The application of perovskite materials in solar water splitting

Solar water splitting is a promising strategy for sustainable production of renewable hydrogen,and solving the crisis of energy and environment in the world.However,large-scale application of this method is hampered by the efficiency and the expense of the solar water splitting systems.Searching for non-toxic,low-cost,efficient and stable photocatalysts is an important way for solar water splitting.Due to the simplicity of structure and the flexibility of composition,perovskite based photocatalysts have recently attracted widespread attention for application in solar water splitting.In this review,the recent developments of perovskite based photocatalysts for water splitting are summarized.An introduction including the structures and properties of perovskite materials,and the fundamentals of solar water splitting is first provided.Then,it specifically focuses on the strategies for designing and modulating perovskite materials to improve their photocatalytic performance for solar water splitting.The current challenges and perspectives of perovskite materials in solar water splitting are also reviewed.The aim of this review is to summarize recent findings and developments of perovskite based photocatalysts and provide some useful guidance for the future research on the design and development of highly efficient perovskite based photocatalysts and the relevant systems for water splitting.

Tuning Properties of External Cavity Violet Semiconductor Laser

A tunable grating-coupled external cavity(EC)laser is realized by employing a GaN-based laser diode as the gain device.A tuning range of 4.47 nm from 403.82 to 408.29 nm is achieved.Detailed investigations reveal that the injection current strongly influences the performance of the EC laser.Below the free-running lasing threshold,EC laser works stably.While above the free-running lasing threshold,a Fabry–Pérot(F-P)resonance peak in the emission spectrum and a smooth kink in the output power-injection current characteristic curve are observed,suggesting the competition between the inner F-P cavity resonance and EC resonance.Furthermore,the tuning range is found to be asymmetric and occurs predominantly on the longer wavelength side.This is interpreted in terms of the asymmetric gain distribution of GaN-based quantum well material.

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.

A New Interface Anisotropic Potential of Zinc-Blende Semiconductor Interface Induced by Lattice Mismatch

A new interface anisotropic potential,which is proportional to the lattice mismatch of interfaces and has no fitting parameter,has been deduced for(001)zinc-blende semiconductor interfaces.The comparison with other interface models is given for GaAs/AlAs and GaAs/InAs interfaces.The strong influence of the interface anisotropic potential on the inplane optical anisotropy of GaAs/AlGaAs low dimensional structures is demonstrated theoretically within the envelope function approximation.

Space Materials Science in China:Ⅱ.Ground-based Researches and Academic Activities

Activities of space materials science research in China have been continuously supported by two main national programs.One is the China Space Station(CSS)program since 1992,and the other is the Strategic Priority Program(SPP)on Space Science since 2011.In CSS plan in 2019,eleven space materials science experimental projects were officially approved for execution during the construction of the space station.In the SPP Phase Ⅱ launched in 2018,seven pre-research projects are deployed as the first batch in 2018,and one concept study project in 2019.These pre-research projects will be cultivated as candidates for future selection as space experiment projects on the recovery of scientific experimental satellites in the future.A new apparatus of electrostatic levitation system for ground-based research of space materials science and rapid solidification research has been developed under the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China.In order to promote domestic academic activities and to enhance the advancement of space materials science in China,the Space Materials Science and Technology Division belong to the Chinese Materials Research Society was established in 2019.We also organized scientists to write five review papers on space materials science as a special topic published in the journal Scientia Sinica to provide valuable scientific and technical references for Chinese researchers.

Investigation of helicity-dependent photocurrent of surface states in(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplate

Helicity-dependent photocurrent(HDPC)of the surface states in a high-quality topological insulator(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplate grown by chemical vapor deposition(CVD)is investigated.By investigating the angle-dependent HDPC,it is found that the HDPC is mainly contributed by the circular photogalvanic effect(CPGE)current when the incident plane is perpendicular to the connection of the two contacts,whereas the circular photon drag effect(CPDE)dominates the HDPC when the incident plane is parallel to the connection of the two contacts.In addition,the CPGE of the(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplate is regulated by temperature,light power,excitation wavelength,the source–drain and ionic liquid top-gate voltages,and the regulation mechanisms are discussed.It is demonstrated that(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplates may provide a good platform for novel opto-spintronics devices.

