Low-Cost and Biodegradable Thermoelectric Devices Based on van der Waals Semiconductors on Paper Substrates

We present a method to fabricate handcrafted thermoelectric devices on standard office paper substrates.The devices are based on thin films of WS_(2),Te,and BP(P-type semiconductors)and TiS_(3)and TiS_(2)(N-type semiconductors),deposited by simply rubbing powder of these materials against paper.The thermoelectric properties of these semiconducting films revealed maximum Seebeck coefficients of(+1.32±0.27)mV K^(-1)and(-0.82±0.15)mV K^(-1)for WS_(2)and TiS_(3),respectively.Additionally,Peltier elements were fabricated by interconnecting the P-and N-type films with graphite electrodes.A thermopower value up to 6.11 mV K^(-1)was obtained when the Peltier element were constructed with three junctions.The findings of this work show proof-of-concept devices to illustrate the potential application of semiconducting van der Waals materials in future thermoelectric power generation as well as temperature sensing for low-cost disposable electronic devices.

Selection of dopants and doping sites in semiconductors:the case of AlN

The choices of proper dopants and doping sites significantly influence the doping efficiency.In this work,using doping in Al N as an example,we discuss how to choose dopants and doping sites in semiconductors to create shallow defect levels.By comparing the defect properties of C_(N),O_(N),Mg_(Al),and Si_(Al)in AlN and analyzing the pros and cons of different doping approaches from the aspects of size mismatch between dopant and host elements,electronegativity difference and perturbation to the band edge states after the substitution,we propose that Mg_(Al)and Si_(Al)should be the best dopants and doping sites for p-type and n-type doping,respectively.Further first-principles calculations verify our predictions as these defects present lower formation energies and shallower defect levels.The defect charge distributions also show that the band edge states,which mainly consist of N-s and p orbitals,are less perturbed when Al is substituted,therefore,the derived defect states turn out to be delocalized,opposite to the situation when N is substituted.This approach of analyzing the band structure of the host material and choosing dopants and doping sites to minimize the perturbation on the host band structure is general and can provide reliable estimations for finding shallow defect levels in semiconductors.

Halogen modified organic porous semiconductors in photocatalysis: mechanism, synthesis, and application

Photocatalysis is considered as the promising energy conversion way to resolve the issues of energy crisis and environmental pollution.As the key point of the photocatalysis,the photocatalyst determines the final conversion efficiency from solar,therefore,the composition and photoelectronic nature of which deserve to be valued.Halogen often affects immensely the intrinsic electron configuration of the matrix because of electrophilic property,and thus its topic has attracted lots of attention for photocatalytic application.In this review,halogencontained organic porous semiconductors are discussed in detailed.Firstly,the role of halogens in photocatalysis based on organic porous semiconductors are categorized.Then,the way to introduce the halogens into organic porous semiconductors and their applications in photocatalysis are reviewed.At last,the outlooks are given at the end of this paper.This review would bring new insights into the non-metal doping engineering for improving the photocatalytic performance of organic semiconductors.

Features of Recombination Radiation of GaAs Type Semiconductors with the Participation of Fine Acceptor Levels in a Magnetic Field

Using the method of Picus and Beer invariants, general expressions are obtained for the total intensity I and the degree of circular polarization Рcirc.of the luminescence of GaAs-type semiconductors with the participation of shallow acceptor levels in a longitudinal magnetic field H. Special cases are analyzed depending on the value and direction of the magnetic field strength, as well as on the constants of the g-factor of the acceptor g1,g2and the conduction band electron ge. In the case of a strong magnetic field H// [100], [111], [110], a numerical calculation of the angular dependence of the quantities I and Рcirc.was performed for some critical values of g2/g1, at which Рcirc.exhibits a sharp anisotropy in the range from −100% to +100%, and the intensity of the crystal radiation along the magnetic field tends to a minimum value.

Double Covalency Factors and DoubleξModel in Study on Optical and Magnetic Properties of Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors ZnX∶Co~ 2+

The optical absorption spectra of the covalent crystals ZnX(X=S,Se) doped with Co 2+ are studied using the double covalency factors,which considers the anisotropic distortion of e g and t 2g orbits for d electron.When the paramagnetic g factor is calculated,the contributions of the spin orbit coupling from the ligand ions are taken into account besides that from the central ion,which is the double ξ model.The calculated results indicate that the theoretical values coincide with the experimental values very well.This suggests that the method presented in this paper could be more valid to some strongly covalent crystals.

