Bias Electric Field Research Articles

Generation of sequences of strong electric monopulses in nitride films

This paper presents theoretical investigation of the excitation of the sequences of strong nonlinear monopulses of space charge waves from input small envelope pulses with microwave carrier frequencies due to the negative differential conductivity in n-GaN and n-InN films. The stable numerical algorithms have been used for nonlinear 3D simulations. The sequences of the monopulses of the strong electric field of 3 - 10 ps durations each can be excited. The bias electric field should be chosen slightly higher than the threshold values for observing the negative differential conductivity. The doping levels should be moderate 1016 -1017 cm-3in the films of ? 2 mm thicknesses. The input microwave carrier frequencies of the exciting pulses of small amplitudes are up to 30 GHz in n-GaN films, whereas in n-InN films they are lower, up to 20 GHz. The sequences of the electric monopulses of high peak values are excited both in the uniform nitride films and in films with non-uniform conductivity. These nonlinear monopulses in the films differ from the domains of strong electric fields in the bulk semiconductors. In the films with non-uniform doping the nonlinear pulses are excited due to the inhomogeneity of the electric field near the input end of the film and the output nonlinear pulses are rather domains.

Preferences of polarity and chirality in triglycine sulfate crystals by alanine ghost

Triglycine sulfate (NH2CH2COOH)3⋅H2SO4, (TGS) has attracted much attention because it exhibits excellent ferroelectricity below the Curie temperature. Although TGS is composed of glycine and sulfuric acid, which are achiral molecules, it forms chiral crystals below the Curie temperature. Ferroelectric domain observations and polarization-electric field hysteresis loop measurements showed that TGS polarity become preferred after a small amount of doping with enantiomeric alanine. It has been confirmed that the preferred polarity appears when the internal bias electric field, caused by alanine doping, is larger than the coercive field. Furthermore, X-ray crystal structure analysis has revealed that l-alanine-doped TGS (LATGS) and d-alanine-doped TGS (DATGS) with the nominal amount of alanine above 50 mol% exhibited great preferences for either chirality, although the alanine content in the crystal was too low to be detected; alanine was a “ghost”. Correlation between the polarity and chirality, thus the “absolute polarity”, of LATGS and DATGS were identified, and the preferences induced by the alanine ghost were noted. We have found that the chirality of TGS grown from achiral molecules can be preferred using an extremely simple method; doping with a tiny amount of alanine.

Modelling ageing phenomenon in ferroelectrics via a Landau-type phenomenological model

In the current paper, the ageing and de-ageing phenomena in ferroelectric ceramics are modelled by a Landau-type model based on the internal bias field theory. A new phenomenological term for the internal bias electrical field is added into the free energy function to simulate the phenomenon of lattice symmetry during the ageing phenomenon. The simulations for both ageing and de-ageing phenomena are successfully presented in the current paper. The hysteretic behaviours of the ageing and de-ageing phenomena are captured very well by the proposed model.

Enhanced tunability and temperature-dependent dielectric characteristics at microwaves of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 thin films epitaxially grown on (100)MgO substrates

K0.5Na0.5NbO3 thin films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition on (100)MgO substrates for microwave device applications. A fine epitaxial growth of pure perovskite phase was evidenced by X-ray diffraction. Dielectric characterizations were performed from 1 to 40 GHz using coplanar microwave devices printed on the 500 nm-thick K0.5Na0.5NbO3 thin films. Dielectric permittivity εr = 355 and loss tangent tanδ = 0.35 at 10 GHz were retrieved without biasing. A comparison of the results with those retrieved from the resonant cavity method (to characterize as-deposited films) showed no deleterious influence neither from the device patterning nor the thin film-device interface. A frequency tunability up to 22% was measured under a moderate external DC bias electric field Ebias = 94 kV/cm. Temperature measurements from 20° to 240°C exhibited a permittivity increase up to εr = 975 coupled to a loss decrease tanδ = 0.25 at 10 GHz. According to such measurements, an orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition was evidenced close to 220 °C with an increase of the frequency tunability up to 34%. Comparison of the properties of such films with those grown on R-plane sapphire substrates demonstrated the benefit brought by the epitaxial growth of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 films on (100) MgO.

