A General Strategy for Ordered Carrier Transport of Quasi‑2D and 3D Perovskite Films for Giant Self‑Powered Photoresponse and Ultrahigh Stability

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite materials have been focusing more attention in the field of self-powered photodetectors due to their superb photoelectric properties.However,a universal growth approach is required and challenging to realize vertically oriented growth and grain boundary fusion of 2D and 3D perovskite grains to promote ordered carrier transport,which determines superior photoresponse and high stability.Herein,a general thermal-pressed(TP)strategy is designed to solve the above issues,achieving uniaxial orientation and single-grain penetration along the film thickness direction.It constructs the efficient channel for ordered carrier transport between two electrodes.Combining of the improved crystal quality and lower trap-state density,the quasi-2D and 3D perovskite-based self-powered photodetector devices(with/without hole transport layer)all exhibit giant and stable photoresponse in a wide spectrum range and specific wavelength laser.For the MAPbI_(3)-based self-powered photodetectors,the largest R_(λ) value is as high as 0.57 A W^(−1)at 760 nm,which is larger than most reported results.Meanwhile,under laser illumination(532 nm),the FPEA_(2)MA_(4)Pb_(5)I_(16)-based device exhibits a high responsivity(0.4 A W^(−1)) value,which is one of the best results in 2DRP self-powered photodetectors.In addition,fast response,ultralow detection limit,and markedly improved humidity,optical and heat stabilities are clearly demonstrated for these TP-based devices.

Spectrum-Splitting Diffractive Optical Element of High Concentration Factor and High Optical Efficiency for Three-Junction Photovoltaics

A spectrum-splitting and beam-concentrating （SSBC） diffractive optical element （DOE） for three-junction pho- tovoltaics （PV） system is designed and fabricated by five-circ/e micro-fabrication. The incident solar light is efficiently split into three sub-spectrum ranges and strongly concentrated on the focal plane, which can be di- rectly utilized by suitable spectrum-matching solar cells. The system concentration factor reaches 12x. Moreover, the designed wavelengths （450nm, 550nm and 65Onto） are spatially distributed on the focal plane, in good agree- ment with the theoretical results. The average optical effic/ency of all the cells over the three designed wavelengths is 60.07%. The SSBC DOE with a high concentration factor and a high optical efficiency provides a cost-effective approach to achieve higher PV conversion efficieneies.

Enhanced Performance in Perovskite Organic Lead Iodide Heterojunction Solar Cells with Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Back Contact

Metal-insulator-semiconductor back contact has been employed for a perovskite organic lead iodide heterojunction solar cell,in which an ultrathin Al_(2)O_(3) film as an insulating layer was deposited onto the CH_(3)NH_(3)PbI_(3) by atomic layer deposition technology.The light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of the devices is significantly enhanced from 3.30%to 5.07%.Further the impedance spectrum reveals that this insulating layer sustains part of the positive bias applied in the absorber region close to the back contact and decreases the carrier transport barrier,thus promoting transportation of carriers.

Electrolyte and current collector designs for stable lithium metal anodes

With the increasing demand for high energy-density batteries for portable electronics and large-scale energy storage systems,the lithium metal anode(LMA)has received tremendous attention because of its high theoretical capacity and low redox potential.However,the commercial application of LMAs is impeded by the uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrites.Such dendrite growth may result in internal short circuits,detrimental side reactions,and the formation of dead lithium.Therefore,the growth of lithium metal must be controlled.This article summarizes our recent efforts in inhibiting such dendrite growth,decreasing the detrimental side reactions,and elongating the LMA lifespan by optimizing the electrolyte structure and by designing appropriate current collectors.After identifying that the unstable solid electrolyte inter-face(SEI)film is responsible for the potential dropping in carbonate electrolytes,we developed LiPF_(6)-LiNO_(3) dual-salt electrolyte and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide(LiFSI)-carbonate electrolyte to stabilize the SEI film of LMAs.In addition,we achieved controlled lithium depos-ition by designing the structure and material of the current collectors,including selective lithium deposition in porous current collectors,lithio-philic metal guided lithium deposition,and iron carbide induced underpotential lithium deposition in nano-cavities.The limitations of the cur-rent strategies and prospects for future research are also presented.

