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Related Concept Videos

P-N junction01:11

P-N junction

464
A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
464
Carrier Generation and Recombination01:22

Carrier Generation and Recombination

510
Carrier generation is the process by which electron-hole pairs (EHPs) are created within the semiconductor. In direct-bandgap semiconductors, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), this occurs efficiently when energy absorption prompts valence electrons to leap into the conduction band, leaving behind holes.
This process is given by the generation rate G and is efficient due to the conservation of momentum between the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum.
Indirect generation involves an...
510
Biasing of P-N Junction01:16

Biasing of P-N Junction

416
The operation of a p-n junction diode involves various biasing conditions, including forward bias, reverse bias, and equilibrium.
In equilibrium, no external voltage is applied across the p-n junction. The depletion region is formed at the junction interface due to the diffusion of carriers, which leaves behind charged dopants, acceptors on the p-side, and donors on the n-side. These immobile charges create an electric field that prevents further diffusion of carriers. The related energy band...
416
Types of Semiconductors01:20

Types of Semiconductors

525
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...
525
Carrier Transport01:21

Carrier Transport

401
The generation of electrical current in semiconductors is fundamentally driven by two mechanisms: drift and diffusion. These processes are essential for the functionality and performance of semiconductor-based devices.
Drift Current:
The drift of charge carriers is started by an external electric field (E). Charged particles, such as electrons and holes, experience an acceleration between collisions with lattice atoms. For electrons, this results in a drift velocity (vd) given by:
401
Diode: Reverse bias01:14

Diode: Reverse bias

565
A diode is reverse-biased when the positive terminal of an external voltage source is connected to the n-type material and the negative terminal to the p-type material. This configuration opposes the natural direction of current flow through the diode, effectively increasing the width of the depletion region and the barrier potential. The reverse bias condition produces a minimal leakage current, primarily due to minority charge carriers. This leakage becomes significant when the reverse...
565

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Native Defect-Dependent Ultrafast Carrier Dynamics in p-Type Dopable Wide-Bandgap NiO.

Zhan Hua Li1,2, Jia Xing He3,4, Jia Yu Li3

  • 1School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|December 23, 2024
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Investigating carrier dynamics in nickel oxide (NiO) films with different native defects reveals distinct photophysical behaviors. Understanding these dynamics is key for advancing NiO optoelectronics and photocatalysts.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Solid State Physics
  • Photochemistry

Background:

  • Nickel oxide (NiO) is a p-type metal oxide with significant applications in optoelectronics and photocatalysis.
  • Understanding carrier dynamics in NiO is crucial for device optimization but remains underexplored.
  • Native defects significantly influence the electronic properties of NiO.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the carrier dynamics in NiO thin films with different native defects using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy.
  • To elucidate the role of oxygen vacancies (VO) and nickel vacancies (VNi) in carrier behavior.
  • To provide insights into optimizing NiO-based device performance.

Main Methods:

  • Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy was used to probe carrier dynamics.
  • Two types of NiO films were studied: undoped NiO with oxygen vacancies and O-rich NiO (NiO1+δ) with nickel vacancies.
  • Spectroscopic analysis focused on photoinduced absorption and photobleaching signals.

Main Results:

  • Distinct spectral features were observed: broad photoinduced absorption in undoped NiO and photobleaching in O-rich NiO.
  • Small electron polarons (SEPs) formed rapidly (<200 fs).
  • Carrier trapping occurred at localized states (1-8 ps for undoped NiO, 5-7 ps for NiO1+δ), followed by slower trapping/recombination via native defects (200 ps for VO, ~2 ns for VNi).

Conclusions:

  • Native defects (VO and VNi) significantly alter carrier dynamics in NiO films.
  • The study reveals distinct pathways for photogenerated carrier trapping and recombination.
  • These findings offer fundamental insights for designing high-performance NiO-based optoelectronic and photocatalytic devices.