Charge Carrier Transport Mechanism Research Articles

A Review: Application of Doped Hydrogenated Nanocrystalline Silicon Oxide in High Efficiency Solar Cell Devices.

Due to the unique microstructure of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide (nc-SiOx:H), the optoelectronic properties of this material can be tuned over a wide range, which makes it adaptable to different solar cell applications. In this work, the authors review the material properties of nc-SiOx:H and the versatility of its applications in different types of solar cells. The review starts by introducing the growth principle of doped nc-SiOx:H layers, the effect of oxygen content on the material properties, and the relationship between optoelectronic properties and its microstructure. A theoretical analysis of charge carrier transport mechanisms in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells with wide band gap layers is then presented. Afterwards, the authors focus on the recent developments in the implementation of nc-SiOx:H and hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide (a-SiOx:H) films for SHJ, passivating contacts, and perovskite/silicon tandem devices.

Giant photoelectric energy conversion via a 3C-SiC Nano-Thin film double heterojunction

Enhancing the energy conversion efficiency is utmost important in renewable energy and self-powered optoelectronic sensing applications. In this study, we propose the concept of a p-3C-SiC nano-thin film/p-Si/n-Si double junction (DJ) structure, which exhibits a massive photoelectric energy conversion efficiency and ultra-high sensitivity of optoelectronic sensors. The optoelectronic characteristics of this DJ heterostructure are compared to those of a p-3C-SiC/n-Si single-junction (SJ) heterostructure, which shares similarities in all technical and material parameters, except for the inclusion of the middle p-Si layer in the DJ structure. The experimental results reveal that the lateral photocurrent, sensitivity, theoretical power and maximum power of the DJ structure are more than 100 times (i.e. over 10,000%) greater than those of the SJ structure. We then demonstrated these excellent features of DJ heterostructure through developing of a self-powered position sensitive sensor, which showed an ultrahigh sensitivity. The enormous enhancement in the performance has been elucidated through the efficient photogeneration of charge carriers, electron-hole pair splitting, and the improved charge carrier transport mechanisms in the double heterojunction. This research represents a notable breakthrough in ultra-sensitive optoelectronic sensors and photoenergy conversion, since the proposed concept and theoretical model can be extended to multiple junctions of various semiconductor materials.

Charge carrier transport mechanism through different oxides for (n) poly‐Si/SiOx fired passivating contacts

In recent years the mechanism of carrier transport through a junction of polycrystalline silicon (poly‐Si) on an interface oxide has been extensively discussed for passivating contacts of crystalline silicon‐based solar cells fabricated along the well‐established high temperature route. In the fired passivating contact (FPC) approach, no extended crystallization is foreseen which also modifies the properties of the junction. Here, we investigate atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposited (APCVD), phosphorus‐doped (n) poly‐Si, which is annealed at different temperatures and durations following the FPC approach. Symmetric lifetime samples show the passivation potential of the FPC approach with implied open circuit voltages (iVOC) values of up to 736 mV. Temperature‐dependent specific contact resistivity measurements applying the transfer length method on differently grown interface oxides are used to identify tunneling or pinhole transport, or a combination of both. It is found that a transition from tunneling to pinhole transport surprisingly takes place already for annealing durations of a few seconds and is primarily impacted by annealing temperature instead of duration. Pinhole magnification studies via tetramethylammonium etching and scanning electron microscopy confirm the existence of pinholes in the interfacial oxides.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

2D/2D layered BiOIO3/g-C3N4 S-scheme heterojunction for photocatalytic NO oxidation

It is essential to promote interfacial separation and charge migration in heterojunctions for effectively driving surface photocatalytic reactions. In this work, we report the construction of a 2D/2D layered BiOIO3/g-C3N4 (BIO/CN) heterojunction for photocatalytic NO removal. The BIO/CN heterojunction exhibits a remarkably higher NO photo-oxidation removal rate (46.9%) compared to pristine BIO (20.1%) and CN (25.9%) under visible-light irradiation. Additionally, it effectively suppresses the formation of toxic NO2 intermediates during photocatalytic reaction. The improved photocatalytic performance of BIO/CN composite is caused by its S-scheme charge carrier transport mechanism, which is supported by Density Functional Theory simulations of work function and electron density difference, along with in-situ irradiated X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance analyses. This S-scheme structure improves the interfacial carrier separation efficiency and retains the strong photo-redox ability. Our study demonstrates that construction of a S-scheme heterojunction is significant in the design and preparation of highly efficient photocatalysts for air purification.

