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A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanophotonics Materials and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 September 2024) | Viewed by 12489

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Dr. Zhixing Gan

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Center for Future Optoelectronic Functional Materials, School of Computer and Electronic Information/School of Artificial Intelligence, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Interests: photophysics; photoluminescence; and photothermal effect of emerging nanomaterials; such as carbon nanomaterials; graphene; 2D materials; halide perovskites
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Dear Colleagues,

Photofunctional nanomaterials and nanostructures that can convert and utilize photons in diverse forms have profound meanings, from fundamental understandings to applications. Thus, photofunctional nanomaterials and nanostructures have stimulated trans-disciplinary interests in physics, chemistry, material science, biology, photons, and engineering, and stimulated scientific breakthroughs in photovoltaics, photolithography, photoelectronics, photocatalysis, photobiology and phototherapy, photosynthesis, and optical sensing. Recently, photofunctional materials and photon conversion, with their unique appeal, are attracting an increasing number of researchers to promote the development of this field.

Although there are rapid advancements in photofunctional nanomaterials and nanostructures, there is still plenty of room to further improve their performances by enhancing fundamental knowledge. This Special Issue aims to focus on progress and advances in the design, synthesis, photophysics, photochemistry, and applications of photoluminescent, photothermal, photovoltaic, photocatalytic, and photoresponsive nanomaterials. Research on light–matter interactions, photolithography, laser fabrication, optical metamaterials, nonlinear optics, light-induced structural transformation, and ultrafast carrier dynamics is also included. As such, we welcome contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

Design and synthesis of novel photoluminescent, photothermal, photovoltaic, photocatalytic, and photoresponsive nanomaterials;
Applications of photofunctional nanomaterials in optoelectronics, energy, and biomedicine, such as solar cells, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, photonic synapses, nano/micro-lasers, photonic integration, optical sensing, bioimaging, biosensing, phototherapy, etc.;
Fundamental photophysics, photochemistry, and ultrafast carrier dynamics underlying photon conversion and utilization;
Interactions of photofunctional nanomaterials with metamaterials/photonic crystals/surface plasmonics/optical cavities;
Laser fabrication of photofunctional nanomaterials and nanostructures.

Dr. Zhixing Gan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

photofunctional nanomaterials and nanostructures
photon conversion
photoelectronics
photovoltaic
photocatalysis
photoluminescence
biosensing

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Related Special Issues

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Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructure, Second Edition in Nanomaterials

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

9 pages, 2191 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selective Plasmonic Responses of Chiral Metamirrors

by Chang-Ruei Li, Yu-Wei Liao, Rashid G. Bikbaev, Jhen-Hong Yang, Lu-Hsing Chen, Dmitrii N. Maksimov, Pavel S. Pankin, Ivan V. Timofeev and Kuo-Ping Chen

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(21), 1705; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14211705 - 24 Oct 2024

Viewed by 501

Abstract

The properties of circularly polarized light has recently been used to selectively reflect chiral metasurfaces. Here we report the more complete basic functionalities of reflectors and absorbers that display various optical phenomena under circularly polarized light at normal incidence as before. For the chiral metamirrors we designed, the circular dichroism in about 0.4 reflection is experimentally observed in visible wavelengths. The experimental results also show high reflectance for right-handed circular polarization with preserved handedness and strongly absorbed left-handed circular polarization at chiroptical resonant wavelengths. By combining a nanobrick and wire grating for our design, we find and offer a new structure to demonstrate the superposition concept of the phase in the same plane that is helpful in effectively designing chiral metamirrors, and could advance development of their ultracompact optical components. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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11 pages, 6593 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploiting the Bragg Mirror Effect of TiO₂ Nanotube Photonic Crystals for Promoting Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

by Ming Meng, Hucheng Zhou, Jing Yang, Liwei Wang, Honglei Yuan, Yanling Hao and Zhixing Gan

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(21), 1695; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14211695 - 23 Oct 2024

