Semiconductor Nanoparticles for Electric Device Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2017) | Viewed by 24402

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School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan
Interests: nanoparticles; nanocrystals; quantum dots; thermoelectrics; nanobiotechnology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Semiconductor nanoparticles (also known as colloidal quantum dots) have attracted a great deal of attention over the past two decades or more due to their unique size-dependent physical properties, and are exploited as promising materials for a wide range of applications including biological/chemical sensors, bioimaging, optoelectronics, etc. In the early days, II-VI and III-V semiconductor nanoparticles were intensively studied. In recent years, nanoparticles of other semiconductors, such as IV-VI, IV, I-III-VI2 and I2-II-IV-VI4, have become readily available. With this background, many researchers have worked toward the development of electric and/or optoelectronic devices using various kinds of semiconductor nanoparticles.

This Special Issue of Nanomaterials will attempt to cover the recent advancements in the semiconductor nanoparticles for electric device applications, including photovoltaic devices, light emitting devices, thermoelectric devices, and quantum devices.

Prof. Dr. Shinya Maenosono
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • colloidal quantum dot

  • nanocrystal

  • quantum confinement effect

  • size-dependent property

  • energy discretization

  • band-gap tuning

Published Papers (4 papers)

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7592 KiB  
Article
Strong Deep-Level-Emission Photoluminescence in NiO Nanoparticles
by Ashish Chhaganlal Gandhi and Sheng Yun Wu
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(8), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7080231 - 22 Aug 2017
Cited by 130 | Viewed by 7338
Abstract
Nickel oxide is one of the highly promising semiconducting materials, but its large band gap (3.7 to 4 eV) limits its use in practical applications. Here we report the effect of nickel/oxygen vacancies and interstitial defects on the near-band-edge (NBE) and deep-level-emission (DLE) [...] Read more.
Nickel oxide is one of the highly promising semiconducting materials, but its large band gap (3.7 to 4 eV) limits its use in practical applications. Here we report the effect of nickel/oxygen vacancies and interstitial defects on the near-band-edge (NBE) and deep-level-emission (DLE) in various sizes of nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles. The ultraviolet (UV) emission originated from excitonic recombination corresponding near-band-edge (NBE) transition of NiO, while deep-level-emission (DLE) in the visible region due to various structural defects such as oxygen vacancies and interstitial defects. We found that the NiO nanoparticles exhibit a strong green band emission around ~2.37 eV in all samples, covering 80% integrated intensity of PL spectra. This apparently anomalous phenomenon is attributed to photogenerated holes trapped in the deep level oxygen vacancy recombining with the electrons trapped in a shallow level located just below the conducting band. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Semiconductor Nanoparticles for Electric Device Applications)
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6771 KiB  
Article
Improving Visible Light-Absorptivity and Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency of a TiO2 Nanotube Anode Film by Sensitization with Bi2O3 Nanoparticles
by Menglei Chang, Huawen Hu, Yuyuan Zhang, Dongchu Chen, Liangpeng Wu and Xinjun Li
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(5), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7050104 - 09 May 2017
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5450
Abstract
This study presents a novel visible light-active TiO2 nanotube anode film by sensitization with Bi2O3 nanoparticles. The uniform incorporation of Bi2O3 contributes to largely enhancing the solar light absorption and photoelectric conversion efficiency of TiO2 [...] Read more.
This study presents a novel visible light-active TiO2 nanotube anode film by sensitization with Bi2O3 nanoparticles. The uniform incorporation of Bi2O3 contributes to largely enhancing the solar light absorption and photoelectric conversion efficiency of TiO2 nanotubes. Due to the energy level difference between Bi2O3 and TiO2, the built-in electric field is suggested to be formed in the Bi2O3 sensitized TiO2 hybrid, which effectively separates the photo-generated electron-hole pairs and hence improves the photocatalytic activity. It is also found that the photoelectric conversion efficiency of Bi2O3 sensitized TiO2 nanotubes is not in direct proportion with the content of the sensitizer, Bi2O3, which should be carefully controlled to realize excellent photoelectrical properties. With a narrower energy band gap relative to TiO2, the sensitizer Bi2O3 can efficiently harvest the solar energy to generate electrons and holes, while TiO2 collects and transports the charge carriers. The new-type visible light-sensitive photocatalyst presented in this paper will shed light on sensitizing many other wide-band-gap semiconductors for improving solar photocatalysis, and on understanding the visible light-driven photocatalysis through narrow-band-gap semiconductor coupling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Semiconductor Nanoparticles for Electric Device Applications)
