Academic literature on the topic 'Cadmium-free semiconductors'

We calculate Fermi level position in bulk HgCdTe with cadmium fraction from 19 to 22% as a function of temperature for different concentrations of mercury vacancies forming double-charged acceptors with ionization energies of 11 and 21 meV for neutral and singly charged states respectively. The concentration of free carriers in the bands at different temperatures and the proportion of acceptor centres in different charge states are calculated as well. The results explain the fast temperature quenching of photoconductivity involving the vacancies states. It is also shown that in a p-type material conductivity dependence on temperature includes an exponential growth region with a characteristic energy much greater than a half of the bandgap at zero temperature expected for an intrinsic semiconductor. Keywords: narrow-gap semiconductors, HgCdTe, Fermi level, doubly charged acceptors.

Indium-based chalcogenide semiconductors have been served as the promising candidates for solar H2 evolution reaction, however, the related studies are still in its infancy and the enhancement of efficiency remains a grand challenge. Here, we report that the photocatalytic H2 evolution activity of quantized indium chalcogenide semiconductors could be dramatically aroused by the co-decoration of transition metal Zn and Cu. Different from the traditional metal ion doping strategies which only focus on narrowing bandgap for robust visible light harvesting, the conduction and valence band are coordinately regulated to realize the bandgap narrowing and the raising of thermodynamic driving force for proton reduction, simultaneously. Therefore, the as-prepared noble metal-free Cu0.4-ZnIn2S4 quantum dots (QDs) exhibits extraordinary activity for photocatalytic H2 evolution. Under optimal conditions, the Cu0.4-ZnIn2S4 QDs could produce H2 with the rate of 144.4 μmol h−1 mg−1, 480-fold and 6-fold higher than that of pristine In2S3 QDs and Cu-doped In2S3 QDs counterparts respectively, which is even comparable with the state-of-the-art cadmium chalcogenides QDs.

The Q1D system formed by magnetically confined system is attracting attention of researchers in device application because it is capable of over-looking the various techniques of fabrication difficulties and defects created by such fabrication techniques. In the presence of a high magnetic field, the transverse component of the energy dispersion relation gets quantized into various equally spaced energy levels called Landau levels and the motion of the carriers is completely restricted. However, the longitudinal component along the field is still free to move. The mobility of such system is enhanced when a low effective mass semiconductors n-HgCdTe (Mercury Cadmium Telluride) is used. The band structure of n-HgCdTe is found to be nonparabolic due to its low band gap according to Kane [Phadke and Sharma, 1975]. Recent publications, based on experimental verifications of transport coefficient of n-HgCdTe of Chen and Sher [Chen and Sher, 1982] show that the band structure of Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) is more hyperbolic in nature rather than nonparabolic. The author has compared the effect of band structures on the various transport properties of MCT such as mobility, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, figure of merit (Z) etc. The figure of merit is a very important property of a material to be used in thermoelectric devices, such as cooler, refrigerator etc. The product of Z and temperature i.e. (ZT), a dimensionless quantity is found to be maximum for parabolic band structure and is followed by nonparabolic and hyperbolic band structures for all ranges of variation of temperature as well as magnetic field. Taking the hyperbolic band structure of MCT, the effect of high and low temperature scattering mechanisms on ZT is also observed. BIBECHANA 17 (2020) 34-41

The first atmospheric window of 3–5 μm in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral range pertains to crucial application fields, with particular scientific and technological importance. However, conventional narrow-bandgap semiconductors operating at this band, represented by mercury cadmium telluride and indium antimonide, suffer from limited specific detectivity at room temperature and hindered optoelectronic integration. In this study, a plasmonic hot electron-empowered MIR photodetector based on Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/bi-layer graphene heterostructure is demonstrated. Free electrons oscillate coherently in AZO disk arrays, resulting in strong localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the MIR region. The photoelectric conversion efficiency at 3–5 μm is significantly improved due to plasmon-induced hot-electron extraction and LSPR-enhanced light absorption. The specific detectivity reaches about 1.4 × 1011 Jones and responsivity is up to 4712.3 A/W at wavelength of 3 μm at room temperature. The device’s specific detectivity is among the highest performance of commercial state-of-the-art photodetectors and superior to most of the other 2D materials based photodetectors in the MIR region. These results demonstrate that a plasmonic heavily doped metal oxides/2D material heterostructure is a suitable architecture for constructing highly sensitive room-temperature MIR photodetectors.