Families of magnetic semiconductors——an overview

The interplay of magnetic and semiconducting properties has been in the focus for more than a half of the century. In this introductory article we briefly review the key properties and functionalities of various magnetic semiconductor families, including europium chalcogenides, chromium spinels, dilute magnetic semiconductors, dilute ferromagnetic semiconductors and insulators, mentioning also sources of non-uniformities in the magnetization distribution, accounting for an apparent high Curie temperature ferromagnetism in many systems. Our survey is carried out from today's perspective of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spintronics as well as of the emerging fields of magnetic topological materials and atomically thin 2D layers.

Advances in new generation diluted magnetic semiconductors with independent spin and charge doping

As one branch of spintronics, diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) are extensively investigated due to their fundamental significance and potential application in modern information society. The classical materials (Ga,Mn)As of III-V group based DMSs has been well studied for its high compatibility with the high-mobility semiconductor GaAs. But the Curie temperature in (Ga,Mn)As film is still far below room temperature because the spin & charge doping is bundled to the same element that makes the fabrication very difficult. Alternatively, the discovery of a new generation DMSs with independent spin and charge doping, such as (Ba,K)(Zn,Mn)2As2 (briefly named BZA), attracted considerable attention due to their unique advantages in physical properties and heterojunction fabrication. In this review we focus on this series of new DMSs including (I) materials in terms of three types of new DMSs, i.e. the "111","122" and "1111" system;(II) the physical properties of BZA;(III) single crystals & prototype device based on BZA. The prospective of new type of DMSs with independent spin and charge doping is briefly discussed.

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.

Progress on microscopic properties of diluted magnetic semiconductors by NMR and μSR

Diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) that possess both properties of semiconductors and ferromagnetism, have attracted a lot of attentions due to its potential applications for spin-sensitive electronic devices. Recently, a series of bulk form DMSs isostructural to iron-based superconductors have been reported, which can be readily investigated by microscopic experimental techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and muon spin rotation (μSR). The measurements have demonstrated that homogeneous ferromagnetism is achieved in these DMSs. In this review article, we summarize experimental evidences from both NMR and μSR measurements. NMR results have shown that carriers facilitate the interactions between distant Mn atoms, while μSR results indicate that these bulk form DMSs and (Ga,Mn)As share a common mechanism for the ferromagnetic exchange interactions.

Progress of novel diluted ferromagnetic semiconductors with decoupled spin and charge doping: Counterparts of Fe-based superconductors

Diluted ferromagnetic semiconductors（DMSs） that combine the properties of semiconductors with ferromagnetism have potential application in spin-sensitive electronic（spintronic） devices. The search for DMS materials exploded after the observation of ferromagnetic ordering in Ⅲ-Ⅴ（Ga,Mn）As films. Recently, a series of DMS compounds isostructural to iron-based superconductors have been reported. Among them, the highest Curie temperature TCo f 230 K has been achieved in（Ba,K）（Zn,Mn）2As2. However, most DMSs, including（Ga,Mn）As, are p-type, i.e., the carriers that mediate the ferromagnetism are holes. For practical applications, DMSs with n-type carriers are also advantageous. Very recently,a new DMS Ba（Zn,Co）2As2 with n-type carriers has been synthesized. Here we summarize the recent progress on this research stream. We will show that the homogeneous ferromagnetism in these bulk form DMSs has been confirmed by microscopic techniques, i.e., nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR） and muon spin rotation（μSR）.

Amorphous magnetic semiconductors with Curie temperatures above room temperature

Recently, amorphous magnetic semiconductors as a new family of magnetic semiconductors have been developed by oxidizing ferromagnetic amorphous metals/alloys. Intriguingly, tuning the relative atomic ratios of Co and Fe in a Co-Fe-Ta-B-O system leads to the formation of an intrinsic magnetic semiconductor. Starting from high Curie-temperature amorphous ferromagnets, these amorphous magnetic semiconductors show Curie temperatures well above room temperature. Among them, one typical example is a p-type Co28.6Fe12.4Ta4.3B8.7O46 magnetic semiconductor, which has an optical bandgap of ~2.4 eV, roomtemperature saturation magnetization of ~433 emu/cm3, and the Curie temperature above 600 K. The amorphous Co28.6Fe12.4Ta4.3B8.7O46 magnetic semiconductor can be integrated with n-type Si to form p-n heterojunctions with a threshold voltage of ~1.6 V, validating its p-type semiconducting character. Furthermore, the demonstration of electric field control of its room-temperature ferromagnetism reflects the interplay between the electricity and ferromagnetism in this material. It is suggested that the carrier density, ferromagnetism and conduction type of an intrinsic magnetic semiconductor are controllable by means of an electric field effect. These findings may pave a new way to realize magnetic semiconductor-based spintronic devices that work at room temperature.

