Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110444
Ziteng Zhang , Can Zhou , Zaihong Yang , Liuyan Fan , Qingqing Cao , Chao Chang , Hanxiang Yin , Yan Wu , Yanhui Zhang , Xiaohao Zhou , Jian Zhang , Pingping Chen
InAsSb has emerged as a promising material for applications in infrared detection and advancing fundamental studies in condensed matter physics. However, the surface electronic properties of InAsSb remain insufficiently explored. In this work, high-quality InAsSb epilayers were grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillations and quantum Hall–like features were observed under low temperatures and high magnetic fields. Notably, linear magnetoresistance(LMR) was detected in the extreme quantum limit (EQL) even at elevated temperatures up to 250 K. The experimentally determined effective mass of the surface state electrons is 0.028 m0, which is 26 % smaller than that of the InAs surface state (0.038 m0). A Dingle ratio of 98 suggests that scattering is predominantly governed by long-range potentials and forward scattering, contributing to the observed high carrier mobility and pronounced quantum phenomena.
{"title":"Surface quantum Hall effect of InAsSb thin films","authors":"Ziteng Zhang , Can Zhou , Zaihong Yang , Liuyan Fan , Qingqing Cao , Chao Chang , Hanxiang Yin , Yan Wu , Yanhui Zhang , Xiaohao Zhou , Jian Zhang , Pingping Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110444","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110444","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>InAsSb has emerged as a promising material for applications in infrared detection and advancing fundamental studies in condensed matter physics. However, the surface electronic properties of InAsSb remain insufficiently explored. In this work, high-quality InAsSb epilayers were grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillations and quantum Hall–like features were observed under low temperatures and high magnetic fields. Notably, linear magnetoresistance(LMR) was detected in the extreme quantum limit (EQL) even at elevated temperatures up to 250 K. The experimentally determined effective mass of the surface state electrons is 0.028 m<sub>0</sub>, which is 26 % smaller than that of the InAs surface state (0.038 m<sub>0</sub>). A Dingle ratio of 98 suggests that scattering is predominantly governed by long-range potentials and forward scattering, contributing to the observed high carrier mobility and pronounced quantum phenomena.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 110444"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110454
Zhanguo Qi , Guodong Wang , Songyang Lv , Shouzhi Wang , Zhongxin Wang , Qiubo Li , Defu Sun , Huidong Yu , Zhengtang Yang , Qingbin Liu , Huihui Shao , Xiufang Chen , Yufeng Li , Xiangang Xu , Lei Zhang
This study investigates the synergistic effect of a porous GaN/sapphire substrates with a strategically grown three-dimensional (3D) buffer layer on the crystal quality and residual stress in GaN crystals grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE). Comparative growth runs using a one-step process versus a three-step process (which includes a high V/III ratio buffer layer) were performed on porous substrates. Characterization by High-Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HR-XRD), Cathodoluminescence (CL), Photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy reveals that the buffer layer significantly reduces threading dislocation density and effectively mitigates biaxial stress in both undoped and Si-doped GaN. A notable finding is the contrasting behavior of the yellow luminescence (YL) to near-band-edge emission (NBE) ratio (IYL/INBE). While the buffer layer reduces IYL/INBE in undoped GaN, it increases this ratio in Si-doped GaN. We attribute this to enhanced Si incorporation efficiency and a consequent Fermi level shift that reduces the formation energy of Ga vacancies (VGa), overwhelming the defect-reduction benefit of improved crystallinity. This approach demonstrates a viable pathway for producing high-quality, low-stress, freestanding GaN substrates.
