Zhou, S., V. Rehm, H. A. Afify, Y. Han, J. Korczak, A. Szczerbakow, T. Story, Z. Peng, A. These, A. Barabash, et al., "Squeezing the Threshold of Metal-Halide Perovskite Micro-Crystal Lasers Grown by Solution Epitaxy", Advanced Functional MaterialsAdvanced Functional Materials, vol. n/a, issue n/a: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 2404700, 2024. AbstractWebsite

Abstract Metal halide perovskite semiconductors have demonstrated remarkable progress not only in photovoltaics and X-ray detection but also in laser technologies. Particularly appealing is the simplicity with which micro-crystallites can be epitaxially grown, thereby forming micro-resonators suitable for lasing. Here, the laser threshold is optimized by selecting excitation laser parameters and by improving material quality. The latter process is conducted for formamidinium lead tribromide, emitting in the green spectral range. Depending on the growth method and parameters, the sizes of the micro-resonators can be tuned between ≈3 and 23 micrometers. Under laser excitation systematically lower thresholds are observed for micro-resonators in the 4?7 micrometer size range, than for larger ones, irrespective of growth method. Among three optimized growth methods, epitaxial growth via antisolvent vapor-assisted crystallization exhibits the smallest threshold powers, indicating the highest material quality. This conclusion is supported by hyperspectral microscopic luminescence imaging and by transient photoluminescence. The best laser structures exhibit record threshold powers for epitaxially grown perovskites, indicating that the selected antisolvent vapor epitaxial growth holds great promises also for other perovskite materials.

Zhang, J., J. Wu, S. Langner, B. Zhao, Z. Xie, J. A. Hauch, H. A. Afify, A. Barabash, J. Luo, M. Sytnyk, et al., "Exploring the Steric Hindrance of Alkylammonium Cations in the Structural Reconfiguration of Quasi-2D Perovskite Materials Using a High-throughput Experimental Platform", Advanced Functional MaterialsAdvanced Functional Materials, vol. 32, issue 43: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 2207101, 2022. AbstractWebsite

Abstract Reduced-dimensional (2D or quasi-2D) perovskites have recently attracted considerable interest due to their superior long-term stability. The nature of the intercalating cations plays a key role in determining the physicochemical properties and stability of the quasi-2D perovskites. Here, the thermal stability of a series of 2D Ruddlesden?Popper (RP) perovskites is studied using seven types of intercalating cations with increasing linear carbon-chain length from ethylammonium (EA) to n-dodecylammonium (DA) through a high-throughput platform. The results show that long-chain cations in quasi-2D perovskite films lead to strong steric hindrance between adjacent perovskite domains, thus suppressing Ostwald ripening during the thermal-aging process. For short-chain cations, increased-dimensional phase redistribution during the aging period is observed, which can benefit a concomitant regeneration of the 3D/3D-like perovskite phases. The impact of steric hindrance on structural reconfiguration and the subsequent phase redistribution in quasi-2D perovskites are systematically characterized by UV?vis absorption spectra, photoluminescence spectra, and X-ray diffraction patterns. Due to the steric hindrance effect, an optimal chain length is found to maximize film stability by balancing the water/oxygen resistance and increased-dimensional phase redistribution. This study provides new insight into the thermal stability of quasi-2D perovskites.

Balitskii, O., O. Mashkov, A. Barabash, V. Rehm, H. A. Afify, N. Li, M. S. Hammer, C. J. Brabec, A. Eigen, M. Halik, et al., "Ligand Tuning of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances in Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Nanocrystals", Nanomaterials, vol. 12, issue 19, 2022. Abstract

