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The phenomenon of Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless (BKT) phase fluctuations and the superconducting fluctuations is investigated in a 40 nm thick granular aluminum film using magneto-transport measurements. The transport measurements suggest the possibility of strong electron–phonon (el–ph) interactions in contrast to a Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer superconductor. It shows a BKT transition of 2.304 K and a superconducting mean-field transition at 2.32 K. The presence of the resistive tail even before the BKT transition reflects the abundance of thermally activated free vortices. By analyzing the excess conductivity, Gaussian–Ginzburg–Landau superconducting fluctuations are observed above the superconducting transition, which causes rounding of the transition region even before the superconducting transition. The temperature dependence of the fluctuation conductivity in zero magnetic field exhibits distinct signatures of the two-dimensional direct Aslamazov–Larkin theory, with a significant contribution from the Maki–Thompson (MT) model. Furthermore, the anomalous behavior of the fluctuation conductivity at higher temperatures and perpendicular magnetic fields (up to 700 mT) is explained in terms of the total-energy cutoff (=0.72) in the low-wavelength region of the superconducting fluctuations and a pair-breaking parameter (∼0.031). Further studies on the pair-breaking parameter indicate the presence of the el–ph scattering, which diminishes the MT contribution. Our study carries important bearings on how the BKT phase fluctuations and superconducting amplitude fluctuations control the conductivity of granular superconductor near and above the transition region as non-equilibrium properties of weakly disordered granular superconductors. This research is of significance, offering insights into the fundamental properties of granular superconductivity and aiding in the comprehension of nano-structured thin film devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite widespread interest in the phase-change applications of vanadium dioxide (VO2), the fabrication of high-quality VO2 thin films with elevated transition temperatures (TIMT) and high insulator–metal-transition resistance switching still remains a challenge. This study introduces a two-step atmospheric oxidation approach to fabricate bilayer VO2−x/VO2 films on a c-plane sapphire substrate. To quantify the impact of the VO2 buffer layer, a single-layer VO2 film of the same thickness was also fabricated. The bilayer VO2−x/VO2 films, wherein the top VO2−x film was under-oxidized, demonstrated an elevation in TIMT reaching ∼97 °C, one of the highest reported to date for VO2 films and is achieved in a doping-free manner. Our results also reveal a one-order increase in resistance switching, with the optimum bilayer VO2/VO2 film exhibiting ∼3.6 orders of switching from 25 to 110 °C, compared to the optimum single-layer VO2 reference film. This is accompanied by a one-order decrease in the on-state resistance in its metallic phase. The elevation in TIMT, coupled with increased strain extracted from the XRD characterization of the bilayer film, suggests the possibility of compressive strain along the c-axis. These VO2−x/VO2 films also demonstrate a significant change in the slope of their resistance vs temperature curves contrary to the conventional smooth transition. This feature was ascribed to the rutile/monoclinic quasi-heterostructure formed due to the top VO2−x film having a reduced TIMT. Our findings carry significant implications for both the lucid fabrication of VO2 thin film devices as well as the study of phase transitions in correlated oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric HfO 2 -based materials have attracted extensive attention in the research of next-generation nonvolatile memories and logic devices due to their superior scaling properties and compatibility with the CMOS process. However, forming the ferroelectric metastable phase in the thin films of a few nanometers requires clamping of the top and bottom electrodes. As a result, the interface can significantly impact domain structure and polarization, leading to imprinting effects and non-uniform space charge distribution. Here, we have demonstrated how the interface affects the ferroelectric polarization in Hf 0.5 Zr 0·5 O 2 (HZO) thin films produced by ALD and the physical mechanisms behind it. We found that by regulating the quantity of oxygen vacancy content at the top and bottom interfaces of TiN/HZO/TiN ferroelectric capacitors, it is possible to achieve inversion of polarization orientation. By using a spherical aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope and first-principles calculation, we identified that the internal electric field generated by the accumulation of oxygen vacancies at an interface and the asymmetrical electrostatic energy of the interfacial T-phase layer jointly play a role in the ferroelectric polarization orientation. Our results will significantly help the interface engineering of HfO 2 -based ferroelectric thin films and devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) could create opportunities of modulating resistive switching behaviors due to their unique electrical performance. Here, CQDs are introduced to enhance switching uniformity and magnetic properties in Co 3 O 4 thin film memory devices. Compared with the pure Co 3 O 4 -based device, the device with CQDs exhibited better performance, such as a reduced initialization voltage, uniform distribution of Set and Reset voltages, stable endurance behavior, and enhanced magnetization performance. The fitting results of current-voltage curves showed that the low-resistance states and high-resistance states of the devices obey Ohmic conduction and Schottky emission, respectively. The improvement in resistive switching properties is ascribed to the formation and rupture of confined conductive filaments due to that CQDs enhanced the local electric field, which can efficiently guide the filament growth and suppress the randomness of filament growth. Magnetization modulation associated with resistive switching involves in the variation of oxygen vacancies concentration and the conversion between Co2+ and Co3+. The present study exhibits an effective path to enhance resistive switching and magnetic properties, which shows promising application to design multifunctional electro-magnetic integrated devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi‐based organic halides have attracted widespread attention as potential substitutes for lead‐based organic halide perovskites and have been explored and applied in many optoelectronic devices. The rational design of organic Bi‐based halides is a popular research topic. In this work, we used benzylammonium (BA) cations to synthesize BA3Bi2I9 (BBI) perovskite material and FA3Bi2I9 (FBI, FA [formamidinium]) as control. We observe that the benzene rings in BA cations overlap with each other due to the benzene rings Π‐Π conjugation in the crystal structure of BBI, which exhibits large interplanar spacing due to large BA ions. BBI has preferential orientation along the (020) crystal plane. Due to conjugation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) mapping images indicate that the surface of the BBI thin film is smoother and more uniform than that of the FBI thin film. We fabricated the device by growing thin films of BBI and FBI on ITO interdigital electrodes. The photodetector based on BBI SC exhibits stability and regularity with turning on/off of the light at different intensities (10, 20, 30, and 40 W m−2) and wavelengths (386, 397, 405, and 433 nm). The ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption and reflection spectrum analysis shows that BBI has a slightly wider bandgap than FBI. This study can provide some ideas for the design