Heterojunction-engineered carrier transport in elevated-metal metal-oxide thin-film transistors

This study investigates the carrier transport of heterojunction channel in oxide semiconductor thin-film transistor(TFT)using the elevated-metal metal-oxide(EMMO)architecture and indium−zinc oxide(InZnO).The heterojunction band diagram of InZnO bilayer was modified by the cation composition to form the two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG)at the interface quantum well,as verified using a metal−insulator−semiconductor(MIS)device.Although the 2DEG indeed contributes to a higher mobility than the monolayer channel,the competition and cooperation between the gate field and the built-in field strongly affect such mobility-boosting effect,originating from the carrier inelastic collision at the heterojunction interface and the gate field-induced suppression of quantum well.Benefited from the proper energy-band engineering,a high mobility of 84.3 cm2·V^(−1)·s^(−1),a decent threshold voltage(V_(th))of−6.5 V,and a steep subthreshold swing(SS)of 0.29 V/dec were obtained in InZnO-based heterojunction TFT.

Indispensable gutter layers in thin-film composite membranes for carbon capture

Industrial thin-film composite(TFC)membranes achieve superior gas separation properties from high-performance selective layer materials,while the success of membrane technology relies on high-performance gutter layers to achieve production scalability and low-cost manufacturing.However,the current literature predominantly focuses on the design of polymer architectures to obtain high permeability and selectivity,while the art of fabricating gutter layers is usually safeguarded by industrial manufacturers and appears lackluster to academic researchers.This is the first report aiming to provide a comprehensive and critical review of state-of-the-art gutter layer materials and their design and modification to enable TFC membranes with superior separation performance.We first elucidate the importance of the gutter layer on membrane performance through modeling and experimental results.Then various gutter layer materials used to obtain high-performance composite membranes are critically reviewed,and the strategies to improve their compatibility with the selective layer are highlighted,such as oxygen plasma treatment,polydopamine deposition,and surface grafting.Finally,we present the opportunities of the gutter layer design for practical applications.

Implementation of sub-100 nm vertical channel-all-around(CAA) thin-film transistor using thermal atomic layer deposited IGZO channel

In-Ga-Zn-O(IGZO) channel based thin-film transistors(TFT), which exhibit high on-off current ratio and relatively high mobility, has been widely researched due to its back end of line(BEOL)-compatible potential for the next generation dynamic random access memory(DRAM) application. In this work, thermal atomic layer deposition(TALD) indium gallium zinc oxide(IGZO) technology was explored. It was found that the atomic composition and the physical properties of the IGZO films can be modulated by changing the sub-cycles number during atomic layer deposition(ALD) process. In addition, thin-film transistors(TFTs) with vertical channel-all-around(CAA) structure were realized to explore the influence of different IGZO films as channel layers on the performance of transistors. Our research demonstrates that TALD is crucial for high density integration technology, and the proposed vertical IGZO CAA-TFT provides a feasible path to break through the technical problems for the continuous scale of electronic equipment.

Numerical Study and Optimization of CZTS-Based Thin-Film Solar Cell Structure with Different Novel Buffer-Layer Materials Using SCAPS-1D Software

This study explored the performances of CZTS-based thin-film solar cell with three novel buffer layer materials ZnS, CdS, and CdZnS, as well as with variation in thickness of buffer and absorber-layer, doping concentrations of absorber-layer material and operating temperature. Our aims focused to identify the most optimal thin-film solar cell structure that offers high efficiency and lower toxicity which are desirable for sustainable and eco-friendly energy sources globally. SCAPS-1D, widely used software for modeling and simulating solar cells, has been used and solar cell fundamental performance parameters such as open-circuited voltage (), short-circuited current density (), fill-factor() and efficiency() have been optimized in this study. Based on our simulation results, it was found that CZTS solar cell with Cd0.4Zn0.6S as buffer-layer offers the most optimal combination of high efficiency and lower toxicity in comparison to other structure investigated in our study. Although the efficiency of Cd0.4Zn0.6S, ZnS and CdS are comparable, Cd0.4Zn0.6S is preferable to use as buffer-layer for its non-toxic property. In addition, evaluation of performance as a function of buffer-layer thickness for Cd0.4Zn0.6S, ZnS and CdS showed that optimum buffer-layer thickness for Cd0.4Zn0.6S was in the range from 50 to 150nm while ZnS offered only 50 – 75 nm. Furthermore, the temperature dependence performance parameters evaluation revealed that it is better to operate solar cell at temperature 290K for stable operation with optimum performances. This study would provide valuable insights into design and optimization of nanotechnology-based solar energy technology for minimizing global energy crisis and developing eco-friendly energy sources sustainable and simultaneously.

