Conductivity Of Semiconductors Research Articles

Advanced extraction of PV parameters’ models based on electric field impacts on semiconductor conductivity using QIO algorithm

This article presents a novel approach for parameters estimation of photovoltaic cells/modules using a recent optimization algorithm called quadratic interpolation optimization algorithm (QIOA). The proposed formula is dependent on variable voltage resistances (VVR) implementation of the series and shunt resistances. The variable resistances reduced from the effect of the electric field on the semiconductor conductivity should be included to get more accurate representation. Minimizing the mean root square error (MRSE) between the measured (I–V) dataset and the extracted (V–I) curve from the proposed electrical model is the main goal of the current optimization problem. The unknown parameters of the proposed PV models under the considered operating conditions are identified and optimally extracted using the proposed QIOA. Two distinct PV types are employed with normal and low radiation conditions. The VVR TDM is proposed for (R.T.C. France) silicon PV operating at normal radiation, and eleven unknown parameters are optimized. Additionally, twelve unknown parameters are optimized for a Q6-1380 multi-crystalline silicon (MCS) (area 7.7 cm2) operating under low radiation. The efficacy of the QIOA is demonstrated through comparison with four established optimizers: Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA), and Sine Cosine Algorithm (SCA). The proposed QIO method achieves the lowest absolute current error values in both cases, highlighting its superiority and efficiency in extracting optimal parameters for both Single-Crystalline Silicon (SCS) and MCS cells under varying irradiance levels. Furthermore, simulation results emphasize the effectiveness of QIO compared to other algorithms in terms of convergence speed and robustness, making it a promising tool for accurate and efficient PV parameter estimation.

Art of Cross-Linking In Situ Bulk Perovskites for Efficient and Stable Photovoltaics.

Perovskites are hybrid materials containing templating organic linkers and inorganic halides with efficiencies that have superseded the efficiency of silicon-based photovoltaic devices (PVs) in a very short period of 10 years. Nevertheless, low ambient stability due to traps and ion migration caused hysteresis to remain the bottlenecks on the way to achieving higher operational stability with bulk perovskite-based PVs. In this context, herein we highlight the prospects of in situ cross-linking of linkers within the perovskite lattice either mediated by thermal means or attained photochemically that can maneuver the ambient as well as operational stability for enhanced power conversion efficiency for PV applications or could improve the conductivity of this hybrid semiconductor. Additionally, some important studies of additive engineering via in situ cross-linking that can affect the structure of perovskite in addition to defect passivation to endow ambient environment stability are highlighted herein.

Observation of 2D-magnesium-intercalated gallium nitride superlattices

Since the demonstration of p-type gallium nitride (GaN) through doping with substitutional magnesium (Mg) atoms1,2, rapid and comprehensive developments, such as blue light-emitting diodes, have considerably shaped our modern lives and contributed to a more carbon-neutral society3–5. However, the details of the interplay between GaN and Mg have remained largely unknown6–11. Here we observe that Mg-intercalated GaN superlattices can form spontaneously by annealing a metallic Mg film on GaN at atmospheric pressure. To our knowledge, this marks the first instance of a two-dimensional metal intercalated into a bulk semiconductor, with each Mg monolayer being intricately inserted between several monolayers of hexagonal GaN. Characterized as an interstitial intercalation, this process induces substantial uniaxial compressive strain perpendicular to the interstitial layers. Consequently, the GaN layers in the Mg-intercalated GaN superlattices exhibit an exceptional elastic strain exceeding −10% (equivalent to a stress of more than 20 GPa), among the highest recorded for thin-film materials12. The strain alters the electronic band structure and greatly enhances hole transport along the compression direction. Furthermore, the Mg sheets induce a unique periodic transition in GaN polarity, generating polarization-field-induced net charges. These characteristics offer fresh insights into semiconductor doping and conductivity enhancement, as well as into elastic strain engineering of nanomaterials and metal–semiconductor superlattices13.