Π‐Π conjugation in organic metal halides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochromic (EC) thin films have received considerable attention due to their potential applications in various fields such as smart windows, electrochromic displays, and energy storage devices. This review highlights various methods used for the fabrication and functionalization of EC films for various applications. Various techniques for EC thin film deposition ranging from solution-processable, low-temperature approaches such as sol-gel, spin coating, dip coating, and spray pyrolysis, to advanced techniques for deposition such as physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and sputtering are summarized in this review. In addition, various applications of EC thin films and the outcome of different deposition approaches on the opto-electrochromic properties of EC thin films have been discussed elaborately. This review has the potential to spark the interest of researchers from a broad range of disciplines, including photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, nanotechnology and materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular self‐organization and reorganization and thus volumetric and density changes during structural relaxation and melting of modern organic semi‐conducting materials remains largely unknown, particularly in the device relevant thin film geometry where the initial state may be structurally quenched away from equilibrium. Here, the apparent mass‐thickness of a range of semi‐conducting polymeric or molecular model materials systems is measured through in situ ellipsometry. Surprisingly, the volume changes upon melting correlate inversely, with a few exceptions, to the quality of crystallinity found via x‐ray methods (i.e., directly correlate with the paracrystalline g‐parameter) rather than the melting enthalpy that is possibly a proxy for the degree of crystallinity. This study also observes changes in orientation and/or density due to segmental relaxation during the first heat, thus complementing other characterization methods that measure relaxation or reorganization transitions. Semiconducting materials exhibit very large melt expansion and a richer phase‐behavior compared to commodity polymers, presumably due to their complex chemical structure. The results delineate an important and novel structure‐function relation that, together with simulations constrained by these results, will lead to better rational design of semi‐conducting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic Frameworks (MOFs), especially as thin films, are increasingly recognized for their potential in device integration, notably in sensors and photo detectors. A critical factor in the performance of many MOF‐based devices is the quality of the MOF interfaces. Achieving MOF thin films with smooth surfaces and low defect densities is essential. Given the extensive parameter space governing MOF thin film deposition, the use of machine learning (ML) methods to optimize deposition conditions is highly beneficial. Combined with robotic fabrication, ML can more effectively explore this space than traditional methods, simultaneously varying multiple parameters to improve optimization efficiency. Importantly, ML can provide deeper insights into the synthesis of MOF thin films, an essential area of research. This study focuses on refining an HKUST‐1 SURMOF (surface‐mounted MOF) to achieve minimal surface roughness and high crystallinity, including a quantitative analysis of the importance of the various synthesis parameters. Using the SyCoFinder ML technique, thin film surface quality is markedly enhanced in just three generations created by a genetic algorithm, covering 30 distinct parameter sets. This method greatly reduces the need for extensive experimentation. Moreover, the results enhance the understanding of the vast synthesis parameter space in HKUST‐1 SURMOF growth and broaden the applications of MOF thin films in electronic and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, solution‐processed antimony sulfoselenide (Sb2(S,Se)3) thin films and solar cells have gained popularity and achieved impressive results. One of the most effective improvements is the chemical bath deposition (CBD) approach, which is gentle, highly adjustable, and scalable. However, development in alloyed Sb2(S,Se)3 using this process has been modest, with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of roughly 8%. In this work, a sequential CBD deposition strategy is designed, introducing sulfur (S) or selenium (Se) sources at different stages of the CBD process to achieve high‐quality Sb2(S,Se)3 thin films and devices. Impressively, adding a moderate amount of sodium thiosulfate and thioacetamide as mixed sulfur sources during the CBD deposition of Sb2Se3 can produce Se‐rich Sb2(S,Se)3 films with high crystallinity, suitable bandgaps, low defect density, and favorable energy level alignment. With a short‐circuit current density (JSC) of 26.80 mA cm−2 and a fill factor (FF) of 65.89%, the solar cells with the FTO/CdS/Sb2(S,Se)3/Spiro‐OMeTAD/Au structure obtained an impressive PCE of 9.29%, the highest to date for Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells manufactured with the CBD process. This study provides a feasible approach for enhancing the performance of CBD‐produced Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells and offers new insights and techniques for the synthesis of other complex multicomponent thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetron‐sputtered thermoelectric thin films have the potential for reproducibility and scalability. However, lattice mismatch during sputtering can lead to increased defects in the epitaxial layer, which poses a significant challenge to improving their thermoelectric performance. In this work, nanocrystalline n‐type Bi2Te3 thin films with an average grain size of ≈110 nm are prepared using high‐temperature sputtering and post‐annealing. Herein, it is demonstrated that high‐temperature treatment exacerbates Te evaporation, creating Te vacancies and electron‐like effects. Annealing improves crystallinity, increases grain size, and reduces defects, which significantly increases carrier mobility. Furthermore, the pre‐deposited Ti additives are ionized at high temperatures and partially diffused into Bi2Te3, resulting in a Ti doping effect that increases the carrier concentration. Overall, the 1 µm thick n‐type Bi2Te3 thin film exhibits a room temperature resistivity as low as 3.56 × 10−6 Ω∙m. Notably, a 5 µm thick Bi2Te3 thin film achieves a record power factor of 6.66 mW mK−2 at room temperature, which is the highest value reported to date for n‐type Bi2Te3 thin films using magnetron sputtering. This work demonstrates the potential for large‐scale of high‐quality Bi2Te3‐based thin films and devices for room‐temperature TE applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyimide‐based dielectric films are widely used in various thin film devices including organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) owing to their promising thermal/chemical stability, mechanical flexibility, and insulating properties. On the other hand, considerable attention is paid to lowering the process temperature to allow coating on plastic substrates because high‐temperature annealing (≈200 °C) is usually required to convert precursors to polyimide films with those excellent properties. In addition, polyimide‐based dielectric films have low dielectric constants (k) (<4). Therefore, modifying the k properties of polyimide is a critical issue for applications as an insulating thin film for practical transistors. This paper reports a new type of polyimide‐based gate dielectric comprising methacryloyl moiety (PI‐MA) as a side chain for photo‐pattern/processability and high‐k properties. This study shows that the photocured PI‐MA thin films show excellent insulating properties (leakage current densities < 10−8 A cm⁻2 at 4 MV cm⁻1) and high‐k properties (≈8) even without a post‐annealing process. Finally, the use of PI‐MA in printed field‐effect transistors results in high performance with low‐voltage operation (within 5 V) and integrated logic‐gate devices (NOT, NAND, and NOR gates). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin films of pure and zinc-doped cadmium oxide (CdO) were fabricated utilizing the spray pyrolysis method on glass substrates. An extensive analysis was conducted encompassing structural, morphological, compositional, optical, and electrical aspects of these films. Powdered X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis unveiled that the deposited thin films possessed face-centered cubic structures characteristic of monteponite CdO. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images depicted distinct crystalline morphologies among the nanoscale thin films, varying with the dopant concentration. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) spectra confirmed the presence of Cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), and Oxygen (O) in the samples. Optical absorption spectra indicated an escalating absorption trend with increasing Zn+2 doping. Moreover, the optical band gap was higher for Zn-doped CdO thin films, reaching 2.71 eV for 1-wt% Zn, compared to 2.58 eV for pure CdO. Refractive index and photoconductivity properties exhibited significant dependency on the doping concentration. Electrical characteristics, evaluated via Van der Pauw Hall effect measurements, revealed a notable decline in electrical resistivity with escalating zinc doping levels. Consequently, the films exhibited advantageous degenerate semiconductor properties. PL spectra displayed an enhanced visible emission at 470, 575, and 630 nm with Zn2+ doping, which interprets the defect density in CdO by occupying Cd2+ vacancies with Zn2+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Step edge Josephson junctions are fabricated with varying step angles ranging from 10° to 35° on the MgO (100) single-crystal substrate. The impact of step angle on the transport characteristics of the step edge junction is studied. It is found that as the step angle increases, the critical current (Ic) of the junction drops while its normal state resistance (Rn) rises. The overall IcRn product is found to be increasing with an increase in the step angle at all temperatures from 68 K to 77 K. For the 35° step angle junction, the IcRn value is obtained to be 0.34 mV at 77 K, which is comparable to the best values of IcRn products at 77 K so far. For lower step angle junctions, the superconductor grain to grain coupling exhibits more superconductor-normal-superconductor (SNS) type behavior, but as the step angle increases, the superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) type behavior becomes apparent. MgO-based step edge junctions perform well in SQUID and terahertz detection applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the synthesis and optimization of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films through the cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique, utilizing varying molar concentrations of zinc acetate precursor. The unique hierarchical morphology of the ZnO thin film with a zinc concentration of 0.2 M, comprising nanoflakes connected by nanowires, is explored for its superior properties, including a hexagonal wurzite structure, enhanced transparency, and a blue shift in absorbance spectra. Structural, optical, and morphological analyses reveal the promising characteristics of the 0.2 M specimen, making it a potential candidate for applications in optoelectronics, microelectronics, and solar cells. Furthermore, the optimized ZnO thin film is employed as an antireflective layer and heterojunction partner in a CZTS/ZnO thin film heterojunction device. The diode behavior observed in the current-voltage characteristics emphasizes the rectifying properties of the CZTS/ZnO hetero-junction, opening avenues for further optimization and enhanced device performance in electronic and optoelectronic applications. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts in transitioning towards sustainable energy sources by providing insights into the fabrication of efficient and cost-effective thin film heterojunction devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) photodetectors convert light into electrical signals via PEC processes, providing high sensitivity, positioning them as promising candidates for next-gen optoelectronic devices. Over the past few years, there has been a significant interest in the field of photodetection regarding 2D materials, owing to their advantageous properties. In this study, the PEC photodetection of hydrothermally synthesized MoS2–Se nanocomposites have been systematically tested. Structural analysis confirms the coexistence of MoS2 and Se phases in the synthesized nanocomposites with crystallite sizes in the nanoscale dimension. Optical studies indicate that MoS2–Se nanocomposites exhibit broadened absorption spectrum extending to UV region, unlike pure MoS2 which absorbs solely in the visible region. This enhances their sensitivity for wide-band photodetectors with a small bandgap (1.01–1.34 eV). Optoelectronic study revealed superior performance of MoS2–Se thin film PEC device with efficient photoresponse with a responsivity of 38.3 μA/W and fast response time of 0.12 s. The novelty of this research resides in the integration of these unique features in MoS2–Se nanocomposites for PEC photodetectors, explored for the first time. The innovative aspect of this study involves employing spin coating to deposit 2D MoS2–Se thin films, which enhances control over film thickness and uniformity, thereby resulting in improved responsivity and photocurrent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting polymers have attracted significant interest due to their unique properties, including metal-like conductivity, ionic conductivity, optical transparency, and mechanical flexibility. Poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfone) (PEDOT:PSS) is commonly utilized as the hole transport layer (HTL) in optoelectronic devices. However, its high acidity, primarily attributed to the low pH of PSS, poses challenges such as counter electrode etching, detrimental interactions with the photoactive layer, and device instability. To address these issues, researchers are exploring alternative HTL materials and deposition methods. Oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) has emerged as a promising technique to fabricate high-quality PEDOT thin films without PSS, enhancing device stability. The selection of an appropriate oxidant is crucial in oCVD, as it significantly influences film properties and performance. The utilization of liquid oxidants enables direct integration of conductive polymer thin films into devices through a one-step, dry process, eliminating the need for post-deposition rinsing and ensuring compatibility with solvent-sensitive and temperature-sensitive substrates. Moreover, precise control over liquid oxidant flow rates provides advantages over solid oxidants. This prospective article provides an overview of recent advancements in engineering the texture and nanostructure of conducting polymers to boost electrical conductivity and enhance optoelectronic performance. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in oCVD method, focusing on the use of liquid oxidants. Furthermore, the prospective article underscores the significance of oCVD in the efficient fabrication of PEDOT thin films without PSS, thus playing a pivotal role in the development of stable optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of semiconductor manufacturing technology, thin film structures were widely used in MEMS devices. These films played critical roles in providing support, reinforcement, and insulation in MEMS devices. However, due to their microscopic dimensions, the sensitivity of their parameters and performance to thermal stress increased significantly. In this study, a Pirani gauge sample with a multilayer thin film structure was designed and fabricated. Based on this sample, finite element modeling analysis and thermal stress experiments were conducted. The finite element modeling analysis employed a combination of steady-state and transient methods to simulate the deformation and stress distribution of the device at room temperature (25 °C), low temperature (−55 °C), and high temperature (125 °C). The thermal stress test involved placing the sample in a temperature cycling chamber for temperature cycling tests. After the tests, the resonant frequency and surface deformation of the device were measured to quantitatively evaluate the impact of thermal stress on the deformation and resonant frequency parameters of the device. After the experiments, it was found that the clamped-end beams made of Pt were a stress concentration area. Additionally, the repetitive thermal load caused the cantilever beam to move cyclically in the Z direction. This movement altered the deformation of the film and the resonant frequency. The suspended film exhibited concavity, and the overall trend of the resonant frequency was downward. Over time, this could even lead to the fracture of the clamped-end beams. The variation of mechanical parameters derived from finite element simulations and experiments provided an important reference value for device design improvement and played a crucial role in enhancing the reliability of thin film devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricated terahertz (THz) wave emitters from high-temperature superconductor Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 + δ (Bi2212) single crystals annealed under oxygen gas ( O 2) flow and nitrogen gas ( N 2) flow conditions. To better understand the annealing effects of the crystal for the device, we evaluated both device properties and a c -axis lattice constant using x-ray diffraction. Compared to the N 2 -annealed sample, the O 2 -annealed sample shows higher critical current in the current–voltage characteristics and no clear emission. In addition, multiple hysteresis loops were observed above 75 K. Based on the x-ray diffraction measurements, it is suggested that the presence of multiple hysteresis loops observed in the I–V characteristics of the O 2 -annealed sample is caused by the existence of layers that have varying levels of oxygen content along the c -axis direction of the crystal. The formation of these layers is attributed to the deposition process of metallic thin films during the device fabrication procedure. This result indicates that the Bi2212 crystal surface of the O 2 -annealed sample is more sensitive than that of the N 2 -annealed one. The information is useful for preparing the Bi2212 crystals for THz-wave emitting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Among the emerging photovoltaic technologies, solid‐state dye‐sensitised solar cells (ssDSSCs) have attracted considerable interest due to their cost‐effective production, adjustable characteristics, and potential for lightweight and flexible applications. Nevertheless, achieving efficiencies comparable to established technologies, such as perovskite and silicon‐based solar devices, have proven challenging. Herein, the device structure, Pt/PEDOT: PSS/N719 dye/PC61BM/ITO is investigated theoretically using the solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS‐1D). Groundbreaking advancement is introduced in ssDSSC design, achieving remarkable theoretical power conversion efficiency of 20.73%, surpassing the performance reported in traditional dye‐based solar cell technologies. The model ssDSSC demonstrates an exceptional Fill factor of 86.64%, indicating efficient current collection; along with a modest short‐circuit current density (Jsc) of 22.38 mA/cm2 and an impressive open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.0691 V, highlighting efficient light absorption and charge separation. Mott–Schottky capacitance analysis and parasitic resistances (series and shunt) have been thoroughly discussed. Despite the fact that only numerical simulation is involved, the proposed ssDSSCs structure gives insights into the fabrication of a highly efficient solar cell that can be injected into the production workflow in order to advance the photovoltaic technology of the solid‐state DSSC.

Multiple internal reflection-based absorption-dominant stretchable electromagnetic shielding thin film by incorporating liquid metal grid structure is developed. The device demonstrates high electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) (SET of up to 75 dB) with low reflectance (SER of 1.5 dB at the resonant frequency). The shielding properties of the device can be tuned by adjusting the liquid metal patterned grid spaces upon strain.

Bulk black phosphorous (bP) exhibits excellent infrared (IR) optoelectronic properties, but most reported bP IR photodetectors are fabricated from single exfoliated flakes with lateral sizes of < 100 µm. Here, scalable thin films of bP suitable for IR photodetector arrays are realized through a tailored solution‐deposition method. The properties of the bP film and their protective capping layers are optimized to fabricate bP IR photoconductors exhibiting specific detectivities up to 4.0 × 108 cm Hz1/2 W−1 with fast 30/60 µs rise/fall times under λ = 2.2 µm illumination. The scalability of the bP thin film fabrication is demonstrated by fabricating a linear array of 25 bP photodetectors and obtaining 25 × 25 pixel IR images at ≈203 ppi with good spatial fidelity. This research demonstrates a commercially viable method of fabricating scalable bP thin films for optoelectronic devices including room temperature‐operable IR photodetector arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic metamaterials interact with light at the micro–nano scale, enabling unprecedented optical manipulation capabilities, which play a key role in nonlinear optics, spin optics, negative index, and zero index materials. Recently, thin‐film lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) has emerged as a promising platform for integrated photonics due to its unique material properties, including an excellent electro–optic effect, wide transparency window, and low waveguide losses. Metamaterial structures are promising for constructing novel integrated photonic circuit building blocks on LNOI as they can provide advantageous circuit functionality. In this work, as a proof of concept, high‐performance polarization manipulating devices including polarization splitter rotator (PSR), polarization rotator (PR), and polarizer are demonstrated using photonic metamaterials on the etchless LNOI platform by introducing a silicon nitride layer on the top of LNOI wafer as the loading material. In this way, full advantage of lithium niobate (LN) can be taken to achieve various high‐performance integrated photonic devices, while avoiding the etching of LN and simplifying the fabrication process greatly, which can bring bright prospects for achieving large‐scale lithium niobate integrated photonic circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance electro‐optic (EO) materials greatly enhance modulators and switches in various photonic applications. We investigate the evolution of the tolerance factor (t) and EO coefficient (rc) in A‐site and B‐site doped BaTiO3 (BT) thin films. Our analysis reveals that cation transmutation has a remarkable impact on their dielectric constant, spontaneous polarization, optical band gap, and EO coefficient. Notably, Pb‐doped BT samples exhibit an even higher rc value of 336.5 pm/V, representing a nearly 60% increase compared to pure BT and approximately 11 times larger than that of LiNbO3. This