Solution processed Al-doped ZnO and its performance in dye sensitized solar cells

Al-doped ZnO rods of nanometer to sub-micrometer size range have been successfully synthesized by a simple yet cost-effective solution processed sonochemical technique. Systematic XRD analysis established the solid solubility limit for Al in the ZnO lattice to be ca. 3 mol% at an elevated annealing temperature of 800 °C. The secondary ZnAl₂O₄ phase appears with increasing dopant concentrations and at lower annealing temperatures. Significant variations in the optoelectronic properties are induced by modifications in the surface defects of ZnO rods as a result of Al doping. As a consequence, an improved fill factor (FF) of 74.78 and 75.76% with a conversion efficiency (η) of 1.59 and 1.79% have been achieved for the fabricated DSSC devices made of the 800 °C annealed ZnO rods doped by 1 and 3 mol% Al, respectively.     

Magnetic anisotropy manipulation and interfacial coupling in Sm3Fe5O12 films and CoFe/Sm3Fe5O12 heterostructures

The magnetic anisotropy manipulation in the Sm₃Fe₅O₁₂ (SmIG) films and its effect on the interfacial spin coupling in the CoFe/SmIG heterostructures were studied carefully. By switching the orientation of the Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂ substrates from (111) to (001), the magnetic anisotropy of obtained SmIG films shifts from in-plane to out-of-plane. Similar results can also be obtained in the films on Gd₃Sc₂Ga₃O₁₂ substrates, which identifies the universality of such orientation-induced magnetic anisotropy switching. Additionally, the interfacial spin coupling and magnetic anisotropy switching effect on the spin wave in CoFe/SmIG magnetic heterojunctions have also been explored by utilizing the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect technique. It is intriguing to find that both the frequency and effective damping factor of spin precession in CoFe/SmIG heterojunctions can be manipulated by the magnetic anisotropy switching of SmIG films. These findings not only provide a route for the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy acquisition but also give a further path for spin manipulation in magnetic films and heterojunctions.     

Effect of surface oxygen vacancy defects on the performance of ZnO quantum dots ultraviolet photodetector

The slower response speed is the main problem in the application of ZnO quantum dots (QDs) photodetector, which has been commonly attributed to the presence of excess oxygen vacancy defects and oxygen adsorption/desorption processes. However, the detailed mechanism is still not very clear. Herein, the properties of ZnO QDs and their photodetectors with different amounts of oxygen vacancy (V_O) defects controlled by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) solution treatment have been investigated. After H₂O₂ solution treatment, V_O concentration of ZnO QDs decreased. The H₂O₂ solution-treated device has a higher photocurrent and a lower dark current. Meanwhile, with the increase in V_O concentration of ZnO QDs, the response speed of the device has been improved due to the increase of oxygen adsorption/desorption rate. More interestingly, the response speed of the device became less sensitive to temperature and oxygen concentration with the increase of V_O defects. The findings in this work clarify that the surface V_O defects of ZnO QDs could enhance the photoresponse speed, which is helpful for sensor designing.     

Oxygen vacancy control of electrical,optical, and magnetic properties of Fe0.05Ti0.95O2 epitaxial films

High-quality Fe-doped TiO₂ films are epitaxially grown on MgF₂ substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The x-ray diffraction and Raman spectra prove that they are of pure rutile phase. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) further demonstrates that the epitaxial relationship between rutile-phased TiO₂ and MgF₂ substrates is 110 TiO₂₂. The room temperature ferromagnetism is detected by alternative gradient magnetometer. By increasing the ambient oxygen pressure, magnetization shows that it decreases monotonically while absorption edge shows a red shift. The transport property measurement demonstrates a strong correlation between magnetization and carrier concentration. The influence of ambient oxygen pressure on magnetization can be well explained by a modified bound magnetization polarization model.     

Thermal recrystallization of physical vapor deposition based germanium thin films on bulk silicon (100)

We demonstrate a simple, low‐cost, and scalable process for obtaining uniform, smooth surfaced, high quality mono‐crystalline germanium (100) thin films on silicon (100). The germanium thin films were deposited on a silicon substrate using plasma‐assisted sputtering based physical vapor deposition. They were crystallized by annealing at various temperatures ranging from 700 °C to 1100 °C. We report that the best quality germanium thin films are obtained above the melting point of germanium (937 °C), thus offering a method for in‐situ Czochralski process. We show well‐behaved high‐κ /metal gate metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs) using this film. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

脉冲激光沉积法制备的ZnO薄膜的低阈值电抽运紫外随机激射

分别采用直流反应溅射法和脉冲激光沉积法在硅衬底上沉积ZnO薄膜, 用X射线衍射、扫描电镜、光致发光谱等手段对两种方法沉积的ZnO薄膜的结晶状态、 表面形貌和光致发光等进行了表征. 进一步对比研究了以上述两种方法制备的ZnO薄膜作为发光层的金属-绝缘体-半导体结构器件的电抽运紫外随机激射. 结果表明, 与以溅射法制备的ZnO薄膜作为发光层的器件相比, 以脉冲激光沉积法制备的ZnO薄膜为发光层的器件具有更低的紫外光随机激射阈值电流和更高的输出光功率. 这是由于脉冲激光沉积法制备的ZnO薄膜中的缺陷更少, 从而显著地减少了紫外光在光散射过程中的光损耗. 关键词： 随机激射 ZnO薄膜 脉冲激光沉积 溅射     

