Showing papers in "Journal of Applied Physics in 2006"
TL;DR: An overview of the state of the art in ferroelectric thin films is presented in this paper, where the authors review applications: micro-systems' applications, applications in high frequency electronics, and memories based on Ferroelectric materials.
Abstract: An overview of the state of art in ferroelectric thin films is presented. First, we review applications: microsystems' applications, applications in high frequency electronics, and memories based on ferroelectric materials. The second section deals with materials, structure (domains, in particular), and size effects. Properties of thin films that are important for applications are then addressed: polarization reversal and properties related to the reliability of ferroelectric memories, piezoelectric nonlinearity of ferroelectric films which is relevant to microsystems' applications, and permittivity and loss in ferroelectric films-important in all applications and essential in high frequency devices. In the context of properties we also discuss nanoscale probing of ferroelectrics. Finally, we comment on two important emerging topics: multiferroic materials and ferroelectric one-dimensional nanostructures. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.
1,632 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the maximum power conversion efficiency for conversion of solar radiation to electrical power or to a flux of chemical free energy for the case of hydrogen production from water photoelectrolysis was calculated.
Abstract: We calculate the maximum power conversion efficiency for conversion of solar radiation to electrical power or to a flux of chemical free energy for the case of hydrogen production from water photoelectrolysis. We consider several types of ideal absorbers where absorption of one photon can produce more than one electron-hole pair that are based on semiconductor quantum dots with efficient multiple exciton generation (MEG) or molecules that undergo efficient singlet fission (SF). Using a detailed balance model with 1 sun AM1.5G illumination, we find that for single gap photovoltaic (PV) devices the maximum efficiency increases from 33.7% for cells with no carrier multiplication to 44.4% for cells with carrier multiplication. We also find that the maximum efficiency of an ideal two gap tandem PV device increases from 45.7% to 47.7% when carrier multiplication absorbers are used in the top and bottom cells. For an ideal water electrolysis two gap tandem device, the maximum conversion efficiency is 46.0% using...
1,363 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of variations in the temperature and volume fraction on the steady-state effective thermal conductivity of two different nanoparticle suspensions were examined and the results indicated that the nanoparticle material, diameter, volume fraction, and bulk temperature, all have a significant impact on the effective thermalconductivity of these suspensions.
Abstract: An experimental investigation was conducted to examine the effects of variations in the temperature and volume fraction on the steady-state effective thermal conductivity of two different nanoparticle suspensions. Copper and aluminum oxide, CuO and Al2O3, nanoparticles with area weighted diameters of 29 and 36nm, respectively, were blended with distilled water at 2%, 4%, 6%, and 10% volume fractions and the resulting suspensions were evaluated at temperatures ranging from 27.5to34.7°C. The results indicate that the nanoparticle material, diameter, volume fraction, and bulk temperature, all have a significant impact on the effective thermal conductivity of these suspensions. The 6% volume fraction of CuO nanoparticle/distilled water suspension resulted in an increase in the effective thermal conductivity of 1.52 times that of pure distilled water and the 10% Al2O3 nanoparticle/distilled water suspension increased the effective thermal conductivity by a factor of 1.3, at a temperature of 34°C. A two-factor ...
749 citations
TL;DR: Chakraborty et al. as discussed by the authors presented growth orientation dependence of the piezoelectric polarization of InxGa1−xN and AlyGa 1−yN layers matched to GaN and showed that the zero crossover has only a very small dependence on the In or Al content of the ternary alloy layer.
Abstract: This paper presents growth orientation dependence of the piezoelectric polarization of InxGa1−xN and AlyGa1−yN layers lattice matched to GaN. This topic has become relevant with the advent of growing nitride based devices on semipolar planes [A. Chakraborty et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 2 44, L945 (2005)]. The calculations demonstrate that for strained InxGa1−xN and AlyGa1−yN layers lattice matched to GaN, the piezoelectric polarization becomes zero for nonpolar orientations and also at another point ≈45° tilted from the c plane. The zero crossover has only a very small dependence on the In or Al content of the ternary alloy layer. With the addition of spontaneous polarization, the angle at which the total polarization equals zero increases slightly for InxGa1−xN, but the exact value depends on the In content. For AlyGa1−yN mismatched layers the effect of spontaneous polarization becomes important by increasing the crossover point to ∼70° from c-axis oriented films. These calculations were performed u...