substantial improvement in EO performance can be attributed to enhanced local structural heterogeneity resulting from cation dopants. Furthermore, infusing dopants in BT also result in good structural uniformity and reliable EO performances, regardless of temperature and frequency. Our study offers valuable insights into doping engineering for obtaining functional perovskite oxides, enabling the development of power‐efficient, ultra‐compact integrated nanophotonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Ag/FWO/FTO memristive devices exhibit analogue-type bipolar resistive switching behavior. • The optimized device shows reliable non-volatile memory characteristics. • Statistical analysis reveals the better operational uniformity of the memristive devices. • The stable negative differential resistance (NDR) effect was observed in the devices. • Switching currents were modeled using Holt's Winter Exponential Smoothing technique. The memristors offer significant advantages as a key element in non-volatile and brain-inspired neuromorphic systems because of their salient features such as remarkable endurance, ability to store multiple bits, fast operation speed, and extremely low energy usage. This work reports the resistive switching (RS) characteristics of the hydrothermally synthesized iron tungstate (FeWO 4) based thin film memristive device. The detailed physicochemical analysis was investigated using Rietveld's refinement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The fabricated Ag/FWO/FTO memristive device exhibits bipolar resistive switching (BRS) behavior. In addition, the devices exhibit negative differential resistance (NDR) at both positive and negative bias. The charge-flux relation portrayed the non-ideal or memristive nature of the devices. The reliability in the RS process was analyzed in detail using Weibull distribution and time series analysis techniques. The device exhibits stable and multilevel endurance and retention characteristics which demonstrates the suitability of the device for the high-density non-volatile memory application. The current conduction of the device was dominated by Ohmic and trap controlled-space charge limited current (TC-SCLC) mechanisms and filamentary RS process responsible for the BRS in the device. In a nutshell, the present investigations reveal the potential use of the iron tungstate for the fabrication of memristive devices for the non-volatile memory application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce an enhanced light-harvesting MoS2-based nanocomposite exhibiting improved solar light induced photocurrent generation, both in solution and solid phases. The MoS2-CdS composite was synthesized via easy to achieve, cost effective, two-step solution process for the photocatalytic potassium dichromate [Cr(VI)] reduction and photocurrent generation in thin-film optoelectronic devices. Incorporating 10 wt% MoS2 into the composite increased the degradation efficiency of CdS from 43.9 to 91.9%. Furthermore, the MoS2-CdS composite demonstrated a 2.88-fold increase in the degradation rate constant and a 2.15% enhancement in the apparent quantum yield compared to controlled CdS. Additionally, the electrical power consumption per order decrease in Cr(VI) reduced from 25.74 kWh m−3 for controlled CdS to 9 kWh m−3 aimed at 10 wt% MoS2-CdS composite, indicating optimal synergy between the counterparts of MoS2-CdS in its composite. The resulting thin-film device with 10 wt% MoS2-CdS exhibited robust photocurrent generation and nonlinear I–V characteristics under solar illumination, attributed to the unique electronic properties of the MoS2-CdS heterojunction, influencing carrier transport via band alignment and interface carrier trapping effects. Moreover, photocurrent generation increased linearly with illumination intensity, and dynamic photo response studies revealed rapid photocurrent generation under illumination. Furthermore, the optoelectronic key parameters of CdS, including photosensitivity, photoresponsivity, and detectivity, were enhanced by factors of 5.09, 3.33, and 12.3, respectively, upon composite formation with MoS2. This study offers novel insights into developing high-performance and cost-effective bimetallic sulfide photocatalysts for efficient solar light-induced photocurrent generation in both solution and solid phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Chromium (Cr) doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nano-structured thin films were deposited using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrate at different concentration (0,1,3,5,10 wt%) with a substrate temperature of 350oC. The effect of chromium on zinc oxide thin films was studied to extract the structural, optical and electrical characteristics using XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy and Hall effect measurement instruments respectively. The work on undoped ZnO showed hexagonal wurtzite structure, with an ideal orientation of (101). The increase in strain with respect to doping concentration confirmed decrease in the crystallite size. Variation in the surface roughness on doping Cr is observed. The optical results depicted influence of Cr doping resulted in the decrease in transmittance. Band-gap (BG) obtained using Tauc's plot was seen to vary with Cr-doping. Hall effect measurement at standard conditions observed decreases in carrier concentration, and indicating the conduction to be n-type. The study of third-order nonlinear optical characteristics, such as susceptibility χ(3), nonlinear refractive index (NRI) (푛2), and nonlinear absorption coefficient (β) was carried out. These findings suggest that the films consist of self-defocusing nonlinearity. The overall results confirmed that the structural and optical results were dependent on Cr concentration in ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the emerging photovoltaic technologies, solid‐state dye‐sensitised solar cells (ssDSSCs) have attracted considerable interest due to their cost‐effective production, adjustable characteristics, and potential for lightweight and flexible applications. Nevertheless, achieving efficiencies comparable to established technologies, such as perovskite and silicon‐based solar devices, have proven challenging. Herein, the device structure, Pt/PEDOT: PSS/N719 dye/PC61BM/ITO is investigated theoretically using the solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS‐1D). Groundbreaking advancement is introduced in ssDSSC design, achieving remarkable theoretical power conversion efficiency of 20.73%, surpassing the performance reported in traditional dye‐based solar cell technologies. The model ssDSSC demonstrates an exceptional Fill factor of 86.64%, indicating efficient current collection; along with a modest short‐circuit current density (Jsc) of 22.38 mA/cm2 and an impressive open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.0691 V, highlighting efficient light absorption and charge separation. Mott–Schottky capacitance analysis and parasitic resistances (series and shunt) have been thoroughly discussed. Despite the fact that only numerical simulation is involved, the proposed ssDSSCs structure gives insights into the fabrication of a highly efficient solar cell that can be injected into the production workflow in order to advance the photovoltaic technology of the solid‐state DSSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of achieving efficient coupling between an optical fiber and a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide in an ideal optical system was theoretically analyzed using a finite element simulator. Divergence of single-mode polarization-maintaining fiber and lensed fiber in space was simulated. Direct end-face coupling simulations were conducted for a PPLN ridge waveguide with a cross-sectional size of 10 μm x 10 μm and a length of 20 mm, involving two different types of fibers. It is found that despite the lensed fiber achieving a coupling efficiency of up to 95%, its fundamental mode contribution is less than 5%. Given that PPLN frequency-doubling devices primarily rely on the laser's fundamental mode for operation, this renders the coupling efficiency of the lensed fiber relatively low in practical applications. In contrast, ordinary single-mode fiber exhibits a significantly higher fundamental mode contribution of 93. 