Temperature Dependence of Charge Transport Properties of Quasi-2D Chiral Perovskite Thin-Film Field-Effect Transistors.

Chiral halide perovskite materials promise both superior light response and the capability to distinguish circularly polarized emissions, which are especially common in the fluorescence spectra of organic chiral materials. Herein, thin-film field-effect transistors (FETs) based on chiral quasi-two-dimensional perovskites are explored, and the temperature dependence of the charge carrier transport mechanism over the broad temperature range (80-300 K) is revealed. A typical p-type charge transport behavior is observed for both left-handed (S-C6H5(CN2)2NH3)2(CH3NH3)n-1PbnI3n+1 and right-handed (R-C6H5(CN2)2NH3)2(CH3NH3)n-1PbnI3n+1 chiral perovskites, with maximum carrier mobilities of 1.7 × 10-5 cm2 V-1 s-1 and 2.5 × 10-5 cm2 V-1 s-1 at around 280 K, respectively. The shallow traps with smaller activation energy (0.03 eV) hinder the carrier transport over the lower temperature regime (80-180 K), while deep traps with 1 order of magnitude larger activation energy than the shallow traps moderate the charge carrier transport in the temperature range of 180-300 K. From the charge carrier mechanism point of view, impurity scattering is established as the dominant factor from 80 K until around 280 K, while phonon scattering becomes predominant up to room temperature. Responsivities of 0.15 A W-1 and 0.14 A W-1 for left-handed and right-handed chiral perovskite FET devices are obtained.

Reliable NO2 sensing and alert system based on Pd-PdO thin film with sub ppm level detection at room temperature

Human and environmental health is greatly affected due to toxic gas emissions in the environment from power generation, transportation and other industries. For real time monitoring of polluting gases, gas sensor should be reliable, robust and stable in all environmental conditions. We report, nanostructured PdO thin film based portable and low voltage (< 5 V) operating NO2 sensor for sensing sub-ppm level of NO2, with limit of detection (LOD) 80 ppb at room-temperature. To optimize the sensor response of PdO thin film prepared by cost effective self-assembly technique films were calcined at 200 °C, 300 °C and 400 °C. Effect of calcination temperatures on film’s surface morphology, composition and energy band gap have been studied using various techniques. The charge carrier concentration, charge carrier transport mechanism, sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility, reliability, linearity etc. have been studied. PdO thin films calcined at 400 °C are most sensitive with approx. 60% and 100% response for 500 ppb and 1 ppm NO2, respectively at room-temperature. After stable response upto 6 months and more was obtained for these, a portable, pocket size electronic device of size (8 × 5 cm) was fabricated and tested successfully, coupling with the sensor film to prepare a wearable sensor.

Charge carrier transport mechanism in plasma polymerized methyl acrylate thin films

Plasma-polymerized methyl acrylate thin films (PPMA) of thicknesses 115 to 290 nm were prepared using a capacitively coupled glow discharge plasma reactor. The current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics of the Aluminum/PPMA/Aluminum sandwich configuration were studied between 0.1 and 75 V over the temperature region from 298 K to 398 K for various thicknesses of PPMA thin films. J-V curves show that the conduction current follows Ohm's law in the low voltage area, but that in the high voltage range, the behavior is attributed to be space charge-limited conduction (SCLC) in PPMA thin films. The free carrier density, the trap density and carrier mobility have been determined to be around 1.77 × 1023 to 5.86 × 1023 m−3, 2.84 × 1024 to 3.77 × 1024 m−3, and 3.87 × 10−18 to 69.7 × 10−18 m2V−1s−1, respectively for various thicknesses of PPMA thin films. For the higher temperature and lower temperature areas, the activation energies were found in the range from 0.60 to 0.84 eV and 0.28 to 0.40 eV, respectively for 5 V in Ohmic region and from 0.61 to 0.98 eV and 0.27 to 0.34 eV, respectively for 60 V in SCLC (Non-Ohmic) region, respectively. It is observed that SCLC mechanism in PPMA thin films is dominated by a single dominant trap level/discrete trap level distribution. The PPMA thin films are promising candidates in manufacturing optoelectronic devices.