745 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the band offsets of various gate dielectrics including HfO2, Al2O3, Gd2O 3, Si3N4, and SiO2 on III-V semiconductors such as GaAs, InAs, GaSb, and GaN have been calculated using the method of charge neutrality levels.
Abstract: III-V semiconductors have high mobility and will be used in field effect transistors with the appropriate gate dielectric. The dielectrics must have band offsets over 1eV to inhibit leakage. The band offsets of various gate dielectrics including HfO2, Al2O3, Gd2O3, Si3N4, and SiO2 on III-V semiconductors such as GaAs, InAs, GaSb, and GaN have been calculated using the method of charge neutrality levels. Generally, the conduction band offsets are found to be over 1eV, so they should inhibit leakage for these dielectrics. On the other hand, SrTiO3 has minimal conduction band offset. The valence band offsets are also reasonably large, except for Si nitride on GaN and Sc2O3 on GaN which are 0.6–0.8eV. There is reasonable agreement with experiment where it exists, although the GaAs:SrTiO3 case is even worse in experiment.
632 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a lead-free piezoelectric ceramics, with the nominal composition of 0.948(K 0.5Na0.5)NbO3-0.052LiSbO 3 (KNN-LS5.2), were synthesized by conventional solid-state sintering, and the pieziolectric and electromechanical properties were characterized as a function of temperature, which mimicked the compositional variation seen in the proximity of a morphotropic phase boundary.
Abstract: Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics, with the nominal composition of 0.948(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3–0.052LiSbO3 (KNN-LS5.2), were synthesized by conventional solid-state sintering, and the piezoelectric and electromechanical properties were characterized as a function of temperature. The Curie temperature of the KNN based perovskite material was found to be 368°C with an orthorhombic-tetragonal polymorphic phase transition (TO-T) temperature at approximately ∼35°C. The room temperature dielectric permittivity (e33T∕e0) and loss were found to be 1380 and 2%, respectively, with piezoelectric properties of k33∼62% and d33∼265pC∕N and k31∼30% and d31∼−116pC∕N. The temperature dependence of the properties mimicked the compositional variation seen in the proximity of a morphotropic phase boundary [e.g., lead zirconate titanate (PZT)], with a maxima in the dielectric and piezoelectric properties and a corresponding “softening” of the elastic properties. Unlike that found for PZT-type materials, the modified KNN material exhi...
599 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a model based on photoionization is used to explain the propagation kinetics of the plasma bullet under low electric field conditions, showing that the plume is in fact a small bullet-like volume of plasma traveling at unusually high velocities.
Abstract: Nonequilibrium plasmas driven by submicrosecond high voltage pulses have been proven to produce high-energy electrons, which in turn lead to enhanced ionization and excitations. Here, we describe a device capable of launching a cold plasma plume in the surrounding air. This device, “the plasma pencil,” is driven by few hundred nanosecond wide pulses at repetition rates of a few kilohertz. Correlation between current-voltage characteristics and fast photography shows that the plasma plume is in fact a small bulletlike volume of plasma traveling at unusually high velocities. A model based on photoionization is used to explain the propagation kinetics of the plasma bullet under low electric field conditions.
520 citations
TL;DR: A review of the state-of-the-art polymer adhesive wafer bonding technologies, materials, and applications can be found in this paper, where the main advantages of this technique include the insensitivity to surface topography, the low bonding temperatures, the compatibility with standard integrated circuit wafer processing, and the ability to join different types of wafers.
Abstract: Wafer bonding with intermediate polymer adhesives is an important fabrication technique for advanced microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems, such as three-dimensional integrated circuits, advanced packaging, and microfluidics. In adhesive wafer bonding, the polymer adhesive bears the forces involved to hold the surfaces together. The main advantages of adhesive wafer bonding include the insensitivity to surface topography, the low bonding temperatures, the compatibility with standard integrated circuit wafer processing, and the ability to join different types of wafers. Compared to alternative wafer bonding techniques, adhesive wafer bonding is simple, robust, and low cost. This article reviews the state-of-the-art polymer adhesive wafer bonding technologies, materials, and applications.
