Shape and Phase-Controlled One-Pot Synthesis of Air Stable Cationic AgCdS Nanocrystals, Optoelectronic and Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Studies

CdS-based materials are extensively studied for photocatalytic water splitting. By incorporating Ag+ into CdS nanomaterials, the catalyst's charge carrier dynamic can be tuned for photo-electrochemical devices. However, photo-corrosion and air-stability of the heterostructures limit the photocatalytic device's performance. Here, a one-pot, single molecular source synthesis of the air-stable AgCdS ternary semiconductor alloy nanostructures by heat-up method is reported. Monoclinic and hexagonal phases of the alloy are tuned by judicious choice of dodecane thiol (DDT), octadecyl amine (ODA), and oleyl amine (OLA) as capping agents. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction characterization of the AgCdS alloy confirm the monoclinic and hexagonal phase (wurtzite) formation. The high-resolution TEM studies confirm the formation of AgCdS@DDT alloy nanorods and their shape transformation into nano-triangles. The nanoparticle coalescence is observed for ODA-capped alloys in the wurtzite phase. Moreover, OLA directs mixed crystal phases and anisotropic growth of alloy. Optical processes in AgCdS@DDT nano-triangles show mono-exponential decay (3.97 ± 0.01 ns). The monoclinic phase of the AgCdS@DDT nanorods exhibits higher electrochemical hydrogen evolution activity in neutral media as compared to the AgCdS@ODA/OLA alloy nanocrystals. DDT and OLA-capped alloys display current densities of 14.1 and 14.7 mA cm-2 , respectively, at 0.8 V (vs RHE).

Tuning the Photoluminescence Anisotropy of Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Semiconductor nanocrystals are promising optoelectronic materials. Understanding their anisotropic photoluminescence is fundamental for developing quantum-dot-based devices such as light-emitting diodes, solar cells, and polarized single-photon sources. In this study, we experimentally and theoretically investigate the photoluminescence anisotropy of CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals with various shapes, including plates, rods, and spheres, with either wurtzite or zincblende structures. We use defocused wide-field microscopy to visualize the emission dipole orientation and find that spheres, rods, and plates exhibit the optical properties of 2D, 1D, and 2D emission dipoles, respectively. We rationalize the seemingly counterintuitive observation that despite having similar aspect ratios (width/length), rods and long nanoplatelets exhibit different defocused emission patterns by considering valence band structures calculated using multiband effective mass theory and the dielectric effect. The principles are extended to provide general relationships that can be used to tune the emission dipole orientation for different materials, crystalline structures, and shapes.

Role of Defects in the Breakdown Phenomenon of Al1-xScxN: From Ferroelectric to Filamentary Resistive Switching

Aluminum scandium nitride (Al1-xScxN), with its large remanent polarization, is an attractive material for high-density ferroelectric random-access memories. However, the cycling endurance of Al1-xScxN ferroelectric capacitors is far below what can be achieved in other ferroelectric materials. Understanding the nature and dynamics of the breakdown mechanism is of the utmost importance for improving memory reliability. The breakdown phenomenon in ferroelectric Al1-xScxN is proposed to be an impulse thermal filamentary-driven process along preferential defective pathways. For the first time, stable and robust bipolar filamentary resistive switching in ferroelectric Al1-xScxN is reported. A hot atom damage defect generation model illustrates how filament formation and ferroelectric switching are connected. The model reveals the tendency of the ferroelectric wurtzite-type Al1-xScxN system to reach internal symmetry with bipolar electric field cycling. Defects generated from bipolar electric field cycling influence both the energy barrier between the polarization states and that required for the filament formation.

State of the Art of Continuous and Atomistic Modeling of Electromechanical Properties of Semiconductor Quantum Dots

The main intent of this paper is to present an exhaustive description of the most relevant mathematical models for the electromechanical properties of heterostructure quantum dots. Models are applied both to wurtzite and zincblende quantum dot due to the relevance they have shown for optoelectronic applications. In addition to a complete overview of the continuous and atomistic models for the electromechanical fields, analytical results will be presented for some relevant approximations, some of which are unpublished, such as models in cylindrical approximation or a cubic approximation for the transformation of a zincblende parametrization to a wurtzite one and vice versa. All analytical models will be supported by a wide range of numerical results, most of which are also compared with experimental measurements.

Kinetic Analysis of the Cation Exchange in Nanorods from Cu2-xS to CuInS2: Influence of Djurleite's Phase Transition Temperature on the Mechanism

In the syntheses of ternary I-III-VI₂ compounds, such as CuInS₂, it is often difficult to balance three precursor reactivities to achieve the desired size, shape, and atomic composition of nanocrystals. Cation exchange reactions offer an attractive two-step alternative, by producing a binary compound with the desired morphology and incorporating another atomic species postsynthetically. However, the kinetics of such cation exchange reactions, especially for anisotropic nanocrystals, are still not fully understood. Here, we present the cation exchange reaction from Cu-deficient djurleite Cu_2-xS nanorods to wurtzite CuInS₂, with size and shape retention. With reaction parameters in a broad temperature range between 40 °C and 160 °C, we were able to obtain various intermediates. Djurleite has a bulk phase transition temperature at 93 °C, which influences the cation exchange considerably. Below the phase transition temperature, indium is only incorporated into the surface of the nanorods, while, at temperatures above the phase transition temperature, we observe a Janus-type exchange mechanism and the formation of CuInS₂ bands in the djurleite nanorods. The findings suggest that the diffusion above the phase transition temperature is strongly favored along the copper planes of the copper sulfide nanorods over the diffusion through the sulfur planes. This results in a difference of 37 kJ mol^-1 in the activation energy of the cation exchange below and above the phase transition temperature.

Thermal Stability of the Ferroelectric Properties in 100 nm-Thick Al0.72Sc0.28N

The discovery of ferroelectricity in aluminum scandium nitride (Al_1-xSc_xN) opens technological perspectives for harsh environments and space-related memory applications, considering the high-temperature stability of piezoelectricity in aluminum nitride. The ferroelectric and material properties of 100 nm-thick Al_0.72Sc_0.28N are studied up to 873 K, combining both electrical and in situ X-ray diffraction measurements as well as transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The present work demonstrates that Al_0.72Sc_0.28N can achieve high switching polarization and tunable coercive fields in a 375 K temperature range from room temperature up to 673 K. The degradation of the ferroelectric properties in the capacitors is observed above this temperature. Reduction of the effective top electrode area and consequent oxidation of the Al_0.72Sc_0.28N film are mainly responsible for this degradation. A slight variation of the Sc concentration is quantified across grain boundaries, even though its impact on the ferroelectric properties cannot be isolated from those brought by the top electrode deterioration and Al_0.72Sc_0.28N oxidation. The Curie temperature of Al_0.72Sc_0.28N is confirmed to be above 873 K, thus corroborating the promising thermal stability of this ferroelectric material. The present results further support the future adoption of Al_1-xSc_xN in memory technologies for harsh environments like applications in space missions.

