Browsing by Author "Chen, Jhih-Wei"

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A gate-free monolayer WSe2 pn diode
(2018-08-07)
Chen, Jhih-Wei
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Lo, Shun-Tsung
;
Ho, Sheng-Chin
;
Wong, Sheng-Shong
;
Vu, Thi-Hai-Yen
Interest in bringing p- and n-type monolayer semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) into contact to form rectifying pn diode has thrived since it is crucial to control the electrical properties in two-dimensional (2D) electronic and optoelectronic devices. Usually this involves vertically stacking different TMDs with pn heterojunction or, laterally manipulating carrier density by gate biasing. Here, by utilizing a locally reversed ferroelectric polarization, we laterally manipulate the carrier density and created a WSe2 pn homojunction on the supporting ferroelectric BiFeO3 substrate. This non-volatile WSe2 pn homojunction is demonstrated with optical and scanning probe methods and scanning photoelectron microspectroscopy. A homo-interface is a direct manifestation of our WSe2 pn diode, which can be quantitatively understood as a clear rectifying behavior. The non-volatile confinement of carriers and associated gate-free pn homojunction can be an addition to the 2D electron-photon toolbox and pave the way to develop laterally 2D electronics and photonics.
Au@Cu2O core@shell nanocrystals as dual-functional catalysts for sustainable environmental applications
(2019-03-01)
Kuo, Ming-Yu
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Hsiao, Chih-Feng
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Chiu, Yi-Hsuan
;
Lai, Ting-Hsuan
;
Fang, Mei-Jing
This work reports the synthesis of Au@Cu2O core@shell nanocrystals with controllable shell thicknesses and demonstrates their use as the dual-functional catalyst that can continuously operate under illumination and darkness conditions for efficient E. con inactivation. On account of the peroxidase mimics of the Au core and Fenton reactivity of the Cu2O shell, the Au@Cu2O nanocrystals exhibit intrinsic peroxidase-like property with the reaction kinetics in accordance with the typical Michaelis-Menten mechanism. On the other hand, time resolved photoluminescence spectra suggest the prevalence of pronounced charge separation for Au@Cu2O nanocrystals, an important advantage that is favourable for photocatalysis. By combining the photocatalytic capability with the peroxidase mimics features, Au@Cu2O nanocrystals can perform practical photocatalytic decomposition of E. coil under visible light illumination but still show vital activity towards E. coil inactivation after light illumination was turned off. The current study delivers a new catalyst configuration by exploiting the multiple functionalities of nanosized Au and Cu2O for advanced environmental and energy conversion applications.
Electrical Control of Multiferroic Orderings in Mixed-Phase BiFeO3 Films
(2012-06-12)
Chen, Yi-Chun
;
He, Qing
;
Chu, Feng-Nan
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Huang, Yen-Chin
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Chen, Jhih-Wei
Energy Band Gap Modulation in Nd-Doped BiFeO3/SrRuO3 Heteroepitaxy for Visible Light Photoelectrochemical Activity
(2019-01-09)
Tan, Kok Hong
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Chen, Yun-Wen
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Chien Nguyen Van
;
Wang, Hongliang
;
Chen, Jhih-Wei
The ability of band offsets at multiferroic/metal and multiferroic/electrolyte interfaces in controlling charge transfer and thus altering the photoactivity performance has sparked significant attention in solar energy conversion applications. Here, we demonstrate that the band offsets of the two interfaces play the key role in determining charge transport direction in a downward self-polarized BFO film. Electrons tend to move to BFO/electrolyte interface for water reduction. Our experimental and first-principle calculations reveal that the presence of neodymium (Nd) dopants in BFO enhances the photoelectrochemical performance by reduction of the local electron hole pair recombination sites and modulation of the band gap to improve the visible light absorption. This opens a promising route to the heterostructure design by modulating the band gap to promote efficient charge transfer.
Ferroelectric Control of the Conduction at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterointerface
(2013-06-25)
Vu Thanh Tra
;
Chen, Jhih-Wei
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Huang, Po-Cheng
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Huang, Bo-Chao
;
Cao, Ye
Flexible Heteroepitaxy Photoelectrode for Photo-electrochemical Water Splitting
(2018-08-01)
Le Thi Quynh
;
Chien Nguyen Van
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Tzeng, W. Y.
