Enhanced conductivity and weakened magnetism in Pb-doped Sr_(2)IrO_(4)

Group IV element Pb has been selected as the dopant to dope at the Sr site of Sr_(2)IrO_(4). It is exciting to find that the single-phase crystal structure could be maintained with a high Pb doping level of up to x=0.3 in Sr_(2-x)Pb_(x)IrO_(4). The mapping data obtained from energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analyses give solid evidence that the Pb ions are uniformly distributed in the Sr_(2)IrO_(4) matrix. The incorporation of Pb leads to a moderate depression of the canted antiferromagnetic ordering state. The electrical conductivity could be greatly enhanced when the Pb doping content is higher than x=0.2.The present results give a fresh material base to explore new physics in doped Sr_(2)IrO_(4) systems.

Hole-Doped Nonvolatile and Electrically Controllable Magnetism in van der Waals Ferroelectric Heterostructures

Electrical control of magnetism in van der Waals semiconductors is a promising step towards development of two-dimensional spintronic devices with ultralow power consumption for processing and storing information.Here, we propose a design for two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures(vdWHs) that can host ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism simultaneously under hole doping. By contacting an In Se monolayer and forming an InSe/In_(2)Se_(3) vd WH, the switchable built-in electric field from the reversible out-of-plane polarization enables robust control of the band alignment. Furthermore, switching between the two ferroelectric states(P_↑ and P_↓)of hole-doped In_(2)Se_(3) with an external electric field can interchange the ON and OFF states of the nonvolatile magnetism. More interestingly, doping concentration and strain can effectively tune the magnetic moment and polarization energy. Therefore, this provides a platform for realizing multiferroics in ferroelectric heterostructures,showing great potential for use in nonvolatile memories and ferroelectric field-effect transistors.

Mott Gap Filling by Doping Electrons through Depositing One Sub-Monolayer Thin Film of Rb on Ca_(2)CuO_(2)Cl_(2)

Understanding the doping evolution from a Mott insulator to a superconductor probably holds the key to resolve the mystery of unconventional superconductivity in copper oxides. To elucidate the evolution of the electronic state starting from the Mott insulator, we dose the surface of the parent phase Ca_(2)CuO_(2)Cl_(2) by depositing Rb atoms, which are supposed to donate electrons to the CuO_(2) planes underneath. We successfully achieved the Rb sub-monolayer thin films in forming the square lattice. The scanning tunneling microscopy or spectroscopy measurements on the surface show that the Fermi energy is pinned within the Mott gap but close to the edge of the charge transfer band. In addition, an in-gap state appears at the bottom of the upper Hubbard band(UHB), and the Mott gap will be significantly diminished. Combined with the Cl defect and the Rb adatom/cluster results, the electron doping is likely to increase the spectra weight of the UHB for the double occupancy. Our results provide information to understand the electron doping to the parent compound of cuprates.

Enhancing multifunctional photocatalysis with acetate-assisted cesium doping and unlocking the potential of Z-scheme solar water splitting

Graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))has been extensively doped with alkali metals to enlarge photocatalytic output,in which cesium(Cs)doping is predicted to be the most efficient.Nevertheless,the sluggish diffusion and doping kinetics of precursors with high melting points,along with imprecise regulation,have raised the debate on whether Cs doping could make sense.For this matter,we attempt to confirm the positive effects of Cs doping on multifunctional photocatalysis by first using cesium acetate with the character of easy manipulation.The optimized Csdoped g-C_(3)N_(4)(CCN)shows a 41.6-fold increase in visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)compared to pure g-C_(3)N_(4) and impressive degradation capability,especially with 77%refractory tetracycline and almost 100%rhodamine B degradedwithin an hour.The penetration ofCs+is demonstrated to be a mode of interlayer doping,and Cs–N bonds(especially with sp^(2) pyridine N in C═N–C),along with robust chemical interaction and electron exchange,are fabricated.This atomic configuration triggers the broadened spectral response,the improved charge migration,and the activated photocatalytic capacity.Furthermore,we evaluate the CCN/cadmium sulfide hybrid as a Z-scheme configuration,promoting the visible HER yield to 9.02 mmol g^(−1) h^(−1),which is the highest ever reported among all CCN systems.This work adds to the rapidly expanding field of manipulation strategies and supports further development of mediating served for photocatalysis.

