Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
11:33
All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
Published on: January 19, 2018
10.2K
Local p- and n-Type Doping of an Oxide Semiconductor via Electric-Field-Driven Defect Migration
Jiali He1, Ursula Ludacka1, Kasper A Hunnestad1,2
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, 7034, Norway.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|September 18, 2025
Summary
Researchers demonstrate controlled defect movement in layered oxide semiconductors, creating nanoscale p-type and n-type regions. This breakthrough enables tunable electronic properties for advanced oxide electronics and transient devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid-State Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Layered oxides are promising for batteries and energy applications due to ionic mobility.
- Tunable semiconductors are crucial for advanced electronic devices.
- Anti-Frenkel defects can enhance electronic conductivity in hexagonal manganites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate local acceptor and donor doping in Er(Mn,Ti)O3.
- To investigate the controlled splitting of anti-Frenkel defects under applied voltage.
- To explore nanoscale functionalization of oxide semiconductors.
Main Methods:
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
- Scanning probe microscopy (SPM).
- Atom probe tomography (APT).
- Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM).
Main Results:
- Controlled splitting of anti-Frenkel defects under DC voltage.
- Movement of oxygen defects through the layered crystal structure.
- Formation of stable, nanoscale interstitial-rich (p-type) and vacancy-rich (n-type) regions.
- Creation of dipolar npn-junction-like patterns.
Conclusions:
- Layered oxides can be temporarily functionalized at the nanoscale.
- This defect engineering opens new avenues for oxide electronics.
- The findings support the development of transient electronics.
Related Concept Videos
01:11P-N junction
1.1K
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...
1.1K
01:24Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
908
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...
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...
908
01:27Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
555
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...
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
555
01:16MOSFET
1.2K
The Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) plays a pivotal role in modern electronics thanks to its versatility and efficiency in controlling electrical currents. This device, also known as IGFET, MISFET, and MOSFET, has three main terminals: the Source, Drain, and Gate. MOSFETs are classified into n-channel or p-channel types based on the doping characteristics of their substrate and the source or drain regions.
In an n-MOSFET, the structure includes n-type source and drain...
In an n-MOSFET, the structure includes n-type source and drain...
1.2K
01:21Carrier Transport
911
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:
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:
911
01:20Types of Semiconductors
1.4K
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...
1.4K