Approaching the quantum limit in two-dimensional semiconductor contacts.

The development of next-generation electronics requires scaling of channel material thickness down to the two-dimensional limit while maintaining ultralow contact resistance1,2. Transition-metal dichalcogenides can sustain transistor scaling to the end of roadmap, but despite a myriad of efforts, the device performance remains contact-limited3-12. In particular, the contact resistance has not surpassed that of covalently bonded metal-semiconductor junctions owing to the intrinsic van der Waals gap, and the best contact technologies are facing stability issues3,7. Here we push the electrical contact of monolayer molybdenum disulfide close to the quantum limit by hybridization of energy bands with semi-metallic antimony ([Formula: see text]) through strong van der Waals interactions. The contacts exhibit a low contact resistance of 42 ohm micrometres and excellent stability at 125 degrees Celsius. Owing to improved contacts, short-channel molybdenum disulfide transistors show current saturation under one-volt drain bias with an on-state current of 1.23 milliamperes per micrometre, an on/off ratio over 108 and an intrinsic delay of 74 femtoseconds. These performances outperformed equivalent silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technologies and satisfied the 2028 roadmap target. We further fabricate large-area device arrays and demonstrate low variability in contact resistance, threshold voltage, subthreshold swing, on/off ratio, on-state current and transconductance13. The excellent electrical performance, stability and variability make antimony ([Formula: see text]) a promising contact technology for transition-metal-dichalcogenide-based electronics beyond silicon.

Validated enhancement and temperature modulated absorbance of a WS2 monolayer based on a planar structure.

Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), as emerging optoelectronic materials, necessitate the establishment of an experimentally viable system to study their interaction with light. In this study, we propose and analyze a WS2/PMMA/Ag planar Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity, enabling the direct experimental measurement of WS2 absorbance. By optimizing the structure, the absorbance of A exciton of WS2 up to 0.546 can be experimentally achieved, which matches well with the theoretical calculations. Through temperature and thermal expansion strain induced by temperature, the absorbance of the A exciton can be tuned in situ. Furthermore, temperature-dependent photocurrent measurements confirmed the consistent absorbance of the A exciton under varying temperatures. This WS2/PMMA/Ag planar structure provides a straightforward and practical platform for investigating light interaction in TMDCs, laying a solid foundation for future developments of TMDC-based optoelectronic devices.

Broadband mid-infrared photodetectors utilizing two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures with parallel-stacked pn junctions.

Optimizing the width of depletion region is a key consideration in designing high performance photovoltaic photodetectors, as the electron-hole pairs generated outside the depletion region cannot be effectively separated, leading to a negligible contribution to the overall photocurrent. However, currently reported photovoltaic mid-infrared photodetectors based on two-dimensional heterostructures usually adopt a single pn junction configuration, where the depletion region width is not maximally optimized. Here, we demonstrate the construction of a high performance broadband mid-infrared photodetector based on a MoS2/b-AsP/MoS2npn van der Waals heterostructure. The npn heterojunction can be equivalently represented as two parallel-stacked pn junctions, effectively increasing the thickness of the depletion region. Consequently, the npn device shows a high detectivity of 1.3 × 1010cmHz1/2W-1at the mid-infrared wavelength, which is significantly improved compared with its single pn junction counterpart. Moreover, it exhibits a fast response speed of 12 µs, and a broadband detection capability ranging from visible to mid-infrared wavelengths.

Revealing the Polarizations of Molecular Ferroelectrics via SHG Polarimetry at the Nanoscale.

Multifarious molecular ferroelectrics with multipolar axial characteristics have emerged in recent years, enriching the scenarios for energy harvesting, sensing, and information processing. The increased polar axes have enhanced the urgency of distinguishing different polarization states in material design, mechanism exploration, etc. However, conventional methods hardly meet the requirements of in situ, fast, microscale, contactless, and nondestructive features due to their inherent limitations. Herein, SHG polarimetry is introduced to probe the multioriented polarizations on a nanosized multiaxial molecular ferroelectric, i.e., TMCM-CdCl3 nanoplates, as an example. Combined with the analysis of the second-order susceptibility tensor, SHG polarimetry could serve as an effective method to detect the polarization orders and domain distributions of molecular ferroelectrics. Profiting from the full-optical feature, SHG polarimetry can even be performed on samples covered by transparent mediums, 2D materials, or thin metal electrodes. Our research might spark further fundamental studies and expand the application boundaries of next-generation ferroelectric materials.

