Amir Ghobadi

Surface engineered angstrom thick ZnO-sheathed TiO2 nanowires as photoanodes for performance enhanced dye-sensitized solar cells

This paper presents a systematic study on the effects of angstrom-thick atomic layer deposited (ALD) ZnO sheaths on hydrothermally-grown TiO2 nanowires (NWs) used as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We designed, synthesized and characterized the samples prepared using different numbers of ZnO cycles and compared their photovoltaic (PV) performances. The device consisting of TiO2 NWs coated with the optimum thickness (two cycles) of ZnO shell exhibits a three-fold increase in efficiency compared to a control reference device. This paper reports results and features that demonstrate the passivation of surface state traps upon deposition of ZnO shells. While this passivation of surface traps provides a reduction in the back-reactions of the surface state mediated electrons (KtrapET), it is speculated that ZnO-induced surface band bending (SBB) substantially reduces the recombination rate of the device by reducing the recombination rate of the conduction band (CB) electrons (KCBET). Moreover, an enhancement in the amount of dye uptake for ZnO-coated TiO2 samples is observed and explained with the isoelectric point (IEP) concept. In spite of the excellent PV power conversion efficiencies achieved by the first ZnO cycles, thicker layers impede the electron injection rate, reducing the efficiency of the device by capturing the photogenerated dye electrons in ZnO quantum wells. Here, we investigate the mechanisms contributing to this unprecedented change and correlate them with the enhancement in device efficiency.

A Heterojunction Design of Single Layer Hole Tunneling ZnO Passivation Wrapping around TiO 2 Nanowires for Superior Photocatalytic Performance

Nanostructured hybrid heterojunctions have been studied widely for photocatalytic applications due to their superior optical and structural properties. In this work, the impact of angstrom thick atomic layer deposited (ALD) ZnO shell layer on photocatalytic activity (PCA) of hydrothermal grown single crystalline TiO2 nanowires (NWs) is systematically explored. We showed that a single cycle of ALD ZnO layer wrapped around TiO2 NWs, considerably boosts the PCA of the heterostructure. Subsequent cycles, however, gradually hinder the photocatalytic activity (PCA) of the TiO2 NWs. Various structural, optical, and transient characterizations are employed to scrutinize this unprecedented change. We show that a single atomic layer of ZnO shell not only increases light harvesting capability of the heterostructure via extension of the absorption toward visible wavelengths, but also mitigates recombination probability of carriers through reduction of surface defects density and introduction of proper charge separation along the core-shell interface. Furthermore, the ultrathin ZnO shell layer allows a strong contribution of the core (TiO2) valence band holes through tunneling across the ultrathin interface. All mechanisms responsible for this enhanced PCA of heterostructure are elucidated and corresponding models are proposed.

Ultra-broadband, wide angle absorber utilizing metal insulator multilayers stack with a multi-thickness metal surface texture

In this paper, we propose a facile route to fabricate a metal insulator multilayer stack to obtain ultra-broadband, wide angle behavior from the structure. The absorber, which covers near infrared (NIR) and visible (Vis) ranges, consists of a metal-insulator-metal-insulator (MIMI) multilayer where the middle metal layer has a variant thickness. It is found that this non-uniform thickness of the metal provides us with an absorption that is much broader compared to planar architecture. In the non-uniform case, each thickness is responsible for a specific wavelength range where the overall absorption is the superposition of these resonant responses and consequently a broad, perfect light absorption is attained. We first numerically examine the impact of different geometries on the overall light absorption property of the multilayer design. Afterward, we fabricate the designs and characterize them to experimentally verify our numerical findings. Characterizations show a good agreement with numerical results where the optimum absorption bandwidth for planar design is found to be 620 nm (380 nm–1000 nm) and it is significantly boosted to an amount of 1060 nm (350 nm–1410 nm) for multi-thickness case.

Visible light nearly perfect absorber: an optimum unit cell arrangement for near absolute polarization insensitivity

In this work, we propose an optimum unit cell arrangement to obtain near absolute polarization insensitivity in a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) based ultra-broadband perfect absorber. Our findings prove that upon utilizing this optimum arrangement, the response of the absorber is retained and unchanged over all arbitrary incidence light polarizations, regardless of the shape of the top metal patch. First, the impact of the geometry of the top nanopatch resonators on the absorption bandwidth of the overall structure is explored. Then, the response of the MIM design for different incidence polarizations and angles is scrutinized. Finally, the proposed design is fabricated and characterized.

Controlling luminescent silicon nanoparticle emission produced by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation: role of interface defect states and crystallinity phase

In this study, we provide a systematic study on the origin of green and blue emission from luminescent silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) synthesized in water using a nanosecond pulsed laser ablation methodology. Here we report a direct one-step process to make ultra-small Si-NPs (∼3 nm mean size) by utilizing spiral beam scanning. In each ablation cycle, this scanning scheme collects generated nanoparticles towards the center and ablates them in subsequent cycles. Therefore, the resultant Si-NPs can reach very small sizes in a short time with high uniformity in their size distribution. Further, we investigate the effect of laser fluence on the emission properties of the obtained nanoparticles. For this aim, two different values of 60 mJ cm−2 and 30 mJ cm−2 laser fluences are employed to achieve green and blue emitting Si-NPs, respectively. Our results show that the emission spectrum for both blue and green Si-NPs has two main peaks at 426 nm and 520 nm, but their relative intensity ratios are different for these two cases. The findings of this study suggest that the blue emission originates from oxide related surface defects at the Si/SiOx interface, while the green emission stems from grain boundaries existing at the NP surface. We found that these two types of disorders can be controlled by tuning the laser power.

