Bhupendra K. Sharma

Graphene-P(VDF-TrFE) Multilayer Film for Flexible Applications

A flexible, transparent acoustic actuator and nanogenerator based on graphene/P(VDF-TrFE)/graphene multilayer film is demonstrated. P(VDF-TrFE) is used as an effective doping layer for graphene and contributes significantly to decreasing the sheet resistance of graphene to 188 ohm/sq. The potentiality of graphene/P(VDF-TrFE)/graphene multilayer film is realized in fabricating transparent, flexible acoustic devices and nanogenerators to represent its functionality. The acoustic actuator shows good performance and sensitivity over a broad range of frequency. The output voltage and the current density of the nanogenerator are estimated to be ∼3 V and ∼0.37 μAcm(-2), respectively, upon the application of pressure. These values are comparable to those reported earlier for ZnO- and PZT-based nanogenerators. Finally, the possibility of rollable devices based on graphene/P(VDF-TrFE)/graphene structure is also demonstrated under a dynamic mechanical loading condition.

A high performance PZT ribbon-based nanogenerator using graphene transparent electrodes

We report a simple and effective approach for high performance PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) based flexible and semi-transparent NGs that exploit the electrical, mechanical and transparent properties of graphene. PZT NGs are successfully demonstrated for continuous driving of a liquid crystal display screen and a light emitting diode. A good quality PZT film was deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si wafer by the sol–gel method, exhibiting a typical hysteresis loop in the low voltage region. A graphene film was used in the interdigitated electrode form to improve the PZT/graphene interface under mechanical stress. Further improvement in NGs performance was realized by p-type doping in graphene, resulting in an increase in current density. NGs showed a high output voltage ∼2 V, current density ∼2.2 μA cm−2 and power density ∼88 mW cm−3 at an applying force of 0.9 kgf. This can efficiently run commercially available electronic components in a self-powered mode, without any external electrical supply.

Stress-dependent band gap shift and quenching of defects in Al-doped ZnO films

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films were deposited on quartz substrates by the ultrasonically assisted chemical vapour deposition technique. The undoped ZnO film was found to be subjected to a stress which increases initially up to 3% Al doping, and then a slight decrease was observed for 5% Al doping. The band gap of AZO shows a blue shift up to 3% of Al doping as compared with the undoped ZnO. The blue shift in the band gap of the AZO films cannot be understood in the framework of Burstein–Moss shift and has been attributed to an increase in the stress present in the film. The photoluminescence spectrum of the undoped ZnO film shows a wide peak in the visible region which is suppressed with a small red shift after Al doping in the ZnO film. A detailed analysis of photoluminescence of ZnO and AZO films indicates suppression of zinc interstitials (Zni) and oxygen vacancies (VO) and creation of oxygen interstitial (Oi) defects after Al doping in ZnO films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study also reveals suppression of oxygen vacancy related defects after Al doping in the ZnO film. The presence of Al in the ZnO matrix seems to change the defect equilibria leading to a suppression of Zni and VO and enhancement of Oi defects. The suppression of Zni defects is correlated with the increase in stress in Al-doped ZnO films.

Photo-patternable ion gel-gated graphene transistors and inverters on plastic

We demonstrate photo-patternable ion gel-gated graphene transistors and inverters on plastic substrates. The photo-patternable ion gel can be used as a negative photoresist for the patterning of underlying graphene as well as gate dielectrics. As a result, an extra graphene-patterning step is not required, which simplifies the device fabrication and avoids a side effect arising from the photoresist residue. The high capacitance of ion gel gate dielectrics yielded a low voltage operation (~2 V) of the graphene transistor and inverter. The graphene transistors on plastic showed an on/off-current ratio of ~11.5, along with hole and electron mobilities of 852 ± 124 and 452 ± 98 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), respectively. In addition, the flexible graphene inverter was successfully fabricated on plastic through the potential superposition effect from the drain bias. These devices show excellent mechanical flexibility and fatigue stability.

Thermal stability of metal Ohmic contacts in indium gallium zinc oxide transistors using a graphene barrier layer

The excellent impermeability of graphene was exploited to produce stable ohmic contact at the interface between Al metal and a semiconducting indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) layer after high-temperature annealing. Thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated with and without a graphene interlayer between the Al metal and the IGZO channel region. Metal contact at the interface prepared without a graphene interlayer showed serious instabilities in the IGZO TFT under thermal annealing; however, the insertion of a graphene interlayer between the IGZO channel and the Al metal offered good stability under repeated high-temperature annealing cycles and maintained ohmic contact.

