Two-dimensional silicon nanomaterials for optoelectronics

Silicon nanomaterials have been of immense interest in the last few decades due to their remarkable optoelectronic responses,elemental abundance,and higher biocompatibility.Two-dimensional silicon is one of the new allotropes of silicon and has many compelling properties such as quantum-confined photoluminescence,high charge carrier mobilities,anisotropic electronic and magnetic response,and non-linear optical properties.This review summarizes the recent advances in the synthesis of two-dimensional silicon nanomaterials with a range of structures(silicene,silicane,and multilayered silicon),surface ligand engineering,and corresponding optoelectronic applications.

Optoelectronic Synapses Based on MXene/Violet Phosphorus van der Waals Heterojunctions for Visual‑Olfactory Crossmodal Perception

The crossmodal interaction of different senses,which is an important basis for learning and memory in the human brain,is highly desired to be mimicked at the device level for developing neuromorphic crossmodal perception,but related researches are scarce.Here,we demonstrate an optoelectronic synapse for vision-olfactory crossmodal perception based on MXene/violet phosphorus(VP)van der Waals heterojunctions.Benefiting from the efficient separation and transport of photogenerated carriers facilitated by conductive MXene,the photoelectric responsivity of VP is dramatically enhanced by 7 orders of magnitude,reaching up to 7.7 A W^(−1).Excited by ultraviolet light,multiple synaptic functions,including excitatory postsynaptic currents,pairedpulse facilitation,short/long-term plasticity and“learning-experience”behavior,were demonstrated with a low power consumption.Furthermore,the proposed optoelectronic synapse exhibits distinct synaptic behaviors in different gas environments,enabling it to simulate the interaction of visual and olfactory information for crossmodal perception.This work demonstrates the great potential of VP in optoelectronics and provides a promising platform for applications such as virtual reality and neurorobotics.

Progress of Si-based Optoelectronic Devices

Si-based optoelectronics is becoming a very active research area due to its potential applications to optical communications.One of the major goals of this study is to realize all-Si optoelectronic integrated circuit.This is due to the fact that Si-based optoelectronic technology can be compatible with Si microelectronic technology.If Si-based optoelectronic devices and integrated circuits can be achieved,it will lead to a new informational technological revolution.In the article,the current developments of this exciting field are mainly reviewed in the recent years.The involved contents are the realization of various Si-based optoelectronic devices,such as light-emitting diodes,optical waveguides devices,Si photonic bandgap crystals,and Si laser,etc.Finally,the developed tendency of all-Si optoelectronic integrated technology are predicted in the near future.

Tailoring Classical Conditioning Behavior in TiO_(2) Nanowires:ZnO QDs-Based Optoelectronic Memristors for Neuromorphic Hardware

Neuromorphic hardware equipped with associative learn-ing capabilities presents fascinating applications in the next generation of artificial intelligence.However,research into synaptic devices exhibiting complex associative learning behaviors is still nascent.Here,an optoelec-tronic memristor based on Ag/TiO_(2) Nanowires:ZnO Quantum dots/FTO was proposed and constructed to emulate the biological associative learning behaviors.Effective implementation of synaptic behaviors,including long and short-term plasticity,and learning-forgetting-relearning behaviors,were achieved in the device through the application of light and electrical stimuli.Leveraging the optoelectronic co-modulated characteristics,a simulation of neuromorphic computing was conducted,resulting in a handwriting digit recognition accuracy of 88.9%.Furthermore,a 3×7 memristor array was constructed,confirming its application in artificial visual memory.Most importantly,complex biological associative learning behaviors were emulated by mapping the light and electrical stimuli into conditioned and unconditioned stimuli,respectively.After training through associative pairs,reflexes could be triggered solely using light stimuli.Comprehen-sively,under specific optoelectronic signal applications,the four features of classical conditioning,namely acquisition,extinction,recovery,and generalization,were elegantly emulated.This work provides an optoelectronic memristor with associative behavior capabilities,offering a pathway for advancing brain-machine interfaces,autonomous robots,and machine self-learning in the future.

