Applications In Photoelectric Devices Research Articles

Broadband Negative Photoconductive Response in Carbon Nanodots.

Due to the broadband response and low selectivity of external light, negative photoconductivity (NPC) effect holds great potential applications in photoelectric devices. Herein, different photoresponsive carbon nanodots (CDs) are prepared from diverse precursors and the broadband response from the NPC CDs are utilized to achieve the optoelectronic logic gates and optical imaging for the first time. In detail, the mcu-CDs which are prepared by the microwave-assisted polymerization of citric acid and urea possess the large specific surface area and abundant hydrophilic groups as sites for the adsorption of H2O molecules and thereby present a high conductivity in dark. Meanwhile, the low affinity of mcu-CDs to H2O molecules permits the light-induced desorption of H2O molecules by heat effect and thus endow the mcu-CDs with a low conductivity under illumination. The easy absorption and desorption of H2O molecules contribute to the extraordinary NPC of mcu-CDs. With the broadband NPC response in CDs, the optoelectronic logic gates and flexible optical imaging system are established, achieving the applications of "NOR" or "NAND" logic operations and high-quality optical images. These findings unveil the unique optoelectronic properties of CDs, and have the potential to advance the applications of CDs in optoelectronic devices.

Solution processable Zn-salphen containing π-conjugated polymers with unique aggregation behavior as organic optoelectronic materials

Series of π-conjugated polymers containing electron-withdrawing Zn-Schiff base complex (Zn-salphen) were reported. These polymers can be easily obtained with controllable optical bandgap (Egopt) varying from 1.50 to 2.13 eV by changing the π-conjugated comonomers, and together with excellent thermal stabilities. It was found that the introduction of alkyl chains could provide good solution process-ability for these polymers in chlorobenzene solutions. All the polymers exhibit high hydrophilic characteristics compared to traditional semi-conducting polymers. This is caused by the large polarity of Zn-salphen, which results in strong inter-molecular interactions for the polymers analyzed based on their optical properties. Interestingly, these aggregation behaviors are highly dependent on the type of solvents and coordinating additives such as pyridine, which can be observed from their UV–vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. In addition, the film morphologies of these polymers can be modified by using pre- and post-treatments such as thermal annealing, solvent annealing and additives. This work introduces a new strategy for constructing semi-conducting polymers by solving the problem of poor solubility of Zn-salphen complex, and preliminarily studies the feasibility of these Zn-salphen containing polymers regarding their solution process-ability, optical adjustment and morphology optimization. These polymers are considered potential candidates for applications in photoelectric devices.

Investigating electronic structure and optical property variations in full and semi-hydrogenated Janus MoSSe monolayers

By employing first principles calculations, we have developed three novel and stable hydrogenated Janus MoSSe materials, and conducted a comparative investigation of their electronic structures and optical properties. The pristine Janus MoSSe demonstrates characteristics of a direct band gap semiconductor with a band gap of 1.60 eV, exhibiting properties typical of a P-type semiconductor. Upon complete hydrogenation on the S side and Se side, the band gap decreases to 0.84, 0.34, resulting in N-type, P-type semiconductors, respectively. while the hydrogenation on both sides, the band gap is 0, and the material show metallic property. The work functions after hydrogenation are consistently lower than those of the pristine Janus MoSSe. In terms of optical properties, the absorption intensity in the visible light range is higher for the S side case than the Se side case, while the reflectivity of the S side case is lower. This indicates that the S side case is more suitable for applications in photo-electric devices in both the visible light and infrared ranges. Therefore, through first principles calculations, we have explored three types of novel and stable hydrogenated Janus MoSSe configurations, examining their fundamental properties and potential applications.

Cross-linking polymerization and carbonization of biomass chlorophyll for carbon dot-based electroluminescent devices with ultra-narrow-emission

Exploiting narrow-bandwidth-emission fluorescent materials is crucial for next-generation wide-color gamut displays. Inspired by the narrow-bandwidth-emission characteristic of chlorophyll derivates, the present work develops a facile strategy to synthesize a series of red-emitting chlorophyll-structured CDs (CHL-CDs) with ultra-high color purity and good carrier mobility from different traditional Chinese medicine leaves through a simple cross-linking polymerization and carbonization process. The obtained CHL-CDs exhibit bright photoluminescence centered at 671 nm, ultra-high color purity with an FWHM of 23 nm, and a high photoluminescence quantum yield of up to 62%. More importantly, based on in-depth experimental and theoretical studies on the macroscopic host–guest interactions and microscopic interfacial interactions between the CHL-CDs and charge transporting materials, high-performance red electroluminescent light-emitting diodes are successfully prepared, with FWHM of only 28 nm, turn-on voltage of 3.7 V, maximum luminance of 623 cd m−2, and maximum current efficiency of 0.26 cd A−1. This study provides a universal platform for fabricating narrow-bandwidth-emission CDs with significant applications in photoelectric devices.

