Effective Charge Carrier Mobility Research Articles

Orientation of Thiocyanate Ions Tuning the Electron-Phonon Interactions in Pseudohalide Perovskites.

Although the importance of electron-phonon interactions on the optoelectronic properties of perovskites has been well documented, the structural origin of electron-phonon interactions remains largely unexplored. In this study, using pseudohalide perovskites Cs2Pb(SCN)2I2(1-x)Br2x as a model, we have revealed how the orientation of SCN- anions tunes the electron-phonon interactions and the effective charge-carrier mobility by utilizing femtosecond sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy, supplemented by photoluminescence spectroscopy and femtosecond optical-pump terahertz-probe spectroscopy. The coupling between neighboring SCN- anions decreases as the Br content (x) increases but does not have a significant effect on the electron-phonon interactions. In contrast, the orientation angle of SCN- anions has a strong correlation with the electron-phonon interaction and effective charge-carrier mobility, that is, a more parallel orientation of SCN- anions leads to a higher electron-phonon interaction and lower effective charge-carrier mobility. This finding provides a molecule-level understanding of the inorganic lattice structure in tuning electron-phonon interactions and may offer valuable guidance for optimizing the optoelectronic properties of perovskites.

Formation of multiple quantum wells m 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures invalidates phonon bottleneck effect

The importance of the phonon bottleneck effect on the optoelectronic properties of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs) has been well documented. While randomly distributed multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are frequently generated in 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures, the influence of MQWs formation in 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures on the phonon bottleneck effect is poorly understood. In this study, we construct 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures using 2D OIHP (NH3(CH2)8NH3PbI4, OdAPbI4) to passivate 3D OIHP (FAPbI3) and investigate their excitons and carrier dynamics by employing photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and femtosecond optical-pump terahertz-probe spectroscopy (fsOPTPS). We observe the formation of MQWs and establish a structure-dynamics-property relationship among the exciton formation time ( TEF), the hot carrier cooling rate (kcool) and the effective charge-carrier mobility(ϕμ). The formation of MQWs could significantly invalidate the phonon bottleneck effect and modulate the optoelectronic properties of 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures. This work provides valuable information on the importance of band alignment and the phonon bottleneck effect in the strategy of 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures.

Electrical transport properties and impedance analysis of Pt/TiO2 Nanorods/FTO heterojunction device

Presented study focuses on the hydrothermal growth of Titanium Oxide (TiO2) vertical nanorods on a FTO substrate, leading to the realization of a Schottky junction through the evaporation of platinum onto the TiO2 nanorods. I-V (current-voltage), EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) measurements were carried out to characterize the fabricated heterojunction devices. The barrier height of 0.6 eV and ideality factor value of 16 indicate the presence of an interfacial layer in the heterojunction devices. Effective charge carrier mobility of ∼ 0.01842 cm2/Vs is determined through the application of Mott-Gurney's law. Conductivity and density of deep trap states (ntrap) were found to be ∼ 1.5595 × 10−8 (Ω cm)−1 and ∼ 1.4 × 1022 m−3 respectively. Additionally, the scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) technique is employed to investigate the contact potential difference (CPD) and work function of TiO2, while the mechanical behaviour of TiO2 nanorod arrays is studied using nanoindentation.

Strain engineering on electronic structure, effective mass and charge carrier mobility in monolayer YBr3

In recent years, two-dimensional materials have significant prospects for applications in nanoelectronic devices due to their unique physical properties. In this paper, the strain effect on the electronic structure, effective mass, and charge carrier mobility of monolayer yttrium bromide (YBr3) is systematically investigated using first-principles calculation based on density functional theory. It is found that the monolayer YBr3 undergoes energy band gap reduction under the increasing compressive strain. The effective mass and charge carrier mobility can be effectively tuned by the applied compressive strain. Under the uniaxial compressive strain along the zigzag direction, the hole effective mass in the zigzag direction (m ao1_h) can decrease from 1.64 m 0 to 0.45 m 0. In addition, when the uniaxial compressive strain is applied, the electron and hole mobility can up to ∼103 cm2 V−1 s−1. The present investigations emphasize that monolayer YBr3 is expected to be a candidate material for the preparation of new high-performance nanoelectronic devices by strain engineering.