Low-cost and stable SFX-based semiconductor materials in organic optoelectronics

In the progress of realizing the commercialization of organic optoelectronic materials,the four basic coherent factors are stability,cost,performance,and processability,all which determine the results of device applications.Spiro[fluorene-9,9′-xanthene](SFX)has been becoming the robust building-block that fulfilling the practical requirements due to its key features of non-planarity,one-pot facile availability,well-defined quality assurance as well as performance behaviors.In this review,we introduce the SFX and its analogues,including synthesis,molecular design,device performance,and structure-property relationship,in the applications of organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs),organic photovoltaics,perovskite solar cells(PSCs)and others.Furthermore,emitters or hosts for OLED and hole transport materials for PSCs are highlighted at the level of molecular configuration and film morphology.Tracing the thread from intrinsic photoelectric properties,molecular packing to optoelectronic application,the advantage of stability and low-cost of SFX-based materials are illuminated,and an outlook is given providing orientation for bring SFX into the fields of catalysis and energy chemistry in view of its binary conjugation and three-dimensional configuration.

Two-Dimensional Metal-Halide Perovskite-based Optoelectronics: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications

In the past decade, metal-halide perovskites have attracted increasing attention in optoelectronics, due to their superior optoelectronic properties.However, inherent instabilities of conventional three-dimensional(3D)perovskites over moisture, heat, and light remain a severe challenge before the realization of commercial application of metal-halide perovskites.Interestingly, when the dimensions of metal-halide perovskites are reduced to two dimensions(2D), many of the novel properties will arise, such as enlarged bandgap, high photoluminescence quantum yield, and large exciton binding energy. As a result, 2D metal-halide perovskite-based optoelectronic devices display excellent performance, particularly as ambient stable solar cells with excellent power conversion efficiency(PCE), high-performance light-emitting diodes(LEDs) with sharp emission peak, and high-sensitive photodetectors. In this review, we first introduce the synthesis, structure,and physical properties of 2D perovskites. Then, the 2D perovskite-based solar cells, LEDs, and photodetectors are discussed. Finally, a brief overview of the opportunities and challenges for 2D perovskite optoelectronics is presented.

Recent Advances in Strain-Induced Piezoelectric and Piezoresistive Effect-Engineered 2D Semiconductors for Adaptive Electronics and Optoelectronics

The development of two-dimensional(2D)semiconductors has attracted widespread attentions in the scientific community and industry due to their ultra-thin thickness,unique structure,excellent optoelectronic properties and novel physics.The excellent flexibility and outstanding mechanical strength of 2D semiconductors provide opportunities for fabricated strain-sensitive devices and utilized strain tuning their electronic and optic–electric performance.The strain-engineered one-dimensional materials have been well investigated,while there is a long way to go for 2D semiconductors.In this review,starting with the fundamental theories of piezoelectric and piezoresistive effect resulted by strain,following we reviewed the recent simulation works of strain engineering in novel 2D semiconductors,such as Janus 2D and 2D-Xene structures.Moreover,recent advances in experimental observation of strain tuning PL spectra and transport behavior of 2D semiconductors are summarized.Furthermore,the applications of strain-engineered 2D semiconductors in sensors,photodetectors and nanogenerators are also highlighted.At last,we in-depth discussed future research directions of strain-engineered 2D semiconductor and related electronics and optoelectronics device applications.

Recycling waste crystalline-silicon solar cells: Application as high performance Si-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Recycling useful materials such as Ag, Al, Sn, Cu and Si from waste silicon solar cell chips is a sustainable project to slow down the ever-growing amount of waste crystalline-silicon photovoltaic panels. However, the recovery cost of the above-mentioned materials from silicon chips via acid-alkaline treatments outweights the gain economically.Herein, we propose a new proof-of-concept to fabricate Si-based anodes with waste silicon chips as raw materials.Nanoparticles from waste silicon chips were prepared with the high-energy ball milling followed by introducing carbon nanotubes and N-doped carbon into the nanoparticles, which amplifies the electrochemical properties. It is explored that Al and Ag elements influenced electrochemical performance respectively. The results showed that the Al metal in the composite possesses an adverse impact on the electrochemical performance. After removing Al, the composite was confirmed to possess a pronounced durable cycling property due to the presence of Ag, resulting in significantly more superior property than the composite having both Al and Ag removed.

