Periodic Ferroelectric Stripe Domains in α-In2Se3 Nanoflakes Grown via Reverse-Flow Chemical Vapor Deposition.

The two-dimensional (2D) layered semiconductor α-In2Se3 has aroused great interest in atomic-scale ferroelectric transistors, artificial synapses, and nonvolatile memory devices due to its distinguished 2D ferroelectric properties. We have synthesized α-In2Se3 nanosheets with rare in-plane ferroelectric stripe domains at room temperature on mica substrates using a reverse flow chemical vapor deposition (RFCVD) method and optimized growth parameters. This stripe domain contrast is found to be strongly correlated to the stacking of layers, and the interrelated out-of-plane (OOP) and in-plane (IP) polarization can be manipulated by mapping the artificial domain structure. The acquisition of amplitude and phase hysteresis loops confirms the OOP polarization ferroelectric property. The emergence of striped domains enriches the variety of the ferroelectric structure types and novel properties of 2D In2Se3. This work paves a new way for the controllable growth of van der Waals ferroelectrics and facilitates the development of novel ferroelectric memory device applications.

A zwitterionic polymer as an interfacial layer for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells.

Perovskite solar cells have been rapidly developed in the past ten years. It was demonstrated that the interfacial layer plays an important role in device performance of perovskite solar cells. In this study, we report utilization of a photoinitiation-crosslinked zwitterionic polymer, namely dextran with carboxybetaine modified by methacrylate (Dex-CB-MA), as an interfacial layer to improve the film morphology of the CH3NH3PbI3 photoactive layer and the interfacial contact between the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hole extraction layer and CH3NH3PbI3 photoactive layer. It is found that the Dex-CB-MA thin layer forms a better band alignment between the PEDOT:PSS hole extraction layer and CH3NH3PbI3 photoactive layer, and improves the crystallization of the CH3NH3PbI3 photoactive layer, resulting in efficient charge carrier transport. As a result, perovskite solar cells with the PEDOT:PSS/Dex-CB-MA hole extraction layer exhibit more than 30% enhancement in efficiency and dramatically boosted stability as compared with that with the PEDOT:PSS hole extraction layer. Our studies provide an effective and facile way to fabricate stable perovskite solar cells with high power conversion efficiency.

Impacts of Defocusing Amount and Molten Pool Boundaries on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Selective Laser Melted AlSi10Mg.

The influences of processing parameters such as volumetric energy density (ε) and, particularly, defocusing amount (DA) on densification, microstructure, tensile property, and hardness of the as-printed dense AlSi10Mg alloy by selective laser melting (SLM) were studied systematically. The molten pool boundaries (MPBs) were found overwhelmingly at regular and complex spatial topological structures affected by DA value to exist in two forms, while the "layer⁻layer" MPB overlay mutually and the "track⁻track" MPBs intersect to form acute angles with each other. The microstructure of MPBs exhibits a coarse grain zone near the MPBs and the characteristics of segregation of nonmetallic elements (O, Si) where the crack easily happened. The DA value (-2 to 2 mm) affected both the density and the tensile mechanical properties. High tensile strength (456 ± 14 MPa) and good tensile ductility (9.5 ± 1.4%) were achieved in the as-printed condition corresponding to DA = 0.5 mm. The tensile fracture surface features were analyzed and correlated to the influence of the DA values.