Analysis of Quenching Resistor Effect to Improve Stability of TIA Circuit for APD-A Secondary Publication

In this paper,since the Avalanche Photo Diode(APD)for Light-to-Voltage LTV conversion uses a high voltage in the operating range unlike other Photo Diodes(PD),the quenching resistor must be connected in series to prevent overcurrent when using the Transimpedance Amplifier(TIA).In such a case,quenching resistance may affect the transfer function of the TIA circuit,resulting in serious stability.Therefore,in this paper,by analyzing the effect of APD quenching resistance on the voltage and current loop transfer function of TIA,we proposed a loop analysis and a method for determining the quenching resistance value to improve stability.A TIA circuit with quenching resistance was designed by the proposed method and its operational stability was verified through simulation and chip fabrication.

Numerical Analysis on the Effect of n-Si on Cu(In, Ga)Se2 Based Thin-Films for High-Performance Solar Cells by 1D-SCAPS

We report the performances of a chalcopyrite Cu(In, Ga)Se2 CIGS-based thin-film solar cell with a newly employed high conductive n-Si layer. The data analysis was performed with the help of the 1D-Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (1D-SCAPS) software program. The new device structure is based on the CIGS layer as the absorber layer, n-Si as the high conductive layer, i-In2S3, and i-ZnO as the buffer and window layers, respectively. The optimum CIGS bandgap was determined first and used to simulate and analyze the cell performance throughout the experiment. This analysis revealed that the absorber layer’s optimum bandgap value has to be 1.4 eV to achieve maximum efficiency of 22.57%. Subsequently, output solar cell parameters were analyzed as a function of CIGS layer thickness, defect density, and the operating temperature with an optimized n-Si layer. The newly modeled device has a p-CIGS/n-Si/In2S3/Al-ZnO structure. The main objective was to improve the overall cell performance while optimizing the thickness of absorber layers, defect density, bandgap, and operating temperature with the newly employed optimized n-Si layer. The increase of absorber layer thickness from 0.2 - 2 µm showed an upward trend in the cell’s performance, while the increase of defect density and operating temperature showed a downward trend in solar cell performance. This study illustrates that the proposed cell structure shows higher cell performances and can be fabricated on the lab-scale and industrial levels.

All-Solid-State Thin-Film Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)system coupled with thin-film solid electrolyte as a novel high-energy micro-battery has enormous potential for complementing embedded energy harvesters to enable the autonomy of the Internet of Things microdevice.However,the volatility in high vacuum and intrinsic sluggish kinetics of S hinder researchers from empirically integrating it into allsolid-state thin-film batteries,leading to inexperience in fabricating all-solid-state thin-film Li-S batteries(TFLSBs).Herein,for the first time,TFLSBs have been successfully constructed by stacking vertical graphene nanosheets-Li2S(VGsLi2S)composite thin-film cathode,lithium-phosphorous-oxynitride(LiPON)thin-film solid electrolyte,and Li metal anode.Fundamentally eliminating Lipolysulfide shuttle effect and maintaining a stable VGs-Li2S/LiPON interface upon prolonged cycles have been well identified by employing the solid-state Li-S system with an“unlimited Li”reservoir,which exhibits excellent longterm cycling stability with a capacity retention of 81%for 3,000 cycles,and an exceptional high temperature tolerance up to 60℃.More impressively,VGs-Li2S-based TFLSBs with evaporated-Li thin-film anode also demonstrate outstanding cycling performance over 500 cycles with a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.71%.Collectively,this study presents a new development strategy for secure and high-performance rechargeable all-solid-state thin-film batteries.