Qualitative Model of Electrical Conductivity of Irradiated Semiconductor

There is constructed a qualitative model of the electrical conductivity of semiconductors irradiated with sufficiently high-energy particles. At certain conditions (irradiation temperature and dose, and subsequent thermal treatment), high-energy particles fluence, in addition to primary and secondary point radiation defects, forms a number of nano-sized disordered regions, highly conductive (“metallic”) compared to the semiconductor matrix. Their high total volume fraction can lead to the charge major carriers’ effective Hall mobility significantly exceeding that of the matrix. Due to elastic stresses created by these disordered inclusions, a high concentration of point radiation defects tends to form defective shells. In certain temperature ranges, such nanosized core-shell structures act as capacitors storing the electric charge sufficient for the Coulomb blockade of the major current carriers. Transformation of high-conductive inclusions into low-conductive (“dielectric”) ones manifests in a noticeable decrease in effective Hall mobility. The proposed model qualitatively explains all the experimental data available on single-crystalline n- and p-type silicon irradiated with high-energy electrons and protons and isochronously annealed.

Polymetal-Chelated Fabrication of Bimetallic Nanophosphides as Electrocatalysts for Zinc-Air Batteries.

Bimetallic phosphides are considered as promising electrocatalysts for zinc-air batteries toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). To address the semi-conductor inherent low electronic conductivity and catalytic activity, a polymetal-chelated strategy is employed to in situ fabricate bimetallic nanophosphides within carbon matrix anchoring by chemical bonding. The employment of biomolecule polydopamine (PDA) efficiently anchors various transition metal ions due to its strong chelating capability via inherent functional groups. Furthermore, the chelation of multi-metal ion is proved to promote the formation of graphitic nitrogen. The bimetallic FexCoyP phosphides nanoparticles are intimately encapsulated in carbon matrix through in situ carbonization and phosphatization processes. When utilized in Zinc-air batteries, Fe0.20Co0.80P anchored within N, P co-doped sub-microsphere (Fe0.20Co0.80P /PNC) exhibit a maximum power density of 167mW cm-2 and cycle life up to 270 cycles, with a round-trip voltage of 0.955V. The mechanisms for catalytic activity passivation are ascribed to the etching of nitrogen and oxidation of phosphorus in carbon matrix, as well as the oxidation of the surface phosphide on the sub-microspheres. This study presents a promising candidate for advancing the further development of energy conversation catalysis.

Exploring the impact of multivalent substitution on high-temperature electrical conductivity in doped lanthanum chromite perovskites: An experimental and ab-initio study

Doped LaCrO3 perovskites hold promise as robust materials for electrical interconnects and sensor applications in harsh environments. In this work, we investigated the high-temperature behavior of La1–xSrxCrO3, La1–xCaxCrO3 and La0.8Sr0.2Cr1-x MnxO3 (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) through a combination of computational modeling and physical characterization up to 1500 °C. Crystalline structural properties were determined and compared with ab-initio calculations, which demonstrated excellent agreement with experimental findings. High-temperature electrical conductivity measurements were performed under different atmospheres. Calcium and strontium/manganese co-doped lanthanum chromites exhibited typical semiconductor exponential trends and conductivity showed proportional correlation with substitutions levels up to 30%. The DFT modelling was completed up to 1500 °C, including low and high temperature chromite phases and oxygen vacancies insertion. Calculations were correlated with experimental electrical properties. This work expands the understanding of doped lanthanum chromites and paves the way for the development of materials suitable for demanding high-temperature applications.

Carbon Quantum Dots Confined into Covalent Triazine Frameworks for Efficient Overall Photocatalytic H2O2 Production

AbstractPorous organic polymers have an outstanding performance in the field of photocatalysis with the advantage of diverse structure composition and purposeful molecular design. However, the inherent high impedance and poor electrical conductivity of organic semiconductors still restrict the charge transfer efficiency and thus discount the photocatalytic performance. Herein, the study reports a highly conductive covalent triazine framework (CTF) loading carbon quantum dots (CQDs) into porous as electron transport medium. The addition of CQDs (0.5 wt%) can enhance the electronic conductivity of CTF by tenfold. In addition, the as‐prepared CQD‐CTFs express much‐promoted charge separation and transfer efficiency. Furthermore, the embedded CQDs can improve the oxidization capacity and increase the affinity of H+ due to the more negative zeta potential. The enhanced oxidizing ability and increased H+ affinity are positive for water oxidation reaction (WOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) process in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation, respectively. The optimized CQD‐CTF exhibits a high H2O2 generation rate of up to 1036 µmol g−1 h−1 in pure water without any sacrificial agent under visible light, which is 4.6 times than pristine CTF. This work provides a new idea for efficient H2O2 production of organic semiconductors.