Doping Ability Modulated by Interlayer Coupling in AA' and AB Stacked Bilayer V-WS2 Grown with Chemical Vapor Deposition.

Doping in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) has received extensive attention for its prospect in the application of photoelectric devices. Currently researchers focus on the doping ability and doping distribution in monolayer TMD and have obtained a series of achievements. Bilayer TMD has more excellent properties compared with monolayer TMD. Moreover, bilayer TMD with different stacking structures presents varying performance due to the difference in interlayer coupling. Herein, this work focuses on doping ability of dopants in different bilayer stacking structures that has not been studied yet. Results of this work show that the doping ability of V atoms in bilayer AA' and AB stacked WS2 is different, and the doping concentration of V atoms in AB stacked WS2 is higher than in AA' stacked WS2. Moreover, dopants from top and bottom layer can be distinguished by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)image. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation further confirms the doping rule. This study reveals the mechanism of the different doping ability caused by stacking structures in bilayer TMD and lays a foundation for further preparation of controllable-doping bilayer TMD materials.

Excitonic one-photon absorption of one- and two-dimensional C60 polymers: Insights from many-body first-principles calculations

By solving the many-body Bethe–Salpeter equation, we explored the excitonic one-photon absorption of one- and two-dimensional C60 polymers. We studied seven polymeric structures including C60-chain, two structures with quasi-tetragonal phases (qTP1 and qTP2), and four structures with quasi-hexagonal phases (qHP1, ML-qHP2, BL-qHP2, and bulk-qHP2). The one-photon excitonic transitions were analyzed in detail relative to the independent particle transitions. Significant red-shifts (0.4 and 0.2 eV for ML-qHP2 and BL-qHP2, respectively) were observed in the excitonic one-photon absorption of low-dimensional polymers compared to bulk polymers. The red-shift can be related to the dimensional and interlayer dependences of screening effect which lead to different binding energies (0.61, 0.44, and 0.27 eV for ML-qHP2, BL-qHP2, and bulk-qHP2, respectively). For two qHPs (i.e., qHP1 and ML-qHP2), different connection modes between C60 molecules lead to different types (direct and indirect for qHP1 and ML-qHP2, respectively) of electronic band gap, and they also have different spectral profiles due to different hole and electron densities of excitons. Finally, the C60-chain formed by [2 + 2] cycloadditions has a direct band gap of 2.09 eV which is desirable for applications in photoelectric devices based on the solar spectrum.

A controllable interlayer shielding effect in twisted multilayer graphene quantum dots.

When multilayer graphene (MLG) is subjected to a vertical electric field, electrons traverse across the layers and its interlayer electrical conductance and shielding effect exhibit remarkable diversity, leading to exotic phenomena and diverse applications in photoelectric devices. The rearrangement of electrons induced by this external field is aptly described by polarizability, which quantifies the electronic response to the applied field. In this work, we have developed a polarizability decomposition scheme based on field-induced electron density variations computed using a first-principles approach. This scheme allows us to isolate the inter- and intra-layer contributions from the total polarizability of twisted multilayer graphene (TMG) quantum dots. The inter- and intra-layer counterparts reflect the charge transfer (CT) and field shielding effects among the layers, respectively. While the strongest shield effect is observed between the outermost two layers, the largest CT change is noted in the outermost layers, but small or nearly zero CT changes in the inner layers. Significant CT and shielding effects are observed not only in strongly coupled Bernal stacking, but also in the structures misaligned from full-(AA)N stacking by a small and size-dependent twist angle. The dielectric behaviors of the TMG quantum dots of a few layers are layer-dependent and different from those of typical dielectrics. Moreover, both the shielding and CT effects exhibit variation with thickness, twist angle and disc size, suggesting controllable conductive/dielectric conversion in the vertical direction. Considering the inter- and intralayer polarizability, our study addresses the precise modulation of interlayer conductance and shielding effect for TMG quantum dots, essential for microstructure design and performance manipulation of MLG-based photoelectric devices.

Fabrication of highly luminescent and thermally stable composites of sulfur nanodots through surface modification and assembly.