High-Speed and High-Power Ferroelectric Switching Current Measurement Instrument for Materials with Large Coercive Voltage and Remanent Polarization

A high-speed and high-power current measurement instrument is described for measuring rapid switching of ferroelectric samples with large spontaneous polarization and coercive field. Instrument capabilities (±200 V, 200 mA, and 200 ns order response) are validated with a LiTaO₃ single crystal whose switching kinetics are well known. The new instrument described here enables measurements that are not possible using existing commercial measurement systems, including the observation of ferroelectric switching in large coercive field and large spontaneous polarization Al_0.7Sc_0.3N thin films.

A Comparative Study of the Band-Edge Exciton Fine Structure in Zinc Blende and Wurtzite CdSe Nanocrystals

In this paper, we studied the role of the crystal structure in spheroidal CdSe nanocrystals on the band-edge exciton fine structure. Ensembles of zinc blende and wurtzite CdSe nanocrystals are investigated experimentally by two optical techniques: fluorescence line narrowing (FLN) and time-resolved photoluminescence. We argue that the zero-phonon line evaluated by the FLN technique gives the ensemble-averaged energy splitting between the lowest bright and dark exciton states, while the activation energy from the temperature-dependent photoluminescence decay is smaller and corresponds to the energy of an acoustic phonon. The energy splittings between the bright and dark exciton states determined using the FLN technique are found to be the same for zinc blende and wurtzite CdSe nanocrystals. Within the effective mass approximation, we develop a theoretical model considering the following factors: (i) influence of the nanocrystal shape on the bright-dark exciton splitting and the oscillator strength of the bright exciton, and (ii) shape dispersion in the ensemble of the nanocrystals. We show that these two factors result in similar calculated zero-phonon lines in zinc blende and wurtzite CdSe nanocrystals. The account of the nanocrystals shape dispersion allows us to evaluate the linewidth of the zero-phonon line.

Analytical description of nanowires III: regular cross sections for wurtzite structures

Setting out from König & Smith [Acta Cryst. (2019), B75, 788-802; Acta Cryst. (2021), B77, 861], we present an analytic description of nominal wurtzite-structure nanowire (NWire) cross sections, focusing on the underlying geometric-crystallographic description and on the associated number theory. For NWires with diameter d_Wire[i], we predict the number of NWire atoms N_Wire[i], the bonds between these N_bnd[i] and NWire interface bonds N_IF[i] for a slab of unit-cell length, along with basic geometric variables, such as the specific length of interface facets, as well as widths, heights and total area of the cross section. These areas, the ratios of internal bonds per NWire atom, of internal-to-interface bonds and of interface bonds per NWire atom present fundamental tools to interpret any spectroscopic data which depend on the diameter and cross section shape of NWires. Our work paves the way for a fourth publication which - in analogy to König & Smith [Acta Cryst. (2022). B78, 643-664] - will provide adaptive number series to allow for arbitrary morphing of nominal w-structure NWire cross sections treated herein.

Experimental and Theoretical Study of Stable and Metastable Phases in Sputtered CuInS2

The chalcopyrite Cu(In,Ga)S₂ has gained renewed interest in recent years due to the potential application in tandem solar cells. In this contribution, a combined theoretical and experimental approach is applied to investigate stable and metastable phases forming in CuInS₂ (CIS) thin films. Ab initio calculations are performed to obtain formation energies, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, and Raman spectra of CIS polytypes and related compounds. Multiple CIS structures with zinc-blende and wurtzite-derived lattices are identified and their XRD/Raman patterns are shown to contain overlapping features, which could lead to misidentification. Thin films with compositions from Cu-rich to Cu-poor are synthesized via a two-step approach based on sputtering from binary targets followed by high-temperature sulfurization. It is discovered that several CIS polymorphs are formed when growing the material with this approach. In the Cu-poor material, wurtzite CIS is observed for the first time in sputtered thin films along with chalcopyrite CIS and CuAu-ordered CIS. Once the wurtzite CIS phase has formed, it is difficult to convert into the stable chalcopyrite polymorph. CuIn₅ S₈ and NaInS₂ accommodating In-excess are found alongside the CIS polymorphs. It is argued that the metastable polymorphs are stabilized by off-stoichiometry of the precursors, hence tight composition control is required.

High-Temperature Ferroelectric Behavior of Al0.7Sc0.3N

Currently, there is a lack of nonvolatile memory (NVM) technology that can operate continuously at temperatures > 200 °C. While ferroelectric NVM has previously demonstrated long polarization retention and >1013 read/write cycles at room temperature, the largest hurdle comes at higher temperatures for conventional perovskite ferroelectrics. Here, we demonstrate how AlScN can enable high-temperature (>200 °C) nonvolatile memory. The c-axis textured thin films were prepared via reactive radiofrequency magnetron sputtering onto a highly textured Pt (111) surface. Photolithographically defined Pt top electrodes completed the capacitor stack, which was tested in a high temperature vacuum probe station up to 400 °C. Polarization−electric field hysteresis loops between 23 and 400 °C reveal minimal changes in the remanent polarization values, while the coercive field decreased from 4.3 MV/cm to 2.6 MV/cm. Even at 400 °C, the polarization retention exhibited negligible loss for up to 1000 s, demonstrating promise for potential nonvolatile memory capable of high−temperature operation. Fatigue behavior also showed a moderate dependence on operating temperature, but the mechanisms of degradation require additional study.

Discovery of a Wurtzite-like Cu2FeSnSe4 Semiconductor Nanocrystal Polymorph and Implications for Related CuFeSe2 Materials

I₂-II-IV-VI₄ and I-III-VI₂ semiconductor nanocrystals have found applications in photovoltaics and other optoelectronic technologies because of their low toxicity and efficient light absorption into the near-infrared. Herein, we report the discovery of a metastable wurtzite-like polymorph of Cu₂FeSnSe₄, a member of the I₂-II-IV-VI₄ family of semiconductors containing only earth-abundant metals. Density functional theory calculations on this metastable polymorph of Cu₂FeSnSe₄ indicate that it may be a superior semiconductor for solar energy and optoelectronics applications compared to the thermodynamically preferred stannite polymorph, since the former displays a sharper dispersion of energy levels near the conduction band minimum that can enhance electron mobility and suppress hot electron cooling. The experimental optical band gap was measured by the inverse logarithmic derivative method to be direct, in agreement with theory, and in the range of 1.48-1.59 eV. Mechanistic studies reveal that this metastable phase derives from intermediate Cu₃Se₂ nanocrystals that serve as a structural template for the final hexagonal wurtzite-like product. We compare the chemistry of wurtzite-like Cu₂FeSnSe₄ to the related CuFeSe₂ material system. Our experimental and computational comparisons between Cu₂FeSnSe₄ and CuFeSe₂ help explain both the crystal chemistry of CuFeSe₂ that prevents it from forming wurtzite-like polymorphs and the essential role of Sn in stabilizing the metastable structure of Cu₂FeSnSe₄. This work provides insight into the importance of elemental composition when designing syntheses for metastable materials.