Investigation of reflection anisotropy induced by micropipe defects on the surface of a 4H-SiC single crystal using scanning anisotropy microscopy

Optical reflection anisotropy microscopy mappings of micropipe defects on the surface of a 4H-SiC single crystal are studied by the scanning anisotropy microscopy(SAM)system.The reflection anisotropy(RA)image with a'butterfly pattern'is obtained around the micropipes by SAM.The RA image of the edge dislocations is theoretically simulated based on dislocation theory and the photoelastic principle.By comparing with the Raman spectrum,it is verified that the micropipes consist of edge dislocations.The different patterns of the RA images are due to the different orientations of the Burgers vectors.Besides,the strain distribution of the micropipes is also deduced.One can identify the dislocation type,the direction of the Burgers vector and the optical anisotropy from the RA image by using SAM.Therefore,SAM is an ideal tool to measure the optical anisotropy induced by the strain field around a defect.

Effect of drying methods on perovskite films and solar cells

The high efficiency,solution processibility,and flexibility of perovskite solar cells make them promising candidates for the photovoltaic industry[1−8].The deposition method is one of the most critical factors that affect the performance of perovskite films.Various deposition methods have been developed to make perovskite films,including spin-coating,slotdie coating.

Influence of Yb_2O_3 doping on microstructural and electrical properties of ZnO-Bi_2O_3-based varistor ceramics

ZnO-Bi2O3-based varistor ceramics doped with Yb2O3 in the range from 0 to 0.4% （molar fraction） were obtained by a solid reaction route. The X-ray diffractometry （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） were applied to characterize the phases and microstructure of the varistor ceramics, and a DC parameter instrument for varistor ceramics was applied to investigate their electrical properties and V-I characteristics. The XRD analysis of the samples shows that the ZnO phase, Bi2O3 phase, ZnTSbaOl2-type spinel phase and Zn2Bi3Sb3O14-type pyrochlore are present, and the Yb2O3 phases and Sb2O4 phases are found in varistor ceramics with increasing amounts of Yb2O3. The average size of ZnO grain firstly increases and then decreases with the increase of Yb2O3 content. The result also shows that the threshold voltage is between 656 V/nun and 1 232 V/mm, the nonlinear coefficient is in the range of 14.1-22.3, and the leakage current is between 0.60 μA and 19.6 μA. The 0.20% Yb2O3-added ZnO-Bi2O3-based varistor ceramics sintered at 900 ℃ have the best electrical characteristics.

Comparative characteristics of yttrium oxide and yttrium nitric acid doping in ZnO varistor ceramics

The effect of different molar ratios of Y2O3 and Y（NO3）3 on the microstructure and electrical response of ZnO-Bi203-based varistor ceramics sintered at 1 000 ℃ was investigated, and the mechanism by which this doping improves the electrical characteristics of ZnO-Bi203-based varistor ceramics was discussed. With increasing amounts of Y（NO3）3 or Y2O3 in the starting composition, Y2O3, Sb204 and Y-containing Bi-rich phase form, and the average grain size significantly decreases. The average grain size significantly decreases as the contents of rare earth compounds of Y（NO3）3 or Y2O3 increase. The maximum value of the nonlinear coefficient is found at 0.16% Y（NO3）3 or 0.02% YaO3 （molar fraction） doped varistor ceramics, and there is an increase of 122% or 35% compared with the varistor ceramics without Y（NO3）3 or Y2O3. The threshold voltage VT of Y（NO3）3 and Y2O3 reaches at 1 460 V/mm and 1 035 V/ram, respectively. The results also show that varistor sample doped with Y（NO3）3 has a remarkably more homogeneous and denser microstructure in comparison to the sample doped with Y2O3.

Recent development in electronic structure tuning of graphitic carbon nitride for highly efficient photocatalysis

The utilization of solar energy to drive energy conversion and simultaneously realize pollutant degradation via pho-tocatalysis is one of most promising strategies to resolve the global energy and environment issues.During the past decade,graphite carbon nitride(g-C3N4)has attracted dramatically growing attention for solar energy conversion due to its excellent physicochemical properties as a photocatalyst.However,its practical application is still impeded by several limitations and short-comings,such as high recombination rate of charge carriers,low visible-light absorption,etc.As an effective solution,the elec-tronic structure tuning of g-C_(3)N_(4)has been widely adopted.In this context,firstly,the paper critically focuses on the different strategies of electronic structure tuning of g-C_(3)N_(4)like vacancy modification,doping,crystallinity modulation and synthesis of a new molecular structure.And the recent progress is reviewed.Finally,the challenges and future trends are summarized.

