Ultra-Hard (41 GPa) Isotopic Pure 10BP Semiconductor Microwires for Flexible Photodetection and Pressure Sensing.

An urgent demand for electronic and optoelectronic devices able to work in extreme environments promotes a series of research studies on semiconductor materials. Cubic boron phosphide (BP) as a semiconductor material with excellent characteristics shows great application potential. However, since the synthesis conditions required are difficult to achieve and the growth mechanism of BP is still unclear, there are few reports on the basic properties of BP and pure isotope BP, resulting in a narrow understanding of their special physical properties. Here, we successfully obtained highly pure isotopic 10BP crystals by a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method unconventionally designed, which successfully overcomes the thermodynamic conflict between the high melting point of the boron element and low sublimation temperature of the phosphorus element. The 10BP achieved owns an aspect ratio as high as 104 and a hardness up to 41 GPa. Besides, as an indirect bandgap semiconductor, it has ultrawide red emission spectra, a p-type conductivity with extremely low resistivity, and excellent photoelectronic and piezoelectric characteristics. Furthermore, compared with other superhard semiconductors like cubic BN and diamond, 10BP has an obvious advantage of lower growth temperature (1200 °C). All these characteristics confirm the prospects owned by 10BP in its applications to the field of high-conductivity, optoelectronic, strain-sensing, and superhard semiconductors.

Fermi-Surface Modulation of Graphene Synergistically Enhances the Open-Circuit Voltage and Quantum Efficiency of Photovoltaic Solar-Blind Ultraviolet Detectors.

Increasing the open-circuit voltage (VOC) is of a great significance to achieve high photoelectric conversion efficiency in photovoltaic applications. Here, we present a simple NO2 doping strategy that can significantly modulate the VOC of graphene-based solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors from 0.96 to 1.84 V. The intriguing result can be demonstrated by the fact that NO2 doping lowers the Fermi surface of graphene and thus enhances quasi-Fermi level splitting of the whole device under illumination. The >103% increase of both external quantum efficiency and photoresponsivity compared to before doping is the result of a 0.88 V increase in the VOC. Our work sheds light on the forming mechanism of VOC in graphene-based photovoltaic detectors and further suggests alternative pathways to enhance the VOC of photovoltaic devices with high efficiency.

High-Pressure O2 Annealing Enhances the Crystallinity of Ultrawide-Band-Gap Sesquioxides Combined with Graphene for Vacuum-Ultraviolet Photovoltaic Detection.

(AlxGa1-x)2O3 is emerging as a promising wide-band-gap sesquioxide for vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV, 10-200 nm) photodetectors and high-power field-effect transistors. However, how the key parameters such as the band gap and crystalline phase of the (AlxGa1-x)2O3-based device vary with stoichiometry has not been explicitly defined, which is due to the unclear underlying mechanism of the Al local coordination environment. In this work, a high-pressure O2 (20 atm) annealing (HPOA) strategy that can significantly improve the crystallinity of ß-(AlxGa1-x)2O3 and achieve a tunable optical band gap was proposed, facilitating the revelation of the local structure of Al3+ varying with Al content and the kinetic mechanism of Al3+ diffusion. By combining the as-HPOA-treated single-crystalline ß-(Al0.69Ga0.31)2O3 films with p-type graphene (p-Gr), which serves as a transparent conductor, a VUV photovoltaic detector is fabricated, showing an improved photovoltage (0.80 V) and fast temporal response (2.1 µs). All of these findings provide a rewarding and important strategy for enhancing the band-gap tunability of sesquioxides, as well as the flexibility of zero-power-consumption photodetectors.

Quasiphonon polaritons.

Mid-infrared reflection spectra of c- and m-plane bulk AlN show a reststrahlen band related to the formation of phonon polaritons. However, it is worth noting that there are additional hump- and spike-shaped peaks in the spectra, which cannot be explained by the phonon-polaritons model applicable to optically isotropic crystals. Here, considering the existence of quasiphonons in wurtzite crystals, we suppose that the extra peaks result from the generation of quasiphonon polaritons (QPPs) induced by the coupling between photon and quasi-transverse optical phonon. On the basis of this point, a QPPs model applicable to optically anisotropic wurtzite crystals is developed, which successfully explains the reststrahlen band of bulk AlN. Besides, on the ground of our model, a series of reststrahlen band of bulk AlN under various configurations is also predicted and presented.

Vacuum-Ultraviolet Photon Detections.

Vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) photon detection technology is an effective means for the exploration in the field of space science (monitoring the formation and evolution of solar storms), high-energy physics (dark matter detection), large-scale scientific facility (VUV free electron lasers) and electronic industry (high-resolution lithography). The advancement of this technology mainly depends on the performance optimization of VUV photodetectors. In this review, we introduced the research progress on the typical VUV photodetectors based on scintillator, photomultiplier tube, semiconductor, and gas, with their unique advantages and optimal performance indicators in different applications summarized. In particular, during recent years, thanks to the advances in ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors, economical VUV photodetectors with low power consumption and small size have been encouragingly developed. Finally, we pointed out the remaining challenges for each type of VUV detector, with the aim of maximizing the performance in a variety of applications in the future.

Ultra-high Photovoltage (2.45 V) Forming in Graphene Heterojunction via Quasi-Fermi Level Splitting Enhanced Effect.

Owing to the fast response speed and low energy consumption, photovoltaic vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) photodetectors show prominent advantages in the field of space science, high-energy physics, and electronics industry. For photovoltaic devices, it is imperative to boost their open-circuit voltage, which is the most direct indicator to measure the photoelectric conversion capability. In this report, a quasi-Fermi level splitting enhanced effect under illumination, benefiting from the variable Fermi level of graphene, is proposed to significantly increase the potential difference up to 2.45 V between the two ends of p-Gr/i-AlN/n-SiC heterojunction photovoltaic device. In addition, the highest external quantum efficiency of 56.1% (under the VUV irradiation of 172 nm) at 0 V bias and the ultra-fast photoresponse of 45 ns further demonstrate the superiority of high-open-circuit-voltage devices. The proposed device design strategy and the adopted effect provide a referential way for the construction of various photovoltaic devices.