1
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Ma X, Fang WH, Long R, Prezhdo OV. Compression of Organic Molecules Coupled with Hydrogen Bonding Extends the Charge Carrier Lifetime in BA 2SnI 4. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:16314-16323. [PMID: 38812460 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c05191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) metal halide perovskites, such as BA2SnI4 (BA═CH3(CH2)3NH3), exhibit an enhanced charge carrier lifetime in experiments under strain. Experiments suggest that significant compression of the BA molecule, rather than of the inorganic lattice, contributes to this enhancement. To elucidate the underlying physical mechanism, we apply a moderate compressive strain to the entire system and subsequently introduce significant compression to the BA molecules. We then perform ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations of nonradiative electron-hole recombination. We observe that the overall lattice compression reduces atomic motions and decreases nonadiabatic coupling, thereby delaying electron-hole recombination. Additionally, compression of the BA molecules enhances hydrogen bonding between the BA molecules and iodine atoms, which lengthens the Sn-I bonds, distorts the [SnI6]4- octahedra, and suppresses atomic motions further, thus reducing nonadiabatic coupling. Also, the elongated Sn-I bonds and weakened antibonding interactions increase the band gap. Altogether, the compression delays the nonradiative electron-hole recombination by more than a factor of 3. Our simulations provide new and valuable physical insights into how compressive strain, accommodated primarily by the organic ligands, positively influences the optoelectronic properties of 2D layered halide perovskites, offering a promising pathway for further performance improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinbo Ma
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Wei-Hai Fang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90007, United States
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2
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Fu CF, Zheng Q, Li X, Yang J. Vertical Dipole Dominates Charge Carrier Lifetime in Monolayer Janus MoSSe. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:6425-6432. [PMID: 38747348 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Two-dimensional semiconductor materials with vertical dipoles are promising photocatalysts as vertical dipoles not only promote the electron-hole separation but also enhance the carrier redox ability. However, the influence of vertical dipoles on carrier recombination in such materials, especially the competing relationship between vertical dipoles and band gaps, is not yet clear. Herein, first-principles calculations and nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations were combined to clarify the influence of band gap and vertical dipole on the carrier lifetime in Janus MoSSe monolayer. By comparing with the results of MoS2 and MoSe2 as well as exploring the carrier lifetime of MoSSe under strain regulation, it has been demonstrated that the vertical dipole, rather than the band gap, is the dominant factor affecting the carrier lifetime. Strikingly, a linear relationship between the carrier lifetime and vertical dipole is revealed. These findings have important implications for the design of high-performance photocatalysts and optoelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cen-Feng Fu
- Department of Chemical Physics and Hefei National Research Center for Physical Science at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Qijing Zheng
- Department of Physics, and ICQD/Hefei National Research Center for Physical Science at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230088, China
| | - Xingxing Li
- Department of Chemical Physics and Hefei National Research Center for Physical Science at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230088, China
| | - Jinlong Yang
- Department of Chemical Physics and Hefei National Research Center for Physical Science at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230088, China
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3
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Li S, Wang H, Wang C, Zhao P, Zhang C, Qiao D. First-principle study on the photoelectric properties of monolayer h-BN under different strain types. J Mol Model 2024; 30:56. [PMID: 38294566 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-024-05854-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT Two-dimensional materials are a new and promising research field in materials science. This is mainly attributed to their unique photoelectric and chemical properties. In addition to possessing unique optoelectronic and chemical properties, two-dimensional materials also have important application prospects in the field of field-effect devices. Based on density functional theory, the effects of uniaxial strain and equibiaxial strain on the mechanical properties, electronic structure, and optical properties of monolayer h-BN were studied using first principles. The results indicate that compressive strain has a significant impact on the stability of monolayer h-BN. The band gap width of monolayer h-BN decreases with increasing strain, and the optical properties of monolayer h-BN exhibit a relative trend under tensile and compressive strains. The influence of biaxial strain on the mechanical properties, electronic structure, and optical properties of monolayer h-BN is greater than that of uniaxial strain. METHODS All the calculations were done by the VASP software based on density functional theory. The interaction between atomic nuclei and electrons is described by the projected added wave pseudopotential (PAW), using the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to exchange the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) of the functional. To avoid interlayer interactions, a 15-Å vacuum layer was set up. The Brillouin zone selects the Monkhorst-Pack method to generate 9 × 9 × 1 of k-point grid, the cut off energy is set to 500 eV, the energy convergence standard of the system is 1 × 10-5 eV, and the interaction force between atoms is 0.01 eV/Å.