{"title":"Effect of buffer layers on GaN growth on porous substrates","authors":"Zhanguo Qi , Guodong Wang , Songyang Lv , Shouzhi Wang , Zhongxin Wang , Qiubo Li , Defu Sun , Huidong Yu , Zhengtang Yang , Qingbin Liu , Huihui Shao , Xiufang Chen , Yufeng Li , Xiangang Xu , Lei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the synergistic effect of a porous GaN/sapphire substrates with a strategically grown three-dimensional (3D) buffer layer on the crystal quality and residual stress in GaN crystals grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE). Comparative growth runs using a one-step process versus a three-step process (which includes a high V/III ratio buffer layer) were performed on porous substrates. Characterization by High-Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HR-XRD), Cathodoluminescence (CL), Photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy reveals that the buffer layer significantly reduces threading dislocation density and effectively mitigates biaxial stress in both undoped and Si-doped GaN. A notable finding is the contrasting behavior of the yellow luminescence (YL) to near-band-edge emission (NBE) ratio (I<sub>YL</sub>/I<sub>NBE</sub>). While the buffer layer reduces I<sub>YL</sub>/I<sub>NBE</sub> in undoped GaN, it increases this ratio in Si-doped GaN. We attribute this to enhanced Si incorporation efficiency and a consequent Fermi level shift that reduces the formation energy of Ga vacancies (V<sub>Ga</sub>), overwhelming the defect-reduction benefit of improved crystallinity. This approach demonstrates a viable pathway for producing high-quality, low-stress, freestanding GaN substrates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 110454"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110393
Junli Chang , Yuhan Wang , Peng Wang , Guangzhao Wang , Yeesin Ang
Perovskite-based functional materials have emerged as promising candidates for photovoltaic applications. However, enhancing power conversion efficiency (PCE) remains a significant challenge. To address this, the SnS/CsPbBr3 heterojunction is proposed to achieve superior optical performance. In the present work, first-principles calculations have been performed to thoroughly explore its underlying mechanisms, including geometric structure, electronic and optical properties. The results indicate that within the SnS/CsPbBr3 heterojunction the electronic states at the bandgap edge are composed of electronic orbits from different constituent layers. Moreover, it is unveiled that electron charge is significant transferred from the SnS to the CsPbBr3. Hence, the SnS/CsPbBr3 heterojunction is deduced to be a typical S-scheme configuration. Most of importantly, the optical absorption in the visible-light range is substantially enhanced. Furthermore, the impact of strain on the bandgap and binding energy of the SnS/CsPbBr3 is also discussed herein. These results provide theoretical insights into microscopic mechanisms within perovskite-based heterojunctions, which is useful to develop new-type highly efficient perovskite-based photovoltaic materials.
{"title":"A first-principles study on perovskite-based heterojunction SnS/CsPbBr3 used for photovoltaics","authors":"Junli Chang , Yuhan Wang , Peng Wang , Guangzhao Wang , Yeesin Ang","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perovskite-based functional materials have emerged as promising candidates for photovoltaic applications. However, enhancing power conversion efficiency (PCE) remains a significant challenge. To address this, the SnS/CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> heterojunction is proposed to achieve superior optical performance. In the present work, first-principles calculations have been performed to thoroughly explore its underlying mechanisms, including geometric structure, electronic and optical properties. The results indicate that within the SnS/CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> heterojunction the electronic states at the bandgap edge are composed of electronic orbits from different constituent layers. Moreover, it is unveiled that electron charge is significant transferred from the SnS to the CsPbBr<sub>3</sub>. Hence, the SnS/CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> heterojunction is deduced to be a typical S-scheme configuration. Most of importantly, the optical absorption in the visible-light range is substantially enhanced. Furthermore, the impact of strain on the bandgap and binding energy of the SnS/CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> is also discussed herein. These results provide theoretical insights into microscopic mechanisms within perovskite-based heterojunctions, which is useful to develop new-type highly efficient perovskite-based photovoltaic materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110393"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110395
Zhichao Qi , Yu Li , Zhengquan Zhou , Weihua Wu
ZnSb-based phase-change materials suffer from metastable crystallization, rapid grain growth, and poor thermal stability, limiting their applicability in high-temperature and low-power phase change memory devices. To address these issues, Sm-doped Zn15Sb85 thin films with varying concentrations were prepared via magnetron sputtering, and their thermal stability, electrical behavior, structural evolution, and device performance were systematically investigated. Sm incorporation can significantly increase the crystallization temperature, 10-year data-retention retention, and crystallization activation energy, demonstrating the obvious improvement of thermal stability of the amorphous phase. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses demonstrate that substitution of Zn2+ with Sm3+ induces lattice distortion and electronic-structure modulation, thereby suppressing Sb nucleation and refining grain size. These effects also can reduce resistance drift and improve surface smoothness. The optimized composition Sm0.011(Zn15Sb85)0.989 exhibits the crystallization temperature of 240 °C, 10-year data-retention temperature of 173 °C, and crystallization activation energy of 4.26 eV. T-type phase-change memory cells exhibit reversible SET/RESET behavior with a threshold voltage of 2.33 V and a programming current of only 0.41 μA. This corresponds to a programming power of ∼1 μW, which is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that of typical Ge2Sb2Te5-based phase-change memory cells with comparable dimensions. These results demonstrate that Sm-doped Zn15Sb85 is a promising Te-free phase change material for high-temperature and neuromorphic applications.
