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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Bulky Cation-Modified Interfaces for Thermally Stable Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

Charged conjugated organic molecules offer promising prospects for reducing nonradiative recombination at interfaces in perovskite solar cells, while protecting the active layer from moisture. However, several studies have shown that the heat induced diffusion of these cations leads to irreversible solar cell degradation. Passivation molecules for perovskite can reconstruct the film surface into lower-dimensional phases when exposed to thermal stress, impeding charge extraction and affecting the photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of devices. In this work, we study how molecular interactions between passivation molecules and 3D CsFAPbI 3 perovskite impact stability and charge extraction at the perovskite/hole transport layer interfaces. Two model π- conjugated molecules are studied: 2-([2,2′-bithiophen]-5-yl)ethan-1-aminium iodide (2TI) and 2-(3‴,4′-dimethyl-[2,2′:5′,2″:5″,2‴- quaterthiophen]-5-yl)ethan-1-ammonium iodide (4TmI). We demonstrate that the speed of surface layer reconstruction under thermal stress can be controlled by the cation size and correlate these structural changes with the solar cell performance and stability. Devices treated with 2TI and 4TmI achieve PCEs over 21% and maintain their performance under thermal stress. Our findings demonstrate that thermal stability in PSCs can be achieved via the design engineering of passivation agents, offering a blueprint for developing next-generation passivation molecules.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Simplifying the Chemical Design of Nonfused-Ring Electron Acceptors─Lessons Learned from Thienothiophene and Benzodithiophene Cores

Nonfused-ring electron acceptors (NFREA)s have been proposed as alternatives to fused-ring acceptors in organic photovoltaics (OPV)s. The simpler molecular design of NFREAs results in a reduced synthetic complexity, potentially lowering manufacturing costs, and easier access to desired optoelectronic properties by structural modifications. However, they have not seen the same rise in popularity as fused nonfullerene acceptors (NFA)s due to their lower performances in devices. In this work, we explore structure–property relationships of three NFREA molecules based on thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (TT) and benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDT) cores and malononitrile functionalized-isatin end group acceptors. We describe their synthetic routes, computational analysis, and photophysical and electronic properties. Here, we investigated the effect of changing the core from TT to BDT on electronic properties of the molecules─a result of raising/lowering of the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) levels. We also explored the effect of branched vs nonbranched alkyl groups on the morphological and blend-capabilities in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) OPV devices. These effects were then reflected in the overall device performances, primarily due to favorable FMO energy alignment between the NFREA and polymer. To investigate the behavior of the excited states of the NFREAs within the active layer of the devices, we performed time-resolved microwave conductivity and transient absorption experiments, which confirmed that the TT molecules exhibited very low conductance while the BDT molecule showed moderate photoconductance. Our combined theoretical, synthetic, device, and charge carrier dynamics studies of these materials reveal the central role that structure–property relationships play in future molecular designs of NFREAs that can perform as well as their fused counterparts.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effect of Anisotropic Confinement on Electronic Structure and Dynamics of Band Edge Excitons in Inorganic Perovskite Nanowires

Inorganic lead halide perovskite nanostructures show promise as the active layers in photovoltaics, light emitting diodes, and other optoelectronic devices. They are robust in the presence of oxygen and water, and the electronic structure and dynamics of these nanostructures can be tuned through quantum confinement. Here we create aligned bundles of CsPbBr3 nanowires with widths resulting in quantum confinement of the electronic wave functions and subject them to ultrafast microscopy. We directly image rapid one-dimensional exciton diffusion along the nanowires, and we measure an exciton trap density of roughly one per nanowire. Using transient absorption microscopy, we observe a polarization-dependent splitting of the band edge exciton line, and from the polarized fluorescence of nanowires in solution, we determine that the exciton transition dipole moments are anisotropic in strength. Furthermore, our observations are consistent with a model in which splitting is driven by shape anisotropy in conjunction with long-range exchange.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sulfur-Donor Solvents Strongly Coordinate Pb 2+ in Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskite Precursor Solutions