Memory Effect in Antiferroelectrics: A Systematic Analysis on Various Electric Hysteresis Loops

Antiferroelectric materials are proposed as a potential solution to achieve multi-state memories, but the fundamental physical mechanism underlying the memory effect still needs to be clarified. Here, we study the memory effect in a typical antiferroelectric ceramic of Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.6Sn0.4)0.95Ti0.05]0.98O3 by systematically analyzing various hysteresis loops of polarization intensity and current density vs. electric field, where the kinetic behaviors are concerned about for the first time. The parallel pre-poling electric field reduces the critical electric field of antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition, while the antiparallel field increases it. The memory behavior is significantly enhanced with the increasing of pre-poling time, but exhibits a remarkable weakening with the relaxation time increasing. It is a combined effect of electric-field-induced preferentially oriented antiferroelectric domains and internal bias electric field. This work not only improves comprehending in memory effect in antiferroelectric materials, but also enlightens the deeper understanding of other physical properties related to field-induced phase transitions.

Memory effect in antiferroelectrics: A systematic analysis on various electric hysteresis loops

Antiferroelectric materials are proposed as a potential solution to achieve multi-state memories, but the fundamental physical mechanism underlying the memory effect still needs to be clarified. Here, we study the memory effect in a typical antiferroelectric ceramic of Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.6Sn0.4)0.95Ti0.05]0.98O3 by systematically analyzing various hysteresis loops of polarization intensity and current density vs. electric field, where the kinetic behaviors are concerned about for the first time. The parallel pre-poling electric field reduces the critical electric field of antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition, while the antiparallel field increases it. The memory behavior is significantly enhanced with the increasing of pre-poling time, but exhibits a remarkable weakening with the relaxation time increasing. It is a combined effect of electric-field-induced preferentially oriented antiferroelectric domains and internal bias electric field. This work not only improves comprehending in memory effect in antiferroelectric materials, but also enlightens the deeper understanding of other physical properties related to field-induced phase transitions.

637 μ W emitted terahertz power from photoconductive antennas based on rhodium doped InGaAs

We investigate photoconductive terahertz (THz) emitters compatible with 1550 nm excitation for THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS). The emitters are based on rhodium (Rh) doped InGaAs grown by molecular beam epitaxy. InGaAs:Rh exhibits a unique combination of ultrashort trapping time, high electron mobility, and high resistivity. THz emitters made of InGaAs:Rh feature an emitted THz power of 637 μW at 28 mW optical power and 60 kV/cm electrical bias field. In particular for a fiber coupled photoconductive emitter, this is an outstanding result. When these emitters are combined with InGaAs:Rh based receivers in a THz TDS system, 6.5 THz bandwidth and a record peak dynamic range of 111 dB can be achieved for a measurement time of 120 s.

Terahertz microstrip circulator based on graphene

In this paper, we present an improved wave concept iterative process (WCIP) algorithm for the analysis of anisotropic graphene. Then, we use it to investigate a novel type of terahertz microstrip circulator based on graphene. In this algorithm, we propose a new technique for modeling of magnetized graphene layers, which consists of redefining the boundary conditions of graphene in terms of waves and integrating the surface conductivity without involving volumetric discretization. Numerical examples are presented to verify the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The numerical simulations demonstrate that the performances of the circulator can be adjusted by applying an electric or magnetic field bias.