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2452 KiB  
Article
The Change of Electronic Transport Behaviors by P and B Doping in Nano-Crystalline Silicon Films with Very High Conductivities
by Dan Shan, Mingqing Qian, Yang Ji, Xiaofan Jiang, Jun Xu and Kunji Chen
Nanomaterials 2016, 6(12), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano6120233 - 03 Dec 2016
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4827
Abstract
Nano-crystalline Si films with high conductivities are highly desired in order to develop the new generation of nano-devices. Here, we first demonstrate that the grain boundaries played an important role in the carrier transport process in un-doped nano-crystalline Si films as revealed by [...] Read more.
Nano-crystalline Si films with high conductivities are highly desired in order to develop the new generation of nano-devices. Here, we first demonstrate that the grain boundaries played an important role in the carrier transport process in un-doped nano-crystalline Si films as revealed by the temperature-dependent Hall measurements. The potential barrier height can be well estimated from the experimental results, which is in good agreement with the proposed model. Then, by introducing P and B doping, it is found that the scattering of grain boundaries can be significantly suppressed and the Hall mobility is monotonously decreased with the temperature both in P- and B-doped nano-crystalline Si films, which can be attributed to the trapping of P and B dopants in the grain boundary regions to reduce the barriers. Consequently, a room temperature conductivity as high as 1.58 × 103 S/cm and 4 × 102 S/cm is achieved for the P-doped and B-doped samples, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Semiconductor Nanoparticles for Electric Device Applications)
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6669 KiB  
Article
Influence of External Gaseous Environments on the Electrical Properties of ZnO Nanostructures Obtained by a Hydrothermal Method
by Marcin Procek, Tadeusz Pustelny and Agnieszka Stolarczyk
Nanomaterials 2016, 6(12), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano6120227 - 29 Nov 2016
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 5060
Abstract
This paper deals with experimental investigations of ZnO nanostructures, consisting of a mixture of nanoparticles and nanowires, obtained by the chemical (hydrothermal) method. The influences of both oxidizing (NO2) and reducing gases (H2, NH3), as well as [...] Read more.
This paper deals with experimental investigations of ZnO nanostructures, consisting of a mixture of nanoparticles and nanowires, obtained by the chemical (hydrothermal) method. The influences of both oxidizing (NO2) and reducing gases (H2, NH3), as well as relative humidity (RH) on the physical and chemical properties of ZnO nanostructures were tested. Carrier gas effect on the structure interaction with gases was also tested; experiments were conducted in air and nitrogen (N2) atmospheres. The effect of investigated gases on the resistance of the ZnO nanostructures was tested over a wide range of concentrations at room temperature (RT) and at 200 °C. The impact of near- ultraviolet (UV) excitation (λ = 390 nm) at RT was also studied. These investigations indicated a high response of ZnO nanostructures to small concentrations of NO2. The structure responses to 1 ppm of NO2 amounted to about: 600% in N2/230% in air at 200 °C (in dark conditions) and 430% in N2/340% in air at RT (with UV excitation). The response of the structure to the effect of NO2 at 200 °C is more than 105 times greater than the response to NH3, and more than 106 times greater than that to H2 in the relation of 1 ppm. Thus the selectivity of the structure for NO2 is very good. What is more, the selectivity to NO2 at RT with UV excitation increases in comparison at elevated temperature. This paper presents a great potential for practical applications of ZnO nanostructures (including nanoparticles) in resistive NO2 sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Semiconductor Nanoparticles for Electric Device Applications)
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