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Huang, Chun-Wei
;
Lai, Yu-Hong
MICAtronics represents a new research direction by taking the advantages of good mechanical flexibility and optical transparency of muscovite mica, leading to a new platform to use oxide heteroepitaxy for novel transparent soft technology. Here we report a model flexible photoelectrode for photo-electrochemical (PEC) water splitting based on Fe2O3/ZnO/mica heteroepitaxy. The heteroepitaxy was confirmed by a combination of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The PEC performance of this flexible and semitransparent photoelectrode under various bending states was investigated. We found that the photocurrent of the heteroepitaxial system was enhanced by three times relative to pure ZnO and Fe2O3 under visible-light irradiation, and the heteroepitaxial photoelectrodes retain their photocurrent after continuous bending in cycling (>3000 cycles) with a smallest bending radius of 3.5 mm. The energy band alignment and charge dynamics under light excitation were characterized to understand the mechanism of the enhanced PEC performance. This study provides a new platform for design and fabrication of a flexible transparent photoelectrode in the harvest of solar energy based on oxide heteroepitaxy.
Giant Resistivity Change of Transparent ZnO/Muscovite Heteroepitaxy
(2020-05-13)
Yen, Min
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Lai, Yu-Hong
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Zhang, Chun-Li
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Cheng, Hou-Yung
;
Hsieh, Yi-Ting
The piezoresistive effect has shown a remarkable potential for mechanical sensor applications and been sought for its excellent performance. A great attention was paid to the giant piezoresistive effect and sensitivity delivered by silicon-based nanostructures. However, low thermal stability and complicated fabrication process hinder their practical applications. To overcome these issues and enhance the functionalities, we envision the substantial piezopotential in a zinc oxide (ZnO)/muscovite (mica) heteroepitaxy system based on theoretical consideration and realize it in practice. High piezoresistive effect with giant change of resistivity (-80 to 240%) and large gauge factor (>1000) are demonstrated through mechanical bending. The detailed features of heteroepitaxy, electrical transport, and strain are probed to understand the mechanism of such a giant resistivity change. In addition, a bending model is established to reveal the distribution of strain. Finally, we demonstrate a flex sensor featuring high sensitivity, optical transparency, and two-segment sensing with a great potential toward practical applications. Such an oxide heteroepitaxy exhibits excellent piezoresistive properties and mechanical flexibility. In the near future, the importance of flex sensors will emerge because of the precise control in the automation industries, and our results lead to a new design in the field of flex sensors.
Graphene On Au-Coated SiOx Substrate: Its Core-Level Photoelectron Microspectroscopy Study
(2012-08-01)
Chen, Jhih-Wei
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Wang, Chiang-Lun
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Shiu, Hung Wei
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Lin, Chi-Yuan
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Chang, Chen-Shiung
"The core-level electronic structures of exfoliated graphene sheets on a Au-coated SiOx substrate have been studied using synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-PES) on a micron scale. The graphene's visibility on the Au-coated SiOx substrate was first demonstrated by micro optical characterization, and then an SR-PES study was conducted. Because of the elimination of charging effect, a precise C 1s core-level characterization shows graphitic and contaminated carbon states of graphene. Different levels of Au-coating-induced p-type doping on single-and double-layer graphene sheets were also examined in the C 1s core-level shift. The Au-coated SiOx substrate can be treated as a simple but high-throughput platform for in situ studying graphene under further hybridization by PES. (C) 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics"
Heteroepitaxial approach to explore charge dynamics across Au/BiVO4 interface for photoactivity enhancement
(2015-07-01)
Chien Nguyen Van
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Chang, Wei Sea
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Chen, Jhih-Wei
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Tsai, Kai-An
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Tzeng, Wen-Yen
Heterostructure provides a powerful route in manipulating electrical transport, optical response, electrolytic water splitting and water treatment of complex oxides. As a model for noble metal/ complex oxide heterostructures, we have successfully prepared Au/BiVO4 (BVO) heterostructures in which the Au nanoparticles (NPs) with various sizes and densities were uniformly deposited on the {001} facets of epitaxial BVO thin films. The heterostructures exhibit significantly enhanced photoactivities in both dye degradation and electrolytic water splitting. By employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the energy band alignment of Au/BVO heterojunction suggests a charge separation at their interfaces, that can manipulate the photoexcited electron-hole pairs and photocatalytic efficiency of the heterostructures. Photogenerated carrier injection, which mainly affects the photoactivity of photocatalysis, was detected across Au/BVO interfaces by ultrafast dynamics spectroscopy. This study delivers a general approach to probe and understand the photochemistry of noble metal-complex oxide heterostructures for photoconversion applications. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Non-volatile domain nucleation and growth in multiferroic BiFeO(3) films
(2011-06-24)
Chen, Yi-Chun
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Wang, Guang-Fu
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Tai, Hsiang-Hua
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Chen, Jhih-Wei
;
Huang, Yen-Chin
We have presented a systematical study of the domain nucleation and growth behaviors in multiferroic BiFeO(3) (BFO) films. Both the ferroelectric and the ferroelastic switching dynamics were investigated. Several environmental parameters, including the polarization orientations, the monodomain-like matrix, and the ordered domain walls as local boundaries, were well controlled by thin-film strain engineering through changing the vicinal angles of the substrates. The tip-based domain dynamics was studied by subsequent piezoresponse force microscope (PFM) imaging of the domain evolution under external voltage pulses. For the nanodomains written in the monodomain-like environment, the domain wall performed the thermal activated motion. The as-grown 71 degrees domain walls can act as pinning centers for the ferroelectric domain growth driven by low fields; moreover, ferroelastic nucleation near a 71 degrees domain wall will cause the deformation of the domain wall. The ferroelastic domain growth possessed relatively small activation fields, and therefore usually performed non-activated motion. This study revealed the effects of local environments on the dynamics forming nanoscale domains, and opened a pathway for applications in novel non-volatile functional devices.
