Growth, Characterization, and Electrochemical Properties of Doped n-Type KTaO_3 Photoanodes

The effects of compositionally induced changes on the semiconducting properties, optical response, chemical stability, and overall performance of KTaO_3 photoanodes in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells have been investigated. Single crystals of n-type Ca- and Ba-doped KTaO_3 with carrier concentrations ranging from 0.45 to 11.5×10^(19) cm^(−3) were grown and characterized as photoanodes in basic aqueous electrolyte PEC cells. The PEC properties of the crystals, including the photocurrent, photovoltage, and flatband potential in contact with 8.5 M NaOH(aq) were relatively independent of whether Ca or Ba was used to produce the semiconducting form of KTaO_3. All of the Ca- or Ba-doped KTaO_3 single-crystal photoanodes were chemically stable in the electrolyte and, based on the open-circuit potential and the band-edge positions, were capable of unassisted photochemical H_2 and O_2 evolution from H_2O. The minority-carrier diffusion lengths values were small and comparable to the depletion region width. Photoanodic currents were only observed for photoanode illumination with light above the bandgap (i.e., λ<340 nm). The maximum external quantum yield occurred at λ=255 nm (4.85 eV), and the depletion width plus the minority-carrier diffusion length ranged from 20 to 65 nm for the various KTaO_3-based photoanode materials

A comparison between pulsed and CW laser annealing for solar cell applications

The application of laser processing in solar cell fabrication is considered. Specific emphasis is placed on a process developed for the fabrication of a 16.6% silicon solar cell using pulsed laser processing. Results are presented which compare pulsed laser annealing with CW laser annealing in solar cell fabrication

Characterization of lithium phosphorous oxynitride thin films

Electrical and electrochemical properties of an amorphous thin-film lithium electrolyte, lithium phosphorous oxynitride (Lipon), have been studied with emphasis on the stability window vs Li metal and the behavior of the Li/Lipon interface. Ion conductivity of Lipon exhibits Arrhenius behavior at {minus}26 to +140 C, with a conductivity of 1.7 {times} 10{sup {minus}6}S/cm at 25 C and an activity energy of 0.50 {plus_minus} 0.01 eV. A stability window of 5.5 V was observed with respect to a Li{sup +}/Li reference, and no detectable reaction or degradation was evident at the Li/Lipon interface upon lithium cycling

Proximity induced metal/insulator transition in YBa2Cu3O7/La2/3Ca1/3MnO3Y Ba_2 Cu_3 O_7 / La_{2/3} Ca_{1/3} Mn O_3 superlattices

The far-infrared dielectric response of superlattices (SL) composed of superconducting YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7}$ (YBCO) and ferromagnetic La$_{0.67}$% Ca$_{0.33}$MnO$_{3}$ (LCMO) has been investigated by ellipsometry. A drastic decrease of the free carrier response is observed which involves an unusually large length scale of d$^{crit}\approx$20 nm in YBCO and d$^{crit}\approx$10 nm in LCMO. A corresponding suppression of metallicity is not observed in SLs where LCMO is replaced by the paramagnetic metal LaNiO$_{3}$. Our data suggest that either a long range charge transfer from the YBCO to the LCMO layers or alternatively a strong coupling of the charge carriers to the different and competitive kind of magnetic correlations in the LCMO and YBCO layers are at the heart of the observed metal/insulator transition. The low free carrier response observed in the far-infrared dielectric response of the magnetic superconductor RuSr$_{2}$GdCu$_{2}$O$_{8}$ is possibly related to this effect

Optical properties of MgH2 measured in situ in a novel gas cell for ellipsometry/spectrophotometry

The dielectric properties of alpha-MgH2 are investigated in the photon energy range between 1 and 6.5 eV. For this purpose, a novel sample configuration and experimental setup are developed that allow both optical transmission and ellipsometric measurements of a transparent thin film in equilibrium with hydrogen. We show that alpha-MgH2 is a transparent, colour neutral insulator with a band gap of 5.6 +/- 0.1 eV. It has an intrinsic transparency of about 80% over the whole visible spectrum. The dielectric function found in this work confirms very recent band structure calculations using the GW approximation by Alford and Chou [J.A. Alford and M.Y. Chou (unpublished)]. As Pd is used as a cap layer we report also the optical properties of PdHx thin films.Comment: REVTeX4, 15 pages, 12 figures, 5 table

Unravelling a simple method for the low temperature synthesis of silicon nanocrystals and monolithic nanocrystalline thin films

In this work, we present new results on the plasma processing and structure of hydrogenated polymorphous silicon (pm-Si:H) thin films. pm-Si:H thin films consist of a low volume fraction of silicon nanocrystals embedded in a silicon matrix with medium range order, and they possess this morphology as a significant contribution to their growth comes from the impact on the substrate of silicon clusters and nanocrystals synthesized in the plasma. Quadrupole mass spectrometry, ion flux measurements, and material characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy all provide insight on the contribution to the growth by silicon nanocrystals during PECVD deposition. In particular, cross-section TEM measurements show for the first time that the silicon nanocrystals are uniformly distributed across the thickness of the pm-Si:H film. Moreover, parametric studies indicate that the best pm-Si:H material is obtained at the conditions after the transition between a pristine plasma and one containing nanocrystals, namely a total gas pressure around 2 Torr and a silane to hydrogen ratio between 0.05 to 0.1. From a practical point of view these conditions also correspond to the highest deposition rate achievable for a given RF power and silane flow rate.ope

Properties of Graphene: A Theoretical Perspective

In this review, we provide an in-depth description of the physics of monolayer and bilayer graphene from a theorist's perspective. We discuss the physical properties of graphene in an external magnetic field, reflecting the chiral nature of the quasiparticles near the Dirac point with a Landau level at zero energy. We address the unique integer quantum Hall effects, the role of electron correlations, and the recent observation of the fractional quantum Hall effect in the monolayer graphene. The quantum Hall effect in bilayer graphene is fundamentally different from that of a monolayer, reflecting the unique band structure of this system. The theory of transport in the absence of an external magnetic field is discussed in detail, along with the role of disorder studied in various theoretical models. We highlight the differences and similarities between monolayer and bilayer graphene, and focus on thermodynamic properties such as the compressibility, the plasmon spectra, the weak localization correction, quantum Hall effect, and optical properties. Confinement of electrons in graphene is nontrivial due to Klein tunneling. We review various theoretical and experimental studies of quantum confined structures made from graphene. The band structure of graphene nanoribbons and the role of the sublattice symmetry, edge geometry and the size of the nanoribbon on the electronic and magnetic properties are very active areas of research, and a detailed review of these topics is presented. Also, the effects of substrate interactions, adsorbed atoms, lattice defects and doping on the band structure of finite-sized graphene systems are discussed. We also include a brief description of graphane -- gapped material obtained from graphene by attaching hydrogen atoms to each carbon atom in the lattice.Comment: 189 pages. submitted in Advances in Physic