{"title":"High-performance Smx(Zn15Sb85) 1-x thin film on silicon substrate for phase-change memory application","authors":"Zhichao Qi , Yu Li , Zhengquan Zhou , Weihua Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110395","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>ZnSb-based phase-change materials suffer from metastable crystallization, rapid grain growth, and poor thermal stability, limiting their applicability in high-temperature and low-power phase change memory devices. To address these issues, Sm-doped Zn<sub>15</sub>Sb<sub>85</sub> thin films with varying concentrations were prepared via magnetron sputtering, and their thermal stability, electrical behavior, structural evolution, and device performance were systematically investigated. Sm incorporation can significantly increase the crystallization temperature, 10-year data-retention retention, and crystallization activation energy, demonstrating the obvious improvement of thermal stability of the amorphous phase. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses demonstrate that substitution of Zn<sup>2+</sup> with Sm<sup>3+</sup> induces lattice distortion and electronic-structure modulation, thereby suppressing Sb nucleation and refining grain size. These effects also can reduce resistance drift and improve surface smoothness. The optimized composition Sm<sub>0.011</sub>(Zn<sub>15</sub>Sb<sub>85</sub>)<sub>0.989</sub> exhibits the crystallization temperature of 240 °C, 10-year data-retention temperature of 173 °C, and crystallization activation energy of 4.26 eV. T-type phase-change memory cells exhibit reversible SET/RESET behavior with a threshold voltage of 2.33 V and a programming current of only 0.41 μA. This corresponds to a programming power of ∼1 μW, which is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that of typical Ge<sub>2</sub>Sb<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>5</sub>-based phase-change memory cells with comparable dimensions. These results demonstrate that Sm-doped Zn<sub>15</sub>Sb<sub>85</sub> is a promising Te-free phase change material for high-temperature and neuromorphic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110395"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-22DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110368
Shwetha Sunil Kumar , H. Renuka , Mohin Sharma , Bibhudutta Rout , Sanjit K. Ghose , B. Reeja-Jayan
Gallium nitride (GaN) has recently emerged as a preferred choice of material for high-power, high-frequency applications, including high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), which are primarily used in satellites and other military systems deployed in space. However, the reliable operation of these devices depends upon the structural stability of the constituent GaN on exposure to energetic radiations present in space. In this study, we investigate the impact of 2 MeV proton irradiation on GaN films. Samples were irradiated at three fluence levels – 1x1011 cm−2, 1x1013 cm−2, and 1x1015 cm−2 and analyzed via high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) techniques. We observe via rocking curves (RCs) that the dislocation density decreases with increasing fluence, indicating that irradiation-induced annealing is occurring. This is further corroborated by symmetric and asymmetric reciprocal space maps (RSMs), which show a decrease in the spread of the lattice points after exposure to radiation. Additionally, we observe that the c-lattice parameter decreases with increasing fluence while the a-lattice parameter exhibits an opposite trend, resulting in an overall increase in the unit cell volume. Raman spectroscopy was used to probe in-plane strain through shifts in the E2(high) phonon mode. These results provide insights into the behavior of proton-irradiated GaN, further underscoring its potential as a radiation-tolerant material. The observed annealing can also be correlated with the electronic properties of GaN in future studies, thereby aiding in the development of more efficient devices.