8%, demonstrating its superior performance. Therefore, this study selects ordinary single-mode fiber for encapsulation testing with PPLN ridge waveguides. The experimental results show that when the maximum pump power output from the fiber amplifier reaches 1. 6 W, the calculated input pump power, after deducting the coupling losses between the input fiber and the waveguide, stands at 1. 2 W. The fiber-to-waveguide coupling efficiency is 75%, slightly exceeding the currently known advanced value of 72%. At a temperature of 24. 8 °C, with an input power of 1. 2 W at the fundamental wavelength of 1 560 nm, the maximum output of frequency-doubled light is 653 mW. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency reaches 54. 4%, with a normalized conversion efficiency of 20. 2% / (W·cm²). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a corrigendum for an article titled "Recent progress in piezoelectric thin films as self-powered devices: material and application." The corrigendum addresses errors in the references and their citations in the published article. It provides the correct references for several studies related to AlN and PZT piezoelectric films. The corrigendum aims to rectify the inaccuracies in the original article and ensure the accuracy of the references cited. [Extracted from the article]

Piezoelectric materials have become a key component in sensors and actuators in many industrial fields, such as energy harvesting devices, self-powered structures, biomedical devices, nondestructive testing, owing to the novel properties including high piezoelectric coefficient and electromechanical coupling factors. Piezoelectric thin films integrated on silicon substrates are widely investigated for their high performance and low manufacturing costs to meet the requirement of sensor networks in internet of things (IoT). The aim of this work is to clarify the application and design structure of various piezoelectric thin films types, synthesis methods, and device processes. Based on latest literature, the process of fabricating thin film sensors is outlined, followed by a concise overview of techniques used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processing that can integrate more complex functions to obtain relevant information in surrounding environment. Additionally, by addressing piezoelectric thin films sensors as a cutting-edge technology with the ability to produce self-powered electronic devices, this work delivers incisive conclusions on all aspects of piezoelectric sensor related features. A greater understanding of piezoelectricity is necessary regarding the future development and industry challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Use of a flexible thermoelectric source is a feasible approach to realizing self‐powered wearable electronics and the Internet of Things. Inorganic thin films are promising candidates for fabricating flexible power supply, but obtaining high‐thermoelectric‐performance thin films remains a big challenge. In the present work, a p‐type BixSb2−xTe3 thin film is designed with a high figure of merit of 1.11 at 393 K and exceptional flexibility (less than 5% increase in resistance after 1000 cycles of bending at a radius of ∼5 mm). The favorable comprehensive performance of the BixSb2−xTe3 flexible thin film is due to its excellent crystallinity, optimized carrier concentration, and low elastic modulus, which have been verified by experiments and theoretical calculations. Further, a flexible device is fabricated using the prepared p‐type BixSb2−xTe3 and n‐type Ag2Se thin films. Consequently, an outstanding power density of ∼1028 μW cm−2 is achieved at a temperature difference of 25 K. This work extends a novel concept to the fabrication of high‐performance flexible thin films and devices for wearable energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple internal reflection-based absorption-dominant stretchable electromagnetic shielding thin film by incorporating liquid metal grid structure is developed. The device demonstrates high electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) (SET of up to 75 dB) with low reflectance (SER of 1.5 dB at the resonant frequency). The shielding properties of the device can be tuned by adjusting the liquid metal patterned grid spaces upon strain. The demand of high-performance thin-film-shaped deformable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding devices is increasing for the next generation of wearable and miniaturized soft electronics. Although highly reflective conductive materials can effectively shield EMI, they prevent deformation of the devices owing to rigidity and generate secondary electromagnetic pollution simultaneously. Herein, soft and stretchable EMI shielding thin film devices with absorption-dominant EMI shielding behavior is presented. The devices consist of liquid metal (LM) layer and LM grid-patterned layer separated by a thin elastomeric film, fabricated by leveraging superior adhesion of aerosol-deposited LM on elastomer. The devices demonstrate high electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) (SET of up to 75 dB) with low reflectance (SER of 1.5 dB at the resonant frequency) owing to EMI absorption induced by multiple internal reflection generated in the LM grid architectures. Remarkably, the excellent stretchability of the LM-based devices facilitates tunable EMI shielding abilities through grid space adjustment upon strain (resonant frequency shift from 81.3 to 71.3 GHz @ 33% strain) and is also capable of retaining shielding effectiveness even after multiple strain cycles. This newly explored device presents an advanced paradigm for powerful EMI shielding performance for next-generation smart electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxide targets are crucial materials for transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films used in optoelectronic devices. In this study, neodymium-doped indium zinc oxide (NdIZO) ceramic targets were prepared using an advanced pressureless oxygen atmosphere sintering process. By optimizing the experimental conditions, the best sintering parameters were obtained, resulting in dense, fine-grained, and uniformly microstructured NdIZO targets. The influence mechanism of different Nd doping concentrations on the phase composition, microstructure evolution, and electrical properties of the targets during the process of oxide composite powder, green body shaping, and sintering densification was analyzed in detail. The results showed that the pretreatment of the composite powder improved its dispersibility, and sintering activity. The NdIZO-2 target with an atomic ratio of Nd:In:Zn = 0.02:1:1, fabricated under optimal conditions, exhibited high density of 99.8 %, low resistivity of 5.2 mΩ cm, and an average grain size of about 3.9 μm, thereby demonstrating the best comprehensive performance. Moreover, the sputtered films prepared using NdIZO-2 targets also showed excellent properties with transmittance (T) of 88.1 %, electron mobility (μ e) of 31.5 cm2/Vs, and resistivity (ρ) of 7.5 × 10−3 Ω cm. This work provides theoretical support for the preparation of high-quality indium zinc oxide (IZO) ceramic targets and their application in high-performance optoelectronic thin film devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are promising optoelectronic materials for solution‐processed thin film optoelectronic devices. However, the large surface area with abundant surface defects of