Role of oxygen within end group substituents on film morphology and charge carrier transport in thiophene/phenylene small-molecule semiconductors

In this study, the end group polarity of (5,5′)-biphenyl-(2,2’)-bithiophenes (PTTPs) was systematically varied from alkyl (1) to alkoxy (2) with one oxygen atom to glycol (3) with two oxygen atoms while the overall length of the end groups is kept constant. Thin films of the three compounds were sublimated at different substrate temperatures and their morphology, crystallinity and charge carrier transport in field-effect transistors was investigated to draw structure-property relationships for the PTTP derivatives. For all three compounds, the effective charge carrier mobility is improved with higher substrate temperatures at which films with higher crystallinity and larger grains are formed. The effective mobility decreases with higher polarity of the end groups from alkyl to alkoxy and glycol. The reliability factor of the alkyl (1) and alkoxy (2) substituted PTTPs decreases with higher substrate temperature, but at the same time this value is enhanced for the glycol substituted molecules (3). The transistors of 3 prepared at higher substrate temperatures also show a reduced threshold voltage and smaller hysteresis in the transfer characteristics. These insights are important for the understanding of the impact of oxygen incorporation into side chain/end group substituents of organic semiconductors and their implementation in organic electrochemical transistors, thermoelectrics and photovoltaics.

Photodegradation of bisphenol A from aqueous solution over reduced graphene oxide supported on tetragonal silica-zirconia nanocatalysts: Optimization using RSM

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor, and removing it from contaminated water is a major environmental concern. Herein, graphene derivatives such as graphene (G), graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) supported silica-zirconia (SZ) were successfully synthesized for photodegradation of BPA. The photodegradation of BPA was ordered as follows: rGO/SZ (88%)>GO/SZ (63%)>G/SZ (58%)>SZ (55%). This is because rGO has bigger regions for π-π stacking and less negatively charged carboxyl groups, which BPA has a higher adsorption affinity than GO. In addition, the highest degradation is predominantly due to the high number of carbon-support interactions and defects sites, including oxygen vacancy. This encouraged effective mobility of charge carriers and subsequently enhanced photoactivity. In this study, the rGO/SZ catalyst was chosen to optimize further the reaction parameters including catalyst dosage, pH and initial concentration of BPA. According to the analysis of variance, the catalyst dosage was the most important variable in the degradation of BPA, followed by pH and initial concentration. The optimum BPA degradation predicted from response surface methodology is 88% at conditions of 8.09 mg L−1 using 0.469 g L−1 of rGO/SZ at pH 6.1, which is reasonably close to the predicted value (89.8%). The rGO/SZ catalyst was found to be stable even after five cycles in the reusability testing.

Strategy for enhancing performance of organic ferroelectric memristors

Blended films of insulating polymer-ferroelectrics with a dilute proportion of polymer semiconductors in a device structure exhibit memristor features. High current magnitudes during ON and OFF states of memory operation are critical when these devices are scaled down to nano dimensions. However, current in these devices is restricted by a limited proportion of low-mobility semiconducting transport channels bridging the top and bottom electrodes within the insulating ferroelectric-polymer matrix. We introduce electric field-assisted thermal annealing treatment during the blend film formation of memristors to overcome current limitations. This strategy enables improvement in the bridging fraction and the effective charge carrier mobility of the semiconducting regions. We present these studies for PVDF-TrFE: PFO and PVDF-TrFE: P3HT model systems.

Correlating Nanocrystalline Structure with Electronic Properties in 2D Platinum Diselenide

AbstractPlatinum diselenide (PtSe2) is a 2D material with outstanding electronic and piezoresistive properties. The material can be grown at low temperatures in a scalable manner, which makes it extremely appealing for many potential electronics, photonics, and sensing applications. Here, the nanocrystalline structure of different PtSe2 thin films grown by thermally assisted conversion (TAC) is investigated and is correlated with their electronic and piezoresistive properties. Scanning transmission electron microscopy for structural analysis, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for chemical analysis, and Raman spectroscopy for phase identification are used. Electronic devices are fabricated using transferred PtSe2 films for electrical characterization and piezoresistive gauge factor measurements. The variations of crystallite size and their orientations are found to have a strong correlation with the electronic and piezoresistive properties of the films, especially the sheet resistivity and the effective charge carrier mobility. The findings may pave the way for tuning and optimizing the properties of TAC‐grown PtSe2 toward numerous applications.