Dielectric Relaxation and AC Conductivity of Fe-Doped Glassy Semiconductors: Role of Fe Doping on Relaxation Time

AC conductivity and dielectric parameters are supposed to be two noticeable parameters that ensure the applicability of present samples for electronic and other applications. Presently, Fe-doped glassy semiconductors were developed by melt-quenching route and characterized using FT-IR, SEM, EDAX and decoupling index for structural, morphological and elemental examinations. Frequency dependent dielectric constant, AC conductivity, dielectric loss at different temperatures have been explored in a wide frequency and temperatures ranges. Electric modulus formalism has been conceived asit can exclude the electrode polarization effect at low frequency regime and suggest the transition from long-range mobility to short-range mobility assembly of polarons. It is also noteworthy that relaxation times are found to decrease with temperatures, which may indicate about the faster movement of charge carriers. The variation of KWW parameters directly indicate that after doping of Fe content into the resultant materials, the relaxation process is shifted from Non-Debye to Debye type up to a limit. By crossing the limiting value of composition (x = 0.3), it becomes Non-Debye type in a very slow rate. The present system also exhibits a small relaxation time in comparison with others’ works. Lower values of dielectric constant at high frequencies are expected to be important for their applications in photonics and opto-electronics. Scaling method of electric modulus spectra indicate that the dielectric relaxation process in the present system leads to a common relaxation process at various temperatures, but it is strongly dependent on compositions.

Dual Regulation of Charge Separation and the Oxygen Reduction Pathway by Encapsulating Phosphotungstic Acid into the Cationic Covalent Organic Framework for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production.

Previous research on covalent organic framework (COF)-based photocatalytic H2O2 synthesis from oxygen reduction focuses more on charge carrier separation but less on the electron utilization efficiency of O2. Herein, we put forward a facile approach to simultaneously promote charge separation and tailor the oxygen reduction pathway by introducing phosphotungstic acid (PTA) into the cationic COF skeleton. Experiments verified that PTA, as an electron transport medium, establishes a fast electron transfer channel from the COF semiconductor conductor band to the substrate O2; meanwhile, the reaction path is optimized by its catalytic cycle for preferable dioxygen capture and reduction in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics. The existence of PTA promotes the rate and tendency of converting O2 into •O2- intermediates, which is conducive to boosting the photocatalytic activity and selectivity toward the sequential two-step single-electron ORR. As expected, compared to the pristine TTB-EB, the optimal PTA0.5@TTB-EB achieves a 2.2-fold improvement of visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance with a H2O2 production rate of 897.94 μmol·L-1·h-1 in pure water without using any sacrificial agents. In addition, owing to the robust electrostatic interaction and the confinement effect of porous TTB-EB channels, the PTA@TTB-EB composite possessed favorable stability.

Design and Analysis of a Three-Phase Interleaved DC-DC Boost Converter with an Energy Storage System for a PV System

This paper describes a groundbreaking design of a three-phase interleaved boost converter for PV systems, leveraging parallel-connected conventional boost converters to reduce input current and output voltage ripple while improving the dynamic performance. A distinctive feature of this study is the direct connection of a Li-Ion battery to the DC link, which eliminates the need for an additional charging circuit, which is a departure from conventional approaches. Furthermore, the combination of an MPPT controller and a closed-loop fuzzy controller with a current control mode ensures accurate switching signal generation for all three phases. The meticulously tuned system exhibits a remarkably low ripple content in the output voltage, surpassing calculated values, and demonstrates a superior dynamic performance. The investigation extends to a comprehensive analysis of losses, encompassing inductor copper loss and semiconductor conduction loss. In all scenarios, the converter exhibits an efficiency exceeding 93%, highlighting its robust performance as an effective solution for PV systems.