Van der Waals heterostructure of Bi2O2Se/MoTe2 for high-performance multifunctional devices

Two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures exhibit distinctive electronic and optoelectronic properties, making them promising structures for constructing advanced multifunctional devices. However, devices based on conventional charge-carrier transport mechanisms often perform only a single function, which limits its integration and performance. Here, we present a vertical van der Waals heterostructure made of Bi2O2Se and MoTe2, allowing it to act as high-performance backward diode, forward diode, photodetector and photovoltaic device at various working conditions. The applications are enabled by band-alignment switching between p–n heterostructure controlled by minority carrier diffusion and n–n heterostructure governed by the thermionic emission and tunneling-mediated processes. As a backward diode, the device displays a high reverse rectification ratio of 5.0 × 104. As a photodetector, the device demonstrates a broad spectral photoresponse ranging from ultraviolet (365 nm) to near-infrared (1050 nm). When irradiated by 532 nm laser, the photodetector shows a responsivity of up to 11.6 A/W and achieves quick response/recovery speed of 19.6/8.8 μs. As a photovoltaics device, an external quantum efficiency of 78% and a responsivity of 0.33 A/W are observed. This study showcases the potential for high-performance multifunctional devices utilizing Bi2O2Se/MoTe2 heterostructures and provides comprehensive insights into the designed band alignment and its applications.

Study on the law and mechanism of anisotropic conductivity of carbon nanotubes film prepared by floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition method

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) film has attracted extensive attention in the field of electronics, sensors, and other potential applications due to their excellent electrical conductivity. The conductivity of CNTs film is one of the most important aspects of engineering applications. This study investigates the conductivity of CNTs film with varying areal density, prepared using the floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) method and densified by rolling. The square resistance of pre- and post-rolling films was measured to characterize the electrical properties. Experimental results indicate that square resistance decreases with increasing areal density and stabilizes eventually. A mathematical formula was derived to explain the relationship between areal density and square resistance, incorporating volume and areal density formulas. Experimental data curves of pre- and post-rolling films were fitted, yielding mathematical relations consistent with the derived formulas. The electrical conductivity of post-rolling CNTs film was superior to pre-rolling in experiment and calculation. The charge carrier transport mechanism in CNTs film was studied by analyzing its internal structure and electrical properties. Surface conductivity was over 1000 times higher than volume conductivity, attributed to the distribution of CNTs bundles in collection and thickness directions. Charge carrier transport capacity decreased with increasing layers in thickness direction due to contact resistance and large resistance at tube–tube junctions. Layers of CNTs near the current application surface significantly contribute to charge carrier transport at high areal density levels.

Effect of nano CdO-ZnO content on structural, thermal, optical, mechanical and electrical properties of epoxy composites

Cadmium oxide doped zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by solution combustion technique. CdO-ZnO nanoparticles were reinforced into epoxy by ultrasonication technique. CdO-ZnO nano-particles are well known semiconducting materials which are found to exhibit excellent semiconducting behavior even at high frequencies. Hence it was introduced into epoxy to study the semiconducting nature of CdO-ZnO/epoxy composites. The polymer composites exhibited interesting phenomenon such as minimum heat losses at high frequencies indicating semi-conducting behaviour of the composites. The polymer composite was also analysed for its structural, thermal, optical and mechanical properties. The enhanced interaction of CdO-ZnO nanoparticles with epoxy has resulted in superior UV-shielding effeciency and mechanical properties. This paper mainly focusses upon the synthesis and development of CdO-ZnO/epoxy composites, the design and optimization of CdO-ZnO compositions, the mechanical toughening and failure mechanism, transport mechanism of charge carriers, conductivity relaxation, ionic polarization and prospects of CdO-ZnO/epoxy composites in various fields.

Effect of structure on semiconducting properties of a small molecule n-type organic semiconductor: Phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester

The fullerene-based derivative phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) has attracted attention as an n-type transistor channel and an organic photovoltaic material due to its solution processability, stability, and high electron mobility. However, disorder in solution-processed PCBM thin films makes understanding of charge carrier transport mechanisms difficult. We have fabricated PCBM-based field effect transistors and improved device performance by reducing electron trapping at the dielectric–semiconductor interface and improving charge carrier injection. Single-wall carbon nanotubes were successfully integrated into conventional gold electrodes to improve injection efficiency. Meyer–Neldel behavior has been investigated in a study of charge carrier transport in PCBM thin films. Crystallization of PCBM was observed during the measurement. We find that charge carriers hop between molecules in mostly amorphous regions from 145 to 240 K. The transport is facilitated by the formation of more crystallized regions when samples are heated as high as 240 K.