ZnMgO/ZnO异质结构中二维电子气的研究

论文根据ZnMgO/ZnO异质结构二维电子气的能带结构及相关理论模型, 采用一维Poisson-Schrodinger方程的自洽求解, 模拟计算了ZnMgO/ZnO异质结构中二维电子气的分布及其对ZnMgO势垒层厚度及Mg组分的依赖关系. 研究发现该异质结构中ZnMgO势垒层厚度存在一最小临界值: 当垒层厚度小于该临界值时, 二维电子气消失, 当垒层厚度大于该临界值时, 其二维电子气密度随着该垒层厚度的增加而增大; 同时研究发现ZnMgO势垒层中Mg组分的增加将显著增强其二维电子气的行为, 导致二维电子气密度的明显增大; 论文对模拟计算获得的结果与相关文献报道的实验结果进行了比较, 并从极化效应和能带结构的角度进行了分析和讨论, 给出了合理的解释. 关键词： 氧化锌 二维电子气 异质结构 理论计算     

不同衬底和CdCl2退火对磁控溅射CdS薄膜性能的影响

在科宁7059玻璃, FTO, ITO, AZO四种衬底上磁控溅射CdS薄膜, 并在CdCl₂+干燥空气380 ℃退火, 分别研究了不同衬底和退火工艺对CdS薄膜形貌、结构和光学性能的影响. 扫描电子显微镜形貌表明: 不同衬底原位溅射CdS薄膜的形貌不同, 退火后相应CdS薄膜的晶粒度和表面粗糙度明显增大. XRD衍射图谱表明: 不同衬底原位溅射和退火CdS薄膜均为六角相和立方相的混相结构, 退火前后科宁7059玻璃, FTO, AZO衬底上CdS薄膜有 H(002)/C(111) 最强衍射峰, ITO衬底原位溅射CdS薄膜没有明显的最强衍射峰, 退火后出现 H(002)/(111) 最强衍射峰. 紫外-可见分光光度计分析表明: AZO, FTO, ITO, 科宁7059玻璃衬底CdS薄膜的可见光平均透过率依次减小, 退火后相应衬底CdS薄膜的可见光平均透过率增大, 光学吸收系数降低; 退火显著增大了不同衬底CdS薄膜的光学带隙. 分析得出: 上述结果是由于不同衬底类型和退火工艺对CdS多晶薄膜的形貌、结构和带尾态掺杂浓度改变的结果. 关键词： CdS薄膜 磁控溅射 退火再结晶 带尾态     

FeMn掺杂AlN薄膜的制备及其特性研究

采用直流磁控共溅射技术, 以Ar与N₂为源气体, 硅片为衬底成功地制备了Fe, Mn掺杂AlN薄膜. 利用X射线衍射和拉曼光谱研究了工作电流、靶基距离等工艺参数的改变对薄膜结构的影响. 利用扫描电子显微镜和能谱分析仪对薄膜的表面形貌和组成成分进行了分析. 利用振动样品磁强计在室温下对Fe, Mn掺杂AlN薄膜进行了磁性表征. Mn掺杂AlN薄膜表现出顺磁性的原因可能是由于Mn掺杂浓度较高, 在沉积过程部分Mn以团簇的形式存在, 反铁磁性的Mn团簇减弱了体系的铁磁交换作用. Fe掺杂AlN薄膜表现出室温铁磁性, 这可能是AlFeN三元化合物作用的结果. 随着Fe 掺杂AlN薄膜中Fe原子浓度从6.81%增加到16.17%, 其饱和磁化强度M_s由0.27 emu·cm^-3逐渐下降到0.20 emu·cm^-3, 而矫顽力H_c则由57 Oe增大到115 Oe (1 Oe=79.5775 A/m), 这一现象与Fe离子间距离的缩短及反铁磁耦合作用增强有关. 关键词： 直流磁控共溅射 氮化铝薄膜 结构 磁性     

Nanohybridization of Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials: Synthesis,Classification, and Application

Nanomaterials have attracted much attention from academic to industrial research. General methodologies are needed to impose architectural order in low-dimensional nanomaterials composed of nanoobjects of various shapes and sizes, such as spherical particles, rods, wires, combs, horns, and other non specified geometrical architectures. These nanomaterials are the building blocks for nanohybrid materials, whose applications have improved and will continuously enhance the quality of the daily life of mankind. In this article, we present a comprehensive review on the synthesis, dimension, properties, and present and potential future applications of nanomaterials and nanohybrids. Due to the large number of review articles on specific dimension, morphology, or application of nanomaterials, we will focus on different forms of nanomaterials, such as, linear, particulate, and miscellaneous forms. We believe that almost all the nanomaterials and nanohybrids will come under these three categories. Every form or dimension or morphology has its own significant properties and advantages. These low-dimensional nanomaterials can be integrated to create novel nano-composite material applications for next-generation devices needed to address the current energy crisis, environmental sustainability, and better performance requirements. We discuss the synthesis, properties, and morphology of different forms of nanomaterials (building blocks). Moreover, we elaborate on the synthesis, modification, and application of nanohybrids. The applications of these nanomaterials and nanohybrids in sensors, solar cells, lithium batteries, electronic, catalysis, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and bio-based applications will be detailed. The time is now ripe to explore new nanohybrids that use individual nanomaterial components as basic building blocks, potentially affording additionally novel behavior and leading to new, useful applications. In this regard, the combination or integration of linear nanorods/nanowires and spherical nanoparticles to produce mixed-dimensionality, higher-level nanocomposites of greater complexity is an interesting theme, which we explore in this review article.