Effect of fullerene doping on electronic and photovoltaic properties of the cubic bicontinuous phase

Fullerene doping allows for tuning the conductivity and photovoltaic properties of cubic bithiophene-based liquid crystalline organic semiconductors.

Structural, dielectric, magnetic, optical, and electrical properties of double‐perovskite Sr1.5Mn0.5Fe0.5Hf1.5O6 oxides

AbstractHalf‐metallic ferromagnets (HMFs) exhibit semiconductor behavior for one spin projection and metal characteristics for the other, which have promising applications in spintronics. It is a great challengeable for HMFs to have wide spin energy gap, large saturation magnetization (MS), and high Curie temperature (TC) simultaneously. Here, we report the Sr1.5Mn0.5Fe0.5Hf1.5O6 (SMFHO) double perovskite compounds synthesized by solid‐state reaction and display a magnetic TC up to 804 K due to the strong Mn3+(↑)Fe3+(↑) spin interactions, which is the reported record in perovskite‐type HMFs so far. The measured MS value at 300 K was 4.87 μB/f.u., and it further increased up to 6.09 μB/f.u. at 2 K. The SMFHO powders exhibited butterfly‐shaped magnetoresistance (MR)–H curve at 2 K, and the MR (2 K, 7 T) value was measured as −3.86% due to the intergranular magnetic tunneling effect. Variation of the resistivity of the SMFHO ceramics versus temperature exhibits a semiconductor behavior, and the electrical transport properties of the SMFHO ceramics are well studied by Mott's range jump model, thermally activated semiconductor conductance model and small polaron jumping model, respectively. The optical absorption spectrum of the SMFHO powders demonstrates an indirect optical bandgap of 3.56 eV. Our present work demonstrates the intriguing properties of the SMFHO oxides where high TC, wide energy gap, and large MS value are preserved at the same time, which open the way to their promising applications in advanced spintronic devices at or beyond room temperature.

Theoretical and conceptual framework to design D-π-A type organic dyes for application dye-sensitized solar cells

The optimized structures and absorption spectra of five D-A-type organic dyes (M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5) were investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT). These dyes contain the same electron acceptors and -spacers but distinct 3,6- and 2,7-carbazole electron-donating groups. The results showed coplanar geometries for the dyes, which implied strong conjugation. When intramolecular charge transfer was investigated, it was discovered that 3,6-carbazole had a better capacity to give electrons than 2,7-carbazole. These dyes' projected orbital energy levels indicate that excited dyes might successfully decrease by electrolyte while oxidized dyes could successfully inject electrons into semiconductor conduction bands. The study investigated the suitability of different dyes for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and found that the M2 dye, which contains a thio group as the terminal electron donor, exhibited the most promising optoelectronic properties. In particular, M2 had a narrow energy gap, superior optical qualities, optimal FMO energy levels, the lowest total value, and greater GInject and GReg values compared to the other dyes tested. These factors contributed to M2's superior photosensitizing performance, suggesting that using M2 in DSSCs may lead to higher optoelectronic characteristics and total energy conversion efficiency compared to using other dyes.

Impurity Bands and Density of State in Doped Silicate Glasses with Metal Oxides (RuO2, CuO, MnO2)

In this article, as a result of double alloying with ruthenium, copper, manganese oxides, the formation of an impurity band in silicate glass and how the density of electron states changes in it was studied by hypothetical and tunneling microprobe spectroscopy. The results of the experiment were processed using Wolfram Mathematica 11 software. It was found that around room temperature, the impurity band touches or merges with the valence band of the glass. At a high temperature (around 1000 K), the impurity band separates from the valence band of the glass, and a pseudo-gap appears between them. As a result, doped silicate glass exhibits metallic conductivity at room temperature, but at high temperatures, it has semiconductor (activation) conductivity.