Non-Conjugated Copoly(Arylene Ether Ketone) for the Current-Collecting System of a Solar Cell with Indium Tin Oxide Electrode

The mechanism of charge carrier transport in the indium tin oxide (ITO)/polymer/Cu structure is studied, where thin films of copoly(arylene ether ketone) with cardo fluorene moieties are used. This copoly(arylene ether ketone) is non-conjugated polymer which has the properties of electronic switching from the insulating to the highly conductive state. The dependence on the polymer film thickness of such parameters as the potential barrier at the ITO/polymer interface, the concentration of charge carriers, and their mobility in the polymer is studied for the first time. The study of this system is of interest due to the proven potential of using the synthesized polymer in the contact system of a silicon solar cell with an ITO top layer. The parameters of charge carriers and ITO/polymer barrier are evaluated based on the analysis of current-voltage characteristics of ITO/polymer/Cu structure within the injection current models and the Schottky model. The thickness of the polymer layer varies from 50 nm to 2.1 µm. The concentration of intrinsic charge carriers increases when decreasing the polymer film thickness. The charge carrier mobility depends irregularly on the thickness, showing a maximum of 9.3 × 10-4 cm2/V s at 210 nm and a minimum of 4.7 × 10-11 cm2/V s at 50 nm. The conductivity of polymer films first increases with a decrease in thickness from 2.1 µm to 210 nm, but then begins to decrease upon transition to the globular structure of the films at smaller thicknesses. The dependence of the barrier height on polymer thickness has a minimum of 0.28 eV for films 100-210 nm thick. The influence of the supramolecular structure and surface charge field of thin polymer films on the transport of charge carriers is discussed.

Особенности транспорта носителей заряда в структуре полупроводник-полимер-металл

The mechanism of charge carrier transport in the tin doped indium oxide (ITO)/polymer/Cu structure was studied for the first time, where thin films of poly(arylene ether ketone), which has the properties of electronic switching from the insulating to the highly conductive state, were used. The system under study can be considered as a model of a current-collecting contact system in a solar cell with ITO top layer.

Features of the charge carriers transport in the semiconductor-polymer-metal structure

The mechanism of charge carrier transport in the tin doped indium oxide (ITO)/polymer/Cu structure was studied for the first time, where thin films of poly(arylene ether ketone), which has the properties of electronic switching from the insulating to the highly conductive state, were used. The system under study can be considered as a model of a current-collecting contact system in a solar cell with ITO top layer. Keywords: transparent conducting oxide, conducting polymer, contact system, activation energy, tunneling.

Photoconductivity and electronic processes in PCDTBT polymer composite with embedded CdSe nanoplatelets

The photoconductivity in thin films of a new composite based on CdSe nanoplatelets (NPLs) and PCDTBT polymer has been studied using photoconductivity temperature dependences, current-voltage and lux-ampere measurements at various temperatures and applied bias. The incorporation of 7 vol% of NPLs into the polymer blend led to an increase in photoconductivity by an order of magnitude compared to the pristine PCDTBT film in the temperature range of 310–360 K and the electric field strength above 200 V cm−1. An analysis of current-voltage characteristics measured at various temperatures demonstrated that the observed increase in the photoconductivity of the composite is due to a change in the transport mechanism of nonequilibrium charge carriers with an increase in their concentration. The observed saturation of photoconductivity with increasing temperature is supposed to occur due to the increase in exciton diffusion length with temperature increasing and limited effective exciton generation area.

Halide Perovskite Single Crystals and Nanocrystal Films as Electron Donor-Acceptor Heterojunctions.

Halide perovskites are materials for future optical displays and solar cells. Electron donor-acceptor perovskite heterostructures with distinguishing halide compositions are promising for transporting and harvesting photogenerated charge carriers. Combined e-beam lithography and anion exchange are promising to develop such heterostructures but challenging to prepare multiple heterojunctions at desired locations in single crystals. We demonstrate swift laser trapping-assisted band gap engineering at the desired locations in MAPbBr3 microrods, microplates, or nanocrystal thin films. The built-in donor-acceptor double and multi-heterojunction structures let us transport and trap photogenerated charge carriers from wide-band gap bromide to narrow-band gap iodide domains. We discuss the charge carrier transport and trapping mechanisms from the viewpoints of engineered bands and band continuity. This work offers a convenient method for designing single-, double- and multi-heterojunction donor-acceptor halide perovskites for photovoltaic, photonic, and electronic applications.