Stability of high-salinity-enhanced foam:Surface behavior and thin-film drainage

Cocamidopropyl hydroxyl sulfobetaine(CHSB)is one of the most promising foaming agents for high-salinity reservoirs because the salt in place facilitates its foam stability,even with salinity as high as 2×10^(5)mg/L.However,the synergistic effects between CHSB and salt have not been fully understood.This study utilized bulk foam tests and thin-film interferometry to comprehensively investigate the macroscopic and microscopic decay processes of CHSB foams with NaCl concentrations ranging from 2.3×10^(4)to 2.1×10^(5)mg/L.We focused on the dilatational viscoelasticity and dynamic thin-film thickness to elucidate the high-salinity-enhanced foam stability.The increase in dilatational viscoelasticity and supramolecular oscillating structural force(Π_(OS))with salinity dominated the superior stability of CHSB foam.With increasing salinity,more CHSB molecules accumulated on the surface with a lower diffusion rate,leading to high dilatational moduli and surface elasticity,thus decelerating coarsening and coalescence.Meanwhile,the number density of micelles in the thin film increased with salinity,resulting in increasedΠOS.Consequently,the energy barrier for stepwise thinning intensified,and the thin-film drainage slowed.This work conduces to understand the mechanisms behind the pronounced stability of betaine foam and can promote the widespread application of foam in harsh reservoirs.

Low-temperature metal–oxide thin-film transistor technologies for implementing flexible electronic circuits and systems

Here we review two 300℃metal–oxide(MO)thin-film transistor(TFT)technologies for the implementation of flexible electronic circuits and systems.Fluorination-enhanced TFTs for suppressing the variation and shift of turn-on voltage(VON),and dual-gate TFTs for acquiring sensor signals and modulating VON have been deployed to improve the robustness and performance of the systems in which they are deployed.Digital circuit building blocks based on fluorinated TFTs have been designed,fabricated,and characterized,which demonstrate the utility of the proposed low-temperature TFT technologies for implementing flexible electronic systems.The construction and characterization of an analog front-end system for the acquisition of bio-potential signals and an active-matrix sensor array for the acquisition of tactile images have been reported recently.

Fluorination-mitigated high-current degradation of amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors

As growing applications demand higher driving currents of oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors(TFTs),severe instabilities and even hard breakdown under high-current stress(HCS)become critical challenges.In this work,the triggering voltage of HCS-induced self-heating(SH)degradation is defined in the output characteristics of amorphous indium-galliumzinc oxide(a-IGZO)TFTs,and used to quantitatively evaluate the thermal generation process of channel donor defects.The fluorinated a-IGZO(a-IGZO:F)was adopted to effectively retard the triggering of the self-heating(SH)effect,and was supposed to originate from the less population of initial deep-state defects and a slower rate of thermal defect transition in a-IGZO:F.The proposed scheme noticeably enhances the high-current applications of oxide TFTs.

Enhanced efficiency of the Sb_(2)Se_(3)thin-film solar cell by the anode passivation using an organic small molecular of TCTA

Antimony selenide(Sb_(2)Se_(3))is an emerging solar cell material.Here,we demonstrate that an organic small molecule of 4,4',4''-tris(carbazol-9-yl)-triphenylamine(TCTA)can efficiently passivate the anode interface of the Sb_(2)Se_(3)solar cell.We fabricated the device by the vacuum thermal evaporation,and took ITO/TCTA(3.0 nm)/Sb_(2)Se_(3)(50 nm)/C60(5.0 nm)/Alq3(3.0 nm)/Al as the device architecture,where Alq3 is the tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum.By introducing a TCTA layer,the open-circuit voltage is raised from 0.36 to 0.42 V,and the power conversion efficiency is significantly improved from 3.2%to 4.3%.The TCTA layer not only inhibits the chemical reaction between the ITO and Sb_(2)Se_(3)during the annealing process but it also blocks the electron diffusion from Sb_(2)Se_(3)to ITO anode.The enhanced performance is mainly attributed to the suppression of the charge recombination at the anode interface.

