared with traditional sputtering methods. Electron injection at the PbS QD and ZnO NP interface is investigated using broadband transient absorption spectroscopy with 120 femtosecond temporal resolution. The results indicate that electron injection from photoexcited PbS QDs to ZnO NPs occurs on a time scale of a few hundred femtoseconds. This observation is supported by the interfacial electronic-energy alignment between the donor and acceptor moieties. Finally, due to the combination of large interfacial contact and ultrafast electron injection, this proposed platform of assembled thin films holds promise for a variety of solar cell architectures and other settings that principally rely on interfacial contact, such as photocatalysis. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Sputter deposited gallium doped ZnO for TCO applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dietrich, Marc; Kronenberger, Achim; Polity, Angelika; Meyer, Bruno [I. Physikalisches Institut, Justus Liebig Universitaet Giessen (Germany); Blaesing, Juergen; Krost, Alois [FNW/IEP/AHE, Otto-von-Guericke Universitaet Magdeburg (Germany)

2010-07-01

Transparent conducting oxides to be used for flat panel or display applications should exhibit low electrical resistivity in line with a high optical transmission in the visible spectral range. Today indium-tin-oxide is the material which meets these requirements best. However, the limited availability of indium makes it useful to search for alternatives and ZnO doped with group III elements are promising candidates. While the Al doping in high concentrations causes problems due to the formation of insulating Al-oxides, Gallium related oxides are typically n-type conducting wide band gap semiconductors. Therefore we deposited Gallium doped ZnO thin films on quartz and sapphire substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering with a ZnO/Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}(3at%) composite target. The substrate temperature and the oxygen flow during the sputtering process were varied to optimise the layer properties. Introducing oxygen to the sputtering gas allowed to vary the resistivity of the films by three orders of magnitude from about 1 {omega}cm down to less than 1 m{omega}cm.

Low Temperature Hydrothermal Growth of ZnO Nanorod Films for Schottky Diode Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Shaivalini; Park, Si-Hyun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research is to report on the fabrication and characterizations of Pd/ZnO nanorod-based Schottky diodes for optoelectronic applications. ZnO nanorods (NRs) were grown on silicon (Si) substrates by a two step hydrothermal method. In the first step, a seed layer of pure ZnO was deposited from a solution of zinc acetate and ethyl alcohol, and then in the second step, the main growth of the ZnO NRs was done over the seed layer. The structural morphology and optical properties of the ZnO NR films were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The electrical characterization of the Pd/ZnO NR contacts was studied using a current-voltage (I-V) tool. The ZnO NR films exhibited a wurtzite ZnO structure,and the average length of the ZnO NRs were in the range of 750 nm to 800 nm. The values of ideality factor, turn-on voltage and reverse saturation current were calculated from the I-V characteristics of Pd/ZnO NR-based Schottky diodes. The study demonstrates that Pd/ZnO NR Schottky contacts fabricated by a simple and inexpensive method can be used as a substitute for conventional Schottky diodes for optoelectronic applications.

Unraveling the resistive switching effect in ZnO/0.5Ba(Zr{sub 0.2}Ti{sub 0.8})O{sub 3}-0.5(Ba{sub 0.7}Ca{sub 0.3})TiO{sub 3} heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, J.P.B., E-mail: josesilva@fisica.uminho.pt [Centre of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); IFIMUP and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Departamento de Física e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Vorokhta, M.; Dvořák, F. [Department of Surface and Plasma Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 18000 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Sekhar, K.C. [Centre of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Department of Physics, School of Basic and Applied Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur 610 101 (India); Matolín, V. [Department of Surface and Plasma Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 18000 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Moreira, J. Agostinho [IFIMUP and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Departamento de Física e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Pereira, M.; Gomes, M.J.M. [Centre of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal)