Design and fabrication of 10-kV silicon–carbide p-channel IGBTs with hexagonal cells and step space modulated junction termination extension

10-kV 4 H–SiC p-channel insulated gate bipolar transistors(IGBTs) are designed, fabricated, and characterized in this paper. The IGBTs have an active area of 2.25 mm^2 with a die size of 3 mm× 3 mm. A step space modulated junction termination extension(SSM-JTE) structure is introduced and fabricated to improve the blocking performance of the IGBTs.The SiC p-channel IGBTs with SSM-JTE termination exhibit a leakage current of only 50 nA at-10 kV. To improve the on-state characteristics of SiC IGBTs, the hexagonal cell(H-cell) structure is designed and compared with the conventional interdigital cell(I-cell) structure. At an on-state current of 50 A/cm^2, the voltage drops of I-cell IGBT and H-cell IGBT are10.1 V and 8.3 V respectively. Meanwhile, on the assumption that the package power density is 300 W/cm^2, the maximum permissible current densities of the I-cell IGBT and H-cell IGBT are determined to be 34.2 A/cm^2 and 38.9 A/cm^2 with forward voltage drops of 8.8 V and 7.8 V, respectively. The differential specific on-resistance of I-cell structure and H-cell structure IGBT are 72.36 m?·cm^2 and 56.92 m?·cm^2, respectively. These results demonstrate that H-cell structure silicon carbide IGBT with SSM-JTE is a promising candidate for high power applications.

Strain-Compensated InGaAs/InAlAs Quantum Cascade Detector of 4.5 μm Operating at Room Temperature

We present a strain-compensated InP-based InGaAs/InAlAs photovoltaic quantum cascade detector grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy. The detector is based on a vertical intersubband transition and electron transfer on a cascade of quantum levels which is designed to provide longitudinal optical phonon extraction stairs. By careful structure design and growth, the whole epilayer has a residual strain toward InP substrate of only -2.8× 10^-4. A clear narrow band detection spectrum centered at 4.5 μm has been observed above room temperature for a device with 200／times 200 ×μm^2 square mesa.

Dual-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector semiconductor laser based on a composite resonant cavity

We report a monolithic integrated dual-wavelength laser diode based on a distributed Bragg reflector （DBR） composite resonant cavity. The device consists of three sections, a DBR grating section, a passive phase section, and an active gain section. The gain section facet is cleaved to work as a laser cavity mirror. The other laser mirror is the DBR grating, which also functions as a wavelength filter and can control the number of wavelengths involved in the laser action. The reflection bandwidth of the DBR grating is fabricated to have an appropriate value to make the device work at the dual-wavelength lasing state. We adopt the quantum well intermixing （QWI） technique to provide low-absorption loss grating and passive phase section in the fabrication process. By tuning the injection currents on the DBR and the gain sections, the device can generate 0.596 nm-spaced dual-wavelength lasing at room temperature.

Recent progress and future prospect of novel multi-ion storage devices

Rechargeable batteries,especially lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),have made rapid development since the 21st century,greatly facilitating people's lives[1−6].Based on considerations of cost and existing problems(such as safety issues due to LIBs stacking strategy and unsatisfactory performance for various applications),researchers have explored alternative technologies to LIBs to meet the needs for wide application scenarios[5].Among them,multi-ion storage devices such as dual-ion batteries(DIBs)and metal-ion hybrid capacitors(MIHCs)are considered promising alternative energy storage devices of LIBs due to their unique multi-ion storage mechanism.In a multi-ion storage device,cations and anions carry charges back and forth between the electrolyte and the electrodes at the same time,unlike the rocking chair mechanism of LIBs[7].Generally,the anodes of DIBs and MIHCs work in a similar mechanism to LIBs,storing charge through redox reactions.The main difference among them is the mechanism of the cathodes during charging and discharging[8].In DIBs,the battery-type cathode stores anions through the Faraday reaction.

Design of surface emitting distributed feedback quantum cascade laser with single-lobe far-field pattern and high outcoupling efficiency

A 7.8-μm surface emitting second-order distributed feedback quantum cascade laser （DFB QCL） structure with metallized surface grating is studied. The modal property of this structure is described by utilizing coupled-mode theory where the coupling coefficients are derived from exact Floquet-Bloch solutions of infinite periodic structure. Based on this theory, the influence of waveguide structure and grating topography as well as device length on the laser performance is numerically investigated. The optimized surface emitting second-order DFB QCL structure design exhibits a high surface outcoupling efficiency of 22% and a low threshold gain of 10 cm-1. Using a π phase-shift in the centre of the grating, a high-quality single-lobe far-field radiation pattern is obtained.