Polarization-sensitive narrowband infrared photodetection triggered by optical Tamm state engineering.

Polarization-sensitive narrowband photodetection at near-infrared (NIR) has attracted significant interest in optical communication, environmental monitoring, and intelligent recognition system. However, the current narrowband spectroscopy heavily relies on the extra filter or bulk spectrometer, which deviates from the miniaturization of on-chip integration. Recently, topological phenomena, such as the optical Tamm state (OTS), provided a new solution for developing functional photodetection, and we experimentally realized the device based on 2D material (graphene) for the first time to the best of our knowledge. Here, we demonstrate polarization-sensitive narrowband infrared photodetection in OTS coupled graphene devices, which are designed with the aid of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The devices show narrowband response at NIR wavelengths empowered by the tunable Tamm state. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the response peak reaches ∼100 nm, and it can potentially be improved to ultra-narrow of about 10 nm by increasing the periods of dielectric distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). The responsivity and response time of the device reaches 187 mA/W and ∼290 µs at 1550 nm, respectively. Furthermore, the prominent anisotropic features and high dichroic ratios of ∼4.6 at 1300 nm and ∼2.5 at 1500 nm are achieved by integrating gold metasurfaces.

Silver nanoparticle-induced enhancement of light extraction in two-dimensional light-emitting diodes.

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with direct bandgaps are considered promising candidates for building light-emitting diodes (LEDs). One crucial indicator of their performance is the brightness of electroluminescence (EL). In this study, we fabricate WS2-based LEDs that make full use of the assistance of effective transient-mode charge injection. By introducing self-assembled silver nanoparticles (NPs) on top of the LED, the extraction efficiency is significantly improved, with a 2.9-fold EL enhancement observed in the experiment. Full-wave simulations further confirm that the improvement comes from the scattering capability of silver NPs, with results qualitatively fitting the experiment. This approach, with its compatibility with van der Waals heterostructures, can be further promoted to enhance the brightness of 2D monolayer TMDC-based LEDs.

Photoluminescence enhancement at a high generation rate induced by exciton localization.

The photoluminescence (PL) efficiency of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is extremely low under high power excitation, limiting its potential in display and light-emission application. This arises from the much shorter lifetime of non-radiative recombination than radiative recombination, wherein photo-carriers tend to decay through non-radiative processes. Herein, a "molecular state" near the valence band is successfully introduced into the ${{\rm MoS}_2}$ monolayer to increase the density of radiative states and speed up the exciton relaxation. This reduces the recombination lifetime of excitons by two orders of magnitude and forms vigorous competition with non-radiative decays. As a consequence, dozens of times enhancement of PL in ${{\rm MoS}_2}$ monolayers under high excitation power (${\rm G}\sim{{10}^{19}}\;{{\rm cm}^{- 2}}\cdot{{\rm S}^{- 1}}$) is realized. These results provide an effective method to improve PL efficiency under high injection levels for applications of 2D materials in light-emission industry.

Multispectral photodetectors based on 2D material/Cs3Bi2I9heterostructures with high detectivity.

Group VA metal halide-based perovskites have emerged as intensively explored Pb-free perovskites, owing to their excellent environmental stability and low-toxicity. However, the relatively low carrier mobility and high photocarrier recombination rates restrict their applications in photodetectors. One promising approach to achieve higher performance is to integrate these Pb-free perovskites with 2D materials to form heterostructures. Here, we report on the high sensitivity photodetectors based on MoS2/Cs3Bi2I9and graphene/Cs3Bi2I9heterostructures for multispectral regions. The heterostructures combine the high carrier mobility of 2D materials with superior light-harvesting properties of perovskites, as well as the effective built-in electric filed at the junction area, leading to efficient photocarrier separation and extraction. The specific detectivity of MoS2/Cs3Bi2I9device reaches 1.15 × 1013Jones for the detection of ultraviolet (UV) light of 325 nm, which is four orders of magnitude higher than UV detectors built on GaN. As a result of the efficient dark current suppression, the specific detectivity of graphene/Cs3Bi2I9photodetector can be promoted to 5.24 × 1011Jones, 1.33 × 1011Jones, and 1.12 × 1011Jones for the detection of 325 nm, 447 nm, and 532 nm light, respectively.