Aliovalent-doped metal oxide nanocrystals exhibiting localized surface plasmons (LSPRs) are applied in systems that require reflection/scattering/absorption in infrared and optical transparency in visible. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is currently leading the field, but indium resources are known to be very restricted. Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) is a cheap candidate to substitute the ITO, but it exhibits less advantageous electronic properties and limited control of the LSPRs. To date, LSPR tuning in ATO NCs has been achieved electrochemically and by aliovalent doping, with a significant decrease in doping efficiency with an increasing doping level. Here, we synthesize plasmonic ATO nanocrystals (NCs) via a solvothermal route and demonstrate ligand exchange to tune the LSPR energies. Attachment of ligands acting as Lewis acids and bases results in LSPR peak shifts with a doping efficiency overcoming those by aliovalent doping. Thus, this strategy is of potential interest for plasmon implementations, which are of potential interest for infrared upconversion, smart glazing, heat absorbers, or thermal barriers.

Afify, H. A., V. Rehm, A. Barabash, A. These, J. Zhang, A. Osvet, C. Schüßlbauer, D. Thiel, T. Ullrich, M. Dierner, et al., "Shape-Controlled Solution-Epitaxial Perovskite Micro-Crystal Lasers Rivaling Vapor Deposited Ones", Advanced Functional MaterialsAdvanced Functional Materials, vol. 32, issue 45: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 2206790, 2022. AbstractWebsite

Abstract Epitaxial growth methods usually need dedicated equipment, high energy consumption to maintain pure vacuum conditions and evaporation of source materials, and elevated substrate temperatures. Solution epitaxial growth requires nothing of that but is rarely used because the achieved microstructures are of low quality, not homogeneous, and finally exhibit worse performances in devices. Here, an antisolvent-vapor-assisted-crystallization of metal-halide-perovskites as a method overcoming these disadvantages is demonstrated. The methylammonium lead tribromide exhibits van-der-Waals type of epitaxial growth on mica substrates, resulting in micro-crystallites whose shape can be controlled to be either triangular micro-prism or micro-cuboid. These micro-crystallites act as optical resonators supporting various optical modes and lasing is achieved under optical excitation with low thresholds and record high environmental stability. Selecting suitable resonators from a large variety of sizes allows control of mode spacing and finally mono-mode operation, considered to be an important feature of semiconductor laser devices. The achieved results are essentially competitive to those obtained by vapor phase epitaxial microstructures, highlighting that epitaxy of high-quality optoelectronic device structures is feasible by minimum technological efforts and energy consumption, which are of increasing importance considering issues such as global warming and the current energy crisis.

Afify, H. A., M. Sytnyk, V. Rehm, A. Barabash, O. Mashkov, A. Osvet, V. V. Volobuev, J. Korczak, A. Szczerbakow, T. Story, et al., "Highly Stable Lasing from Solution-Epitaxially Grown Formamidinium-Lead-Bromide Micro-Resonators", Advanced Optical MaterialsAdvanced Optical Materials, vol. 10, issue 11: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 2200237, 2022. AbstractWebsite

Abstract High-quality epitaxial growth of oriented microcrystallites on a semiconductor substrate is demonstrated here for formamidinium lead bromide perovskite, by drop casting of precursor solutions in air. The microcrystallites exhibit green photoluminescence at room temperature, as well as lasing with low thresholds. Lasing is observed even though the substrate is fully opaque at the lasing wavelengths, and even though it has a higher refractive index as the perovskite active material. Moreover, the lasing is stable for more than 109 excitation pulses, which is more than what is previously achieved for devices kept in the air. Such highly stable lasing under pulsed excitation represents an important step towards continuous mode operation or even electrical excitation in future perovskite-based devices.