A repeated interdiffusion method for efficient planar formamidinium perovskite solar cells

A repeated interdiffusion method is described for phase-stable and high-quality （FA,MA）PbI3 film. The crys- tallization and growth of the perovskite films can be well controlled by adjusting the reactant concentrations. With this method, dense, smooth perovskite films with large crystals have been obtained. Finally, a PCE of 16.5% as well as a steady-state efficiency of 16.3% is achieved in the planar perovskite solar cell.

Effect of In_xGa_(1-x)As Interlayer on Surface Morphology and Optical Properties of GaSb/InGaAs Type-Ⅱ Quantum Dots Grown on InP (100) Substrates

The effects of indium composition in InGaAs interlayer and on optical properties of GaSb/InGaAs QD material on morphology of GaSb/InGaAs quantum dots （QDs） system are studied. AFM images show that the change of the indium composition in InGaAs interlayer can alter the GaSb QD morphology. It is found that low indium composition in InGaAs interlayer can promote the formation of QDs, while high indium composition can inhibit the formation of QDs. The photoluminescence （PL） spectra of GaSb/InGaAs QDs at 8 K under low excitation power indicate that the third root of the excitation power is linear with the peak position, which provides a direct evidence for their luminescence belonging to type-Ⅱ material optical transition. The PL spectra at 8 K under an excitation power of 90row show that the optical properties of GaSb/InGaAs QD material system can be affected by the indium composition in the InGaAs interlayer, and the PL peak position is linear with the indium composition. The optical properties of GaSb/InGaAs QDs can be improved by adjusting the indium composition in the InGaAs interlayer.

Real-time quantitative optical method to study temperature dependence of crack propagation process in colloidal photonic crystal film

A real-time quantitative optical method to characterize crack propagation in colloidal photonic crystal film（CPCF）is developed based on particle deformation models and previous real-time crack observations. The crack propagation process and temperature dependence of the crack propagation rate in CPCF are investigated. By this method, the crack propagation rate is found to slow down gradually to zero when cracks become more numerous and dense. Meanwhile, with the temperature increasing, the crack propagation rate constant decreases. The negative temperature dependence of the crack propagation rate is due to the increase of van der Waals attraction, which finally results in the decrease of resultant force. The findings provide new insight into the crack propagation process in CPCF.

Effect of In_x Ga_(1-x )N “continuously graded” buffer layer on InGaN epilayer grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

In this paper we report on the effect of an lnxGal xN continuously graded buffer layer on an InGaN epilayer grown on a GaN template. In our experiment, three types of buffer layers including constant composition, continuously graded composition, and the combination of constant and continuously graded composition are used. Surface morphologies, crystalline quality, indium incorporations, and relaxation degrees of InGaN epilayers with different buffer layers are investigated. It is found that the InxGa1-xN continuously graded buffer layer is effective to improve the surface morphology, crystalline quality, and the indium incorporation of the InGaN epilayer. These superior characteristics of the continuously graded buffer layer can be attributed to the sufficient strain release and the reduction of dislocations.

Fabrication of GaN-based LEDs with 22° undercut sidewalls by inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching

We use a simple and controllable method to fabricate GaN-based light-emitting diodes （LEDs） with 22° undercut sidewalls by the successful implementation of the inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching （ICP-RIE）. Our exper- iment results show that the output powers of the LEDs with 22° undercut sidewalls are 34.8 rnW under a 20-mA current injection, 6.75% higher than 32.6 mW, the output powers of the conventional LEDs under the same current injection.

Effects of multiple interruptions with trimethylindium-treatment in the InGaN/GaN quantum well on green light emitting diodes

In this study, the influence of multiple interruptions with trimethylindium(TMIn)-treatment in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells(MQWs) on green light-emitting diode(LED) is investigated. A comparison of conventional LEDs with the one fabricated with our method shows that the latter has better optical properties. Photoluminescence(PL) full-width at half maximum(FWHM) is reduced, light output power is much higher and the blue shift of electroluminescence(EL) dominant wavelength becomes smaller with current increasing. These improvements should be attributed to the reduced interface roughness of MQW and more uniformity of indium distribution in MQWs by the interruptions with TMIn-treatment.

