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Symonowicz J, Jan A, Yan H, Chhowalla M, Di Martino G. Scanning Plasmon-Enhanced Microscopy for Simultaneous Optoelectrical Characterization. ACS NANO 2024; 18:20412-20421. [PMID: 39066717 PMCID: PMC11308916 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c04671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Scanning microscopy methods are crucial for the advancement of nanoelectronics. However, the vertical nanoprobes in such techniques suffer limitations such as the fragility at the tip-sample interface, complex instrumentation, and the lack of in operando functionality in several cases. Here, we introduce scanning plasmon-enhanced microscopy (SPEM) and demonstrate its capabilities on MoS2 and WSe2 nanosheets. SPEM combines a nanoparticle-on-mirror (NPoM) configuration with a portable conductive cantilever, enabling simultaneous optical and electrical characterization. This distinguishes it from other current techniques that cannot provide both characterizations simultaneously. It offers a competitive optical resolution of 600 nm with local enhancement of optical signal up to 20,000 times. A single gold nanoparticle with a 15 nm radius forms pristine, nondamaging van der Waals contact, which allows observation of unexpected p-type behavior of MoS2 at the nanoscale. SPEM reconstructs the NPoM method by eliminating the need for extensive statistical analysis and offering excellent nanoscale mapping resolution of any selected region. It surpasses other scanning techniques in combining precise optical and electrical characterization, interactive simplicity, tip durability, and reproducibility, positioning it as the optimal tool for advancing nanoelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Han Yan
- Department of Materials Science
and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
| | - Manish Chhowalla
- Department of Materials Science
and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
| | - Giuliana Di Martino
- Department of Materials Science
and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
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Rezk A, Ansari MHR, Ranjeesh KC, Gaber S, Kumar D, Merhi A, Kaafarani BR, Hassine MB, El-Atab N, Shetty D, Nayfeh A. Nano-scale charge trapping memory based on two-dimensional conjugated microporous polymer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18845. [PMID: 37914717 PMCID: PMC10620224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44232-1] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a growing interest in new semiconductor nanostructures for future high-density high-performance flexible electronic devices. Two-dimensional conjugated microporous polymers (2D-CMPs) are promising candidates because of their inherent optoelectronic properties. Here, we are reporting a novel donor-acceptor type 2D-CMP based on Pyrene and Isoindigo (PI) for a potential nano-scale charge-trapping memory application. We exfoliated the PI polymer into ~ 2.5 nm thick nanoparticles (NPs) and fabricated a Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor (MIS) device with PI-NPs embedded in the insulator. Conductive AFM (cAFM) is used to examine the confinement mechanism as well as the local charge injection process, where ultrathin high-κ alumina supplied the energy barrier for confining the charge carrier transport. We have achieved a reproducible on-and-off state and a wide memory window (ΔV) of 1.5 V at a relatively small reading current. The device displays a low operation voltage (V < 1 V), with good retention (104 s), and endurance (103 cycles). Furthermore, a theoretical analysis is developed to affirm the measured charge carriers' transport and entrapment mechanisms through and within the fabricated MIS structures. The PI-NPs act as a nanoscale floating gate in the MIS-based memory with deep trapping sites for the charged carriers. Moreover, our results demonstrate that the synthesized 2D-CMP can be promising for future low-power high-density memory applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Rezk
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE
| | - Md Hasan Raza Ansari
- Smart, Advanced Memory Devices and Applications (SAMA) Laboratory, Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, Computer Electrical Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Safa Gaber
- Department of Chemistry, Khalifa University, PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Dayanand Kumar
- Smart, Advanced Memory Devices and Applications (SAMA) Laboratory, Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, Computer Electrical Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Areej Merhi
- Department of Chemistry, American University of Beirut, Beirut, 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Bilal R Kaafarani
- Department of Chemistry, American University of Beirut, Beirut, 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Mohamed Ben Hassine
- Electron Microscopy Core Labs, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nazek El-Atab
- Smart, Advanced Memory Devices and Applications (SAMA) Laboratory, Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, Computer Electrical Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Dinesh Shetty
- Department of Chemistry, Khalifa University, PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
- Advanced Materials Chemistry Center (AMCC), Khalifa University, PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
| | - Ammar Nayfeh
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE.