Spontaneous Polarization Calculations in Wurtzite II-Oxides, III-Nitrides, and SiC Polytypes through Net Dipole Moments and the Effects of Nanoscale Layering

Herein, the spontaneous polarization in crystals with hexagonal symmetry are calculated as a function of the number of monolayers composing a nanostructure by adding the dipole moments for consecutive units of the nanostructure. It is shown that in the limit of a large numbers of monolayers that the spontaneous polarization saturates to the expected bulk value of the spontaneous polarization. These results are relevant to understanding the role of the built-in spontaneous polarizations in a variety of nanostructures since these built-in polarizations are generally quite large, on the order of 1 × 10⁸ to 1 × 10¹⁰ V/m. Using these formulations, we come to the prediction that small nanolayered structures are theoretically capable of having larger spontaneous polarizations than their bulk counterparts due to how the dipole moments of the anions and cations within a wurtzite lattice cancel out with one another more in larger structures.

Synthesis of Zn2NbN3ternary nitride semiconductor with wurtzite-derived crystal structure

Binary III-N nitride semiconductors with wurtzite crystal structure such as GaN and AlN have been long used in many practical applications ranging from optoelectronics to telecommunication. The structurally related ZnGeN₂or ZnSnN₂derived from the parent binary compounds by cation mutation (elemental substitution) have recently attracted attention, but such ternary nitride materials are mostly limited to II-IV-N₂compositions. This paper demonstrates synthesis and characterization of zinc niobium nitride (Zn₂NbN₃)-a previously unreported II₂-V-N₃ternary nitride semiconductor. The Zn₂NbN₃thin films are synthesized using a one-step adsorption-controlled growth that locks in the targeted stoichiometry, and a two-step deposition/annealing method that suppresses the loss of Zn and N. Measurements indicate that this sputtered Zn₂NbN₃crystalizes in cation-disordered wurtzite-derived structure, in contrast to chemically related rocksalt-derived Mg₂NbN₃compound, also synthesized here for comparison using the two-step method. The estimated wurtzite lattice parameter ratio of Zn₂NbN₃is 1.55, and the optical absorption onset is at 2.1 eV. Both of these values are lower compared to published Zn₂NbN₃computational values ofc/a= 1.62 andE_g= 3.5-3.6 eV. Additional theoretical calculations indicate that this difference is due to cation disorder in experimental samples, suggesting a way to tune the structural parameters and the resulting properties of heterovalent ternary nitride materials. Overall, this work expands the wurtzite family of nitride semiconductors to include Zn₂NbN₃, and suggests that related II₂-V-N₃and other ternary nitrides should be possible to synthesize.

Insights into Nucleation and Growth of Colloidal Quaternary Nanocrystals by Multimodal X-ray Analysis

Copper chalcogenide nanocrystals find applications in photovoltaic inks, bio labels, and thermoelectric materials. We reveal insights in the nucleation and growth during synthesis of anisotropic Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals by simultaneously performing in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Real-time XAFS reveals that upon thiol injection into the reaction flask, a key copper thiolate intermediate species is formed within fractions of seconds, which decomposes further within a narrow temperature and time window to form copper sulfide nanocrystals. These nanocrystals convert into Cu2ZnSnS4 nanorods by sequentially incorporating Sn and Zn. Real-time SAXS and ex situ TEM of aliquots corroborate these findings. Our work demonstrates how combined in situ X-ray absorption and small-angle X-ray scattering enables the understanding of mechanistic pathways in colloidal nanocrystal formation.

XRD Evaluation of Wurtzite Phase in MBE Grown Self-Catalyzed GaP Nanowires

Control and analysis of the crystal phase in semiconductor nanowires are of high importance due to the new possibilities for strain and band gap engineering for advanced nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices. In this letter, we report the growth of the self-catalyzed GaP nanowires with a high concentration of wurtzite phase by molecular beam epitaxy on Si (111) and investigate their crystallinity. Varying the growth temperature and V/III flux ratio, we obtained wurtzite polytype segments with thicknesses in the range from several tens to 500 nm, which demonstrates the high potential of the phase bandgap engineering with highly crystalline self-catalyzed phosphide nanowires. The formation of rotational twins and wurtzite polymorph in vertical nanowires was observed through complex approach based on transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and reciprocal space mapping. The phase composition, volume fraction of the crystalline phases, and wurtzite GaP lattice parameters were analyzed for the nanowires detached from the substrate. It is shown that the wurtzite phase formation occurs only in the vertically-oriented nanowires during vapor-liquid-solid growth, while the wurtzite phase is absent in GaP islands parasitically grown via the vapor-solid mechanism. The proposed approach can be used for the quantitative evaluation of the mean volume fraction of polytypic phase segments in heterostructured nanowires that are highly desirable for the optimization of growth technologies.

On Tailoring Co-Precipitation Synthesis to Maximize Production Yield of Nanocrystalline Wurtzite ZnS

Pyroelectric materials can harvest energy from naturally occurring ambient temperature changes, as well as from artificial temperature changes, notably from industrial activity. Wurtzite- based materials have the advantage of being cheap, non-toxic, and offering excellent opto-electrical properties. Due to their non-centrosymmetric nature, all wurtzite crystals have both piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties. Nanocrystalline wurtzite ZnS, being a room temperature stable material, by contrast to its bulk counterpart, is interesting due to its still not well-explored potential in piezoelectric and pyroelectric energy harvesting. An easy synthesis method-a co-precipitation technique-was selected and successfully tailored for nanocrystalline wurtzite ZnS production. ZnS nanopowder with nanoparticles of 3 to 5 nm in size was synthesized in ethyl glycol under medium temperature conditions using ZnCl₂ and thiourea as the sources of Zn and S, respectively. The purified and dried ZnS nanopowder was characterized by conventional methods (XRD, SEM, TEM, TG and FTIR). Finally, a constructed in-house pilot plant that is able to produce substantial amounts of wurtzite ZnS nanopowder in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way is introduced and described.

The Features of Phase Stability of GaN and AlN Films at Nanolevel

Recently, two-dimensional gallium and aluminum nitrides have triggered a vast interest in their tunable optical and electronic properties. Continuation of this research requires a detailed understanding of their atomic structure. Here, by using first-principles calculations we reported a systematic study of phase stability of 2D-GaN and 2D-AlN. We showed that the films undergo a phase transition from a graphene-like to a wurtzite structure with a thickness increase, whereas the early reported body-centered-tetragonal phase requires specific conditions for stabilization. Additionally, we studied how the functionalization of the surface can modify the film structure as exemplified by hydrogenation.