Layer-dependent solvent vapor annealing on stacked ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) copolymers for highly efficient nanogenerator applications

Layer-dependent solvent vapor annealing (LDSVA) treatment using dimethylformamide (DMF) vapor on specific layers of stacked poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) copolymers by metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) capacitors and nanogenerators was investigated in this study. Prior to the fabrication of the devices, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to analyze the polarization of the crystalline β-phase in LDSVA-treated stacked P(VDF-TrFE) copolymers. After the LDSVA treatment on the top and bottom of the stacked films, the ferroelectric properties of P(VDF-TrFE) MFM capacitors became asymmetric. This can be confirmed via the bias electric field (Ebias) and non-switchable leakage current due to the non-uniform distribution of polarized dipoles. With an increase in LDSVA treatment time, the arrangement of polarized dipoles in stacked P(VDF-TrFE) copolymers was significantly enhanced, especially the samples with the treatment on the bottom of the stacked films, contributing to a large remnant polarization (2Pr) and a low coercive electric field (Ec) of the MFM capacitors. Additionally, the piezoelectric nanogenerators with LDSVA treatment on stacked P(VDF-TrFE) copolymers presented a large open-circuit output voltage of more than 4.02 V at 7 Hz under an applied force of 800 g, which is approximately 3 times larger than that of the samples without treatment. The LDSVA-treated stacked P(VDF-TrFE) copolymers with superior ferroelectric and nanogenerator behaviors exhibit good potential with regard to highly efficient energy harvesting applications.

Electric field dependent polarization switching of tetramethylammonium bromotrichloroferrate(III) ferroelectric plastic crystals

Tetramethylammonium bromotrichloroferrate(III) ([N(CH3)4][FeBrCl3]) is a plastic crystal ferroelectric with small dielectric constant <20 and piezoelectric coefficient as high as 110 pC/N. Here, super-coercive hysteresis and dielectric properties under direct current (DC) bias fields up to 260 and 120 kV/cm, respectively, were studied to shed light on the polarization switching [N(CH3)4][FeBrCl3] and the related family of plastic crystal and supramolecular ferroelectrics. [N(CH3)4][FeBrCl3] exhibited peak-to-peak strains of 0.1% and saturated ferroelastic switching at fields of 170 kV/cm. Above 170 kV/cm, rates of field increase were too fast for domain switching, resulting in reduced strain rates during the switching cycle. Leakage currents had larger contributions at higher field amplitudes. This was also reflected in the switching behavior at higher frequencies, 100 Hz, in which hysteresis was asymmetric and switching incomplete. The dielectric constant and loss exhibited a butterfly-like shape during application of DC bias electric fields indicative of domain switching, but showed a small dielectric tunability of 0.038 and no signs of dielectric stiffening, with the relative permittivity from 16.9 to 17.3 at fields from 0 to 120 kV/cm. The present findings provide insight into the domain switching kinetics and dielectric properties of [N(CH3)4][FeBrCl3] that will assist with further development of plastic crystal ferroelectrics.

All-dielectric nanograting for increasing terahertz radiation power of photoconductive antennas.

Photoconductive antenna (PCA) is a widely used terahertz (THz) radiation source, but its low radiated power limits the signal-to-noise ratio and bandwidth in THz imaging and spectroscopy applications. Here, we achieved significant PCA power enhancement through etching nanograting directly on the surface of the PCA substrate. The integrated nanograting not only maximizes the generation of photocarriers, but also benefits the bias electric field loaded on the photocarriers. Comparing with the conventional PCA, our PCA realizes a frequency independent THz power enhancement of 3.92 times in the range of 0.05-1.6 THz. Our results reported here not only provide a new method for increasing the THz power of PCAs, but also reveal another way that artificial nanostructures affect the PCAs, which paves the way for the subsequent researches of next-generation PCAs.