Non-volatile domain nucleation and growth in multiferroic BiFeO3 films
(2011-06-24)
Chen, Yi-Chun
;
Wang, Guang-Fu
;
Tai, Hsiang-Hua
;
Chen, Jhih-Wei
;
Huang, Yen-Chin
We have presented a systematical study of the domain nucleation and growth behaviors in multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) films. Both the ferroelectric and the ferroelastic switching dynamics were investigated. Several environmental parameters, including the polarization orientations, the monodomain-like matrix, and the ordered domain walls as local boundaries, were well controlled by thin-film strain engineering through changing the vicinal angles of the substrates. The tip-based domain dynamics was studied by subsequent piezoresponse force microscope (PFM) imaging of the domain evolution under external voltage pulses. For the nanodomains written in the monodomain-like environment, the domain wall performed the thermal activated motion. The as-grown 71 degrees domain walls can act as pinning centers for the ferroelectric domain growth driven by low fields; moreover, ferroelastic nucleation near a 71 degrees domain wall will cause the deformation of the domain wall. The ferroelastic domain growth possessed relatively small activation fields, and therefore usually performed non-activated motion. This study revealed the effects of local environments on the dynamics forming nanoscale domains, and opened a pathway for applications in novel non-volatile functional devices.
Oxide Heteroepitaxy-Based Flexible Ferroelectric Transistor
(2019-07-24)
Tsai, Meng-Fu
;
Jiang, Jie
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Shao, Pao-Wen
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Lai, Yu-Hong
;
Chen, Jhih-Wei
With the rise of Internet of Things, the presence of flexible devices has attracted significant attention owing to design flexibility. A ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET), showing the advantages of high speed, nondestructive readout, and low-power consumption, plays a key role in next-generation technology. However, the performance of these devices is restricted since conventional flexible substrates show poor thermal stability to integrate traditional ferroelectric materials, limiting the compatibility of wearable devices. In this study, we adopt flexible muscovite mica as a substrate due to its good thermal properties and epitaxial integration ability. A flexible FeFET composed of oxide heteroepitaxy on muscovite is realized by combining an aluminum-doped zinc oxide film as the semiconductor channel layer and a Pb(Zro7Ti0.3)03 film as the ferroelectric gate dielectric. The excellent characteristics of the transistor together with superior thermal stability and mechanical flexibility are demonstrated through various mechanical bending and temperature measurements. The on/off current ratio of the FeFET is higher than 103, which based on the field effect in the transfer curve. The smallest bending radius that can be achieved is 5 mm with a cyclability of 300 times and a retention of 100 h. This study opens an avenue to use oxide heteroepitaxy to construct a FeFET for next-generation flexible electronic systems.
Self-Assembled BiFeO3-epsilon-Fe2O3 Vertical Heteroepitaxy for Visible Light Photoelectrochemistry
(2016-09-21)
Le Thi Quynh
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Chien Nguyen Van
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Bitla, Yugandhar
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Chen, Jhih-Wei
;
Thi Hien Do
Self-assembled vertical heterostructure with a high interface-to-volume ratio offers tremendous opportunities to realize intriguing properties and advanced modulation of functionalities. Here, a heterostructure composed of two visible-light photocatalysts, BiFeO3 (BFO) and epsilon-Fe2O3 (epsilon-FO), is designed to investigate its photoelectrochemical performance. The structural characterization of the BFO-FO heterostructures confirms the phase separation with BFO nanopillars embedded in the epsilon-FO matrix. The investigation of band structure of the heterojunction suggests the assistance of photoexcited carrier separation, leading to an enhanced photoelectrochemical performance. The insights into the charge separation are further revealed by means of ultrafast dynamics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies. This work shows a delicate design of the self-assembled vertical heteroepitaxy by taking advantage of the intimate contact between two phases that can lead to a tunable charge interaction, providing a new confi guration for the optimization of photoelectrochemical cell.