Bottom-up lithium growth guided by Ag concentration gradient in 3D PVDF framework towards stable lithium metal anode

Three-dimensional(3 D)frameworks have received much attention as an effective modification strategy for next-generation high-energy-density lithium metal batteries.However,the top-growth mode of lithium(Li)on the 3 D framework remains a tough challenge.To achieve a uniform bottom-up Li growth,a scheme involving Ag concentration gradient in 3 D PVDF framework(C-Ag/PVDF)is proposed.Ag nanoparticles with a concentration gradient induce an interface activity gradient in the 3 D framework,and this gradient feature is still maintained during the cycle.As a result,the C-Ag/PVDF framework delivers a long lifespan over 1800 h at a current density of 1 mA cm^(-2) with a capacity of 1 mAh cm^(-2),and shows an ultra-long life(>1300 h)even at a high current density of 4 mA cm^(-2) with a capacity of 4 mAh cm^(-2).The advantage of concentration gradient provides further insights into the optimal design of the 3 D framework for stable Li metal anode.

Preface to Special Issue on New Generation Solar Cells

Photovoltaic solar cells have been recognized as one of the most promising ways to ease the increasingly serious energy shortages and solve the related environmental problems in the power generation industry. To accelerate the wider application of these photovoltaic devices, it is particularly important to realize low-cost and environmentally-friendly photovoltaic materials and technologies. Therefore, some new generation solar cells, including sensitized, organic heterojunction-based, perovskite and inorganic thin fihn solar cells, have been developed and continue to develop rapidly. These new generation solar cells are currently hot research topics in both the scientific and industrial fields, and are promoting deeper understanding of the charge generation, transport and storage processes in these complex semiconductor and photo-electrochemical systems, which is beneficial for interdisciplinary research among the various light-to-electricity conversion subjects.

Improved Photoluminescence in InGaN/GaN Strained Quantum Wells

The influence of strain accumulation on optical properties is investigated for InCaN/CaN-based blue lightemitting diodes grown by metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy. It is found that it is possible to reduce the strain relaxation and hence the nonradiative recombination centers in InCaN multi-quantum wells （MQWs） byadopting more InCaN/CaN MQWs pairs. The alleviation of strain relaxation in a superlattice layer results in the crystalline perfection and effective quality improvement of the epitaxial structures. With suitable control of the crystalline quality and reduced strain relaxation in the MQWs, there shows a 4-fold increase in light output luminous efficiency as compared to their conventional counterparts.

双功能添加剂策略制备高效钙钛矿太阳电池

目前针对提高钙钛矿太阳能电池(PSCs)效率的研究发展迅速,效率已经达到26%.然而,在制备高效率PSCs时经常会使用过量PbI_(2),过量的PbI_(2)会导致电池的稳定性缺陷.为了解决这一问题,我们引入了阴阳离子共同作用的双功能添加剂苯乙胺三氟乙酸盐(PEATFA),来钝化钙钛矿薄膜中的缺陷和过量的PbI_(2),以协同钝化钙钛矿太阳能电池.PEA^(+)阳离子促进二维钙钛矿生成,而TFA^(-)阴离子钝化未配位的Pb_(2+)离子和碘空位,从而提高了钙钛矿晶体质量.此外,PEATFA的引入优化了钙钛矿与空穴传输层之间的能级匹配,从而提高了其电荷传输和抽取能力.最终,我们成功实现了PSCs 24.05%的光电转换效率,同时PSCs表现出最小的滞后现象和良好的稳定性.

Polymer electrolyte with composite cathode for solid-state Li–CO_2 battery

The rechargeable Li-CO2 battery has attracted much attention for energy storage because of the high energy density and efficient utilization of greenhouse gas. However, it＇s still suffered by low safety issue of liquid electrolyte. Herein, a composite cathode consisting of CNTs and polymer electrolytes was fabricated by the insitu polymerization process for the polymer electrolyte-based solid-state Li-CO2 batteries. With the good dispersion of CNTs and polymer electrolyte, the composite cathode is covered by film-like discharge products Li2CO3.Furthermore, the Li-CO2 battery shows high reversible capacity （- 11,000 mAh·g^-1）, excellent cycle stability （1000 mAb·g^-1 for 100 cycles） under low charge potential （〈 4.5 V）, and outstanding rate performances at room temperature, which are much better than those of liquid electrolyte-based battery. Therefore, the polymer electrolyte-based Li-CO2 battery prepared by this strategy can be a promising candidate to meet the demands of high safety and high-performance energy storage devices.