Sulfur nanodots (S-dots) have emerged as a promising luminescent material to excel over traditional heavy metal-based quantum dots. However, their relatively low emission efficiency and poor thermal stability in the solid state have limited their wide applications in photoelectric devices. In this work, highly luminescent, with a photoluminescence quantum yield higher than 50%, and thermally stable composites of S-dots were produced through modulating their surface states and aggregation behaviors by introducing pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and benzoyleneurea (BEU), respectively. PMDA eliminated the relatively short-lived surface states and defects on the surface of S-dots and BEU regulated the aggregation states and facilitated the energy transfer from BEU to S-dots. The as-obtained composites also showed significantly improved thermal stability compared to S-dots, aided by the hydrophobic chemical groups and dense matrix of PMDA and BEU, which extended their applications in fabricating light-emitting diodes. Our presented results provide a new approach to produce highly luminescent S-dots, which widen their applications in the fields of bioimaging, sensing, photoelectric devices, and environmental science.

Unlocking structural and photoelectric properties of lead-free double perovskites at high temperature

The lead-free double perovskite, increasingly sought for optoelectronic pursuits, is distinguished by its notable stability, optical properties, and non-toxic characteristic. An extensive inquiry into the structural and photoelectric properties of Cs2NaBiCl6 at heightened temperatures was undertaken using experimental evaluations and theoretical computations. The compound Cs2NaBiCl6, synthesized using a hydrothermal technique, was confirmed via various analytical methods. Advanced techniques such as high-temperature X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction were employed for the investigation of its crystal structure. Further investigation of microstructure was undertaken using electron microscopes. High-temperature luminescence stability disclosed a high exciton binding energy of 326 meV. The Huang-Rhys factor (6.4) denotes a robust electron-phonon coupling effect and facile formation of self-trapped excitons (700 nm). Applied first principles render valuable insight into structural and photoelectric nuances, notably at escalated temperatures. Cs2NaBiCl6 as an indirect bandgap semiconductor and details the experimental and theoretical bandgap, which exhibits an increasing trend before subsequently declining at elevated temperatures. These results strongly support the material's high-temperature stability, emphasizing its applicability in applications such as rare-earth-doped phosphors. The dynamic stability of the material, evidenced by its mechanical performance, further underscores its potential for application in photoelectric devices.

Dominant Role of Hole Transport Pathway in Achieving Record High Photoconductivity in Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with mobile charges have attracted significant attention due to their potential applications in photoelectric devices, chemical resistance sensors, and catalysis. However, fundamental understanding of the charge transport pathway within the framework and the key properties that determine the performance of conductive MOFs in photoelectric devices remain underexplored. Herein, we report the mechanisms of photoinduced charge transport and electron dynamics in the conductive 2D M-HHTP (M=Cu, Zn or Cu/Zn mixed; HHTP=2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene) MOFs and their correlation with photoconductivity using the combination of time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy, optical transient absorption spectroscopy, X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We identify the through-space hole transport mechanism through the interlayer sheet π-π interaction, where photoinduced hole state resides in HHTP ligand and electronic state is localized at the metal center. Moreover, the photoconductivity of the Cu-HHTP MOF is found to be 65.5 S m-1 , which represents the record high photoconductivity for porous MOF materials based on catecholate ligands.

Dominant Role of Hole Transport Pathway in Achieving Record High Photoconductivity in Two‐Dimensional Metal–Organic Frameworks

AbstractMetal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with mobile charges have attracted significant attention due to their potential applications in photoelectric devices, chemical resistance sensors, and catalysis. However, fundamental understanding of the charge transport pathway within the framework and the key properties that determine the performance of conductive MOFs in photoelectric devices remain underexplored. Herein, we report the mechanisms of photoinduced charge transport and electron dynamics in the conductive 2D M−HHTP (M=Cu, Zn or Cu/Zn mixed; HHTP=2,3,6,7,10,11‐hexahydroxytriphenylene) MOFs and their correlation with photoconductivity using the combination of time‐resolved terahertz spectroscopy, optical transient absorption spectroscopy, X‐ray transient absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We identify the through‐space hole transport mechanism through the interlayer sheet π–π interaction, where photoinduced hole state resides in HHTP ligand and electronic state is localized at the metal center. Moreover, the photoconductivity of the Cu−HHTP MOF is found to be 65.5 S m−1, which represents the record high photoconductivity for porous MOF materials based on catecholate ligands.