Defect-related dynamics of photoexcited carriers in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit enormous potential in the field of optoelectronics. The high performance of TMD materials and optoelectronic devices significantly depends on processes involved in photoelectric conversion, including photo-excitation, relaxation, transportation, and recombination. Remarkably, inevitable defects in materials prolong or shorten the characteristic time of these processes and even bring about new photoelectric conversion channels, namely, the defect-related relaxation pathways of photoexcited carriers tailor the performance of photoelectric applications. In recent years, there have been numerous investigations in exploring the variant transient signals caused by defects in TMDs utilizing ultrafast spectroscopies. They have the capability in providing an accurate and overall representation of ultrafast processes owing to the subtle temporal resolution. The defect-related mechanisms occurring in different time scales (from femtosecond (fs) to microsecond (µs)) play influential roles throughout the relaxation process of photoexcited species. Herein, we review the defect-related relaxation mechanisms of photoexcited species in TMDs according to the time scale utilizing ultrafast spectroscopy techniques. By interpreting and summarizing the defect-related transient signals, we furnish the direction in material design and performance optimization.

Epidemiology, molecular characterization, and recombination analysis of chicken anemia virus in Guangdong province, China.

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) causes severe anemia and immunosuppression in young chickens and a compromised immune response in older birds, resulting in great economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Here, we report the molecular epidemiology and characterization of CAV circulating in poultry in Guangdong province, China. Ninety-one of 277 chickens collected from 2016 to 2017 were CAV positive. Full-genome sequencing revealed the presence of eight separate strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on the genome sequences obtained in this study and related sequences available in the GenBank database showed that all of the CAV isolates exhibit a close relationship to each other and belong to the same genotypic group. Putative recombination events were also detected in the genomes of the newly isolated CAVs. Collectively, our findings underscore the importance of CAV surveillance and provide information that will lead to a better understanding of the evolution of CAV.

Characterization of Neoschoengastia gallinarum from subtropical China by rDNA and identification of two genotypes based on mitochondrial cox1.

Genetic variations in the 18S ribosomal DNA (18S), 28S ribosomal DNA (28S), second internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA (ITS2), and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) of Neoschoengastia gallinarum collected from subtropical China were examined. First, a portion of the 18S (p18S), a portion of the 28S (p28S), and the complete ITS2 were separately amplified from individual mites and sequenced. The lengths of the sequences of p18S, p28S, and ITS2 were found to be 1379 bp, 3465~3468 bp, and 200 bp, respectively. The intraspecific sequence variation was 0~0.1% for p28S and 0~1.6% for ITS2, though no variation was observed for p18S, suggesting conservation of rDNA sequences. Second, a portion of the mitochondrial cox1 gene (pcox1) of N. gallinarum was analyzed. The length of the pcox1 sequence is 460 bp, and two distinct groups were observed in N. gallinarum. All pcox1 sequences in group I were identical, and there was only one nucleotide transition observed in group II; however, 7.0~7.2% variations between the two groups were observed, suggesting that two genotypes of N. gallinarum: genotype I and genotype II. Phylogenetic analyses based on pcox1 sequences indicated that N. gallinarum isolates (genotype I or genotype II) clustered into one branch; according to cox1 sequence analysis of Trombiculidae, Walchia hayashii is the closest species. The present study shows that ITS2 rDNA sequence can act as marker for the identification of N. gallinarum samples. Furthermore, analysis of the mitochondrial pcox1 sequence suggests the existence of two genotypes, which has implications for further studies of the ecology and population genetic structures of N. gallinarum.

Graphene-Based Infrared Position-Sensitive Detector for Precise Measurements and High-Speed Trajectory Tracking.

Noncontact optical sensing plays an important role in various applications, for example, motion tracking, pilotless automobile, precision machining, and laser radars. A device with features of high resolution, fast response, and safe detection (operation wavelength at infrared (IR)) is highly desired in such applications. Here, a near IR position-sensitive detector constructed by graphene-Ge Schottky heterojunction has been demonstrated. The device shows high responsivity (minimum detectable power of ∼10 nW), excellent spatial resolution (<1 µm), fast response time (∼µs), and could operate in a wide spectral range (from visible to ∼1600 nm). Applications of precise angle (∼5 × 10-6 degree) and vibration frequency (up to 10 kHz) measurements, as well as the trajectory tracking of a high-speed infrared target (∼100 km/h), have been realized based on this device. This work therefore provides a promising route for a high-performance noncontact IR optical sensing system.

The Role of Oxygen Atoms on Excitons at the Edges of Monolayer WS2.

