Young Heon Kim

Role of domain walls in the abnormal photovoltaic effect in BiFeO 3

Recently, the anomalous photovoltaic (PV) effect in BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films, which resulted in open circuit voltages (Voc) considerably larger than the band gap of the material, has generated a revival of the entire field of photoferroelectrics. Here, via temperature-dependent PV studies, we prove that the bulk photovoltaic (BPV) effect, which has been studied in the past for many non-centrosymmetric materials, is at the origin of the anomalous PV effect in BFO films. Moreover, we show that irrespective of the measurement geometry, Voc as high as 50u2009V can be achieved by controlling the conductivity of domain walls (DW). We also show that photoconductivity of the DW is markedly higher than in the bulk of BFO.

Au/Ag Bilayered Metal Mesh as a Si Etching Catalyst for Controlled Fabrication of Si Nanowires

Au/Ag bilayered metal mesh with arrays of nanoholes were devised as a catalyst for metal-assisted chemical etching of silicon. The present metal catalyst allows us not only to overcome drawbacks involved in conventional Ag-based etching processes, but also to fabricate extended arrays of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with controlled dimension and density. We demonstrate that SiNWs with different morphologies and axial orientations can be prepared from silicon wafers of a given orientation by controlling the etching conditions. We explored a phenomenological model that explains the evolution of the morphology and axial crystal orientation of SiNWs within the framework of the reaction kinetics.

Persistent photoconductivity in strained epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films

A drastic change in the conductivity of strained BiFeO3 (BFO) films is observed after illuminating them with above-band gap light. This has been termed as persistent photoconductivity. The enhanced conductivity decays exponentially with time. A trapping character of the sub-band levels and their subsequent gradual emptying is proposed as a possible mechanism.

Active doping of B in silicon nanostructures and development of a Si quantum dot solar cell

Active doping of B was observed in nanometer silicon layers confined in SiO(2) layers by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling analysis and confirmed by Hall effect measurements. The uniformly distributed boron atoms in the B-doped silicon layers of [SiO(2) (8 nm)/B-doped Si(10 nm)](5) films turned out to be segregated into the Si/SiO(2) interfaces and the Si bulk, forming a distinct bimodal distribution by annealing at high temperature. B atoms in the Si layers were found to preferentially substitute inactive three-fold Si atoms in the grain boundaries and then substitute the four-fold Si atoms to achieve electrically active doping. As a result, active doping of B is initiated at high doping concentrations above 1.1 × 10(20) atoms cm( - 3) and high active doping of 3 × 10(20) atoms cm( - 3) could be achieved. The active doping in ultra-thin Si layers was implemented for silicon quantum dots (QDs) to realize a Si QD solar cell. A high energy-conversion efficiency of 13.4% was realized from a p-type Si QD solar cell with B concentration of 4 × 10(20) atoms cm( - 3).

Microstructural properties and dislocation evolution on a GaN grown on patterned sapphire substrate: A transmission electron microscopy study

The microstructural properties of a GaN layer grown on a patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) were studied in detail using transmission electron microscope techniques to determine dislocation and growth behaviors. Regular and uniform recrystallized GaN islands were observed on the protruding pattern. On a flat sapphire surface, the crystallographic orientation relationship of ⟨1¯21¯0⟩GaNu2002onu2002FS//⟨11¯00⟩sapphire and {11¯01}GaNu2002onu2002FS//{12¯13}sapphire existed between the GaN and the substrate. On the other hand, the orientation relationship of ⟨1¯21¯0⟩GaNu2002layer//⟨1¯21¯0⟩GaNu2002islandu2002onu2002IS//⟨11¯00⟩sapphire and {11¯01}GaNu2002layer//{0002}GaNu2002islandu2002onu2002IS//{12¯13}sapphire was confirmed among the GaN layer, the recrystallized GaN islands on an inclined sapphire surface and the PSS. The flat surface among the protruding patterns began to fill rapidly with GaN. Then, the GaN gradually overgrew the protruding pattern and coalesced near the summit as the growth time increased. The generation of threading dislocations was ob...