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Affiliation(s)
- ShaoRong Li
- College of Science, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Science, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - ChengYue Wang
- College of Science, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
- College of Safety Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
| | - PengXiang Zhao
- College of Safety Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - ChengFu Zhang
- College of Science, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - DongWei Qiao
- College of Science, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
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4
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Yang Y, Zhang Y, Fernandez-Alberti S, Long R. Resolving the Puzzle of Charge Carrier Lifetime in ZnO by Revisiting the Role of Oxygen Vacancy. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:1-8. [PMID: 38126721 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide bandgap prototypical n-type semiconductor due to the presence of intrinsic oxygen vacancies (VO). The VO can readily transfer to the most energetically favorable +2 charged VO (VO2+) by losing two electrons mediated by the metastable VO1+ defect. Nevertheless, the influence of charged VO on the charge dynamics in ZnO and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. By performing nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations of the charge trapping and recombination processes, we show that both VO1+ and VO2+ slow down the nonradiative electron-hole recombination via assisted defect states and, thus, extending charge carrier lifetime compared to pristine ZnO. Our study contributes to identifying the different recombination pathways that take place in VO1+ and VO2+ of n-type ZnO systems, providing useful guidance for designing high-performance ZnO-based devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Yang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, P. R. China
| | - Yitong Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | | | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
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5
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Guo S, Li C, Nie Z, Wang X, Wang M, Tian C, Yan X, Hu K, Long R. Tensile Strain-Dependent Ultrafast Electron Transfer and Relaxation Dynamics in Flexible WSe 2/MoS 2 Heterostructures. J Phys Chem Lett 2023:10920-10929. [PMID: 38033191 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and controlling carrier dynamics in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructures through strain are crucial for their flexible applications. Here, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy is employed to elucidate the interlayer electron transfer and relaxation dynamics under external tensile strains in a WSe2/MoS2 heterostructure. The results show that a modest ∼1% tensile strain can significantly alter the lifetimes of electron transfer and nonradiative electron-hole recombination by >30%. Ab initio non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulations suggest that tensile strain weakens the electron-phonon coupling, thereby suppressing the transfer and recombination dynamics. Theoretical predictions indicate that strain-induced energy difference increases along the electron transfer path could contribute to the prolongation of the transfer lifetime. A subpicosecond decay process, related to hot-electron cooling, remains almost unaffected by strain. This study demonstrates the potential of tuning interlayer carrier dynamics through external strains, offering insights into flexible optoelectronic device design with 2D materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Guo
- School of Physical Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
- FSchool of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chaofan Li
- School of Physical Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Zhaogang Nie
- School of Physical Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
- FSchool of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Minghong Wang
- School of Physical Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Cunwei Tian
- School of Physical Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Xinhua Yan
- Nobat Intelligent Equipment (Shandong), Company, Ltd., Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Kaige Hu
- FSchool of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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6
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Ma X, Long R. The sp 3 Defect Decreases Charge Carrier Lifetime in (8,3) Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:10242-10248. [PMID: 37937588 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
A recent experimental approach introduces sp3 defects into single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) through controlled functionalization with guanine, resulting in a decrease in charge carrier lifetime. However, the physical mechanism behind this phenomenon remains unclear. We employ nonadiabatic molecular dynamics to systematically model the nonradiative recombination process of electron-hole pairs in SWNTs with sp3 defects generated by a guanine molecule. We demonstrate that the introduction of sp3 defects creates an overlapping channel between the highest occupied (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), significantly enhancing the nonadiabatic (NA) coupling and leading to a 4.7-fold acceleration in charge carrier recombination compared to defect-free SWNTs. The charge carrier recombination slows significantly at a lower temperature (50 K) due to the weakening of the NA coupling. Our results rationalize the accelerated recombination of charge carriers in SWNTs with sp3 defects in experiments and contribute to a deeper understanding of the carrier dynamics in SWNTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinbo Ma
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
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7
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Wang Y, Lei Z, Guo M, Sun Q, Jin C, Tan R, Dai Y. Intrinsic ferromagnetism in two-dimensional 1T-MX 2 monolayers with tunable magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:30636-30643. [PMID: 37933412 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03600f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials with tunable magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) provide unique opportunities for developing the next-generation data-storage and information devices. Herein we systematically investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of the 1T-MX2 (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co; X = As, Sb) monolayers, and identify the stable 2D ferromagnets as well as their MCA energies. Notably, the results demonstrate that the biaxial strain and carrier doping effects have a significant influence on their magnetic behaviors. In addition to the robust FM states, three FM monolayers yield tunable MCA depending on the applied strain type and carrier doping values. The dominant contributions to these complicated modifications in MCA are mainly attributed to the strain or carrier doping induced alterations of specific M-derived 3d states, which in turn lead to the changes of their spin-orbit coupling (SOC) energies. These findings show effective approaches to control 2D magnetism and suggest that these 2D FM materials may be promising candidates to design highly efficient memory devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghao Wang
- School of Science, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, Shandong 250101, China.
