Formation Dynamics of Excitons and Temporal Behaviors of Fano Resonance Due to the Exciton–Impurity–Phonon Configuration Interaction in ZnO

Open-Shell Diradical-Sensitized Electron Transport Layer for High-Performance Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

The zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are well-documented as an excellent electron transport layer (ETL) in optoelectronic devices. However, the intrinsic surface flaw of the ZnO NPs can easily result in serious surface recombination of carriers. Exploring effective passivation methods of ZnO NPs is essential to maximize the device's performance. Herein, a hybrid strategy is explored for the first time to improve the quality of ZnO ETL by incorporating stable organic open-shell donor-acceptor type diradicaloids. The high electron-donating feature of the diradical molecules can efficiently passivate the deep-level trap states and improve the conductivity of ZnO NP film. The unique advantage of the radical strategy is that its passivation effectiveness is highly correlated with the electron-donating ability of radical molecules, which can be precisely controlled by the rational design of molecular chemical structures. The well-passivated ZnO ETL is applied in lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal quantum dot solar cells, delivering a power conversion efficiency of 13.54%. More importantly, as a proof-of-concept study, this work will inspire the exploration of general strategies using radical molecules to construct high-efficiency solution-processed optoelectronic devices.

Luminescence signature of free exciton dissociation and liberated electron transfer across the junction of graphene/GaN hybrid structure

Large-area graphene grown on Cu foil with chemical vapor deposition was transferred onto intentionally undoped GaN epilayer to form a graphene/GaN Schottky junction. Optical spectroscopic techniques including steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) were employed to investigate the electron transfer between graphene and n-type GaN at different temperatures. By comparing the near-band-edge excitonic emissions before and after the graphene covering, some structures in the excitonic PL spectra are found to show interesting changes. In particular, a distinct “dip” structure is found to develop at the center of the free exciton emission peak as the temperature goes up. A mechanism that the first dissociation of some freely moveable excitons at the interface was followed by transfer of liberated electrons over the junction barrier is proposed to interpret the appearance and development of the “dip” structure. The formation and evolution process of this “dip” structure can be well resolved from the measured time-resolved PL spectra. First-principles simulations provide clear evidence of finite electron transfer at the interface between graphene and GaN.