Viewed by 367

Abstract

Exploiting the Bragg mirror effect of photonic crystal photoelectrode is desperately desired for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Herein, a novel TiO₂ nanotube photonic crystal bi-layer structure consisting of a top nanotube layer and a bottom nanotube photonic crystal layer is presented. In this architecture, the photonic bandgap of bottom TiO₂ nanotube photonic crystals can be precisely adjusted by modulating the anodization parameters. When the photonic bandgap of bottom TiO₂ nanotube photonic crystals overlaps with the electronic bandgap of TiO₂, the bottom TiO₂ nanotube photonic crystal layer will act as a Bragg mirror, leading to the boosted ultraviolet light absorption of the top TiO₂ nanotube layer. Benefiting from the promoted UV light absorption, the TiO₂ NT-115-NTPC yields a photocurrent density of 1.4 mA/cm² at 0.22 V vs. Ag/AgCl with a Faradic efficiency of 100%, nearly two times higher than that of conventional TiO₂ nanotube arrays. Furthermore, incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency is also promoted within ultraviolet light region. This research offers an effective strategy for improving the performance of photoelectrochemical water splitting through intensifying the light–matter interaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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19 pages, 7160 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optical, Photophysical, and Electroemission Characterization of Blue Emissive Polymers as Active Layer for OLEDs

by Despoina Tselekidou, Kyparisis Papadopoulos, Konstantinos C. Andrikopoulos, Aikaterini K. Andreopoulou, Joannis K. Kallitsis, Stergios Logothetidis, Argiris Laskarakis and Maria Gioti

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(20), 1623; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14201623 - 10 Oct 2024

Viewed by 543

Abstract

Polymers containing π-conjugated segments are a diverse group of large molecules with semiconducting and emissive properties, with strong potential for use as active layers in Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs). Stable blue-emitting materials, which are utilized as emissive layers in solution-processed OLED devices, are essential for their commercialization. Achieving balanced charge injection is challenging due to the wide bandgap between the HOMO and LUMO energy levels. This study examines the optical and photophysical characteristics of blue-emitting polymers to contribute to the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of color purity and its stability during the operation of OLED devices. The investigated materials are a novel synthesized lab scale polymer, namely poly[(2,7-di(p-acetoxystyryl)-9-(2-ethylhexyl)-9H-carbazole-4,4′-diphenylsulfone)-co-poly(2,6-diphenylpyrydine-4,4′-diphenylsulfone] (CzCop), as well as three commercially supplied materials, namely Poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO), poly[9,9-bis(2′-ethylhexyl) fluorene-2,7-diyl] (PBEHF), and poly (9,9-n-dihexyl-2,7-fluorene-alt-9-phenyl-3,6-carbazole) (F6PC). The materials were compared to evaluate their properties using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, Photoluminescence, and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Additionally, the electrical characteristics of the OLED devices were investigated, as well as the stability of the electroluminescence emission spectrum during the device’s operation. Finally, the determined optical properties, combined with their photo- and electro-emission characteristics, provided significant insights into the color stability and selectivity of each material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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16 pages, 9304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Synthesis Route of Plasmonic CuS Quantum Dots as Efficient Co-Catalysts to TiO₂/Ti for Light-Assisted Water Splitting

by Larissa Chaperman, Samiha Chaguetmi, Bingbing Deng, Sarra Gam-Derrouich, Sophie Nowak, Fayna Mammeri and Souad Ammar

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(19), 1581; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14191581 - 30 Sep 2024

Viewed by 581

Abstract

Self-doped CuS nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized via microwave-assisted polyol process to act as co-catalysts to TiO₂ nanofiber (NF)-based photoanodes to achieve higher photocurrents on visible light-assisted water electrolysis. The strategy adopted to perform the copper cation sulfidation in polyol allowed us to overcome the challenges associated with the copper cation reactivity and particle size control. The impregnation of the CuS NPs on TiO₂ NFs synthesized via hydrothermal corrosion of a metallic Ti support resulted in composites with increased visible and near-infrared light absorption compared to the pristine support. This allows an improved overall efficiency of water oxidation (and consequently hydrogen generation at the Pt counter electrode) in passive electrolyte (pH = 7) even at 0 V bias. These low-cost and easy-to-achieve composite materials represent a promising alternative to those involving highly toxic co-catalysts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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12 pages, 15365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing the Performance of Nanocrystalline SnO₂ for Solar Cells through Photonic Curing Using Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis

by Moulay Ahmed Slimani, Jaime A. Benavides-Guerrero, Sylvain G. Cloutier and Ricardo Izquierdo

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(18), 1508; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14181508 - 17 Sep 2024

Viewed by 951

Abstract

Wide-bandgap tin oxide (

{SnO}_{2}

Wide-bandgap tin oxide (

{SnO}_{2}

) thin-films are frequently used as an electron-transporting layers in perovskite solar cells due to their superior thermal and environmental stabilities. However, its crystallization by conventional thermal methods typically requires high temperatures and long periods of time. These post-processing conditions severely limit the choice of substrates and reduce the large-scale manufacturing capabilities. This work describes the intense-pulsed-light-induced crystallization of