Strong coordination between Lewis-basic processing additives and the Lewis-acidic lead halide in hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite (HOIP) precursor solutions is required to solubilize the lead halide, and subsequently access the appropriate crystallization kinetics and attain the desired morphology of perovskite active layers. While oxygen-donor solvents and additives, such as dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide, are widely used for perovskite processing, we demonstrate here that “soft” sulfur-donor solvents exhibit stronger coordination to the “borderline soft” Lewis acid Pb 2+ center of PbI 2 relative to “hard” O-donor solvents in the precursor solution. The stronger coordination of S-donor solvents compared to O-donor solvents to Pb 2+ implies that such compounds can be useful additives to HOIP precursor solutions. Density-functional calculations of the enthalpy change resulting from the coordination of solvents to Pb 2+ provide direct numerical comparison of the strength of O-donor and S-donor coordination with Pb 2+ and expands the library of candidate S-donor compounds. Our results provide a roadmap for processing additive selection and expand the previously limited choice of perovskite processing additives to include strongly coordinating S-donor compounds.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ultrathin Porous Hydrocarbon Membranes Templated by Nanoparticle Assemblies

Porous polymer membranes are widely desired as catalyst supports, sensors, and active layers for separation membranes. We demonstrate that electron beam irradiation of freely suspended gold or Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticle (NP) monolayer sheets followed by wet chemical etching is a high-fidelity strategy to template two-dimensional (2D) porous crosslinked hydrocarbon membranes. This approach, which relies on secondary electrons generated by the NP cores, can further be used to transform three-dimensional (3D) terraced gold NP supercrystals into 3D porous hydrocarbon membranes. We utilize electron tomography to show how the number of NP layers (monolayer to pentalayer) controls attenuation and scattering of the primary e-beam, which in turn determines ligand crosslink density and 3D pore structure. Furthermore, electron tomography also reveals that many nanopores are vertically continuous due to preferential sintering of NPs. This work demonstrates new routes for the construction of functional nanoporous media.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Robust, High-Performing Maize–Perovskite-Based Solar Cells with Improved Stability

Herein, we focus on improving the long-term chemical and thermomechan-ical stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), two major challenges currently limiting their commercial deployment. Our strategy incorporates a long-chain starch polymer into the perovskite precursor. The starch polymer confers multiple beneficial effects by forming hydrogen bonds with the methylammonium iodide precursor, templating perovskite growth that results in a compact and homogeneous film deposited in a simple one-step coating (antisolvent-free). The inclusion of starch in the methylammonium lead iodide films strongly improves their thermomechanical and environmental stability while maintaining a high photovoltaic performance. The fracture energy (G c ) of the film is increased to above 5 J/m 2 by creating a nanocomposite that provides intrinsic reinforcement at grain boundaries. Additionally, improved optoelectronic properties achieved with the starch polymer enable good photostability of the active layer and enhanced resistance to thermal cycling.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Room-Temperature Ferroelectric LiNb 6 Ba 5 Ti 4 O 30 Spinel Phase in a Nanocomposite Thin Film Form for Nonlinear Photonics

Tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) materials are one of the most promising classes of materials for ferroelectric and nonlinear optical devices, owing to their very unique noncentrosymmetric crystal structure. In this work, a new TTB phase of LiNb 6 Ba 5 Ti 4 O 30 (LNBTO) has been discovered and studied. A small amount of a secondary phase, LiTiO 2 (LTO), has been incorporated as nanopillars that are vertically embedded in the LNBTO matrix. The new multifunctional nanocomposite thin film presents exotic highly anisotropic microstructure and properties, e.g., strong ferroelectricity, high optical transparency, anisotropic dielectric function, and strong optical nonlinearity evidenced by the second harmonic generation results. An optical waveguide structure based on the stacks of α-Si on SiO 2 /LNBTO–LTO has been fabricated, exhibiting low optical dispersion with an optimized evanescent field staying in the LNBTO–LTO active layer. Lastly, this work highlights the combination of new TTB material designs and vertically aligned nanocomposite structures for further enhanced anisotropic and nonlinear properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Multi-modal Approach to Understanding Degradation of Organic Photovoltaic Materials