Renewable energy is increasingly viewed as critically important globally. Solar cells convert the energy of the sun into electricity. The method of converting solar energy to electricity is pollution free, and appears a good practical solution to the global energy problems. Energy policies have pushed for different technologies to decrease pollutant emissions and reduce global climate change. Photovoltaic technology, which utilizes sunlight to generate energy, is an attractive alternate energy source because it is renewable, harmless and domestically secure. Transparent conducting metal oxides, being n-type were used extensively in the production of heterojunction cells using p-type Cu 2 O . The long held consensus is that the best approach to improve cell efficiency in Cu 2 O -based photovoltaic devices is to achieve both p- and n-type Cu 2 O and thus p-n homojunction of Cu 2 O solar cells. Silicon, which, next to oxygen, is the most represented element in the earth's crust, is used for the production of monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Silicon is easily obtained and processed and it is not toxic and does not form compounds that would be environmentally harmful. In contemporary electronic industry silicon is the main semiconducting element. Thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells are the basis of a significant technology with major commercial impact on solar energy production. Polycrystalline thin-film solar cells such as CuInSe 2 (CIS), Cu (In, Ga) Se 2 (CIGS) and CdTe compound semiconductors are important for terrestrial applications because of their high efficiency, long-term stable performance and potential for low-cost production. Highest record efficiencies of 19.2% for CIGS and 16.5% for CdTe have been achieved.

Being able to differentiate surface from bulk defects on devices requires the use of complimentary characterization tools. In this article, we show how light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry provides complimentary information about the surface and sub-surface composition, topography, and microstructure of a semiconductor device.To create a gamma-ray spectroscopy detector, electrical contacts consisting of a blanket coated cathode and a pixilated anode can be deposited directly on opposite faces of a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) crystal. The contact metallization must adhere to the surfaces, and the streets between adjacent anode pads must be free of residual metal and contaminants to avoid excessive interpixel leakage currents. The analysis reported below was used to validate the structure and composition of the contact metal stack and to characterize the streets of the anode pad array.