Tolman's Electronic Parameter of the Ligand Predicts Phase in the Cation Exchange to CuFeS2Nanoparticles

The metastable and thermodynamically favored phases of CuFeS₂ are shown to be alternatively synthesized during partial cation exchange of hexagonal Cu₂S using various phosphorus-containing ligands. Transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy mapping confirm the retention of the particle morphology and the approximate CuFeS₂ stoichiometry. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns and refinements indicate that the resulting phase mixtures of metastable wurtzite-like CuFeS₂ versus tetragonal chalcopyrite are correlated with the Tolman electronic parameter of the tertiary phosphorus-based ligand used during the cation exchange. Strong L-type donors lead to the chalcopyrite phase and weak donors to the wurtzite-like phase. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of phase control in nanoparticle synthesis using solely L-type donors.

Phase-Controlled Growth of CuInS2 Shells to Realize Colloidal CuInSe2/CuInS2 Core/Shell Nanostructures

Synthetic routes to deposit CuInS₂ (CIS) shells with either a cubic chalcopyrite (CP) or a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) phase on trigonal pyramidal-shaped CuInSe₂ (CISe) core nanocrystals (NCs) with a cubic CP crystal structure have been developed and governed by tuning the amount of the sulfur precursor tert-dodecanethiol. During the synthesis of CP-CIS/CP-CISe core/shell NCs, the CP-CIS shell initially starts to grow epitaxially in a uniform way, while the further addition of the CIS precursor induces islandlike growth, and finally a branched CIS shell is formed. In a stark contrast, when a WZ-CIS shell is deposited, it initially grows on a portion of each of the facets of the trigonal pyramidal-shaped CISe cores to form a monolayer, which then continues to increase in thickness and forms a multilayered WZ-CIS shell. Both CP-CISe/CP-CIS core/shell NCs and CP-CISe/WZ-CISe core/shell NCs exhibit rather low photoluminescence quantum yields (<10%), even with a smaller-sized CISe core, which calls for further refinements of the shell growth methods. Synthetic methods for the growth of CIS shells as described here allow for direct deposition of cadmium-free ternary compounds as shell materials and provide important insights into the different modes of growth of heterostructured NCs, ranging from epitaxial to island- and branched-like, as well to the facet-specific multilayer deposition.

Investigation of the Internal Structure of a Modern Seafloor Hydrothermal Chimney With a Combination of EBSD, EPMA, and XRD

Samples from the sphalerite-dominated zone of a seafloor massive sulfide chimney, the Satanic Mills Chimney of the PACMANUS hydrothermal field, have been investigated to determine the internal macrostructure and microstructure of this zone, the phases present, and the distribution of metals. A combination of electron probe microanalysis, electron backscattered diffraction, and x-ray diffraction has been used. At the macroscale, this zone of the chimney wall is heavily porous and is comprised primarily of sphalerite, enclosing minor chalcopyrite, pyrite, and wurtzite. A Pb–As sulfosalt layer of possible microbial origins is present at the outer edge of the sphalerite matrix, next to a pore. The sphalerite has grown in globules on the order of 300 μm in diameter. At the microscale, the sphalerite features a colloform texture and a duplex-type grain structure consisting of either fine-grain regions in the center surrounded by coarse-grained regions or radiating coarse grains only. Pb- and As-rich bands have been detected in the colloform sphalerite, and growth twins have been observed in both the sphalerite and chalcopyrite crystals. A qualitative description of the growth of a typical globule is given, including nucleation, crystal growth, and solute redistribution.

Effect of the Uniaxial Compression on the GaAs Nanowire Solar Cell

Research regarding ways to increase solar cell efficiency is in high demand. Mechanical deformation of a nanowire (NW) solar cell can improve its efficiency. Here, the effect of uniaxial compression on GaAs nanowire solar cells was studied via conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) supported by numerical simulation. C-AFM I–V curves were measured for wurtzite p-GaAs NW grown on p-Si substrate. Numerical simulations were performed considering piezoresistance and piezoelectric effects. Solar cell efficiency reduction of 50% under a −0.5% strain was observed. The analysis demonstrated the presence of an additional fixed electrical charge at the NW/substrate interface, which was induced due to mismatch between the crystal lattices, thereby affecting the efficiency. Additionally, numerical simulations regarding the p-n GaAs NW solar cell under uniaxial compression were performed, showing that solar efficiency could be controlled by mechanical deformation and configuration of the wurtzite and zinc blende p-n segments in the NW. The relative solar efficiency was shown to be increased by 6.3% under −0.75% uniaxial compression. These findings demonstrate a way to increase efficiency of GaAs NW-based solar cells via uniaxial mechanical compression.

Exploring the Size Limitations of Wurtzite III-V Film Growth

Metastable crystal phases of abundant semiconductors such as III-Vs, Si, or Ge comprise enormous potential to address current limitations in green light-emitting electrical diodes (LEDs) and group IV photonics. At the same time, these nonconventional polytypes benefit from the chemical similarity to their stable counterparts, which enables the reuse of established processing technology. One of the main challenges is the very limited availability and the small crystal sizes that have been obtained so far. In this work, we explore the limitations of wurtzite (WZ) film epitaxy on the example of InP. We develop a novel method to switch and maintain a metastable phase during a metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy process based on epitaxial lateral overgrowth and compare it with standard selective area epitaxy techniques. We achieve unprecedented large WZ layer dimensions exceeding 100 μm² and prove their phase purity both by optical as well as structural characterization. On the basis of our observations, we further develop a nucleation-based model and argue on a fundamental size limitation of WZ film growth. Our findings may pave the way toward crystal phase engineered LEDs for highly efficient lighting and display applications.

Iuliacumite: A Novel Chemical Short-Range Order in a Two-Dimensional Wurtzite Single Monolayer InAs1-xSbx Shell on InAs Nanowires

A chemical short-range order is found in single monolayer InAs_1-xSb_x shells, which inherit a wurtzite structure from the underlying InAs nanowire, instead of crystallizing in the energetically preferred zincblende structure. The chemical order is characterized by an anticorrelation ordering vector in the ⟨112̅0⟩ direction and arises from strong Sb-Sb repulsive interactions along the atomic chains in the ⟨112̅0⟩ direction.

Luminescent Properties of (004) Highly Oriented Cubic Zinc Blende ZnO Thin Films

Photoluminescence properties of cubic zinc blende ZnO thin films grown on glass substrates prepared by the spray pyrolysis method are discussed. X-ray diffraction spectra show the crystalline wurtzite with preferential growth in the (002) orientation and a metastable cubic zinc blende phase highly oriented in the (004) direction. Raman measurements support the ZnO cubic modification growth of the films. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of zinc blende films are characterized by a new PL band centerd at 2.70 eV, the blue emission, in addition there are two principal bands that are also found in hexagonal ZnO films with the peak positions at 2.83 eV and 2.35 eV. The origin of the 2.70 eV band can be attributed to transitions from Zn-interstitial to Zn-vacancies. It is also important to mention that the PL intensity of the 2.35 eV band of the zinc blende thin films is relatively higher than in the band present in hexagonal ZnO films, which means that zinc blende films have more oxygen vacancies, as was corroborated by means of the energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) measurements. PL spectra at 77 °K were measured and the 2.70 eV band was confirmed for the zinc blende films. Some PL bands of cubic films also appeared for the hexagonal phase, which is due, to a certain extent, to the similar ions stacking of both wurtzite and zinc blende symmetries.

