Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuhang Liang, Xiangyuan Cui, Feng Li, Catherine Stampfl, Jun Huang, Simon P. Ringer, Rongkun Zheng
Summary: Identification and passivation of defect-induced electron-hole recombination centers are crucial for improving efficiency of hybrid perovskite solar cells. Hydrogen interstitials, particularly H-i(-), formed under I-poor synthesis conditions, act as detrimental deep-level defects leading to efficient recombination and decreased cell performance. Br doping can mitigate atomic displacement caused by H-i(-) and suppress deep localized states, providing useful information for defect engineering to enhance solar cell performance.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
M. Zafer Akgul, Gerasimos Konstantatos
Summary: This study presents a method for synthesizing metal selenide nanocrystals at room temperature under ambient conditions, leading to the first reported colloidal AgBiSe2 nanocrystal solar cell in the literature, which achieved a power conversion efficiency up to 2.6%. This synthesis route is expected to pave the way for low-cost, environmentally friendly, and solution-processed photovoltaics.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Rajrupa Paul, Stefan W. Tabernig, Joel Rene Sapera, Julien Hurni, Anja Tiede, Xinyun Liu, Djamshid A. Damry, Vanessa Conti, Mahdi Zamani, Simon Escobar Steinvall, Mirjana Dimitrievska, Esther Alarcon-Llado, Valerio Piazza, Jessica Boland, Franz -Josef Haug, Albert Polman, Anna Fontcuberta i Morral
Summary: Zinc phosphide (Zn3P2) is a promising solar absorber material, but its efficiencies have not seen significant improvement due to limited understanding of its optoelectronic properties. Recent progress in the growth and characterization of Zn3P2 has revealed its potential. In this study, a solar cell based on a polycrystalline Zn3P2/InP heterojunction achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 4.4%, with an open circuit voltage 7.5% higher than the Zn3P2 homojunction record. The study also identified reduced carrier collection at the front of Zn3P2 as a key factor affecting the collection of high-energy photons, providing insights for the design of next-generation Zn3P2-based heterojunction solar cells to improve conversion values.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Tuomas Haggren, Vidur Raj, Anne Haggren, Nikita Gagrani, Chennupati Jagadish, Hoe Tan
Summary: This report demonstrates the construction of a hole-selective III-V semiconductor solar cell on i-GaAs using copper iodide (CuI) and optimization of the GaAs surface passivation and oxygen content of CuI, leading to high open-circuit voltage and solar conversion efficiency.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Yi Zhang, Xuguang Jia, Shuang Liu, Bo Zhang, Keman Lin, Jiayu Zhang, Gavin Conibeer
Summary: Hot carrier solar cells aim to overcome the efficiency limit of traditional solar cells by reducing thermalization energy loss from hot carriers. Various mechanisms such as quantum confinement effect and phonon bottleneck effect are being studied to improve the performance of such cells. Further research into the interplay of these mechanisms is essential for the development of high efficiency hot carrier solar cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sanford Ruhman
Summary: This article demonstrates how a similar approach to translating absolute absorption changes can provide crucial information for interpreting transient absorption spectra in colloidal semiconductor quantum dots. The complexity of these samples, due to the inhomogeneity of particle size, shape, and surface chemistry, presents unique challenges in mechanistic assignment of ultrafast pump-probe measurements. Through case studies on quantum confined nanocrystals made of various semiconducting materials, the approach assists in assessing single and multiple exciton generation and relaxation, carrier trapping and scavenging, and band edge level structure and state degeneracies.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yun Xiao, Haibin Wang, Fumiyasu Awai, Naoyuki Shibayama, Takaya Kubo, Hiroshi Segawa
Summary: Oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitial sites are the main factors affecting the performance of solar cells, hindering carrier collection in the cells.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yun Xiao, Haibin Wang, Fumiyasu Awai, Naoyuki Shibayama, Takaya Kubo, Hiroshi Segawa
Summary: This study fabricated eco-friendly solar cells using interdigitated layers consisting of ZnO nanowires and infrared absorbing AgBiS2 nanocrystals. The quality of ZnO nanowires and its defects affecting solar cell performance were investigated. Oxygen vacancies and Zn interstitial sites were identified as the main recombination sites, hindering carrier collection in the solar cells. By reducing the concentration of these defects, the structural order and electron-phonon interaction in ZnO nanowires were improved. Furthermore, the study emphasized the significance of reducing defects in ZnO for improving not only colloidal quantum dot solar cells but also other emerging solar cell technologies.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Kexun Chen, Olli E. Setala, Behrad Radfar, Udo Kroth, Ville Vahanissi, Hele Savin
Summary: By optimizing boron implantation parameters and combining them with non-reflective nanostructures and atomic layer deposited Al2O3 surface passivation, silicon solar cells can achieve an increase in external quantum efficiency with decreasing wavelength, even exceeding 100%. This suggests that carrier multiplication resulting from absorption of high energy photons could be utilized for energy production in solar cells.
