Review Articles MORE

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  AlScN: characteristics, micro/nano fabrication and multiple applications

  Abstract Full Text PDF Aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN), an emerging Ⅲ-nitride semiconductor material, has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its exceptional piezoelectric properties, high thermal stability, tunable bandgap, and excellent compatibility with micro/nano fabrication. This paper systematically reviews the crystal structure, fundamental properties, and property modulation mechanisms of AlScN. It also summarizes recent progress in micro/nano fabrication technologies, including deposition, etching, and device integration. Furthermore, the applications of AlScN in diverse fields such as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), RF communications, energy conversion, optoelectronics and sensors are discussed. Finally, current challenges and promising future research directions for AlScN are outlined.

  Aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN), an emerging Ⅲ-nitride semiconductor material, has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its exceptional piezoelectric properties, high thermal stability, tunable bandgap, and excellent compatibility with micro/nano fabrication. This paper systematically reviews the crystal structure, fundamental properties, and property modulation mechanisms of AlScN. It also summarizes recent progress in micro/nano fabrication technologies, including deposition, etching, and device integration. Furthermore, the applications of AlScN in diverse fields such as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), RF communications, energy conversion, optoelectronics and sensors are discussed. Finally, current challenges and promising future research directions for AlScN are outlined.
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  Non-D18-based organic solar cells: strategies and insights toward the efficiency ≥ 20%

  Abstract Full Text PDF Significant progress has been achieved in the field of organic solar cells (OSCs). Most devices with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 20% rely predominantly on active materials that incorporate D18 or its derivatives as the donor. In contrast, the PCEs over 20% have been realized as well for OSCs with the non-D18-based donor materials by simultaneously optimizing material properties, active layer morphologies and interface engineering, thereby demonstrating the potential to outperform D18 counterparts. Therefore, this review summarizes an overview of recent advancements in OSCs with the PCEs over 20% utilizing the non-D18-based donor materials, and highlights three critical aspects including molecular design strategies, the active layer morphologies, and the interface optimization. Their synergistic roles are advantageous in enhancing the exciton dissociation, facilitating the charge transport, and suppressing the recombination losses, accordingly supporting the improved PCEs over 20%. Furthermore, the challenges and valuable insights are discussed, which can lead to improved efficiency, scalable fabrication, and enhanced environmental and thermal stability, potentially accelerating the commercialization of OSCs.

  Significant progress has been achieved in the field of organic solar cells (OSCs). Most devices with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 20% rely predominantly on active materials that incorporate D18 or its derivatives as the donor. In contrast, the PCEs over 20% have been realized as well for OSCs with the non-D18-based donor materials by simultaneously optimizing material properties, active layer morphologies and interface engineering, thereby demonstrating the potential to outperform D18 counterparts. Therefore, this review summarizes an overview of recent advancements in OSCs with the PCEs over 20% utilizing the non-D18-based donor materials, and highlights three critical aspects including molecular design strategies, the active layer morphologies, and the interface optimization. Their synergistic roles are advantageous in enhancing the exciton dissociation, facilitating the charge transport, and suppressing the recombination losses, accordingly supporting the improved PCEs over 20%. Furthermore, the challenges and valuable insights are discussed, which can lead to improved efficiency, scalable fabrication, and enhanced environmental and thermal stability, potentially accelerating the commercialization of OSCs.
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  Diverse methods and practical aspects in controlling single semiconductor qubits: a review

  Abstract Full Text PDF Quantum control allows a wide range of quantum operations employed in molecular physics, nuclear magnetic resonance and quantum information processing. Thanks to the existing microelectronics industry, semiconducting qubits, where quantum information is encoded in spin or charge degree freedom of electrons or nuclei in semiconductor quantum dots, constitute a highly competitive candidate for scalable solid-state quantum technologies. In quantum information processing, advanced control techniques are needed to realize quantum manipulations with both high precision and noise resilience. In this review, we first introduce the basics of various widely-used control methods, including resonant excitation, adabatic passage, shortcuts to adiabaticity, composite pulses, and quantum optimal control. Then we review the practical aspects in applying these methods to realize accurate and robust quantum gates for single semiconductor qubits, such as Loss–DiVincenzo spin qubit, spinglet-triplet qubit, exchange-only qubit and charge qubit.

  Quantum control allows a wide range of quantum operations employed in molecular physics, nuclear magnetic resonance and quantum information processing. Thanks to the existing microelectronics industry, semiconducting qubits, where quantum information is encoded in spin or charge degree freedom of electrons or nuclei in semiconductor quantum dots, constitute a highly competitive candidate for scalable solid-state quantum technologies. In quantum information processing, advanced control techniques are needed to realize quantum manipulations with both high precision and noise resilience. In this review, we first introduce the basics of various widely-used control methods, including resonant excitation, adabatic passage, shortcuts to adiabaticity, composite pulses, and quantum optimal control. Then we review the practical aspects in applying these methods to realize accurate and robust quantum gates for single semiconductor qubits, such as Loss–DiVincenzo spin qubit, spinglet-triplet qubit, exchange-only qubit and charge qubit.
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  A minireview on technology and application of silicon integrated single crystal perovskite

  Abstract Full Text PDF Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have become promising optoelectronic materials due to their long carrier lifetimes and high mobility. However, the presence of defects and ion migration in MHPs results in high and unstable dark currents, which compromise the stability and detection performance of MHP-based optoelectronic devices. Interfacial engineering has proven to be an effective strategy to reduce defect density in MHPs and suppress ion migration. Given the compatibility of silicon (Si) and MHP processing technologies, coupled with the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the approach, the integration of MHPs onto Si surfaces has become a prominent area of research. This integration not only enhances device performance but also expands their practical applications. This review provides an overview of the integration technologies for Si and single crystal MHPs, evaluates the advantages and limitations of various integration schemes (including inverse temperature crystallization, vacuum-assisted vapor deposition, and anti-solvent vapor-assisted crystallization), and explores the practical applications of Si/MHP-integrated optoelectronic devices with different structures. These optimized devices exhibit outstanding performance in X-ray detection, multi-wavelength photodetection, and circularly polarized light detection. This review provides a systematic reference for technological innovation and application expansion of Si/MHP-integrated devices.

  Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have become promising optoelectronic materials due to their long carrier lifetimes and high mobility. However, the presence of defects and ion migration in MHPs results in high and unstable dark currents, which compromise the stability and detection performance of MHP-based optoelectronic devices. Interfacial engineering has proven to be an effective strategy to reduce defect density in MHPs and suppress ion migration. Given the compatibility of silicon (Si) and MHP processing technologies, coupled with the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the approach, the integration of MHPs onto Si surfaces has become a prominent area of research. This integration not only enhances device performance but also expands their practical applications. This review provides an overview of the integration technologies for Si and single crystal MHPs, evaluates the advantages and limitations of various integration schemes (including inverse temperature crystallization, vacuum-assisted vapor deposition, and anti-solvent vapor-assisted crystallization), and explores the practical applications of Si/MHP-integrated optoelectronic devices with different structures. These optimized devices exhibit outstanding performance in X-ray detection, multi-wavelength photodetection, and circularly polarized light detection. This review provides a systematic reference for technological innovation and application expansion of Si/MHP-integrated devices.