Interlayers for Improved Hole Injection in Organic Field‐Effect Transistors

AbstractEfficient charge‐carrier injection is a critical requirement for high‐performance organic electronic devices, such as light‐emitting diodes, solar cells, and field‐effect transistors. In this work, a significantly improved charge‐carrier injection from high work‐function metal‐oxide electrodes in organic field effect transistors (OFETs) is demonstrated for amorphous organic semiconductors (OSCs) by using organic interlayers with a high ionization energy (IE). Molybdenum oxide (MoO3) exhibits limited injection into amorphous 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis(N,N‐diphenylamino)‐9,9‐spirobifluorene (Spiro‐TAD) and tris(4‐carbazoyl‐9‐ylphenyl)amine (TCTA) active layers, resulting in high contact resistance and threshold voltage. By inserting an interlayer of a few nanometers thick with high IE between the MoO3 electrode and the amorphous OSC films, the Spiro‐TAD and TCTA OFETs show a substantial enhancement in hole current, subthreshold swing, and effective charge carrier mobility due to the decreased contact resistance. However, for discontinuous interlayers formed on distinct grain domains as in the case of polycrystalline 2,7‐dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2‐b][1]benzothiophene (C8‐BTBT) films, the effect of the interlayer reduces. These results demonstrate that the utilization of smooth interlayers with IE higher than the semiconductor is a general approach to elevate the hole injection into amorphous OSCs with high IE in OFETs.

Профилирование компонент подвижности вблизи гетерограниц тонких пленок кремния

In this paper, we proposed the method for profiling of the components of the effective mobility of charge carriers μeff defined by their scattering by surface phonons and by roughness at the film/insulator interfaces. The method is based on the controlled localization of charge carriers relative to the interface under study due to the coupling effect. The proposed method allows us to independently determine mobility components near different interfaces of films. The use of the proposed method for studying the mobility has allowed us to obtain information on the roughness of the interface and on the structural quality of the ultrathin (1–3-nm) layer of Si near the Si/buried oxide interface.

Strain-engineering the in-plane electrical anisotropy of GeSe monolayers.

As a representative in-plane anisotropic two-dimensional (2D) material, germanium monoselenide (GeSe) has attracted considerable attention recently due to its various in-plane anisotropic material properties originating from the low symmetry of a puckered honeycomb structure. Although there have been plenty of reports on the in-plane anisotropic vibrational, electrical and optical properties of GeSe, the strain effect on those appealing anisotropies is still under exploration. Here we report a systematic first-principles computational investigation of strain-engineering of the anisotropic electronic properties of GeSe monolayers. We found that the anisotropic ratio of the effective mass and mobility of charge carriers (electrons and holes) of GeSe along two principle axes can be controlled by using simple strain conditions. Notably, the preferred conducting direction of GeSe can be even rotated by 90° under an appropriate uniaxial strain (>5%). Such effective strain modulation of the electronic anisotropy of GeSe monolayers provides them abundant opportunities for future mechanical-electronic devices.

Fabrication of Fe3O4 quantum dots modified BiOCl/BiVO4 p-n heterojunction to enhance photocatalytic activity for removing broad-spectrum antibiotics under visible light

Abstract Herein, Fe3O4 quantum dots modified BiOCl/BiVO4 p-n heterojunction was successfully synthesized by a facile strategy. Multiple techniques were carried out to characterize the as-prepared samples. Results show that the photocatalysts possess regular crystal structure and consisted of BiOCl/BiVO4 nanosheet structure with Fe3O4QDs on its surface. Particularly, 20% Fe3O4QDs@BiOCl/BiVO4 p-n heterojunction shows universal outstanding photocatalytic activity for removing four different broad-spectrum antibiotics under visible light. Meanwhile, the mineralization degree and degradation pathways of antibiotic were further studied by 3D-EEMs and LC-MS/MS. The improved photocatalytic performance for degradation of broad-spectrum antibiotics mainly attributes to the effective charge carrier mobility, large specific surface areas, and strong visible light absorption. The photocatalytic reaction mechanism was also revealed by the electron spin resonance (ESR) technique and the active species trapping experiments. The photocatalyst stays stable crystal structures after four reaction cycles and it can be easily separated from the solution by an external magnetic field both demonstrate that the Fe3O4QDs@BiOCl/BiVO4 p-n heterojunction has unlimited potential for practical usage. This work is expected to be widely applicable to the removal of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

The Effects of Doping Density and Temperature on the Optoelectronic Properties of Formamidinium Tin Triiodide Thin Films.

