National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

Zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconducting nanoparticles were added to a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) mixture E7, and the influence of these particles on the spectroscopic and dielectric properties of the E7 mixture was studied. ZnO nanoparticles were obtained using a recently developed green method involving clove extract. The proportion of ZnO:LC in the mixture was varied between 1:99 and 95:5% to ensure accessibility of the particle surface for interactions with LC. These natural compounds not only facilitate the formation of stable nanostructures, but also promote surface functionalization, influencing the resulting morphology, crystallinity, and dispersion behavior of the nanoparticles in the host media. Because the classical fitting models were inadequate in our systems with multiple overlapping relaxation and conduction processes, derivative-based numerical methods were employed. Such approaches enabled the resolution of up to three distinct dielectric relaxation processes and allowed the extraction of characteristic frequencies and activation energies, and insight into the underlying interfacial phenomena between the ZnO nanoparticles and LC molecules was obtained. We assumed that the interaction between the two components of the composites (NLC and ZnO) was weak, which contributes to a deeper understanding of the interplay between biofunctionalized nanostructures and anisotropic soft matter environments.

Hafnium oxide (HfO2) thin films were deposited on n-type gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates by Oxide-Molecular Beam Epitaxy (Oxide-MBE) method using Hafnium (Hf) metallic flow in an oxidizing atmosphere of 10-6 mbar molecular oxygen. The Hf metallic flow was provided by an e-beam evaporator and a deposition rate 10 nm/h was established. Semiconductor surface preparation was done prior to deposition, beginning with chemical wet etching and aggressively adjusted by in treatments until a desired stoichiometry was reached. Heterojunctions with HfO2 thin layers of 1 nm, 3 nm, 10 nm and 20 nm were fabricated. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and ARXPS(Angle Resolved XPS) in-situ analyses provided a clear picture of the structure of the interfaces, the chemical bonds and composition. The interfaces are chemically stable and abrupt. A small amount of Ga2O3 provides a passivating effect of the semiconductor surface. The electrical properties of the heterostructures were determined using the Kraut method and Reflection Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (REELS) technique. Band offsets Delta EC=1.75 eV and Delta EV=2.62 eV confirm a high application potential. Additionally, data on the morphology and continuity of the layers were obtained by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) technique while the amorphous growth was monitored by XRD(X-ray Diffraction), GIXRD (Grazing Incidence XRD) and XRR(X-ray Reflectivity) measurements. The dielectric layers showed values of the constant k in the range of 19-22, established by electrical measurements on MOS capacitors.

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is an emerging material with significant potential as an absorber layer for solar cells. Precise control over the film preparation process is crucial for attaining optimal transport, electrical, and optical properties. This study investigates the effect of sulfurization duration on the properties of CZTS films deposited onto soda lime glass substrates via spray pyrolysis, followed by annealing at 550 degrees C in a sulfur-rich environment under argon flow. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of monophasic CZTS, with the highest phase purity observed for films sulfurized for 5 min. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated notable morphological and microstructural enhancements due to the sulfurization process, while energydispersive spectroscopy confirmed near-ideal stoichiometric composition (Cu:Zn:Sn:S approximate to 2:1:1:4). Optical spectroscopy determined the band gap of the films to be between 1.40 and 1.50 eV. The electrical transport properties were investigated up to 130 degrees C, revealing p-type conductivity, with Seebeck coefficients ranging from 30 to 70 mu V K-2 and low electrical resistivity, displaying semiconductor-like behavior. The maximum power factor achieved was 0.36 mu W mK-2 at 130 degrees C for the sample sulfurized for 5 min. These findings suggest that a 5-min sulfurization time is optimal for producing single-phase CZTS films characterized by uniform morphology, accurate stoichiometric composition, and an ideal direct band gap. Given its favorable thermoelectric properties, CZTS shows significant promise as a material for thermoelectric applications, particularly in waste heat recovery systems. The results indicate that CZTS films could be further optimized for use in thermoelectric devices, and future studies could focus on enhancing their thermoelectric performance by adjusting sulfurization conditions and exploring material modifications.