Fundamental band gap and alignment of two-dimensional semiconductors explored by machine learning

Two-dimensional(2D)semiconductors isoelectronic to phosphorene have been drawing much attention recently due to their promising applications for next-generation(opt)electronics.This family of 2D materials contains more than 400members,including(a)elemental group-V materials,(b)binary III–VII and IV–VI compounds,(c)ternary III–VI–VII and IV–V–VII compounds,making materials design with targeted functionality unprecedentedly rich and extremely challenging.To shed light on rational functionality design with this family of materials,we systemically explore their fundamental band gaps and alignments using hybrid density functional theory(DFT)in combination with machine learning.First,calculations are performed using both the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof exchange–correlation functional within the generalgradient-density approximation(GGA-PBE)and Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof hybrid functional(HSE)as a reference.We find this family of materials share similar crystalline structures,but possess largely distributed band-gap values ranging approximately from 0 eV to 8 eV.Then,we apply machine learning methods,including linear regression(LR),random forest regression(RFR),and support vector machine regression(SVR),to build models for the prediction of electronic properties.Among these models,SVR is found to have the best performance,yielding the root mean square error(RMSE)less than 0.15 eV for the predicted band gaps,valence-band maximums(VBMs),and conduction-band minimums(CBMs)when both PBE results and elemental information are used as features.Thus,we demonstrate that the machine learning models are universally suitable for screening 2D isoelectronic systems with targeted functionality,and especially valuable for the design of alloys and heterogeneous systems.

First principles study on the structural, electronic and optical properties of diluted magnetic semiconductors Zn1-xCoxX （X=S, Se, Te）

The electronic and optical properties of zincblende ZnX（X=S, Se, Te） and ZnX：Co are studied from density functional theory （DFT） based first principles calculations. The local crystal structure changes around the Co atoms in the lattice are studied after Co atoms are doped. It is shown that the Co-doped materials have smaller lattice constant （about 0.6%-0.9%）. This is mainly due to the shortened Co-X bond length. The （partial） density of states （DOS） is calculated and differences between the pure and doped materials are studied. Results show that for the Co-doped materials, the valence bands are moving upward due to the existence of Co 3d electron states while the conductance bands are moving downward due to the reduced lattice constants. This results in the narrowed band gap of the doped materials. The complex dielectric indices and the absorption coefficients are calculated to examine the influences of the Co atoms on the optical properties. Results show that for the Co-doped materials, the absorption peaks in the high wavelength region are not as sharp and distinct as the undoped materials, and the absorption ranges are extended to even higher wavelength region.

Regioisomeric Polymer Semiconductors Based on Cyano-Functionalized Dialkoxybithiophenes:Structure-Property Relationship and Photovoltaic Performance

Cyano substitution is vital to the molecular design of polymer semiconductors toward highly efficient organic solar cells.However,how regioselectivity impacts relevant optoelectronic properties in cyano-substituted bithiophene systems remain poorly understood.Three regioisomeric cyano-functionalized dialkoxybithiophenes BT_(HH),BT_(HT),and BT_(TT) with headto-head,head-to-tail,and tail-to-tail linkage,respectively,were synthesized and characterized in this work.The resulting polymer semiconductors(PBDTBTs)based on these building blocks were prepared accordingly.The regiochemistry and property relationships of PBDTBTs were investigated in detail.The BTHH moiety has a higher torsional barrier than the analogs BT_(HT) and BT_(TT),and the regiochemistry of dialkoxybithiophenes leads to fine modulation in the optoelectronic properties of these polymers,such as optical absorption,band gap,and energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals.Organic field-effect transistors based on PBDTBT_(HH) had higher hole mobility(4.4×10^(-3) cm^(2)/(V·s))than those(ca.10^(-4) cm^(2)/(V·s))of the other two polymer analogs.Significantly different short-circuit current densities and fill factors were obtained in polymer solar cells using PBDTBTs as the electron donors.Such difference was probed in greater detail by performing space-charge-limited current mobility,thin-film morphology,and transient photocurrent/photovoltage characterizations.The findings highlight that the BTHH unit is a promising building block for the construction of polymer donors for highperformance organic photovoltaic cells.

