Nanocomposites with Three-Dimensional Architecture and Impact on Photovoltaic Effect

Lutz Mühlenbein; Chandra Bhal Singh; Andriy Lotnyk; Cameliu Himcinschi; Yeseul Yun; Niranjan Ramakrishnegowda; David S Knoche; Xinye Li; Akash Bhatnagar

doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03654

Nanocomposites with Three-Dimensional Architecture and Impact on Photovoltaic Effect

Nano Lett. 2020 Dec 9;20(12):8789-8795. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03654. Epub 2020 Nov 30.

Authors

Lutz Mühlenbein^{1

2}, Chandra Bhal Singh³, Andriy Lotnyk^{4

5}, Cameliu Himcinschi⁶, Yeseul Yun^{1

2}, Niranjan Ramakrishnegowda^{1

2}, David S Knoche^{1

2}, Xinye Li^{1

2}, Akash Bhatnagar^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz SiLi-nano, Martin Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany.
² Institute of Physics, Martin Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany.
³ Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
⁴ Leibniz Institute of Surface Engineering, Leipzig 04318, Germany.
⁵ Laboratory of Infrared Materials and Devices, The Research Institute of Advanced Technologies, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
⁶ Institute of Theoretical Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg D-09596, Germany.

PMID: 33253587
DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03654

Abstract

We demonstrate the synthesis of self-assembled three-dimensional nanocomposite thin films consisting of NiO nanocolumns in an layered Aurivillius phase matrix. The structures were grown on single-crystal SrTiO₃ substrates via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) with single ceramic (PbTiO₃)_x(BiNi_2/3Nb_1/3O₃)_1-x targets. The nanocolumns, which are about 10 nm in diameter each, extend over the entire film thickness of up to 225 nm. We reveal the difference in electrical conduction properties of the nanocolumns and the surrounding matrix on the nanoscale via conductive atomic force microscopy. The nanocomposite thin films exhibit improved photovoltaic performance compared to both pure PbTiO₃ and homogeneous Aurivillius phase thin films.

Keywords: Aurivillius Phase; Bulk Photovoltaic Effect; Self-Assembly; Thin Film; Vertically Aligned Nanocomposite.