氮化镓（GaN）最近成为高功率，高频应用的首选材料，包括高电子迁移率晶体管（hemt），主要用于卫星和其他部署在太空中的军事系统。然而，这些装置的可靠运行取决于GaN成分暴露于空间中存在的高能辐射时的结构稳定性。在这项研究中，我们研究了2 MeV质子辐照对GaN薄膜的影响。样品以三种辐照水平（1x1011 cm - 2、1x1013 cm - 2和1x1015 cm - 2）辐照，并通过高分辨率x射线衍射（HR-XRD）技术进行分析。通过摇摆曲线（RCs）观察到，位错密度随影响的增加而减小，表明辐照退火发生了。对称和非对称互易空间图（rsm）进一步证实了这一点，表明暴露于辐射后晶格点的扩散减少。此外，我们观察到c-晶格参数随着影响的增加而减小，而a-晶格参数则呈现相反的趋势，导致单位胞体积整体增加。拉曼光谱通过E2（高）声子模式的位移探测平面内应变。这些结果为质子辐照GaN的行为提供了见解，进一步强调了其作为耐辐射材料的潜力。在未来的研究中，观察到的退火也可以与GaN的电子特性相关联，从而有助于开发更高效的器件。
{"title":"Investigation of defects and strain in GaN due to proton irradiation","authors":"Shwetha Sunil Kumar , H. Renuka , Mohin Sharma , Bibhudutta Rout , Sanjit K. Ghose , B. Reeja-Jayan","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110368","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110368","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gallium nitride (GaN) has recently emerged as a preferred choice of material for high-power, high-frequency applications, including high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), which are primarily used in satellites and other military systems deployed in space. However, the reliable operation of these devices depends upon the structural stability of the constituent GaN on exposure to energetic radiations present in space. In this study, we investigate the impact of 2 MeV proton irradiation on GaN films. Samples were irradiated at three fluence levels – 1x10<sup>11</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>, 1x10<sup>13</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>, and 1x10<sup>15</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup> and analyzed via high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) techniques. We observe via rocking curves (RCs) that the dislocation density decreases with increasing fluence, indicating that irradiation-induced annealing is occurring. This is further corroborated by symmetric and asymmetric reciprocal space maps (RSMs), which show a decrease in the spread of the lattice points after exposure to radiation. Additionally, we observe that the c-lattice parameter decreases with increasing fluence while the a-lattice parameter exhibits an opposite trend, resulting in an overall increase in the unit cell volume. Raman spectroscopy was used to probe in-plane strain through shifts in the E<sub>2</sub>(high) phonon mode. These results provide insights into the behavior of proton-irradiated GaN, further underscoring its potential as a radiation-tolerant material. The observed annealing can also be correlated with the electronic properties of GaN in future studies, thereby aiding in the development of more efficient devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110368"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110377
Xiaodong Hao , Yuhao Zhou , Haoxuan Yi , Zhi Yang , Ruisi Cheng , Simin Liu , Lin Shang , Jing Zhang , Shufang Ma , Bingshe Xu
Self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) are promising for optoelectronic applications due to their tunable bandgap and quantum confinement. However, overgrowth often causes inhomogeneity and degradation. This study systematically investigates GaAs, InGaAs, and AlGaAs capping layers for InAs/GaAs quantum dots using HRXRD, AFM, and PL spectroscopy. Structural and optical properties are characterized using X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The InGaAs layer is found to improve size uniformity and cause a 59 nm redshift via strain buffering. The AlGaAs layer yields the largest QDs, a 79 nm redshift, enhanced thermal stability, and stronger carrier confinement. These results highlight the critical role of capping layers in tuning QD properties for device applications.
