Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhongkai Cheng, Deirdre M. O'Carroll
Summary: Photon recycling is crucial in the study of semiconductor materials, impacting their optoelectronic applications; however, further in-depth theoretical and experimental studies are needed to demonstrate its advantages and importance rigorously.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Wafaa Magdy, Ayaka Kanai, Esam T. El Shenawy, Sherif A. Khairy, Hussam H. Hassan, Mutsumi Sugiyama, Fawzy A. Mahmoud
Summary: Adjusting the sulfur content and amount of doping is a promising approach to fabricate high-performance thin film solar cells. This study investigated the effects of sulfur content and Sb doping on the physical and optical properties of Cu2SnS3 (CTS) thin films. The results showed that Sb doping resulted in larger grain size and improved conversion efficiency of the CTS solar cells.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Zhifang Luo, Aoxue Zhang, Weixiong Huang, Shuai Shao, Yushuai Liu, Tao Wu, Yi Zou
Summary: Silicon photonics with CMOS compatibility has made significant progress in the past decades and has been widely used in commercial products. To meet the demand for high-fidelity and high-speed optical interconnect, as well as high-resolution sensing and information processing, hybrid integration of existing materials with post-CMOS technology has become crucial. Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a popular piezoelectric material in the field of MEMS and has been studied and integrated into photonic integrated circuits (PICs) in recent years. This review article provides an overview of the properties and processing of AlN thin films, as well as the application of AlN piezoelectric MEMS transducer technologies. Photonic devices on hybrid Si-AlN and pure AlN thin film platforms are also discussed. The article concludes with an outlook on the future development of reconfigurable integrated photonics based on AlN thin films.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Younghwan Lee, Hyun Woo Jeong, Se Hyun Kim, Kun Yang, Min Hyuk Park
Summary: This article discusses the effects of stress/strain on FF thin films, including the mechanisms, material properties, and device performances. Research in this field is crucial for understanding and optimizing FF thin films and related devices.
MATERIALS SCIENCE IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiao Han, Yun Ji, Ya Yang
Summary: Over the past few decades, ferroelectric materials have garnered much research attention for their unique piezoelectric and optoelectronic properties. Ferroelectric photovoltaics have attracted interest due to their unusual photovoltaic effect and controllability, and research has shown significant improvements in the photogenerated current through cation doping and heterostructure construction.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michael D. K. Jones, James A. Dawson, Stephen Campbell, Vincent Barrioz, Lucy D. Whalley, Yongtao Qu
Summary: Developing effective device architectures for energy technologies requires understanding the behavior at interfaces between multiple materials. Efficient charge transport across these interfaces is essential for high conversion efficiency in solar cells. Various methods, from composition-based approaches to continuum device models and atomistic models, can be used to simulate interfaces. However, the complex nature of heterojunction interfaces poses challenges for theory and simulation.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Carlos Avila-Avendano, Israel Mejia, Martin G. Reyes-Banda, Jair Garcia Lamont, Christopher Pham, Jesus A. Caraveo-Frescas, Bruce E. Gnade, Manuel A. Quevedo-Lopez
Summary: The novel and scalable method demonstrated successful integration of dissimilar thin-film devices for high density and large-area sensors, enabling a responsivity increase of >100x for the integrated sensors. The method allows seamless integration of CdS/CdTe P-N thin-film diodes with poly-Si thin-film transistors, offering compatibility for wide range of applications.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Thomas Kanne, Dags Olsteins, Mikelis Marnauza, Alexandros Vekris, Juan Carlos Estrada Saldana, Sara Loric, Rasmus D. Schlosser, Daniel Ross, Szabolcs Csonka, Kasper Grove-Rasmussen, Jesper Nygard
Summary: The core platform of several recent quantum device proposals relies on parallel 1D semiconductor channels connected by a superconducting strip, utilizing Andreev processes or topological effects. A strategy for synthesizing double InAs nanowires using III-V molecular beam epitaxy is presented, allowing for the deposition of a superconducting layer onto nanowires without breaking the vacuum in order to ensure pristine interfaces between the superconductor and the semiconductor nanowires. The method demonstrates the utility of high yield merged or separate parallel nanowires with full or half-shell superconductor coatings in complex quantum devices through electron transport measurements.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Beya Ouertani, Habib Boughzala, Bertrand Theys, Hatem Ezzaouia