Flexible electronics and optoelectronics of 2D van der Waals materials

Flexible electronics and optoelectronics exhibit inevitable trends in next-generation intelligent industries,including healthcare and wellness,electronic skins,the automotive industry,and foldable or rollable displays.Traditional bulk-material-based flexible devices considerably rely on lattice-matched crystal structures and are usually plagued by unavoidable chemical disorders at the interface.Two-dimensional van der Waals materials(2D VdWMs)have exceptional multifunctional properties,including large specific area,dangling-bond-free interface,plane-to-plane van der Waals interactions,and excellent mechanical,electrical,and optical properties.Thus,2D VdWMs have considerable application potential in functional intelligent flexible devices.To utilize the unique properties of 2D VdWMs and their van der Waals heterostructures,new designs and configurations of electronics and optoelectronics have emerged.However,these new designs and configurations do not consider lattice mismatch and process incompatibility issues.In this review,we summarized the recently reported 2D VdWM-based flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices with various functions thoroughly.Moreover,we identified the challenges and opportunities for further applications of 2D VdWM-based flexible electronics and optoelectronics.

High-throughput computational material screening of the cycloalkane-based two-dimensional Dion–Jacobson halide perovskites for optoelectronics

Two-dimensional(2D) layered perovskites have emerged as potential alternates to traditional three-dimensional(3D)analogs to solve the stability issue of perovskite solar cells. In recent years, many efforts have been spent on manipulating the interlayer organic spacing cation to improve the photovoltaic properties of Dion–Jacobson(DJ) perovskites. In this work, a serious of cycloalkane(CA) molecules were selected as the organic spacing cation in 2D DJ perovskites, which can widely manipulate the optoelectronic properties of the DJ perovskites. The underlying relationship between the CA interlayer molecules and the crystal structures, thermodynamic stabilities, and electronic properties of 58 DJ perovskites has been investigated by using automatic high-throughput workflow cooperated with density-functional(DFT) calculations.We found that these CA-based DJ perovskites are all thermodynamic stable. The sizes of the cycloalkane molecules can influence the degree of inorganic framework distortion and further tune the bandgaps with a wide range of 0.9–2.1 eV.These findings indicate the cycloalkane molecules are suitable as spacing cation in 2D DJ perovskites and provide a useful guidance in designing novel 2D DJ perovskites for optoelectronic applications.

Manufacturing of graphene based synaptic devices for optoelectronic applications

Neuromorphic computing systems can perform memory and computing tasks in parallel on artificial synaptic devices through simulating synaptic functions,which is promising for breaking the conventional von Neumann bottlenecks at hardware level.Artificial optoelectronic synapses enable the synergistic coupling between optical and electrical signals in synaptic modulation,which opens up an innovative path for effective neuromorphic systems.With the advantages of high mobility,optical transparency,ultrawideband tunability,and environmental stability,graphene has attracted tremendous interest for electronic and optoelectronic applications.Recent progress highlights the significance of implementing graphene into artificial synaptic devices.Herein,to better understand the potential of graphene-based synaptic devices,the fabrication technologies of graphene are first presented.Then,the roles of graphene in various synaptic devices are demonstrated.Furthermore,their typical optoelectronic applications in neuromorphic systems are reviewed.Finally,outlooks for development of synaptic devices based on graphene are proposed.This review will provide a comprehensive understanding of graphene fabrication technologies and graphene-based synaptic device for optoelectronic applications,also present an outlook for development of graphene-based synaptic device in future neuromorphic systems.

Organic optoelectronics:materials,devices and applications

The interest in organic materials for optoelectronic devices has been growing rapidly in the last two decades. This growth has been propelled by the exciting advances in organic thin films for displays, low-cost electronic circuits, etc. An increasing number of products employing organic electronic devices have become commercialized, which has stimulated the age of organic optoelectronics. This paper reviews the recent progress in organic optoelectronic technology. First, organic light emitting electroluminescent materials are introduced. Next, the three kinds of most important organic optoelectronic devices are summarized, including light emitting diode, organic photovoltaic cell, and photodetectors. The various applications of these devices are also reviewed and discussed in detail. Finally, the market and future development of optoelectronic devices are also demonstrated.