Un montage utilisant des cuvettes et des lasers UV et bleu comme sources de lumière a été construit pour effectuer la photodéposition de nanodots métalliques (NDs) sur des nanoparticules (NPs) de TiO2 et des nano-hétérostructures de type Janus de Cu2-xS-CuInS2 en solution aqueuse et organique respectivement. Trois types de NDs métalliques différents, à savoir Au, Ag, Pd, sont introduits en surface des NPs de TiO2, et des NDs d'Au sont déposés sur Cu2-xS-CuInS2. Plusieurs techniques, dont le TEM/HRTEM, la cartographie EDS et la spectroscopie UV-vis, sont utilisées pour caractériser la taille, la morphologie et la distribution des NDs métalliques. Les nanohétérodimères (NHDs) Au-TiO2 sont synthétisés avec succès ; un rendement de NHDs Au-TiO2 proche de 100% est obtenu en gérant la concentration des NPs TiO2 et du précurseur d'or. En particulier, le mécanisme d'adsorption du méthanol et du précurseur d'or sur le TiO2 pendant la photodéposition est étudié. En comparant les données expérimentales obtenues dans des microcanaux et des cuvettes, le modèle établi décrit le processus dynamique global de la croissance des NDs d'Au sur le TiO2, de la loi de croissance en t 1/3 à l'achèvement. La taille finale des NDs d’Au peut être prédite avec précision par le modèle, en particulier la fin de la croissance. De plus, des NPs d'Ag et de Pd d'autres métaux ont été déposées sur la surface de TiO2, et des NHDs d'Ag-TiO2 et de Pd-TiO2 ont également été synthétisés. Les effets du piégeur de trous, de la puissance du laser et du temps d'exposition sur la taille et la distribution des NDs métalliques sont étudiés. De plus, la croissance des NDs d'Ag et de Pd suit le modèle proposé pour la croissance de l'Au. Le projet est étendu à la photodéposition de NDs bimétalliques cœur-coquille où Au, Ag et Pd sont introduits sur des NHDs Au-TiO2 par une seconde étape de photodéposition, formant une structure cœur-coquille à la surface des NPs TiO2. Pour le système Au@Au core@shell, la coquille d'Au peut être contrôlée avec précision en faisant varier la concentration du précurseur d'or ; la taille et l'épaisseur du cœur et de la coquille d'Au correspondent à nos attentes. Pour le système Au@Ag, la coquille d'Ag obtenue est limitée à environ 1 nm d'épaisseur, ce qui résulte de la faible électronégativité de l'Ag (1,9) par rapport à l'Au (2,4). Pour le système Au@Pd, le Pd présente une croissance non isotrope sur le cœur d'Au, ce qui entraîne une coquille de Pd non uniforme en raison de l'important décalage de réseau entre Au et Pd. Enfin, des NDs d'Au sont introduits sur des hétéro-nanorods de Cu2-xS-CuInS2 par photodéposition dans le toluène avec un laser bleu. La nucléation et la croissance des Au NDs sont étudiées et la distribution géométrique (i.e., le nombre et la distribution) des Au NDs, ainsi que leurs tailles en réglant la puissance du laser, le temps d'exposition, les piégeurs de trous et la concentration des précurseurs
Cuvette setup with UV and blue laser as light sources are built to perform photodeposition of metals nanodots (NDs) onto TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and Janus-typed Cu2-xS-CuInS2 nano-heterostructures in aqueous and organic solution respectively. Three different metal NDs, i.e., Au, Ag, Pd, are introduced on the surface of TiO2 NPs, and Au NDs are deposited on Cu2-xS/CuInS2. Several techniques, including TEM/HRTEM, EDS mapping, and UV-vis spectroscopy, are performed to characterize the size, morphology, and distribution of the metal NDs. Au-TiO2 nanoheterodimers (NHDs)are successfully synthesized and a close to 100% yield of Au-TiO2 NHDs is achieved by managing the concentration of TiO2 NPs and gold precursor.Especially, the adsorption mechanism of methanol and gold precursor on TiO2 during photodeposition is investigated. By comparing the experimental data obtained in microchannels and cuvette setups, the established model describes the overall dynamic process of Au ND growth on TiO2 from 1/3 growth state to completion. The final size of Au NDs can be accurately predicted by the model in particular the growth completion. In addition, other metal Ag and Pd NPs were deposited on the surface of TiO2, and Ag-TiO2 and Pd-TiO2 NHDs are also synthesized. The effects of the hole scavenger,laser power, and exposure time on the size, and distribution of metal NDs are investigated. Moreover, the growths of Ag and Pd NDs both follow the proposed model for Au growth. The project is extended to bimetallic core-shell NDs photodeposition and Au, Ag and Pd are introduced on Au-TiO2 NHDs by a second step photodeposition, forming a core-shell structure on the surface of TiO2 NPs. For the Au@Au core@shell, the Au shell can be precisely controlled by varying the gold precursor concentration and the size and thickness of the Au core and shell pretty much fit our expectations.For the Au@Ag system, the Ag shell obtained is limited to around 1 nm thickness which results from the low electronegativity of Ag (1.9) compared to other Au (2.4). For the Au@Pd system, Pd shows a non-isotropic growth on the Au core resulting in a nonuniform Pd shell due to the big lattice mismatch between Au and Pd. Finally, Au NDs are introduced onto Cu2-xS/CuInS2 heteronanorods by photodeposition in toluene with a blue laser.The nucleation and growth of Au NDs are studied and the geometric distribution (e.g., number and location) of Au NDs, as well as their sizes, can be well controlled by tuning laser power, exposure time, hole scavengers, and precursors concentration