{"title":"Unraveling the effects of capping layers on the structural and optical properties of InAs quantum dots","authors":"Xiaodong Hao , Yuhao Zhou , Haoxuan Yi , Zhi Yang , Ruisi Cheng , Simin Liu , Lin Shang , Jing Zhang , Shufang Ma , Bingshe Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) are promising for optoelectronic applications due to their tunable bandgap and quantum confinement. However, overgrowth often causes inhomogeneity and degradation. This study systematically investigates GaAs, InGaAs, and AlGaAs capping layers for InAs/GaAs quantum dots using HRXRD, AFM, and PL spectroscopy. Structural and optical properties are characterized using X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The InGaAs layer is found to improve size uniformity and cause a 59 nm redshift via strain buffering. The AlGaAs layer yields the largest QDs, a 79 nm redshift, enhanced thermal stability, and stronger carrier confinement. These results highlight the critical role of capping layers in tuning QD properties for device applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110377"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110335
Abid Zaman , Salhah Hamed Alrefaee , Hifsa Shahid , Najeeb Hamed Alrefaei , Mukhlisa Soliyeva , Ismaylova N , Rawaa M. Mohammed , Vineet Tirth , Ali Algahtani , Noureddine Elboughdiri
Over the past decade and a half, multiferroic materials have garnered significant attention owing to their fascinating physical characteristics and promising functionality in advanced device applications. Ferroelectric systems are known for their intrinsic electric polarization, which results from collective atomic shifts and can be reversed by an external electric field. Herein, we studied the multifunctional physical properties of zinc blende (ZB) chromium carbide (CrC), focusing on its potential for multifunctional device applications. Structural optimization confirms the stability of the cubic F m phase, with a lattice constant of 3.20 Å. Total energy calculations reveal a ferromagnetic ground state, which remains robust under ±5 % uniaxial strain. Using the hybrid HSE functional, we demonstrate that CrC exhibits a direct band gap at the W point, tunable from 0.43 eV (tensile strain) to 1.14 eV (compressive strain), owing to modifications in orbital overlap and crystal field splitting. Band structures reveal dispersive features and low effective masses, indicating high carrier mobility desirable for optoelectronic devices. Optical analysis shows a strain-sensitive dielectric response, with a high static dielectric constant (ε1(0) ≈ 16–17), broad visible-range transparency, and tunable absorption in the ultraviolet region. The refractive index, reflectivity, and absorption coefficient further support the strain-mediated modulation of optical functionality. Additionally, polarization switching along the [111] direction and Berry phase analysis confirm the emergence of ferroelectric behavior in CrC. These findings highlight ZB-CrC as a promising ferromagnetic semiconductor with coupled ferroelectric and optical properties, suitable for next-generation spintronic, optoelectronic, and multifunctional devices.
{"title":"Simultaneous ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity in bulk zinc blende CrC with optical transparency at high-temperature","authors":"Abid Zaman , Salhah Hamed Alrefaee , Hifsa Shahid , Najeeb Hamed Alrefaei , Mukhlisa Soliyeva , Ismaylova N , Rawaa M. Mohammed , Vineet Tirth , Ali Algahtani , Noureddine Elboughdiri","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110335","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110335","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past decade and a half, multiferroic materials have garnered significant attention owing to their fascinating physical characteristics and promising functionality in advanced device applications. Ferroelectric systems are known for their intrinsic electric polarization, which results from collective atomic shifts and can be reversed by an external electric field. Herein, we studied the multifunctional physical properties of zinc blende (ZB) chromium carbide (CrC), focusing on its potential for multifunctional device applications. Structural optimization confirms the stability of the cubic F <span><math><mrow><mover><mn>4</mn><mo>‾</mo></mover><mn>3</mn></mrow></math></span> m phase, with a lattice constant of 3.20 Å. Total energy calculations reveal a ferromagnetic ground state, which remains robust under ±5 % uniaxial strain. Using the hybrid HSE functional, we demonstrate that CrC exhibits a direct band gap at the W point, tunable from 0.43 eV (tensile strain) to 1.14 eV (compressive strain), owing to modifications in orbital overlap and crystal field splitting. Band structures reveal dispersive features and low effective masses, indicating high carrier mobility desirable for optoelectronic devices. Optical analysis shows a strain-sensitive dielectric response, with a high static dielectric constant (<em>ε</em><sub>1</sub>(0) ≈ 16–17), broad visible-range transparency, and tunable absorption in the ultraviolet region. The refractive index, reflectivity, and absorption coefficient further support the strain-mediated modulation of optical functionality. Additionally, polarization switching along the [111] direction and Berry phase analysis confirm the emergence of ferroelectric behavior in CrC. These findings highlight ZB-CrC as a promising ferromagnetic semiconductor with coupled ferroelectric and optical properties, suitable for next-generation spintronic, optoelectronic, and multifunctional devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110335"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110349
