MoO3 nanowire growth on VO2/WO3 for thermochromic applications.

This study explores the structural, electronic, and optical properties of sandwich-structured thin films composed of WO3, MoWO3, and MoO3 as window layers on VO2/WO3via a physical vapor deposition method. Morphological analysis demonstrates the evolution of distinct nanowires, offering insights into the lattice strain of the VO2 layer toward high-performance thermochromatic devices. Temperature-dependent sheet resistivity is investigated, showcasing significant improvements in conductivity for samples with MoO3 as a window layer. The electrical and optical properties of the MoO3/VO2/WO3 device showed a phase transition temperature (Tc) of 36.8 °C, a transmittance luminous (Tlum) of 54.57%, and a solar modulation ability (ΔTsol) of 12.43. This comprehensive analysis contributes to understanding the growth of nanowires on multi-layered thin films, offering valuable insights into potential applications in bright windows.

Eco-Friendly Boost for Perovskite Photovoltaics: Harnessing Cellulose-Modified SnO2 as a High-Performance Electron Transporting Material.

In this study, a passivated tin oxide (SnO2) film is successfully obtained through the implementation of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC) modifier agent and used as the electron transporting layer (ETL) within the assembly of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The strategic incorporation of the Na-CMC modifier agent yields discernible enhancements in the optoelectronic properties of the ETL. Among the fabricated cells, the champion cell based on Na-CMC-complexed SnO2 ETL achieves a conversion efficiency of 22.2% with an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.12 V, short-circuit current density (JSC) of 24.57 mA/cm2, and fill factor (FF) of 80.6%. On the other hand, these values are measured for the pristine SnO2 ETL-based control cell as VOC = 1.11 V, JSC = 23.59 mA/cm2, and FF = 76.7% with an efficiency of 20.1%. This improvement can be ascribed to the high charge extraction ability, higher optical transmittance, better conductivity, and decrease in the trap state density associated with the passivated ETL structure. In addition, the cells employing Na-CMC-complexed SnO2 ETL exhibit prolonged stability under ambient conditions during 2000 h. Based on the preliminary results, this study also presents a set of findings that could have substantial implications for the potential use of the Na-CMC molecule in both large-scale perovskite cells and perovskite/Si tandem configuration.

Nanostructured MoS2 and WS2 Photoresponses under Gas Stimuli.

This study was on the optoelectronic properties of multilayered two-dimensional MoS2 and WS2 materials on a silicon substrate using sputtering physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. For the first time, we report ultraviolet (UV) photoresponses under air, CO2, and O2 environments at different flow rates. The electrical Hall effect measurement showed the existence of MoS2 (n-type)/Si (p-type) and WS2 (P-type)/Si (p-type) heterojunctions with a higher sheet carrier concentration of 5.50 × 105 cm-2 for WS2 thin film. The IV electrical results revealed that WS2 is more reactive than MoS2 film under different gas stimuli. WS2 film showed high stability under different bias voltages, even at zero bias voltage, due to the noticeably good carrier mobility of 29.8 × 102 cm2/V. WS2 film indicated a fast rise/decay time of 0.23/0.21 s under air while a faster response of 0.190/0.10 s under a CO2 environment was observed. Additionally, the external quantum efficiency of WS2 revealed a remarkable enhancement in the CO2 environment of 1.62 × 108 compared to MoS2 film with 6.74 × 106. According to our findings, the presence of CO2 on the surface of WS2 improves such optoelectronic properties as photocurrent gain, photoresponsivity, external quantum efficiency, and detectivity. These results indicate potential applications of WS2 as a photodetector under gas stimuli for future optoelectronic applications.

Tuning the Metal-Insulator Transition Properties of VO2 Thin Films with the Synergetic Combination of Oxygen Vacancies, Strain Engineering, and Tungsten Doping.

