Search results for "kelvin probe"
showing 10 items of 44 documents
How the formation of interfacial charge causes hysteresis in perovskite solar cells
2018
In this study, we discuss the underlying mechanism of the current-voltage hysteresis in a hybrid lead-halide perovskite solar cell. We have developed a method based on Kelvin probe force microscopy that enables mapping charge redistribution in an operating device upon a voltage- or light pulse with sub-millisecond resolution. We observed the formation of a localized interfacial charge at the anode interface, which screened most of the electric field in the cell. The formation of this charge happened within 10 ms after applying a forward voltage to the device. After switching off the forward voltage, however, these interfacial charges were stable for over 500 ms and created a reverse electri…
Strain relaxation, extended defects and doping effects in InxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures investigated by surface photovoltage
2020
Abstract We have analysed electrical properties of extended defects and interfaces in fully strained and partially relaxed InxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures by means of Kelvin probe force microscopy and surface photovoltage spectroscopy. The study highlights the role of indium incorporation and Si doping levels on the charge state of extended defects including threading dislocations, V defects and misfit dislocations. Surface potential maps reveal that these defects are associated with a different local work function and thus could remarkably alter electron-hole recombination mechanisms of InxGa1-xN/GaN layers locally. Surface photovoltage spectra clearly demonstrate the role of misfit disloca…
Surface properties of AlInGaN/GaN heterostructure
2016
Abstract Surface structural, electronic and electrical properties of the quaternary alloy AlInGaN/GaN heterostructures are investigated. Surface termination, atomic arrangement, electronic and electrical properties of the (0001) surface and (10–11) V-defect facets have been experimentally analyzed using various surface sensitive techniques including spectroscopy and microscopy. Moreover, the effect of sub-band gap (of the barrier layer) illumination on contact potential difference (VCPD) and the role of oxygen chemisorption have been studied.
A Novel Gas Sensor Transducer Based on Phthalocyanine Heterojunction Devices
2007
Abstract: Experimental data concerning the changes in the current-voltage (I-V) perfor-mances of a molecular material-based heterojunction consisting of hexadecafluorinated nickel phthalocyanine (Ni(F 16 Pc)) and nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc), (Au|Ni(F 16 Pc)|NiPc|Al) are introduced as an unprecedented principle of transduction for gas sensing performances. The respective n - and p -type doped-insulator behaviors of the respective materials are supported, owing to the observed changes in surface potential (using the Kelvin probe method) after submission to electron donor (ammonia) and electron acceptor gases (ozone). On the other hand, the bilayer device exhibits strong variations in the bui…
The weight function for charges - A rigorous theoretical concept for Kelvin probe force microscopy
2016
A comprehensive discussion of the physical origins of Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) signals for charged systems is given. We extend the existing descriptions by including the openloop operation mode, which is relevant when performing KPFM in electrolyte solutions. We define the contribution of charges to the KPFM signal by a weight function, which depends on the electric potential and on the capacitance of the tip-sample system. We analyze the sign as well as the lateral decay of this weight function for different sample types, namely, conductive samples as well as dielectric samples with permittivities both larger and smaller than the permittivity of the surrounding medium. Dependin…
Controlling the Phase Segregation in Mixed Halide Perovskites through Nanocrystal Size
2019
Mixed halide perovskites are one of the promising candidates in developing solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), among other applications, because of their tunable optical properties. Nonetheless, photoinduced phase segregation, by formation of segregated Br-rich and I-rich domains, limits the overall applicability. We tracked the phase segregation with increasing crystalline size of CsPbBr3–xIx and their photoluminescence under continuous-wave laser irradiation (405 nm, 10 mW cm–2) and observed the occurrence of the phase segregation from the threshold size of 46 ± 7 nm. These results have an outstanding agreement with the diffusion length (45.8 nm) calculated also experimentally f…
Imaging Static Charge Distributions: A Comprehensive KPFM Theory
2018
We analyze Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) for tip-sample systems that contain static charges by presenting a rigorous derivation for the respective KPFM signal in all common KPFM modes, namely amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, or heterodyne detection in the static, open-loop or closed-loop variant. The electrostatic model employed in the derivation is based on a general electrostatic analysis of an arbitrary tip-sample geometry formed by two metals, and which can include a static charge distribution and dielectric material in-between. The effect of the electrostatic force on the oscillating tip is calculated from this model within the harmonic approximation, and the observab…
Effect of Cholesterol on Electrostatics in Lipid−Protein Films of a Pulmonary Surfactant
2010
We report the changes in the electrical properties of the lipid-protein film of pulmonary surfactant produced by excess cholesterol. Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is a complex lipid-protein mixture that forms a molecular film at the interface of the lung's epithelia. The defined molecular arrangement of the lipids and proteins of the surfactant film gives rise to the locally highly variable electrical surface potential of the interface, which becomes considerably altered in the presence of cholesterol. With frequency modulation Kelvin probe force microscopy (FM-KPFM) and force measurements, complemented by theoretical analysis, we showed that excess cholesterol significantly changes the electri…
Polarity Effects on ZnO Films Grown along the Nonpolar[112¯0]Direction
2005
The surface electrical properties of ZnO thin films grown along the nonpolar $[11\overline{2}0]$ direction have been investigated by Kelvin probe microscopy on a nanometer scale. Two different charge domains, with a 75 meV work function difference, coexist within the ZnO surface, which is covered by rhombohedral pyramids whose sidewalls are shown to be ${10\overline{1}1}$-type planes. The presence and relative orientation of the two kinds of charge domains are explained in terms of the atomic arrangement at the ${10\overline{1}1}$ polar surfaces.
Light induced charging of polymer functionalized nanorods.
2010
ZnO nanorods were functionalized with new block copolymers containing a hole transporting moiety in one block and a dye and an anchor system in the second block. After functionalization, the ZnO nanorods are well dispersible in organic media and the fluorescence of the dye is quenched. Kelvin probe force microscopy was used to measure changes in electrical potential between the ZnO nanorod and the polymeric corona. Upon light irradiation, potential changes on the order of some tens of millivolts were observed on individual structures. This effect is attributed to light-induced charge separation between the ZnO nanorod and its hole transporting polymeric corona.