Lizhi Zhang, Jianbiao Chen, Mingrui Liu, Xuhui Tian, Shuangju Jia, Yanxia Liang, Tao Ye, Hongyu Li, Jiangtao Chen, Jian Wang, Yun Zhao, Xuqiang Zhang, Xiaofei Dong, Yan Li
Memristors, regarded as one of the most promising artificial synapses, break the limitations of the Von Neumann architecture by mimicking neurons and synapses. In this work, a ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite was prepared as the resistive material for memristors using the sol-gel method and spin coating, forming a planar Ag/ZTO/FTO structure. The device exhibits highly stable resistive switching behavior within the voltage range of 2–3 V, and is capable of emulating long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) through modulation of the stimulus pulse amplitude. By deriving the fitted synaptic weight equations for LTP and LTD, a convolutional layer was defined, enabling the replacement of conventional convolution layers with memristor-based computations. The model achieving the highest accuracy was integrated into the design of a database management platform, which allows the dataset of clothing items to be imported into the interface, where automatic classification is performed. Users can add, delete, and statistically manage each category through an interactive interface. ZnO/SnO2-based memristors hold great promise for applications in artificial neural networks and related fields owing to their excellent plasticity characteristics.
{"title":"Innovative inventory management via convolutional neural networks based on ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite memristor","authors":"Lizhi Zhang, Jianbiao Chen, Mingrui Liu, Xuhui Tian, Shuangju Jia, Yanxia Liang, Tao Ye, Hongyu Li, Jiangtao Chen, Jian Wang, Yun Zhao, Xuqiang Zhang, Xiaofei Dong, Yan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110349","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Memristors, regarded as one of the most promising artificial synapses, break the limitations of the Von Neumann architecture by mimicking neurons and synapses. In this work, a ZnO/SnO<sub>2</sub> nanocomposite was prepared as the resistive material for memristors using the sol-gel method and spin coating, forming a planar Ag/ZTO/FTO structure. The device exhibits highly stable resistive switching behavior within the voltage range of 2–3 V, and is capable of emulating long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) through modulation of the stimulus pulse amplitude. By deriving the fitted synaptic weight equations for LTP and LTD, a convolutional layer was defined, enabling the replacement of conventional convolution layers with memristor-based computations. The model achieving the highest accuracy was integrated into the design of a database management platform, which allows the dataset of clothing items to be imported into the interface, where automatic classification is performed. Users can add, delete, and statistically manage each category through an interactive interface. ZnO/SnO<sub>2</sub>-based memristors hold great promise for applications in artificial neural networks and related fields owing to their excellent plasticity characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110349"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110347
Dan Han , Huitong Qin , Tongxiang Zhu , Hui Tu , Rongxing Cao , Yuxiong Xue
In recent years, β-Ga2O3 has demonstrated significant application potential in radiation environments such as aerospace due to its excellent physical properties. However, its damage behavior under high-energy proton irradiation requires further investigation. This study establishes structural models containing seven vacancy defects and systematically calculates defect formation energies and stabilities using density functional theory. Moreover, we analyze the effects of these defects on electronic structure, carrier mobility, and lattice thermal conductivity. The results indicate that high-energy proton irradiation primarily induces oxygen and gallium-oxygen complex vacancies. Among these, oxygen vacancies significantly reduce electron mobility, while gallium and gallium-oxygen complex vacancies decrease the bandgap. Polar optical phonon scattering is the dominant mechanism limiting carrier mobility of β-Ga2O3. All defects reduce thermal conductivity, with gallium and gallium-oxygen complex vacancies causing a more significant reduction. This study reveals the intrinsic connection between proton irradiation-induced defect types and the degradation of β-Ga2O3 material properties, providing theoretical foundations for radiation damage assessment of β-Ga2O3 based devices.