Engineering the photoelectrochemical behaviors of ZnO for efficient solar water splitting

Solar water splitting is a promising strategy for the sustainable production of renewable hydrogen and solving the world’s crisis of energy and environment.The third-generation direct bandgap semiconductor of zinc oxide(ZnO)with properties of environmental friendliness and high efficiency for various photocatalytic reactions,is a suitable material for photoanodes because of its appropriate band structure,fine surface structure,and high electron mobility.However,practical applications of ZnO are usually limited by its high recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs,lack of surface reaction force,inadequate visible light response,and intrinsic photocorrosion.Given the lack of review on ZnO’s application in photoelectrochemical(PEC)water splitting,this paper reviews ZnO’s research progress in PEC water splitting.It commences with the basic principle of PEC water splitting and the structure and properties of ZnO.Then,we explicitly describe the related strategies to solve the above problems of ZnO as a photoanode,including morphology control,doping modification,construction of heterostructure,and the piezo-photoelectric enhancement of ZnO.This review aims to comprehensively describe recent findings and developments of ZnO in PEC water splitting and to provide a useful reference for the further application and development of ZnO nanomaterials in highly efficient PEC water splitting.

Boron-doped Ⅲ–Ⅴ semiconductors for Si-based optoelectronic devices

Optoelectronic devices on silicon substrates are essential not only to the optoelectronic integrated circuit but also to low-cost lasers,large-area detectors,and so forth.Although heterogeneous integration of III-V semiconductors on Si has been welldeveloped,the thermal dissipation issue and the complicated fabrication process still hinders the development of these devices.The monolithic growth of III-V materials on Si has also been demonstrated by applying complicated buffer layers or interlayers.On the other hand,the growth of lattice-matched B-doped group-III-V materials is an attractive area of research.However,due to the difficulty in growth,the development is still relatively slow.Herein,we present a comprehensive review of the recent achievements in this field.We summarize and discuss the conditions and mechanisms involved in growing B-doped group-III-V materials.The unique surface morphology,crystallinity,and optical properties of the epitaxy correlating with their growth conditions are discussed,along with their respective optoelectronic applications.Finally,we detail the obstacles and challenges to exploit the potential for such practical applications fully.

Tunable crystal structure of Cu-Zn-Sn-S nanocrystals for improving photocatalytic hydrogen evolution enabled by copper element regulation

Hydrogen energy is a powerful and efficient energy resource,which can be produced by photocatalytic water split-ting.Among the photocatalysis,multinary copper-based chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystals exhibit great potential due to their tunable crystal structures,adjustable optical band gap,eco-friendly,and abundant resources.In this paper,Cu-Zn-Sn-S(CZTS)nanocrystals with different Cu content have been synthesized by using the one-pot method.By regulating the surface ligands,the reaction temperature,and the Cu content,kesterite and hexagonal wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals were obtained.The critical factors for the controllable transition between two phases were discussed.Subsequently,a series of quatern-ary CZTS nanocrystals with different Cu content were used for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.And their band gap,energy level structure,and charge transfer ability were compared comprehensively.As a result,the pure hexagonal wurtzite CZTS nano-crystals have exhibited an improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity.

Continuous-wave operation of InAs/InP quantum dot tunable external-cavity laser grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

We demonstrate high-performance broadband tunable external-cavity lasers(ECLs) with the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD) grown In As/In P quantum dots(QDs) structures. Without cavity facet coatings, the 3-d B spectral bandwidth of the Fabry–Perot(FP) laser is approximately 10.8 nm, while the tuning bandwidth of ECLs is 45 nm.Combined with the anti-reflection(AR)/high-reflection(HR) facet coating, a 92 nm bandwidth tuning range has been obtained with the wavelength covering from 1414 nm to 1506 nm. In most of the tuning range, the threshold current density is lower than 1.5 k A/cm2. The maximum output power of 6.5 m W was achieved under a 500 m A injection current.All achievements mentioned above were obtained under continuous-wave(CW) mode at room temperature(RT).