2017-04-01

Highlights: • ZnO/0.5BZT-0.5BCT heterostructures exhibited resistive switching (RS) ratio ≥ 10 4. • Effect of oxygen pressure used in the deposition of ZnO on RS ratio is highlighted. • Determination of the Band alignment in ZnO/0.5BZT-0.5BCT heterojunctions from XPS. • Resistive Switching is explained based on charge coupling effect. - Abstract: This work reports the effect of partial oxygen pressure, used in the deposition of the ZnO layer, on the band alignment at ZnO – 0.5Ba(Zr{sub 0.2}Ti{sub 0.8})O{sub 3}-0.5(Ba{sub 0.7}Ca{sub 0.3})TiO{sub 3} (0.5BZT-0.5BCT) interface and on the resistive switching (RS) behavior of pulsed laser deposited ZnO/0.5BZT-0.5BCT heterostructures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been employed to measure the valence band offset and the conduction band offset of the ZnO/0.5BZT-0.5BCT heterojunctions. The valence and conduction band offsets of the ZnO/0.5BZT-0.5BCT heterostucture with ZnO deposited at 10{sup −2} mbar of partial oxygen pressure were found to be 0.27 and 0.80 eV, respectively. The RS effect in heterostructures is explained on the base of the charge coupling between the switchable polarization of ferroelectric layer and the non-switchable polarization of semiconductor layer. The heterostructure with ZnO deposited at 10{sup −2} mbar of partial oxygen pressure displays optimum RS characteristics, with a switching ratio ≥ 10{sup 4} and excellent retention and endurance characteristics. The optimum RS characteristics are attributed to a good interface quality with enough carrier concentration in ZnO, as evidenced by XPS.

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.

Hydrothermal Growth of Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Biocomposite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Khun, Kimleang; Eriksson, Martin; AlSalhi, Mohammad; Atif, Muhammad; Ansari, Anees; Willander, Magnus

2013-08-19

Well aligned ZnO nanorods have been prepared by a low temperature aqueous chemical growth method, using a biocomposite seed layer of ZnO nanoparticles prepared in starch and cellulose bio polymers. The effect of different concentrations of biocomposite seed layer on the alignment of ZnO nanorods has been investigated. ZnO nanorods grown on a gold-coated glass substrate have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) techniques. These techniques have shown that the ZnO nanorods are well aligned and perpendicular to the substrate, and grown with a high density and uniformity on the substrate. Moreover, ZnO nanorods can be grown with an orientation along the c -axis of the substrate and exhibit a wurtzite crystal structure with a dominant (002) peak in an XRD spectrum and possessed a high crystal quality. A photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy study of the ZnO nanorods has revealed a conventional near band edge ultraviolet emission, along with emission in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum due to defect emission. This study provides an alternative method for the fabrication of well aligned ZnO nanorods. This method can be helpful in improving the performance of devices where alignment plays a significant role.

Hydrothermal Growth of Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Biocomposite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zafar Hussain Ibupoto

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Well aligned ZnO nanorods have been prepared by a low temperature aqueous chemical growth method, using a biocomposite seed layer of ZnO nanoparticles prepared in starch and cellulose bio polymers. The effect of different concentrations of biocomposite seed layer on the alignment of ZnO nanorods has been investigated. ZnO nanorods grown on a gold-coated glass substrate have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM techniques. These techniques have shown that the ZnO nanorods are well aligned and perpendicular to the substrate, and grown with a high density and uniformity on the substrate. Moreover, ZnO nanorods can be grown with an orientation along the c-axis of the substrate and exhibit a wurtzite crystal structure with a dominant (002 peak in an XRD spectrum and possessed a high crystal quality. A photoluminescence (PL spectroscopy study of the ZnO nanorods has revealed a conventional near band edge ultraviolet emission, along with emission in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum due to defect emission. This study provides an alternative method for the fabrication of well aligned ZnO nanorods. This method can be helpful in improving the performance of devices where alignment plays a significant role.

Reducing ZnO nanoparticles toxicity through silica coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sing Ling Chia

2016-10-01

Full Text Available ZnO NPs have good antimicrobial activity that can be utilized as agents to prevent harmful microorganism growth in food. However, the use of ZnO NPs as food additive is limited by the perceived high toxicity of ZnO NPs in many earlier toxicity studies. In this study, surface modification by silica coating was used to reduce the toxicity of ZnO NPs by significantly reducing the dissolution of the core ZnO NPs. To more accurately recapitulate the scenario of ingested ZnO NPs, we tested our as synthesized ZnO NPs in ingestion fluids (synthetic saliva and synthetic gastric juice to determine the possible forms of ZnO NPs in digestive system before exposing the products to colorectal cell lines. The results showed that silica coating is highly effective in reducing toxicity of ZnO NPs through prevention of the dissociation of ZnO NPs to zinc ions in both neutral and acidic condition. The silica coating however did not alter the desired antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs to E. coli and S. aureus. Thus, silica coating offered a potential solution to improve the biocompatibility of ZnO NPs for applications such as antimicrobial agent in foods or food related products like food packaging. Nevertheless, caution remains that high concentration of silica coated ZnO NPs can still induce undesirable cytotoxicity to mammalian gut cells. This study indicated that upstream safer-by-design philosophy in nanotechnology can be very helpful in a product development.

Using of the Modern Semiconductor Devices Based on the SiC