CQDs and trap‐assisted non‐radiative recombination losses at the interface between CQDs and charge‐transport layer limit their optoelectronic performance. To address this issue, an interface heterojunction strategy is proposed to protect the CQDs interface by incorporating a thin layer of polyethyleneimine (PEIE) to suppress trap‐assisted non‐radiative recombination losses. This thin layer not only acts as a protective barrier but also modulates carrier recombination and extraction dynamics by forming heterojunctions at the buried interface between CQDs and charge‐transport layer, thereby enhancing the interface charge extraction efficiency. This enhancement is demonstrated by the shortened lifetime of carrier extraction from 0.72 to 0.46 ps. As a result, the resultant PbS CQD solar cells achieve a power‐conversion‐efficiency (PCE) of 13.4% compared to 12.2% without the heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the demand for more efficient logic circuits by focusing on reducing area, power consumption, and delay. As conventional CMOS technology faces scaling and efficiency limitations, integrating emerging memory technologies like Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM), also known as memristor, offers a promising solution. By replacing conventional PMOS transistors with memristors in CMOS logic, the study leverages the high-off resistance and low-voltage operation of RRAM devices to develop more compact and energy-efficient circuits. The proposed RRAM device is a Metal-Insulator-Metal structure fabricated with Platinum electrodes, Aluminum Oxide and Tantalum Pentoxide insulator layers. It operates with set and reset voltages of 1 V, and its current-voltage characteristics were theoretically modeled using the VTEAM model. A Memristor-based Imply and N-Imply(MINI) logic approach is introduced for XNOR, XOR and 2X1 Multiplexer designs and compared with three other hybrid NMOS-Memristor logics. Implementing 36 different 1-bit adder circuits in the Cadence Virtuoso 45 nm technology, the study evaluates area efficiency, power consumption, and delay. Results show that the memristor-based MINI logic designs are more area and powerefficient than traditional CMOS-based full adders and various optimized CMOS and memristor-based logics. This research underscores the potential of the proposed RRAM device integration in advanced hybrid logic design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce electronic waste, scientists are looking for alternative biodegradable, eco-friendly, non-conventional electronic materials suitable for electronic and optoelectronic applications. Here, we have studied the conductivity of beetroot (BR) dye at room temperature in the presence of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. The dye has been extracted from red beetroot (Beta vulgaris), a rich source of a water-soluble, red-colored pigment known as betanin. Solid-state thin films of this dye with ITO-coated glass/BR dye/Aluminum (Al), and ITO-coated glass/BR dye + TiO2/Al structure have been fabricated using spin-coating. Steady-state dark I–V characteristics have been measured, and, from these data, the trap energy and trap factor have been estimated. The conductivity of the dye increases significantly in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles. It has been observed that, due to the incorporation of the nanoparticles, the conductivity increases from 6.16 × 10−9 (Ω cm)− 1 to 2.03 × 10−8 (Ω cm)− 1. Trap energy is reduced from 2.06 eV to 1.53 eV and trap factor increased from 0.103 to 0.111, respectively, with the incorporation of nanoparticles. Generally, the trapping of charge carriers plays a major role in organic herbal dye. It is expected that, due to the incorporation of nanoparticles, charge trapping is reduced, which results in the lowering of trap energy and the increment of the trap factor. Nanoparticles act as fillers. Effective mobility was also estimated, and it was found that it increases from 1.236 × 10−4 cm2 v−1 s−1 to 4.069 × 10−4 cm2 v−1 s−1. The findings will be informative when using herbal dye-based thin film devices for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed ionic–electronic conductor materials are exploited in energy storage and conversion applications, and, more recently, in emerging ionic thin film devices with distinctive electronic and optical functionalities, that impels studying their properties and, in particular, electrical transport mechanisms. Electrical and optical characterization methods, for instance, relaxation experiments under a small step variation in the mobile ion activity, are routinely used to study transport properties of mixed ionic–electronic conductors. In this work, we develop a theoretical basis for a synchronous electro-optical characterization method that enables fast measurement of the ionic and electronic (small polaron) mobilities, absorption cross section, and defect concentration in mixed ionic–electronic conductors with hopping transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, nanostructured tungsten oxide (WO3) thin films are deposited using the RF-magnetron sputtering technique in Glancing Angle (GLAD) arrangement. Variation in the structural, morphological, optical, and resistive switching (RS) characteristics of nanostructured WO3 film is investigated as a function of GLAD angle (60°–80°). Electrical studies on nanostructured WO3 films deposited at room temperature are found to exhibit enhanced bipolar resistive-switching properties in metal–insulator–metal pattern [Au/WO3/ITO]. The RON/ROFF ratio between high and low resistance states was noted to be about 190 besides a minimum set voltage of ∼2.22 V in the case of the WO3 thin film deposited at the 70° glancing angle. A detailed current transport mechanism analysis indicates the existence of ohmic-behavior and trap-assisted space charge limited conduction as the governing mechanisms at the state of low and high applied bias, respectively. Good data-retention characteristics coupled with reproducible and fast RS capabilities obtained with Au/WO3/ITO device structure promise scope of rapid development in future RS-based novel memory device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list for the journal CrystEngComm, which focuses on the design and understanding of solid-state and crystalline materials. It includes articles on various topics such as advancements in controlling COFs structure, rapid growth of SiC single crystals, and the synthesis of different materials for various applications. The journal is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry, a leading chemistry community. The document also provides information on the editors, the cover image, and a retraction notice for a previous article. [Extracted from the article]

Bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12, BTO) thin films were deposited on a platinized silicon (Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si) substrate using a spin-coating method with varying thicknesses (138–528 nm). XRD results revealed that the growth temperature and film thickness were major factors that influenced the quality and morphology of the film surface. The thickness-dependent structural, morphological, and optical properties of BTO thin films were analyzed. The Bi/Ti ratio was quantitatively assessed through EDS analysis to obtain compositional data. The decreasing of the substrate clamping effect and the interfacial-layer effect caused the dielectric constant to increase the thickness. A series capacitor model was used to illustrate the relationship between dielectric behavior and thickness. The optimum value of the dielectric constant (4228 at 100 Hz) and dielectric loss (0.074) was observed for the PT/BTO/Pt interfacial layer with a film thickness of 528 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiferroic materials have important research significance in the fields of magnetic random-access memory, ferroelectric random-access memory, resistive random-access memory, and neuromorphic computing devices due to their excellent and diverse physical properties. In this work, a solution of Bi2FeMnO6 was prepared using a solution-based method, and an Au/Bi2FeMnO6/TiO2 heterostructure device was fabricated on a Si substrate. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy data indicate that the Bi2FeMnO6 films have hexagonal R3c symmetry structures. The Bi2FeMnO6 film exhibits ferroelectricity with a fine remanent polarization. In addition, the Bi2FeMnO6-based devices have excellent switching ratios of 6.37 × 105. A larger switching ratio can provide a multi-resistance state for the device, which is beneficial for the simulation of synapses. Hence, it effectively emulates excitatory postsynaptic currents, paired-pulse facilitation, and long-term plasticity of synapses and achieves recognition accuracy of 95% in neuromorphic computing. We report a promising material for the development of various nonvolatile memories and neuromorphic synaptic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In comparison to reports on n‐type semiconducting oxides, p‐type oxide semiconducting materials are still rare. Scarcely reported p‐type oxide transistors demonstrated unsatisfactory environmental stability which still hinders their implementation for all oxide transistors and circuit applications. In this study, for the first time on α‐TeO2 as an active channel material with p‐type characteristics accessible by direct evaporation technique. Notably, the fabricated 5 nm α‐TeO2 thin film in connection with an equally thin passivation layer exhibits a remarkable low processing temperature of 50 °C generating a hole mobility of 3.8 cm2 V−1 s−1, an on‐state current of 966 µA, and an on/off ratio of 3.8 × 103. Additionally, the reproducibility of these devices confirmed a narrow variation in the TFT metrics, yielding an average hole mobility, on‐current, and on/off ratio of 3.59 cm2 V−1 s−1, 914 µA, and 3.3 × 103, respectively. Furthermore, the devices are subjected to extensive stability testing under ambient atmospheric conditions that exhibits a marginal mobility reduction while maintaining a stable on/off ratio over 125‐day period, highlighting their robust environmental stability. Notably, the low processing temperatures with both exceptional transistor performance and environmental endurance makes them suitable for the integration onto flexible substrates, particularly bendable/stretchable displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open-source automated system for laser modified layer by layer assembly is described. This flexible system, the first designed to be used with this process, can be used to fabricate a range of laser patterned, layer by layer thin films. The Arduino microcontroller-based system features a stepper motor-controlled turntable that holds solutions and water rinses for dipping. The substrate can be moved vertically to be dipped into each of the solutions throughout the process. A semiconductor laser is used to modify the thickness of the thin film during the chosen dipping cycles. Several aspects of the robotic system are easily controlled via software, including the average laser power, irradiation time, horizontal laser position, and vertical substrate position. The system is fully automated and, once started, does not require any user interaction. To demonstrate the capability of the automated system for patterning, electrochromic thin film devices using 50-bilayer laser patterned films using the polymers poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and sodium poly[2-(3-thienyl)-ethoxy-4-butylsulfonate] are presented. One device is patterned with the shape of a large "C," created by irradiating the sample (55 mW average power, 405 nm) while the substrate was moved vertically up and down or the laser was moved horizontally. The laser irradiates the sample during only the dipping in the polycation polymer solution. A second electrochromic thin film device is based on a sample with five parallel laser patterned lines, where each line is fabricated with different average laser powers and, hence, different thicknesses. The thicknesses of the lines vary by about 30 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work adopts machine learning to refine the annealing process in solution‐processed thin films, such as QDs, perovskites, and organic semiconductors. The annealing temperature and time of PbS QD thin film is optimized using a machine learning algorithm. This method offers a systematic approach to determine the optimal annealing parameters, surpassing the traditional, less‐efficient methods. This adaptive model minimizes human bias, handles complex nonlinear relationships, and capable of optimizing multiple parameters simultaneously. By introducing machine learning algorithm, this method provides a universal and effective strategy for the optimization of parameters during the fabrication of thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this comprehensive study, we rigorously evaluated the applicability of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a‐IGZO) thin films synthesized using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology in the field of large‐area organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) TVs. The key term to display production is the distribution of device characteristics, and maintaining uniformity can improve productivity yield and product quality. The purpose of this paper is to present guidelines for early application in industry through the process variable exploration results of ALD deposition equipment. The process parameters studied are process pressure and oxygen partial pressure (PO2). We have secured a method to secure device characteristics suitable for display technology through the correlation between a‐IGZO thin film characteristics and device characteristics through corresponding parameters. Our empirical data strongly demonstrate that the threshold voltage (Vth) stabilizes near 0.0 V and consistently achieves device mobility exceeding 15 cm2/Vs. In particular, this study shows that the variability of the Vth characteristic, which is limited to a narrow range of less than ±0.1V, is greatly reduced, and the mobility dispersion is also greatly reduced to less than ±1cm2/Vs. A deeper analytical exploration revealed that the pivotal factors affecting device performance are closely related to oxygen vacancies (Vo) and their dynamic interactions with oxygen molecules. These results will improve the uniformity of device characteristics, and it is believed that the introduction of ALD technology into future display technology will demonstrate improvements in the performance and quality of display products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated photonic devices based on thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) have attracted great attention due to their excellent performance. In this work, a flat type TFLN 1×N beam splitter is designed by adjusting the widths of tapered waveguides between free propagation region and arrayed waveguides. Two chips with 16 and 40 output ports, respectively, are manufactured with the femtosecond laser photolithography assisted chemo‐mechanical etching technology (PLACE). The excess losses are measured ≈1.43 and 1.94 dB, respectively. In theory, the flat‐type beam splitter for a single‐mode structure can maintain the flat intensity distribution within a 300 nm wavelength range. Experimentally, different types of output intensity distribution such as tilted or M‐shaped distributions can be obtained with the multimode structure by varying the position of the lensed fiber when the input light is TM‐polarized. This work explores an efficient way for the development of multichannel optical beam splitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]