Synthetic bone graft substitutes, including calcium phosphates (CaP), bioactive glasses (BG), and their composites with biopolymer matrices are attracting interest for bone tissue repair and regeneration. A key challenge is accurately replicating the biological structure and functionality of natural bone and optimizing the porous structure to match trabecular bone. This has been addressed by doping CaPs with therapeutic ions and using scaffolding methods like polymeric sponge replication and different additive manufacturing techniques. Biomimetic approaches employing naturally occurring porous biominerals with pore sizes comparable to those of trabecular bone, offer promising alternatives. This work reviews the hydrothermal transformation of cuttlefish bone (CB) into CaP scaffolds, while preserving its original porous structure, producing hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), tricalcium phosphate (TCP, Ca3(PO4)2), and biphasic CaPs, both undoped and therapeutic ion-doped, constructs. Coating such biomimetic scaffolds with sol-gel-derived BG and biopolymers produces multifunctional bone graft substitutes with enhanced mechanical and biological properties. Moreover, polymeric coatings can act as drug reservoirs, enabling controlled release of therapeutic agents. The review highlights that integrating biomimetic strategies with advanced coating solutions holds great promise for creating multifunctional scaffolds that mimic nature and improve therapeutic outcomes in bone tissue engineering.

Diamond traceability has been a major challenge for the gemological industry in recent decades. In this context, this paper presents new studies using UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy to identify the traceability and geographical origin of diamonds. The aim of the work is to identify characteristic centers of fancy-color diamonds collected from Cullinan Mine, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the geographical regions with unknown origin. Depending on the origin of the diamonds, the UV-VIS-NIR spectra can be differentiated as follows: (i) the diamonds collected from Cullinan Mine show absorption bands assigned to N10, NV0, NV-, N3V0, N4V2, and N4V centers, which are accompanied by a vibronic structure localized between 415 and 394 nm (2.987-3.147 eV) and (ii) the diamonds from DRC show absorption bands attributed to N10, NV-, N3V0, N1+, and NVH centers. Using Raman spectroscopy, nitrogen concentration values of diamonds collected from the Cullinan mines and DRC between 41 and 185 ppm and 204-336 ppm, respectively, were reported. We prove that the simultaneous applicability of UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy and Raman scattering as comparative tools for assessing diamond provenance can be a valuable strategy for an initial attribution of diamonds with unknown geographical origin, knowing the optical features of diamonds collected from Cullinan Mine and DRC.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with high mortality and increasing incidence. Sorafenib, a cornerstone of therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, presents certain disadvantages, including low bioavailability and poor water solubility. This work describes a new strategy for sorafenib-targeted delivery aimed at improving treatment efficiency and reducing side effects. Methods: Magnetic nanoparticles coated with azelaic acid were modified with aptamer molecules that specifically recognize human liver cancer cell line HepG2, ensuring specificity for the tumor tissue. The nanoparticles were further loaded with sorafenib. The obtained drug delivery system was extensively characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Results: The drug delivery system demonstrated a higher release of sorafenib at acidic pH compared to pH 7.4. The cell internalization of the bare and aptamer-modified magnetic nanoparticles was assessed in HepG2 and human normal foreskin fibroblasts BJ cell lines, demonstrating that the aptamer significantly enhances internalization in tumor cells, while having no impact on healthy cells. Conclusions: The sorafenib-modified nanoparticles exhibited excellent cytocompatibility with BJ cells across all tested concentrations, while showing cytotoxicity towards HepG2 cells at higher concentrations, confirming the selectivity of the system.

Despite the promise of high-k dielectrics, inherent limitations persist in transistor scaling and enhancing energy efficiency, including a fundamental threshold of 60 mV/dec for increasing drain current by an order of magnitude. Proposed solutions involve negative capacitance at the gate oxide to overcome this barrier using ferroelectric structures. Efforts to understand and regulate the switching dynamics and intricate electrostatic configurations of ferroelectric structures towards achieving negative capacitance regimes have intensified. While standalone ferroelectric capacitors cannot stabilize negative capacitance without external fields, multilayered thin films offer a promising solution. Typically, ferroelectric layers are paired with dielectrics/insulator, demonstrating steady-state negative capacitance, often at nanoscale or specific temperature domains. This study aims to stabilize negative capacitance in ferroelectric structures by inducing internal electric fields, aligning the system near coercivity, particularly in bilayer structures formed by two ferroelectric layers with slight differences in polarization values, such as p-n heterojunctions using Pb (Zr,Ti)O3 PZT) with different doping as Fe, Nb, Bi. Most of these structures exhibit evident amplification of capacitance compared to the equivalent series-connected capacitance, across a large temperature domain. The complex capacitance-frequency characteristic of these structures indicates a complex equivalent circuit. Analysis of these complex circuits compared with simple component layers concludes that at least one of the FE layers in these bilayer structures is in a negative capacitance (NC) state.