Hybrid plasmon–phonon polariton bands in graphene–hexagonal boron nitride metamaterials [Invited]

We theoretically investigate mid-infrared electromagnetic wave propagation in multilayered graphene–hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) metamaterials. Hexagonal boron nitride is a natural hyperbolic material that supports highly dispersive phonon polariton modes in two Reststrahlen bands with different types of hyperbolicity. Due to the hybridization of surface plasmon polaritons of graphene and hyperbolic phonon polaritons of hBN, each isolated unit cell of the graphene–hBN metamaterial supports hybrid plasmon–phonon polaritons (HPPs). Through the investigation of band structure of the metamaterial we find that, due to the coupling between the HPPs supported by each unit cell, the graphene–hBN metamaterial can support HPP bands. The dispersion of these bands can be noticeably modified for different thicknesses of hBN layers, leading to the appearance of bands with considerably flat dispersions. Moreover, analysis of light transmission through the metamaterial reveals that this system is capable of supporting high-k propagating HPPs. This characteristic makes graphene–hBN metamaterials very promising candidates for the modification of the spontaneous emission of a quantum emitter, hyperlensing, negative refraction, and waveguiding.

Ultra-Broadband, Lithography-Free, and Large-Scale Compatible Perfect Absorbers: The Optimum Choice of Metal layers in Metal-Insulator Multilayer Stacks

We report ultra-broadband perfect absorbers for visible and near-infrared applications that are based on multilayers of metal-insulator (MI) stacks fabricated employing straightforward layer deposition techniques and are, therefore, lithography-free and large-scale compatible. We scrutinize the impact of different physical parameters of an MIMI absorber structure with analysis of each contributing metal layer. After obtaining the optimal design parameters (i.e. material selection and their thicknesses) with both simulation and numerical analysis (Transfer Matrix Method) methods, an experimental sample is fabricated and characterized. Our fabricated MIMI absorber consists of an optically thick tungsten (W) back reflector layer followed by 80 nm aluminum oxide (Al2O3), 10 nm titanium (Ti), and finally another 80 nm Al2O3. The experimental results demonstrate over 90 percent absorption between 400 nm and 1640 nm wavelengths that is optimized for ultra-broadband absorption in MIMI structures. Moreover, the impedance matching method with free-space is used to shed light on the metallic layer selection process.

~3-nm ZnO Nanoislands Deposition and Application in Charge Trapping Memory Grown by Single ALD Step

Low-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures are of great interest in high performance electronic and photonic devices. ZnO is considered to be a multifunctional material due to its unique properties with potential in various applications. In this work, 3-nm ZnO nanoislands are deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and the electronic properties are characterized by UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The results show that the nanostructures show quantum confinement effects in 1D. Moreover, Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Capacitor (MOSCAP) charge trapping memory devices with ZnO nanoislands charge storage layer are fabricated by a single ALD step and their performances are analyzed. The devices showed a large memory window at low operating voltages with excellent retention and endurance characteristics due to the additional oxygen vacancies in the nanoislands and the deep barrier for the trapped holes due to the reduction in ZnO electron affinity. The results show that the ZnO nanoislands are promising in future low power memory applications.

Disordered Nanohole Patterns in Metal-Insulator Multilayer for Ultra-broadband Light Absorption: Atomic Layer Deposition for Lithography Free Highly repeatable Large Scale Multilayer Growth

In this paper, we demonstrate a facile, lithography free, and large scale compatible fabrication route to synthesize an ultra-broadband wide angle perfect absorber based on metal-insulator-metal-insulator (MIMI) stack design. We first conduct a simulation and theoretical modeling approach to study the impact of different geometries in overall stack absorption. Then, a Pt-Al2O3 multilayer is fabricated using a single atomic layer deposition (ALD) step that offers high repeatability and simplicity in the fabrication step. In the best case, we get an absorption bandwidth (BW) of 600 nm covering a range of 400 nm–1000 nm. A substantial improvement in the absorption BW is attained by incorporating a plasmonic design into the middle Pt layer. Our characterization results demonstrate that the best configuration can have absorption over 0.9 covering a wavelength span of 400 nm–1490 nm with a BW that is 1.8 times broader compared to that of planar design. On the other side, the proposed structure retains its absorption high at angles as wide as 70°. The results presented here can serve as a beacon for future performance enhanced multilayer designs where a simple fabrication step can boost the overall device response without changing its overall thickness and fabrication simplicity.

Growth of ∼3-nm ZnO nano-islands using Atomic Layer Deposition

In this work, the deposition of 3-nm dispersed Zinc-Oxide (ZnO) nanoislands by thermal Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is demonstrated. The physical and electronic properties of the islands are studied using Atomic Force Microscopy, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The results show that there is quantum confinement in 1D in the nanoislands which is manifested by the increase of the bandgap and the reduction of the electron affinity of the ZnO islands. The results are promising for the fabrication of future electronic and optoelectronic devices by single ALD step.