Neutral and metallic vs.charged and semiconducting surface layer in acceptor doped CeO_(2)

The monomolecular surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) may become neutral and metallic or charged and semiconducting.This is revealed in the theoretical analysis of the oxygen pressure dependence of the surface defects concentration in acceptor doped ceria with two different dopant types and operated under different oxygen pressures.Recently published experimental data for highly reduced Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9-x(SDC)containing a fixed valence dopant Sm3+are very different from those published for Pr0.1Ce0.9O_(2)-x(PCO) with the variable valence dopant Pr4+/Pr3+being reduced under milder conditions.The theoretical analysis of these experimental results fits very well the experimental results of SDC and PCO.It leads to the following predictions:the highly reduced surface of SDC is metallic and neutral,the metallic surface electron density of state is gs=0.9×10^(38)J-1·m^(-2)(1.4×1015eV^(-1)·cm^(-2)),the electron effective mass is meff,s=3.3me,and the phase diagram of the reduced surface has theα(fcc)structure as in the bulk.In PCO a double layer is predicted to be formed between the surface and the bulk with the surface being negatively charged and semiconducting.The surface of PCO maintains high Pr^(3+) defect concentration as well as relative high oxygen vacancy concentration at oxygen pressures higher than in the bulk.The reasons for the difference between a metallic and semiconducting surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) are reviewed,as well as the key theoretical considerations applied in coping with this problem.For that we make use of the experimental data and theoretical analysis available for acceptor doped ceria.

Photodoping-Modified Charge Density Wave Phase Transition in WS_(2)/1T-TaS_(2) Heterostructure

Controlling collective electronic states hold great promise for development of innovative devices. Here, we experimentally detect the modification of the charge density wave(CDW) phase transition within a 1T-TaS_(2) layer in a WS_(2)/1T-TaS_(2) heterostructure using time-resolved ultrafast spectroscopy. Laser-induced charge transfer doping strongly suppresses the commensurate CDW phase, which results in a significant decrease in both the phase transition temperature(T_(c)) and phase transition stiffness. We interpret the phenomenon that photoinduced hole doping, when surpassing a critical threshold value of ~ 10^(18)cm^(-3), sharply decreases the phase transition energy barrier. Our results provide new insights into controlling the CDW phase transition, paving the way for optical-controlled novel devices based on CDW materials.

Pillar effect induced by ultrahigh phosphorous/nitrogen doping enables graphene/MXene film with excellent cycling stability for alkali metal ion storage

Graphene's large theoretical surface area and high conductivity make it an attractive anode material for potassium-ion batteries(PIBs).However,its practical application is hindered by small interlayer distance and long ion transfer distance.Herein,this paper aims to address the issue by introducing MXene through a simple and scalable method for assembling graphene and realizing ultrahigh P doping content.The findings reveal that MXene and P-C bonds have a "pillar effect" on the structure of graphene,and the P-C bond plays a primary role.In addition,N/P co-doping introduces abundant defects,providing more active sites for K^(+) storage and facilitating K^(+) adsorption.As expected,the developed ultrahigh phosphorous/nitrogen co-doped flexible reduced graphene oxide/MXene(NPrGM) electrode exhibits remarkable reversible discharge capacity(554 mA hg^(-1) at 0.05 A g^(-1)),impressive rate capability(178 mA h g^(-1) at 2 A g^(-1)),and robust cyclic stability(0.0005% decay per cycle after 10,000 cycles at 2 A g^(-1)).Furthermore,the assembled activated carbon‖NPrGM potassium-ion hybrid capacitor(PIHC) can deliver an impressive energy density of 131 W h kg^(-1) and stable cycling performance with 98.1% capacitance retention after5000 cycles at 1 A g^(-1).Such a new strategy will effectively promote the practical application of graphene materials in PIBs/PIHCs and open new avenues for the scalable development of flexible films based on two-dimensional materials for potential applications in energy storage,thermal interface,and electromagnetic shielding.