{SnO}_{2}

thin-films using only 500

μ s

of exposure time. The thin-films’ properties are investigated using both impedance spectroscopy and photoconductivity characteristic measurements. A Nyquist plot analysis establishes that the process parameters have a significant impact on the electronic and ionic behaviors of the

{SnO}_{2}

films. Most importantly, we demonstrate that light-induced crystallization yields improved topography and excellent electrical properties through enhanced charge transfer, improved interfacial morphology, and better ohmic contact compared to thermally annealed (TA)

{SnO}_{2}

films. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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17 pages, 6436 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Enhanced Photoluminescence Properties of Carbon Dots Derived from Glucose: The Effect of Natural Oxidation

by Pei Zhang, Yibo Zheng, Linjiao Ren, Shaojun Li, Ming Feng, Qingfang Zhang, Rubin Qi, Zirui Qin, Jitao Zhang and Liying Jiang

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(11), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14110970 - 3 Jun 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 999

Abstract

The investigation of the fluorescence mechanism of carbon dots (CDs) has attracted significant attention, particularly the role of the oxygen-containing groups. Dual-CDs exhibiting blue and green emissions are synthesized from glucose via a simple ultrasonic treatment, and the oxidation degree of the CDs is softly modified through a slow natural oxidation approach, which is in stark contrast to that aggressively altering CDs’ surface configurations through chemical oxidation methods. It is interesting to find that the intensity of the blue fluorescence gradually increases, eventually becoming the dominant emission after prolonging the oxidation periods, with the quantum yield (QY) of the CDs being enhanced from ~0.61% to ~4.26%. Combining the microstructure characterizations, optical measurements, and ultrafiltration experiments, we hypothesize that the blue emission could be ascribed to the surface states induced by the C–O and C=O groups, while the green luminescence may originate from the deep energy levels associated with the O–C=O groups. The distinct emission states and energy distributions could result in the blue and the green luminescence exhibiting distinct excitation and emission behaviors. Our findings could provide new insights into the fluorescence mechanism of CDs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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11 pages, 7844 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tailored Triggering of High-Quality Multi-Dimensional Coupled Topological States in Valley Photonic Crystals

by Guangxu Su, Jiangle He, Xiaofei Ye, Hengming Yao, Yaxuan Li, Junzheng Hu, Minghui Lu, Peng Zhan and Fanxin Liu

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(10), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14100885 - 19 May 2024

Viewed by 1254

Abstract

The combination of higher-order topological insulators and valley photonic crystals has recently aroused extensive attentions due to the great potential in flexible and efficient optical field manipulations. Here, we computationally propose a photonic device for the 1550 nm communication band, in which the topologically protected electromagnetic modes with high quality can be selectively triggered and modulated on demand. Through introducing two valley photonic crystal units without any structural alteration, we successfully achieve multi-dimensional coupled topological states thanks to the diverse electromagnetic characteristics of two valley edge states. According to the simulations, the constructed topological photonic devices can realize Fano lines on the spectrum and show high-quality localized modes by tuning the coupling strength between the zero-dimensional valley corner states and the one-dimensional valley edge states. Furthermore, we extend the valley-locked properties of edge states to higher-order valley topological insulators, where the selected corner states can be directionally excited by chiral source. More interestingly, we find that the modulation of multi-dimensional coupled photonic topological states with pseudospin dependence become more efficient compared with those uncoupled modes. This work presents a valuable approach for multi-dimensional optical field manipulation, which may support potential applications in on-chip integrated nanophotonic devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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12 pages, 4906 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tunable Unexplored Luminescence in Waveguides Based on D-A-D Benzoselenadiazoles Nanofibers

by Carlos Tardío, Esther Pinilla-Peñalver, Beatriz Donoso and Iván Torres-Moya

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(10), 822; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14100822 - 7 May 2024

Viewed by 1120

Abstract

A set of novel Donor-Acceptor-Donor (D-A-D) benzoselenadiazole derivatives has been synthesized and crystallized in nanocrystals in order to explore the correlation between their chemical structure and the waveguided luminescent properties. The findings reveal that all crystals exhibit luminescence and active optical waveguiding, demonstrating the ability to adjust their luminescence within a broad spectral range of 550–700 nm depending on the donor group attached to the benzoselenadiazole core. Notably, a clear relationship exists between the HOMO-LUMO energy gaps of each compound and the color emission of the corresponding optical waveguides. These outcomes affirm the feasibility of modifying the color emission of organic waveguides through suitable chemical functionalization. Importantly, this study marks the first utilization of benzoseleniadiazole derivatives for such purposes, underscoring the originality of this research. In addition, the obtention of nanocrystals is a key tool for the implementation of miniaturized photonic devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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9 pages, 4093 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrophobic and Luminescent Polydimethylsiloxane PDMS-Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ Coating for Power Enhancement and UV Protection of Si Solar Cells

by Darya Goponenko, Kamila Zhumanova, Sabina Shamarova, Zhuldyz Yelzhanova, Annie Ng and Timur Sh. Atabaev

