Advances in Chalcogenide and Oxide Nanostructures for Optoelectronics
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical and Photonic Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2026 | Viewed by 50
Special Issue Editors
Interests: thin films; oxide materials; n-type tradition materials (doped ZnO, SnO2, In2O3, as well as their ternary and quaternary counterparts); chalcogenide solar cells, rf magnetron sputtering, vacuum thermal evaporation, PLD techniques; binary semiconductors (CdS, CdSe, ZnTe, ZnSe); ZnTe/CdSe heterojunctions; metasurfaces/metamaterials
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Interests: SiGeSn-based nanomaterials; 2D materials; group IV nanocrystals embedded into dielectrics; high-k gate oxides; magnetron sputtering; thermal evaporation assisted by e-beam, charge storage and opto-electric properties; VIS-SWIR bandgap of group IV alloys; sensors; photodetectors; nonvolatile memories
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Chalcogenide semiconductors and functional metal oxides have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their remarkable optoelectronic properties and their potential to enable next-generation energy and photonic technologies. In particular, the microstructure of chalcogenide materials strongly influences their optical absorption, carrier transport, and overall device performance. At the same time, the integration of oxide nanostructures introduces additional functionalities such as better charge transport, increases in stability, and tunable interfacial properties. As a result, the fabrication and deposition of thin films based on these materials have become increasingly complicated, driving rapid advances in the development of novel materials with tailored optoelectronic behavior. Due to their direct bandgap, high absorption coefficients, and compatibility with actual technologies, chalcogenide composites are mainly promising for cost-effective photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications. Meanwhile, oxide materials are widely appreciated for their chemical stability, structural versatility, and ability to enhance energy conversion processes, making them perfect candidates for incorporation in complex heterostructures.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and application of chalcogenide materials and oxide nanostructures for optoelectronic technologies. Contributions addressing both fundamental and applicative developments are encouraged. Topics of interest include new deposition techniques, structural and physical characterization, compositional engineering, defect control, and theoretical modeling of chalcogenide-based materials and their incorporation with oxides. Special emphasis is placed on chalcogenides as light-absorbing layers in photovoltaic structures, where their high absorption efficiency enables the development of low-cost and high-performance thin-film solar cells. Furthermore, studies investigating the role of oxide materials in improving device stability, charge transport, and energy conversion efficiency are highly relevant. The functional properties of oxide nanostructures are strongly influenced by crystal structure, composition, and defect chemistry, while interfacial phenomena between oxides and chalcogenide materials can generate new physical effects and enhanced device performance. By bringing together interdisciplinary contributions from materials science, physics, chemistry, and engineering, this Special Issue aims to provide an extensive overview of current progress and emerging directions in the field of chalcogenide and oxide nanostructures for advanced optoelectronic applications.
Dr. Petronela Garoi
Dr. Ionel Stavarache
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- thin films
- chalcogenides
- oxide nanostructures
- growth (PVD, MBE, CVD, ALD)
- structure characterization
- surfaces and interfaces
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