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Related Concept Videos

Semiconductors01:22

Semiconductors

1.7K
There is variation in the electrical conductivity of materials - metals, semiconductors, and insulators that are showcased with the help of the energy band diagrams.
Metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or lead (Pb) have low resistivity and feature conduction bands that are either not fully occupied or overlap with the valence band, making a bandgap non-existent. This allows electrons in the highest energy levels of the valence band to easily transition to the conduction band upon gaining...
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Types of Semiconductors01:20

Types of Semiconductors

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Intrinsic semiconductors are highly pure materials with no impurities. At absolute zero, these semiconductors behave as perfect insulators because all the valence electrons are bound, and the conduction band is empty, disallowing electrical conduction. The Fermi level is a concept used to describe the probability of occupancy of energy levels by electrons at thermal equilibrium. In intrinsic semiconductors, the Fermi level is positioned at the midpoint of the energy gap at absolute zero. When...
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Fermi Level Dynamics01:12

Fermi Level Dynamics

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The vacuum level denotes the energy threshold required for an electron to escape from a material surface. It is usually positioned above the conduction band of a semiconductor and acts as a benchmark for comparing electron energies within various materials.
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
871
Van der Waals Interactions01:24

Van der Waals Interactions

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Atoms and molecules interact with each other through intermolecular forces. These electrostatic forces arise from attractive or repulsive interactions between particles with permanent, partial, or temporary charges. The intermolecular forces between neutral atoms and molecules are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, and dispersion forces, collectively known as van der Waals forces.
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Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:24

Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

1.2K
The contact of metal and semiconductor can lead to the formation of a junction with either Schottky or Ohmic behavior.
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...
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Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:27

Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

726
Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions involves applying a voltage across the junction. Specifically, the metal is connected to a voltage source, while the semiconductor is grounded. This technique is essential for controlling the direction and magnitude of current flow in electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells.
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
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Fabricating van der Waals Heterostructures with Precise Rotational Alignment
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Two-Dimensional Semiconductor Optoelectronics Based on van der Waals Heterostructures.

Jae Yoon Lee1, Jun-Hwan Shin2, Gwan-Hyoung Lee3

  • 1KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea. jylee89@korea.ac.kr.

Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 25, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors and van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures offer unique optical properties for novel optoelectronic devices. This review covers their fabrication, properties, and applications in photodetectors, solar cells, and light-emitting devices.

Keywords:
2D semiconductorslight-emitting diodesoptoelectronicsphotodetectorssolar cellstransition metal dichalcogenidesvan der Waals heterostructures

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, including transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and black phosphorus, exhibit exceptional optical properties.
  • Atomically-controlled van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures allow for novel device architectures beyond conventional bulk materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the atomic and electronic structures of 2D semiconducting TMDCs and their optical properties.
  • To discuss the fabrication and features of vdW heterostructures.
  • To highlight recent advancements in 2D semiconductor optoelectronic devices based on vdW heterostructures.

Main Methods:

  • Review of literature on 2D semiconductor materials and vdW heterostructures.
  • Analysis of atomic and electronic structures of TMDCs.
  • Discussion of fabrication techniques for vdW heterostructures.
  • Compilation of recent progress in optoelectronic device applications.

Main Results:

  • 2D semiconductors possess unique optical characteristics suitable for advanced applications.
  • vdW heterostructures enable the integration of diverse 2D materials with tailored properties.
  • Significant progress has been made in developing 2D optoelectronic devices like photodetectors, solar cells, and light-emitting devices.

Conclusions:

  • 2D semiconductor vdW heterostructures are promising for next-generation optoelectronics.
  • Further research is needed to overcome challenges in fabrication and device performance.
  • Future perspectives include exploring novel material combinations and device functionalities.