Doping Dy improves magnetism and electricity in hexagonal boron nitride

Dy-doped hexagonal boron nitride with a circular flaky structure and a diameter of 50 nm was prepared through high-temperature reduction reactions. The hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (hBNNSs) exhibit both room-temperature ferromagnetism and semiconductor conductivity properties. Doping with Dy transforms hBNNSs from insulators to magnetic semiconductors. The saturation magnetization of hBNNSs with a Dy doping content of 0.58 at.% at room temperature is 0.1405 emu/g. This suggests that the Curie temperature of Dy-doped hBNNSs is above room temperature. With increasing temperature, the current of the hBN film rises, demonstrating semiconductor conductive behavior. First-principles calculations indicate that the magnetic properties of the material primarily arise from the f-orbital electrons of the Dy element, while the electrical properties are mainly attributed to the Fermi energy level crossing of the conduction band, influenced by the f-orbital and d-orbital electrons of the Dy element.

Unraveling the Morphology‐Function Correlation of Mesoporous ZnO Films upon Water Exposure

AbstractUbiquitous moisture in synthetic conditions and ambient environments can strongly influence the conductivity of ZnO semiconductors via the chemisorption and physisorption of water molecules on the ZnO surface. Such an intrinsically water‐sensitive nature will become more evident in mesoporous ZnO films where a large surface area and active sites are created simultaneously. However, fundamental insights underlying water‐mediated ZnO surface chemistry and electrical conductivity and the factors affecting them remain ambiguous due to the complexity of ZnO surfaces and the difficulties of in situ characterizations at multi‐dimensions. Here, self‐assembling diblock copolymers are exploited as structure‐directing agents to achieve mesoporous ZnO thin films with highly tailorable structural characteristics ranging from nanomorphologies, over crystalline levels, to defect contents. As verified by theoretical calculations, the presence of oxygen vacancy will facilitate favorable water adsorption and subsequent dissociation on the polar ZnO surfaces. Upon humidity exposure with progressively increased levels, mesoporous ZnO films are revealed to follow an almost positive relationship between adsorption and electrical conductivity but show superior morphological stability. This work not only elucidates the water‐governed ZnO surface chemistry but may also promote a comprehensive understanding of the morphology‐function relationship on ZnO‐based electronics.

Injection-limited and space-charge-limited conduction in wide bandgap semiconductors with velocity saturation effect

Carrier conduction in wide bandgap semiconductors (WBS) often exhibits velocity saturation at the high-electric field regime. How such effects influence the transition between contact-limited and space-charge-limited current (SCLC) in a two-terminal device remains largely unexplored thus far. Here, we develop a generalized carrier transport model that includes contact-limited field-induced carrier injection, space charge, carrier scattering, and velocity saturation effect. The model reveals various transitional behaviors in the current–voltage characteristics, encompassing Fowler–Nordheim emission, trap-free Mott–Gurney (MG) SCLC, and velocity-saturated SCLC. Using GaN, 6H–SiC and 4H–SiC WBS as examples, we show that the velocity-saturated SCLC completely dominates the high-voltage (102–104 V) transport for typical sub-μm GaN and SiC diodes, thus unraveling velocity-saturated SCLC as a central transport mechanism in WBG electronics.

Electrical conductivity of (Ni,Mn,Fe,Cu)3O4 ceramic semiconductors designed for temperature and magnetic field sensing

This research is focused on designing new ceramic oxides with the spinel structure for a potential application as sensitive temperature and magnetic field sensors. In this respect, the mixtures of ferrimagnetic NiFe2O4 with low-resistive Ni0.66Cu0.41Mn1.93O4 semiconductor (molar coefficient α=1/5 and 1/2) were prepared using the chemical co-precipitation technique followed by a low-temperature sintering of the cold-pressed powders. For the prepared materials, a variation of the electrical conductivity σdc with temperature T (in the range 50 K–400 K) is quantitatively analyzed using different theoretical concepts of the charge carrier hopping transport occurring in disordered materials with strong electron-phonon interaction. It has been shown that an increase in α from 0 to 1/2 causes a step-like change of the dc electrical conductivity and, simultaneously, a gradual change in the magnetization M determined in the saturation state. The temperature coefficient of resistance TCR of the prepared ceramics takes the values from −0.6%/K (at 400 K) to −19.6%/K (below 100 K). The highest absolute value of the magneto-resistance coefficient MR determined at 150 K (and at magnetic field 7 T) registered for ceramic oxide with α=1/2 was found to be 3.4%.

