Wide-range tunable bandgap in Bi1−xCaxFe1−yTiyO3−δ nanoparticles via oxygen vacancy induced structural modulations at room temperature
11 Sep 2015-Vol. 2, Iss: 9, pp 095012
TL;DR: In this article, the authors demonstrate that oxygen vacancies produced by aliovalent (Ca2+) doping in BiFeO3 (BCFO) and associated structural changes due to VO ordering result in systematic alteration of the bandgap (Eg) over a wide range from 1.5 eV to 2.3 eV.
Abstract: We demonstrate that oxygen vacancies (VO) produced by aliovalent (Ca2+) doping in BiFeO3 (BCFO) and associated structural changes due to VO ordering result in systematic alteration of the bandgap (Eg) over a wide range from 1.5 eV to 2.3 eV. By contrast, the change in the bandgap of a Ca2+ and Ti4+ co-doped BiFeO3 (BCFTO) system, wherein the VO formation is suppressed, is negligible. These contrastive results strongly confirm the role of oxygen vacancies in altering the bandgap of BCFO. Irrespective of doping, microstrain, which is found to be large (0.3 to 1.2%) below a critical size (dc ~ 60 nm) also produces a small, yet linear change in the bandgap (Eg from 2.0 to 2.3 eV). The cubic phase stabilizes gradually in BCFO for x > 0.1 through an orthorhombic phase (for 0.05 0.1 in BCFTO. This change in BCFO at 300 K suggests a high-pressure-like (or high-temperature-like) effect of the oxygen vacancies and dopants on the structure. Systematic variations in the relative intensities and peak positions of Fe d–d transitions in BCFO reveal the local changes in Fe–O–Fe coordination. These results along with XANES and HRTEM studies substantiate the observed structural changes.
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TL;DR: In this article, a singe phase bismuth ferrite doped by yttrium (Bi1−xYxFeO3, x = 0, 0.05, 1, 0., 0.15, 1.2 and 0.25) was synthesized by solid-state reaction followed by sintering.
Abstract: Singe phase bismuth ferrite doped by yttrium (Bi1−xYxFeO3, x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2 and 0.25) was synthesized by solid-state reaction followed by sintering. Their structural, morphological, ferroelectric, magnetic and optical properties were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and UV–visible spectrophotometry. Rhombohedrally-distorted perovskite structure of bismuth ferrite was confirmed by XRD analysis and Rietveld refinement. Microstrain and crystallite size were analyzed using Williamson-Hall model. SEM micrographs showed agglomerated particles. The doping of yttrium into the BiFeO3 (BFO) lattice enhanced the ferroelectric and magnetic properties and the leakage current density was reduced. The energy band gap was also decreased by increasing yttrium content, leading to an enhancement of light absorption capability. The photocatalytic activity of all samples has been evaluated by the decolorization of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The results indicated that increasing the concentration of yttrium into the BiFeO3 (BFO) structure improved the photodegradation up to 71%.
31 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the compressive microstrain of 0.024 and 0.016 was estimated for CoFe2O4 samples H120 and H180 respectively using Williamson-Hall plot analysis assuming uniform deformation model.
Abstract: Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) magnetic nanoplatelets were synthesized by hydrothermal method at 120 °C (H120) and 180 °C (H180) respectively. The formation of inverse spinel cobalt ferrite was confirmed by X- ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The X-ray diffraction studies shows the linear variation of microstrain with inverse crystallite size. The compressive microstrain of 0.024 and 0.016 was estimated for CoFe2O4 samples H120 and H180 respectively using Williamson-Hall (W-H) plot analysis assuming uniform deformation model. The valence state of metal ions and single phase formation single domain CoFe2O4 was confirmed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. X-ray photoemission spectra (XPS) exhibit Fe 2p3/2 peak and Co 2p3/2 peaks in both samples composed of two peaks corresponding to octahedral sites and tetrahedral sites. The strain induced magnetic anisotropy is estimated on basis of strain measured by W-H plot at 300 K. The contribution of the C o 2 + ions on octahedral sites of both samples of CoFe2O4 is assigned to the magnetostriction ions in cubic structure of cobalt ferrite by assuming ground state. The magnetic ions with 3d7 transition in CoFe2O4 lattice introduced the local magnetostriction through spin-orbit-lattice interaction with distorted cubic crystal field.
25 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the optical response of multiferroic Bi1−xSrxFeO3 (0,≤,x,≤ 0.45) samples is studied in the spectral range from 1 eV to 4 eV.