High-performance amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O thin-film transistor nonvolatile memory with a novel p-SnO/n-SnO_(2) heterojunction charge trapping stack

Amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O(a-IGZO)thin-film transistor(TFT)memories with novel p-SnO/n-SnO_(2) heterojunction charge trapping stacks(CTSs)are investigated comparatively under a maximum fabrication temperature of 280℃.Compared to a single p-SnO or n-SnO_(2) charge trapping layer(CTL),the heterojunction CTSs can achieve electrically programmable and erasable characteristics as well as good data retention.Of the two CTSs,the tunneling layer/p-SnO/nSnO_(2)/blocking layer architecture demonstrates much higher program efficiency,more robust data retention,and comparably superior erase characteristics.The resulting memory window is as large as 6.66 V after programming at 13 V/1 ms and erasing at-8 V/1 ms,and the ten-year memory window is extrapolated to be 4.41 V.This is attributed to shallow traps in p-SnO and deep traps in n-SnO_(2),and the formation of a built-in electric field in the heterojunction.

Advances in mobility enhancement of ITZO thin-film transistors:a review

Indium-tin-zinc oxide(ITZO)thin-film transistor(TFT)technology holds promise for achieving high mobility and offers significant opportunities for commercialization.This paper provides a review of progress made in improving the mobility of ITZO TFTs.This paper begins by describing the development and current status of metal-oxide TFTs,and then goes on to explain the advantages of selecting ITZO as the TFT channel layer.The evaluation criteria for TFTs are subsequently introduced,and the reasons and significance of enhancing mobility are clarified.This paper then explores the development of high-mobility ITZO TFTs from five perspectives:active layer optimization,gate dielectric optimization,electrode optimization,interface optimization,and device structure optimization.Finally,a summary and outlook of the research field are presented.

3D_Multi Resistor Electric Circuit

This report addresses the issues concerning the analysis of an electric circuit composed of multiple resistors configured in a 3-Dimension structure. Noting, all the standard textbooks of physics and engineering irrespective of the used components are circuits assembled in two dimensions. Here, by deviating from the “norm” we consider a case where the resistors are arranged in a 3D structure;e.g., a cube. Although, independent of the dimension of the design the same physics principles apply, transitioning from a 2D to a 3D makes the corresponding analysis considerably challenging. In general, with no exception, depending on the used components the analysis faces with solving a set of either algebraic or differential-algebraic equations. Practically, this interfaces with a Computer Algebra System (CAS). The main objective is symbolically to identify the current distributions and the equivalent resistor (s) of cubically assembled resistors.

Three Dimensional Electric Circuits with Multiple Capacitors and Resistors

Two cubical 3D electric circuits with single and double capacitors and twelve ohmic resistors are considered. The resistors are the sides of the cube. The circuit is fed with a single internal emf. The charge on the capacitor(s) and the current distributions of all twelve sides of the circuit(s) vs. time are evaluated. The analysis requires solving twelve differential-algebraic intertwined symbolic equations. This is accomplished by applying a Computer Algebra System (CAS), specifically Mathematica. The needed codes are included. For a set of values assigned to the elements, the numeric results are depicted.

Energy model based sensorless estimation method for operational temperature of braking resistor onboard metro vehicles

Purpose–This study aims to improve the availability of regenerative braking for urban metro vehicles by introducing a sensorless operational temperature estimation method for the braking resistor(BR)onboard the vehicle,which overcomes the vulnerability of having conventional temperature sensor.Design/methodology/approach–In this study,the energy model based sensorless estimation method is developed.By analyzing the structure and the convection dissipation process of the BR onboard the vehicle,the energy-based operational temperature model of the BR and its cooling domain is established.By adopting Newton’s law of cooling and the law of conservation of energy,the energy and temperature dynamic of the BR can be stated.To minimize the use of all kinds of sensors(including both thermal and electrical),a novel regenerative braking power calculation method is proposed,which involves only the voltage of DC traction network and the duty cycle of the chopping circuit;both of them are available for the traction control unit(TCU)of the vehicle.By utilizing a real-time iterative calculation and updating the parameter of the energy model,the operational temperature of the BR can be obtained and monitored in a sensorless manner.Findings–In this study,a sensorless estimation/monitoring method of the operational temperature of BR is proposed.The results show that it is possible to utilize the existing electrical sensors that is mandatory for the traction unit’s operation to estimate the operational temperature of BR,instead of adding dedicated thermal sensors.The results also validate the effectiveness of the proposal is acceptable for the engineering practical.Originality/value–The proposal of this study provides novel concepts for the sensorless operational temperature monitoring of BR onboard rolling stocks.The proposed method only involves quasi-global electrical variable and the internal control signal within the TCU.

