Stability of Cesium-Based Lead Halide Perovskites under UV Radiation.

Lead halide perovskites have been extensively studied for their potential applications, including photodetectors, solar cells, and high-energy radiation detection. These applications are possible because of their unique optoelectronic properties, such as tunable band gap, high optical absorption coefficient, and unique defect self-healing properties, which result in high defect tolerance. Despite these advantages, the long-term stability remains a critical issue that could hinder commercial applications of these materials. Reports on the stability of lead halide perovskites for optoelectronic applications have normally focused on methylammonium (MA)/formamidinium (FA), with very limited information for other systems, in particular, Cs-containing perovskites. In this paper, we report the stability of thick CsPbBr3-x Cl x polycrystalline thin films (∼8 µm) with several halide Br-Cl ratios after exposure to deep UV radiation. The chemical, crystal structure, optical, and electrical properties are analyzed, and the results are used to propose a degradation mechanism. The chemical analysis on the surface and bulk of the films indicates the formation of cesium oxide after UV exposure, with no significant change in the crystalline structure. The proposed mechanism explains the formation of cesium oxides during UV exposure. The I-V characteristics of diode structures also showed significant degradation after UV exposure, primarily at lower diode rectification ratios. The mechanism proposed in this paper can contribute to developing strategies to enhance the long-term stability of inorganic lead halide perovskites under UV exposure.

Solid-State Neutron Detection Based on Methylammonium Lead Bromide Perovskite Single Crystals.

Perovskite-based semiconductors, such as methylammonium and cesium lead halides (MPbX3: M = CH3NH3+ or Cs+; X = I-, Br-, or Cl-), have attracted immense attention for several applications, including radiation detection, due to their excellent electronic and optical properties.1,2,3,4,5,6 In addition, the combination of perovskites with other materials enables unique device structures. For example, robust and reliable diodes result when combined with metal oxide semiconductors. This device can be used for detection of nonionizing and ionizing radiation. In this paper, we report a unique perovskite single-crystal-based neutron detector using a heterojunction diode based on single-crystal MAPbBr3 and gallium oxide (Ga2O3) thin film. The MAPbBr3/Ga2O3 diodes demonstrate a leakage current of ∼7 × 10-10 A/mm2, an on/off ratio of ∼102, an ideality factor of 1.41, and minimal hysteresis that enables alpha particle, gamma-ray, and neutron detection at a bias as low as (-5 V). Gamma discrimination is further improved by 85% by optimizing the thickness of the perovskite single crystal. The MAPbBr3/Ga2O3 diodes also demonstrate a neutron detection efficiency of ∼3.92% when combined with a 10B neutron conversion layer.

Large-Area Pulsed Laser Deposited Molybdenum Diselenide Heterojunction Photodiodes.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, such as transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), have attracted immense interest due to their excellent electronic and optical properties. The combination of single and multilayered 2D TMDs coupled with either Si or II-VI semiconductors can result in robust and reliable photodetectors. In this paper, we report the deposition process of MoSe2-layered films using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) over areas of 20 cm2 with a tunable band gap. Raman and X-ray diffraction indicates crystalline and highly oriented layered MoSe2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows Mo and Se present in the first few layers of the film. Rutherford backscattering demonstrates the effect of O and C on the surface and film/substrate interface of the deposited films. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Kelvin probe, photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrical measurements are used to investigate the band diagram and electrical property dependence as a function of MoSe2 layers/thickness. As the MoSe2 thickness increases from 3.5 to 11.4 nm, the band gap decreases from 1.98 to 1.75 eV, the work function increases from 4.52 to 4.72 eV, the ionization energy increases from 5.71 to 5.77 eV, the sheet resistance decreases from 541 to 56.0 kΩ, the contact resistance decreases from 187 to 54.6 Ω·cm2, and the transfer length increases from 2.27 to 61.9 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross-sectional images demonstrate the layered structure of the MoSe2 with an average interlayer spacing of 0.68 nm. The fabricated MoSe2-Si photodiodes demonstrate a current on/off ratio of ∼2 × 104 orders of magnification and photocurrent generation with a 22.5 ns rise time and a 190.8 ns decay time, respectively.

10B Conformal Doping for Highly Efficient Thermal Neutron Detectors.

This paper reports a simple and novel conformal doping strategy for microstructured silicon diodes using enriched 10B for sidewall doping while enabling enhanced neutron sensitivity. Monte-Carlo nuclear particle (MCNP) code simulations were initially used to calculate the neutron detection efficiency in the microstructured diodes as a function of geometry and pitch. A high-temperature anneal in 10B-filled diodes results in a conformal silicon p+ layer along the side walls of the trenches in the diodes. This results in large neutron detection areas and enhanced neutron detection efficiency when compared with planar detectors. With the method discussed here, a thermal neutron detection of ∼21% efficiency is achieved, which is significantly higher than the efficiency achieved in planar detectors (∼3.5%). The higher efficiency is enabled by the 10B acting as a source for conformal doping in the trenches, resulting in lower leakage current while also enabling neutron sensitivity in the microstructured diodes.

Controlling Carrier Type and Concentration in NiO Films To Enable in Situ PN Homojunctions.