Superior photoelectrochemical activity of self-assembled NiWO4-WO3 heteroepitaxy
(2016-05)
Thi Hien Do
;
Chien Nguyen Van
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Tsai, Kai-An
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Le Thi Quynh
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Chen, Jhih-Wei
Self-assembled nanocomposites with a high interface-to-volume ratio offer tremendous opportunities of tailoring functionalities by a proper combination of components. In this study, we report the first fabrication of self-assembled NiWO4-WO3 heteroepitaxy and its excellent performance on photoel-ectrochemical water splitting. The heteroepitaxy is evidenced by a combination of x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The energy band diagram of NiWO4-WO3 heterostructure probed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggests an efficient charge separation at their interface by injecting photo -generated electrons from NiWO4 to WO3 and holes from WO3 to NiWO4. Therefore, a great improvement in the photoelectrochemical activity of self -assembled NiWO4-WO3 heteroepitaxy was achieved (1400 mu A cm(-2) at 0.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl). This work delivers a new category of composite materials for promising photoelectrode in photoelectrochemical cells. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Tunable photoelectrochemical performance of Au/BiFeO3 heterostructure
(2016)
Huang, Yen-Lin
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Chang, Wei Sea
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Chien Nguyen Van
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Liu, Heng-Jui
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Tsai, Kai-An
Ferroelectric photoelectrodes, other than conventional semiconductors, are alternative photo-absorbers in the process of water splitting. However, the capture of photons and efficient transfer of photo-excited carriers remain as two critical issues in ferroelectric photoelectrodes. In this work, we overcome the aforementioned issues by decorating the ferroelectric BiFeO3 (BFO) surface with Au nanocrystals, and thus improving the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of BFO film. We demonstrate that the internal field induced by the spontaneous polarization of BFO can (1) tune the efficiency of the photo-excited carriers\' separation and charge transfer characteristics in bare BFO photoelectrodes, and (2) modulate an extra optical absorption within the visible light region, created by the surface plasmon resonance excitation of Au nanocrystals to capture more photons in the Au/BFO heterostructure. This study provides key insights for understanding the tunable features of PEC performance, composed of the heterostructure of noble metals and ferroelectric materials.
Tuning Electronic Transport in a Self-Assembled Nanocomposite
(2014-06-01)
Chang, Wei Sea
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Liu, Heng-Jui
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Vu Thanh Tra
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Chen, Jhih-Wei
;
Wei, Tzu-Chiao
Self-assembled nanocomposites with a high interface-to-volume ratio offer an opportunity to overcome limitations in current technology, where intriguing transport behaviors can be tailored by the choice of proper interactions of constituents. Here we integrated metallic perovskite oxide SrRuO3 - wurzite semiconductor ZnO nanocomposites to investigate the room-temperature metal - insulator transition and its effect on photoresponse. We demonstrate that the band structure at the interface can be tuned by controlling the interface-to-volume ratio of the nanocomposites. Photoinduced carrier injection driven by visible light was detected across the nanocomposites. This work shows the charge interaction of the vertically integrated multiheterostructures by incorporating a controllable interface-to-volume ratio, which is essential for optimization of the design and functionality of electronic devices.
WO3 mesocrystal-assisted photoelectrochemical activity of BiVO4
(2017-03-01)
Chien Nguyen Van
;
Thi Hien Do
;
Chen, Jhih-Wei
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Tzeng, Wen-Yen
;
Tsai, Kai-An
Self- assembled nanocomposites have gained much attention over the past decade due to their intriguing properties and functionalities. In this work, we developed a self-assembled nanocomposite photoanode composed of an epitaxial BiVO4 matrix embedded with WO3 mesocrystals for photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications in the visible- light regime. The orientation of the crystal facet and interface provides a superior template to understand the intimate contact between the two constituent phases. We demonstrate that the interfacial coupling of the mesocrystal and matrix improves the separation of photoexcited carriers and the properties of charge transfer, resulting in a greatly enhanced PEC performance compared with their parent compounds. The current study demonstrates that the utilization of the interface-to-volume ratio to optimize charge interactions in the nanocomposite is essential for the advanced design of novel mesocrystal-embedded nanocomposite photoelectrodes.