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Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films
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Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films and Interfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2024) | Viewed by 8800

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Adam Lőrinczi

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
National Institute of Materials Physics, 077125 Măgurele, Romania
Interests: thin films; photodoping; photodetectors; optical phase-change memory; XRD structural analysis; optical response; gas-sensing thin films at RT

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional thin films have attracted high interest in a large variety of applications due to their versatility and compactness. Their structure can be single- or multilayered, where each layer can be crystalline or amorphous, single component or a nanocomposite. They can be produced by a variety of thin film deposition techniques, such as thermal evaporation (TE), magnetron sputtering (MS), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE), spin-coating (SC), or the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) method.

This Special Issue entitled ‘Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films’ targets subjects where the interplay between light as electromagnetic radiation and the electronic and electrical properties of a thin film’s structure provides the latter with functionality. This way, we may explore photodetectors, optical planar waveguides, optical phase-change memory applications, light-induced or light-controlled diffusion processes in thin films (also known as photodoping), or any other exciting optoelectronic processes which lend thin films functionality.

Dr. Adam Lőrinczi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thin films
  • photodoping
  • photodetectors
  • optical phase-change memory
  • XRD structural analysis
  • optical response
  • functional thin films

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2220 KiB  
Article
Band Gap Engineering in Ultimately Thin Slabs of CdTe with Different Layer Stackings
by Vladimir G. Kuznetsov, Anton A. Gavrikov and Alexander V. Kolobov
Materials 2023, 16(23), 7494; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237494 - 4 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1083
Abstract
Ultrathin solid slabs often have properties different from those of the bulk phase. This effect can be observed both in traditional three-dimensional materials and in van der Waals (vdW) solids in the few monolayer limit. In the present work, the band gap variation [...] Read more.
Ultrathin solid slabs often have properties different from those of the bulk phase. This effect can be observed both in traditional three-dimensional materials and in van der Waals (vdW) solids in the few monolayer limit. In the present work, the band gap variation of the CdTe slabs, induced by their thickness, was studied by the density functional theory (DFT) method for the sphalerite (zinc-blende) phase and for the recently proposed inverted phase. The sphalerite phase has the Te–Cd–Te–Cd atomic plane sequence, while in the inverted phase Cd atoms are sandwiched by Te planes forming vdW blocks with the sequence Te–Cd–Cd–Te. Based on these building blocks, a bulk vdW CdTe crystal was built, whose thermodynamical stability was verified by DFT calculations. Band structures and partial densities of states for sphalerite and inverted phases were calculated. It was demonstrated for both phases that using slabs with a thickness of one to several monolayers for sphalerite phase (vdW blocks for inverted phase), structures with band gaps varying in a wide range can be obtained. The presented results allow us to argue that ultrathin CdTe can be a promising electronic material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films)
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9 pages, 2113 KiB  
Communication
Lone-Pair-Enabled Polymorphism and Photostructural Changes in Chalcogenide Glasses
by Alexander V. Kolobov, Vladimir G. Kuznetsov, Milos Krbal and Stanislav V. Zabotnov
Materials 2023, 16(19), 6602; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196602 - 9 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1123
Abstract
S- and Se-based chalcogenide glasses are intrinsically metastable and exhibit a number of photo-induced effects unique to this class of materials, reversible photostructural changes and photo-induced anisotropy being major examples. These effects are usually interpreted in terms of the formation of valence alternation [...] Read more.
S- and Se-based chalcogenide glasses are intrinsically metastable and exhibit a number of photo-induced effects unique to this class of materials, reversible photostructural changes and photo-induced anisotropy being major examples. These effects are usually interpreted in terms of the formation of valence alternation pairs and ‘wrong’ bonds. In this work, using density functional theory simulations, we demonstrate for the case example of As2S3 that a strong decrease in the optical band gap can be achieved if a polymorphic transformation of the local structure from orpiment to that of tetradymite takes place. For the formation of the latter, the presence of lone-pair electrons in near-linear atomic configurations is crucial. Our results represent a novel approach to understanding the photo-induced structural changes in chalcogenide glasses as being due to the presence of polymorphism, and will lead to their wider use in various photonic devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films)
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14 pages, 7779 KiB  
Article
Effect of P2O5 Content on Luminescence of Reduced Graphene-Oxide-Doped ZnO–P2O5 Nano-Structured Films Prepared via the Sol–Gel Method
by Ileana Cristina Vasiliu, Ana Violeta Filip, Irinela Chilibon, Mihail Elisa, Cristina Bartha, Victor Kuncser, Aurel Leca, Lucica Boroica, Bogdan Alexandru Sava, Roxana Trusca, Mihai Eftimie and Adrian Nicoara
Materials 2023, 16(18), 6156; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186156 - 11 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1242
Abstract
A convenient and low-cost sol–gel approach for the one-step synthesis of ZnO–P2O5–rGO nanostructures with tuned bandgap and fluorescence was investigated. The obtained hybrid nanostructures exploit the properties of zinc oxide, graphene oxide and phosphorous oxide as promising candidates for [...] Read more.
A convenient and low-cost sol–gel approach for the one-step synthesis of ZnO–P2O5–rGO nanostructures with tuned bandgap and fluorescence was investigated. The obtained hybrid nanostructures exploit the properties of zinc oxide, graphene oxide and phosphorous oxide as promising candidates for a wide range of optoelectronic applications. A predominant amorphous structure, ZnO–P2O5–rGO, containing ZnO nanorods was evidenced by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The estimated size of the ZnO nanorods in nanostructures with P2O5 was noticed to decrease when the P2O5/ZnO ratio was increased. The presence of ZnO, P2O5 and rGO was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman investigation. P2O5 was noticed to tune the bandgap and the fluorescence emissions of the nanostructured films, as estimated by UV–Vis–NIR and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. The electrical measurements performed at room temperature showed that the main influence on the film’s resistivity does not come from the 1% rGO doping but from the P2O5/ZnO ratio. It was found that a 10/90 molar ratio of P2O5/ZnO decreases the resistivity almost seven-fold compared with rGO-doped ZnO films. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films)
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13 pages, 2047 KiB  
Article
Precise Construction and Growth of Submillimeter Two-Dimensional WSe2 and MoSe2 Monolayers
by Yuqing Li, Yuyan Zhao, Xiaoqian Wang, Wanli Liu, Jiazhen He, Xuemin Luo, Jinfeng Liu and Yong Liu
Materials 2023, 16(13), 4795; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134795 - 3 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1565
Abstract
Currently, as shown by large-scale research on two-dimensional materials in the field of nanoelectronics and catalysis, the construction of large-area two-dimensional materials is crucial for the development of devices and their application in photovoltaics, sensing, optoelectronics, and energy generation/storage. Here, using atmospheric-pressure chemical [...] Read more.
Currently, as shown by large-scale research on two-dimensional materials in the field of nanoelectronics and catalysis, the construction of large-area two-dimensional materials is crucial for the development of devices and their application in photovoltaics, sensing, optoelectronics, and energy generation/storage. Here, using atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition, we developed a method to regulate growth conditions according to the growth mechanism for WSe2 and MoSe2 materials. By accurately controlling the hydrogen flux within the range of 1 sccm and the distance between the precursor and the substrate, we obtained large-size films of single atomic layers with thicknesses of only about 1 nm. When growing the samples, we could not only obtain a 100 percent proportion of samples with the same shape, but the samples could also be glued into pieces of 700 μm and above in size, changing the shape and making it possible to reach the millimeter/submillimeter level visible to the naked eye. Our method is an effective method for the growth of large-area films with universal applicability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films)
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17 pages, 6403 KiB  
Article
Macrocyclic Compounds: Metal Oxide Particles Nanocomposite Thin Films Deposited by MAPLE
by Marcela Socol, Nicoleta Preda, Carmen Breazu, Andreea Costas, Oana Rasoga, Gabriela Petre, Gianina Popescu-Pelin, Sorina Iftimie, Andrei Stochioiu, Gabriel Socol and Anca Stanculescu
Materials 2023, 16(6), 2480; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062480 - 21 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1591
Abstract
Nanocomposite films based on macrocyclic compounds (zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl) 21H,23H-porphyrin (TPyP)) and metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO or CuO) were deposited by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). 1,4-dioxane was used as a solvent in the preparation of MAPLE targets that favor the [...] Read more.
Nanocomposite films based on macrocyclic compounds (zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl) 21H,23H-porphyrin (TPyP)) and metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO or CuO) were deposited by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). 1,4-dioxane was used as a solvent in the preparation of MAPLE targets that favor the deposition of films with a low roughness, which is a key feature for their integration in structures for optoelectronic applications. The influence of the addition of ZnO nanoparticles (~20 nm in size) or CuO nanoparticles (~5 nm in size) in the ZnPc:TPyP mixture and the impact of the added metal oxide amount on the properties of the obtained composite films were evaluated in comparison to a reference layer based only on an organic blend. Thus, in the case of nanocomposite films, the vibrational fingerprints of both organic compounds were identified in the infrared spectra, their specific strong absorption bands were observed in the UV–Vis spectra, and a quenching of the TPyP emission band was visible in the photoluminescence spectra. The morphological analysis evidenced agglomerated particles on the composite film surface, but their presence has no significant impact on the roughness of the MAPLE deposited layers. The current density–voltage (J-V) characteristics of the structures based on the nanocomposite films deposited by MAPLE revealed the critical role played by the layer composition and component ratio, an improvement in the electrical parameters values being achieved only for the films with a certain type and optimum amount of metal oxide nanoparticles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films)
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Review

