Piezopotential in a bended composite fiber made of a semiconductive core and of two piezoelectric layers with opposite polarities.

Abstract We study the bending of a composite fiber of piezoelectric dielectrics and nonpiezoelectric semiconductors. The top and bottom piezoelectric layers are polarized in the opposite directions. A theoretical analysis is performed using a one-dimensional model. It is shown that mechanical loads trigger the redistribution of mobile charges in such a composite fiber. Thus the composite fiber exhibits piezotronic couplings like a homogeneous piezoelectric semiconducting fiber. The couplings are not a direct effect, but similar to a product property due to the particular design of the present composite. The electromechanical and semiconducting behaviors of the composite fiber and the effects of various parameters on piezotronic couplings are calculated and examined. It is observed that piezotronic couplings in these composite fibers are sensitive to material and geometric parameters and can be optimized through design. Different from the previous work on ZnO fiber where the mobile charges are driven to the top and bottom surfaces of the fiber, in the present composite fiber the mobile charges are driven to the two ends of the fiber. The present theoretical analysis of the composite fiber offers an important method for developing novel piezotronic devices. Graphical abstract The tuning effect of the mechanical force on piezotronic effects via product property are theoretically demonstrated in the bending of the cantilever composite fiber of PZT-5A and silicon with the reference concentrations of p 0 = n 0 = 10 23 / m 3 and the shear force F = 20 pN. The holes and electrons in the composite fiber move towards the two ends, respectively, and then reach a new equilibrium state under the induced polarization electric field when the shear force is applied. fx1 Highlights • Piezotronic effect in a bended composite fiber is theoretically demonstrated. • The mobile charges in the composite fiber with bending deformation are driven to the two ends. • The piezotronic coupling is sensitive to material and geometric parameters and can be optimized through design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]