Les Quantum Dots (QDs) sont des particules cristallines de semi-conducteur ou du métal de forme sphérique et de dimension nanométrique. L'intérêt majeur des QDs réside dans leur grande adaptabilité à de nombreuses applications biologiques.Le but de mon travail était de développer une nouvelle classe de QDs de faible toxicité afin de les utiliser pour la bio-imagerie des cellules cancéreuses. Pour cela, il est nécessaire de préparer des sondes hydrosolubles, photostables, biocompatibles, de luminescence élevée et possédant une faible toxicité. La synthèse des cœurs de type ZnS and ZnSe dopés au manganèse ou au cuivre et stabilisés par l’acide 3-mercapropropionique ou par le 1-thioglycérol a été réalisée par la voie hydrothermale. Les techniques analytiques de caractérisation utilisées sont la spectroscopie UV-visible, la spectroscopie de fluorescence, la diffraction des rayons X (XRD), la spectroscopie photoélectronique de rayon X (XPS), la microscopie électronique à transmission (TEM), la diffusion dynamique de la lumière DLS, la spectroscopie infra-rouge (IR), et la résonance paraélectronique (RPE). La toxicité des QDs a été déterminée sur des cellules cancéreuses. Les différents test de cytotoxicité (MTT, XTT et ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange) ont été réalisés. Finalement, les QDs de type ZnS:Mn conjugués à l’acide folique ont été utilisés pour la bio-imagerie des cellules cancéreuses par le biais d’une excitation biphotonique
Semiconductor QDs are tiny light-emitting crystals, and are emerging as a new class of fluorescent labels for medicine and biology. The aim of this work was to develop a new class of non-toxic QDs probes with essential attributes such as water dispersibility, photostability, biocompatibility, high luminescence and possible excitation with low-energy visible light, using simple processing method. Such nanoprobes could be used for bio-imaging of cancer cells. In the performed studies, I focused on ZnS and ZnSe QDs as they are cadmium-free and might be excited biphotonically.The synthesis protocols of ZnS and ZnSe QDs doped with two ions such as Mn or Cu and stabilized by 3-mercaptopropionic acid or 1-thioglycerol were established, followed by NCs characterization (diameter, surface charge, photophysical properties, …) using analytical techniques such as spectrophotometry UV-vis, fluorimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), infra-red analysis (FT-IR), thin layer chromatography (TLC) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The cytotoxicity of synthesized bare and conjugated NPs was evaluated on cancer cell lines using MTT, XTT and ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange assay.Finally, chosen well fluorescent and weakly toxic types of as-prepared and characterized QDs were used for bio-imaging of cancer cells. In these experiments, FA-functionalized NCs were excited biphotonically. The performed experiments showed the potential of QDs as cancer cells fluorescent markers and that they accumulate around the cell nuclei

