A low-bandgap dimeric porphyrin molecule for 10% efficiency solar cells with small photon energy loss

Dimeric porphyrin molecules have great potential as donor materials for high performance bulk heterojunction organic solar cells (OSCs). Recently reported dimeric porphyrins bridged by ethynylenes showed power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of more than 8%. In this study, we design and synthesize a new conjugated dimeric D-A porphyrin ZnP2BT-RH, in which the two porphyrin units are linked by an electron accepting benzothiadiazole (BT) unit. The introduction of the BT unit enhances the electron delocalization, resulting in a lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level and an increased molar extinction coefficient in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The bulk heterojunction solar cells with ZnP2BT-RH as the donor material exhibit a high PCE of up to 10% with a low energy loss (Eloss) of only 0.56 eV. The 10% PCE is the highest for porphyrin-based OSCs with a conventional structure, and this Eloss is also the smallest among those reported for small molecule-based OSCs with a PCE higher than 10% to date

Holographic colour prints for enhanced optical security by combined phase and amplitude control.

Conventional optical security devices provide authentication by manipulating a specific property of light to produce a distinctive optical signature. For instance, microscopic colour prints modulate the amplitude, whereas holograms typically modulate the phase of light. However, their relatively simple structure and behaviour is easily imitated. We designed a pixel that overlays a structural colour element onto a phase plate to control both the phase and amplitude of light, and arrayed these pixels into monolithic prints that exhibit complex behaviour. Our fabricated prints appear as colour images under white light, while projecting up to three different holograms under red, green, or blue laser illumination. These holographic colour prints are readily verified but challenging to emulate, and can provide enhanced security in anti-counterfeiting applications. As the prints encode information only in the surface relief of a single polymeric material, nanoscale 3D printing of customised masters may enable their mass-manufacture by nanoimprint lithography

Barrier height change in very thin SiO2 films caused by charge injection

In this paper, we report an investigation of barrier height change in gate oxide caused by charge injection. By analyzing the small change in the post-stress Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling current through the oxide layer, the change of the oxide barrier height due to charge injection is determined quantitatively. The barrier height changes associated with different charge-injection directions and measurement polarities for n-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) are presented. For comparison a measurement on a p-channel MOSFET is also carried out. For all the cases, the barrier height changes always exhibit a power law dependence on injected charge.published_or_final_versio

Influence of annealing on Fermi-level pinning and current transport at Au-Si and Au-GaAs Interfaces

The measurements of internal photoemission and photovoltage within the temperature range of 7-300 K have been performed for unannealed and annealed Au/n-Si and Au/n-GaAs samples. From the internal photoemission measurements, it was observed that annealing at different temperatures does not affect the relativity of interfacial Fermi-level pinning to either the conduction band (for Au/GaAs) or the valence band (for Au/Si) but leads to a significant change of the Schottky barrier height. On the other hand, the photovoltage measurements show that the current transport at the metal/semiconductor interfaces is seriously affected by annealing. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Interfacial Fermi level and surface band bending in Ni/semi-insulating GaAs contact

For nickel on the chemically clean surface of undoped semi-insulating GaAs at room temperature, an upward surface band bending of 0.062 eV and a barrier height of 0.690 eV have been observed by the photovoltage and the internal photoemission techniques, respectively. The observed surface band bending is in excellent agreement with its predicted value, and the observed barrier height also agrees very well with its value from the very careful analysis of reversed I-V data. It has been determined that the interfacial Fermi level lies at 0.690 eV below the GaAs conduction band minimum at the interface. The interfacial Fermi level is found to coincide with the energy level of the EL2 native defect, indicating the importance of the EL2 in the Fermi level pinning at the interface. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Characterization of Pt-Si interface by spectroscopic ellipsometry

Spectroscopic ellipsometric measurements for Pt/n-Si samples with different thickness of Pt films have been performed. The thickness of the Pt films determined with the three-phase model (air/Pt/Si) changes with the wavelength λ while that with the four-phase model (air/Pt/interface layer/Si) remains unchanged, showing the existence of an interface layer. At the same time, the apparent optical dielectric constants of the interface layer as a function of λ are also obtained. A calculation based on the effective medium theory is carried out to simulate the optical dielectric data of the interface layer. Some structural information of the interface layer is obtained from the calculation. © 1994 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Sport after total hip arthroplasty: undoubted progress but still some unknowns

In this review, we discuss the evidence for patients returning to sport after hip arthroplasty. This includes the choices regarding level of sporting activity and revision or complications, the type of implant, fixation and techniques of implantation, and how these choices relate to health economics. It is apparent that despite its success over six decades, hip arthroplasty has now evolved to accommodate and support ever-increasing patient demands and may therefore face new challenges.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the Publisher URL to access it via the publisher's site.accepted (12 month embargo

Two-terminal write-once-read-many-times memory device based on charging-controlled current modulation in Al/Al-Rich Al 2O 3/p-Si diode

A write-once-read-many-times (WORM) memory device was realized based on the charging-controlled modulation in the current conduction of Al/Al-rich Al 2O 3/p-type Si diode. A large increase in the reverse current of the diode could be achieved with a negative charging voltage, e.g., charging at -25 V for 1 ms results in a current increase by about four orders. Memory states of the WORM device could be altered by changing the current conduction with charge trapping in the Al-rich Al 2O 3 layer. The memory exhibited good reading endurance and retention characteristics. © 2011 IEEE.published_or_final_versio