Study on the structural, optical and electrical properties of N-doped Ga2O3 films synthesized by sol-gel method

Ga2O3 exhibits great potential for applications in solar-blind ultraviolet photo detector, high-power electronic devices and solid-state light-emitting due to its ultra-wide band gap and high Baliga figure of merit. Here, Ga2(NxO1-x)3 films with varied nitrogen contents were prepared by the sol-gel technique. XRD analysis reveals that nitrogen doping contributes for growth of greater crystalline and SEM-EDS measurements confirm that the monoclinic crystal structure of Ga2(NxO1-x)3 is maintained to doping level of 3.26wt%; FTIR information indicates that nitrogen prefers to substitute for the O1 and O2 site of Ga2O3; XPS offers evidence that nitrogen tends to occupy oxygen vacancies and generate more gallium vacancies; UV-VIS shows that impurity defects appear above valence band, and the absorption position undergoes a red shift with nitrogen above 1.32wt%; PL shows Ga2(NxO1-x)3 films can emit light of various colors under excitation at 325nm, and the acceptor level is at 1.63eV∼2eV above the valence band; The conductivity of Ga2(NxO1-x)3 films is changed from n-type to p-type when nitrogen-doping is 0.96 wt% and the I–V curve composed of Ga2(NxO1-x)3 and Ga2O3 shows PDCR = 43 under the 254nm light. Therefore, the development of nitrogen-doped β-Ga2O3 has potential opportunities for applications in photoelectric devices.

Tuning magnetic and optical properties in As–Ge (Si) co-doped MoS2 monolayer by defect-defect interaction

Modulating magnetic properties in monolayer MoS2 is important for the applications in spintronics and magnetism devices. In this work, we have studied the electronic, magnetic and optical properties of co-doped monolayer MoS2 with As–Ge (Si) doping on S surfaces through the first-principle calculations. Our results show that the magnetic properties of monolayer MoS2 can be tuned effectively by the distance of co-doped atoms. The projected density of state and the charge transfer demonstrate the interaction and superexchange coupling between As and Ge (Si) atoms are the key factor in the magnetic properties of co-doped structures. Furthermore, it is found that co-doping can also induce spin-polarized optical properties in low-energy region, which makes the co-doped MoS2 attractive candidates for spin-polarized photoelectric device applications.

Enhanced photoelectric properties of a novel BiOCuS/SnS composite film

In recent years, the development of efficient and environmentally friendly materials for energy conversion and storage has gained significant attention. Herein, a novel BiOCuS/SnS composite film was prepared by doctor blade coating for potential applications in photoelectric devices. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the films were studied systemically. The photocurrent of the BiOCuS/SnS composite film was obtained as 63.53 μA/cm2 at 1 V, which is about 10-fold and 102-fold of that of bare BiOCuS and SnS films, respectively. The enhanced photoelectric response in the BiOCuS/SnS composite film can be attributed to the improved separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers driven by the heterojunction.

High-loading of organosilane-grafted carbon dots in high-performance luminescent solar concentrators with ultrahigh transparency

Carbon dots (CDs) generally suffer from aggregation-induced fluorescence quenching effect in solid-state, which significantly limits their application in photoelectric devices. Due to this effect, it is a great challenge to achieve high-transparency and high-performance luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) based on CDs. Here, the synthesis of organosilane-grafted carbon dots (Si-CDs) is rationally designed by hydrothermal method using anhydrous citric acid, ethanolamine and KH-792 as the reaction precursors. The obtained Si-CDs can be uniformly dispersed in the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix through the dehydration condensation reaction and hydrogen bonding between the silicon hydroxyl group of Si-CDs and the hydroxyl group of PVA. Based on this property, Si-CDs/PVA thin-film LSCs (5 ×5 ×0.2 cm3) with ultrahigh CD loading (25 wt%) and high transparency can be fabricated, exhibiting excellent absorption in the UV spectral region and about 90 % transmission in the visible range. Furthermore, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the LSCs can reach 2.09 % under a standard solar light and shows excellent stability even over 12 weeks. This synthetic design is expected to be beneficial for future development of CD synthesis and paves the way for the development of CDs-based photoelectric devices.

Advances in Heterostructures for Optoelectronic Devices: Materials, Properties, Conduction Mechanisms, Device Applications.

Atomically thin 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have recently been spotlighted for next-generation electronic and photoelectric device applications. TMD materials with high carrier mobility have superior electronic properties different from bulk semiconductor materials. 0D quantum dots (QDs) possess the ability to tune their bandgap by composition, diameter, and morphology, which allows for a control of their light absorbance and emission wavelength. However, QDs exhibit a low charge carrier mobility and the presence of surface trap states, making it difficult to apply them to electronic and optoelectronic devices. Accordingly, 0D/2D hybrid structures are considered as functional materials with complementary advantages that may not be realized with a single component.Such advantages allow them to be used as both transport and active layers in next-generation optoelectronic applications such as photodetectors, image sensors, solar cells, and light-emitting diodes. Here, recent discoveries related to multicomponent hybrid materials are highlighted. Research trends in electronic and optoelectronic devices based on hybrid heterogeneous materials are also introduced and the issues to be solved from the perspective of the materials and devices are discussed.