Simultaneous Growth of Pure Wurtzite and Zinc Blende Nanowires

The opportunity to engineer III-V nanowires in wurtzite and zinc blende crystal structure allows for exploring properties not conventionally available in the bulk form as well as opening the opportunity for use of additional degrees of freedom in device fabrication. However, the fundamental understanding of the nature of polytypism in III-V nanowire growth is still lacking key ingredients to be able to connect the results of modeling and experiments. Here we show InP nanowires of both pure wurtzite and pure zinc blende grown simultaneously on the same InP [100]-oriented substrate. We find wurtzite nanowires to grow along [Formula: see text] and zinc blende counterparts along [Formula: see text]. Further, we discuss the nucleation, growth, and polytypism of our nanowires against the background of existing theory. Our results demonstrate, first, that the crystal growth conditions for wurtzite and zinc blende nanowire growth are not mutually exclusive and, second, that the interface energies predominantly determine the crystal structure of the nanowires.

Measurements of Strain and Bandgap of Coherently Epitaxially Grown Wurtzite InAsP-InP Core-Shell Nanowires

We report on experimental determination of the strain and bandgap of InAsP in epitaxially grown InAsP-InP core-shell nanowires. The core-shell nanowires are grown via metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. The as-grown nanowires are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, micro-photoluminescence (μPL) spectroscopy, and micro-Raman (μ-Raman) spectroscopy measurements. We observe that the core-shell nanowires are of wurtzite (WZ) crystal phase and are coherently strained with the core and the shell having the same number of atomic planes in each nanowire. We determine the predominantly uniaxial strains formed in the core-shell nanowires along the nanowire growth axis and demonstrate that the strains can be described using an analytical expression. The bandgap energies in the strained WZ InAsP core materials are extracted from the μPL measurements of individual core-shell nanowires. The coherently strained core-shell nanowires demonstrated in this work offer the potentials for use in constructing novel optoelectronic devices and for development of piezoelectric photovoltaic devices.

Size-Dependent Fault-Driven Relaxation and Faceting in Zincblende CdSe Colloidal Quantum Dots

Surface chemistry and core defects are known to play a prominent role in governing the photophysical properties of nanocrystalline semiconductors. Nevertheless, investigating them in small nanocrystals remains a complex task. Here, by combining X-ray scattering techniques in the wide- and small-angle regions and using the Debye scattering equation (DSE) method of analysis, we unveil a high density of planar defects in oleate-terminated zincblende (ZB) CdSe colloidal quantum dots (QDs) and size-dependent faceting within a square-cuboid morphology. Atomistic models of faulted ZB nanocrystals, based on the probabilistic stacking of CdSe layers in cubic and hexagonal sequences, and data analysis point to the preferential location of faults near the center of nanocrystals. By finely modeling faulting and morphological effects on the X-ray scattering pattern, a relaxation of the Cd-Se bond distance parallel to the stacking direction, up to +3% (2.71 Å) with respect to the reference bulk value (2.63 Å), is detected, at the cubic/hexagonal transitions. The smallest nanocrystals show cubic {100} facets; {111} facets appear above 4 nm and progressively extend at larger sizes. These structural and morphological features likely vary depending on the synthesis conditions; nevertheless, since planar defects are nearly ubiquitous in CdSe QDs, the modeling approach here presented has a general validity. This work also points to the great potential of combining small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering and DSE-modeling techniques in gaining important knowledge on atomic-scale defects of semiconductor nanocrystals, underpinning the comprehension of the impact of structural defectiveness on the exciting properties of these QDs.

Concurrent Zinc-Blende and Wurtzite Film Formation by Selection of Confined Growth Planes

Recent research on nanowires (NWs) demonstrated the ability of III-V semiconductors to adopt a different crystallographic phase when they are grown as nanostructures, giving rise to a novel class of materials with unique properties. Controlling the crystal structure however remains difficult and the geometrical constraints of NWs cause integration challenges for advanced devices. Here, we report for the first time on the phase-controlled growth of micron-sized planar InP films by selecting confined growth planes during template-assisted selective epitaxy. We demonstrate this by varying the orientation of predefined templates, which results in concurrent formation of zinc-blende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) material exhibiting phase purities of 100% and 97%, respectively. Optical characterization revealed a 70 meV higher band gap and a 2.5× lower lifetime for WZ InP in comparison to its natural ZB phase. Further, a model for the transition of the crystal structure is presented based on the observed growth facets and the bonding configuration of InP surfaces.

Distinct Excitonic Circular Dichroism between Wurtzite and Zincblende CdSe Nanoplatelets

Nanocrystals (NCs) with identical components and sizes but different crystal structures could not be distinguished by conventional absorption and emission spectra. Herein, we find that circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy can easily distinguish the CdSe nanoplatelets (NPLs) with different crystal structures of wurtzite (WZ) and zincblende (ZB) with the help of chiral l- or d-cysteine ligands. In particular, the CD signs of the first excitonic transitions in WZ and ZB NPLs capped by the same chiral cysteine are opposite. Theoretic calculation supports the viewpoint of different crystal structures and surfaces arrangements between WZ and ZB NPLs contributing to this significant phenomenon. The CD peaks appearing at the first excitonic transition band of WZ or ZB CdSe NPLs are clearly assigned to the different transition polarizations along 4p_{( x,y,z),Se} → 5s_Cd or 4p_{( x,y),Se} → 5s_Cd. This work not only provides a deep insight into the origin of the optical activity inside chiral semiconductor nanomaterials but also proposes the design principle of chiral semiconductor nanocrystals with high optic activity.

Efficient Green Emission from Wurtzite Al xIn1- xP Nanowires

Direct band gap III-V semiconductors, emitting efficiently in the amber-green region of the visible spectrum, are still missing, causing loss in efficiency in light emitting diodes operating in this region, a phenomenon known as the "green gap". Novel geometries and crystal symmetries however show strong promise in overcoming this limit. Here we develop a novel material system, consisting of wurtzite Al _xIn_{1- x}P nanowires, which is predicted to have a direct band gap in the green region. The nanowires are grown with selective area metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy and show wurtzite crystal purity from transmission electron microscopy. We show strong light emission at room temperature between the near-infrared 875 nm (1.42 eV) and the "pure green" 555 nm (2.23 eV). We investigate the band structure of wurtzite Al _xIn_{1- x}P using time-resolved and temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements and compare the experimental results with density functional theory simulations, obtaining excellent agreement. Our work paves the way for high-efficiency green light emitting diodes based on wurtzite III-phosphide nanowires.

