Polarization controlled photovoltaic and self-powered photodetector characteristics in Pb-free ferroelectric thin film
TL;DR: In this article, a switchable and large PV effect is demonstrated in a Pb-free ferroelectric 0.5Ba(Zr0.7Ca0.2Ti0.3)TiO3 (BZT-BCT) thin film fabricated by a pulsed laser deposition technique.
Abstract: Ferroelectrics are considered next generation photovoltaic (PV) materials. In this work, a switchable and large PV effect is demonstrated in a Pb-free ferroelectric 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-BCT) thin film fabricated by a pulsed laser deposition technique. The material shows a remarkable PV output of 0.81 V due to its morphotropic phase boundary composition. The observed PV effect is analyzed on the basis of the interfacial Schottky barrier and bulk depolarization field. The poling dependent PV studies revealed that although the Schottky and depolarization field contribute to the PV effect, the latter dominates the PV response beyond the coercive field. Additionally, the importance of this compound in the field of a self-biased photodetector is elucidated in terms of calculated photodetector parameters such as responsivity and detectivity. The explored results will bring significant advancement in the field of ferroelectric PV, UV solid state detector applications and also give an additional dimension to the multifunctional ability of the BZT-BCT system.
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TL;DR: The application of ferroelectric materials (i.e. solids that exhibit spontaneous electric polarisation) in solar cells has a long and controversial history as mentioned in this paper, and the recent successful application of inorganic and hybrid perovskite structured materials (e.g. BiFeO3, CsSnI3, CH3NH3PbI3) emphasises that polar semiconductors can be used in conventional photovoltaic architectures.
Abstract: The application of ferroelectric materials (i.e. solids that exhibit spontaneous electric polarisation) in solar cells has a long and controversial history. This includes the first observations of the anomalous photovoltaic effect (APE) and the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPE). The recent successful application of inorganic and hybrid perovskite structured materials (e.g. BiFeO3, CsSnI3, CH3NH3PbI3) in solar cells emphasises that polar semiconductors can be used in conventional photovoltaic architectures. We review developments in this field, with a particular emphasis on the materials known to display the APE/BPE (e.g. ZnS, CdTe, SbSI), and the theoretical explanation. Critical analysis is complemented with first-principles calculation of the underlying electronic structure. In addition to discussing the implications of a ferroelectric absorber layer, and the solid state theory of polarisation (Berry phase analysis), design principles and opportunities for high-efficiency ferroelectric photovoltaics are presented.
248 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, an efficient and low-cost method to achieve high-performance "visible-blind" microscale ZnS nanobelt-based ultraviolet (UV)-light sensors without using a lithography technique, by increasing the surface areas exposed to light, is reported.
Abstract: Although there has been significant progress in the fabrication and performance optimization of one-dimensional nanostructure-based photodetectors, it is still a challenge to develop an effective and low-cost device with high performance characteristics, such as a high photocurrent/ dark-current ratio, photocurrent stability, and fast time response. Herein an efficient and low-cost method to achieve high-performance 'visible-blind' microscale ZnS nanobelt-based ultraviolet (UV)-light sensors without using a lithography technique, by increasing the nanobelt surface areas exposed to light, is reported. The devices exhibit about 750 times enhancement of a photocurrent compared with individual nanobelt-based sensors and an ultrafast time response. The photocurrent stability and time response to UV-light do not change significantly when a channel distance is altered from 2 to 100 μm or the sensor environment changes from air to vacuum and different measurement temperatures (60 and 150°C). The photoelectrical behaviors can be recovered well after returning the measurement conditions to air and room temperature again. The low cost and high performance of the resultant ZnS nanobelt photodetectors guarantee their highest potential for visible-blind UV-light sensors working in the UV-A band.
204 citations
73 citations
TL;DR: The fabrication of self-powered, carbon dot (CD) enhanced, flexible ZnO/graphite heterojunction based UV detector, where cellulose paper has been used as the substrate with Schottky characteristics is reported.
Abstract: The fabrication of flexible as well as self-powered optoelectronic devices is a growing and challenging area of research Some scientists have reported the fabrication of either flexible or self-powered photodetectors recently However, most of the literature studies fail to report the fabrication of self-powered as well as flexible photodetectors This study reports the fabrication of self-powered, carbon dot (CD)-enhanced, flexible ZnO/graphite heterojunction-based UV detector where cellulose paper has been used as the substrate A detailed study on the crystallinity and the defects of the ZnO nanorods has been done with appropriate characterizations The CD-enhanced ZnO/graphite heterojunction showed Schottky characteristics The Schottky parameters such as the barrier height, ideality factor, and the series resistance have also been calculated using the Cheung-Cheung method The observed values of barrier height, ideality factor, and the series resistance are 074 eV, 374, and 503 kΩ, respectively The transient response at self-powered condition has been demonstrated The response time and the recovery time at self-powered condition have also been calculated with the help of the transient response, and those values are ∼2 and ∼32 s, respectively The responsivity and the specific detectivity of the fabricated UV detector have been calculated as 957 mA/W and 427×108 Jones, respectively, at 330 nm wavelength, which is quite comparable with literature-reported values, considering a self-powered photodetector
36 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a polycrystalline BiFeO3 (BFO) thin film on a transparent substrate also has the ferroelectric switchable diode and photovoltaic effects.