{"title":"Proton-induced defects in β-Ga2O3: A deep dive into electronic structure, carrier mobility, and thermal conductivity","authors":"Dan Han , Huitong Qin , Tongxiang Zhu , Hui Tu , Rongxing Cao , Yuxiong Xue","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110347","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110347","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, β-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> has demonstrated significant application potential in radiation environments such as aerospace due to its excellent physical properties. However, its damage behavior under high-energy proton irradiation requires further investigation. This study establishes structural models containing seven vacancy defects and systematically calculates defect formation energies and stabilities using density functional theory. Moreover, we analyze the effects of these defects on electronic structure, carrier mobility, and lattice thermal conductivity. The results indicate that high-energy proton irradiation primarily induces oxygen and gallium-oxygen complex vacancies. Among these, oxygen vacancies significantly reduce electron mobility, while gallium and gallium-oxygen complex vacancies decrease the bandgap. Polar optical phonon scattering is the dominant mechanism limiting carrier mobility of β-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>. All defects reduce thermal conductivity, with gallium and gallium-oxygen complex vacancies causing a more significant reduction. This study reveals the intrinsic connection between proton irradiation-induced defect types and the degradation of β-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> material properties, providing theoretical foundations for radiation damage assessment of β-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> based devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110347"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110322
Xinyu Bai , Saheed O Sanni , Zhengliang Dong , Yanjun Zhang , Jianping Shang , Jiyan Zhan , Dong Zhang , Ming Wang , Huiping Tang
Bismuth oxybromide (BiOI), amidst the bismuth-based semiconductor materials, tends to agglomerate and aggregate during the preparation process, despite its promising potential in environmental pollution control. To address this challenge, this study thus fabricates a series of BiOI/UiO-66 (BU-X) composites through an in-situ co-precipitation hydrothermal method, with significant photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of tetracycline (TC). The BU-6 exhibits significantly improved degradation efficiency (95.8 %) than either single component (BiOI - 50.0 % and UiO-66 - 40.5 %) within 16 min under optimal conditions (0.50 g/L catalyst dosage, pH 7). The high activity of BU-6 is attributed to reduced particle aggregation, high specific surface area, and expedited photogenerated charge carrier migration pathway. Free radical trapping experiments and ESR further confirm the hierarchy of reactive oxidative species (ROS) influence on the TC photodegradation. The TC degradation reaction pathway aligns with a Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism, thus promoting the redox capability of the BU-6 catalyst. Finally, the photocatalyst maintained stability after four cycles, and the growth of mung beans was promoted using the treated TC solution, thus highlighting reduced toxicity after photodegradation.
{"title":"Fabrication of BiOI/UiO-66 Z-scheme heterojunctions with improved photodegradation performance of tetracycline","authors":"Xinyu Bai , Saheed O Sanni , Zhengliang Dong , Yanjun Zhang , Jianping Shang , Jiyan Zhan , Dong Zhang , Ming Wang , Huiping Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bismuth oxybromide (BiOI), amidst the bismuth-based semiconductor materials, tends to agglomerate and aggregate during the preparation process, despite its promising potential in environmental pollution control. To address this challenge, this study thus fabricates a series of BiOI/UiO-66 (BU-X) composites through an in-situ co-precipitation hydrothermal method, with significant photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of tetracycline (TC). The BU-6 exhibits significantly improved degradation efficiency (95.8 %) than either single component (BiOI - 50.0 % and UiO-66 - 40.5 %) within 16 min under optimal conditions (0.50 g/L catalyst dosage, pH 7). The high activity of BU-6 is attributed to reduced particle aggregation, high specific surface area, and expedited photogenerated charge carrier migration pathway. Free radical trapping experiments and ESR further confirm the hierarchy of reactive oxidative species (ROS) influence on the TC photodegradation. The TC degradation reaction pathway aligns with a Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism, thus promoting the redox capability of the BU-6 catalyst. Finally, the photocatalyst maintained stability after four cycles, and the growth of <em>mung beans</em> was promoted using the treated TC solution, thus highlighting reduced toxicity after photodegradation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110322"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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