Progress in efficient doping of Al-rich AlGaN

The development of semiconductors is always accompanied by the progress in controllable doping techniques.Taking AlGaN-based ultraviolet(UV)emitters as an example,despite a peak wall-plug efficiency of 15.3%at the wavelength of 275 nm,there is still a huge gap in comparison with GaN-based visible light-emitting diodes(LEDs),mainly attributed to the inefficient doping of AlGaN with increase of the Al composition.First,p-doping of Al-rich AlGaN is a long-standing challenge and the low hole concentration seriously restricts the carrier injection efficiency.Although p-GaN cladding layers are widely adopted as a compromise,the high injection barrier of holes as well as the inevitable loss of light extraction cannot be neglected.While in terms of n-doping the main issue is the degradation of the electrical property when the Al composition exceeds 80%,resulting in a low electrical efficiency in sub-250 nm UV-LEDs.This review summarizes the recent advances and outlines the major challenges in the efficient doping of Al-rich AlGaN,meanwhile the corresponding approaches pursued to overcome the doping issues are discussed in detail.

Density functional theory study of B- and Si-doped carbons and their adsorption interactions with sulfur compounds

Understanding the adsorption interactions between carbon materials and sulfur compounds has far-reaching impacts,in addition to their well-known important role in energy storage and conversion,such as lithium-ion batteries.In this paper,properties of intrinsic B or Si single-atom doped,and B-Si codoped graphene(GR)and graphdiyne(GDY)were investigated by using density functional theory-based calculations,in which the optimal doping configurations were explored for potential applications in adsorbing sulfur compounds.Results showed that both B or Si single-atom doping and B-Si codoping could substantially enhance the electron transport properties of GR and GDY,improving their surface activity.Notably,B and Si atoms displayed synergistic effects for the codoped configurations,where B-Si codoped GR/GDY exhibited much better performance in the adsorption of sulfurcontaining chemicals than single-atom doped systems.In addition,results demonstrated that,after B-Si codoping,the adsorption energy and charge transfer amounts of GDY with sulfur compounds were much larger than those of GR,indicating that B-Si codoped GDY might be a favorable material for more effectively interacting with sulfur reagents.

Stable multi-electron reaction stimulated by W doping VS_(4)for enhancing magnesium storage performance

Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs)hold promise for offering higher volumetric energy density and safety features,attracting increasing research interest as the next post lithium-ion batteries.Developing high performance cathode material by inducing multi-electron reaction process as well as maintaining structural stability is the key to the development and application of RMBs.Herein,multielectron reaction occurred in VS_(4)by simple W doping strategy.W doping induces valence of partial V as V^(2+)and V^(3+)in VS_(4)structure,and then stimulates electrochemical reaction involving multi-electrons in 0.5%W-V-S.The flower-like microsphere morphology as well as rich S vacancies is also modulated by W doping to neutralize structure change in such multi-electron reaction process.The fabricated 0.5%W-V-S delivers higher specific capacity(149.3 m A h g^(-1)at 50 m A g^(-1),which is 1.6 times higher than that of VS_(4)),superior rate capability(76 mA h g^(-1)at 1000 mA g^(-1)),and stable cycling performance(1500cycles with capacity retention ratio of 93.8%).Besides that,pesudocapaticance-like contribution analysis as well as galvanostatic intermittent titration technique(GITT)further confirms the enhanced Mg^(2+)storage kinetics during such multi-electron involved electrochemical reaction process.Such discovery provides new insights into the designing of multi-electron reaction process in cathode as well as neutralizing structural change during such reaction for realizing superior electrochemical performance in energy storage devices.

