Search for new transparent conductors: Effect of Ge doping on the conductivity of Ga2O3, In2O3 and Ga1.4In0.6O3

Only a small amount (≤3.5 mol%) of Ge can be doped in Ga₂O₃, Ga_1.4In_0.6O₃ and In₂O₃ by means of solid state reactions at 1400 °C. All these samples are optically transparent in the visible range, but Ge-doped Ga₂O₃ and Ga_1.4In_0.6O₃ are insulating. Only Ge-doped In₂O₃ exhibits a significant decrease in resistivity, the resistivity decreasing further on thermal quenching and H₂ reduction. The resistivity of 2.7% Ge-doped In₂O₃ after H₂ reduction shows a metallic behavior, and a resistivity of ～1 mΩ cm at room temperature, comparable to that of Sn-doped In₂O₃.     

Response improvement for In2O3-TiO2 thick film gas sensors

In₂O₃ is introduced into TiO₂ by sol-gel method to improve the response/recovery rate and expand the operating temperature, when the In₂O₃-TiO₂ mixed system is exposed to H₂/O₂. The sensor is fabricated by thick film technology. Influence of In₂O₃ on the film phase composition, microstructure and sensing characteristics is discussed. Dynamic response properties show that the operating temperature of the mixed system is at 500-800 °C, which is about 600-800 °C for pure TiO₂. Response time of the sensor is about 200-260 ms (millisecond) while recovery time is in a narrow range of 60-280 ms at 600-800 °C. The promoting mechanism is suggested to arise from the introduction of In₂O₃ and grain size effect of the sensing film. Then In₂O₃-TiO₂ thick films are surface-modified by Pt using chloroplatinic acid. The promoting effect of Pt dispersed on the mixed system is also investigated.     

Morphological,photovoltaic, and electron transport properties of In2O3-based DSSC with different concentrations of MWCNTs

This study focuses on the influence of loading MWCNTs in In₂O₃-based DSSCs. In₂O₃-MWCNTs were prepared by sol-gel method via spin coating technique and annealed at 450 °C. The structural, morphology, and electrical properties of the photoanodes were characterized by means of XRD, AFM and FESEM, and J-V curve measurement and EIS properties, respectively. Incorporation of MWCNTs in In₂O₃ improved the J _sc and V _oc of the cell. However, excess loading of MWCNTs in In₂O₃ caused a serious aggregation of MWCNTs that increased the recombination rate. Thus, In₂O₃-MWCNTs with 0.3 % of MWCNTs achieved the highest PCE of 1.23 % with large surface area for efficient dye adsorption. Moreover, In₂O₃-MWCNTs_(0.3%) exhibited large D _eff about 25.7 × 10⁻³ cm² s⁻¹ with low recombination effect that increased the PCE. This study suggests an optimum MWCNT incorporation of 0.3 % in the photoanode by sol-gel synthesis method of developing In₂O₃-based nanocomposite.

     

Room temperature photoluminescence property of Mo-doped In2O3 thin films

Mo-doped In₂O₃ thin films have been prepared on glass substrates using an activated reactive evaporation method and systematically studied the effect of oxygen partial pressure on the structural, optical, electrical and photoluminescence properties of the films. The obtained films are highly transparent and conductive. The films exhibited the lowest electrical resistivity of 5.2 × 10⁻⁴ Ω cm, with an average optical transmittance of 90% in the visible region. An intensive photoluminescence emission peaks were observed at 415 and 440 nm.     

Enhanced acetone gas sensing performance of the multiple-networked Fe2O3-functionalized In2O3 nanowire sensor

In₂O₃ nanowires functionalized with Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were synthesized by the thermal evaporation of In₂S₃ powders in an oxidizing atmosphere followed by the solvothermal deposition of Fe₂O₃ and their acetone gas sensing properties were examined. The pristine and Fe₂O₃-functionalized In₂O₃ nanowires exhibited responses of 141–390% and 298–960%, respectively, to 10–500 ppm acetone at 200 °C. The Fe₂O₃-functionalized In₂O₃ nanowire sensor showed stronger electrical response to acetone gas at 200 °C than the pristine In₂O₃ nanowire counterpart. The former showed more rapid response but slower recovery than the latter. Both the pristine and Fe₂O₃-functionalized In₂O₃ nanowire sensors showed the strongest response to acetone gas at 200 °C. The underlying mechanism for the enhanced sensing performance of the Fe₂O₃-functionalized In₂O₃ nanowire sensor towards acetone gas is discussed.     