Sb Incorporation in Wurtzite and Zinc Blende InAs1-x Sbx Branches on InAs Template Nanowires

The physical properties of material largely depend on their crystal structure. Nanowire growth is an important method for attaining metastable crystal structures in III-V semiconductors, giving access to advantageous electronic and surface properties. Antimonides are an exception, as growing metastable wurtzite structure has proven to be challenging. As a result, the properties of these materials remain unknown. One promising means of accessing wurtzite antimonides is to use a wurtzite template to facilitate their growth. Here, a template technique using branched nanowire growth for realizing wurtzite antimonide material is demonstrated. On wurtzite InAs trunks, InAs_1-x Sb_x branch nanowires at different Sb vapor phase compositions are grown. For comparison, branches on zinc blende nanowire trunks are also grown under identical conditions. Studying the crystal structure and the material composition of the grown branches at different x_v shows that the Sb incorporation is higher in zinc blende than in wurtzite. Branches grown on wurtzite trunks are usually correlated with stacking defects in the trunk, leading to the emergence of a zinc blende segment of higher Sb content growing parallel to the wurtzite structure within a branch. However, the average amount of Sb incorporated within the branch is determined by the vapor phase composition.

Investigation into the Selenization Mechanisms of Wurtzite CZTS Nanorods

Here, we report the first detailed investigation into the selenization mechanism of thin films of wurtzite copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) nanorods (NRs), giving particular emphasis to the role of the long-chain organic ligands surrounding each NR. During selenization, the NRs undergo a selenium-mediated phase change from wurtzite to kesterite, concurrent with the replacement of sulfur with selenium in the lattice and in situ grain growth, along with the recrystallization of larger copper zinc tin selenide kesterite grains on top of the existing film. By utilizing a facile ligand removal technique, we demonstrate that the formation of a large-grain overlayer is achievable without the presence of ligands. In addition, we demonstrate an elegant ligand-exchange-based method for controlling the thickness of the fine-grain layer. This report emphasizes the key role played by ligands in determining the structural evolution of CZTS nanocrystal films during selenization, necessitating the identification of optimal ligand chemistries and processing conditions for desirable grain growth.

Role of Precursor-Conversion Chemistry in the Crystal-Phase Control of Catalytically Grown Colloidal Semiconductor Quantum Wires

Crystal-phase control is one of the most challenging problems in nanowire growth. We demonstrate that, in the solution-phase catalyzed growth of colloidal cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum wires (QWs), the crystal phase can be controlled by manipulating the reaction chemistry of the Cd precursors and tri-n-octylphosphine telluride (TOPTe) to favor the production of either a CdTe solute or Te, which consequently determines the composition and (liquid or solid) state of the Bi_xCd_yTe_z catalyst nanoparticles. Growth of single-phase (e.g., wurtzite) QWs is achieved only from solid catalysts (y ≪ z) that enable the solution-solid-solid growth of the QWs, whereas the liquid catalysts (y ≈ z) fulfill the solution-liquid-solid growth of the polytypic QWs. Factors that affect the precursor-conversion chemistry are systematically accounted for, which are correlated with a kinetic study of the composition and state of the catalyst nanoparticles to understand the mechanism. This work reveals the role of the precursor-reaction chemistry in the crystal-phase control of catalytically grown colloidal QWs, opening the possibility of growing phase-pure QWs of other compositions.

Addressing the Fundamental Electronic Properties of Wurtzite GaAs Nanowires by High-Field Magneto-Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

At ambient conditions, GaAs forms in the zincblende (ZB) phase with the notable exception of nanowires (NWs) where the wurtzite (WZ) lattice is also found. The WZ formation is both a complication to be dealt with and a potential feature to be exploited, for example, in NW homostructures wherein ZB and WZ phases alternate controllably and thus band gap engineering is achieved. Despite intense studies, some of the fundamental electronic properties of WZ GaAs NWs are not fully assessed yet. In this work, by using photoluminescence (PL) under high magnetic fields (B = 0-28 T), we measure the diamagnetic shift, ΔE_d, and the Zeeman splitting of the band gap free exciton in WZ GaAs formed in core-shell InGaAs-GaAs NWs. The quantitative analysis of ΔE_d at different temperatures (T = 4.2 and 77 K) and for different directions of B⃗ allows the determination of the exciton reduced mass, μ_exc, in planes perpendicular (μ_exc = 0.052 m₀, where m₀ is the electron mass in vacuum) and parallel (μ_exc = 0.057 m₀) to the ĉ axis of the WZ lattice. The value and anisotropy of the exciton reduced mass are compatible with the electron lowest-energy state having Γ_7C instead of Γ_8C symmetry. This finding answers a long discussed issue about the correct ordering of the conduction band states in WZ GaAs. As for the Zeeman splitting, it varies considerably with the field direction, resulting in an exciton gyromagnetic factor equal to 5.4 and ∼0 for B⃗//ĉ and B⃗⊥ĉ, respectively. This latter result provides fundamental insight into the band structure of wurtzite GaAs.

Electronic Structure Changes Due to Crystal Phase Switching at the Atomic Scale Limit

The perfect switching between crystal phases with different electronic structure in III-V nanowires allows for the design of superstructures with quantum wells only a single atomic layer wide. However, it has only been indirectly inferred how the electronic structure will vary down to the smallest possible crystal segments. We use low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to directly probe the electronic structure of Zinc blende (Zb) segments in Wurtzite (Wz) InAs nanowires with atomic-scale precision. We find that the major features in the band structure change abruptly down to a single atomic layer level. Distinct Zb electronic structure signatures are observed on both the conduction and valence band sides for the smallest possible Zb segment: a single InAs bilayer. We find evidence of confined states in the region of both single and double bilayer Zb segments indicative of the formation of crystal segment quantum wells due to the smaller band gap of Zb as compared to Wz. In contrast to the internal electronic structure of the nanowire, surface states located in the band gap were found to be only weakly influenced by the presence of the smallest Zb segments. Our findings directly demonstrate the feasibility of crystal phase switching for the ultimate limit of atomistic band structure engineering of quantum confined structures. Further, it indicates that band gap values obtained for the bulk are reasonable to use even for the smallest crystal segments. However, we also find that the suppression of surface and interface states could be necessary in the use of this effect for engineering of future electronic devices.

Wurtzite ZnTe Nanotrees and Nanowires on Fluorine-Doped Tin Oxide Glass Substrates

ZnTe nanotrees and nanowires were grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass by physical vapor transport. Sn from a fluorine-doped tin oxide layer catalyzed the growth at a growth temperature of 320 °C. Both the stem and branch nanowires grew along ⟨0001⟩ in the rarely observed wurtzite structure. SnTe nanostructures were formed in the liquid catalyst and simultaneously ZnTe nanowire grew under Te-limited conditions, which made the formation of the wurtzite structure energetically favorable. Through polarization-dependent and power-dependent microphotoluminescence measurements from individual wurtzite nanowires at room temperature, we could determine the so far unknown fundamental bandgap of wurtzite ZnTe, which was 2.297 eV and thus 37 meV higher than that of zinc-blend ZnTe. From the analysis of doublet photoluminescence spectra, the valence band splitting energy between heavy hole and light hole bands is estimated to be 69 meV.