494 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the linewidth of a series of Permalloy films with thicknesses of 50 and 100nm was measured using linear function of frequency, with a slope that corresponds to a nominal Landau-Lifshitz phenomenological damping parameter α value of 0.007 and zero frequency intercepts in the 160-320A∕m (2-4Oe) range.
Abstract: Stripline (SL), vector network analyzer (VNA), and pulsed inductive microwave magnetometer (PIMM) techniques were used to measure the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) linewidth for a series of Permalloy films with thicknesses of 50 and 100nm. The SL-FMR measurements were made for fixed frequencies from 1.5to5.5GHz. The VNA-FMR and PIMM measurements were made for fixed in-plane fields from 1.6to8kA∕m (20–100Oe). The results provide a confirmation, lacking until now, that the linewidths measured by these three methods are consistent and compatible. In the field format, the linewidths are a linear function of frequency, with a slope that corresponds to a nominal Landau-Lifshitz phenomenological damping parameter α value of 0.007 and zero frequency intercepts in the 160–320A∕m (2–4Oe) range. In the frequency format, the corresponding linewidth versus frequency response shows a weak upward curvature at the lowest measurement frequencies and a leveling off at high frequencies.
490 citations
TL;DR: Constructal theory is the view that the generation of flow configuration is a physics phenomenon that can be based on a physics principle (the constructal law): "For a finite-size flow system to persist in time (to survive) its configuration must evolve in such a way that it provides an easier access to the currents that flow through it".
Abstract: Constructal theory is the view that the generation of flow configuration is a physics phenomenon that can be based on a physics principle (the constructal law): “For a finite-size flow system to persist in time (to survive) its configuration must evolve in such a way that it provides an easier access to the currents that flow through it” [A. Bejan, Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics, 2nd ed. (Wiley, New York, 1997); Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 40, 799 (1997)]. This principle predicts natural configuration across the board: river basins, turbulence, animal design (allometry, vascularization, locomotion), cracks in solids, dendritic solidification, Earth climate, droplet impact configuration, etc. The same principle yields new designs for electronics, fuel cells, and tree networks for transport of people, goods, and information. This review describes a paradigm that is universally applicable in natural sciences, engineering and social sciences.
445 citations
TL;DR: In this article, parasitic contact effects in organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) fabricated with pentacene films have been investigated and the influence on the OTFT performance of the source and drain contact metal and the device design was investigated.
Abstract: We report on parasitic contact effects in organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) fabricated with pentacene films. The influence on the OTFT performance of the source and drain contact metal and the device design was investigated. Top contact (TC) and bottom contact (BC) gated transmission line model (gated-TLM) test structures were used to extract the combined parasitic contact resistance as a function of gate voltage swing and drain-source voltage for OTFTs with gold source and drain contacts. For comparison BC test structures with palladium contacts were studied. Differences in the bias dependence of the contact resistance for TC and BC OTFTs indicate that charge injection and device performance are strongly affected by the device design and processing. The results from this investigation show that TC and BC device performances may be contact limited for high mobility OTFTs with channel lengths less than 10μm.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, the linewidth of a series of Permalloy films with thicknesses of 50 and 100nm was measured using linear function of frequency, with a slope that corresponds to a nominal Landau-Lifshitz phenomenological damping parameter α value of 0.007 and zero frequency intercepts in the 160-320A∕m (2-4Oe) range.
Abstract: Stripline (SL), vector network analyzer (VNA), and pulsed inductive microwave magnetometer (PIMM) techniques were used to measure the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) linewidth for a series of Permalloy films with thicknesses of 50 and 100nm. The SL-FMR measurements were made for fixed frequencies from 1.5to5.5GHz. The VNA-FMR and PIMM measurements were made for fixed in-plane fields from 1.6to8kA∕m (20–100Oe). The results provide a confirmation, lacking until now, that the linewidths measured by these three methods are consistent and compatible. In the field format, the linewidths are a linear function of frequency, with a slope that corresponds to a nominal Landau-Lifshitz phenomenological damping parameter α value of 0.007 and zero frequency intercepts in the 160–320A∕m (2–4Oe) range. In the frequency format, the corresponding linewidth versus frequency response shows a weak upward curvature at the lowest measurement frequencies and a leveling off at high frequencies.
