An advanced theoretical approach to study super-multiperiod superlattices:theory vs experiments

A new theoretical method to study super-multiperiod superlattices has been developed.The method combines the precision of the 8-band kp-method with the flexibility of the shooting method and the Monte Carlo approach.This method was applied to examine the finest quality samples of super-multiperiod Al_(0.3)Ga_(0.7)As/GaAs superlattices grown by molecular beam epitaxy.The express photoreflectance spectroscopy method was utilized to validate the proposed theoretical method.For the first time,the accurate theoretical analysis of the energy band diagram of super-multiperiod superlattices with experimental verification has been conducted.The proposed approach highly accurately determines transition peak positions and enables the calculation of the energy band diagram,transition energies,relaxation rates,and gain estimation.It has achieved a remarkably low 5%error compared to the commonly used method,which typically results in a 25%error,and allowed to recover the superlattice parameters.The retrieved intrinsic parameters of the samples aligned with XRD data and growth parameters.The proposed method also accurately predicted the escape of the second energy level for quantum well thicknesses less than 5 nm,as was observed in photoreflectance experiments.The new designs of THz light-emitting devices operating at room temperature were suggested by the developed method.

Bending Resistance Covalent Organic Framework Superlattice:“Nano‑Hourglass”‑Induced Charge Accumulation for Flexible In‑Plane Micro‑Supercapacitors

Covalent organic framework(COF)film with highly exposed active sites is considered as the promising flexible selfsupported electrode for in-plane microsupercapacitor(MSC).Superlattice configuration assembled alternately by different nanofilms based on van der Waals force can integrate the advantages of each isolated layer to exhibit unexpected performances as MSC film electrodes,which may be a novel option to ensure energy output.Herein,a mesoporous free-standing A-COF nanofilm(pore size is 3.9 nm,averaged thickness is 4.1 nm)with imine bond linkage and a microporous B-COF nanofilm(pore size is 1.5 nm,averaged thickness is 9.3 nm)withβ-keto-enamine-linkages are prepared,and for the first time,we assembly the two lattice matching films into sandwich-type superlattices via layer-by-layer transfer,in which ABA–COF superlattice stacking into a“nano-hourglass”steric configuration that can accelerate the dynamic charge transportation/accumulation and promote the sufficient redox reactions to energy storage.The fabricated flexible MSC–ABA–COF exhibits the highest intrinsic CV of 927.9 F cm^(−3) at 10 mV s^(−1) than reported two-dimensional alloy,graphite-like carbon and undoped COF-based MSC devices so far,and shows a bending-resistant energy density of 63.2 mWh cm^(−3) even after high-angle and repeat arbitrary bending from 0 to 180°.This work provides a feasible way to meet the demand for future miniaturization and wearable electronics.

Rapid inactivation of human respiratory RNA viruses by deep ultraviolet irradiation from light-emitting diodes on a high-temperatureannealed AlN/Sapphire template

Efficient and eco-friendly disinfection of air-borne human respiratory RNA viruses is pursued in both public environment and portable usage.The AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet(DUV)light-emission diode(LED)has high practical potentials because of its advantages of variable wavelength,rapid sterilization,environmental protection,and miniaturization.Therefore,whether the emission wavelength has effects on the disinfection as well as whether the device is feasible to sterilize various respiratory RNA viruses under portable conditions is crucial.Here,we fabricate AlGaN-based DUV LEDs with different wavelength on high-temperature-annealed(HTA)AlN/Sapphire templates and investigate the inactivation effects for several respiratory RNA viruses.The AlN/AlGaN superlattices are employed between the template and upper n-AlGaN to release the strong compressive stress(SCS),improving the crystal quality and interface roughness.DUV LEDs with the wavelength of 256,265,and 278 nm,corresponding to the light output power of 6.8,9.6,and 12.5 mW,are realized,among which the 256 nm-LED shows the most potent inactivation effect in human respiratory RNA viruses,including SARS-CoV-2,influenza A virus(IAV),and human parainfluenza virus(HPIV),at a similar light power density(LPD)of~0.8 mW/cm2 for 10 s.These results will contribute to the advanced DUV LED application of disinfecting viruses with high potency and broad spectrum in a portable and eco-friendly use.

