A new sol–gel processing routine without chelating agents for preparing highly transparent solutions and nanothin films: engineering the role of chemistry to design the process

The great sensitivity of titanium alkoxides to hydrolysis makes their sol–gel transformation very fast and thus difficult to control. A method was proposed to alleviate this drawback. Preparation of highly transparent solutions and nanothin films is another objective of the present research. Employing nanoemulsion method and optimizing the processing conditions, a clear solution of well-dispersed nanosized particles was obtained. With the proposed process BaTiO₃ precursor sols and nanothin films with enhanced optical transparency towards the visible were prepared. The optimal formulation of the sol consists of acetic acid, barium acetate, 2-propanol, TTIP and deionized water with 6:1:1:1:150 M ratios, respectively. It was found that the reduction of the temperature in the initial stage of mixing of precursors controls the size of the forming species and accordingly improves the stability and transparency of the sol. The results also showed that the applied modifications and optimizations significantly downsize the particles within the sol to the nanometric scale and accordingly result in a significant improvement in the optical response of the products.     

Fabrication of Cu2ZnSn(SxSe1−x)4 thin film solar cell by single step sulfo-selenization of stacked metallic precursors

We have synthesized an efficient Cu₂ZnSn(S_xSe_1−x)₄ (CZTSSe) absorbers by using single-step rapid thermal sulfo-selenization process of sputtered stack metallic precursor (Zn/Sn/Cu) films. The structural and morphological studies confirm that the suitability of the rapid thermal sulfo-selenization process for the synthesis of a CZTSSe absorber without any secondary phases with large grains. The annealing atmosphere with a mixed-chalcogen source enhances the grain growth of the CZTSSe absorber as compared with pure Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) and Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ (CZTSe) absorbers. The CZTSSe thin film solar cell shows the best conversion efficiency of ∼7%.     

Improvement in electrical and photovoltaic properties of a-Si/c-Si heterojunction with slanted nano-columnar amorphous silicon thin films for photovoltaic applications

The flat a-Si and slanted nanocolumnar (S-nC) a-Si thin films were prepared on c-Si and corning glass substrates by e-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) technique. The structural properties of all the grown thin films were determined by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman spectroscopy. Surface and cross-sectional morphology of a-Si/c-Si and S-nC a-Si/c-Si heterojunctions were investigated by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM). Sculptured thin films demonstrate potential for significant nanoscale applications in the area of thin film technology. The electrical and photovoltaic properties of these heterojunctions have been investigated by means of dc current–voltage (I–V) measurements at room temperature in dark and light conditions. The S-nC STFs' performance has been found to be improvable on changing the morphology of the thin film. We have found that, the porous morphology of this structure improves the photosensitivity features in photovoltaic devices and solar cell technology. We gained a high open voltage value, such as 900 mV in S-nC a-Si/c-Si thin film, without any doping process.     

Influence of substrate activation process on structural and optical properties of ZnS thin films

ZnS thin films were deposited on glass substrates by a chemical bath deposition method using a substrate activation process in which aluminum ions become “contaminants” that act as a nucleation center for active components within the deposition solution. The structure and morphology results demonstrate that the films have a ZnS sphalerite crystal structure with a particle size less than 15 nm, and the films consist of small homogeneous grains. The effects of the substrate activation process on the band gap energies and donor-acceptor pair luminescence process were also investigated. A green emission centered at 502 nm was produced due to donor-acceptor transitions from the aluminum acceptor to the ionized and substitution aluminum centers (Al³⁺).     

Bright White‐Light Emission from a Single Organic Compound in the Solid State

White‐light‐emitting materials and devices have attracted enormous interest because of their great potential for various lighting applications. We herein describe the light‐emitting properties of a series of new difunctional organic molecules of remarkably simple structure consisting of two terminal 4‐pyridone push–pull subunits separated by a polymethylene chain. They were found to emit almost “pure” white light as a single organic compound in the solid state, as well as when incorporated in a polymer film. To the best of our knowledge, they are the simplest white‐light‐emitting organic molecules reported to date.     

Crystallization of poly-p-oxybenzoate on mica

Thin film polymerization/crystallization of poly-4-oxybenzoate (P-4-OB) from melt or dilute solutions yields on mica cleavage surface an epitaxial overgrowth with crystal blocks oriented in 1 to 3 substrate directions rotated by 60°. The b and c crystal axes of P-4-OB lie in the mica cleavage plane, with the a axis being perpendicular to it. At higher polymerization temperatures a different type of P-4-OB orientation on mica was also observed: two P-4-temperatures a different type of P-4-OB orientation on mica was also observed: two P-4-OB phase I crystals, again with b- and c-axes lying parallel to mica cleavage plane, were oriented perpendicular to each other. There is a pronounced tendency of the relatively thick P-4-OB overgrowth to form complex crystal structures involving both phase I and II with different types of orientation on mica substrate. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Poly(terephthalic anhydride) single crystals: Morphology and crystal structure

Single crystals of poly(terephthalic anhydride) (PTA) have been grown using the confined thin film melt polymerization technique. Thin lamellae (ca. 50 Å) are found for low polymerization temperatures, with thick crystals forming for polymerization at 200°C. Shearing of the material shortly after the initiation of polymerization at 200°C yielded single crystal domains composed of fibrillar texture material; these samples gave [010] zone ED patterns complementing the [001] zone patterns from the unsheared CTFMP samples. A monoclinic, single chain, two repeat unit, unit cell (Pc11) is proposed based on four different electron diffraction zone patterns: a = 6.01 Å, b = 3.94₅ Å, c = 14.11 Å, α = 106.9°. Simulations, using the Cerius² program, of the corresponding molecular conformation, packing and electron diffraction (ED) patterns were performed; the ED simulations are in good agreement with the observed patterns. An R-factor of 0.23 is obtained based on a comparison of calculated and observed structure factors for the 39 independent ED reflections observed on the different zone patterns. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

ZnS作为空穴缓冲层的新型有机发光二极管

采用磁控溅射方法在ITO表面沉积了不同厚度的ZnS超薄膜作为有机发光二极管(OLEDs)的缓冲层,使典型结构(ITO/TPD/Alq3/Al)的OLEDs的发光性能得到改善。ZnS缓冲层厚度对器件性能影响的实验结果表明,当ZnS缓冲层厚度为5nm时,器件电流密度提高了近2倍,亮度提高了2倍;当ZnS缓冲层厚度为10nm时,器件发光的电流效率提高18%,器件的性能得到改善。宽禁带的ZnS缓冲层对空穴从阳极到有机功能层的注入有阻碍作用,促进器件载流子平衡,提高了器件发光效率,改善了器件性能。