| | - Zesen Lei
- School of Science, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, Shandong 250101, China.
| | - Meng Guo
- Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong Computer Science Center (National Supercomputer Center in Jinan), Jinan, Shandong 250103, China
| | - Qilong Sun
- School of Science, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, Shandong 250101, China.
| | - Cui Jin
- School of Science, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, Shandong 250101, China.
| | - Ruishan Tan
- School of Science, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, Shandong 250101, China.
| | - Ying Dai
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China.
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8
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Xu C, Zhou G, Alexeev EM, Cadore AR, Paradisanos I, Ott AK, Soavi G, Tongay S, Cerullo G, Ferrari AC, Prezhdo OV, Loh ZH. Ultrafast Electronic Relaxation Dynamics of Atomically Thin MoS 2 Is Accelerated by Wrinkling. ACS NANO 2023; 17:16682-16694. [PMID: 37581747 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c02917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Strain engineering is an attractive approach for tuning the local optoelectronic properties of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). While strain has been shown to affect the nanosecond carrier recombination dynamics of TMDs, its influence on the sub-picosecond electronic relaxation dynamics is still unexplored. Here, we employ a combination of time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy (TR-PEEM) and nonadiabatic ab initio molecular dynamics (NAMD) to investigate the ultrafast dynamics of wrinkled multilayer (ML) MoS2 comprising 17 layers. Following 2.41 eV photoexcitation, electronic relaxation at the Γ valley occurs with a time constant of 97 ± 2 fs for wrinkled ML-MoS2 and 120 ± 2 fs for flat ML-MoS2. NAMD shows that wrinkling permits larger amplitude motions of MoS2 layers, relaxes electron-phonon coupling selection rules, perturbs chemical bonding, and increases the electronic density of states. As a result, the nonadiabatic coupling grows and electronic relaxation becomes faster compared to flat ML-MoS2. Our study suggests that the sub-picosecond electronic relaxation dynamics of TMDs is amenable to strain engineering and that applications which require long-lived hot carriers, such as hot-electron-driven light harvesting and photocatalysis, should employ wrinkle-free TMDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ce Xu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Guoqing Zhou
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Evgeny M Alexeev
- Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Alisson R Cadore
- Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Ioannis Paradisanos
- Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Anna K Ott
- Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Giancarlo Soavi
- Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Sefaattin Tongay
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Giulio Cerullo
- Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, I-20133 Milano, Italy
- IFN-CNR, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, I-20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea C Ferrari
- Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Zhi-Heng Loh
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
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9
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Kistanov AA, Shcherbinin SA, Korznikova EA, Prezhdo OV. Prediction and Characterization of Two-Dimensional Zn 2VN 3. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:1148-1155. [PMID: 36705575 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A two-dimensional (2D) monolayer of a novel ternary nitride Zn2VN3 is computationally designed, and its dynamical and thermal stability is demonstrated. A synthesis strategy is proposed based on experimental works on production of ternary nitride thin films, calculations of formation and exfoliation energies, and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. A comprehensive characterization of 2D Zn2VN3, including investigation of its optoelectronic and mechanical properties, is conducted. It is shown that 2D Zn2VN3 is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 2.75 eV and a high work function of 5.27 eV. Its light absorption covers visible and ultraviolet regions. The band gap of 2D Zn2VN3 is found to be well tunable by applied strain. At the same time 2D Zn2VN3 possesses high stability against mechanical loads, point defects, and environmental impacts. Considering the unique properties found for 2D Zn2VN3, it can be used for application in optoelectronic and straintronic nanodevices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey A Kistanov
- The Laboratory of Metals and Alloys Under Extreme Impacts, Ufa University of Science and Technology, 450076Ufa, Russia
| | - Stepan A Shcherbinin
- Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnical University, 195251Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Institute for Problems in Mechanical Engineering RAS, 199178Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena A Korznikova
- The Laboratory of Metals and Alloys Under Extreme Impacts, Ufa University of Science and Technology, 450076Ufa, Russia
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California90089, United States
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10