LiCoO2-catalyzed electrochemical oxidation of Li2CO3

Lithium carbonate （Li2CO3） is very common in various types of lithium （Li） batteries. As an insulating by-product of the oxygen reduction reaction on the cathode of a Li-air battery, it cannot be decomposed below 4.75 V （vs. Li＋/Li） during recharge and leads to a large polarization, low coulombic efficiency, and low energy conversion efficiency of the battery. On the other hand, more than 10% of the Li ions from the cathode material are consumed during chemical formation of a Li-ion battery, resulting in low coulombic efficiency and/or energy density. Consequently, lithium compensation becomes essential to realize Li-ion batteries with a higher energy density and longer cycle life. Therefore, reducing the oxidation potential of Li2CO3 is significantly important. To address these issues, we show that the addition of nanoscaled LiCoO2 can effectively lower this potential to 4.25 V. On the basis of physical characterization and electrochemical evaluation, we propose the oxidization mechanism of Li2CO3. These findings will help to decrease the polarization of Li-air batteries and provide an effective strategy for efficient Li compensation for Li-ion batteries, which can significantly improve their energy density and increase their energy conversion efficiency and cycle life.

Sodium-doped carbon nitride nanotubes for efficient visible light-driven hydrogen production

Sodium-doped carbon nitride nanotubes （Nax-CNNTs） were prepared by a green and simple two-step method and applied in photocatalytic water splitting for the first time. Transmission electron microscopy （TEM） element mapping and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） measurements confirm that sodium was successfully introduced in the carbon nitride nanotubes （CNNTs）, and the intrinsic structure of graphitic carbon nitride （g-C3N4） was also maintained in the products. Moreover, the porous structure of the CNNTs leads to relatively large specific surface areas. Photocatalytic tests indicate that the porous tubular structure and Na＋ doping can synergistically enhance the hydrogen evolution rate under visible light （λ 〉 420 nm） irradiation in the presence of sacrificial agents, leading to a hydrogen evolution rate as high as 143 μmol·h-1 （20 mg catalyst）. Moreover, other alkali metal-doped CNNTs, such as Lix-CNNTs and Kx-CNNTs, were tested; both materials were found to enhance the hydrogen evolution rate, but to a lower extent compared with the Nax-CNNTs. This highlights the general applicability of the present method to prepare alkali metal-doped CNNTs; a preliminary mechanism for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction in the Nax-CNNTs is also proposed.

Brightening thiocyanate-anion layered perovskite through internal stress modulated nano phase segregation

Thiocyanate-anion(SCN−)two-dimensional(2D)layered perovskite with internal stress-controlled nano phase segregation has been firstly demonstrated as a promising material system for luminescence applications.An interesting energy band structure is found as well as charge transfer process caused by nano phase segregation,which provide an alternative route to overcome the indirect-bandgap luminescence limit of SCN layered perovskites.It is revealed that,within the SCN layered framework,the segregated nano phases exist in a quantum well form,possessing much higher carrier localization and second-order radiative recombination abilities.With the help of internal stress modulation,these advantages can be significantly enhanced and finally contribute to high luminescence performances in visible-red regions.This work provides more potential opportunities for 2D layered perovskite materials in the future optoelectronic applications.

Perovskite thin-film solar cell: excitation in photovoltaic science

As a new member of thin-film solar cells, the perovskite solar ceils have inspired a new research hot in new photoelectric materials and devices, and have given a new energy to the photovoltaic science. Currently, various device structures, including mesoporous and planar, with and without hole transport material have been developed. In this review, much focus has been addressed to the deposition of high-quality perovskite films, structural optimization, and interface engineering as well as the understanding of the charge generation, transport, and recombination mechanisms of the devices. Furthermore, cost, stability, and environment issues of the cell are also discussed for commercial application.

Eliminating the electric field response in a perovskite heterojunction solar cell to improve operational stability

Intrinsic and extrinsic ion migration is a very large threat to the operational stability of perovskite solar cells and is difficult to completely eliminate due to the low activation energy of ion migration and the existence of internal electric field.We propose a heterojunction route to help suppress ion migration,thus improving the operational stability of the cell from the perspective of eliminating the electric field response in the perovskite absorber.A heavily doped p-type(p^(+))thin layer semiconductor is introduced between the electron transporting layer(ETL)and perovskite absorber.The heterojunction charge depletion and electric field are limited to the ETL and p^(+)layers,while the perovskite absorber and hole transporting layer remain neutral.The p^(+)layer has a variety of candidate materials and is tolerant of defect density and carrier mobility,which makes this heterojunction route highly feasible and promising for use in practical applications.