Vanadium oxide (VO2) is considered a Peierls-Mott insulator with a metal-insulator transition (MIT) at Tc = 68° C. The tuning of MIT parameters is a crucial point to use VO2 within thermoelectric, electrochromic, or thermochromic applications. In this study, the effect of oxygen deficiencies, strain engineering, and metal tungsten doping are combined to tune the MIT with a low phase transition of 20 °C in the air without capsulation. Narrow hysteresis phase transition devices based on multilayer VO2, WO3, Mo0.2W0.8O3, and/or MoO3 oxide thin films deposited through a high vacuum sputtering are investigated. The deposited films are structurally, chemically, electrically, and optically characterized. Different conductivity behaviour was observed, with the highest value towards VO1.75/WO2.94 and the lowest VO1.75 on FTO glass. VO1.75/WO2.94 showed a narrow hysteresis curve with a single-phase transition. Thanks to the role of oxygen vacancies, the MIT temperature decreased to 35 °C, while the lowest value (Tc = 20 °C) was reached with Mo0.2W0.8O3/VO2/MoO3 structure. In this former sample, Mo0.2W0.8O3 was used for the first time as an anti-reflective and anti-oxidative layer. The results showed that the MoO3 bottom layer is more suitable than WO3 to enhance the electrical properties of VO2 thin films. This work is applied to fast phase transition devices.

Efficient MoWO3/VO2/MoS2/Si UV Schottky photodetectors; MoS2 optimization and monoclinic VO2 surface modifications.

The distinctive properties of strongly correlated oxides provide a variety of possibilities for modulating the properties of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides semiconductors; which represent a new class of superior optical and optoelectronic interfacing semiconductors. We report a novel approach to scaling-up molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) by combining the techniques of chemical and physical vapor deposition (CVD and PVD) and interfacing with a thin layer of monoclinic VO2. MoWO3/VO2/MoS2 photodetectors were manufactured at different sputtering times by depositing molybdenum oxide layers using a PVD technique on p-type silicon substrates followed by a sulphurization process in the CVD chamber. The high quality and the excellent structural and absorption properties of MoWO3/VO2/MoS2/Si with MoS2 deposited for 60 s enables its use as an efficient UV photodetector. The electronically coupled monoclinic VO2 layer on MoS2/Si causes a redshift and intensive MoS2 Raman peaks. Interestingly, the incorporation of VO2 dramatically changes the ratio between A-exciton (ground state exciton) and trion photoluminescence intensities of VO2/(30 s)MoS2/Si from < 1 to > 1. By increasing the deposition time of MoS2 from 60 to 180 s, the relative intensity of the B-exciton/A-exciton increases, whereas the lowest ratio at deposition time of 60 s refers to the high quality and low defect densities of the VO2/(60 s)MoS2/Si structure. Both the VO2/(60 s)MoS2/Si trion and A-exciton peaks have higher intensities compared with (60 s) MoS2/Si structure. The MoWO3/VO2/(60 s)MoS2/Si photodetector displays the highest photocurrent gain of 1.6, 4.32 × 108 Jones detectivity, and ~ 1.0 × 1010 quantum efficiency at 365 nm. Moreover, the surface roughness and grains mapping are studied and a low semiconducting-metallic phase transition is observed at ~ 40 °C.

Early effects of treatment with nebivolol and quinapril on endothelial function in patients with hypertension.

The objective of the present study was to compare the early effects of treatment with nebivolol and quinapril on the endothelial function in hypertensive patients. A total of 54 hypertensive patients was enrolled in the present study. One of the groups (n = 27) received quinapril 20 mg/day, and the other group (n = 27) received nebivolol 5 mg/day for a period of 4 weeks. The endothelial dysfunction was assessed using FMD (flow-mediated vasodilation) of the brachial arteries. The baseline characteristics of both groups were similar in age, gender, left venticular ejection fraction, left ventricular mass index, and body mass index. No significant difference was also found between the groups in the distribution of atherosclerotic risk factors as well as other echocardiographic, demographic, and biochemical measurements. Although the reduction of diastolic blood pressure was more pronounced in the nebivolol group after a 4-week treatment, the change in the systolic blood pressure was found to be similar in both treatment arms. Although a statistically nonsignificant increase was observed in flow-mediated vasodilation in the quinapril group (4.77% +/- 3.92%, 5.60% +/- 6.18%; p = .587), the increase in the post-treatment FMD was statistically significant in the nebivolol group (3.78% +/- 4.25%, 8.56% +/- 6.39%; p = .002). A significant change was observed in the resistive index value following flow-mediated vasodilation for both groups after treatment (p = .043; p = .027), whereas the change in the value of flow volume was significant only in the nebivolol group (p = .019).