We clarify that the chemisorption of oxygen atoms at the edges is a key contributor to the frequently observed edge enhancement and spatial non-uniformities of photoluminescence (PL) in WS2 monolayers. Here we have investigated with momentum- and real-space nanoimaging of the chemical and electronic density inhomogeneity of WS2 flakes. Our finding from a large panoply of techniques together with density functional theory calculation confirms that the oxygen chemisorption leads to the electron accumulation at the edges. This facilitates the trion dominance of PL at the edges of WS2 flakes. Our results highlight and unravel the significance of chemisorbed oxygen at the edges in the PL emission and electronic structure of WS2, providing a viable path to enhance the performance of transition-metal-dichalcogenide-based devices.

Giant Emission Enhancement of Solid-State Gold Nanoclusters by Surface Engineering.

Ligand-induced surface restructuring with heteroatomic doping is used to precisely modify the surface of a prototypical [Au25 (SR1 )18 ]- cluster (1) while maintaining its icosahedral Au13 core for the synthesis of a new bimetallic [Au19 Cd3 (SR2 )18 ]- cluster (2). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal that six bidentate Au2 (SR1 )3 motifs (L2) attached to the Au13 core of 1 were replaced by three quadridentate Au2 Cd(SR2 )6 motifs (L4) to create a bimetallic cluster 2. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate a stronger electronic interaction between the surface motifs (Au2 Cd(SR2 )6 ) and the Au13 core, attributed to a more compact cluster structure and a larger energy gap of 2 compared to that of 1. These factors dramatically enhance the photoluminescence quantum efficiency and lifetime of crystal of the cluster 2. This work provides a new route for the design of a wide range of bimetallic/alloy metal nanoclusters with superior optoelectronic properties and functionality.

Phonon-Mediated Colossal Magnetoresistance in Graphene/Black Phosphorus Heterostructures.

There is a huge demand for magnetoresistance (MR) sensors with high sensitivity, low energy consumption, and room temperature operation. It is well-known that spatial charge inhomogeneity due to impurities or defects introduces mobility fluctuations in monolayer graphene and gives rise to MR in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field. However, to realize a MR sensor based on this effect is hampered by the difficulty in controlling the spatial distribution of impurities and the weak magnetoresistance effect at the monolayer regime. Here, we fabricate a highly stable monolayer graphene-on-black phosphorus (G/BP) heterostructure device that exhibits a giant MR of 775% at 9 T magnetic field and 300 K, exceeding by far the MR effects from devices made from either monolayer graphene or few-layer BP alone. The positive MR of the G/BP device decreases when the temperature is lowered, indicating a phonon-mediated process in addition to scattering by charge impurities. Moreover, a nonlocal MR of >10 000% is achieved for the G/BP device at room temperature due to an enhanced flavor Hall effect induced by the BP channel. Our results show that electron-phonon coupling between 2D material and a suitable substrate can be exploited to create giant MR effects in Dirac semimetals.

Metamaterials based on the phase transition of VO2.

In this article, we present a comprehensive review on recent research progress in design and fabrication of active tunable metamaterials and devices based on phase transition of VO2. Firstly, we introduce mechanisms of the metal-to-insulator phase transition (MIPT) in VO2 investigated by ultrafast THz spectroscopies. By analyzing the THz spectra, the evolutions of MIPT in VO2 induced by different external excitations are described. The superiorities of using VO2 as building blocks to construct highly tunable metamaterials are discussed. Subsequently, the recently demonstrated metamaterial devices based on VO2 are reviewed. These metamaterials devices are summarized and described in the categories of working frequency. In each working frequency range, representative metamaterials based on VO2 with different architectures and functionalities are reviewed and the contributions of the MIPT of VO2 are emphasized. Finally, we conclude the recent reports and provide a prospect on the strategies of developing future tunable metamaterials based on VO2.

Light-Matter Interactions in Phosphorene.