Spontaneous isospin polarization and quantum Hall ferromagnetism in a rhombohedral trilayer graphene superlattice

Moiré superlattices in van der Waals heterostructures have recently attracted enormous interests, due to the highly controllable electronic correlation that gives rise to superconductivity, ferromagnetism, and nontrivial topological properties. To gain a deep understanding of such exotic properties, it is essential to clarify the broken symmetry between spin and valley flavors which universally exists in these ground states. Here in a rhombohedral trilayer graphene crystallographically aligned with a hexagonal boron nitride, we report various kinds of symmetry-breaking transition tuned by displacement fields(D) and magnetic fields:(ⅰ) While it is well known that a finite D can enhance correlation to result in correlated insulators at fractional fillings of a flat band, we find the correlation gap emerges before the flavor is fully filled at a positive D, but the sequence is reversed at a negative D.(ⅱ) Around zero D, electronic correlation can be invoked by narrow Landau levels, leading to quantum Hall ferromagnetism that lifts all the degeneracies including not only spin and valley but also orbital degrees of freedom. Our result unveils the complication of transitions between symmetry-breaking phases, shedding light on the mechanisms of various exotic phenomena in strongly correlated systems.

One-step electrochemical in-situ Li doping and LiF coating enable ultra-stable cathode for sodium ion batteries

Despite of the higher energy density and inexpensive characteristics,commercialization of layered oxide cathodes for sodium ion batteries(SIBs)is limited due to the lack of structural stability at the high voltage.Herein,the one-step electrochemical in-situ Li doping and LiF coating are successfully achieved to obtain an advanced Na0.79Lix[Li_(0.13)Ni_(0.20)Mn_(0.67)]O_(2)@LiF(NaLi-LNM@LiF)cathode with superlattice structure.The results demonstrate that the Li^(+)doped into the alkali metal layer by electrochemical cycling act as"pillars"in the form of Li-Li dimers to stabilize the layered structure.The supplementation of Li to the superlattice structure inhibits the dissolution of transition metal ions and lattice mismatch.Furthermore,the in-situ LiF coating restrains side reactions,reduces surface cracks,and greatly improves the cycling stability.The electrochemical in-situ modification strategy significantly enhances the electrochemical performance of the half-cell.The NaLi-LNM@LiF exhibits high reversible specific capacity(170.6 m A h g^(-1)at 0.05 C),outstanding capacity retention(92.65%after 200 cycles at 0.5 C)and excellent rate performance(80 mA h g^(-1)at 7 C)in a wide voltage range of 1.5-4.5 V.This novel method of in-situ modification by electrochemical process will provide a guidance for the rational design of cathode materials for SIBs.

MoiréDirac fermions in transition metal dichalcogenides heterobilayers

Monolayer group-VIB transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)feature low-energy massive Dirac fermions,which have valley contrasting Berry curvature.This nontrivial local band topology gives rise to valley Hall transport and optical selection rules for interband transitions that open up new possibilities for valleytronics.However,the large bandgap in TMDs results in relatively small Berry curvature,leading to weak valley contrasting physics in practical experiments.Here,we show that Dirac fermions with tunable large Berry curvature can be engineered in moirésuperlattice of TMD heterobilayers.These moiréDirac fermions are created in a magnified honeycomb lattice with its sublattice degree of freedom formed by two local moirépotential minima.We show that applying an on-site potential can tune the moiréflat bands into helical ones.In short-period moirésuperlattice,we find that the two moirévalleys become asymmetric,which results in a net spin Hall current.More interestingly,a circularly polarized light drives these moiréDirac fermions into quantum anomalous Hall phase with chiral edge states.Our results open a new possibility to design the moiré-scale spin and valley physics using TMD moiréstructures.

Effects of strain on the flat band in twisted bilayer graphene

Based on the effective continuum model, we systematically study the electronic band structures and density of states of twisted bilayer graphene near the magic angle under the influence of different types of strain, including shear strain,volume-preserving strain and biaxial strain. We find that the flat bands behave very differently under various types of strain.Volume-preserving strain generically leads to broader van Hove singularities associated with the flat bands compared with those under shear strain, with dissimilar strain direction dependence. The band structures and density of states under shear and volume-preserving strains change with the strain direction, while those under biaxial strain are independent of the direction of strain. In particular, the effect of biaxial strain on twisted bilayer graphene is geometrically and electronically similar to the influence of the twisted angle. Our results reveal the characteristic structures in the band structures and density of states under various types of strain, which can serve as fingerprints for exploring the effects of strain on the novel physics of this system.