Optoelectronic properties are unraveled for formamidinium tin triiodide (FASnI3 ) thin films, whose background hole doping density is varied through SnF2 addition during film fabrication. Monomolecular charge-carrier recombination exhibits both a dopant-mediated part that grows linearly with hole doping density and remnant contributions that remain under tin-enriched processing conditions. At hole densities near 1020 cm-3 , a strong Burstein-Moss effect increases absorption onset energies by ≈300 meV beyond the bandgap energy of undoped FASnI3 (shown to be 1.2 eV at 5 K and 1.35 eV at room temperature). At very high doping densities (1020 cm-3 ), temperature-dependent measurements indicate that the effective charge-carrier mobility is suppressed through scattering with ionized dopants. Once the background hole concentration is nearer 1019 cm-3 and below, the charge-carrier mobility increases with decreasing temperature according to ≈T-1.2 , suggesting that it is limited mostly by intrinsic interactions with lattice vibrations. For the lowest doping concentration of 7.2 × 1018 cm-3 , charge-carrier mobilities reach a value of 67 cm2 V-1 s-1 at room temperature and 470 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 50 K. Intraexcitonic transitions observed in the THz-frequency photoconductivity spectra at 5 K reveal an exciton binding energy of only 3.1 meV for FASnI3 , in agreement with the low bandgap energy exhibited by this perovskite.

Electrohydrodynamic ionic wind, force field, and ionic mobility in a positive dc wire-to-cylinders corona discharge in air

Ionic wind refers to the acceleration of partially ionized air between two high-voltage electrodes. We study the momentum transfer from ions to air, resulting from ionic wind created by two asymmetric electrodes and producing a net thrust. This electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thrust, has already been measured in previous studies with digital scales. In this study, we provide more insights into the electrohydrodynamic momentum transfer for a wire-to-cylinder(s) positive dc corona discharge. We provide a simple and general theoretical derivation for EHD thrust, which is proportional to the current/mobility ratio and also to an effective distance integrated on the surface of the electrodes. By considering various electrode configurations, our investigation brings out the physical origin of previously obtained optimal configurations, associated with a better tradeoff between Coulomb forcing, friction occurring at the collector, and wake interactions. By measuring two-dimensional velocity fields using particle image velocimetry (PIV), we are able to evaluate the resulting local net force, including the pressure gradient. It is shown that the contribution of velocity fluctuations in the wake of the collecting electrode(s) must be taken into account to recover the net thrust. We confirm the proportionality between the EHD force and the current/mobility ratio experimentally, and evaluate the ion mobility from PIV measurements. A spectral analysis of the velocity fluctuations indicates a dominant frequency corresponding to a Strouhal number of 0.3 based on the ionic wind velocity and the collector size. Finally, the effective mobility of charge carriers is estimated by a PIV based method inside the drift region.

Investigating the influence of charge transport on the performance of PTB7:PC71BM based organic solar cells

A key challenge for researchers in the field of organic solar cells (OSCs) is to develop a physical model for a device that correctly describes the charge carrier transport phenomenon. In this article, an analytical study on the charge carrier transport phenomenon in an OSC is reported, which expresses a balance between free charge carrier generation and recombination in low mobility PTB7:PC71BM blend layers. First, the current density-voltage (J-V) data for the fabricated OSC were extracted from experiments by varying the incident power light intensity (IPL) and then analysis through theoretical simulation was used to quantify the dominant interface recombination parameters limiting the device's performance. It was found that although the generation of free charge carriers increased at higher IPL values, the performance of the device remained low due to poor electrical transport properties which resulted in a considerable accumulation of generated charge carriers in the active layer. Therefore, it has become important to work out the complex relation between charge carrier mobility, exciton-recombination dynamics and the overall electrical performance parameters in a single framework. This article explains the influence of incident power light intensity and charge carrier mobility on performance parameters, which limits the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the OSC. The presented analysis could be helpful in optimizing the architecture of future devices to increase the PCE of OSCs.

Charge carrier transport in defective reduced graphene oxide as quantum dots and nanoplatelets in multilayer films

Graphene is a breakthrough 2D material due to its unique mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, with considerable responsiveness in real applications. However, the coverage of large areas with pristine graphene is a challenge and graphene derivatives have been alternatively exploited to produce hybrid and composite materials that allow for new developments, considering also the handling of large areas using distinct methodologies. For electronic applications there is significant interest in the investigation of the electrical properties of graphene derivatives and related composites to determine whether the characteristic 2D charge transport of pristine graphene is preserved. Here, we report a systematic study of the charge transport mechanisms of reduced graphene oxide chemically functionalized with sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSS), named as GPSS. GPSS was produced either as quantum dots (QDs) or nanoplatelets (NPLs), being further nanostructured with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) through the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to produce graphene nanocomposites with molecular level control. Current–voltage (I–V) measurements indicated a meticulous growth of the LbL nanostructures onto gold interdigitated electrodes (IDEs), with a space-charge-limited current dominated by a Mott-variable range hopping mechanism. A 2D intra-planar conduction within the GPSS nanostructure was observed, which resulted in effective charge carrier mobility (μ) of 4.7 cm2 V−1 s−1 for the QDs and 34.7 cm2 V−1 s−1 for the NPLs. The LbL assemblies together with the dimension of the materials (QDs or NPLs) were favorably used for the fine tuning and control of the charge carrier mobility inside the LbL nanostructures. Such 2D charge conduction mechanism and high μ values inside an interlocked multilayered assembly containing graphene-based nanocomposites are of great interest for organic devices and functionalization of interfaces.