Confinement enhancing barriers for high performance quantum dots-in-a-well infrared detectors

We demonstrate the use of thin AlGaAs barrier layers in the quantum dots in a well heterostructure to enhance the quantum confinement of carriers in the excited energy level, while maintaining high escape probability. This is achieved by controlling the excited state energy between the confinement enhancing (CE) barriers and the continuum level. Responsivity of ∼0.1u2009A/W, detectivity of 6.5 × 1010u2009cmHz1/2u2009W−1 (77u2009K, 0.6u2009V, 7.5u2009µm, f/2), and a factor of 10 improvement over a control sample without the CE barriers have been measured. The effect of changing the quantum well thickness and quantum dot size is also reported.

Quantum Interference in Radial Heterostructure Nanowires

Core/shell heterostructure nanowires are one of the most interesting mesoscopic systems potentially suitable for the study of quantum interference phenomena. Here, we report on experimental observations of both the Aharonov-Bohm (h/e) and the Altshuler-Aronov-Spivak (h/2e) oscillations in radial core/shell (In2O3/InOx) heterostructure nanowires. For a long channel device with a length-to-width ratio of about 33, the magnetoresistance curves at low temperatures exhibited a crossover from low-field h/2e oscillation to high-field h/ e oscillation. The relationship between the oscillation period and the core width was investigated for freestanding or substrate-supported devices and indicated that the current flows dominantly through the core/shell interface.

Microstructure of highly strained BiFeO3 thin films : transmission electron microscopy and electron-energy loss spectroscopy studies

Microstructure and electronic structure of highly strained bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) thin films grown on lanthanum aluminate substrates are studied using high-resolution transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopies and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Monoclinic and tetragonal phases were observed in films grown at different temperatures, and a mix of both phases was detected in a film grown at intermediate temperature. In this film, a smooth transition of the microstructure was found between the monoclinic and the tetragonal phases. A considerable increase in the c-axis parameters was observed in both phases compared with the rhombohedral bulk phase. The off-center displacement of iron (Fe) ions was increased in the monoclinic phase as compared with the tetragonal phase. EEL spectra show different electronic structures in the monoclinic and the tetragonal phases. These experimental observations are well consistent with the results of theoretical first-principle calculations performed.

Polarity-tunable magnetic tunnel junctions based on ferromagnetism at oxide heterointerfaces

Complex oxide systems have attracted considerable attention because of their fascinating properties, including the magnetic ordering at the conducting interface between two band insulators, such as LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. However, the manipulation of the spin degree of freedom at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterointerface has remained elusive. Here, we have fabricated hybrid magnetic tunnel junctions consisting of Co and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 ferromagnets with the insertion of a Ti layer in between, which clearly exhibit magnetic switching and the tunnelling magnetoresistance effect below 10u2009K. The magnitude and sign of the tunnelling magnetoresistance are strongly dependent on the direction of the rotational magnetic field parallel to the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 plane, which is attributed to a strong Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling in the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructure. Our study provides a further support for the existence of the macroscopic ferromagnetism at LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterointerfaces and opens a novel route to realize interfacial spintronics devices.

Effect of oxygen plasma treatment on CdSe/CdZnS quantum-dot light-emitting diodes

Red-light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were fabricated using CdSe/CdZnS quantum dots (QDs). During the device fabrication process, the oxygen plasma treatment of the indium–tin oxide (ITO) surface was performed to improve the interfacial contact between the ITO anode and the hole injection layer. The device showed red emission at 622 nm, which was consistent with the dimensions of the QDs (band gap: 1.99 eV). The luminance was 108.77 cd/m2 and the current density was 230.2 mA/cm2 at an operating voltage of 7 V, when the oxygen plasma treatment was performed on the ITO surface. The luminance showed 207% improvement compared with that of LEDs fabricated without oxygen plasma treatment. These results suggested that the oxygen plasma treatment of the ITO surface improved the contact between ITO and PEDOT:PSS, and that the light emitting intensity was markedly improved.