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Shi R, Guo M, Long R. Improved Defect Tolerance and Charge Carrier Lifetime in Tin-Lead Mixed Perovskites: Ab Initio Quantum Dynamics. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:499-507. [PMID: 36625793 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Simulations by nonadiabatic (NA) molecular dynamics demonstrate that mixing tin with lead in CH3NH3PbI3 can passivate the midgap state created by an interstitial iodine (Ii) via the imposed compressive strain and upshifted valence band maximum, reduce NA coupling by decreasing electron-hole wave functions overlap, and shortens pure-dephasing time by introducing high-frequency phonon modes. Thus, the charge carrier lifetime extends to 3.6 ns due to the significantly reduced nonradiative electron-hole recombination, which is an order of magnitude longer than the Ii-containing CH3NH3PbI3, over 2.5 times longer than the pristine CH3NH3PbI3 (1.4 ns), and even 1.7 times longer than the tin-lead mixed perovskite without the Ii defects (2.1 ns). Tin-lead alloying simultaneously increases the Ii defect formation energy to 0.402 eV from 0.179 eV in CH3NH3PbI3, which effectively enhances defect tolerance by reducing the defect concentration. The study reveals the factors controlling the enhanced performance of tin-lead mixed perovskite solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Shi
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Meng Guo
- Shandong Computer Science Center (National Supercomputer Centre in Jinan), Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, Shandong 250013, P. R. China
- Jinan Institute of Supercomputing Technology, Jinan, Shandong 250103, P. R. China
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
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11
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Effect of biaxial [110] strain on monolayer MoS2 and its vacancy defect system: A first-principles study. J SOLID STATE CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2022.123711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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12
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Shi R, Fang Q, Vasenko AS, Long R, Fang WH, Prezhdo OV. Structural Disorder in Higher-Temperature Phases Increases Charge Carrier Lifetimes in Metal Halide Perovskites. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19137-19149. [PMID: 36206144 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Solar cells and optoelectronic devices are exposed to heat that degrades performance. Therefore, elucidating temperature-dependent charge carrier dynamics is essential for device optimization. Charge carrier lifetimes decrease with temperature in conventional semiconductors. The opposite, anomalous trend is observed in some experiments performed with MAPbI3 (MA = CH3NH3+) and other metal halide perovskites. Using ab initio quantum dynamics simulation, we establish the atomic mechanisms responsible for nonradiative electron-hole recombination in orthorhombic-, tetragonal-, and cubic MAPbI3. We demonstrate that structural disorder arising from the phase transitions is as important as the disorder due to heating in the same phase. The carrier lifetimes grow both with increasing temperature in the same phase and upon transition to the higher-temperature phases. The increased lifetime is rationalized by structural disorder that induces partial charge localization, decreases nonadiabatic coupling, and shortens quantum coherence. Inelastic and elastic electron-vibrational interactions exhibit opposite dependence on temperature and phase. The partial disorder and localization arise from thermal motions of both the inorganic lattice and the organic cations and depend significantly on the phase. The structural deformations induced by thermal fluctuations and phase transitions are on the same order as deformations induced by defects, and hence, thermal disorder plays a very important role. Since charge localization increases carrier lifetimes but inhibits transport, an optimal regime maximizing carrier diffusion can be designed, depending on phase, temperature, material morphology, and device architecture. The atomistic mechanisms responsible for the enhanced carrier lifetimes at elevated temperatures provide guidelines for the design of improved solar energy and optoelectronic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Shi
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiu Fang
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing100875, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Run Long
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Hai Fang
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Departments of Chemistry, and Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California90089, United States
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13
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Qiao L, Fang WH, Prezhdo OV, Long R. Suppressing Oxygen-Induced Deterioration of Metal Halide Perovskites by Alkaline Earth Metal Doping: A Quantum Dynamics Study. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:5543-5551. [PMID: 35294834 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to oxygen undermines stability and charge transport in metal halide perovskites, because molecular oxygen, as well as photogenerated superoxide and peroxide, erodes the perovskite lattice and creates charge traps. We demonstrate that alkaline earth metals passivate the oxygen species in CH3NH3PbI3 by breaking the O-O bond and forming new bonds with the oxygen atoms, shifting the trap states of the antibonding O-O orbitals from inside the bandgap into the bands. In addition to eliminating the oxidizing species and the charge traps, doping with the alkaline earth metals slightly increases the bandgap and partially localizes the electron and hole wavefunctions, weakening the electron-hole and charge-phonon interactions and making the charge carrier lifetimes longer than even those in pristine CH3NH3PbI3. Relative to CH3NH3PbI3 exposed to oxygen and light, the charge carrier lifetime of the passivated CH3NH3PbI3 increases by 2-3 orders of magnitude. The ab initio quantum dynamics simulations demonstrate that alkaline earth metals passivate efficiently not only intrinsic perovskite defects, but also the foreign species, providing a viable strategy to suppress perovskite degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Qiao