TL;DR: A survey of the elastic, mechanical, fragility, and thermodynamic properties of bulk metallic glasses and glass-forming liquids is presented in this article, where it is found that the elastic moduli of BMGs have correlations with the glass transition temperature, melting temperature, mechanical properties, and even liquid fragility.
Abstract: A survey of the elastic, mechanical, fragility, and thermodynamic properties of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) and glass-forming liquids is presented. It is found that the elastic moduli of BMGs have correlations with the glass transition temperature, melting temperature, mechanical properties, and even liquid fragility. On the other hand, the elastic constants of available BMGs show a rough correlation with a weighted average of the elastic constants for the constituent elements. Although the theoretical and physical reasons for the correlations are to be clarified, these correlations could assist in understanding the long-standing issues of glass formation and the nature of glass and simulate the work of theorists. Based on the correlation, we show that the elastic moduli can assist in selecting alloying components for controlling the elastic properties and glass-forming ability of the BMGs and thus can guide BMG design. As case study, we report the formation of the families of rare-earth-based BMGs with controllable properties.
TL;DR: In this article, a nonlocal Bernoulli-Euler beam model is established based on the theory of nonlocal elasticity, which can be applied to modeling and characterization of size-dependent mechanical properties of micro- or nanoelectromechanical system (MEMS or NEMS) devices.
Abstract: In this paper, a nonlocal Bernoulli-Euler beam model is established based on the theory of nonlocal elasticity. Frequency equations and modal shape functions of beam structures with some typical boundary conditions are derived based on the model. The corresponding dynamic properties are presented and discussed in detail, which are shown to be very different from those predicted by classic elasticity theory when nonlocal effects are significant. The results can be applied to modeling and characterization of size-dependent mechanical properties of micro- or nanoelectromechanical system (MEMS or NEMS) devices.
TL;DR: In this paper, the structural, optical, and electrical properties of (Zn,Al)O thin films were detailedly and systematically studied, and the optimal results of n-type AZO films were obtained at an Al content of 4at.
Abstract: (Zn,Al)O thin films have been prepared by a dc reactive magnetron sputtering system with the Al contents in a wide range of 0–50at.%. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of (Zn,Al)O films were detailedly and systematically studied. The amount of Al in the film was nearly the same as, but often lower than, that in the sputtering target. The growth rate of films monotonically decreased as the Al content increased. In a low Al content region (<10at.%), Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films could be obtained at 400°C in an Ar–O2 ambient with good properties. The optimal results of n-type AZO films were obtained at an Al content of 4at.%, with low resistivity ∼10−4Ωcm, high transmittance ∼90% in the visible region, and acceptable crystal quality with a high c-axis orientation. The band gap could be widened to 3.52eV at 4at.% Al due to the Burstein-Moss shift [E. Burstein, Phys. Rev. 93, 632 (1954)] modulated by many-body effects. An appropriate Al-doping concentration served effectively to release the r...
TL;DR: In this article, the Czochralski method was used to grow a 46mm-long crystal of the Ba8Ga16Ge30 clathrate, which was cut into disks that were evaluated for thermoelectric performance.
Abstract: The Czochralski method was used to grow a 46-mm-long crystal of the Ba8Ga16Ge30 clathrate, which was cut into disks that were evaluated for thermoelectric performance. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical and thermal conductivities all showed evidence of a transition from extrinsic to intrinsic behavior in the range of 600–900K. The corresponding figure of merit (ZT) was found to be a record high of 1.35 at 900K and with an extrapolated maximum of 1.63 at 1100K. This makes the Ba8Ga16Ge30 clathrate an exceptionally strong candidate for medium and high-temperature thermoelectric applications.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the existing theoretical models describing the interface-induced phenomena which affect the switching characteristics and dielectric properties of ferroelectric thin-film capacitors.