Halide Perovskite Single Crystals and Nanocrystal Films as Electron Donor‐Acceptor Heterojunctions

AbstractHalide perovskites are materials for future optical displays and solar cells. Electron donor‐acceptor perovskite heterostructures with distinguishing halide compositions are promising for transporting and harvesting photogenerated charge carriers. Combined e‐beam lithography and anion exchange are promising to develop such heterostructures but challenging to prepare multiple heterojunctions at desired locations in single crystals. We demonstrate swift laser trapping‐assisted band gap engineering at the desired locations in MAPbBr3 microrods, microplates, or nanocrystal thin films. The built‐in donor‐acceptor double and multi‐heterojunction structures let us transport and trap photogenerated charge carriers from wide‐band gap bromide to narrow‐band gap iodide domains. We discuss the charge carrier transport and trapping mechanisms from the viewpoints of engineered bands and band continuity. This work offers a convenient method for designing single‐, double‐ and multi‐heterojunction donor‐acceptor halide perovskites for photovoltaic, photonic, and electronic applications.

High energy storage efficiency and temperature stability realized in the Ba0.3Sr0.7Zr0.18Ti0.82O3/LaNiO3 heterostructure thin films directly deposited on the conductive Si substrate

A high-performance energy storage capacitor would not display high energy storage density (Ue) but high energy storage efficiency (η). However, during raising the electric field (E) or temperature (T), the η in dielectric thin films often shows an obvious degradation process. The degradation process is closely related to the change of the charge carrier transport mechanism as a function of E or T. Compared with the electric breakdown strength, the relationship between η and the charge carrier transport mechanisms in the dielectric thin films was less concerning. In this work, by increasing the trigger E and T of the space charge limited current mechanism, the beginning of the η degradation process was delayed into higher E and T. Consequently, a high Ue (∼56.6 J/cm3) and η (∼93.9%) were achieved simultaneously in Ba0.3Sr0.7Zr0.18Ti0.82O3/LaNiO3 heterostructure thin films directly deposited on low-cost conductive silicon wafers. Moreover, the temperature stability was greatly improved. This result would also offer a promising approach to improve the electrical properties of the dielectric oxide thin films in a harsh environment of high temperatures by redistributing oxygen vacancies through the heterostructure interface.

ReWORM Memory Effect in PET-Metal Fiber-Based Electroconductive Yarn

Write-once-read-many (WORM) memory effect is reported in the 19.68 Tex, 80:20 ratio polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-metal fiber spun electroconductive yarn. The yarn sample displayed a typical WORM memory behavior having electrical bistability with an OFF/ ON resistance ratio up to <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$10^{{9}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and a long retention period. As the polyester fibers transform from amorphous (resistive state) to semicrystalline (conductive state) upon the application of bias voltage, the charge conduction changes from electronic to ionic, above the glass transition temperature. Furthermore, <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${I}-{V}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> curves were fit to explain the charge carrier transport mechanisms in the WORM behavior. Additionally, upon intentional mechanical perturbation, the sample could reset to its native high-resistive state (the phenomenon is termed as Reset WORM or ReWORM), ready for another WORM storage cycle.

The role of bias voltage in charge carrier transport mechanism of organic semiconductor

The energy density of flexible electronics can be improved by storing charge at high voltage through the charge carrier transport in the organic semiconductor. However, voltage fluctuation triggers irreversible carrier recombination and associated heat generation, which influence interfacial and dipolar polarisation and a variation of relaxation phenomenon by densification of the space charge carriers in the electronic materials. This study provides a fundamental understanding of voltage variation and corresponding thermal variation via electrical transport properties measurement of 0.1 wt% and 0.5 wt% of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) on PVA flexible mat (Designated as PC0.1 and PC0.5 films). Here, we consider various models from the literature to demonstrate the effect of bias voltage on the transport properties of the flexible metal oxide film. The ac conduction mechanism follows a sharp transition of the Jonhcher power law to the jump relaxation model (JRM) around the system's glass transition temperature (Tg). The effect of the glass transition temperature is extensive analysis through the temperature-dependent real part of the dielectric and resistivity study. After Tg electrical transport properties of these composite films modifies significantly, as the resistivity follows Bӓssler's Gaussian disorder model (298–343 K) and Arrhenius model (348–383 K) in two different temperature regions. Further, we highlight the current-voltage characteristic at different temperatures and observe three different conduction mechanisms as trap free limited conduction (TFL) (−5 V→−1 V), Ohmic (0 V→+1 V), and Poole-Frenkel (PF) (1 V→+5 V) during trapping and de-trapping of the carriers in trap states. This fundamental study identifies the bias voltage effect in long-cycling organic electronics and enables us to market the implementation of flexible electronics with high-performance efficiency.