Since the beginning of 2014, phosphorene, a monolayer or few-layer of black phosphorus, has been rediscovered as a two-dimensional (2D) thin film, revealing a plethora of properties different from the bulk material studied so far. Similar to graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), phosphorene is also a layered material that can be exfoliated to yield individual layers. It is one of the few monoelemental 2D crystals and the only one, besides graphene, known to be stable in monolayer, few layer, and bulk form. Recently the intensified research in phosphorene is motivated not only by the study of its fundamental physical properties in the 2D regime, such as tunable bandgap and anisotropic behavior, but also by the high carrier mobility and good on/off ratio of phosphorene-based device prototypes, making it a potential alternative for next generation nanooptoelectronics and nanophotonics applications in the "post-graphene age" The electronic bandgap of phosphorene changes from 0.3 eV in the bulk to 2.1 eV in monolayer. Thus, phosphorene exhibits strong light-matter interactions in the visible and infrared (IR) frequencies. In this Account, we present the progress on understanding the various interactions between light and phosphorene, giving insight into the mechanism of these interactions and the respective applications. We begin by discussing the fundamental optical properties of phosphorene, using theoretical calculations to depict the layer-dependent electronic band structures and anisotropic optical properties. Many-body effects in phosphorene, including excitons and trions and their binding energies and dynamics are reviewed as observed in experiments. For phosphorene, the fast degradation in ambient condition, caused by photoinduced oxidation, is considered as a longstanding challenge. In contrast, oxidation can be used to engineer the band structure of phosphorene and, in parallel, its optical properties. Based on the strong light-matter interactions, we introduce a controllable method to directly oxidize phosphorene by laser techniques. With the oxidization induced by laser scanning, localized bandgap engineering can be achieved and microphotonics are demonstrated on the oxidized phosphorene. Finally, we will present a brief discussion on the realization of phosphorene-based building blocks of optoelectronic devices. Naturally, the strong light-matter interactions in phosphorene could enable efficient photoelectric conversion in optoelectronic devices. We will describe high performance photodetectors based on phosphorene, and the working mechanism of those devices will be introduced. The photovoltaic effect could also be exhibited in phosphorene. This indicates the pervasive potential of phosphorene in nanooptoelectronics.

Negative terahertz photoconductivity in 2D layered materials.

The remarkable qualities of 2D layered materials such as wide spectral coverage, high strength and great flexibility mean that ultrathin 2D layered materials have the potential to meet the criteria of next-generation optoelectronic devices. Photoconductivity is one of the critical parameters of materials applied to optoelectronics. In contrast to traditional semiconductors, specific ultrathin 2D layers present anomalous negative photoconductivity. This opens a new avenue for designing novel optoelectronic devices. It is important to have a deep understanding of the fundamentals of this anomalous response, in order to design and optimize such devices. In this review, we provide an overview of the observation of negative photoconductivity in 2D layered materials including graphene, topological insulators and transitional metal dichalcogenides. We also summarize recent reports on investigations into the fundamental mechanism using ultrafast terahertz (THz) spectroscopies. Finally, we conclude the review by discussing the existing challenges and proposing the possible prospects of this direction of research.

Exciton dynamics in tungsten dichalcogenide monolayers.

The strong photoluminescence from monolayer WS2 and WSe2 paves the way for a range of optoelectronic applications and opens up the door for ultrafast carrier dynamics study. In this work, we observed that monolayer WS2 and WSe2 exhibited giant absorption in the visible frequency range. This phenomenon has been ascribed to the band nesting effect. We used time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy to study the absorption and recombination dynamics of the photocarriers in monolayer WS2 and WSe2. We found that some of the electron-hole pairs excited in the band nesting region initially relaxed to the K/K' point and then underwent radiative decay. The decay and recombination of the photocarriers occurred rapidly and terminated within the sub-nanosecond timescale. The observed experimental results indicate the great potential of these materials in optoelectronic devices.

Epidemiological investigation of Mycoplasma Synoviae in native chicken breeds in China.

BACKGROUD: Mycoplasma synoviae (M. synoviae) is widely distributed around the world, and leads to serious economic losses in the world every year. Nevertheless, the incidence and epidemiology of M. synoviae infection in China have remained unclear. RESULTS: In this study we demonstrate that over 9773 broiler chicken flocks in 16 Chinese provinces were affected by M. synoviae between 2010 and 2015. Our epidemiological study revealed that M. synoviae was widely prevalent in multi-aged Chinese native breeder chickens, and the prevalence of M. synoviae in embryos of breeders reached up to 16.29%. In addition, our data showed that chickens aged 14 days or younger carried simultaneously high levels of maternal antibody against M. synoviae and high M. synoviae infection (10%), and low M. synoviae antibody levels in breeders and high proportion of M. synoviae infection in embryos could increase the chances of incidence in the offspring. Finally, our results also indicated that 3- to 7-week-old chickens might be most the susceptible to M. synoviae and, therefore, might play a key role in the horizontal transmission of M. synoviae. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that M. synoviae is widely circulating in Chinese native chickens, accordingly, effective control measures are urgently needed to control the spread.