Abstract: The optical response of multiferroic Bi1−xSrxFeO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.45) samples is studied in the spectral range from 1 eV to 4 eV. Optical response in the studied spectral range were dominated by two charge transfer transitions and two doubly degenerate d-d transitions (6A1g → 4T2g and 6A1g → 4T2g) for all samples. The d-d transitions were found to weaken as the Sr content was increased which may be due to the transformation of the crystal structure from rhombohedral to cubic. Moreover, a red shift in the d-d transition energies were observed as the Sr ion substitutes the BFO host lattice, which indicates the variation in the crystal field strength. The direct band gap was found to decrease from 1.99 eV to 1.89 eV, whereas the indirect band gap decreased from 1.40 to 0.49 eV as the Sr content is increased to x = 0.45. The decrease in the energy band gap values and red shift in d-d transition energies is ascribed to the chemical pressure induced reduction in unit cell volume. The results indicate a promising ability for tuning the BFO band gap to enable functionality as a multiferroic photovoltaic material.
24 citations
TL;DR: This work demonstrates oxygen vacancies (VO), present within the lattice and at grain boundary (GB), can explicitly be controlled to achieve high JSC and VOC simultaneously and demonstrates the efficiency ~ 0.22 % can be achieved in solid state BFO solar cells under AM 1.5 one Sun illumination.
Abstract: Designing solid-state perovskite oxide solar cells with large short circuit current (JSC) and open circuit voltage (VOC) has been a challenging problem. Epitaxial BiFeO3 (BFO) films are known to exhibit large VOC (>50 V). However, they exhibit low JSC (≪μA/cm2) under 1 Sun illumination. In this work, taking polycrystalline BiFeO3 thin films, we demonstrate that oxygen vacancies (VO) present within the lattice and at grain boundary (GB) can explicitly be controlled to achieve high JSC and VOC simultaneously. While aliovalent substitution (Ca2+ at Bi3+ site) is used to control the lattice VO, Ca and Ti cosubstitution is used to bring out only GB-VO. Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/Bi1-xCaxFe1-yTiyO3-δ/Au devices are tested for photovoltaic characteristics. Introducing VO increases the photocurrent by four orders (JSC ∼ 3 mA/cm2). On the contrary, VOC is found to be <0.5 V, as against 0.5-3 V observed for the pristine BiFeO3. Ca and Ti cosubstitution facilitate the formation of smaller crystallites, which in turn increase the GB area and thereby the GB-VO. This creates defect bands occupying the bulk band gap, as inferred from the diffused reflection spectra and band structure calculations, leading to a three-order increase in JSC. The cosubstitution, following a charge compensation mechanism, decreases the lattice VO concentration significantly to retain the ferroelectric nature with enhanced polarization. It helps to achieve VOC (3-8 V) much larger than that of BiFeO3 (0.5-3 V). It is noteworthy that as Ca substitution maintains moderate crystallite size, the lattice VO concentration dominates GB-VO concentration. Notwithstanding, both lattice and GB-VO contribute to the increase in JSC; the former weakens ferroelectricity, and as a consequence, undesirably, VOC is lowered well below 0.5 V. Using optimum JSC and VOC, we demonstrate that the efficiency ∼0.22% can be achieved in solid-state BFO solar cells under AM 1.5 one Sun illumination.
15 citations
TL;DR: In this article, photo-response of nanoparticle-segregated grain boundary (BFO-AP) and clean grain boundary(BFO -AA) samples was investigated on spark plasma sintered BiFeO3 samples with two contrasting morphologies.
Abstract: Photoconductivity studies on spark plasma sintered BiFeO3 samples with two contrasting morphologies, viz., nanoparticle-segregated grain boundary (BFO-AP) and clean grain boundary (BFO-AA), show that their photo-response is largely influenced by the grain boundary defects. Impedance analyses at 300 K and 573 K clearly demarcate the contributions from grain, grain-boundary, and the nanoparticle-segregated grain-boundary conductivities. I-V characteristics under 1 sun illumination show one order of higher conductivity for BFO-AP, whereas conductivity decreases for BFO-AA sample. Larger photocurrent in BFO-AP is attributed to the extra conduction path provided by oxygen vacancies on the nanoparticle surfaces residing at the grain boundaries. Creation of photo-induced traps under illumination and the absence of surface conduction channels in BFO-AA are surmised to result in a decreased conductivity on illumination.
15 citations
References
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TL;DR: A software package for the analysis of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data is presented, based on the IFEFFIT library of numerical and XAS algorithms and is written in the Perl programming language using the Perl/Tk graphics toolkit.