Dielectric analysis of the upper critical solution temperature behaviour of a poly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile) copolymer system in water.

A copolymer consisting of acrylamide (AAm) and acrylonitrile (AN) in aqueous solution was investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy at frequencies between 10-1 Hz and 106 Hz in the temperature range from 2 °C to 60 °C. This system shows an UCST phase behavior. The phase transition and aggregation behavior is monitored by both the temperature and frequency dependence of the complex conductivity σ*(f, T), where the AN fraction and the concentration of the solution were varied. Additionally, the dielectric data are compared with the results obtained from dynamic light scattering measurements. The temperature dependence of the DC conductivity (σDC) of the copolymer solution is monitored and the phase transition temperature (PTT) of the poly(AAm-co-AN) copolymer is deduced from a change in the T-dependence of the DC conductivity. The change in σDC can be explained by decreased effective charge carrier mobility and a reduction of the effective charge number density at temperatures below the phase transition temperature of the poly(AAm-co-AN) solution. A pronounced interfacial polarization effect on the frequency dependence of the real part of the conductivity (σ') is observed at temperatures below the phase transition temperature. The charge carriers are blocked at the formed aggregates giving rise to this interfacial polarization. The dependence of the interfacial polarization on the acrylonitrile fraction in the copolymer and the concentration of the solution is studied in detail and conclusions concerning the internal structures of the copolymer aggregates are drawn.

Charge-Carrier Dynamics in 2D Hybrid Metal-Halide Perovskites.

Hybrid metal-halide perovskites are promising new materials for use in solar cells; however, their chemical stability in the presence of moisture remains a significant drawback. Quasi two-dimensional (2D) perovskites that incorporate hydrophobic organic interlayers offer improved resistance to degradation by moisture, currently still at the cost of overall cell efficiency. To elucidate the factors affecting the optoelectronic properties of these materials, we have investigated the charge transport properties and crystallographic orientation of mixed methylammonium (MA)-phenylethylammonium (PEA) lead iodide thin films as a function of the MA-to-PEA ratio and, thus, the thickness of the "encapsulated" MA lead-halide layers. We find that monomolecular charge-carrier recombination rates first decrease with increasing PEA fraction, most likely as a result of trap passivation, but then increase significantly as excitonic effects begin to dominate for thin confined layers. Bimolecular and Auger recombination rate constants are found to be sensitive to changes in electronic confinement, which alters the density of states for electronic transitions. We demonstrate that effective charge-carrier mobilities remain remarkably high (near 10 cm2V-1s-1) for intermediate PEA content and are enhanced for preferential orientation of the conducting lead iodide layers along the probing electric field. The trade-off between trap reduction, electronic confinement, and layer orientation leads to calculated charge-carrier diffusion lengths reaching a maximum of 2.5 μm for intermediate PEA content (50%).

Radiative recombination kinetics in electroluminescent spin cast pristine α-4T

Many experimental studies have established the substantial impact of the sound structure of the organic thin films on optoelectronic device performances. This study is a collection of experimental and theoretical investigation of the radiative recombination kinetics in an organic light emitting diode based on spin cast α-4T. The structural properties of the organic thin films (α-4T) deposited by the spin coating technique are discussed. The electrical characterization of the diode-like samples (ITO/α-4T/Al) have revealed a very low effective mobility of charge carriers in the spin cast α-4Tand the radiative recombination current was extracted. The luminescence-current characterization of the diode-like samples (ITO/α-4T/Al) was investigated and modeled.

Dual layer semiconducting nanocomposite of silicon nanowire and polythiophene for organic-based field effect transistors

We investigate a dual layer active channel of random distributed intrinsic silicon nanowires and solution processing semiconducting polythiophene polymers for organic-based field effect transistors. Primary results show that low density silicon nanowire networks could enhance the effective charge carrier mobility of polythiophene transistors by a factor of six, suggesting that these nanowires act as rapid one-dimensional charge transport bridges in the active channel. Moreover, increasing the nanowire loading in the dual layer nanocomposite could further lessen the transistor hysteresis. The lifetime test of nanowire-polythiophene devices is found to be more sustainable with respect to that of pristine polythiophene in ambient air. These results indicate that semiconducting nanowires should be considered as a viable additive to active channel for next-generation organic field effect transistors.