Summary: The incorporation of ruthenium into FeSe2 thin films has shown significant improvement in optical and electrical properties, making them promising for photovoltaic applications. The alloyed films exhibited N-type conductivity with high absorption coefficients and desired band gap values. The use of ruthenium as an alloying agent in FeSe2 thin films shows potential for various applications, especially in the field of photovoltaics.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
S. Amraoui, A. Feraoun, M. Kerouad
Summary: The conception and modeling of a photovoltaic cell were achieved by combining density functional theory and solar cell capacitance simulator. The study focused on the search for lead-free halide semiconductor perovskite materials, the choice of appropriate materials for the electron and hole transport layers, and the optimal thickness of the perovskite semiconductor. The results showed a high power conversion efficiency under optimized conditions, with Cu2O and WS2 as suitable materials for the transport layers and a perovskite thickness of 2 μm. The obtained photovoltaic cell model had an efficiency of 20.01%.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Buenyamin Sahin
Summary: This paper develops a wearable metal-oxide sensor for monitoring hydration levels. Flexible sensors were fabricated using nanostructured copper oxide thin films, and the sensing response was improved by optimizing the growth process.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Selvaraj Vijayan, Ganapathi Umadevi, Ramasamy Mariappan, Chandran Senthil Kumar, Anbalagan Karthikeyan
Summary: Pure zinc sulfide (ZnS) and Ag-doped ZnS nanoparticles with different weight percentages were prepared using the sol-gel technique. The properties of these nanoparticles were analyzed using various techniques, and it was found that the presence of Ag dopants affected the crystal structure, bandgap values, and photocatalytic activity of the ZnS nanoparticles. The highest degradation efficiency was observed for the 7.5 wt% Ag-doped ZnS nanoparticles.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Optics
A. Q. Alosabi, A. A. Al-Muntaser, M. M. El-Nahass, A. H. Oraby
Summary: The structural and optical properties of disodium phthalocyanine (Na2Pc) thin films prepared using the thermal evaporation method were investigated theoretically and experimentally. The optimized geometry, vibrational bands, and energy gap of the films were predicted by density functional theory (DFT) computations. Structural analysis using FTIR and XRD techniques showed that the thin films had an amorphous structure. UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometry revealed that the Na2Pc molecules exhibited four absorption bands in the UV-Vis region, and the energy transitions were determined to be indirect allowed. The absorption coefficient and energy gap indicated the potential applications of the Na2Pc thin films in optoelectronic devices. The film thickness did not affect the absorption index and refractive index, which were determined to be independent. The dispersion parameters were evaluated using a single oscillator model in the non-absorbing region.
OPTICS AND LASER TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Manoj Kumar, S. S. Anwer Askari, Sanjay K. Ram, Mukul Kumar Das
Summary: We propose an n-ZnO/p-SnOx heterojunction solar cell as a novel pathway to realize all-oxide photo-voltaics. The effects of material parameters and transport models on the performance of the solar cell were investigated using TCAD device simulator. The simulation results showed that optimizing the bandgap and electron affinity of the SnOx layer can lead to a maximum power conversion efficiency of approximately 15.5%.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ming Wu, Zhizheng Jiang, Xiaojie Lou, Fan Zhang, Dongsheng Song, Shoucong Ning, Mengyao Guo, Stephen J. Pennycook, Ji-Yan Dai, Zheng Wen
Summary: This study presents a flexoelectric photodetector based on a thin-film heterostructure, demonstrating a giant strain gradient in LaFeO3 thin films grown on LaAlO3 substrates, leading to significant flexoelectric polarization and photovoltaic effect with nanosecond response time. This novel self-powered photodetector offers an alternative to traditional interface-type structures and opens up avenues for designing practical flexoelectric devices for nanoelectronics applications.