Abstract: A software package for the analysis of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data is presented. This package is based on the IFEFFIT library of numerical and XAS algorithms and is written in the Perl programming language using the Perl/Tk graphics toolkit. The programs described here are: (i) ATHENA, a program for XAS data processing, (ii) ARTEMIS, a program for EXAFS data analysis using theoretical standards from FEFF and (iii) HEPHAESTUS, a collection of beamline utilities based on tables of atomic absorption data. These programs enable high-quality data analysis that is accessible to novices while still powerful enough to meet the demands of an expert practitioner. The programs run on all major computer platforms and are freely available under the terms of a free software license.
12,505 citations
TL;DR: It is found that even a weak magnetoelectric interaction can lead to spectacular cross-coupling effects when it induces electric polarization in a magnetically ordered state.
Abstract: Magnetism and ferroelectricity are essential to many forms of current technology, and the quest for multiferroic materials, where these two phenomena are intimately coupled, is of great technological and fundamental importance. Ferroelectricity and magnetism tend to be mutually exclusive and interact weakly with each other when they coexist. The exciting new development is the discovery that even a weak magnetoelectric interaction can lead to spectacular cross-coupling effects when it induces electric polarization in a magnetically ordered state. Such magnetic ferroelectricity, showing an unprecedented sensitivity to ap plied magnetic fields, occurs in 'frustrated magnets' with competing interactions between spins and complex magnetic orders. We summarize key experimental findings and the current theoretical understanding of these phenomena, which have great potential for tuneable multifunctional devices.
3,683 citations
TL;DR: Novel device paradigms based on magnetoelectric coupling are discussed, the key scientific challenges in the field are outlined, and high-quality thin-film multiferroics are reviewed.
Abstract: Multiferroic materials, which show simultaneous ferroelectric and magnetic ordering, exhibit unusual physical properties — and in turn promise new device applications — as a result of the coupling between their dual order parameters. We review recent progress in the growth, characterization and understanding of thin-film multiferroics. The availability of high-quality thin-film multiferroics makes it easier to tailor their properties through epitaxial strain, atomic-level engineering of chemistry and interfacial coupling, and is a prerequisite for their incorporation into practical devices. We discuss novel device paradigms based on magnetoelectric coupling, and outline the key scientific challenges in the field.
3,472 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the open-circuit voltage of polymer solar cells constructed based on the structure of a low-bandgap polymer, PBDTTT, can be tuned, step by step, using different functional groups.
Abstract: Following the development of the bulk heterojunction1 structure, recent years have seen a dramatic improvement in the efficiency of polymer solar cells. Maximizing the open-circuit voltage in a low-bandgap polymer is one of the critical factors towards enabling high-efficiency solar cells. Study of the relation between open-circuit voltage and the energy levels of the donor/acceptor2 in bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells has stimulated interest in modifying the open-circuit voltage by tuning the energy levels of polymers3. Here, we show that the open-circuit voltage of polymer solar cells constructed based on the structure of a low-bandgap polymer, PBDTTT4, can be tuned, step by step, using different functional groups, to achieve values as high as 0.76 V. This increased open-circuit voltage combined with a high short-circuit current density results in a polymer solar cell with a power conversion efficiency as high as 6.77%, as certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Adding electron-withdrawing groups to the backbone of the polymer PBDTTT is shown to increase the open-circuit voltage of photovoltaic cells, resulting in a polymer solar-cell that has a certified power-conversion efficiency of 6.77%.
3,029 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that epitaxial strain from a newly developed substrate can be harnessed to increase Tc by hundreds of degrees and produce room-temperature ferro electricity in strontium titanate, a material that is not normally ferroelectric at any temperature.
Abstract: Systems with a ferroelectric to paraelectric transition in the vicinity of room temperature are useful for devices. Adjusting the ferroelectric transition temperature (T(c)) is traditionally accomplished by chemical substitution-as in Ba(x)Sr(1-x)TiO(3), the material widely investigated for microwave devices in which the dielectric constant (epsilon(r)) at GHz frequencies is tuned by applying a quasi-static electric field. Heterogeneity associated with chemical substitution in such films, however, can broaden this phase transition by hundreds of degrees, which is detrimental to tunability and microwave device performance. An alternative way to adjust T(c) in ferroelectric films is strain. Here we show that epitaxial strain from a newly developed substrate can be harnessed to increase T(c) by hundreds of degrees and produce room-temperature ferroelectricity in strontium titanate, a material that is not normally ferroelectric at any temperature. This strain-induced enhancement in T(c) is the largest ever reported. Spatially resolved images of the local polarization state reveal a uniformity that far exceeds films tailored by chemical substitution. The high epsilon(r) at room temperature in these films (nearly 7,000 at 10 GHz) and its sharp dependence on electric field are promising for device applications.
1,861 citations