Abstract: This article reviews the existing theoretical models describing the interface-induced phenomena which affect the switching characteristics and dielectric properties of ferroelectric thin films. Three groups of interface-induced effects are addressed—namely, “passive-layer-type” effects, ferroelectric-electrode contact potential effects, and the poling effect of the ferroelectric-electrode interface. The existing experimental data on dielectric and switching characteristics of ferroelectric thin film capacitors are discussed in the context of the reviewed theories. Special attention is paid to the case of internal bias field effects.
TL;DR: In this article, the degradation of silicon carbide high-voltage p-i-n diodes is attributed to the expansion of Shockley-type stacking faults in the part of the devices reached by the electron-hole plasma.
Abstract: Only a few years ago, an account of degradation of silicon carbide high-voltage p-i-n diodes was presented at the European Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Compounds (Kloster Banz, Germany, 2000). This report was followed by the intense effort of multiple groups utilizing varied approaches and subsequent progress in both fundamental understanding of this phenomenon and its elimination. The degradation of SiC p-i-n junctions is now well documented to be due to the expansion of Shockley-type stacking faults in the part of the devices reached by the electron-hole plasma. The faults can gradually cover most of the junction area, impeding current flow and, as a result, increasing the on-state resistance. While in most semiconductors stacking faults are electrically inactive, in hexagonal silicon carbide polytypes (4H- and 6H-SiC) they form quantum-well-like electron states observed in luminescence and confirmed by first-principles calculations. The stacking-fault expansion occurs via motion of 30° sil...
TL;DR: In this paper, Doubly clamped nanostring resonators are fabricated in high tensile-stress silicon nitride using a non-lithographic electrospinning process.
Abstract: Quality factors as high as 207 000 are demonstrated at room temperature for radio-frequency silicon nitride string resonators with cross sectional dimensions on the scale of 100nm, made with a nonlithographic technique. A product of quality factor and surface to volume ratio greater than 6000nm−1 is presented, the highest yet reported. Doubly clamped nanostring resonators are fabricated in high tensile-stress silicon nitride using a nonlithographic electrospinning process. We fabricate devices with an electron beam process, and demonstrate frequency and quality factor results identical to those obtained with the nonlithographic technique. We also compare high tensile-stress doubly clamped beams with doubly clamped and cantilever resonators made of a lower stress material, as well as cantilever beams made of the high stress material. In all cases, the doubly clamped high stress beams have the highest quality factors. We therefore attribute the high quality factors to high tensile stress. Potential dominant...
TL;DR: In this article, a near-field thermophotovoltaic (TPV) device consisting of a thermal source located in the near field of a TPV cell is presented.
Abstract: We report a quantitative model of a near-field thermophotovoltaic (TPV) device consisting in a thermal source located in the near field of a TPV cell. The enhanced radiative transfer at short distance leads to an increase of the photogeneration current. We analyze quantitatively other potential near-field effects, in particular, on the dark current. We also study the influence of the modification of the spectrum of the sources in the near field, comparing the case of a tungsten source with the case of a quasimonochromatic source. Our model leads to a quantitative evaluation of the near-field TPV device output electric power and efficiency.
TL;DR: In this article, a geometric illustration of the Young-Laplace equations is presented, where the interface stresses are modeled as in-plane stresses acting along its edges, while on the top and bottom faces of the interface the tractions are contributed from its three-dimensional bulk neighborhood.
Abstract: In nanoscaled solids, the mathematical behavior of a curved interface between two different phases with interface stress effects can be described by the generalized Young-Laplace equations [T. Young, Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London 95, 65 (1805); P. S. Laplace, Traite de Mechanique Celeste (Gauthier-Villars, Paris, 1805), Vol. 4, Supplements au Livre X]. Here we present a geometric illustration to prove the equations. By considering a small element of the curved thin interface, we model the interface stresses as in-plane stresses acting along its edges, while on the top and bottom faces of the interface the tractions are contributed from its three-dimensional bulk neighborhood. With this schematic illustration, simple force balance considerations will give the Young-Laplace equations across the interface. Similar procedures can be applied to conduction phenomena. This will allow us to reconstruct one type of imperfect interfaces, referred to as highly conducting interfaces.
TL;DR: In this paper, two different boron and oxygen-related recombination centers are found to be activated in crystalline silicon under illumination or electron injection in the dark, both leading to a severe degradation in the carrier lifetime.
