Chen Yuanfu

Low platinum loading PtNPs/graphene composite catalyst with high electrocatalytic activity for dye-sensitized solar cells

Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs)/graphene composite materials are synthesized by a controlled chemical reduction of H2PtCl6 on graphene sheets. The electrocatalytic activity of a PtNPs/graphene composite counter electrode for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is investigated. The results demonstrate that the PtNPs/graphene composite has high electrocatalytic activity for the dye-sensitized solar cell. The cell employing PtNPs (1.6 wt%)/graphene counter electrode reaches an conversion efficiency (?) of 3.89% upon the excitation of 100 mW/cm2 AM 1.5 white light, which is comparable to that of the cell with a Pt-film counter electrode (? = 3.76%). It suggests that one can use only 14% Pt content of the conventional Pt-film counter electrode to obtain a comparable conversion efficiency. It may be possible to obtain a high performance DSSC using the PtNPs/graphene composite with a very low Pt content as a counter electrode due to its simplicity, low cost, and large scalability.

Radio-frequency transistors from millimeter-scale graphene domains

Graphene is a new promising candidate for application in radio-frequency (RF) electronics due to its excellent electronic properties such as ultrahigh carrier mobility, large threshold current density, and high saturation velocity. Recently, much progress has been made in the graphene-based RF field-effect transistors (RF-FETs). Here we present for the first time the high-performance top-gated RF transistors using millimeter-scale single graphene domain on a SiO2/Si substrate through a conventional microfabrication process. A maximum cut-off frequency of 178 GHz and a peak maximum oscillation frequency of 35 GHz are achieved in the graphene-domain-based FET with a gate length of 50 nm and 150 nm, respectively. This work shows that the millimeter-scale single graphene domain has great potential applications in RF devices and circuits.

A compact graphene Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser using optical circulator and tunable fiber Bragg grating

We demonstrate a passively Q-switched tunable erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) based on graphene as a saturable absorber (SA). A three-port optical circulator (OC) and a strain-induced tunable fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) are used as the two end mirrors in an all-fiber linear cavity. The Q-switched EDFL has a low pump threshold of 23.8 mW. The pulse repetition rate of the fiber laser can be widely changed from 9.3 kHz to 69.7 kHz by increasing the pump power from 23.8 mW to 219.9 mW. The minimum pulse duration is 1.7 ?s and the highest pulse energy is 25.4 nJ. The emission wavelength of the laser can be tuned from 1560.43 nm to 1566.27 nm by changing the central wavelength of the strain-induced TFBG.

Significant photoelectrical response of epitaxial graphene grown on Si-terminated 6H-SiC

Photoelectrical response characteristics of epitaxial graphene (EG) films on Si- and C-terminated 6H-SiC, and transferred chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene films on Si-terminated 6H-SiC have been investigated. The results show that upon illumination by a xenon lamp, the photocurrent of EG grown on Si-terminated SiC significantly increases by 147.6%, while the photocurrents of EG grown on C-terminated SiC, and transferred CVD graphene on Si-terminated SiC slightly decrease by 0.5% and 2.7%, respectively. The interfacial buffer layer between EG and Si-terminated 6H-SiC is responsible for the significant photoelectrical response of EG. Its strong photoelectrical response makes it promising for optoelectronic applications.

The effects of 60Co γ-ray irradiation on the DC characteristics of enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors

The effects of 60Co γ-ray irradiation on the DC characteristics of AlGaN/GaN enhancement-mode high-electron-mobility transistors (E-mode HEMTs) are investigated. The results show that having been irradiated by 60Co γ-rays at a dose of 3 Mrad (Si), the E-mode HEMT reduces its saturation drain current and maximal transconductance by 6% and 5%, respectively, and significantly increases both forward and reverse gate currents, while its threshold voltage is affected only slightly. The obvious performance degradation of E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs is consistent with the creation of electronegative surface state charges in the source-gate spacer and gate-drain spacer after being irradiated.

Temperature dependence of the thickness and morphology of epitaxial graphene grown on SiC (0001) wafers

Epitaxial graphene is synthesized by silicon sublimation from the Si-terminated 6H—SiC substrate. The effects of graphitization temperature on the thickness and surface morphology of epitaxial graphene are investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra and atomic force microscopy images reveal that the epitaxial graphene thickness increases and the epitaxial graphene roughness decreases with the increase in graphitization temperature. This means that the thickness and roughness of epitaxial graphene films can be modulated by varying the graphitization temperature. In addition, the electrical properties of epitaxial graphene film are also investigated by Hall effect measurement.