Crystal Structure Induced Preferential Surface Alloying of Sb on Wurtzite/Zinc Blende GaAs Nanowires

We study the surface diffusion and alloying of Sb into GaAs nanowires (NWs) with controlled axial stacking of wurtzite (Wz) and zinc blende (Zb) crystal phases. Using atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy, we find that Sb preferentially incorporates into the surface layer of the {110}-terminated Zb segments rather than the {112̅0}-terminated Wz segments. Density functional theory calculations verify the higher surface incorporation rate into the Zb phase and find that it is related to differences in the energy barrier of the Sb-for-As exchange reaction on the two surfaces. These findings demonstrate a simple processing-free route to compositional engineering at the monolayer level along NWs.

Growth of All-Wurtzite InP/AlInP Core-Multishell Nanowire Array

We demonstrated the formation of all-wurtzite (WZ) InP/AlInP core-multishell (CMS) nanowires (NWs) by selective-area growth with the crystal structure transfer method. The CMS NWs consisting of an AlInP-based double heterostructure showed that the crystal structure of the multishell succeeded to the WZ phase from the WZ InP NW by the crystal structure transfer method. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the core-shell interface had a few stacking faults due to lattice mismatch. In addition, lattice constants of WZ AlInP with a variation of Al content were determined by X-ray diffraction reciprocal space mappings, and the WZ AlInP shell had tensile strain along the c-axis. The WZ AlInP shells (Al content: 25-54%) showed cathode luminescence emissions at 1.6-2.1 eV, possibly related to In-rich domains due to composition fluctuation in the WZ AlInP shell.

Conduction Band Offset and Polarization Effects in InAs Nanowire Polytype Junctions

Although zinc-blende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) structures differ only in the atomic stacking sequence, mixing of crystal phases can strongly affect the electronic properties, a problem particularly common to bottom up-grown nanostructures. A lack of understanding of the nature of electronic transport at crystal phase junctions thus severely limits our ability to develop functional nanowire devices. In this work we investigated electron transport in InAs nanowires with designed mixing of crystal structures, ZB/WZ/ZB, by temperature-dependent electrical measurements. The WZ inclusion gives rise to an energy barrier in the conduction band. Interpreting the experimental result in terms of thermionic emission and using a drift-diffusion model, we extracted values for the WZ/ZB band offset, 135 ± 10 meV, and interface sheet polarization charge density on the order of 10^-3 C/m². The extracted polarization charge density is 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller than previous experimental results, but in good agreement with first principle calculation of spontaneous polarization in WZ InAs. When the WZ length is reduced below 20 nm, an effective barrier lowering is observed, indicating the increasing importance of tunneling transport. Finally, we found that band-bending at ZB/WZ junctions can lead to bound electron states within an enclosed WZ segment of sufficient length, evidenced by our observation of Coulomb blockade at low temperature. These findings provide critical input for modeling and designing the electronic properties of novel functional devices, such as nanowire transistors, where crystal polytypes are commonly found.

Spectroscopic Properties of Phase-Pure and Polytypic Colloidal Semiconductor Quantum Wires

We report ensemble extinction and photoluminesence spectra for colloidal CdTe quantum wires (QWs) with nearly phase-pure, defect-free wurtzite (WZ) structure, having spectral line widths comparable to the best ensemble or single quantum-dot values, to the single polytypic (having WZ and zinc blende (ZB) alternations) QW values, and to those of two-dimensional quantum belts or platelets. The electronic structures determined from the multifeatured extinction spectra are in excellent agreement with the theoretical results of WZ QWs having the same crystallographic orientation. Optical properties of polytypic QWs of like diameter and diameter distribution are provided for comparison, which exhibit smaller bandgaps and broader spectral line widths. The nonperiodic WZ-ZB alternations are found to generate non-negligible shifts of the bandgap to intermediate energies between the quantum-confined WZ and ZB energies. The alternations and variations in the domain sizes result in inhomogeneous spectral line width broadening that may be more significant than that arising from the 12-13% diameter distributions within the QW ensembles.

Polar Second-Harmonic Imaging to Resolve Pure and Mixed Crystal Phases along GaAs Nanowires

In this work, we report an optical method for characterizing crystal phases along single-semiconductor III-V nanowires based on the measurement of polarization-dependent second-harmonic generation. This powerful imaging method is based on a per-pixel analysis of the second-harmonic-generated signal on the incoming excitation polarization. The dependence of the second-harmonic generation responses on the nonlinear second-order susceptibility tensor allows the distinguishing of areas of pure wurtzite, zinc blende, and mixed and rotational twins crystal structures in individual nanowires. With a far-field nonlinear optical microscope, we recorded the second-harmonic generation in GaAs nanowires and precisely determined their various crystal structures by analyzing the polar response for each pixel of the images. The predicted crystal phases in GaAs nanowire are confirmed with scanning transmission electron and high-resolution transmission electron measurements. The developed method of analyzing the nonlinear polar response of each pixel can be used for an investigation of nanowire crystal structure that is quick, sensitive to structural transitions, nondestructive, and on-the-spot. It can be applied for the crystal phase characterization of nanowires built into optoelectronic devices in which electron microscopy cannot be performed (for example, in lab-on-a-chip devices). Moreover, this method is not limited to GaAs nanowires but can be used for other nonlinear optical nanostructures.

Nondestructive Complete Mechanical Characterization of Zinc Blende and Wurtzite GaAs Nanowires Using Time-Resolved Pump-Probe Spectroscopy

We have developed and demonstrated an experimental method, based on the picosecond acoustics technique, to perform nondestructive complete mechanical characterization of nanowires, that is, the determination of the complete elasticity tensor. By means of femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy, coherent acoustic phonons were generated in an ensemble of nanowires and their dynamics was resolved. Specific phonon modes were identified and the detection mechanism was addressed via wavelength dependent experiments. We calculated the exact phonon dispersion relation of the nanowires by fitting the experimentally observed frequencies, thus allowing the extraction of the complete elasticity tensor. The elasticity tensor and the nanowire diameter were determined for zinc blende GaAs nanowires and were found to be in a good agreement with literature data and independent measurements. Finally, we have applied this technique to characterize wurtzite GaAs nanowires, a metastable phase in bulk, for which no experimental values of elastic constants are currently available. Our results agree well with previous first principle calculations. The proposed approach to the complete and nondestructive mechanical characterization of nanowires will allow the efficient mechanical study of new crystal phases emerging in nanostructures, as well as size-dependent properties of nanostructured materials.

