High-Performance Visible-to-SWIR Photodetector Based on the Layered WS Heterojunction with Light-Trapping Pyramidal Black Germanium.

This study presents a layered transition metal dichalcogenide/black germanium (b-Ge) heterojunction photodetector that exhibits superior performance across a broad spectrum of wavelengths spanning from visible (vis) to shortwave infrared (SWIR). The photodetector includes a thin layer of b-Ge, which is created by wet etching of germanium (Ge) wafer to form submicrometer pyramidal structures. On top of this b-Ge layer, the WS thin film is deposited using pulsed laser deposition.

Synthesis of a large area ReS thin film by CVD for in-depth investigation of resistive switching: effects of metal electrodes, channel width and noise behaviour.

The anisotropic crystal structure and layer independent electrical and optical properties of ReS make it unique among other two-dimensional materials (2DMs), emphasizing a special need for its synthesis. This work discusses the synthesis and in-depth characterization of a 1 × 1 cm large and few layered ReS film. Vibrational modes and excitonic peaks observed from the Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectra corroborated the formation of a ReS film with a 1.

Tailoring the Vertical and Planar Growth of 2D WS Thin Films Using Pulsed Laser Deposition for Enhanced Gas Sensing Properties.

In this study, pulsed laser deposition has been utilized for the controllable synthesis of WS thin films with growth orientation ranging from vertically to horizontally aligned layers, and the effect of growth parameters has been investigated. The growth of thin films on SiO substrates at three different pressures (30, 50, and 70 mTorr) and three different temperatures (400, 500, and 600 °C) has been studied. Detailed characterizations carried out on the as-grown layers clearly show the formation of the 2H-WS phase and its morphological evolution with deposition conditions.

Localized surface plasmon resonance-enhanced solar-blind AlGaN MSM photodetectors exhibiting high-temperature robustness.

The appealing properties of tunable direct wide bandgap, high-temperature robustness and chemical hardness, make AlGaN a promising candidate for fabricating robust solar-blind photodetectors (PDs). In this work, we have utilized the optical phenomenon of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in metal nanoparticles (NPs) to significantly enhance the performance of solar-blind AlGaN metal-semiconductor-metal PDs that exhibit high-temperature robustness. We demonstrate that the presence of palladium (Pd) NPs leads to a remarkable enhancement by nearly 600, 300, and 462%, respectively, in the photo-to-dark current ratio (PDCR), responsivity, and specific detectivity of the AlGaN PD at the wavelength of 280 nm.

Modifying the Thermoelectric Transport of SbTe Thin Films via the Carrier Filtering Effect by Incorporating Size-Selected Gold Nanoparticles.

Hot energy carrier filtering as a means to improve the thermoelectric (TE) property in SbTe thin film samples having size-selected Au nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated in the present study. Nonagglomerated Au NPs with a very narrow size distribution grown by an integrated gas-phase synthesis setup are incorporated into the SbTe thin film synthesized by RF magnetron sputtering. TE properties have been investigated as a function of size-selected Au NP concentrations and compared with that of a nanocomposite sample having non-size-selected Au NPs.

Growth of Large-Area 2D MoS₂ Arrays at Pre-Defined Locations Using Stencil Mask Lithography.

The growth of MoS2 layers of desired dimensions at predefined locations is essential for fabricating opto-electronic devices based solely on MoS2 or on hetero-structures based on MoS2. Here we present a new route for patterned growth of MoS2 by combining radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering, stencil mask lithography and vapour phase sulfurization. The present method does not involve chemical etchants and organic photoresist and hence provides a simplified process of achieving MoS2 patterns.

Scanning thermal probe microscope method for the determination of thermal diffusivity of nanocomposite thin films.

A commercial scanning thermal microscope has been upgraded to facilitate its use in estimating the radial thermal diffusivity of thin films close to room temperature. The modified setup includes a microcontroller driven microhotplate coupled with a Bluetooth module for wireless control. The microcontroller board (Arduino Leonardo) is used to generate a bias of suitable voltage amplitude and pulse duration which is applied across the microhotplate contact pads.

Synthesis and characterization of monodispersed orthorhombic manganese oxide nanoparticles produced by Bacillus sp. cells simultaneous to its bioremediation.

A heavy metal resistant strain of Bacillus sp. (MTCC10650) is reported. The strain exhibited the property of bioaccumulating manganese, simultaneous to its remediation.

Synthesis and luminescence properties of alumina encapsulated InN nanorods.

The present study reports a two-step procedure to synthesize InN nanorods inside the pores of an anodic alumina membrane. In the first step, pores of the membrane are filled with indium via electrodeposition. The second step involves nitridation of the as-deposited nanorods by room temperature plasma annealing.

A bioconjugate of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase with alginate with enhanced catalytic efficiency.

A bioconjugate of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase with alginate was prepared by simple adsorption. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images showed that this bioconjugate resulted from adsorption rather than entrapment of the enzyme as enzyme molecules were visible on the gel surface. The soluble bioconjugate exhibited increased enzyme activity in terms of high effectiveness factor (effectiveness factor was 3 for the immobilized preparation) and greater Vmax/Km value (Vmax/Km increased 25 times upon immobilization).