Epitaxial growth of trilayer graphene moiré superlattice

The graphene-based moiré superlattice has been demonstrated as an exciting system for investigating strong correlation phenomenon. However, the fabrication of such moiré superlattice mainly relies on transfer technology. Here, we report the epitaxial growth of trilayer graphene(TLG) moiré superlattice on hexagonal boron nitride(h BN) by a remote plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. The as-grown TLG/h BN shows a uniform moiré pattern with a period of ~ 15 nm by atomic force microscopy(AFM) imaging, which agrees with the lattice mismatch between graphene and h BN. By fabricating the device with both top and bottom gates, we observed a gate-tunable bandgap at charge neutral point(CNP) and displacement field tunable satellite resistance peaks at half and full fillings. The resistance peak at half-filling indicates a strong electron–electron correlation in our grown TLG/h BN superlattice. In addition, we observed quantum Hall states at Landau level filling factors ν = 6, 10, 14,..., indicating that our grown trilayer graphene has the ABC stacking order. Our work suggests that epitaxy provides an easy way to fabricate stable and reproducible two-dimensional strongly correlated electronic materials.

InAs/GaSb Ⅱ类超晶格红外探测技术研究进展

InAs/GaSb II类超晶格是一项新型的红外焦平面技术,其响应波长可以覆盖3-30μm的光谱范围,具有均匀性好、暗电流低和量子效率较高等优点,是最有希望的碲镉汞的替代技术。1987年,人们发现了其在红外探测领域的应用价值后,II类超晶格材料和器件的研究获得了极大的关注,特别是近年来II类超晶格探测器的发展在国际上极为迅速,美欧等一些技术先进的国家已经获得了大规模、高性能的超晶格焦平面探测器并实现了清晰的实验室红外热成像。本文简要介绍该项新型红外探测技术的基本原理、技术特点、技术关键及其在国内外的发展趋势。

Superwide-angle acoustic propagations above the critical angles of the Snell law in liquid solid superlattice

In this paper, superwide-angle acoustic propagations above the critical angles of the Snell law in liquid–solid superlattice are investigated. Incident waves above the critical angles of the Snell law usually inevitably induce total reflection.However, incident waves with big oblique angles through the liquid–solid superlattice will produce a superwide angle transmission in a certain frequency range so that total reflection does not occur. Together with the simulation by finite element analysis, theoretical analysis by using transfer matrix method suggests the Bragg scattering of the Lamb waves as the physical mechanism of acoustic wave super-propagation far beyond the critical angle. Incident angle, filling fraction,and material thickness have significant influences on propagation. Superwide-angle propagation phenomenon may have potential applications in nondestructive evaluation of layered structures and controlling of energy flux.

Molecular Chirality and Chiral Superlattice in Crystal of Tetrakis[(pyrrol-1-yl)methyl]methane

The crystal structure of tetrakis[(pyrrol-1-yl)methyl]methane was determined by X-ray diffraction measurement, and the result shows that it belongs to monoclinic crystal system, space group is P2 1/n, with a=0.9284(3) nm, b=1.0950(6) nm, c=1.8749(8) nm; α=γ= 90.00(4)°, β=103.63(3)°, V=1.8523(14) nm 3, Z=4, ρ calcd. =1.192 kg/m 3, μ=0.072 nm -1 , F(000)=712, R 1=0.0854, wR 2=0.1884. It has been found that the molecules exist in two enantiomeric states. Enantioselective self-assemblies such as one-dimensional molecular stacks in a single handedness, homochiral monolayers and a chiral superlattice are specified in this racemic crystal. In addition, a simple technique is advocated to distinguish chiral states from tetrahedral molecules in the solid state. The present R/S nomenclature of the tetracooradinated carbon centers is used solely for its convenience to distinguish the two enantiomeric states, but not used to determine the absolute configurations.

