X. M. Ding

Wide-band “black silicon” based on porous silicon

Solar cells and optical detection devices often incorporate antireflective surfaces to reduce undesired reflection and enhance optical absorption. This letter reports a “black silicon” structure of antireflective porous silicon fabricated by using electrochemical etching. The sample has a gradient-index multilayer structure, i.e., the refraction indices of the structure increase from the top (near the air) to the bottom (near the Si substrate). Reflectance below 5% is obtained over a broad wave number range (3000–28000cm−1) and the depression mechanism of the optical reflectance is analyzed by simulating the structure with the transfer matrix method. The simulated result fits the measured spectra well.

Degradation of small-molecule organic solar cells

Small-molecule organic solar cells with a structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)\tris-8-hydroxy-quinolinato aluminum (Alq3) (2nm)\fullerene (C60) (40nm)\copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) (32nm)\Au (40nm) were fabricated. The shelf lifetime of unencapsulated devices was over 1500h, and the power conversion efficiency reached 0.76% under AM1.5G (air mass 1.5 global) 75mW∕cm2. The long lifetime was attributed to the inverted structure compared to the conventional ITO\CuPc\C60\buffer\Al structure since the former could effectively protect C60 from the diffusion of oxygen and modify interfacial electrical properties. The introduction of a 2nm Alq3 layer into the cells enhanced the power conversion efficiency by more than 20 times. The presence of the thin Alq3 film on the ITO substrate lowered the substrate work function and hence increased the electric field in the organic layers, which was beneficial to the collection of free carriers. The reasons for the degradation of such kind of organic solar cells are analyzed ...

Role of hole playing in improving performance of organic light-emitting devices with an Al2O3 layer inserted at the cathode-organic interface

The role of hole playing in improving electron injection in the presence of an Al2O3 layer at the organic-cathode interface is discussed. It is deduced that, according to the model of tunneling barrier reduction and the carrier transporting mechanism in organic light-emitting devices, electron injection will be enhanced only if holes are injected and accumulated at the organic-buffer interface. The validity of this analysis is well confirmed by experimental results. The observed abnormal characteristic of operating voltage varying with the Al2O3 layer thickness and the efficiency improvement are also well explained by the model.

In situ photoluminescence investigation of doped Alq

We report the photoluminescence (PL) properties measured in situ from vacuum-deposited organic films of tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq) doped with 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM), where the red emission from the guest molecules is due to Forster energy transfer of excited state energy from host to guest. Both bare DCM-doped Alq (Alq:DCM) and bilayer Alq/Alq:DCM films have been studied, with the thickness of the Alq overlayer continuously varied in the latter case. The PL spectra from the bilayer structure contain no Alq contribution when its thickness is below 2.4 nm. Taking the value as the maximum distance for which the Alq exciton can travel in the film and still transfer its energy to a DCM molecule, the minimum DCM concentration in Alq:DCM necessary to produce red emission only can be estimated at 0.31 wt %. The most efficient red emission appears at the DCM concentration of about 1.7 wt %, at which more than 90% Alq-originated excitons are involved in t...

Exciton dissociation at the indium tin oxide-N,N′-Bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N′-bis(phenyl) benzidine interface: A transient photovoltage study

Transient photovoltage measured from the device of indium tin oxide (ITO)/N,N′-Bis(naphthalene-1-yl)-N,N′-bis(phenyl) benzidine (NPB) (600nm)∕Al (Al grounded) exhibits an abnormal polarity change from negative to positive upon pulsed laser irradiation. A simple model including interfacial exciton dissociation is proposed to describe the phenomenon observed. The initial negative signal is interpreted as a result of more electrons than holes injected into ITO by dissociation of excitons at the ITO-NPB interface, and the subsequent positive signal can be attributed to carrier separation by the built-in field in NPB. Further experiments confirm that it is the combination of interfacial exciton dissociation and built-in field that determines the polarity of the transient photovoltage. The amount of excitons dissociated at the ITO-NPB interface is much larger than that of free carriers created in other processes, with the ratio in the order of 103 for the device studied.

Mechanism of charge generation in p -type doped layer in the connection unit of tandem-type organic light-emitting devices

A p-type doped organic layer combined with a hole-blocking layer has been experimentally demonstrated to serve as the charge generation unit in tandem-type organic light-emitting devices. The p-type layer functions as the source of both holes and electrons. Charge separation is explained by the tunneling model that the hole-blocking layer reduces the energy barrier for the electrons generated in the p-type layer to tunnel through into one light-emitting unit, while the holes generated in the p-type layer can transport to the other light-emitting unit easily under operation voltage.

NEUTRALIZED (NH4)2S SOLUTION PASSIVATION OF III-V PHOSPHIDE SURFACES

Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to investigate III–V phosphide GaP and InP (100) surfaces treated with a neutralized (NH4)2S solution. Compared to the conventional basic (NH4)2S solution treatment, a thick sulfide layer with P–S bond and strong Ga–S (In–S) bond of high thermal stability is formed on the neutralized (NH4)2S-treated GaP (InP) (100) surfaces. The possible passivation mechanisms of the two (NH4)2S solutions to III–V phosphide surfaces are also discussed.

Investigation of neutralized (NH4)2S solution passivation of GaAs (100) surfaces

Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and gravimetry has been used to study GaAs (100) surfaces treated with a neutralized (NH4)2S solution. Compared to the conventional basic (NH4)2S solution treatment, a thick Ga sulfide layer and strong Ga–S bond were formed on the GaAs surface after dipping GaAs wafers in a neutralized (NH4)2S solution. Gravimetric data show that the etching rate of GaAs in the neutralized (NH4)2S solution is about 15% slower than that in the conventional (NH4)2S solution. From SEM observation, fewer etching pits with smaller sizes were found on the neutralized (NH4)2S-treated GaAs surface.

Delayed-switch-on effect in metal-insulator-metal organic memories

We report a delayed-switch-on effect in organic memories; i.e., the organic memory devices can automatically switch from off state to on state after a certain period of time when biased at voltages below the threshold voltage. Meanwhile, the lower the voltage is, the longer the switching time will be. The time scales from milliseconds to about 104s with decreasing voltage. Moreover, by applying a certain voltage between threshold voltage and Vmax, intermediate states are also obtained. The existence of filamentary microconducting channels in the organic layer is proposed to be responsible for the observed switching phenomenon.

Mechanisms of injection enhancement in organic light-emitting diodes through insulating buffer

Three types of organic light-emitting diodes are fabricated. Tris-8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq3) is used as an electron-transporting layer (ETL) and sodium stearate (NaSt) as an electron-injecting buffer. The optimal thickness of NaSt for electron injection is different for cathodes of different metals, such as Mg, Al, and Ag. This is attributed to the different work functions of cathodes, which result in different initial barrier heights for electron injection from cathodes into ETL, and explained based on tunneling theory.