The influence of the electric field on the magnetoelectric response of a layered ferromagnet – electrostrictor heterostructure

Samples of piezoactive composition 0.89PbMg0.33Nb0.66O3 (MZF)−0.11PbZr0.48Ti0.52O3 (PMN–PZT) by two-stage ceramic technology were obtained. The values of the effective piezomodule d31 = (600–1400) pC/N for the resulting material significantly exceed the values of d31 = 150 pC/N for the commercially available family of lead zirconate – titanate ceramics even at low bias electric field strength. The dependence of the piezomodule on a dc electric field allows controlling the magnetoelectric coefficient without a bias magnetic field. Increase in the transverse magnetoelectric coefficient α31 in the MZF–PMN–PZT layered structure with a dc electric field shows the contribution of electrostrictive deformation to the magnetoelectric conversion in the absence of a bias magnetic field.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Nanomolecules by an AC Electrothermal Flow Facilitated Impedance Immunosensor.

Conventional immunosensors typically rely on passive diffusion dominated transport of analytes for binding reaction and hence, it is limited by low sensitivity and long detection times. We report a simple and efficient impedance sensing method that can be utilized to overcome both sensitivity and diffusion limitations of immunosensors. This method incorporates the structural advantage of nanorod-covered interdigitated electrodes and the microstirring effect of AC electrothermal flow (ACET) with impedance spectroscopy. ACET flow induced by a biased AC electric field can rapidly convect the analyte onto nanorod structured electrodes within a few seconds and enriches the number of binding molecules because of the excessive effective surface area. We performed numerical simulations to investigate the effect of ACET flow on the biosensor performance. The results indicated that AC bias to the side electrodes could induce fast convective flow, which facilitates the transport of the target molecules to the binding region located in the middle as a floating electrode. The temperature rise due to the Joule heating effect was measured using a thermoreflectance imaging method to find the optimum device operation conditions. The change of impedance caused by the receptors-target molecules binding at the sample/electrode interface was experimentally measured and quantified in real-time using the impedance spectroscopy technique. We observed that the impedance sensing method exhibited extremely fast response compared with those under no bias conditions. The measured impedance change can reach saturation in a minute. Compared to the conventional incubation method, the ACET flow enhanced method is faster in its reaction time, and the detection limit can be reduced to 1 ng/mL. In this work, we demonstrate that this sensor technology is promising and reliable for rapid, sensitive, and real-time monitoring of biomolecules in biologically relevant media such as blood, urine, and saliva.

Observation on the competition mechanism of terahertz wave generation from filament in bias electric field

Femtosecond laser pulse-generated terahertz (THz) wave that undergoes filamentation in air in the presence of a DC bias electric field is composed of ponderomotive force-generated and electric field-induced THz. A threshold for the bias electric field that determines the characteristics of the final THz wave is observed. When the bias electric field strength is lower than the threshold, the THz wave tends to be characterized by the ponderomotive force. Moreover, the property of THz wave is mostly determined by a relatively high bias electric field. A theoretical model based on electrical dynamics has been developed to clarify the competition mechanism of THz wave generation.

Dynamically tunable directional subwavelength beam propagation based on photonic spin Hall effect in graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials.

Photonic spin Hall effect (PSHE) of type II hyperbolic metamaterials is achieved due to near filed interference, which provides a way to decide the propagation direction of subwavelength beam. In this paper, we propose graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials (GHMMs), which is composed of the alternating graphene/SiO2 multilayer. The numerical results show that when a dipole emitter is placed at the boundary of the GHMMs, the subwavelength beam with λ/40 full-with half maximum can be excited and propagates along the left or right channel, which is dependent on polarization handedness. In addition, we further demonstrate that the unidirectional propagation angle can be dynamically tuned by changing the external electric field bias applied to graphene.

Excitation-wavelength-dependent THz wave modulation via external bias electric field**Project supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing, China (Grant No. JQ18015) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61935001 and 61905271)

A theoretical model was proposed to describe the effects of external bias electric field on terahertz (THz) generated in air plasma. The model predicted that for a plasma in a bias electric field, the amplification effect of the THz wave intensity increases with the increase of the excitation laser wavelength. We experimentally observed the relationship between the THz enhancement effect and the electric field strength at different wavelengths. Experimental results showed a good agreement with the model predictions. These results enhance our understanding of the physical mechanism by which femtosecond lasers excite air to generate THz and extend the practical applications of THz generation and modulation.