The electrochemical characteristics of AB_(4)-type rare earth-Mg-Ni-based superlattice structure hydrogen storage alloys for nickel metal hydride battery

Rare earth-Mg-Ni-based alloys with superlattice structures are new generation negative electrode materials for the nickel metal hydride batteries.Among them,the novel AB_(4)-type superlattice structure alloy is supposed to have superior cycling stability and rate capability.Yet its preparation is hindered by the crucial requirement of temperature and the special composition which is close to the other superlattice structure.Here,we prepare rare earth-Mg-Ni-based alloy and study the phase transformation of alloys to make clear the formation of AB_(4)-type phase.It is found Pr_(5)Co_(19)-type phase is converted from Ce_(5)Co_(19)-type phase and shows good stability at higher temperature compared to the Ce_(5)Co_(19)-type phase in the range of 930-970℃.Afterwards,with further 5℃increasing,AB_(4)-type superlattice structure forms at a temperature of 975℃by consuming Pr_(5)Co_(19)-type phase.In contrast with A_(5)B_(19)-type alloy,AB_(4)-type alloy has superior rate capability owing to the dominant advantages of charge transfer and hydrogen diffusion.Besides,AB_(4)-type alloy shows long lifespan whose capacity retention rates are 89.2%at the 100;cycle and 82.8%at the 200;cycle,respectively.AB_(4)-type alloy delivers 1.53 wt.%hydrogen storage capacity at room temperature and exhibits higher plateau pressure than Pr_(5)Co_(19)-type alloy.The work provides novel AB_(4)-type alloy with preferable electrochemical performance as negative electrode material to inspire the development of nickel metal hydride batteries.

Scalable fabrication of geometry-tunable self-aligned superlattice photonic crystals for spectrum-programmable light trapping

Superlattice photonic crystals (SPhCs) possess considerablepotentials as building blocks for constructing high-performancedevices because of their great flexibilities in opticalmanipulation. From the prospective of practical applications,scalable fabrication of SPhCs with large-area uniformity and precisegeometrical controllability has been considered as one prerequisitebut still remains a challenge.

The influence of AlN/GaN superlattice intermediate layer on the properties of GaN grown on Si（111） substrates

AlN/GaN superlattice buffer is inserted between GaN epitaxiai layer and Si substrate before epitaxiai growth of GaN layer. High-quality and crack-free GaN epitaxiai layers can be obtained by inserting AlN/GaN superlattice buffer layer. The influence of AlN/GaN superlattice buffer layer on the properties of GaN films are investigated in this paper. One of the important roles of the superlattice is to release tensile strain between Si substrate and epilayer. Raman spectra show a substantial decrease of in-plane tensile strain in GaN layers by using AlN/GaN superlattice buffer layer. Moreover, TEM cross-sectional images show that the densities of both screw and edge dislocations are significantly reduced. The GaN films grown on Si with the superlattice buffer also have better surface morphology and optical properties.

Molecular Beam Epitaxy of Zero Lattice-Mismatch InAs/GaSb Type-Ⅱ Superlattice

Type-Ⅱ InAs/GaSb superlattiees made of 13 InAs monolayers （MLs） and 7 GaSb MLs are grown on GaSb substrates by solid source molecular beam epitaxy. To obtain lattice-matched structures, thin InSb layers are inserted between InAs and GaSb layers. We complete a series of experiments to investigate the influence of the InSb deposition time, Ⅴ/Ⅲ beam-equivalent pressure ratio and interruption time between each layer, and then characterize the superlattice （SL） structures with high-resolution x-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The optimized growth parameters are applied to grow the 100-period SL structure, resulting in the full-width half-maximum of 29.55 arcsee for the first SL satellite peak and zero lattice-mismatch between the zero-order SL peak and the GaSb substrate peak.

ELECTRONIC STRUCTURES OF (CdSe)_n/(ZnSe)_m STRAINED-LAYER SUPERLATTICES

The electronic structures of (CdSe)n/(ZnSe)m strained-lager soperfattice (SLS) were investigated by the recursion method in the tight-bindiop opproximation. The total,local, and partial density of states were calculated for n=1, m=5.The total density of states (TDOS) for bulk CdSe, ZnSe and n=1, 3, m=1, 3, 5, for SLS were investigated.Fermi energy, the band gap, the valence of an atom, and the ionization potential and the electron affinity were discassed.

