Current Induced Non-Volatile Resistive Switching Effect in Silicon Devices with Large Magnetoresistance

We develop a non-volatile resistive switching device in a Si-SiO2-Mg structure with an on/off ratio of about 4.5 at a certain transition voltage after being stimulated by a large current. It is observed that the resistance transition voltage Vt shifts reproducibly under a reversed large current. By applying a reading voltage in the range of Vt, non-volatile resistive switching phenomena with an endurance of more than 80 cycles are observed. Moreover, it is also found that the magnetic field could shift Vt to higher values, yielding a voltage dependent room-temperature magnetoresistance in the range of 10^3 % at 1 T. The multifunctional properties of the silicon device suggested by this work may be beneficial to the silicon based industry.     

Effects of Mn‐doping on surface acoustic wave properties of ZnO films

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters based on Mn‐doped ZnO films have been fabricated and effects of Mn‐doping on SAW properties are investigated. It is found that the electromechanical coupling coefficient (K²) of Zn_0.913Mn_0.087O films is 0.73 ± 0.02%, which is 73.8% larger than that of undoped ZnO films (0.42 ± 0.02%). Zn_0.913Mn_0.087O film filters also exhibit a lower absolute value of insertion loss (|IL|) of 16.1 dB and larger bandwidth (BW) of 5.9 MHz compared with that of undoped ZnO film filter. However, Zn_0.952Mn_0.048O film filters exhibit a smaller K² of 0.34 ± 0.02%, larger |IL| of 26.9 dB and smaller BW of 3.5 MHz. It is suggested that the SAW properties can be improved by appropriate Mn‐doping and Mn–ZnO/Si multilayer structure with large d₃₃ is promising for wide‐band and low‐loss SAW applications. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Fast piezoresistive sensor and UV photodetector based on Mn‐doped ZnO nanorods

A low cost hydrothermal synthesis method to synthesize Mn‐doped ZnO nanorods (NRs) with controllable morphology and structure has been developed. Ammonia is used to tailor the ammonium hydroxide concentration, which provides a source of OH^– for hydrolysis and precipitation during the growth instead of HMT. The morphological, chemical composition, structural, and electronic structure studies of the Mn‐doped ZnO NRs show that the Mn‐doped ZnO NRs have a hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure along the c‐axis and the Mn ions replace the Zn sites in the ZnO NRs matrix without any secondary phase of metallic manganese element and manganese oxides observed. The fabricated PEDOT:PSS/Zn_0.85Mn_0.15O Schottky diode based piezoresistive sensor and UV photodetector shows that the piezoresistive sensor has pressure sensitivity of 0.00617 kPa^–1 for the pressure range from 1 kPa to 20 kP and 0.000180 kPa^–1for the pressure range from 20 kPa to 320 kPa with relatively fast response time of 0.03 s and the UV photodetector has both relatively high responsivity and fast response time of 0.065 A/W and 2.75 s, respectively. The fabricated Schottky diode can be utilized as a very useful human‐friendly interactive electronic device for mass/force sensor or UV photodetector in everyday living life. This developed device is very promising for small‐size, low‐cost and easy‐to‐customize application‐specific requirements. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Identification of Mn‐related Raman modes in Mn‐doped ZnO thin films

This article aims to investigate the Raman modes present in Mn‐doped ZnO thin films that are deposited using the magnetron co‐sputtering method. A broad band ranging from 500 to 590 cm⁻¹ is present in the Raman spectra of heavily Mn‐doped ZnO films. The multi‐peak‐fitting results show that this broad band may be composed of six peaks, and the peak at 528 cm⁻¹ could be a characteristic mode of Mn₂O₃. The results of this study suggest that the origin of the Raman peaks in Mn‐doped ZnO films may be due to three major types: structural disorder and morphological changes caused by the Mn dopant, Mn‐related oxides and intrinsic host‐lattice defects. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiphonon resonant Raman scattering in N‐doped ZnO

Multiphonon resonant Raman scattering in N‐doped ZnO films was studied, and an enhancement of the resonant Raman scattering process as well as longitudinal optical (LO) phonon overtones up to the sixth order were observed at room temperature. The resonant Raman scattering intensity of the 1LO phonon in N‐doped ZnO appears three times as strong as that of undoped ZnO, which mainly arises from the defect‐induced Raman scattering caused by N‐doping. The nature of the 1LO phonon at 578 cm⁻¹ is interpreted as a quasimode with mixed A₁ and E₁ symmetry because of the defects formed in the ZnO lattice. In addition, the previously neglected impurity‐induced two‐LO‐phonon scattering process was clearly observed in N‐doped ZnO. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A High‐Efficiency All‐Fiber Laser Operated in High‐Order Mode using Ring‐Core Yb‐Doped Fiber

An all‐fiber laser generating a cylindrical vector beam is proposed and demonstrated using a home‐made ring‐core Yb‐doped fiber (RC‐YDF). In the RC‐YDF, not only annular doping but also ring‐type beam pump is realized. This is believed to be the first report describing the realization of annular doping and ring‐type beam pump in active fiber simultaneously, which can enhance the efficiency for high‐order mode oscillation. This laser operates in the high‐order mode stably with a slope efficiency of as high as 55.7%. Cylindrical vector modes can be obtained easily through adjusting the polarization controller. This work may have great potential for providing high‐efficiency and high‐power cylindrical vector beam and vortex beam sources.     

A 3‐state defect model for light‐induced degradation in boron‐doped float‐zone silicon

We report on a light‐induced bulk defect activation and subsequent deactivation in boron doped float‐zone silicon that can be described by a 3‐state model. During treatment at elevated temperature and illumination, a sample first converts from an initial high lifetime state into a degraded low lifetime state and then shows a recovery reaction leading to a third high lifetime state that is then stable under degradation conditions. Furthermore, it is shown that reverse reactions into the initial state appear to be possible both from the degraded as well as the regenerated state. An injection dependent analysis of lifetime data yields a defect capture cross section ratio of ～20 suggesting a positively charged defect. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)