The room temperature ferromagnetism in highly strained twodimensional magnetic semiconductors

In spintronics,it is still a challenge in experiments to realize the ferromagnetic semiconductors with Curie temperature Tc above room temperature.In 2017,the successful synthesis of two-dimensional(2D)van der Waals ferromagnetic semiconductors,including the monolayer CrI3 with Tc=45 K[1]and the bilayer Cr2Ge2Te6 with Tc=28 K[2]in experiments,has attracted extensive attention in the 2D ferromagnetic semiconductors.One of the key problems is to find suitable 2D magnetic semiconductors,which can have room-temperature operation as required in applications.

Refractive Index and Electronic Polarizability of Ternary Chalcopyrite Semiconductors

Simple models are proposed for the calculation of refractive index n and electronic polarizability α of AⅠBⅢC2Ⅵ and AⅡBⅣC2Ⅴ compounds of groups of chalcopyrite semiconductors from their energy gap data. The values family and 12 compounds of AⅡBⅣC2Ⅴ family are calculated for the work. The proposed models are applicable for the whole range of energy gap materials. The calculated values are compared with the available experimental and reported values. A fairly good agreement between them is obtained.

The predicaments and expectations in development of magnetic semiconductors

Over the past half a century, considerable research activities have been directing towards the development of magnetic semiconductors that can work at room temperature. These efforts were aimed at seeking room temperature magnetic semiconductors with strong and controllable s, p-d exchange interaction. With this s, p-d exchange interaction, one can utilize the spin degree of freedom to design applicable spintronics devices with very attractive functions that are not available in conventional semiconductors. Here, we first review the progress in understanding of this particular material and the dilemma to prepare a room temperature magnetic semiconductor. Then we discuss recent experimental progresses to pursue strong s, p-d interaction to realize room temperature magnetic semiconductors, which are achieved by introducing a very high concentration of magnetic atoms by means of low-temperature nonequilibrium growth.

Some recent advances in ab initio calculations of nonradiative decay rates of point defects in semiconductors

In this short review,we discuss a few recent advances in calculating the nonradiative decay rates for point defects in semiconductors.We briefly review the debates and connections of using different formalisms to calculate the multi-phonon processes.We connect Dr.Huang's formula with Marcus theory formula in the high temperature limit,and point out that Huang's formula provide an analytical expression for the phonon induced electron coupling constant in the Marcus theory formula.We also discussed the validity of 1D formula in dealing with the electron transition processes,and practical ways to correct the anharmonic effects.

Band gap engineering of atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors

Atomically thin two-dimensional （2D） layered materials have potential applications in nanoelectronics, nanophoton- ics, and integrated optoelectronics. Band gap engineering of these 2D semiconductors is critical for their broad applications in high-performance integrated devices, such as broad-band photodetectors, multi-color light emitting diodes （LEDs）, and high-efficiency photovoltaic devices. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress on the controlled growth of composition modulated atomically thin 2D semiconductor alloys with band gaps tuned in a wide range, as well as their induced applications in broadly tunable optoelectronic components. The band gap engineered 2D semiconductors could open up an exciting opportunity for probing their fundamental physical properties in 2D systems and may find diverse applications in functional electronic/optoelectronic devices.

Universal spin-dependent variable range hopping in wide-band-gap oxide ferromagnetic semiconductors

This paper proposes a universal spin-dependent variable range hopping theoretical model to describe various experimental transport phenomena observed in wide-band-gap oxide ferromagnetic semiconductors with high transition metal concentration. The contributions of the ＇hard gap＇ energy, Coulomb interaction, correlation energy, and exchange interaction to the electrical transport are considered in the universal variable range hopping theoretical model. By fitting the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the experimental sheet resistance to the theoretical model, the spin polarization ratio of electrical carriers near the Fermi level and interactions between electrical carriers can be obtained.