This study explores the fabrication and optimization of superstrate-structured antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) thin-film solar cells using RF magnetron sputtering of antimony (Sb) followed by sulfurization. The study systematically investigates the effects of varying absorber and buffer layer thicknesses on the photovoltaic performance of FTO/ CdS/Sb2S3/Spiro-OMeTAD/Au solar cell devices. Analytical techniques confirmed the structural and chemical properties of the Sb2S3 films obtained after Sb post-sulfurization, demonstrating improved crystallinity and a composition consistent with a primarily Sb2S3 phase. Optimizing the Sb2S3 absorber thickness to 100 nm resulted in a maximum power conversion efficiency of the champion device of 2.76%, with enhanced short-circuit current density (J(sc)) up to 14 mA/cm(2) and open-circuit voltage (V-oc) of up to 650 mV. The device exhibited semi-transparency up to 20% in the wavelength range of 380-740 nm, making it suitable for indoor and building-integrated photovoltaic applications. The results underscore the potential of magnetron-sputtered Sb2S3 for emerging transparent thin-film photovoltaics while highlighting the importance of thickness control and interface engineering for efficiency improvements.

Herein, Cu(II)-doped SrSnO3 perovskites (SrSn1-x Cu x O3, namely SSO:Cux) were prepared by a modified Pechini method and applied as supercapacitors (SCs) for the first time. The effect of dopant concentration (x = 1, 2.5, and 5 mol %) was investigated to fine-tune the structural and electronic properties to design potential candidates as SCs. The SSO:Cux samples were characterized by conventional XRD and synchrotron XRD (S-XRD) combined with Rietveld refinements and spectroscopic analyses, such as Raman, FTIR, UV-vis, EPR, and XANES/NEXAFS. The electrochemical performance of the SSO:Cux samples was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic cycling with potential limitation (GCPL). It was evidenced that incorporating 2.5 mol % Cu(II) into the SrSnO3 perovskite lattice (SrSn0.975Cu0.025O3, SSO:Cu2.5) led to a significant change in structural disorder and electronic properties, which play an essential role in creating a mixture of point defects such as reduced Sn3+ and Cu+ cations, and oxygen vacancies (VO). The SC device constructed with the SSO:Cu2.5 material showed a specific capacitance of 613 F g-1 at a scan rate of 1 mV s-1, with a remarkable specific energy density and specific energy power of 25.42 W h kg-1 and 32678.57 W kg-1, respectively, which are higher than those observed for any other available perovskite-based SCs. This performance was primarily attributed to the formation of mixed Sn4+/Sn3+ and Cu2+/Cu+ cations, which alter the structural and electronic properties of SrSnO3. Our findings indicate that an improved capability to store high energy and power may be achieved by fine-tuning the Cu(II) dopant concentration in the lattice and controlling the formation of undesired phases. This offers experimental guidance to design other Cu-doped perovskites as alternative materials for energy storage applications.

This study covers three complementary aspects; it focuses first on analyzing the turn-on and turn-off processes of the power CoolMOS transistor and investigating its switching times. Furthermore, it expands the scope of our previous works by validating the dynamic behaviour of the proposed model of the power CoolMOS transistor and it assesses the influence of the external gate resistance on the device's switching performance. Simulation results for the switching characteristics were verified through experimental measurements. An experimental test was carried out using a resistive load circuit with different external gate resistance values to analyze its impact on the device's switching behavior. The findings confirm the accuracy of the conclusions drawn from the theoretical and simulation analyses presented in this paper.