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Hai Fang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90007, United States
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
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14
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Qiao L, Fang WH, Long R. Dual Passivation of Point Defects at Perovskite Grain Boundaries with Ammonium Salts Greatly Inhibits Nonradiative Charge Recombination. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:954-961. [PMID: 35060385 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c04038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Experiments demonstrate that grain boundaries (GBs) exhibit detrimental effect on carrier lifetimes in MAPbI3 (MA= CH3NH3+). On the basis of the nonadiabatic (NA) molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrated that NH4Cl can simultaneously passivate the common point defects that introduce recombination centers at GBs and accelerate electron-hole recombination but shows small effects in the bulk. The MA interstitial (MAi) and the substitutional MA to Pb (MAPb) in pristine MAPbI3 leave the band gap and charge recombination rates largely unchanged but create deep electron traps at GBs by separately either distorting inorganic octahedra or creating an I-dimer. Cl- and NH4+ remove the in-gap states by either restoring the distorted octahedra or destroying the I-dimer. Thus, the band gap recovers to the pristine system, NA coupling decreases, and decoherence accelerates, extending the carrier lifetime even twice longer than MAPbI3. This study shows that the negative role of GBs can be removed by dually passivating with NH4Cl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Qiao
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Hai Fang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
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15
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Mangan SM, Zhou G, Chu W, Prezhdo OV. Dependence between Structural and Electronic Properties of CsPbI 3: Unsupervised Machine Learning of Nonadiabatic Molecular Dynamics. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:8672-8678. [PMID: 34472856 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Using unsupervised machine learning on the trajectories from a nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulation with time-dependent Kohn-Sham density functional theory, we elucidated the structural parameters with the largest influence on nonradiative recombination of charge carriers in CsPbI3, which forms the basis for solar energy and optoelectronic applications. The I-I-I angles between PbI6 octahedra, followed by the Cs-I distance, have the strongest impact on the bandgap and the nonadiabatic coupling. The importance of the Cs-I distance is unexpected, because Cs does not contribute to electron and hole wave functions. The nonadiabatic coupling is most influenced by static properties, which is also surprising, given its explicit dependence on atomic velocities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer M Mangan
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Guoqing Zhou
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Weibin Chu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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16
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Zheng SW, Wang HY, Wang L, Luo Y, Gao BR, Sun HB. Observation of robust charge transfer under strain engineering in two-dimensional MoS 2-WSe 2 heterostructures. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:14081-14088. [PMID: 34477689 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr02014e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Strain is one of the effective ways to modulate the band structure of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), which has been reported in theoretical and steady-state spectroscopic studies. However, the strain effects on the charge transfer processes in TMDC heterostructures have not been experimentally addressed thus far. Here, we systematically investigate the strain-mediated transient spectral evolutions corresponding to excitons at band-edge and higher energy states for monolayer MoS2 and monolayer WSe2. It is demonstrated that Γ and K valleys in monolayer WSe2 and monolayer MoS2 present different strain responses, according to the broadband femtosecond pump-probe experimental results. It is further observed that the resulting band offset changes tuned by applied tensile strains in MoS2-WSe2 heterostructures would not affect the band-edge electron transfer profiles, where only monolayer WSe2 is excited. From a flexible optoelectronic applications perspective, the robust charge transfer under strain engineering in TMDC heterostructures is very advantageous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Wen Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China.