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Jia B, Zhou J, Chen Y, Lv Z, Guo H, Zhang Z, Zhu Z, Yu H, Wang Y, Wu K. Local charge transport at different interfaces in epoxy composites. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 33:345709. [PMID: 35580551 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac705f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Charge transport in insulating composites is fundamental to designing high performance in electrical breakdown strength processes. A fundamental understanding of the charge transport at nanoscale in insulating composites remains elusive. Herein, we fabricate two types of interfaces in epoxy (EP) composites (Al2O3/EP and bubble/EP, respectively). Then the local dynamic charge mobility behavior and charge density are explored usingin situKelvin probe force microscopy. After the external voltage in the horizontal direction is applied, significant differences are demonstrated in the evolution of charge transport for epoxy matrix, filler/bubble, and their interface, respectively. The interface between Al2O3and epoxy is easier to accumulate the negative charges and introduce shallow traps. Lots of positive charges are located around a bubble where deeper traps are present and could prevent charge migration. Thus, this work offers extended experimental support to understanding the mechanism of charge transport in dielectric composites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Jia
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Chen
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Zepeng Lv
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Haomin Guo
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Zixuan Zhang
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Zihe Zhu
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoyu Yu
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Electronics and Information, Xi'an Polytechnic University, Xi'an 710048, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Wu
- Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
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Galashev AE, Rakhmanova OR, Katin KP, Maslov MM, Zaikov YP. Effect of an Electric Field on a Lithium Ion in a Channel of the Doped Silicene–Graphite System. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1990793120060044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Understanding Current Instabilities in Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12030459. [PMID: 30717254 PMCID: PMC6384822 DOI: 10.3390/ma12030459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
: Conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) is one of the most powerful techniques in studying the electrical properties of various materials at the nanoscale. However, understanding current fluctuations within one study (due to degradation of the probe tips) and from one study to another (due to the use of probe tips with different characteristics), are still two major problems that may drive CAFM researchers to extract wrong conclusions. In this manuscript, these two issues are statistically analyzed by collecting experimental CAFM data and processing them using two different computational models. Our study indicates that: (i) before their complete degradation, CAFM tips show a stable state with degraded conductance, which is difficult to detect and it requires CAFM tip conductivity characterization before and after the CAFM experiments; and (ii) CAFM tips with low spring constants may unavoidably lead to the presence of a ~1.2 nm thick water film at the tip/sample junction, even if the maximum contact force allowed by the setup is applied. These two phenomena can easily drive CAFM users to overestimate the properties of the samples under test (e.g., oxide thickness). Our study can help researchers to better understand the current shifts that were observed during their CAFM experiments, as well as which probe tip to use and how it degrades. Ultimately, this work may contribute to enhancing the reliability of CAFM investigations.
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The Change of Electronic Transport Behaviors by P and B Doping in Nano-Crystalline Silicon Films with Very High Conductivities. NANOMATERIALS 2016; 6:nano6120233. [PMID: 28335362 PMCID: PMC5302707 DOI: 10.3390/nano6120233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 11/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Nano-crystalline Si films with high conductivities are highly desired in order to develop the new generation of nano-devices. Here, we first demonstrate that the grain boundaries played an important role in the carrier transport process in un-doped nano-crystalline Si films as revealed by the temperature-dependent Hall measurements. The potential barrier height can be well estimated from the experimental results, which is in good agreement with the proposed model. Then, by introducing P and B doping, it is found that the scattering of grain boundaries can be significantly suppressed and the Hall mobility is monotonously decreased with the temperature both in P- and B-doped nano-crystalline Si films, which can be attributed to the trapping of P and B dopants in the grain boundary regions to reduce the barriers. Consequently, a room temperature conductivity as high as 1.58 × 103 S/cm and 4 × 102 S/cm is achieved for the P-doped and B-doped samples, respectively.
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Lu P, Mu W, Xu J, Zhang X, Zhang W, Li W, Xu L, Chen K. Phosphorus Doping in Si Nanocrystals/SiO2 multilayers and Light Emission with Wavelength compatible for Optical Telecommunication. Sci Rep 2016; 6:22888. [PMID: 26956425 PMCID: PMC4783703 DOI: 10.1038/srep22888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Doping in semiconductors is a fundamental issue for developing high performance devices. However, the doping behavior in Si nanocrystals (Si NCs) has not been fully understood so far. In the present work, P-doped Si NCs/SiO2 multilayers are fabricated. As revealed by XPS and ESR measurements, P dopants will preferentially passivate the surface states of Si NCs. Meanwhile, low temperature ESR spectra indicate that some P dopants are incorporated into Si NCs substitutionally and the incorporated P impurities increase with the P doping concentration or annealing temperature increasing. Furthermore, a kind of defect states will be generated with high doping concentration or annealing temperature due to the damage of Si crystalline lattice. More interestingly, the incorporated P dopants can generate deep levels in the ultra-small sized (~2 nm) Si NCs, which will cause a new subband light emission with the wavelength compatible with the requirement of the optical telecommunication. The studies of P-doped Si NCs/SiO2 multilayers suggest that P doping plays an important role in the electronic structures and optoelectronic characteristics of Si NCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Lu
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Weiwei Mu
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Jun Xu
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Wenping Zhang
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Wei Li
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Ling Xu
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Kunji Chen
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
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Xu J, Xu J, Wang Y, Cao Y, Li W, Yu L, Chen K. Microscopic and macroscopic characterization of the charging effects in SiC/Si nanocrystals/SiC sandwiched structures. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2014; 25:055703. [PMID: 24406450 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/25/5/055703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Microscopic charge injection into the SiC/Si nanocrystals/SiC sandwiched structures through a biased conductive AFM tip is subsequently characterized by both electrostatic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The charge injection and retention characteristics are found to be affected by not only the band offset at the Si nanocrystals/SiC interface but also the doping type of the Si substrate. On the other hand, capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements investigate the macroscopic charging effect of the sandwiched structures with a thicker SiC capping layer, where the charges are injected from the Si substrates. The calculated macroscopic charging density is 3-4 times that of the microscopic one, and the possible reason is the underestimation of the microscopic charging density caused by the averaging effect and detection delay in the KPFM measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, People's Republic of China
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