5 research outputs found
Deciphering the Adsorption Mechanisms of RGD Subunits: lāAspartic Acid on Cu(110)
In
this work we present a detailed surface science characterization of l-aspartic acid adsorption on a Cu(110) surface. Aspartic acid
is one of the main components of the tripeptide RGD (arginineāglycineāaspartic
acid). We replaced the traditional sublimation method to obtain molecular
films by dosing aspartic acid directly from an aqueous solution through
an electrospray ionization (ESI) device. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
(XPS) and polarization modulation reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy
(PM-RAIRS) evidenced different adsorption states ranging from a submonolayer
regime up to multilayers. Moleculeāsubstrate interactions guide
the creation of the pattern observed in the submonolayer, but moleculeāmolecule
interactions are prevailing from a certain coverage stage, promoting
the overlayer growth while leaving exposed areas of bare copper. This
is evidenced by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) results, showing
that single aspartic acid molecules self-organize in a two-dimensional
(2D) chiral network at low coverage and start originating new molecular
layers even before a saturated monolayer has been reached
Tuning the Surface Chirality of Adsorbed Gly-Pro Dipeptide/Cu(110) by Changing Its Chemical Form via Electrospray Deposition
By
changing the ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) deposition method, classical
sublimation versus electrospray ionization, one can tune the chemistry
of a chiral dipeptide molecule (Gly-Pro, GP), when adsorbed on a Cu(110)
surface, from anionic to zwitterionic. This chemical shift will influence
the adsorption mode of the dipeptide, either in a three-point fashion
in the case of anionic GP molecules with a strong interaction among
the copper surface, both O atoms of the carboxylate moiety, and the
nitrogen atoms, or in the case of zwitterions GP, the adsorption mode
relies on the sole interaction of one carboxylate oxygen atom. These
different anchoring modes strongly modify the expression of surface
2D chirality and the supramolecular assemblies with two very distinct
unit cells
Probing Charge Carrier Dynamics to Unveil the Role of Surface Ligands in HgTe Narrow Band Gap Nanocrystals
Colloidal nanocrystals are an interesting
platform for the design
of low cost optoelectronic devices especially in the infrared range
of wavelengths. Mercury chalcogenides have reached high maturity to
address wavelengths above the telecom range (1.5 Ī¼m). However,
no screening of the surface chemistry influence has been conducted
yet. In this paper, we systematically probe the influence of a series
of ligands, Cl<sup>ā</sup>, SCN<sup>ā</sup>, 1,2-ethanedithiol,
1,4-benzenedithiol, 1-octanethiol, 1-butanethiol, As<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub>, and S<sup>2ā</sup>, on the photoconductive properties
of HgTe nanocrystal thin films. A high bandwidth, large dynamic transient
photocurrent setup is used to determine the photocarrier dynamics.
Two regimes are clearly identified. At the early stage (few nanoseconds)
a fast decay of the photocurrent is resulting from recombination and
trapping. Then transport enters in a multiple trapping regime where
carriers present a continuously decreasing effective value of their
mobility. The power law dependence of the conductance can be used
to estimate the trap carrier density and determine the value of the
Urbach energy (35ā50 meV). We demonstrate that a proper choice
of ligand is necessary for a trade-off between the material performance
(Ī¼Ļ product) and the quality of the surface passivation
(to keep a low Urbach energy)
Wave-Function Engineering in HgSe/HgTe Colloidal Heterostructures To Enhance Mid-infrared Photoconductive Properties
The
use of intraband transition is an interesting alternative path
for the design of optically active complex colloidal materials in
the mid-infrared range. However, so far, the performance obtained
for photodetection based on intraband transition remains much smaller
than the one relying on interband transition in narrow-band-gap materials
operating at the same wavelength. New strategies have to be developed
to make intraband materials more effective. Here, we propose growing
a heterostructure of HgSe/HgTe as a means of achieving enhanced intraband-based
photoconduction. We first tackle the synthetic challenge of growing
a heterostructure on soft (Hg-based) material. The electronic spectrum
of the grown heterostructure is then investigated using a combination
of numerical simulation, infrared spectroscopy, transport measurement,
and photoemission. We report a type-II band alignment with reduced
doping compared with a core-only object and boosted hole conduction.
Finally, we probe the photoconductive properties of the heterostructure
while resonantly exciting the intraband transition by using a high-power-density
quantum cascade laser. Compared to the previous generation of material
based on core-only HgSe, the heterostructures have a lower dark current,
stronger temperature dependence, faster photoresponse (with a time
response below 50 Ī¼s), and detectivity increased by a factor
of 30
Intraband Mid-Infrared Transitions in Ag<sub>2</sub>Se Nanocrystals: Potential and Limitations for Hg-Free Low-Cost Photodetection
Infrared photodetection based on
colloidal nanoparticles is a promising
path toward low-cost devices. However, mid-infrared absorption relies
on interband transitions in heavy metal-based materials, which is
a major flaw for the development toward mass market. In the quest
of mercury-free infrared active colloidal materials, we here investigate
Ag<sub>2</sub>Se nanoparticles presenting intraband transition between
3 and 15 Ī¼m. With photoemission and infrared spectroscopy, we
are able to propose an electronic spectrum of the material in the
absolute energy scale. We also investigate the origin of doping and
demonstrate that it results from a cation excess under the Ag<sup>+</sup> form. We demonstrate photoconduction into this material under
resonant excitation of the intraband transition. However, performances
are currently quite weak with (i) a slow photoresponse (several seconds)
and (ii) some electrochemical instabilities at room temperature