Highly frequency-, temperature-, and bias-stable dielectric properties of 500 °C processed Bi2SiO5 thin films with low dielectric loss

Excellent dielectric frequency, bias, and temperature stability of bismuth silicate (Bi2SiO5, BSO) thin films with a low dielectric loss has been obtained in this study. The thin films were prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by a chemical solution deposition method at a relatively low annealing temperature of 500 °C. The BSO films have a preferred growth along (200) orientation with dense fine-grained surface morphology. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the thin film annealed at 500 °C are 57 and 0.01, respectively, at 100 kHz, with little change between 1 kHz and 100 kHz and in the bias electric field range between −250 kV/cm and 250 kV/cm, indicating that the thin film exhibits a low dielectric loss as well as excellent frequency and bias field stability. The dielectric-temperature measurements confirmed that the BSO thin film annealed at 500 °C also has good temperature stability between 150 K and 450 K. Our results suggest that the BSO thin films have potential applications in the next-generation integrated capacitors.

DC bias electric field and stress dependence of piezoelectric parameters in lead zirconate titanate ceramics – Phenomenological approach

The piezoelectric material behavior, including loss mechanism, under external DC electric field and stress biases have been extensively studied in lead zirconate titanate ceramics. However, in order to achieve a better understanding of these effects, development of a comprehensive model is required. The purpose of this paper is to develop a phenomenological model to explain the nonlinear nature of piezoelectric parameters under DC bias electric field and stress. Therefore, the Landau-Devonshire energy function considering external biases was developed and accordingly the material properties were derived, based on first order approximation. In order to explain the compliance and piezoelectric constants change higher order elastic and electrostrictive terms were introduced into the Gibb's free energy function.Accordingly, thermodynamic theory parameters, including higher order parameters, of a soft PZT were measured and characterized based on inverse permittivity behavior near Curie temperature. Finally, the phenomenological model predictions of material property changes under DC bias electric field and compressive stress were compared with experimental data reported by our group. The proposed model succeeded to explain the material properties change under external biases. Furthermore, the effect of DC electric field and compressive stress on loss parameters were explained based on domain wall motion.

Nonlinear THz radiation investigated by quantum simulations.

Terahertz (THz) waves can be generated by the nonlinear interaction between ultrashort laser pulses and air. The semiclassical photocurrent model is widely used. It is simple, but neglects the quantum effects. Some theoretical works are based on solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. However, it meets the difficulty of prohibitively large boxes in long-time evolution. Here we adopted the wave-function splitting algorithm to fully contain the information of photoelectrons. The contributions of the excited states and interference effects in electron wavepackets to THz radiation are studied numerically. We also theoretically investigated the THz generation from nitrogen molecules in a biased electric field. It is found that the THz yield enhancement as a function of the static field strength in experiments can be reproduced well by our method. In addition, the restriction of wavelength and phase difference in the two-color laser fields is less strict in the presence of the static field.

On the influence of pyrochlore phase on ferroelectric and dielectric properties of PZT thin films

The intrinsic contribution of dielectric permittivity was obtained in thin films of PZT pyrolyzed at different temperatures. Pyrochlore phases were observed in films pyrolyzed at temperatures above 350 °C, while only the perovskite phase grows in films pyrolyzed at temperatures lower than 300 °C. Dielectric and ferroelectric properties were characterized, and their behaviors were related to pyrolysis temperature. The dielectric permittivity dependence on the bias electric field was investigated at room temperature for different PZT thin films, and these curves were used to reconstruct the hysteresis loops. In this work, a model was used to reconstruct the hysteretic behavior of the films. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the applied model.