Gallium-doped indium oxide nanoleaves: Structural characterization,growth mechanism and optical properties

The novel two-dimensional (2-D) Ga-doped In₂O₃ nanoleaves are synthesized by a simple one-step carbonthermal evaporation method using Cu–Sn alloy as the substrates. Two basic parts construct this leaf-like nanostructure: a long central trunk and two tapered nanoribbons in symmetric distribution in relation to the trunk. The Ga–In–O alloy particles are located at or close to the tips of the central trunks and serve as catalysts for the central trunk growth by the self-catalytic vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. And the homoepitaxial growth of tapered nanoribbon on the surface of the central trunk can be explained by vapor–solid (VS) mechanism. The room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurement of this nanoscaled Ga-doped In₂O₃ transparent conducting oxide (TCO) detected two blue peaks located at 432 nm and 481 nm, respectively, which can be used by Ru-based dye and indicates potential application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The successful preparation of this novel 2-D Ga-doped In₂O₃ nanoleaves not only enriches the synthesis of TCO materials, but also provides new blocks in future architecture of functional nano-devices.     

Y2SiO5:Tb phosphor particles prepared from colloidal and aqueous solutions by spray pyrolysis

Green-emitting Y₂SiO₅:Tb phosphor particles with fine size, spherical shape, filled morphology, high crystallinity, and good brightness were synthesized by a spray pyrolysis process. The effect of silicon precursor type on the morphology, crystal structure, crystallinity, and photoluminescence efficiency of Y₂SiO₅:Tb phosphor particles was investigated. The particles prepared from an artificial colloidal solution obtained by dispersing fumed silica particles had a pure monoclinic X2 crystalline phase, which is more appropriate for application to displays, after post-treatment at 1300 °C. On the other hand, the particles prepared from 100% tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) reagent had an X2 phase and small amounts of X1 and impurity phases such as Y₂Si₂O₇ and Y_4.67Si₃O₁₃ due to the phase-segregation characteristics of the TEOS precursor. The photoluminescence characteristics of Y₂SiO₅:Tb phosphor particles were strongly affected by the silicon source used. The photoluminescence intensities increased with the fumed silica/TEOS ratio. The particles prepared from 100% fumed silica showed the maximum photoluminescence intensity, which is 22% higher than that of particles prepared from 100% TEOS. PACS 81.20.Rg; 78.55.Hx; 78.40.Ha; 81.05.Hd; 81.40.Tv     

Structural and optical properties of glancing angle deposited In2O3 columnar arrays and Si/In2O3 photodetector

Ordered and perpendicular columnar arrays of In₂O₃ were synthesized on conducting ITO electrode by a simple glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique. The as-deposited In₂O₃ columns were investigated by field emission gun-scanning electron microscope (FEG-SEM). The average length and diameter of the columns were estimated ～400 nm and ～100 nm, respectively. The morphology of the structure was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows the polycrystalline nature of the sample which was verified by selective area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis. The growth mechanism and optical properties of the columns were also discussed. Optical absorption shows that In₂O₃ columns have a high band to band transition at ～3.75 eV. The ultraviolet and green emissions were obtained from the In₂O₃ columnar arrays. The P-N junction was formed between In₂O₃ and P-type Si substrate. The GLAD synthesized In₂O₃ film exhibits low current conduction compared to In₂O₃ TF. However, the Si/GLAD-In₂O₃ detector shows ～1.5 times enhanced photoresponsivity than that of Si/In₂O₃ TF.     

Structure and NO2 gas sensing properties of SnO2-core/In2O3-shell nanobelts

SnO₂-core/In₂O₃-shell nanobelts were fabricated by a two-step process comprising thermal evaporation of Sn powders and sputter-deposition of In₂O₃. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that the core of a typical core–shell nanobelt comprised a simple tetragonal-structured single crystal SnO₂ and that the shell comprised an amorphous In₂O₃. Multiple networked SnO₂-core/In₂O₃-shell nanobelt sensors showed the response of 5.35% at a NO₂ concentration of 10 ppm at 300 °C. This response value is more than three times larger than that of bare-SnO₂ nanobelt sensors at the same NO₂ concentration. The enhancement in the sensitivity of SnO₂ nanobelts to NO₂ gas by sheathing the nanobelts with In₂O₃ can be accounted for by the modulation of electron transport by the In₂O₃–In₂O₃ homojunction.     

Synthesis and performance of core-shell structured ZnO/In2O3 composites in situ growth

Core-shell structured ZnO/In₂O₃ composites were successfully synthesized via situ growth method. Phase structure, morphology, microstructure and property of the products were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), TG-DTA, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL). Results show that the core-shell structures consist of spindle-like ZnO with about 800 nm in length and 200 nm in diameter, and In₂O₃ particles with a diameter of 50 nm coated on the surface of ZnO uniformly. HMTA plays an important role in the formation of core-shell structures and the addition of In₂O₃ has a great effect on PL spectrum. Possible mechanism for the formation of core-shell structures is also proposed in this paper.     