Preparation and promising optoelectronic applications of lead halide perovskite patterned structures:A review

Lead halide perovskites have received considerable attention from researchers over the past several years due to their superior optical and optoelectronic properties,because of which they can be a versatile platform for fundamental science research and applications.Patterned structures based on lead halide perovskites have much more novel properties compared with their more commonly seen bulk-,micro-,and nano-crystals,such as improvement in antireflection,light-scattering effects,and light absorption,as a result of their adjustability of spatial distributions.However,there are many challenges yet to be resolved in this field,such as insufficient patterned resolution,imperfect crystal quality,complicated preparation process,and so on.To pave the way to solve these problems,we provide a systematic presentation of current methods for fabricating lead halide perovskite patterned structures,including thermal imprint,use of etching films,two-step vapor-phase growth,template-confined solution growth,and seed-assisted growth.Furthermore,the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are elaborated in detail.In addition,thanks to the extraordinary properties of lead halide perovskite patterned structures,a variety of potential applications in optics and optoelectronics of these structures are described.Lastly,we put forward existing challenges and prospects in this exciting field.

Organic Optoelectronic Synapses for Sound Perception

The neuromorphic systems for sound perception is under highly demanding for the future bioinspired electronics and humanoid robots.However,the sound perception based on volume,tone and timbre remains unknown.Herein,organic optoelectronic synapses(OOSs)are constructed for unprecedented sound recognition.The volume,tone and timbre of sound can be regulated appropriately by the input signal of voltages,frequencies and light intensities of OOSs,according to the amplitude,frequency,and waveform of the sound.The quantitative relation between recognition factor(ζ)and postsynaptic current(I=I_(light)−I_(dark))is established to achieve sound perception.Interestingly,the bell sound for University of Chinese Academy of Sciences is recognized with an accuracy of 99.8%.The mechanism studies reveal that the impedance of the interfacial layers play a critical role in the synaptic performances.This contribution presents unprecedented artificial synapses for sound perception at hardware levels.

Patterning of Metal Halide Perovskite Thin Films and Functional Layers for Optoelectronic Applications

In recent years,metal halide perovskites have received significant attention as materials for next-generation optoelectronic devices owing to their excellent optoelectronic properties.The unprecedented rapid evolution in the device performance has been achieved by gaining an advanced understanding of the composition,crystal growth,and defect engineering of perovskites.As device performances approach their theoretical limits,effective optical management becomes essential for achieving higher efficiency.In this review,we discuss the status and perspectives of nano to micron-scale patterning methods for the optical management of perovskite optoelectronic devices.We initially discuss the importance of effective light harvesting and light outcoupling via optical management.Subsequently,the recent progress in various patterning/texturing techniques applied to perovskite optoelectronic devices is summarized by categorizing them into top-down and bottom-up methods.Finally,we discuss the perspectives of advanced patterning/texturing technologies for the development and commercialization of perovskite optoelectronic devices.

The n-type Si-based materials applied on the front surface of IBC-SHJ solar cells

Interdigitated back contact silicon hetero-junction(IBC-SHJ) solar cells exhibit excellent performance owing to the IBC and SHJ structures.The front surface field(FSF) layer composed of electric field passivation and chemical passivation has been proved to play an important role in IBC-SHJ solar cells.The electric field passivated layer n^+-a-Si: H, an n-type Si alloy with carbon or oxygen in amorphous phase, is simulated in this study to investigate its effect on IBC-SHJ.It is indicated that the n^+-a-Si: H layer with wider band gap can reduce the light absorption on the front side efficaciously,which hinders the surface recombination of photo-generated carriers and thus contributes to the improvement of the short circuit current density Jsc.The highly doped n^+-a-Si: H can result in the remakable energy band bending, which makes it outstanding in the field passivation, while it makes little contribution to the chemical passivation.It is noteworthy that when the electric field intensity exceeds 1.3 × 10^5 V/cm, the efficiency decrease caused by the inferior chemical passivation is only 0.16%.In this study, the IBC-SHJ solar cell with a front n^+-a-Si: H field passivation layer is simulated, which shows the high efficiency of 26% in spite of the inferior chemical passivation on the front surface.