State-of-the-art organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials are composed of complex, chemically diverse polymeric and molecular structures that form highly intricate solid-state interactions, collectively yielding exceptional tunability in performance and aesthetics. These properties are especially attractive for semitransparent power-generating windows or shades in living environments, greenhouses, or other architectural integrations. However, before such a future is realized, a broader and deeper understanding of property stability must be acquired. Stability during operating and environmental conditions is critical, namely, material color steadfastness, optoelectronic performance retention, morphological rigidity, and chemical robustness. To date, no single investigation encompasses all four distinct, yet interconnected, metrics. Here, we present a multimodal strategy that captures a dynamic and interconnected evolution of each property during the course of an accelerated photobleaching experiment. We demonstrate this approach across relevant length scales (from molecular to visual macroscale) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, grazing-incidence X-ray scattering, microwave conductivity, and time-dependent photobleaching spectroscopies for two high-performance semitransparent OPV blends—PDPP4T:PC 60 BM and PDPP4T:IEICO-4F, with comparisons to the stabilities of the individual components. We present direct evidence that specific molecular acceptor (fullerene vs nonfullerene) designs and the resulting donor–acceptor interactions lead to distinctly different mechanistic routes that ultimately arrive at what is termed “OPV degradation.” We directly observe a chemical oxidation of the cyano endcaps of the IEICO-4F that coincides with a morphological change and large loss in photoconductivity while the fullerene acceptor-containing blend demonstrates a significantly greater fraction of oxygen uptake but retains 55% of the photoconductivity. Finally, this experimental roadmap provides meaningful guidance for future high-throughput, multimodal studies, benchmarking the sensitivity of the different analytical techniques for assessing stability in printable active layers, independent of complete device architectures.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Yttrium-based Double Perovskite Nanorods for Electrocatalysis

In this work, we investigate the effect of chemical composition of double perovskite nanorods on their versatile electrocatalytic activity not only as supports for the oxidation of small organic molecules but also as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. Specifically, Y 2 CoMnO 6 and Y 2 NiMnO 6 nanorods with average diameters of 300 nm were prepared by a two-step hydrothermal method, in which the individual effects of synthetic parameters, such as the pH, annealing temperature, and precursor ratios on both the composition and morphology, were systematically investigated. When used as supports for Pt nanoparticles, Y 2 CoMnO 6 /Pt catalysts exhibited an electrocatalytic activity for the methanol oxidation reaction, which is 2.1 and 1.3 times higher than that measured for commercial Pt/C and Y 2 NiMnO 6 /Pt. Similarly, the Co-based catalyst support material displayed an ethanol oxidation activity, which is 2.3 times higher than both Pt/C and Y 2 NiMnO 6 /Pt. This clear enhancement in the activity for Y 2 CoMnO 6 can largely be attributed to strong metal-support interactions, as evidenced by a downshift in the binding energy of the Pt 4f bands, measured by XPS, which is often correlated not only with a downshift in the d-band center but also to a decreased adsorption of poisoning adsorbates. Moreover, when used as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction, Y 2 CoMnO 6 displayed a much greater activity as compared with Y 2 NiMnO 6 . This behavior can largely be attributed not only to a preponderance of comparatively more favorable oxidation states and electronic configurations but also to the formation of an active layer on the surface of the Y 2 CoMnO 6 catalyst, which collectively give rise to improved performance metrics and greater stability as compared with both IrO 2 and Y 2 NiMnO 6 . Overall, these results highlight the importance of both the chemical composition and the electronic structure of double perovskites, especially when utilized in multi-functional roles as either supports or catalysts.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Aqueous Processed All-Polymer Solar Cells with High Open-Circuit Voltage Based on Low-Cost Thiophene–Quinoxaline Polymers

Eco-friendly solution processing and the low-cost synthesis of photoactive materials are important requirements for the commercialization of organic solar cells (OSCs). Although varieties of aqueous-soluble acceptors have been developed, the availability of aqueous-processable polymer donors remains quite limited. In particular, the generally shallow highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels of existing polymer donors limit further increases in the power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, we design and synthesize two water/alcohol-processable polymer donors, poly[(thiophene-2,5-diyl)-alt-(2-((13-(2,5,8,11-tetraoxadodecyl)-2,5,8,11-tetraoxatetradecan-14-yl)oxy)-6,7-difluoroquinoxaline-5,8-diyl)] (P(Qx8O-T)) and poly[(selenophene-2,5-diyl)-alt-(2-((13-(2,5,8,11-tetraoxadodecyl)-2,5,8,11-tetraoxatetradecan-14-yl)oxy)-6,7-difluoroquinoxaline-5,8-diyl)] (P(Qx8O-Se)) with oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) side chains, having deep HOMO energy levels (~–5.4 eV). The synthesis of the polymers is achieved in a few synthetic and purification steps at reduced cost. The theoretical calculations uncover that the dielectric environmental variations are responsible for the observed band gap lowering in OEG-based polymers compared to their alkylated counterparts. Notably, the aqueous-processed all-polymer solar cells (aq-APSCs) based on P(Qx8O-T) and poly[(N,N'-bis(3-(2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)-ethoxy)ethoxy)-2-((2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)-methyl)propyl)naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl)-alt-(2,5-thiophene)] (P(NDIDEG-T)) active layer exhibit a PCE of 2.27% and high open-circuit voltage (V OC ) approaching 0.8 V, which are among the highest values for aq-APSCs reported to date. This study provides important clues for the design of low-cost, aqueous-processable polymer donors and the fabrication of aqueous-processable OSCs with high V OC .

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Suppressing Cation Migration in Triple-Cation Lead Halide Perovskites

Ion migration represents an intrinsic instability of metal halide perovskite solar cells. In this work, we show that triple-cation FA x MA y Cs 1–x–y PbI 3 [FA + = (NH 2 ) 2 CH + , MA + = CH 3 NH 3 + ] active layers with mixed orthorhombic, post-perovskite (δ ortho -CsPbI 3 ), and cubic perovskite (α) phases (i.e., α/δ-phase FA x MA y Cs 1–x–y PbI 3 ) exhibit improved cation stability against applied bias relative to pure α-phase perovskites (i.e., FA 0.85 Cs 0.15 PbI 3 and FA 0.76 MA 0.15 Cs 0.09 PbI 3 ). Infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry are used to visualize exclusive α-phase perovskite lateral device A + cation accumulation (depletion) at perovskite negative (positive) electrode interfaces. The resulting compositional heterogeneities lead to degradation. Operational stability testing of solar cells reveals similar degradation behavior; α/δ-phase FA x MA y Cs 1–x–y PbI 3 lateral devices/solar cells, by contrast, show improved stabilities. Enhanced α/δ-FA x MA y Cs 1–x–y PbI 3 stability is rationalized by δortho-phase inclusions, acting as barriers through which A + cations do not easily migrate. This study thus provides new insights into cation migration in FA x MAyCs 1–x–y PbI 3 perovskites and suggests a materials design strategy toward suppressing cation instabilities in hybrid perovskites.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quantification of Shallow Defect Suppression in Aminosilane-Passivated Lead Halide Perovskites via Optical and Electrochemical Methods

We combine fluence-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemical characterization to estimate defect-dependent trapping rates, energetic distributions, and densities of defects, in lead halide perovskite films Cs 0.1 FA 0.9 PbI 3 and Cs 0.17 FA 0.83 Pb­(I 0.75 Br 0.25 ) 3 , before and after trap passivation with vapor-deposited (3-aminopropyl)­trimethoxysilane (APTMS). For both compositions, the PL studies show that energetically shallow subgap near-valence defect densities lead to bimolecular nonradiative recombination which is reduced by 92% after APTMS treatment. Electrochemical characterization of these same active layers shows for the first time that APTMS passivation impacts mainly on near-valence (mobile anionic) defects that decrease in density by 4 orders of magnitude, from 10 18 cm –3 to 10 14 cm –3 , as a result of silane modification. Here, the combination of PL and electrochemical characterization promises a unique approach to speciation and quantification of a broader distribution of trap states in perovskites and provides straightforward assessments of the efficacy of defect mitigation strategies.

Defects↗
DOE OSTI2020

Carbon Thaw Rate Doubles When Accounting for Subsidence in a Permafrost Warming Experiment

Permafrost soils, which are perennially frozen soils found throughout cold regions, contain vast quantities of carbon and ice. When permafrost thaws, carbon can be lost to the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. This means it is important to track permafrost thaw, which is often done using active layer thickness, or the depth of the seasonally thawed surface layer of soil. However, ice volume can be lost from thawing permafrost, causing the soil surface to drop. Conventional measurements do not account for this surface drop, and the rate of thaw could therefore be underestimated. We found that experimentally warmed soils dropped at a rate of 6 cm year-1, mostly due to loss of ice volume and also due to the loss of soil mass. When accounting for the change in soil surface height over time, the full depth of permafrost thaw was 49% greater. The increased depth of thaw resulted in more than twice as much carbon being thawed as was estimated with standard methods that did not account for subsidence. These findings suggest that permafrost is thawing more quickly than long-term records indicate and that this could result in additional carbon release contributing to climate change.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Tundra Underlain By Thawing Permafrost Persistently Emits Carbon to the Atmosphere Over 15 Years of Measurements

Warming of the Arctic can stimulate microbial decomposition and release of permafrost soil carbon (C) as greenhouse gases, and thus has the potential to influence climate change. At the same time, plant growth can be stimulated and offset C release. This study presents a 15-year time series comprising chamber and eddy covariance measurements of net ecosystem C exchange in a tundra ecosystem in Alaska where permafrost has been degrading due to regional warming. The site was a carbon dioxide source to the atmosphere with a cumulative total loss of 781.6 g C m -2 over the study period. Both gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (R eco ) were already likely higher than historical levels such that increases in R eco losses overwhelmed GPP gains in most years. This shift to a net C source to the atmosphere likely started in the early 1990s when permafrost was observed to warm and thaw at the site. Shifts in the plant community occur more slowly and are likely to constrain future GPP increases as compared to more rapid shifts in the microbial community that contribute to increased Reco. Observed rates suggest that cumulative net soil C loss of 4.18–10.00 kg C m -2 —8%–20% of the current active layer soil C pool—could occur from 2020 to the end of the century. This amount of permafrost C loss to the atmosphere represents a significant accelerating feedback to climate change if it were to occur at a similar magnitude across the permafrost region.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modeling Terrestrial Dissolved Organic Carbon Loading to Western Arctic Rivers

The mobilization and land-to-ocean transfer of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in Arctic watersheds is intricately linked with the region's climate and water cycle, and furthermore at risk of changes from climate warming and associated impacts. This study quantifies model-simulated estimates of runoff, surface and active layer leachate DOC concentrations and loadings to western Arctic rivers, specifically for basins that drain into coastal waters between and including the Yukon and Mackenzie Rivers. Model validation leverages data from other field measurements, synthesis studies, and modeling efforts. The simulations effectively quantify DOC leaching in surface and subsurface runoff and broadly capture the seasonal cycle in DOC concentration and mass loadings reported from other studies that use river-based measurements. A marked east-west gradient in simulated spring and summer DOC concentrations of 24 drainage basins on the North Slope of Alaska is captured by the modeling, consistent with independent data derived from river sampling. Simulated loadings for the Mackenzie and Yukon show reasonable agreement with estimates of DOC export for annual totals and four of the six seasonal comparisons. Nearly equivalent loading occurs to rivers which drain north to the Beaufort Sea and west to the Bering and Chukchi Seas. The modeling framework provides a basis for understanding carbon export to coastal waters and for assessing impacts of hydrological cycle intensification and permafrost thaw with ongoing warming in the Arctic.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Physical Controls on the Hydrology of Perennially Ice-Covered Lakes, Taylor Valley, Antarctica (1996–2013)

The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, are a polar desert populated with numerous closed-watershed, perennially ice-covered lakes primarily fed by glacial melt. Lake levels have varied by as much as 8 m since 1972 and are currently rising after a decade of decreasing. Precipitation falls as snow, so lake hydrology is dominated by energy available to melt glacier ice and to sublimate lake ice. To understand the energy and hydrologic controls on lake level changes and to explain the variability between neighboring lakes, only a few kilometers apart, we model the hydrology for the three largest lakes in Taylor Valley. Here, we apply a physically based hydrological model that includes a surface energy balance model to estimate glacial melt and lake sublimation to constrain mass fluxes to and from the lakes. Results show that lake levels are very sensitive to small changes in glacier albedo, air temperature, and wind speed. We were able to balance the hydrologic budget in two watersheds using meltwater inflow and sublimation loss from the ice-covered lake alone. A third watershed, closest to the coast, required additional inflow beyond model uncertainties. We hypothesize a shallow groundwater system within the active layer, fed by dispersed snow patches, contributes 23% of the inflow to this watershed. The lakes are out of equilibrium with the current climate. If the climate of our study period (1996–2013) persists into the future, the lakes will reach equilibrium starting in 2300, with levels 2–17 m higher, depending on the lake, relative to the 2020 level.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Shrub Expansion Can Counteract Carbon Losses From Warming Tundra

Arctic warming is causing substantial compositional, structural, and functional changes in tundra vegetation including shrub and tree-line expansion and densification. However, predicting the carbon trajectories of the changing Arctic is challenging due to interacting feedbacks between vegetation composition and structure, and surface characteristics. We conduct a sensitivity analysis of the current-date to 2100 projected surface energy fluxes, soil carbon pools, and CO 2 fluxes to different shrub expansion rates under future emission scenarios (intermediate—RCP4.5, and high—RCP8.5) using the Arctic-focused configuration of E3SM Land Model (ELM). We focus on Trail Valley Creek (TVC), an upland tundra site in the western Canadian Arctic, which is experiencing shrub densification and expansion. We find that shrub expansion did not significantly alter the modeled surface energy and water budgets. However, the carbon balance was sensitive to shrub expansion, which drove higher rates of carbon sequestration as a consequence of higher shrubification rates. Thus, at low shrub expansion rates, the site would become a carbon source, especially under RCP8.5, due to higher temperatures, which deepen the active layer and enhance soil respiration. At higher shrub expansion rates, TVC would become a net CO 2 sink under both Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios due to higher shrub productivity outweighing temperature-driven respiration increase. Our simulations highlight the effect of shrub expansion on Arctic ecosystem carbon fluxes and stocks. We predict that at TVC, shrubification rate would interact with climate change intensity to determine whether the site would become a carbon sink or source under projected future climate.

Yazbeck, Theresia [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus,↗
DOE OSTI2020

Solution-processable integrated CMOS circuits based on colloidal CuInSe2 quantum dots

Abstract The emerging technology of colloidal quantum dot electronics provides an opportunity for combining the advantages of well-understood inorganic semiconductors with the chemical processability of molecular systems. So far, most research on quantum dot electronic devices has focused on materials based on Pb- and Cd chalcogenides. In addition to environmental concerns associated with the presence of toxic metals, these quantum dots are not well suited for applications in CMOS circuits due to difficulties in integrating complementary n - and p -channel transistors in a common quantum dot active layer. Here, we demonstrate that by using heavy-metal-free CuInSe 2 quantum dots, we can address the problem of toxicity and simultaneously achieve straightforward integration of complimentary devices to prepare functional CMOS circuits. Specifically, utilizing the same spin-coated layer of CuInSe 2 quantum dots, we realize both p - and n -channel transistors and demonstrate well-behaved integrated logic circuits with low switching voltages compatible with standard CMOS electronics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