Mg-doped,carbon-coated,and prelithiated SiO_(x) as anode materials with improved initial Coulombic efficiency for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon suboxide(SiO_(x),x≈1)is promising in serving as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity,but it has a low initial Coulombic efficiency(ICE)due to the irreversible formation of lithium silicates during the first cycle.In this work,we modify SiO_(x) by solid-phase Mg doping reaction using low-cost Mg powder as a reducing agent.We show that Mg reduces SiO_(2) in SiO_(x) to Si and forms MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4).The MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4) are mainly distributed on the surface of SiO_(x),which suppresses the irreversible lithium-ion loss and enhances the ICE of SiO_(x).However,the formation of MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4) also sacrifices the capacity of SiO_(x).Therefore,by controlling the reaction process between Mg and SiO_(x),we can tune the phase composition,proportion,and morphology of the Mg-doped SiO_(x) and manipulate the performance.We obtain samples with a capacity of 1226 mAh g^(–1) and an ICE of 84.12%,which show significant improvement over carbon-coated SiO_(x) without Mg doping.By the synergistical modification of both Mg doping and prelithiation,the capacity of SiO_(x) is further increased to 1477 mAh g^(–1) with a minimal compromise in the ICE(83.77%).

Appreciable Enhancement of Photocatalytic Performance for N-doped SrMoO_(4) via the Vapor-thermal Method

A series of nitrogen-doped SrMoO_(4) with different Sr/N mole ratio (R=0,0.05,0.10,0.15,0.20,0.40,and 0.60) were synthesized using urea as the N source via the vapor-thermal method.The photocatalytic degradation ability of all samples was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as a target contaminant.The band gaps of N-doped samples are all higher than that of pristine ones,which is only 3.12 eV.BET specific surface area S_(BET) and pore volume are increased due to the N doping.And the greater increase of S_(BET),the faster the photodegradation speed of methylene blue on SrMoO_(4).More specifically,the degradation efficiency of MB is improved up to 87%in 100 min.

Defect engineering on BiFeO_(3) through Na and V codoping for aqueous Na-ion capacitors

Sodium with low cost and high abundance is considered as a substitute element of lithium for batteries and supercapacitors,which need the appropriate host materials to accommodate the relatively large Na^(+) ions.Compared to Li^(+) storage,Na^(+) storage makes higher demands on the structural optimization of perovskite bismuth ferrite(BiFeO_(3)).We propose a novel strategy of defect engineering on BiFeO_(3) through Na and V codoping for high-efficiency Na^(+) storage,to reveal the roles of oxygen vacancies and V ions played in the enhanced electrochemical energy storage performances of Na-ion capacitors.The formation of the oxygen vacancies in the Na and V codoped BiFeO_(3)(denoted as NV-BFO),is promoted by Na doping and suppressed by V doping,which can be demonstrated by XPS and EPR spectra.By the first-principles calculations,the oxygen vacancies and V ions in NV-BFO are confirmed to substantially lower the Na^(+)migration energy barriers through the space and electric field effects,to effectively promote the Na^(+) transport in the crystals.Electrochemical kinetic analysis of the NV-BFO//NV-BFO capacitors indicates the dominant capacitive-controlled capacity,which depends on fast Na^(+) deintercalation-intercalation process in the NV-BFO electrode.The NV-BFO//NV-BFO capacitors open up a new avenue for developing highperformance Na-ion capacitors.