Structure and ultrafast ethanol sensing properties of In2O3-capped Zn-doped Fe2O3 nanorods

This paper reports the facile synthesis of In₂O₃-capped Zn-doped Fe₂O₃ nanorods along with their ethanol gas sensing properties. A two-stage process involving thermal oxidation of Fe foils and Zn powders in air and the sputter-deposition of In₂O₃ was used to synthesize these nanostructures. The nanorods synthesized using this method were ∼5 μm in length and 50–120 nm in diameter with a shell layer thickness of 10–15 nm. The multiple-networked In₂O₃-capped Zn-doped Fe₂O₃ nanorod sensor showed a significantly enhanced and ultrafast response to ethanol gas. The enhanced sensing performance was explained by modulation of the potential barrier height and the strong catalytic activity of In₂O₃ for ethanol oxidation.     

Rapid oxidation of InP nanoparticles in air

InP nanoparticles (NPs) in the size range of 1.5-3 nm were synthesized using colloidal chemistry methods. Exposure of these NPs to air resulted in rapid oxidation, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. Diffraction and spectroscopic measurements confirmed the formation of In₂O₃. Similar behavior was observed for commercial InP NPs, even when capped with a ZnS shell. Photoluminescence studies suggest that the oxidation occurs even while InP NPs are still dispersed in hexane, albeit at a much slower rate.     

Laser-induced synthesis of BaMoO<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanocolloidal suspension and its optical properties

Pulsed laser ablation in a liquid phase was successfully employed to synthesize a barium molybdate (BaMoO₄) nanocolloidal suspension. The nanocolloidal suspension was composed of well-dispersed and horizontally assembled BaMoO₄ aggregates. The BaMoO₄ aggregates showed predominantly elliptically shaped nanorods with sizes between 100 and 200 nm. The preferential elliptical growth was rationalized from the viewpoint of the intrinsic structure of BaMoO₄. The optical properties of the prepared BaMoO₄ colloidal nanoparticles were investigated using Raman spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectrophotometry. The optical band gap was estimated by Tauc and Menth’s law. The PL emission feature was decomposed into several individual Gaussian components, which could be interpreted by a Jahn–Teller splitting effect on the [MoO₄]^2- tetrahedron of the BaMoO₄ colloidal nanoparticles. PACS  42.62.-b; 82.70.Dd; 78.55.Hx; 81.07.Wx     

Fabrication and characterization of CdS-sensitized TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanotube photoelectrode

CdS quantum dot (Qd)-sensitized TiO₂ nanotube array photoelectrode is synthesised via a two-step method on tin-doped In₂O₃-coated (ITO) glass substrate. TiO₂ nanotube arrays are prepared in the ethylene glycol electrolyte solution by anodizing titanium films which are deposited on ITO glass substrate by radio frequency sputtering. Then, the CdS Qds are deposited on the nanotubes by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction technique. The resulting nanotube arrays are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The length of the obtained nanotubes reaches 1.60 μm and their inner diameter and wall thickness are around 90 and 20 nm, respectively. The XRD results show that the as-prepared TiO₂ nanotubes array is amorphous, which are converted to anatase TiO₂ after annealed at 450 °C for 2 h. The CdS Qds deposited on the TiO₂ nanotubes shift the absorption edge of TiO₂ from 388 to 494 nm. The results show that the CdS-sensitized TiO₂ nanotubes array film can be used as the photoelectrode for solar cells.     

Resistance switching properties of In2O3 nanocrystals memory device with organic and inorganic hybrid structure

A memory device with In₂O₃ nanocrystals embedded in a biphenyl-tertracarboxylic dianhydride-phenylen diamine (BPDA-PDA) polyimide layer on a ZnO layer was fabricated, and its electrical properties were evaluated. Then, the transmittance efficiency in the structure of the BPDA-PDA polyimide/In₂O₃ nanocrystals/ZnO/ITO/double polishing sapphire substrate was measured to be about 80% between 440 to 800 nm by ultraviolet-visible transmittance spectroscopy. A bipolar switching current bistability by difference resistance appeared in the sweep voltage rage from −7 to 7 V. It was considered that the bipolar behavior of current-voltage may originate from a resistance fluctuation because of the electron charging effect in In₂O₃ nanocrystals by voltage sweeping, Fowler–Nordheim tunneling, space-charge-limited current, and the migration of O²⁻ ions.     