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22 pages, 4313 KiB  
Review
Four-Layer Surface Plasmon Resonance Structures with Amorphous As2S3 Chalcogenide Films: A Review
by Aurelian Popescu, Dan Savastru, Mihai Stafe and Nicolae Puscas
Materials 2023, 16(18), 6110; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186110 - 7 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1612
Abstract
The paper is a review of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) structures containing amorphous chalcogenide (ChG) films as plasmonic waveguides. The calculation method and specific characteristics obtained for four-layer SPR structures containing films made of amorphous As2S3 and As2Se [...] Read more.
The paper is a review of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) structures containing amorphous chalcogenide (ChG) films as plasmonic waveguides. The calculation method and specific characteristics obtained for four-layer SPR structures containing films made of amorphous As2S3 and As2Se3 are presented. The paper is mainly based on our previously obtained and published scattered results, to which a generalized point of view was applied. In our analysis, we demonstrate that, through proper choice of the SPR structure layer parameters, we can control the resonance angle, the sharpness of the SPR resonance curve, the penetration depth, and the sensitivity to changes in the refractive index of the analyte. These results are obtained by operating with the thickness of the ChG film and the parameters of the coupling prism. Aspects regarding the realization of the coupling prism are discussed. Two distinct cases are analyzed: first, when the prism is made of material with a refractive index higher than that of the waveguide material; second, when the prism is made of material with a lower refractive index. We demonstrated experimentally that the change in reflectance self-induced by the modification in As2S3 refractive index exhibits a hysteresis loop. We present specific results regarding the identification of alcohols, hydrocarbons, and the marker of E. coli bacteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optoelectronic Functional Thin Films)
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