Improvement of tunnel compensated quantum well infrared detector

To reduce the difficulty of the epitaxy caused by multiple quantum well infrared photodetector(QWIP)with tunnel compensation structure,an improved structure is proposed.In the new structure,the superlattices are located between the tunnel junction and the barrier as the infrared absorption region,eliminating the effect of doping concentration on the well width in the original structure.Theoretical analysis and experimental verification of the new structure are carried out.The experimental sample is a two-cycle device,each cycle contains a tunnel junction,a superlattice infrared absorption region and a thick barrier.The photosurface of the detector is 200×200μm^2 and the light is optically coupled by 45°oblique incidence.The results show that the optimal operating voltage of the sample is-1.1 V,the dark current is 2.99×10^-8A,and the blackbody detectivity is1.352×10^8 cm·Hz^1/2·W^-1at 77 K.Our experiments show that the new structure can work normally.

Mssbauer studies on the shape effect of Fe_(84.94)Si_(9.68)Al_(5.38) particles on their microwave permeability

Ball milling for long time （such as 10, 20, and 30 h） can transform Fe84.94Si9,68A15.38 alloy powders with irregular shapes into flakes. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and M6ssbauer measurements have proven that the unmilled particles and the flakes obtained by milling for 10 h have the same D03-type superlattice structure. The flakes obtained by milling for 20 h and 30 h have the same disorder a-Fe（Si, A1） structure. There are more than 6 absorption peaks in the transmis- sion MSssbauer spectra （TMSs） for the particles with D03-type superlattice structure, which can be fitted with 5 sextets representing 5 different Fe-site environments. However, only 6 TMS absorption peaks have been found for particles with a disorder a-Fe（Si, A1） structure, which can be fitted with the distributions of M6ssbauer parameters （Bhf, isomer shift）. The TMS results show that the flaky particles have a stronger tendency to possess the planar magnetic anisotropy. As the result, the flakes have larger microwave permeability values than particles with irregular shapes. The conversion electron M6ssbauer spectra （CEMSs） also show the significantly different Fe-sites environments between the alloy surface and the inside.

Interface effect on superlattice quality and optical properties of InAs/GaSb type-Ⅱ superlattices grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We systematically investigate the influence of InSb interface(IF)engineering on the crystal quality and optical properties of strain-balanced InAs/GaSb type-Ⅱsuperlattices(T2SLs).The type-Ⅱsuperlattice structure is 120 periods InAs(8 ML)/GaSb(6 ML)with different thicknesses of InSb interface grown by molecular beam epitaxy(MBE).The highresolution x-ray diffraction(XRD)curves display sharp satellite peaks,and the narrow full width at half maximum(FWHM)of the 0th is only 30-39 arcsec.From high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)characterization,the InSb heterointerfaces and the clear spatial separation between the InAs and GaSb layers can be more intuitively distinguished.As the InSb interface thickness increases,the compressive strain increases,and the surface“bright spots”appear to be more apparent from the atomic force microscopy(AFM)results.Also,photoluminescence(PL)measurements verify that,with the increase in the strain,the bandgap of the superlattice narrows.By optimizing the InSb interface,a high-quality crystal with a well-defined surface and interface is obtained with a PL wavelength of 4.78μm,which can be used for mid-wave infrared(MWIR)detection.

High quantum efficiency long-/long-wave dual-color type-Ⅱ InAs/GaSb infrared detector

A long-/long-wave dual-color detector with N-M-π-B-π-M-N structure was developed based on a type-Ⅱ InAs/GaSb superlattice. The saturated responsivity was achieved under low bias voltage for both channels. The device could be operated as a single detector for sequential detection and showed high quantum efficiencies. The peak quantum efficiencies of long-wavelength infrared band-1(blue channel) and long-wavelength infrared band-2(red channel) were 44% at 6.3 μm under 20 mV and 57% at 9.1 μm under-60 mV, respectively. The optical performance for each channel was achieved using a 2 μm thickness absorber. Due to the high QE, the specific detectivities of the blue and red channels reached5.0×10^(11) cm·Hz^(1/2)/W at 6.8 μm and 3.1×10^(11) cm·Hz1^(1/2)/W at 9.1 μm, respectively, at 77 K.