An Optoelectronic Synapse Based on Two-Dimensional Violet Phosphorus Heterostructure.

Neuromorphic computing can efficiently handle data-intensive tasks and address the redundant interaction required by von Neumann architectures. Synaptic devices are essential components for neuromorphic computation. 2D phosphorene, such as violet phosphorene, show great potential in optoelectronics due to their strong light-matter interactions, while current research is mainly focused on synthesis and characterization, its application in photoelectric devices is vacant. Here, the authors combined violet phosphorene and molybdenum disulfide to demonstrate an optoelectronic synapse with a light-to-dark ratio of 106 , benefiting from a significant threshold shift due to charge transfer and trapping in the heterostructure. Remarkable synaptic properties are demonstrated, including a dynamic range (DR) of > 60dB, 128 (7-bit) distinguishable conductance states, electro-optical dependent plasticity, short-term paired-pulse facilitation, and long-term potentiation/depression. Thanks to the excellent DR and multi-states, high-precision image classification with accuracies of 95.23% and 79.65% is achieved for the MNIST and complex Fashion-MNIST datasets, which is close to the ideal device (95.47%, 79.95%). This work opens the way for the use of emerging phosphorene in optoelectronics and provides a new strategy for building synaptic devices for high-precision neuromorphic computing.

High responsivity of VIS-NIR photodetector based on Ag2S/P3HT heterojunction

Ag2S quantum dot (QD) photodetectors (PDs) have attracted a lot of attention in the field of imaging system and optical communication. However, the current Ag2S PDs mainly works in the near-infrared band, and its detection ability in the visible band remains to be strengthened. In this paper, we used poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with high carrier mobility and Ag2S QDs to construct heterojunction PD. Stronger absorption in blends with polymer P3HT compared to single Ag2S QDs. The optical absorption spectra show that the Ag2S/P3HT has strong light absorption peak at 394 and 598 nm. The results show that P3HT significantly enhances the absorption of Ag2S QDs from the visible to near-infrared band. The output characteristics, transfer characteristics and fast switching capability of the device at 405 nm, 532 nm and 808 nm were tested. The device has the responsivity of 6.05 A W−1, 83.72 A W−1 and 37.31 A W−1 under 405 nm, 532 nm and 808 nm laser irradiation. This work plays an important role in improving the detection performance of Ag2S QDs and broadening its applications in photoelectric devices for weak light and wide spectrum detection.

Bright Tunable Multicolor Graphene Quantum Dots for Light-Emitting Devices and Anticounterfeiting Applications

The development of multicolor tunable emission graphene quantum dots (GQDs) is important for their application in photoelectric devices and multicolor anticounterfeiting. Herein, we synthesize blue (B-GQDs), green (G-GQDs), and red GQDs (R-GQDs) via a solvothermal reaction. The B-, G-, and R-GQDs exhibit excitation-independent behavior, excellent fluorescence properties, and exceptional photostability. The relative quantum yields (QYs) for the B-, G-, and R-GQDs are 68, 62, and 27%, respectively. Structural characterization and theoretical calculations indicate that the quantum size effect adjusts the red shift of emission from B-GQDs to G-GQDs, and the increased content of oxygen and C═N bonds are answerable for the red emission of R-GQDs. Then, we apply the prepared multicolor GQDs as a fluorescent ink for pattern printing and multicolor anticounterfeiting. Moreover, B-, G-, and R-colors and white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are fabricated by ultraviolet radiation as excitation. The white LEDs exhibit a color coordinate of (0.335, 0.343), a high color rendering index of 95, and a correlated color temperature of 4835 K. This research successfully expands the potential application of GQDs in the reliable anticounterfeiting, information security, and high color rendering index GQD-based LEDs.

Carrier Relaxation and Multiplication in Bi Doped Graphene.

By introducing different contents of Bi adatoms to the surface of monolayer graphene, the carrier concentration and their dynamics have been effectively modulated as probed directly by the time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy technique. The Bi adatoms are found to assist acoustic phonon scattering events mediated by supercollisions as the disorder effectively relaxes the momentum conservation constraint. A reduced carrier multiplication has been observed, which is related to the shrinking Fermi sea for scattering, as confirmed by time-dependent density functional theory simulation. This work gives insight into hot carrier dynamics in graphene, which is crucial for promoting the application of photoelectric devices.