Abstract: Two different boron- and oxygen-related recombination centers are found to be activated in crystalline silicon under illumination or electron injection in the dark, both leading to a severe degradation in the carrier lifetime. While one center forms on a time scale of seconds to minutes, the formation of the second center typically proceeds within hours. In order to reveal the electronic and microscopic properties of both defect centers as well as their formation and annihilation kinetics, we perform time-resolved lifetime measurements on silicon wafers and open-circuit voltage measurements on silicon solar cells at various temperatures. Despite the fact that the two centers are found to form independently of each other, their concentrations exhibit the same linear dependence on the substitutional boron (Bs) and quadratic dependence on the interstitial oxygen (Oi) content. Our results suggest that the fast- and the slowly forming recombination centers correspond to two different configurations of a BsO2i ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the size-dependent band gap of colloidal quantum dots is calculated using a recently developed method that predicts accurately the eigenstates and eigenenergies of nanostructures by utilizing the adiabatic theorem of quantum mechanics.
Abstract: The size-dependent band gap of semiconductor quantum dots is a well-known and widely studied quantum confinement effect. In order to understand the size-dependent band gap, different theoretical approaches have been adopted, including the effective-mass approximation with infinite or finite confinement potentials, the tight-binding method, the linear combination of atomic orbitals method, and the empirical pseudopotential method. In the present work we calculate the size-dependent band gap of colloidal quantum dots using a recently developed method that predicts accurately the eigenstates and eigenenergies of nanostructures by utilizing the adiabatic theorem of quantum mechanics. We have studied various semiconductor (CdS, CdSe, CdTe, PbSe, InP, and InAs) quantum dots in different matrices. The theoretical predictions are, in most cases, in good agreement with the corresponding experimental data. In addition, our results indicate that the height of the finite-depth well confining potential is independent ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed that the key carrier transport process is emission of electrons from a trap state near the metal-semiconductor interface into a continuum of states associated with each conductive dislocation.
Abstract: Temperature-dependent current-voltage measurements combined with conductive atomic force microscopy and analytical modeling have been used to assess possible mechanisms of reverse-bias leakage current flow in Schottky diodes fabricated from GaN and Al0.25Ga0.75N∕GaN structures grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Below 150K, leakage current is nearly independent of temperature, indicating that conduction is dominated by tunneling transport. At higher temperatures, leakage current in both GaN and Al0.25Ga0.75N∕GaN diode structures is well described by a Frenkel-Poole emission model. Based on the inferred emission barrier heights and the observation that room-temperature leakage current is dominated by the presence of highly conductive dislocations, it is suggested that the key carrier transport process is emission of electrons from a trap state near the metal-semiconductor interface into a continuum of states associated with each conductive dislocation. In this model for leakage current flow, the emission barr...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate theoretically light and bias-induced metastabilities in CIGS-based solar cells, suggesting the Se-Cu divacancy complex (VSe-VCu) as the source of this hitherto puzzling phenomena.
Abstract: We investigate theoretically light- and bias-induced metastabilities in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) based solar cells, suggesting the Se–Cu divacancy complex (VSe-VCu) as the source of this hitherto puzzling phenomena. Due to its amphoteric nature, the (VSe-VCu) complex is able to convert by persistent carrier capture or emission from a shallow donor into a shallow acceptor configuration, and vice versa, thereby changing in a metastable fashion the local net acceptor density inside the CIGS absorber of the solar cell, e.g., a CdS/CIGS heterojunction. In order to establish a comprehensive picture of metastability caused by the (VSe-VCu) complex, we determine defect formation energies from first-principles calculations, employ numerical simulations of equilibrium defect thermodynamics, and develop a model for the transition dynamics after creation of a metastable nonequilibrium state. We find that the (VSe-VCu) complex can account for the light-induced metastabilities, i.e., the “red” and “blue” illumination effects, as well as for the reverse-bias effect. Thus, our (VSe-VCu) model implies that the different metastabilities observed in CIGS share a common origin. A defect state in the band gap caused by (VSe-VCu) in the acceptor configuration creates a potentially detrimental recombination center and may contribute to the saturation of the open circuit voltage in larger-gap Cu(In,Ga)Se2 alloys with higher Ga content. Therefore, the presence of metastable defects should be regarded as a concern for solar cell performance.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of optical interference and energy transfer to the quencher were considered and the effect of energy transfer was modeled when fullerenes are used as quenchers.