Controllable fabrication of FeCoS_(4) nanoparticles/S-doped bowl-shaped hollow carbon as efficient lithium storage anode

To address the low conductivity and easy agglomeration of transition metal sulfide nanoparticles,FeCoS_(4) nanoparticles embedded in S-doped hollow carbon(FeCoS_(4)@S-HC)composites were successfully fabricated through a combination of hydrothermal processes and sulfidation treatment.The unique bowlshaped FeCoS_(4)/S-HC composites exhibit excellent structural stability with a high specific surface area of 303.7 m^(2)·g^(-1) and a pore volume of 0.93 cm^(3)·g^(-1).When applied as anode material for lithium-ion batteries,the FeCoS_(4)@S-HC anode exhibits efficient lithium storage with high reversible specific capacity(970.2 mA·h·g^(-1) at 100 mA·g^(-1))and enhanced cycling stability(574 mA·h·g^(-1) at 0.2 A·g^(-1) after 350 cycles,a capacity retention of 84%).The excellent lithium storage is attributed to the fact that the bimetallic FeCoS_(4) nanoparticles with abundant active sites can accelerate the electrochemical reaction kinetics,and the bowl-shaped S-HC structure can provide a stable mechanical structure to suppress volume expansion.

Unveiling the pressure-driven metal–semiconductor–metal transition in the doped TiS_(2)

Conventional theories expect that materials under pressure exhibit expanded valence and conduction bands,leading to increased electrical conductivity.Here,we report the electrical properties of the doped 1T-TiS_(2) under high pressure by electrical resistance investigations,synchrotron x-ray diffraction,Raman scattering and theoretical calculations.Up to 70 GPa,an unusual metal-semiconductor-metal transition occurs.Our first-principles calculations suggest that the observed anti-Wilson transition from metal to semiconductor at 17 GPa is due to the electron localization induced by the intercalated Ti atoms.This electron localization is attributed to the strengthened coupling between the doped Ti atoms and S atoms,and the Anderson localization arising from the disordered intercalation.At pressures exceeding 30.5 GPa,the doped TiS_(2) undergoes a re-metallization transition initiated by a crystal structure phase transition.We assign the most probable space group as P2_12_12_1.Our findings suggest that materials probably will eventually undergo the Wilson transition when subjected to sufficient pressure.

Surface doping manipulation of the insulating ground states in Ta_(2)Pd_(3)Te_(5) and Ta_(2)Ni_(3)Te_(5)

Manipulating emergent quantum phenomena is a key issue for understanding the underlying physics and contributing to possible applications.Here we study the evolution of insulating ground states of Ta_(2)Pu_(3)Te_(5) and Ta_(2)Ni_(3)Te_(5) under in-situ surface potassium deposition via angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy.Our results confirm the excitonic insulator character of Ta_(2)d_(3)Te_(5).Upon surface doping,the size of its global gap decreases obviously.After a deposition time of more than 7 min,the potassium atoms induce a metal-insulator phase transition and make the system recover to a normal state.In contrast,our results show that the isostructural compound Ta_(2)Ni_(3)Te_(5) is a conventional insulator.The size of its global gap decreases upon surface doping,but persists positive throughout the doping process.Our results not only confirm the excitonic origin of the band gap in Ta_(2)Pd_(3)Te_(5),but also offer an effective method for designing functional quantum devices in the future.

Small but mighty:Empowering sodium/potassium-ion battery performance with S-doped SnO2 quantum dots embedded in N,S codoped carbon fiber network