IEEE PHOTONICS TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Tugba Haciefendioglu, Bensu Balikoglu, Firdevs Aydin, Irem Kolay, Ibrahim M. Ozturk, Demet Asil
Summary: Researchers have increased the efficiency of solar cells by inserting a quantum dot layer at the interface between PbSe nanorods and metal, as well as creating a bulk nano-heterojunction platform. The practical potential of this concept has been demonstrated and a breakthrough has been achieved in the design of MEG-based solar cells.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE-MATERIALS IN ELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liang Wang, Shuzhang Yang, Qianji Han, Fengyang Yu, Hong Zhang, Xiaoyong Cai, Chu Zhang, Liguo Gao, Tingli Ma
Summary: This study successfully prepared perovskite solar cells with an efficiency of 12.01% using the simplest device structure, demonstrating excellent long-term stability. This provides a new approach to reduce production costs and simplify production of PSCs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Luolei Shi, Zhenhai Yang, Yuqi Zhang, Zhenhai Ai, Yining Bao, Tianshu Ma, Linling Qin, Guoyang Cao, Changlei Wang, Xiaofeng Li
Summary: This study unveils the inherent mechanisms and device physics of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) through a rigorous photoelectric simulation. It elucidates the impact of illumination direction, electrical parameters of perovskite and transport layers, and ion hysteresis effects on n-i-p and p-i-n PSCs performance under the intricate variations of electron and hole mobilities.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jingjing Wang, Junwei Liu, Hang Yin, Sunsun Li, Vakhobjon Kuvondikov, Long Ye
Summary: This review provides an overview of the synthesis, ligand exchange, device structure, and stability of eco-friendly nanocrystal solar cells based on AgBiS2. The challenges and insights for further development are also proposed.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
I. V. Oladyshkin, S. B. Bodrov, A. V. Korzhimanov, A. A. Murzanev, Yu. A. Sergeev, A. I. Korytin, M. D. Tokman, A. N. Stepanov
Summary: The spontaneous optical emission of graphene under intense single-cycle terahertz pulses is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The study reveals that the emitted photons are polarized normally to the electric field of the terahertz pulse, indicating both heating and non-equilibrium momentum distribution. By comparing the measured optical spectrum and polarization anisotropy with numerical modeling, the momentum isotropization time for electrons in graphene is estimated to be around 25 fs, and the time evolution of the distribution function in k space is roughly reconstructed.
Review
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Bisma Bilal, Hakim Najeeb-ud-Din
Summary: This review focuses on the development of carrier-selective passivating contact schemes compatible with silicon solar cells, aiming to overcome challenges related to defect passivation and carrier selectivity.
JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Varun Mapara, Arup Barua, Volodymyr Turkowski, M. Tuan Trinh, Christopher Stevens, Hengzhou Liu, Florence A. Nugera, Nalaka Kapuruge, Humberto Rodriguez Gutierrez, Fang Liu, Xiaoyang Zhu, Dmitry Semenov, Stephen A. McGill, Nihar Pradhan, David J. Hilton, Denis Karaiskaj
Summary: Magnetic field can control the behavior of bright and dark excitons in monolayer WSe2. When the magnetic field is parallel to the WSe2 plane, the lower energy exciton becomes brighter and the dephasing time increases. When the magnetic field is perpendicular to the WSe2 plane, the bright and dark excitons energetically shift and hybridize with each other.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Amit Chanda, Derick DeTellem, Yen Thi Hai Pham, Jenae E. Shoup, Anh Tuan Duong, Raja Das, Sunglae Cho, Dmitri V. Voronine, M. Tuan Trinh, Dario A. Arena, Sarath Witanachchi, Hariharan Srikanth, Manh-Huong Phan
Summary: Understanding the effects of phase transition, phase coexistence, and surface magnetism on the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect (LSSE) in a magnetic system is essential for spin-caloritronic applications. The temperature-dependent LSSE in biphase iron oxide thin films has been studied, revealing significant changes in the intrinsic LSSE signal around specific phase transition points. Surface magnetism plays a crucial role in the LSSE signal.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruairi J. McGlynn, Hussein S. Moghaieb, Paul Brunet, Supriya Chakrabarti, Paul Maguire, Davide Mariotti
Summary: Macroscopic ribbons of carbon nanotubes were functionalised using a plasma-liquid system, resulting in improved wettability and stability of the nanofluids. The treated nanofluids showed enhanced performance in solar-thermal harvesting, with higher absorption coefficient and improved thermal profile.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hessan Khalid, Atta ul Haq, Bruno Alessi, Ji Wu, Cristian D. Savaniu, Kalliopi Kousi, Ian S. Metcalfe, Stephen C. Parker, John T. S. Irvine, Paul Maguire, Evangelos Papaioannou, Davide Mariotti
Summary: This study demonstrates a breakthrough synthesis method, plasma direct exsolution at room temperature, which enables the production of highly controlled nanoparticles with diameters of 19-22 nm and high densities. These nanoparticles serve as highly active catalytic material for CO oxidation.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
John J. R. Scott, Blai Casals, King-Fa Luo, Atta Haq, Davide Mariotti, Ekhard K. H. Salje, Miryam Arredondo
Summary: This study investigates the domain behavior of pure-ferroelastic lanthanum aluminate using in situ heating optical observations and mean-field analysis. The aspect ratio of the sample is found to affect the domain microstructure, dynamic behavior, and critical exponent mixing.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Matteo Di Luca, Clare Hoskins, Francesca Corduas, Rachel Onchuru, Adeolu Oluwasanmi, Davide Mariotti, Bice Conti, Dimitrios A. Lamprou
Summary: This study focuses on the advantages of 3D Bioprinting in developing two layers' implantable scaffolds. By controlling the drug release rate, the first layer achieves a prolonged and modified release, while the second layer enhances the radiation therapy with gold nanoparticles.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
H. N. McQuaid, D. Rutherford, D. Mariotti, P. D. Maguire
Summary: We have developed a gas-based OH generation source using a low power radio frequency driven plasma. This source delivers OH radicals away from interference and has been found to vary with H2O vapour content and absorbed power density. The OH flux generated has been compared to traditional OH generation techniques and shows promising results for various scientific and technological applications.