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17
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Kistanov AA, Shcherbinin SA, Ustiuzhanina SV, Huttula M, Cao W, Nikitenko VR, Prezhdo OV. First-Principles Prediction of Two-Dimensional B 3C 2P 3 and B 2C 4P 2: Structural Stability, Fundamental Properties, and Renewable Energy Applications. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:3436-3442. [PMID: 33789049 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The existence of two novel hybrid two-dimensional (2D) monolayers, 2D B3C2P3 and 2D B2C4P2, has been predicted based on the density functional theory calculations. It has been shown that these materials possess structural and thermodynamic stability. 2D B3C2P3 is a moderate band gap semiconductor, while 2D B2C4P2 is a zero band gap semiconductor. It has also been shown that 2D B3C2P3 has a highly tunable band gap under the effect of strain and substrate engineering. Moreover, 2D B3C2P3 produces low barriers for dissociation of water and hydrogen molecules on its surface, and shows fast recovery after desorption of the molecules. The novel materials can be fabricated by carbon doping of boron phosphide and directly by arc discharge and laser ablation and vaporization. Applications of 2D B3C2P3 in renewable energy and straintronic nanodevices have been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey A Kistanov
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland
| | - Stepan A Shcherbinin
- Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnical University, Saint Petersburg 195251, Russia
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russia
| | - Svetlana V Ustiuzhanina
- Institute for Metals Superplasticity Problems Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa 450001, Russia
| | - Marko Huttula
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland
| | - Wei Cao
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland
| | | | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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18
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Yan Y, Ding S, Wu X, Zhu J, Feng D, Yang X, Li F. Tuning the physical properties of ultrathin transition-metal dichalcogenides via strain engineering. RSC Adv 2020; 10:39455-39467. [PMID: 35515419 PMCID: PMC9057462 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra07288e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have become one of the recent frontiers and focuses in two-dimensional (2D) materials fields thanks to their superior electronic, optical, and photoelectric properties. Triggered by the growing demand for developing nano-electronic devices, strain engineering of ultrathin TMDs has become a hot topic in the scientific community. In recent years, both theoretical and experimental research on the strain engineering of ultrathin TMDs have suggested new opportunities to achieve high-performance ultrathin TMDs based devices. However, recent reviews mainly focus on the experimental progress and the related theoretical research has long been ignored. In this review, we first outline the currently employed approaches for introducing strain in ultrathin TMDs, both their characteristics and advantages are explained in detail. Subsequently, the recent research progress in the modification of lattice and electronic structure, and physical properties of ultrathin TMDs under strain are systematically reviewed from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. Despite much work being done in this filed, reducing the distance of experimental progress from the theoretical prediction remains a great challenge in realizing wide applications of ultrathin TMDs in nano-electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalan Yan
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Biomass Functional Materials Studies, Jilin Engineering Normal University No. 3050 Kaixuan Road Changchun 130052 People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Ding
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Biomass Functional Materials Studies, Jilin Engineering Normal University No. 3050 Kaixuan Road Changchun 130052 People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaonan Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Chengde Petroleum College Chengde 067000 People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University No. 2699 Qianjin Street Changchun 130012 People's Republic of China
| | - Dengman Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University No. 2699 Qianjin Street Changchun 130012 People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Biomass Functional Materials Studies, Jilin Engineering Normal University No. 3050 Kaixuan Road Changchun 130052 People's Republic of China
| | - Fangfei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University No. 2699 Qianjin Street Changchun 130012 People's Republic of China
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19
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Yang Y, Tokina MV, Fang WH, Long R, Prezhdo OV. Influence of tungsten doping on nonradiative electron–hole recombination in monolayer MoSe2 with Se vacancies. J Chem Phys 2020; 153:154701. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0020720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yating Yang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of China
| | - Marina V. Tokina
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Wei-Hai Fang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of China
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of China
| | - Oleg V. Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
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20