Depuis leurs découvertes dans les années 1980, les quantum dots ou nanocristaux fluorescents de matériaux semi-conducteurs ont attiré beaucoup d’attention grâce à leurs propriétés photophysiques exceptionnelles facilement modulables en fonction de leurs tailles et leurs compositions. Premiers à être découverts, les quantum dots binaires comme le CdS, CdSe, et PbS sont les plus étudiés pour les applications optoélectroniques comme dans les LEDs ou le photovoltaïque. Il faudra attendre jusqu’à 1998 pour démontrer les premières applications biomédicales des QDs de CdSe/CdS et CdSe/ZnS utilisés in vitro en tant que sondes biologiques. Bien que ces QDs présentent d’excellentes propriétés optoélectroniques, ils contiennent des métaux lourds très toxiques. La toxicité de ces composés binaires a été démontrée autant sur les cellules (cytotoxicité) que sur l’ADN (génotoxicité). Leur application dans les composants électroniques est restreinte par la directive européenne RoHS (Restrictions of hazardous substances). Il est donc nécessaire de remplacer ces métaux lourds toxiques par des éléments moins toxiques ou non-toxiques si l’on souhaite développer des sondes biocompatibles. Les quantum dots ternaires contenant du cuivre (CuInS2) ou de l’argent (AgInS2) ainsi que le composé binaire Ag2S sont des alternatives prometteuses qui permettent de couvrir des gammes d’émission allant du visible à l’infrarouge. Cette thèse décrit des méthodes de synthèse permettant d’obtenir des quantum dots de CuInS2, AgInS2 (émission visible) et Ag2S (émission infrarouge) dans l’eau et les possibles application de ces composés comme sondes biologiques et pour l’imagerie biomédicale
Since their discovery in the 1980s, quantum dots or fluorescent nanocrystals of semiconductor materials have attracted a lot of attention thanks to their exceptional photophysical properties easily scalable according to their sizes and compositions. First to be discovered, binary quantum dots like CdS, CdSe, and PbS are the most studied for potential optoelectronic applications in LEDs or photovoltaics. It was not until 1998 that the the first biomedical applications of CdSe/CdS and CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots were used in vitro as biological probes. Although these QDs have excellent optoelectronic properties, they contain very toxic heavy metals. The toxicity of these binary compounds has been demonstrated both on cells (cytotoxicity) and on DNA (genotoxicity). Their application in electronic components is restricted by the European directive RoHS (Restrictions of hazardous substances). It is therefore necessary to replace these toxic heavy metals with less toxic or non-toxic elements if they are to be used biological probes. Ternary quantum dots containing copper (CuInS2) or silver (AgInS2) as well as the binary compound Ag2S are promising alternatives that can cover emission ranges from the visible to the infrared region. This thesis describes synthesis methods devised to obtain quantum dots of CuInS2, AgInS2 (visible emission) and Ag2S (infrared emission) directly in water and the possible applications of these compounds as biological probes and for biomedical imaging

CdS is conventionally used as a buffer layer in Cu(In,Ga)Se2, CIGS, solar cells. The aim of this thesis is to substitute CdS with cadmium-free, more transparent and environmentally benign alternative buffer layers and to analyze how the material properties of alternative layers affect the solar cell performance. The alternative buffer layers have been deposited using Atomic Layer Deposition, ALD. A theoretical explanation for the success of CdS is that its conduction band, Ec, forms a small positive offset with that of CIGS. In one of the studies in this thesis the theory is tested experimentally by changing both the Ec position of the CIGS and of Zn(O,S) buffer layers through changing their gallium and sulfur contents respectively. Surprisingly, the top performing solar cells for all gallium contents have Zn(O,S) buffer layers with the same sulfur content and properties in spite of predicted unfavorable Ec offsets. An explanation is proposed based on observed non-homogenous composition in the buffer layer. This thesis also shows that the solar cell performance is strongly related to the resistivity of alternative buffer layers made of (Zn,Mg)O. A tentative explanation is that a high resistivity reduces the influence of shunt paths at the buffer layer/absorber interface. For devices in operation however, it seems beneficial to induce persistent photoconductivity, by light soaking, which can reduce the effective Ec barrier at the interface and thereby improve the fill factor of the solar cells. Zn-Sn-O is introduced as a new buffer layer in this thesis. The initial studies show that solar cells with Zn-Sn-O buffer layers have comparable performance to the CdS reference devices. While an intrinsic ZnO layer is required for a high reproducibility and performance of solar cells with CdS buffer layers it is shown in this thesis that it can be thinned if Zn(O,S) or omitted if (Zn,Mg)O buffer layers are used instead. As a result, a top conversion efficiency of 18.1 % was achieved with an (Zn,Mg)O buffer layer, a record for a cadmium and sulfur free CIGS solar cell.
Felaktigt tryckt som Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 717