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TL;DR: It is demonstrated that shift current is the dominant mechanism of the bulk photovoltaic effect in BaTiO(3), and the complexity of the response dependence on both external and material parameters suggests applications not only in solar energy conversion, but in photocatalysis and sensor and switch type devices as well.
Abstract: We calculate the bulk photovoltaic response of the ferroelectrics ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{PbTiO}}_{3}$ from first principles by applying the ``shift current'' theory to the electronic structure from density functional theory. The first principles results for ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ reproduce experimental photocurrent direction and magnitude as a function of light frequency, as well as the dependence of current on light polarization, demonstrating that shift current is the dominant mechanism of the bulk photovoltaic effect in ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$. Additionally, we analyze the relationship between response and material properties in detail. Photocurrent does not depend simply or strongly on the magnitude of material polarization, as has been previously assumed; instead, electronic states with delocalized, covalent bonding that is highly asymmetric along the current direction are required for strong shift current enhancements. The complexity of the response dependence on both external and material parameters suggests applications not only in solar energy conversion, but in photocatalysis and sensor and switch type devices as well.
441 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the anomalous photovoltaic (PV) effect in BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films, which resulted in open circuit voltages considerably larger than the band gap of the material, has generated a revival of the entire field of photoferroelectrics.
Abstract: Recently, the anomalous photovoltaic (PV) effect in BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films, which resulted in open circuit voltages (Voc) considerably larger than the band gap of the material, has generated a revival of the entire field of photoferroelectrics. Here, via temperature-dependent PV studies, we prove that the bulk photovoltaic (BPV) effect, which has been studied in the past for many non-centrosymmetric materials, is at the origin of the anomalous PV effect in BFO films. Moreover, we show that irrespective of the measurement geometry, Voc as high as 50 V can be achieved by controlling the conductivity of domain walls (DW). We also show that photoconductivity of the DW is markedly higher than in the bulk of BFO.
439 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a mechanism was proposed to explain depolarization phenomena in thin ferroelectric films and related multilayer devices, where the center of gravity of this charge and the free compensation charge are not coincident.
Abstract: A mechanism is proposed to explain depolarization phenomena that have been observed in thin ferroelectric films and related multilayer devices. It is shown that, for a short‐circuited electrode‐ferroelectric structure, incomplete compensation of the ferroelectric polarization charge results when the center of gravity of this charge and the free compensation charge are not coincident. Depolarization fields in the ferroelectric arising from such incomplete compensations are estimated. A simple switching calculation shows such fields to be of sufficient strength to account for the initial polarization decay rate observed in Pb0.92Bi0.07La0.01 (Fe0.405Nb0.325Zr0.27)O3 films. The results of measurements involving changes in film thickness, electron concentration in the electrodes, and contact materials will be discussed and shown to be consistent with the mechanism proposed.
406 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the advance in understanding the mechanisms of the ferroelectric photovoltaic effects and recent progress in improving the photiovoltaic device performance.
Abstract: The ferroelectric-photovoltaic (FE-PV) device, in which a homogeneous ferroelectric material is used as a light absorbing layer, has been investigated during the past several decades with numerous ferroelectric oxides. The FE-PV effect is distinctly different from the typical photovoltaic (PV) effect in semiconductor p–n junctions in that the polarization electric field is the driving force for the photocurrent in FE-PV devices. In addition, the anomalous photovoltaic effect, in which the voltage output along the polarization direction can be significantly larger than the bandgap of the ferroelectric materials, has been frequently observed in FE-PV devices. However, a big challenge faced by the FE-PV devices is the very low photocurrent output. The research interest in FE-PV devices has been re-spurred by the recent discovery of above-bandgap photovoltage in materials with ferroelectric domain walls, electric switchable diodes and photovoltaic effects, tip-enhanced photovoltaic effects at the nanoscale, and new low-bandgap ferroelectric materials and device design. In this feature article, we reviewed the advance in understanding the mechanisms of the ferroelectric photovoltaic effects and recent progress in improving the photovoltaic device performance, including the emerging approaches of integrating the ferroelectric materials into organic heterojunction photovoltaic devices for very high efficiency PV devices.
391 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the forward direction of the rectifying current can be reversed repeatedly with polarization switching, indicating a switchable diode effect and large ferroelectric resistive switching.
Abstract: Current-voltage hysteresis and switchable rectifying characteristics have been observed in epitaxial multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films. The forward direction of the rectifying current can be reversed repeatedly with polarization switching, indicating a switchable diode effect and large ferroelectric resistive switching. With analyzing the potential barriers and their variation with ferroelectric switching at the interfaces between the metallic electrodes and the semiconducting BFO, the switchable diode effect can be explained qualitatively by the polarization-modulated Schottky-like barriers.
334 citations