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Chu W, Saidi WA, Prezhdo OV. Long-Lived Hot Electron in a Metallic Particle for Plasmonics and Catalysis: Ab Initio Nonadiabatic Molecular Dynamics with Machine Learning. ACS NANO 2020; 14:10608-10615. [PMID: 32806073 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c04736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Multiple experiments provide evidence for photovoltaic, catalytic, optoelectronic, and plasmonic processes involving hot, i.e., high energy, electrons in nanoscale materials. However, the mechanisms of such processes remain elusive, because electrons rapidly lose energy by relaxation through dense manifolds of states. We demonstrate a long-lived hot electron state in a Pt nanocluster adsorbed on the MoS2 substrate. For this purpose, we develop a simulation technique, combining classical molecular dynamics based on machine learning potentials with ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics and real-time time-dependent density functional theory. Choosing Pt20/MoS2 as a prototypical system, we find frequent shifting of a top atom in the Pt particle occurring on a 50 ps time scale. The distortion breaks particle symmetry and creates unsaturated chemical bonds. The lifetime of the localized state associated with the broken bonds is enhanced by a factor of 3. Hot electrons aggregate near the shifted atom and form a catalytic reaction center. Our findings prove that distortion of even a single atom can have important implications for nanoscale catalysis and plasmonics and provide insights for utilizing machine learning potentials to accelerate ab initio investigations of excited state dynamics in condensed matter systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibin Chu
- Departments of Chemistry, and Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Wissam A Saidi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Departments of Chemistry, and Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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21
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He J, Fang WH, Long R, Prezhdo OV. Why Oxygen Increases Carrier Lifetimes but Accelerates Degradation of CH3NH3PbI3 under Light Irradiation: Time-Domain Ab Initio Analysis. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:14664-14673. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c06769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jinlu He
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Wei-Hai Fang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Oleg V. Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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22
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Cheng Z, Sun J, Zhang B, Lu Z, Ma F, Zhang G, Xue Q. Strain Effects of Vertical Separation and Horizontal Sliding in Commensurate Two-Dimensional Homojunctions. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:5815-5822. [PMID: 32614591 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Strain, as an economic yet controllable approach for structural modulation, frequently plays a vital role in the preparation and performance optimization of two-dimensional nanomaterials (TNMs). Here, utilizing first-principles simulations, the analysis of energetics shows that the biaxial stretching and compressing could facilitate the vertical separation and horizontal sliding in graphene (Gr/Gr), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN/h-BN), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2/MoS2) bilayers. The quantification of electron redistribution between layers confirmed that the shifts of interlayer charge density (ρinter-) and its relative values (Δρinter-) are responsible for the vertical separation and horizontal sliding facilitated by biaxial strain. More effortless horizontal sliding was enabled by a smoother potential energy surface because a smaller Δρinter- can be acquired under compression, whereas more effortless vertical separation followed a more vulnerable surface energy because a lower ρinter- occurs under tensile strain. The vertical and horizontal division of strain effect provides a novel idea for further understanding its pivotal roles in strain engineering of commensurate-contact TNMs, such as mechanical exfoliation and solid lubrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junhui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Bozhao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhibin Lu
- Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fei Ma
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Guangan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qunji Xue
- Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
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23
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Lu TF, Wang YS, Tomko JA, Hopkins PE, Zhang HX, Prezhdo OV. Control of Charge Carrier Dynamics in Plasmonic Au Films by TiO x Substrate Stoichiometry. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:1419-1427. [PMID: 32011143 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Plasmonic excitations in noble metals have many fascinating properties and give rise to a broad range of applications. We demonstrate, using nonadiabatic molecular dynamics combined with time-domain density functional theory, that the chemical composition and stoichiometry of substrates can have a strong influence on charge dynamics. By changing oxygen content in TiO2, including stoichiometric, oxygen rich, and oxygen poor phases, and Ti metal, one can alter lifetimes of charge carriers in Au by a factor of 5 and control the ratio of electron-to-hole relaxation rates by a factor of 10. Remarkably, a thin TiOx substrate greatly alters charge carrier properties in much thicker Au films. Such large variations stem from the fact that the Ti and O atoms are much lighter than Au, and their vibrations are much faster at dissipating the energy. The control over a particular charge carrier and an energy range depends on the Au and TiOx level alignment, and the interfacial interaction strength. These factors are easily influenced by the TiOx stoichiometry. In particular, oxygen rich and poor TiO2 can be used to control holes and electrons, respectively, while metallic Ti affects both charge carriers. The detailed atomistic analysis of the interfacial and electron-vibrational interactions generates the fundamental understanding of the properties of plasmonic materials needed to design photovoltaic, photocatalytic, optoelectronic, sensing, nanomedical, and other devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng-Fei Lu
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry , Jilin University , Changchun 130023 , People's Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California 90089 , United States
| | - Yi-Siang Wang
- Department of Chemistry , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California 90089 , United States
| | - John A Tomko
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
| | - Patrick E Hopkins
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
- Department of Physics , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
| | - Hong-Xing Zhang
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry , Jilin University , Changchun 130023 , People's Republic of China
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California 90089 , United States
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