Spectroscopic Analysis and Study of Charge Transport Properties for Pinacyanol Chloride-Organic Acceptor Complex as Potential Optoelectronics Material

Organic photoconductor, pinacyanol chloride, has been studied with infrared spectroscopy because of its thermal activation energy (Ea) and band gap (Eg = 2Ea) lying in the infrared range. Particularly, pinacyanol chloride and its charge transfer (CT) complexes with chloranil, DDQ, TCNQ and TCNE as organic acceptors are studied in details. The CT complexes are having neither two absorption edges like ternary complex having one donor and two acceptors nor binary type with Lorentzian or Gaussian envelopes. The forbidden gap is direct band gap except chloranil complex due to increase in molecular distance and CT interaction. There is imperfect nesting and partial screening determining the mid-IR envelope, which is qualitatively different from the envelopes in binary systems. There is inverted parabola in some range below this envelope. It is explained how infrared absorption is related with the applications of such organic photoconductors in optoelectronic devices.

Review of My Research Work on Ferroelectric Films and Si-Based Device Applications: Opportunity and Challenge

Ferroelectric materials have many interesting physical properties such as ferroelectricity, pyroelectricity, piezoelectricity, and opto-electricity, and applying ferroelectric materials in the forms of thin and thick films and integrating them on the silicon substrate as electronic and MEMS devices is a very attractive research area and challenging. In this paper, we report our research works on ferroelectric MEMS and ferroelectric films for electronic device applications. Pyroelectric thin film infrared sensors have been made, characterized, and a 32×32 array with its size of 1cm×1cm has been obtained on Si membrane. Ferroelectric thin films in amorphous phase have been applied to make silicon based hydrogen gas sensors with the metal/amorphous ferroelectric film/metal device structure, and its turn-on voltage of about 4.5V at ～1000 ppm in air is about 7 times of the best value reported in the literature. For the application of electron emission flat panel display, ferroelectric BST thin films with excess Ti concentrations have been coated on Si tips, the threshold voltage of those ferroelectric film coated tips has been reduced about one order from ～70 V/μm to 4～10 V/μm for different Ti concentrations, and however, the electron emission current density has been increased at least 3～4 order for those coated tips compared to that of the bare Si tips. To fulfill in the thickness gap between thin film of typical ～1 μm made by PVD/CVD and polished ceramic wafer of ～50 μm from the bulk, piezoelectric films with thickness in a range of 1～30 μm have been successfully deposited on Si substrate at a low temperature of 650oC by a novel hybridized deposition technique, and piezoelectric MEMS ultrasonic arrays have been very recently obtained with the sound pressure level up to ～120 dB. More detailed results will be presented and mechanisms will be discussed.

Analysis of the generation mechanism of the S-shaped J–V curves of MoS_(2)/Si-based solar cells

Amorphous–microcrystalline MoS_(2)thin films are fabricated using the sol-gel method to produce MoS_(2)/Si-based solar cells. The generation mechanisms of the S-shaped current density–voltage(J–V) curves of the solar cells are analyzed. To improve the performance of the solar cells and address the problem of the S-shaped J–V curve, a MoS_(2)film and a p^(+) layer are introduced into the front and back interfaces of the solar cell, respectively, which leads to the formation of a p–n junction between the p-Si and the MoS_(2)film as well as ohmic contacts between the MoS_(2)film and the ITO, improving the S-shaped J–V curve. As a result of the high doping characteristics and the high work function of the p^(+) layer, a high–low junction is formed between the p;and p layers along with ohmic contacts between the p;layer and the Ag electrode. Consequently,the S-shaped J–V curve is eliminated, and a significantly higher current density is achieved at a high voltage. The device exhibits ideal p–n junction rectification characteristics and achieves a high power-conversion efficiency(CE) of 7.55%. The findings of this study may improve the application of MoS_(2)thin films in silicon-based solar cells, which are expected to be widely used in various silicon-based electronic and optical devices.