旋转部件温度参数同步无线测量技术研究

针对旋转部件温度参数原位同步测量和数据无线传输应用需求,研究了电能无线传输技术和空间光通信技术,设计了一套8通道小型温度参数遥测系统。该系统通过热电偶和铂电阻传感器实现8路温度参数的高精度准确测量,采用电磁感应和红外光通信技术实现电能和采集数据的同步无线传输。系统分析软件完成数据的实时存储、解析和可视化显示。搭建了20000 r/min的模拟旋转环境测试平台,进行系统功能和性能验证。系统温度采集精度优于0.15%,无线传输距离为15 mm,电能传输输出峰值功率可达5 V/400 mA,实测通信速率为10 Mbit/s,8通道同步采样速率为56 kHz。该系统实现了温度参数的分布式、高精度获取,为旋转部件的研制和维护提供了准确的温度依据。

计及杂散参数的柔性直流启动电阻冲击电压分布特性研究

针对柔性直流输电系统中启动电阻异常放电问题。首先,从启动电阻温升、绝缘水平、电流应力及冲击能量几方面进行校核分析;然后,对现场启动电阻进行拆解,定量分析启动电阻放电原因;最后,利用Ansys搭建电阻器杂散电容求解模型,根据分布电容求解结果,基于PSCAD搭建电阻塔的宽频等效模型,仿真分析启动电阻在冲击电压下的电位分布规律,验证启动电阻异常放电机理并提出优化改进措施。研究结果可为今后柔性直流输电系统启动电阻的选型设计提供参考。

基于MMC的分布式储能系统及其快速SOC均衡控制策略

提高基于模块化多电平换流器(modular multilevel converter,MMC)的分布式储能系统(distributed energy storage systems,DESS)的能量利用率,解决储能子模块(energy sub-module,ESM)荷电状态(state of charge,SOC)均衡问题至关重要。针对现有的SOC均衡控制策略的不足,提出内外分层的快速SOC均衡控制策略。外层针对桥臂间或相间的SOC差异,通过改进MMC模型预测控制(model predictive predictive control,MPC),配合自适应均衡系数,快速调整功率差额。内层引入自适应虚拟电阻法,根据ESM的SOC情况确定主导ESM,自适应调节各单元的虚拟电阻,产生相应的电压梯度,结合MMC排序算法使ESM按照各自SOC进行功率分配,从而实现ESM的SOC快速均衡,提高DESS能量利用率。通过在Matlab/Simulink构建仿真模型,证明了所提控制策略的有效性和可行性。

一种新型可移动TEM喇叭辐射波模拟器的模拟优化

为改善基于TEM喇叭的辐射波模拟器的低频辐射特性从而展宽其辐射近场半高宽,首次提出了在指数型TEM喇叭上/下两个极板的端口加上2个金属直板、并通过倾斜金属板和并联电阻相连的新型可移动模拟器的设计方案。基于FDTD方法模拟分析了该新型模拟器的特性参数对其近场辐射性能的影响,并给出了优化后的模拟器及其阵列的辐射特性。计算结果表明:尺寸为6 m×6 m×6.24 m的优化后的新型模拟器在距离口面3 m的中心位置的辐射近场脉宽能达到18.95 ns,而达到相同低频辐射性能的常规模拟器尺寸为9 m×12 m×6.8 m。且与常规模拟器相比,优化后的模拟器的场峰值更大。与前人的研究相比,优化后的模拟器场在保持高峰值的同时,时域波形后延震荡的幅度与主峰的比值明显减小。优化后的模拟器2×2阵列模型的测试平面中心点场峰值最大,且在测试平面上满足6 dB均匀性要求的有效测试区最大;有效测试区在横向上范围最大的是2×2阵列模型,其次是2×1阵列模型;在纵向上范围最大的是2×2阵列模型及1×2阵列模型。