Abstract: Exciton diffusion is of great importance to the future design of high efficiency organic photovoltaics. Exciton diffusion studies require accurate experimental techniques. This paper addresses two important complications that can arise in exciton diffusion length measurements made by analyzing luminescence from thin films on quenching substrates: namely, the effects of optical interference and of energy transfer to the quencher. When there is modest contrast in the refractive indices of the quencher and organic material, as is the case for titania or C60 and most organic materials, interference effects can overwhelm the measurement, thereby making it impossible to accurately determine the diffusion length of excitons in the organic material. We show that this problem can be fully eliminated by using thin (<5nm) quencher films. The second complication that can occur is energy transfer to the quenching layer. We model the effect this has when fullerenes are used as quenchers. If energy transfer was ignored,...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors derived geometrical factors suitable for use in Mie-Gans theory from discrete dipole aproximation generated spectra for a number of pseudonanorods permitting the rapid calculation of extinction spectra.
Abstract: Geometrical factors suitable for use in Mie–Gans theory are derived from discrete dipole aproximation generated spectra for a number of pseudonanorods permitting the rapid calculation of extinction spectra. It is shown that the rod width, rod end-cap geometry (flat, oblate spheroid, and sphere) and the rod size distribution all have a significant effect on the position of the peak absorbance. Moreover, it is shown that spectrometric characterization of nanorods is possible given an independent measure of rod width and suitable assumptions regarding the end-cap geometry and the form of the rod-length distribution; under such conditions the full width half maximum and the extinction peak uniquely determine the average rod length and the breadth of the distribution.
TL;DR: In this paper, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was observed by attenuated total reflection of near-infrared radiation and is in agreement with electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements.
Abstract: We report the initial observation of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in a conducting metal oxide thin film. The SPR phenomenon has been observed by attenuated total reflection of near-infrared radiation and is in agreement with electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements. To date, only metals are known to exhibit surface plasmon resonance and only noble metals have practical application. According to theory SPR should be observable in any conductor. This theoretical prediction is verified in the present study. The compositions of many conducting metal oxides are systematically variable, suggesting a significant advance in thin film characterization and innovative possibilities for versatile and sensitive chemical sensing applications.
TL;DR: In this paper, the first-order Raman spectra of diamond anvils were investigated at pressures up to 310GPa and the high-frequency edge of the Raman band, which corresponds to Raman shift of the anvil culet due to the normal stress, was calibrated against the sample pressure derived from the equation of state of Pt.
Abstract: In order to develop an optical method for pressure determination in the multimegabar region, the first-order Raman spectra of diamond anvils were investigated at pressures up to 310GPa The high-frequency edge of the Raman band, which corresponds to the Raman shift of the anvil culet due to the normal stress, was calibrated against the sample pressure derived from the equation of state of Pt The obtained pressure dependence of the edge frequency demonstrates the reliability of this diamond anvil Raman gauge Up to the maximum pressure of this study, the relation between Raman frequency and normal stress at the diamond anvil culet is formally similar to the equation of state of a hydrostatically compressed isotropic elastic body having a bulk modulus of K0=547(11)GPa and a pressure derivative of the bulk modulus K0′=375(20)
TL;DR: In this paper, a detailed study of the effects that active layer thickness has on the short circuit current and efficiency has not been performed for bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells so far.
Abstract: At present, bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells are typically fabricated with an active layer thickness of between 80 and 100nm. This active layer thickness has traditionally been chosen based on convenience and empirical results. However, a detailed study of the effects that active layer thickness has on the short circuit current and efficiency has not been performed for bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells so far. We demonstrate that the performance of these devices is highly dependent on the active layer thickness and, using a well established model for optical interference, we show that such effects are responsible for the variations in performance as a function of active layer thickness. We show that the ideal composition ratio of the donor and acceptor materials is not static, but depends on the active layer thickness in a predictable manner. A comparison is made between solar cells comprised of the donor materials regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) and poly(2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctylo...