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At least 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

New value of old knowledge: sulphur-based GaAs surface passivation and potential GaAs application in molecular electronics and spintronics

GaAs is well known for its extremely high electron mobility and direct band gap. Owing to the technological advances in silicon-based technology, GaAs has been limited to niche areas. This paper discusses the application of GaAs in molecular electronics and spintronics as a potential field for considering this amazing but challenging material. GaAs is challenging because its surface is characterized by a high density of surface states, which precludes the utilization of this semiconducting material in mainstream devices. Sulfur(S)-based passivation has been found to be significantly useful for reducing the effect of dangling bonds and was researched thoroughly. GaAs applications in molecular spintronics and electronics can benefit significantly from prior knowledge of GaAs and S interactions because S is a popular functional group for bonding molecular device elements with different semiconductors and metals. In this article, the problem associated with the GaAs surface is discussed in a tutorial form. A wide variety of surface passivation methods has been briefly introduced. We attempted to highlight the significant differences in the S-GaAs interactions for different S passivation methods. We also elaborate on the mechanisms and atomic-scale understanding of the variation in surface chemistry and reconstruction due to various S passivation methods. It is envisioned that GaAs and thiol-terminated molecule-based novel devices can exhibit innovative device characteristics and bring the added advantage of S-based passivation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electrical properties of single CuO nanowires for device fabrication: Diodes and field effect transistors

High aspect ratio CuO nanowires are synthesized by a simple and scalable method, thermal oxidation in air. The structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of the semiconducting nanowires were studied. Au-Ti/CuO nanowire and Pt/CuO nanowire electrical contacts were investigated. A dominant Schottky mechanism was evidenced in the Au-Ti/CuO nanowire junction and an ohmic behavior was observed for the Pt/CuO nanowire junction. The Pt/CuO nanowire/Pt structure allows the measurements of the intrinsic transport properties of the single CuO nanowires. It was found that an activation mechanism describes the behavior at higher temperatures, while a nearest neighbor hopping transport mechanism is characteristic at low temperatures. This was also confirmed by four-probe resistivity measurements on the single CuO nanowires. By changing the metal/semiconductor interface, devices such as Schottky diodes and field effect transistors based on single CuO p-type nanowire semiconductor channel are obtained. These devices are suitable for being used in various electronic circuits where their size related properties can be exploited.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Investigation on High-κ Dielectric for Low Leakage AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT Device, Using Material Selection Methodologies

This paper analyzes various high-κ dielectrics for low leakage AlGaN (Aluminium Gallium Nitride)/GaN (Gallium Nitride) MIS-HEMT (Metal Insulator Semiconductor—High Electron Mobility Transistor) device. The investigation is carried out by examining different attributes such as the dielectric constant, conduction band offset, and energy band gap of the dielectric which are crucial for a good dielectric-AlGaN interface. This work also computes the values of band offsets of different dielectrics to AlGaN analytically. The selection of the most promising dielectric is done using three different multi-criteria decision making methods (MCDM) namely the Ashby, VIKOR (VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje in Serbian, meaning Multicriteria Optimization and Compromise Solution) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution). All the analyses point to La{sub 2}O{sub 3} as the best gate dielectric for AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT device.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Radiation detector using a graphene amplifier layer

A radiation field is detected or imaged using one or more junction devices in which a two-dimensional conductor layer is capacitively coupled to a semiconductor absorber layer. In the junction devices, pixel-level amplification and read-out are accomplished through the photogating of the devices by absorption within the absorber layer while it is in a state of deep depletion. When the two-dimensional conductor is graphene, we refer to a device operating in that manner as a deeply depleted graphene-oxide-semiconductor (D 2 GOS) detector.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nuclear spin engineering for quantum information science

Semiconductors are the backbone of modern technology, garnering decades of investment in high-quality materials and devices. Electron spin systems in semiconductors, including atomic defects and quantum dots, have been demonstrated in the last two decades to host quantum coherent spin qubits, often with coherent spin–photon interfaces and proximal nuclear spins. These systems are at the center of developing quantum technology. However, new material challenges arise when considering the isotopic composition of host and qubit systems. The isotopic composition governs the nature and concentration of nuclear spins, which naturally occur in leading host materials. These spins generate magnetic noise—detrimental to qubit coherence—but also show promise as local quantum memories and processors, necessitating careful engineering dependent on the targeted application. Reviewing recent experimental and theoretical progress toward understanding local nuclear spin environments in semiconductors, we show this aspect of material engineering as critical to quantum information technology.

Defects↗
DOE OSTI2014

Enhanced memory effect with embedded graphene nanoplatelets in ZnO charge trapping layer

A charge trapping memory with graphene nanoplatelets embedded in atomic layer deposited ZnO (GNIZ) is demonstrated. The memory shows a large threshold voltage V{sub t} shift (4 V) at low operating voltage (6/−6 V), good retention (>10 yr), and good endurance characteristic (>10{sup 4} cycles). This memory performance is compared to control devices with graphene nanoplatelets (or ZnO) and a thicker tunnel oxide. These structures showed a reduced V{sub t} shift and retention characteristic. The GNIZ structure allows for scaling down the tunnel oxide thickness along with improving the memory window and retention of data. The larger V{sub t} shift indicates that the ZnO adds available trap states and enhances the emission and retention of charges. The charge emission mechanism in the memory structures with graphene nanoplatelets at an electric field E ≥ 5.57 MV/cm is found to be based on Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. The fabrication of this memory device is compatible with current semiconductor processing, therefore, has great potential in low-cost nano-memory applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Enhanced Light Emission from the Ridge of Two-Dimensional InSe Flakes

InSe, a newly rediscovered two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor, possesses superior electrical and optical properties as a direct-band-gap semiconductor with high mobility from bulk to atomically thin layers and is drastically different from transition-metal dichalcogenides, in which the direct band gap only exists at the single-layer limit. However, absorption in InSe is mostly dominated by an out-of-plane dipole contribution, which results in the limited absorption of normally incident light that can only excite the in-plane dipole at resonance. To address this challenge, we have explored a unique geometric ridge state of the 2D flake without compromising the sample quality. Here we observed the enhanced absorption at the ridge over a broad range of excitation frequencies from photocurrent and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. In addition, we have discovered new PL peaks at low temperatures due to defect states on the ridge, which can be as much as ~60 times stronger than the intrinsic PL peak of InSe. Interestingly, the PL of the defects is highly tunable through an external electrical field, which can be attributed to the Stark effect of the localized defects. InSe ridges thus provide new avenues for manipulating light–matter interactions and defect engineering that are vitally crucial for novel optoelectronic devices based on 2D semiconductors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Soft x-ray intensity profile measurements of electron cyclotron heated plasmas using semiconductor detector arrays in GAMMA 10 tandem mirror

Temporally and spatially resolved soft x-ray analyses of electron cyclotron heated plasmas are carried out by using semiconductor detector arrays in the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror. The detector array has 16-channel for the measurements of plasma x-ray profiles so as to make x-ray tomographic reconstructions. The characteristics of the detector array make it possible to obtain spatially resolved plasma electron temperatures down to a few tens eV and investigate various magnetohydrodynamic activities. High power electron cyclotron heating experiment for the central-cell region in GAMMA 10 has been started in order to reduce the electron drag by increasing the electron temperature.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Engineering local strain for single-atom nuclear acoustic resonance in silicon

Mechanical strain plays a key role in the physics and operation of nanoscale semiconductor systems, including quantum dots and single-dopant devices. In this report we describe the design of a nanoelectronic device, where a single nuclear spin is coherently controlled via nuclear acoustic resonance (NAR) through the local application of dynamical strain. The strain drives spin transitions by modulating the nuclear quadrupole interaction. We adopt an AlN piezoelectric actuator compatible with standard silicon metal–oxide–semiconductor processing and optimize the device layout to maximize the NAR drive. We predict NAR Rabi frequencies of order 200 Hz for a single 123Sb nucleus in a wide region of the device. Spin transitions driven directly by electric fields are suppressed in the center of the device, allowing the observation of pure NAR. Using electric field gradient-elastic tensors calculated by the density-functional theory, we extend our predictions to other high-spin group-V donors in silicon and to the isoelectronic 73Ge atom.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

A compact chaotic laser device with a two-dimensional external cavity structure

We propose a compact chaotic laser device, which consists of a semiconductor laser and a two-dimensional (2D) external cavity for delayed optical feedback. The overall size of the device is within 230 μm × 1 mm. A long time delay sufficient for chaos generation can be achieved with the small area by the multiple reflections at the 2D cavity boundary, and the feedback strength is controlled by the injection current to the external cavity. We experimentally demonstrate that a variety of output properties, including chaotic output, can be selectively generated by controlling the injection current to the external cavity.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electronic and Morphological Studies of Conjugated Polymers Incorporating a Disk-Shaped Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Unit

As more research findings have shown the correlation between ordering in organic semiconductor thin films and device performance, it is becoming more essential to exercise control of the ordering through structural tuning. Many recent studies have focused on the influence of side chain engineering on polymer packing orientation in thin films. However, the impact of the size and conformation of aromatic surfaces on thin film ordering has not been investigated in great detail. Here we introduce a disk-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon building block with a large π surface, namely, thienoazacoronenes (TACs), as a donor monomer for conjugated polymers. Here, a series of medium bandgap conjugated polymers have been synthesized by copolymerizing TAC with electron donating monomers of varying size. The incorporation of the TAC unit in such semiconducting polymers allows a systematic investigation, both experimentally and theoretically, of the relationships between polymer conformation, electronic structure, thin film morphology, and charge transport properties. Field effect transistors based on these polymers have shown good hole mobilities and photoresponses, proving that TAC is a promising building block for high performance optoelectronic materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Atoms-to-devices models for post-irradiation annealing kinetics in III-V semiconductors

Understanding atomic displacement damage and propagating this understanding into validated defect-aware radiation damage models is a critical step toward achieving predictive, atoms-to-systems assessment of radiation vulnerabilities of microelectronics. These models are essential for evaluating the performance and reliability of nuclear stockpile components or space-based electronics (satellites). The goal of this project was to bridge a fundamental science gap between defect spectroscopies and atomistic modeling of radiation-induced defects on the one hand, and simulations of device response on the other hand, to develop predictive defect-aware damage models for high-fidelity device simulations of radiation-damaged III-V semiconductors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Metal nanoparticle mediated space charge and its optical control in an organic hole-only device

We reveal the role of localized space charges in hole-only devices based on an organic semiconductor with embedded metal nanoparticles (MNPs). MNPs act as deep traps for holes and reduce the current density compared to a device without MNPs by a factor of 10{sup 4} due to the build-up of localized space charge. Dynamic MNPs charged neutrality can be realized during operation by electron transfer from excitons created in the organic matrix, enabling light sensing independent of device bias. In contrast to the previous speculations, electrical bistability in such devices was not observed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Large-Area (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se 2 Thin-Film Solar Cells with Increased Bandgap and Reduced Voltage Losses Realized with Bulk Defect Reduction and Front-Grading of the Absorber Bandgap

The 1.24 eV bandgap, 18.8% power conversion efficiency Ag-alloyed chalcopyrite (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se 2 (ACIGS) solar cells are characterized to relate voltage and efficiency improvements to electro-optical (EO) characteristics. Shockley-Read-Hall recombination center defect density, identified and characterized through deep level transient spectroscopy and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), is reduced through potassium and copper treatment optimization. Concomitantly, longer minority carrier lifetimes are achieved, which increases open-circuit voltage (V OC ). Near-conduction band defects associated in earlier studies with light-induced current instability are also mitigated. Analysis of charge-carrier dynamics after single- and two-photon excitation is used to separate recombination at the front interface and in the absorber bulk. From TRPL decay simulations, the authors estimate ranges of key solar cell material characteristics: bulk carrier lifetime T bulk = 110-210 ns, charge-carrier mobility u = 110-160 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , and front interface recombination velocity S front = 700-1050 cm s -1 . This lowest-reported S front for ACIGS absorbers originates from the notched conduction band grading, which also makes the impact of the back interface recombination negligible. It is suggested in the results that solar cell performance enhancements can be made most readily with two distinct strategies: improving device architecture and reducing semiconductor defect densities. Using these approaches, power conversion efficiency in large-area solar cells is improved by 1.1% absolute.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Neutron Detectors for Scattering Applications

The book covers, for the first time, the most common neutron detectors used in neutron scattering facilities and all of those in use at Oak Ridge National Lab. The first two chapters describe the facilities, instruments and the critical detector parameters needed by various instruments. The third chapter focuses on the key components of the 3He-based linear position sensitive detectors as well as on their electronics, which require particular attention to signal-processing and noise reduction. The fourth chapter is dedicated to the 3He alternatives where scintillators play a critical role. Finally, chapter 5 covers emerging neutron detection technologies including semiconductors, vacuum-based devices and their associated readouts, which will be required in the future for high rate and high-resolution neutron detectors.

Diawara, Yacouba↗
DOE OSTI2018

Influence of Mn Doping on Structural, Photoluminescence and Magnetic Characteristics of Covellite-Phase CuS Nanoparticles

In the era of modern technology, the development of spintronic devices using diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles has drawn significant attention from the world researchers. In this work, we report on novel Cu{sub 1−x}Mn{sub x}S (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03 and 0.05) compounds synthesized at room temperature through a simple precipitation method via EDTA as a capping agent. XRD patterns suggested that the entire synthesized nanoparticles exhibit covellite-phase hexagonal configuration like CuS. Reflectance measurements indicated energy band gap reduction by augmentation of Mn content. Photoluminescence spectra of prepared nanoparticles showed strong blue, green and weak yellow emissions at 471, 533 and 583 nm, respectively. The room-temperature VSM measurements suggested that bare CuS showed a diamagnetic nature, while Mn-doped CuS nanoparticles exhibited paramagnetism, which is enhanced with increasing Mn dopant concentration.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Synthesis, electrical and dielectric characterization of cerium doped nano copper ferrites

Graphical abstract: Lattice constant (a) and activation energy (Ea) as a function of Ce (cerium) content. - Highlights: • The simple and economic method has been adopted for the synthesis of nanoferrites. • The electrical resistivity increases with cerium concentration. • DC electrical resistivity of these materials favours their use in microwave devices. • Dielectric measurements show semiconductor nature of the synthesized ferrites. - Abstract: The nanosized CuFe{sub 2−x}Ce{sub x}O{sub 4} (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) ferrites doped with cerium are synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. The synthesized materials are characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA and SEM. XRD analysis of cerium substituted copper ferrites confirms the cubic spinel structure. The average crystallite size calculated by using Scherrer's formula ranges from 37 to 53 nm. The values of cell constant and cell volume vary with the dopant concentration. These variations can be explained in terms of their ionic radii. The DC electrical resistivity, measured by two point probe method, increases with increase in dopant concentration while it decreases with rise in temperature exhibiting semiconductor behaviour. Energy of activation of these ferrites is calculated by using Arrhenius type resistivity plots. Dielectric measurements of the synthesized compounds show exponential decrease in dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor with increase in frequency. This indicates the normal dielectric behaviour of ferrites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Low dimensional metal halide perovskites and hybrids

Organic-inorganic metal halide hybrids are an important class of crystalline materials with exceptional structural and property tunability. Recently metal halide perovskites with ABX 3 structure have been extensively investigated as new generation semiconductors for various optoelectronic devices, including photovoltaic cells, light emitting diodes, photodetectors, and lasers, for their exceptional optical and electronic properties. By controlling the morphological dimensionality, low dimensional metal halide perovskites, including 2D perovskite nanoplatelets, 1D perovskite nanowires, and 0D perovskite quantum dots, have been developed to exhibit distinct properties from their bulk counterparts, due to quantum size effects. Besides ABX 3 perovskites, organic-inorganic metal halide hybrids, containing the same fundamental building block of metal halide octahedra (BX 6 ), can also be assembled to possess other types of crystallographic structures. Using appropriate organic and inorganic components, low dimensional organic-inorganic metal halide hybrids with 2D, quasi-2D, corrugated-2D, 1D, and 0D structures at the molecular level have been developed and studied. Due to the strong quantum confinement and site isolation, these low dimensional metal halide hybrids at the molecular level exhibit remarkable and unique properties that are significantly different from those of ABX 3 perovskites. In light of the rapid development of low dimensional metal halide perovskites and hybrids, it is indeed timely to review the recent progress in these areas. Also, there is a need to clarify the difference between morphological low dimensional metal halide perovskites and molecular level low dimensional metal halide hybrids, as currently the terminologies of low dimensional perovskites are not appropriately used in many cases. Finally, in this review article, we discuss the synthesis, characterization, application, and computational studies of low dimensional metal halide perovskites and hybrids.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