Long-Lived Hot Carriers in III-V Nanowires

Heat management mechanisms play a pivotal role in driving the design of nanowire (NW)-based devices. In particular, the rate at which charge carriers cool down after an external excitation is crucial for the efficiency of solar cells, lasers, and high-speed transistors. Here, we investigate the thermalization properties of photogenerated carriers by continuous-wave (cw) photoluminescence (PL) in InP and GaAs NWs. A quantitative analysis of the PL spectra recorded up to 310 K shows that carriers can thermalize at a temperature much higher than that of the lattice. We find that the mismatch between carrier and lattice temperature, ΔT, increases exponentially with lattice temperature and depends inversely on the NW diameter. ΔT is instead independent of other NW characteristics, such as crystal structure (wurtzite vs zincblende), chemical composition (InP vs GaAs), shape (tapered vs columnar NWs), and growth method (vapor-liquid-solid vs selective-area growth). Remarkably, carrier temperatures as high as 500 K are reached at the lattice temperature of 310 K in NWs with ∼70 nm diameter. While a population of nonequilibrium carriers, usually referred to as "hot carriers", is routinely generated by high-power laser pulses and detected by ultrafast spectroscopy, it is quite remarkable that it can be observed in cw PL measurements, when a steady-state population of carriers is established. Time-resolved PL measurements show that even in the thinnest NWs carriers have enough time (∼1 ns) after photoexcitation to interact with phonons and thus to release their excess energy. Nevertheless, the inability of carriers to reach a full thermal equilibrium with the lattice points to inhibited phonon emission primarily caused by the large surface-to-volume ratio of small diameter NWs.

Wurtzite GaAs Quantum Wires: One-Dimensional Subband Formation

It is of contemporary interest to fabricate nanowires having quantum confinement and one-dimensional subband formation. This is due to a host of applications, for example, in optical devices, and in quantum optics. We have here fabricated and optically investigated narrow, down to 10 nm diameter, wurtzite GaAs nanowires which show strong quantum confinement and the formation of one-dimensional subbands. The fabrication was bottom up and in one step using the vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism. Combining photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy with transmission electron microscopy on the same individual nanowires, we were able to extract the effective masses of the electrons in the two lowest conduction bands as well as the effective masses of the holes in the two highest valence bands. Our results, combined with earlier demonstrations of thin crystal phase nanodots in GaAs, set the stage for the fabrication of crystal phase quantum dots having full three-dimensional confinement.

Crystal-Phase Control by Solution-Solid-Solid Growth of II-VI Quantum Wires

A simple and potentially general means of eliminating the planar defects and phase alternations that typically accompany the growth of semiconductor nanowires by catalyzed methods is reported. Nearly phase-pure, defect-free wurtzite II-VI semiconductor quantum wires are grown from solid rather than liquid catalyst nanoparticles. The solid-catalyst nanoparticles are morphologically stable during growth, which minimizes the spontaneous fluctuations in nucleation barriers between zinc blende and wurtzite phases that are responsible for the defect formation and phase alternations. Growth of single-phase (in our cases the wurtzite phase) nanowires is thus favored.

Exploring Crystal Phase Switching in GaP Nanowires

The growth of wurtzite/zincblende (WZ and ZB, respectively) superstructures opens new avenues for band structure engineering and holds the promise of digitally controlling the energy spectrum of quantum confined systems. Here, we study growth kinetics of pure and thus defect-free WZ/ZB homostructures in GaP nanowires with the aim to obtain monolayer control of the ZB and WZ segment lengths. We find that the Ga concentration and the supersaturation in the catalyst particle are the key parameters determining growth kinetics. These parameters can be tuned by the gallium partial pressure and the temperature. The formation of WZ and ZB can be understood with a model based on nucleation either at the triple phase line for the WZ phase or in the center of the solid-liquid interface for the ZB phase. Furthermore, the observed delay/offset time needed to induce WZ and ZB growth after growth of the other phase can be explained within this framework.

Cu1.94S-Assisted Growth of Wurtzite CuInS2 Nanoleaves by In Situ Copper Sulfidation

Wurtzite CuInS2 nanoleaves were synthesized by Cu1.94S-assisted growth. By observing the evolution of structures and phases during the growth process, Cu1.94S nanocrystals were found to be formed after uninterrupted oxidation and sulfidation of copper nanoparticles at the early stage, serving as catalysts to introduce the Cu and In species into CuInS2 nanoleaves growth for inherent property of fast ionic conductor. The obtained CuInS2 nanoleaves were characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, fast Fourier transform, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping. The enhancement of photoresponsive current of CuInS2 nanoleaf film, evaluated by I-V curves of nanoleaf film, is believed to be attributed to the fast carrier transport benefit from the nature of single crystalline of CuInS2 nanoleaves.

Wurtzite-Phased InP Micropillars Grown on Silicon with Low Surface Recombination Velocity

The direct growth of III-V nanostructures on silicon has shown great promise in the integration of optoelectronics with silicon-based technologies. Our previous work showed that scaling up nanostructures to microsize while maintaining high quality heterogeneous integration opens a pathway toward a complete photonic integrated circuit and high-efficiency cost-effective solar cells. In this paper, we present a thorough material study of novel metastable InP micropillars monolithically grown on silicon, focusing on two enabling aspects of this technology-the stress relaxation mechanism at the heterogeneous interface and the microstructure surface quality. Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy studies show that InP grows directly on silicon without any amorphous layer in between. A set of periodic dislocations was found at the heterointerface, relaxing the 8% lattice mismatch between InP and Si. Single crystalline InP therefore can grow on top of the fully relaxed template, yielding high-quality micropillars with diameters expanding beyond 1 μm. An interesting power-dependence trend of carrier recombination lifetimes was captured for these InP micropillars at room temperature, for the first time for micro/nanostructures. By simply combining internal quantum efficiency with carrier lifetime, we revealed the recombination dynamics of nonradiative and radiative portions separately. A very low surface recombination velocity of 1.1 × 10(3) cm/sec was obtained. In addition, we experimentally estimated the radiative recombination B coefficient of 2.0 × 10(-10) cm(3)/sec for pure wurtzite-phased InP. These values are comparable with those obtained from InP bulk. Exceeding the limits of conventional nanowires, our InP micropillars combine the strengths of both nanostructures and bulk materials and will provide an avenue in heterogeneous integration of III-V semiconductor materials onto silicon platforms.

Photocatalyzed Reduction of Bicarbonate to Formate: Effect of ZnS Crystal Structure and Positive Hole Scavenger

Zinc sulfide is a promising catalyst due to its abundance, low cost, low toxicity and conduction band position that enables the photoreduction of CO2 to formic acid. This study is the first to examine experimentally the photocatalytic differences between wurtzite and sphalerite under the parameters of size (micrometer and nanoscale), crystal lattice, surface area, and band gap on productivity in the photoreduction of HCO3(-). These photochemical experiments were conducted under air mass coefficient zero (AM 0) and AM 1.5 solar simulation conditions. We observed little to no formate production under AM 1.5, but found linear formate production as a function of time using AM 0 conditions. Compared to earlier reports involving bubbled CO2 in the presence of bicarbonate, our results point to bicarbonate as the species undergoing reduction. Also investigated are the effects of three hydroxylic positive hole scavengers, ethylene glycol, propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol, IPA) and glycerol on the reduction of HCO3(-). Glycerol, a green solvent derived from vegetable oil, greatly improved the apparent quantum efficiency of the photocatalytic reduction.