Effect of Fe doping on the room temperature ferromagnetism in chemically synthesized (In1−xFex)2O3 (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.07) magnetic semiconductors

Observation of room temperature ferromagnetism in Fe doped In₂O₃ samples (In_1−xFe_x)₂O₃ (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.07) prepared by co-precipitation technique is reported. Lattice parameter obtained from powder X software shows distinct shrinkage of the lattice constant indicating an actual incorporation of Fe ions into the In₂O₃ lattice. X-ray diffraction data measurements show that the entire sample exhibits single phase polycrystalline behavior. SEM micrographs showed the prepared powder was in the range 25–36 nm. SEM EDS mapping showed the presence of Fe and In ions in the Fe doped In₂O₃ sample. The highest remanence magnetization moment (6.624 × 10⁻⁴ emu/g) is reached in the sample with x = 0.03.     

Sr and Ga substituted Ba2In2O5: Linking ionic conductivity and the potential energy surface

We study in detail the potential energy surface of Ga and Sr substituted Ba₂In₂O₅ by considering the changes in the relative energies of the local structures of Ba₂In₂O₅ when replacing 1 / 8th of the indium atoms with gallium or 1 / 8th of the barium atoms with strontium. The calculations are subsequently used to interpret the increase in ionic conductivity of cubic Ba₂In₂O₅ when strontium is substituted for barium and the decrease in ionic conductivity when gallium is substituted for indium. The effects of replacing 1 / 8th of the indium atoms with gallium or 1 / 8th of the barium atoms with strontium are significant and affect considerably the relative stability of the different low energy local structures present for Ba₂In₂O₅. While a higher density of low energy structures is observed for Ba_1.75Sr_0.25In₂O₅ than for Ba₂In₂O₅, the opposite occurs for Ba₂In_1.75Ga_0.25O₅. This observation supports our main hypothesis: a high density of low energy local structures is a prerequisite for high ionic conductivity.     

Low-temperature photoluminescence spectra of CdO–In2O3 thin films prepared by sol–gel

(CdO)_1?x–(InO_3/2)_x thin films were deposited on glass substrates by the sol–gel method. The precursor solutions for the mixed oxide films were obtained from the mixture of the precursor solutions for CdO and In₂O₃ prepared separately. The investigated In atomic concentrations in the solution, x, were 0.0, 0.16, 0.33, 0.50, 0.67, 0.84, and 1. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the films were mainly constituted of CdO, In₂O₃, and CdIn₂O₄. CdO and In₂O₃ were obtained for x=0 and 1, respectively. For x=0.67, which is the stoichiometric composition of the CdIn₂O₄ compound, only this oxide was formed. CdO and CdIn₂O₄ crystals were obtained in the Cd-rich region, whereas In₂O₃ and CdIn₂O₄ crystals were formed in the In-rich region. The PL spectra at 15 K for CdO showed the presence of two main emission bands at energies close to 2.2 and 3.0 eV. A blue-shift of these bands took place for increasing In concentration, which is related to the increase in the band gap energy of the mixed system in going from CdO, with a band gap energy of 2.46 eV, to CdIn₂O₄, with 3.2 eV, to In₂O₃, with 3.6 eV.     

Synthesis and characterization of a Ni/Ba2In0.6Ti1.4O5.7□0.3 cermet for SOFC application

Ni-based cermets were prepared and reduced from mixtures of NiO and Ba₂In_0.6Ti_1.4O_5.7□_0.3. A cermet containing 18.7 vol.% of Ni exhibits promising characteristics: 40% of open porosity and a lower DC resistivity than a Ni/YSZ cermet with a larger Ni content (30 vol.%). Its thermal expansion coefficient is 11.4 × 10^− 6 K^− 1 whereas that measured for Ba₂In_0.6Ti_1.4O_5.7□_0.3 is 9.9 × 10^− 6 K^− 1. Electrical measurements vs. the Ni content have shown that the percolation threshold corresponds to 15.7 vol.% of Ni. By using saccharose as a pore former, the porosity of the electrode can be tuned. It is shown that the pore size is controlled by the particle size distribution of the pore former.     

The effect of post-metal annealing on the electrical performance and stability of two-step-annealed solution-processed In2O3 thin film transistors

In this work, solution-processed indium oxide (In₂O₃) thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated by a two-step annealing method. The influence of post-metal annealing (PMA) temperatures on the electrical performance and stability is studied. With the increase of PMA temperatures, the on-state current and off-state current (I_on/I_off) ratio is improved and the sub-threshold swing (SS) decreased. Moreover, the stability of In₂O₃ TFTs is also improved. In all, In₂O₃ TFT with post-metal annealing temperature of 350°С exhibits the best performance (a threshold voltage of 4.75 V, a mobility of 13.8 cm²/V, an I_on/I_off ratio of 1.8 × 10⁶, and a SS of 0.76 V/decade). Meanwhile, the stability under temperature stress (TBS) and positive bias stress (PBS) also show a good improvement. It shows that the PMA treatment can effectively suppress the interface trap and bulk trap and result in an obviously improvement of the In₂O₃ TFTs performance.