PLASMA SOURCES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Norah Alwadai, Zohoor Alharbi, Fatimah Alreshidi, Somak Mitra, Bin Xin, Hadeel Alamoudi, Kishor Upadhyaya, Mohamed N. Hedhili, Iman S. Roqan
Summary: This study presents a facile fabrication process for a high-responsivity solar-blind self-powered UV-C photodetector based on a p-n wide band gap semiconductor heterojunction structure. The heterojunction structure consists of solution-processed manganese oxide quantum dots (MnO QDs) as the p-type material and exfoliated Sn-doped beta-Ga2O3 microflakes as the n-type material. The resulting photodetector exhibits excellent solar-blind UV-C photoresponse characteristics and demonstrates a promising approach for the development of flexible and highly efficient UV-C devices suitable for large-scale fixable applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hussein Sayed Moghaieb, Dilli Babu Padmanaban, Praveen Kumar, Atta Ul Haq, Chiranjeevi Maddi, Ruairi McGlynn, Miryam Arredondo, Harjit Singh, Paul Maguire, Davide Mariotti
Summary: High-specification Cu-oxide nanoparticles with high optical absorption and long-term stability have been synthesized and characterized for efficient solar-to-thermal energy conversion. The synthesis method based on a hybrid plasma-liquid non-equilibrium electrochemical process has limited environmental impact and avoids the use of additional chemicals. Investigation of the nanofluid performance and optical properties has led to the development of a theoretical model to determine the energy conversion efficiency. The results show that nanofluids produced with the Cu-oxide nanoparticles can achieve exceptional solar thermal conversion efficiencies close to 90%.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hussein Sayed Moghaieb, Vincenzo Amendola, Sameh Khalil, Supriya Chakrabarti, Paul Maguire, Davide Mariotti
Summary: This review discusses recent developments in the field of nanofluids utilized in direct-absorption solar collectors, including preparation techniques, optical behaviors, solar thermal energy conversion performance, as well as physical and thermal stability. The challenges associated with the practical implementation of nanofluid-based direct-absorption solar collectors are also highlighted, along with suggestions and an outlook for the future.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Mattia Benedet, Andrea Gallo, Chiara Maccato, Gian Andrea Rizzi, Davide Barreca, Oleg I. Lebedev, Evgeny Modin, Ruairi Mcglynn, Davide Mariotti, Alberto Gasparotto
Summary: This study focuses on the preparation of supported MnO2/graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) OER (photo)electrocatalysts. The performance of the OER can be improved by adjusting the g-CN content and nanostructure. The findings have important implications for solar-to-fuel conversion and water treatment.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Slavia Deeksha Dsouza, Marius Buerkle, Bruno Alessi, Paul Brunet, Alessio Morelli, Amir Farokh Payam, Paul Maguire, Davide Mariotti, Vladimir Svrcek
Summary: Nitrogen-doped graphite quantum dots prepared by atmospheric pressure microplasma exhibit high stability and environmentally friendly properties. They emit blue light and are suitable for cellular imaging or optoelectronics applications.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Norah Alwadai, Zohoor Alharbi, Fatimah Alreshidi, Somak Mitra, Bin Xin, Hadeel Alamoudi, Kishor Upadhyaya, Mohamed N. Hedhili, Iman S. Roqan
Summary: In this work, a facile fabrication process for a high-responsivity solar-blind self-powered UV-C photodetector based on a p-n WBGS heterojunction structure is demonstrated. The heterojunction structures based on p-type MnO QDs and n-type Sn-doped beta-Ga2O3 microflakes show excellent solar-blind UV-C photoresponse characteristics. The XPS analysis confirms the good band alignment between p-type MnO QDs and n-type beta-Ga2O3 microflakes with a type-II heterojunction.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Nikhil Bhalla, Zidong Yu, Serene Pauly, Amit Kumar, Chiranjeevi Maddi, Davide Mariotti, Pengfei Zhao, Amir Farokh Payam, Navneet Soin
Summary: This study demonstrates the generation and detection of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) wavelength shifts in large-area nanostructured gold surfaces using frictional charges generated by triboelectric surfaces. The interplay between localized surface plasmons and frictional charges is observed and analyzed through spectroscopic and triboelectric measurements, as well as theoretical models and surface characterization. The concept of electrification of plasmon resonance provides the foundation for the development of self-powered nano-plasmonic sensors and opens new possibilities for advanced nanophotonic applications.
NANOSCALE HORIZONS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Hengzhou Liu, M. Tuan Trinh, Eleanor M. Clements, Deepak Sapkota, Ling Li, Zachary Romestan, Soumya Bhat, Varun Mapara, Arup Barua, Samuel Langelund Carrera, Manh-Huong Phan, Dario Arena, Hariharan Srikanth, David Mandrus, Aldo H. Romero, Denis Karaiskaj
Summary: This study shows that magnetism in the chiral helimagnet Cr1/3NbS2 can be induced by an ultrafast optical pulse. The laser pulse excitation leads to a phase transition from the chiral helimagnetic phase to a chiral conical helimagnetic phase. The mechanism behind this observation is further explained through ab initio density functional calculations and the resonant magnon-phonon coupling.