The oxygen partial pressure during NiO deposition in reactive sputtering of a Ni target is used to control its carrier type and concentration, obtaining both n- and p-type films. Carrier concentration can be controlled, ranging from 1019 to 1014 cm-3. Films deposition is performed at 200 °C, a relatively low temperature that enables the use of glass as substrate. Experimental band diagrams for n-type NiO are obtained for the first time. Finally, a NiO homojunction is demonstrated by introducing a low carrier concentration layer in between n- and p+-type NiO layers. Layers are deposited in situ, preventing contamination and improving the interface quality, as observed by TEM. The Ni:O ratio for each layer was also obtained by analytical TEM measurements, demonstrating the impact of the oxygen partial pressure on the films' stoichiometry and the simplicity of our process to control carrier type and carrier concentration in oxide semiconductors.

Tunable Electrical and Optical Properties of Nickel Oxide (NiO x) Thin Films for Fully Transparent NiO x-Ga2O3 p-n Junction Diodes.

One of the major limitations of oxide semiconductors technology is the lack of proper p-type materials to enable devices such as pn junctions, light-emitting diodes, and photodetectors. This limitation has resulted in an increased research focus on these materials. In this work, p-type NiO x thin films with tunable optical and electrical properties as well as its dependence with oxygen pressure during pulsed laser deposition are demonstrated. The control of NiO x films resistivity ranged from ∼109 to ∼102 Ω cm, showing a p-type behavior with Eg tuning from 3.4 to 3.9 eV. Chemical composition and the resulting band diagrams are also discussed. The all-oxide NiO x-Ga2O3 pn junction showed very low leakage current, an ideality factor of ∼2, 105 on/off ratio, and 0.6 V built-in potential. Its J- V temperature dependence is also analyzed. C- V measurements demonstrate diodes with a carrier concentration of 1015 cm-3 for the Ga2O3 layer, which is fully depleted. These results show a stable, promising diode, attractive for future photoelectronic devices.

Sol-Gel PMMA-ZrO2 Hybrid Layers as Gate Dielectric for Low-Temperature ZnO-Based Thin-Film Transistors.

We report a simple sol-gel process for the deposition of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-ZrO2 organic-inorganic hybrid films at low temperature and studied their properties as a function of the molar ratios of the precursors in the hybrid sol-gel solution, which included zirconium propoxide as the inorganic (zirconia) source, methyl methacrylate as the organic source, and 3-trimethoxy-silyl-propyl-methacrylate (TMSPM) as the coupling agent to enhance the compatibility between the organic and inorganic phases. The hybrid thin-film deposition was done on glass slide substrates by the dip-coating method. After deposition, the films were heat-treated at 100 °C for 24 h. The analysis of the hybrid films included Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to identify their chemical groups and thermogravimetric analysis to determine the content of their organic and inorganic components. In addition, capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) curves in metal-insulator-metal structures, using gold as metal contacts, were measured to find the dielectric constant and leakage current of the PMMA-ZrO2 hybrid films. Finally, because of their adequate dielectric characteristics, single hybrid layers were deposited on indium tin oxide-coated glass substrates and were tested as gate dielectric in thin-film transistors (TFTs), using sputtered ZnO layers as the semiconductor active channel. We measured the output electrical response and transfer characteristics of these hybrid dielectric gate-based devices and determined their main electrical parameters as a function of the TMSPM content in the hybrid dielectric gate layer. The better TFT electrical behavior presents field effect mobility of 0.48 cm2/V s, low threshold voltage of 3.3 V, and on/off current ratio of 105, and it was obtained by using PMMA-ZrO2 with 0.3 TMSPM content as the gate dielectric layer. The values obtained for the electrical parameters show that PMMA-ZrO2 hybrid films are quite suitable for dielectric gate applications in TFTs.

Superacid Passivation of Crystalline Silicon Surfaces.

The reduction of parasitic recombination processes commonly occurring within the silicon crystal and at its surfaces is of primary importance in crystalline silicon devices, particularly in photovoltaics. Here we explore a simple, room temperature treatment, involving a nonaqueous solution of the superacid bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide, to temporarily deactivate recombination centers at the surface. We show that this treatment leads to a significant enhancement in optoelectronic properties of the silicon wafer, attaining a level of surface passivation in line with state-of-the-art dielectric passivation films. Finally, we demonstrate its advantage as a bulk lifetime and process cleanliness monitor, establishing its compatibility with large area photoluminescence imaging in the process.

Large-Area Deposition of MoS2 by Pulsed Laser Deposition with In Situ Thickness Control.

A scalable and catalyst-free method to deposit stoichiometric molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) films over large areas is reported, with the maximum area limited by the size of the substrate holder. The method allows deposition of MoS2 layers on a wide range of substrates without any additional surface preparation, including single-crystal (sapphire and quartz), polycrystalline (HfO2), and amorphous (SiO2) substrates. The films are deposited using carefully designed MoS2 targets fabricated with excess sulfur and variable MoS2 and sulfur particle size. Uniform and layered MoS2 films as thin as two monolayers, with an electrical resistivity of 1.54 × 10(4) Ω cm(-1), were achieved. The MoS2 stoichiometry was confirmed by high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. With the method reported here, in situ graded MoS2 films ranging from ∼1 to 10 monolayers can be deposited.