Investigation of Dual-Ion Beam Sputter-Instigated Plasmon Generation in TCOs: A Case Study of GZO

Abstract

The use of the high free-electron concentration in heavily doped semiconductor enables the realization of plasmons. We report a novel approach to generate plasmons in Ga:ZnO (GZO) thin films in the wide spectral range of ∼1.87-10.04 eV. In the grown GZO thin films, dual-ion beam sputtering (DIBS) instigated plasmon is observed because of the formation of different metallic nanoclusters are reported. Moreover, formation of the nanoclusters and generation of plasmons are verified by field emission scanning electron microscope, electron energy loss spectra obtained by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry analysis. Moreover, the calculation of valence bulk, valence surface, and particle plasmon resonance energies are performed, and indexing of each plasmon peaks with corresponding plasmon energy peak of the different nanoclusters is carried out. Further, the use of DIBS-instigated plasmon-enhanced GZO can be a novel mean to improve the performance of photovoltaic, photodetector, and sensing devices.

Influence of the Micro-Nanostructuring of Titanium Dioxide Films on the Photocatalytic Degradation of Formic Acid under UV Illumination

“…The development and improvement of surface coatings is a major challenge in industry today because materials are used in many strategic sectors, including health, transport, housing, energy, and the production of luxury goods [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Metal oxides are an important class of materials that can meet this need thanks to their chemical, mechanical, and thermal stability, and thanks to their physical and chemical properties (e.g., SiO 2 , ZnO, TiO 2 ) [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is the best known and most widely used of these oxides to date.…”

Synthesis, structural and spectroscopic properties of orthorhombic compounds BaLnCuS3 (Ln = Pr, Sm)

“…Complex chalcogenide compounds have interesting chemical and physical properties and the materials are widely used in modern optical and electronic technologies [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In recent years, complex Cu + -containing sulfides and selenides were considered as promising thin film absorber materials in solar cell structures [11][12][13][14][15][16]. This activated general interest to crystal chemistry and the properties of Cu + chalcogenides, including a search for new materials.…”

Enhancing Detection Sensitivity of ZnO-Based Infrared Plasmonic Sensors Using Capped Dielectric Ga2O3 Layers for Real-Time Monitoring of Biological Interactions

“…The research detailed herein presents a new sensing approach on ZnO in addition to the conventional sensing techniques described above. Recently, increased efforts have focused on alternative plasmonic materials including Si, III-nitrides, and oxide semiconductors. − Surface plasmons on oxide semiconductors (oxide-based SPRs) are expected to be successfully employed for optical applications in the infrared (IR) range. − One particularly interesting material is metallic ZnO layers obtained by doping with Ga (Al) impurity atoms, , which have great potential due to their lower optical losses compared with noble metals in the IR range. It has been reported that surface plasmon resonances on the metallic ZnO (ZnO-SPRs) layers and nanostructures are excited from the near- to mid-IR range in terms of propagated- and localized-type surface plasmons, respectively. − Of these structures, we have focused on film platforms for the development of biosensing applications with propagated-type SPRs.…”