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(8), 674; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14080674 - 12 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1608

Abstract

Solar cells have been developed as a highly efficient source of alternative energy, collecting photons from sunlight and turning them into electricity. On the other hand, ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a substantial impact on solar cells by damaging their active layers and, as a result, lowering their efficiency. Potential solutions include the blocking of UV light (which can reduce the power output of solar cells) or converting UV photons into visible light using down-conversion optical materials. In this work, we propose a novel hydrophobic coating based on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer with embedded red emitting Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ (quantum yield = 78.3%) particles for UV radiation screening and conversion purposes. The favorable features of the PDMS-Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ coating were examined using commercially available polycrystalline silicon solar cells, resulting in a notable increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) by ~9.23%. The chemical and UV stability of the developed coatings were assessed by exposing them to various chemical conditions and UV irradiation. It was found that the developed coating can endure tough environmental conditions, making it potentially useful as a UV-protective, water-repellent, and efficiency-enhancing coating for solar cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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18 pages, 9610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dual-Channel Switchable Metasurface Filters for Compact Spectral Imaging with Deep Compressive Reconstruction

by Chang Wang, Xinyu Liu, Yang Zhang, Yan Sun, Zeqing Yu and Zhenrong Zheng

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(21), 2854; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13212854 - 27 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1786

Abstract

Spectral imaging technology, which aims to capture images across multiple spectral channels and create a spectral data cube, has been widely utilized in various fields. However, conventional spectral imaging systems face challenges, such as slow acquisition speed and large size. The rapid development of optical metasurfaces, capable of manipulating light fields versatilely and miniaturizing optical components into ultrathin planar devices, offers a promising solution for compact hyperspectral imaging (HSI). This study proposes a compact snapshot compressive spectral imaging (SCSI) system by leveraging the spectral modulations of metasurfaces with dual-channel switchable metasurface filters and employing a deep-learning-based reconstruction algorithm. To achieve compactness, the proposed system integrates dual-channel switchable metasurface filters using twisted nematic liquid crystals (TNLCs) and anisotropic titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanostructures. These thin metasurface filters are closely attached to the image sensor, resulting in a compact system. The TNLCs possess a broadband linear polarization conversion ability, enabling the rapid switching of the incidence polarization state between x-polarization and y-polarization by applying different voltages. This polarization conversion facilitates the generation of two groups of transmittance spectra for wavelength-encoding, providing richer information for spectral data cube reconstruction compared to that of other snapshot compressive spectral imaging techniques. In addition, instead of employing classic iterative compressive sensing (CS) algorithms, an end-to-end residual neural network (ResNet) is utilized to reconstruct the spectral data cube. This neural network leverages the 2-frame snapshot measurements of orthogonal polarization channels. The proposed hyperspectral imaging technology demonstrates superior reconstruction quality and speed compared to those of the traditional compressive hyperspectral image recovery methods. As a result, it is expected that this technology will have substantial implications in various domains, including but not limited to object detection, face recognition, food safety, biomedical imaging, agriculture surveillance, and so on. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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Review

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13 pages, 2367 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress on Rashba Effect in Two-Dimensional Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskites

by Junhong Guo, Jinlei Zhang, Yunsong Di and Zhixing Gan

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(8), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14080683 - 16 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1904

Abstract

The Rashba effect appears in the semiconductors with an inversion–asymmetric structure and strong spin-orbit coupling, which splits the spin-degenerated band into two sub-bands with opposite spin states. The Rashba effect can not only be used to regulate carrier relaxations, thereby improving the performance of photoelectric devices, but also used to expand the applications of semiconductors in spintronics. In this mini-review, recent research progress on the Rashba effect of two-dimensional (2D) organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites is summarized. The origin and magnitude of Rashba spin splitting, layer-dependent Rashba band splitting of 2D perovskites, the Rashba effect in 2D perovskite quantum dots, a 2D/3D perovskite composite, and 2D-perovskites-based van der Waals heterostructures are discussed. Moreover, applications of the 2D Rashba effect in circularly polarized light detection are reviewed. Finally, future research to modulate the Rashba strength in 2D perovskites is prospected, which is conceived to promote the optoelectronic and spintronic applications of 2D perovskites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photofunctional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures)

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