Afify, H. A., M. Sytnyk, S. Zhou, A. Osvet, C. J. Brabec, J. R. Korczak, A. Szczerbak, T. Story, and W. Heiss, "Perspectives of solution epitaxially grown defect tolerant lead-halide-perovskites and lead-chalcogenides", Applied Physics Letters, vol. 119, pp. 230501-1-230501-4, 2021.
El-Nahass, M. M., H. A. M. Ali, A. - S. Gadallah, M. Atta Khedr, and H. A. Afify, "Analysis of structural and optical properties of annealed fullerene thin films", The European Physical Journal D, vol. 69, issue 8: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp. 1-7, 2015. AbstractWebsite

Fullerene thin films were thermally deposited onto different substrates. The films annealed at 523 K for 10 h. X-ray diffraction technique was used to examine the structure of the films. The morphology of films was examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectra were recorded in wavenumber range 400–2000 cm−1. The optical characteristics were analyzed using UV- Vis-NIR spectrophotometric measurements in the spectral range 200–2500 nm. The refractive index and extinction coefficient were determined. Some dispersion parameters were calculated such as single oscillator energy, dispersion energy, dielectric constant at high frequency and lattice dielectric constant. As well as, the nonlinear optical susceptibility χ (3) and nonlinear refractive index n 2 were determined.

Afify, H. A., A. - S. Gadallah, M. M. El-Nahass, and M. Atta Khedr, "Effect of thermal annealing on the structural and optical properties of spin coated copper phthalocyanine thin films", Journal of Molecular Structure, vol. 1098, pp. 161 - 166, 2015/10/15/. AbstractWebsite

AbstractLow cost sol–gel spin coating was used to deposit copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films on both fused quartz and glass substrate. The prepared films were studied before and after thermal annealing at 350 °C for 1 h in air. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) were used to study the structural properties. From the structural characterization results, the films transformed from the metastable α-phase to the stable β-phase. Refractive index, absorption coefficient, and lattice dielectric constant were evaluated before and after annealing for the first time for spin coated CuPc thin films using spectrophotometric measurements in the spectral range 200–2500 nm. The values of the direct optical band gap of the as deposited film at 1.52 eV and 2.85 eV were redshifted to 1.4 eV and 2.42 eV for the annealed film. This shift is significant for near infrared photonics. The third order non-linear susceptibility was presented at lower photon energy for the CuPc films showing higher value for the annealed film.

El-Nahass, M. M., H. A. Afify, A. –S. Gadallah, A. M. Hassanien, and M. Atta Khedr, "Effect of thermal annealing on structural and optical properties of titanyl phthalocyanine thin films", Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, vol. 27, pp. 254 - 260, 2014/11//. AbstractWebsite

AbstractThin films of titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) have been deposited on both fused quartz and glass substrates by the thermal evaporation technique. The structural and optical properties of the as-deposited and annealed films have been reported. The structural features of the as-deposited and annealed films have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) technique. The optical constants (refractive index, n, and absorption index, k) of the films have been presented for the first time in the wavelength range 200–2500 nm by using spectrophotometric measurements at nearly normal incidence. The band gaps of the as-deposited film at 1.48 eV and 2.5 eV corresponding to Q-band and B or Soret band were red-shifted to 1.15 eV and 2.19 eV, respectively, when the film annealed at 433 K.

Afify, H. A., M. M. El-Nahass, A. –S. Gadallah, and M. Atta Khedr, "Carrier transport mechanisms and photodetector characteristics of Ag/TiOPc/p-Si/Al hybrid heterojunction", Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, vol. 39, pp. 324 - 331, 2015/11//. AbstractWebsite

AbstractHybrid heterojunction device was fabricated by employing a p-type Si and a thin film of titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc). The dark current density–voltage characteristics of the fabricated Ag/TiOPc/p-Si/Al heterojunction were investigated at different temperatures ranging from 294 to 375 K to determine the carrier transport mechanisms. At low forward bias, the current was found to follow the thermionic emission mechanism, while at high forward bias, the space charge limited current controlled by exponential trap distribution was found to be the dominated mechanism. The ideality factor and the barrier height were determined. At reverse bias, the conductivity was interpreted in terms of the Schottky effect. The interface state density was determined from the current–voltage characteristics. Also, the photodetector characteristics were studied for the fabricated device under illumination of near-infrared 805 nm laser. The responsivity, external quantum efficiency, and detectivity were determined. The photodetector was found to have a rise time of about 23 µs.

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