SnO_(2) has been extensively investigated as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)and potassium-ion batteries(PIBs)due to its high Na/K storage capacity,high abundance,and low toxicity.However,the sluggish reaction kinetics,low electronic conductivity,and large volume changes during charge and discharge hinder the practical applications of SnO_(2)-based electrodes for SIBs and PIBs.Engineering rational structures with fast charge/ion transfer and robust stability is important to overcoming these challenges.Herein,S-doped SnO_(2)(S-SnO_(2))quantum dots(QDs)(≈3 nm)encapsulated in an N,S codoped carbon fiber networks(S-SnO_(2)-CFN)are rationally fabricated using a sequential freeze-drying,calcination,and S-doping strategy.Experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations reveal that the integration of S-SnO_(2) QDs with N,S codoped carbon fiber network remarkably decreases the adsorption energies of Na/K atoms in the interlayer of SnO_(2)-CFN,and the S doping can increase the conductivity of SnO_(2),thereby enhancing the ion transfer kinetics.The synergistic interaction between S-SnO_(2) QDs and N,S codoped carbon fiber network results in a composite with fast Na+/K+storage and extraordinary long-term cyclability.Specifically,the S-SnO_(2)-CFN delivers high rate capacities of 141.0 mAh g^(−1) at 20 A g^(−1) in SIBs and 102.8 mAh g^(−1) at 10 A g^(−1) in PIBs.Impressively,it delivers ultra-stable sodium storage up to 10,000 cycles at 5 A g^(−1) and potassium storage up to 5000 cycles at 2 A g^(−1).This study provides insights into constructing metal oxide-based carbon fiber network structures for high-performance electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices.

High-throughput calculation-based rational design of Fe-doped MoS_(2) nanosheets for electrocatalytic p H-universal overall water splitting

Electrocatalytic water splitting is crucial for H2generation via hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)but subject to the sluggish dynamics of oxygen evolution reaction(OER).In this work,single Fe atomdoped MoS_(2)nanosheets(SFe-DMNs)were prepared based on the high-throughput density functional theory(DFT)calculation screening.Due to the synergistic effect between Fe atom and MoS_(2)and optimized intermediate binding energy,the SFe-DMNs could deliver outstanding activity for both HER and OER.When assembled into a two-electrode electrolytic cell,the SFe-DMNs could achieve the current density of 50 mA cm^(-2)at a low cell voltage of 1.55 V under neutral condition.These results not only confirmed the effectiveness of high-throughput screening,but also revealed the excellent activity and thus the potential applications in fuel cells of SFe-DMNs.

Enhancing the stability of Ni Fe-layered double hydroxide nanosheet array for alkaline seawater oxidation by Ce doping

Electrocatalytic hydrogen production from seawater holds enormous promise for clean energy generation.Nevertheless,the direct electrolysis of seawater encounters significant challenges due to poor anodic stability caused by detrimental chlorine chemistry.Herein,we present our recent discovery that the incorporation of Ce into Ni Fe layered double hydroxide nanosheet array on Ni foam(Ce-Ni Fe LDH/NF)emerges as a robust electrocatalyst for seawater oxidation.During the seawater oxidation process,CeO_(2)is generated,effectively repelling Cl^(-)and inhibiting the formation of Cl O-,resulting in a notable enhancement in the oxidation activity and stability of alkaline seawater.The prepared Ce-Ni Fe LDH/NF requires only overpotential of 390 m V to achieve the current density of 1 A cm^(-2),while maintaining long-term stability for 500 h,outperforming the performance of Ni Fe LDH/NF(430 m V,150 h)by a significant margin.This study highlights the effectiveness of a Ce-doping strategy in augmenting the activity and stability of materials based on Ni Fe LDH in seawater electrolysis for oxygen evolution.

Enhanced stability of FA-based perovskite:Rare-earth metal compound EuBr_(2) doping

It is highly desirable to enhance the long-term stability of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)so that this class of photovoltaic cells can be effectively used for the commercialization purposes.In this contribution,attempts have been made to use the two-step sequential method to dope EuBr_(2)into FAMAPbI_(3)perovskite to promote the stability.It is shown that the device durability at 85℃in air with RH of 20%-40%is improved substantially,and simultaneously the champion device efficiency of 23.04%is achieved.The enhancement in stability is attributed to two points:(ⅰ)EuBr_(2)doping effectively inhibits the decomposition andα-δphase transition of perovskite under ambient environment,and(ⅱ)EuBr_(2)aggregates in the oxidized format of Eu(BrO_(3))_(3)at perovskite grain boundaries and surface,hampering humidity erosion and mitigates degradation through coordination with H_(2)O.