MECHANICAL FLEXIBILITY OF ZINC OXIDE THIN-FILM TRANSISTORS PREPARED BY TRANSFER PRINTING METHOD

In the present study, we demonstrate the performance of Zinc oxide thin film transistors (ZnO TFTs) array subjected to the strain under high bending test and the reliability of TFTs was confirmed for the bending fatigue test of 2000 cycles. Initially, ZnO TFTs were fabricated on Si substrate and subsequently transferred on flexible PET substrate using transfer printing process. It was observed that when the bending radius reached ≥ 11 mm then cracks start to initiate first at SiO2 bridges, acting as interconnecting layers among individual TFT. Whatever the strain is applied to the devices, it is almost equivalently adopted by the SiO2 bridges, as they are relatively weak compared to rest of the part. The initial cracking of destructed SiO2 bridge leads to the secondary cracks to the ITO electrodes upon further increment of bending radius. Numerical simulation suggested that the strain of SiO2 layer reached to fracture level of 0.55% which was concentrated at the edge of SiO2 bridge layer. It also suggests that the round shape of SiO2 bridge can be more fruitful to compensate the stress concentration and to prevent failure of device.

Graphene Based Nanogenerator for Energy Harvesting

Development of energy harvesting system becomes one of the most important necessities of today. In this context, nanogenerators (NGs) have attracted considerable attentions in recent years due to their potential applications such as self-powered portable devices. This review article addresses the significant development of NGs systems based on semiconducting and insulating piezoelectric materials. Further, the need of mechanical flexibility and optical transparency on the demand of various electronic applications has been highlighted. In addition, we discussed some recent studies on graphene-based NGs which have been explored for stable performance of NGs.

Effect of UV exposure on rectifying behavior of polyaniline/ZnO heterojunction

P-type polyaniline (PANI)/n-type ZnO based heterojunction is fabricated and the effect of continuous ultraviolet (UV) exposure on its current?voltage (I?V) characteristics is investigated. The I?V characteristics of PANI/ZnO showed diode-like behavior under dark condition and its ideality factor and barrier height were obtained as 1.54 and 1.35?eV, respectively. For immediate UV exposure the diode showed photo-characteristics, however, during continuous UV exposure diode characteristics started to change with exposure time. After sufficient exposure time characteristics became stable and the ideality factor and barrier height after UV exposure were obtained as 7.94 and 0.92?eV, respectively. It is proposed that the permanent physical changes in PANI film during UV exposure are responsible to change the rectifying behavior. It is found that after 10?min of continuous exposure the PANI film stabilizes and the PANI/ZnO junction shows stable characteristics.

Flexible active-matrix organic light-emitting diode display enabled by MoS2 thin-film transistor

Highly flexible organic light-emitting diode display was demonstrated using MoS2 TFTs as an active-matrix backplane. Atomically thin molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been extensively investigated in semiconductor electronics but has not been applied in a backplane circuitry of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. Its applicability as an active drive element is hampered by the large contact resistance at the metal/MoS2 interface, which hinders the transport of carriers at the dielectric surface, which in turn considerably deteriorates the mobility. Modified switching device architecture is proposed for efficiently exploiting the high-k dielectric Al2O3 layer, which, when integrated in an active matrix, can drive the ultrathin OLED display even in dynamic folding states. The proposed architecture exhibits 28 times increase in mobility compared to a normal back-gated thin-film transistor, and its potential as a wearable display attached to a human wrist is demonstrated.

Two-dimensional materials in functional three-dimensional architectures with applications in photodetection and imaging

Efficient and highly functional three-dimensional systems that are ubiquitous in biology suggest that similar design architectures could be useful in electronic and optoelectronic technologies, extending their levels of functionality beyond those achievable with traditional, planar two-dimensional platforms. Complex three-dimensional structures inspired by origami, kirigami have promise as routes for two-dimensional to three-dimensional transformation, but current examples lack the necessary combination of functional materials, mechanics designs, system-level architectures, and integration capabilities for practical devices with unique operational features. Here, we show that two-dimensional semiconductor/semi-metal materials can play critical roles in this context, through demonstrations of complex, mechanically assembled three-dimensional systems for light-imaging capabilities that can encompass measurements of the direction, intensity and angular divergence properties of incident light. Specifically, the mechanics of graphene and MoS2, together with strategically configured supporting polymer films, can yield arrays of photodetectors in distinct, engineered three-dimensional geometries, including octagonal prisms, octagonal prismoids, and hemispherical domes.The strain tolerance and promising optoelectronic properties of 2D materials can be leveraged to design functional optical sensing devices. Here, the authors provide a demonstration of arrays of independently addressable photodetectors constructed from graphene and MoS2 engineered in 3D Kirigami geometries.