Electrophysical Properties and Heat Capacity of Activated Carbon Obtained from Coke Fines.

This paper studies the dependence of the specific heat capacity (Cp) of activated carbon obtained by the activation of coke fines on temperature (T, K) and the dependence of electrical resistance (R, Om) on temperature (T, K). In the course of the work, it was found that in the temperature range of 298.15-448 K on the curve of dependence Cp - f(T) at 323 K there is a jump in heat capacity, associated with a phase transition of the second kind. Measurements of the temperature dependence of electrical resistance on temperature were also carried out, which showed that activated carbon in the temperature range of 293-343 K exhibits metallic conductivity, turning into a semiconductor in the temperature range of 343-463 K. The calculation of the band gap showed that the resulting activated carbon is a semiconductor with a moderately narrow band gap. The satisfactory agreement of the phase transition temperatures on the curves of the temperature dependences of the heat capacity on temperature (323 K) and on the curves of the dependences of electrical resistance and the relative permittivity on temperature (343 K) indicates the nature of this phase transition, i.e., at a temperature of 323 K, the change in heat capacity is associated with the transition from semiconductor conductivity to metallic.

(Invited) Sub-Bandgap Thermoreflectance Imaging of Ultra-Wide Bandgap Semiconductors

Over the past few decades, wide bandgap semiconductors (WBG) have been used to fabricate high power and high frequency devices. Device structures, such as Gallium Nitride (GaN) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs), have begun to be implemented in commercial products such as electrical vehicles and laptop power chargers. With the continuous increase in energy demand, however, extremely high voltage (>10 kV) applications are needed to increase the grid resiliency, storage, and transmission efficiency. Ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) Semiconductors, with bandgaps >4 eV, could potentially be used to overcome this barrier. Pushing the maximum voltage limit of these devices, however, can lead to significant power dissipation and excessive joule heating.Unfortunately, the thermal conductivity of some UWBG semiconductors, such as Gallium Oxide, is inherently low and thus requires both device and package level thermal management. Innovative solutions, such as high thermal conductivity substrates, are required to reduce the active channel temperature and extend the device lifetime and reliability. In order to successfully implement these technologies, accurate measurement of the peak temperature and thermal distribution (both vertical and lateral) is necessary. Depth-averaged vertical temperature gradients have been demonstrated via Raman thermometry but this approach can become significantly time consuming if attempting to perform transient or lateral maps. On the other hand, Transient Thermoreflectance Imaging (TTI) has shown the potential to provide high throughput thermal images with high spatial resolution (100 nm) and temporal resolution (50 ns).Traditionally, TTI has been used to probe the temperature of metals due to their inherent high reflectivity. Nevertheless, recent studies have demonstrated the ability to probe the surface temperature of the semiconductor when using near-bandgap illumination sources. Due to the high bandgap of UWBG semiconductors, the maturity of high transmission UV sources, optics and detectors has not yet been fully developed. This study investigates the applicability of sub-bandgap wavelengths to probe the active channel temperature. The thermal properties of both Gallium Oxide transistors and Transfer Length Method (TLM) structures are investigated using TTI. The accuracy of the channel temperature is assessed by direct comparison to the adjacent metal contact temperature. A finite element model (FEM) is developed to understand the thermal transport in low thermally conductive semiconductors. Finally, a 3D analytical model is used to extract thermal properties such as the thermal conductivity of the thin film layers.Figure a) Optical CCD Image of Gallium Oxide Transfer Length Method (TLM) Structure b) Transient Thermoreflectance Image (TTI) of Gallium Oxide TLM using sub-bandgap illumination wavelength. Figure 1