1T’ RexMo1−xS2–2H MoS2 Lateral Heterojunction for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Performance

The imperfect interfaces between 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are suitable for boosting the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) during water electrolysis. Here, the improved catalytic activity at the spatial heterojunction between 1T’ Re_xMo_1−xS₂ and 2H MoS₂ is reported. Atomic-scale electron microscopy confirms that the heterojunction is constructed by an in-situ two-step growth process through chemical vapor deposition. Electrochemical microcell measurements demonstrate that the 1T’ Re_xMo_1−xS₂–2H MoS₂ lateral heterojunction exhibits the best HER catalytic performance among all TMD catalysts with an overpotential of ≈84 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² current density and 58 mV dec⁻¹ Tafel slope. Kelvin probe force microscopy shows ≈40 meV as the work function difference between 2H MoS₂ and 1T’ Re_xMo_1−xS₂, facilitating the electron transfer from 2H MoS₂ to 1T’ Re_xMo_1−xS₂ at the heterojunction. First-principles calculations reveal that Mo-rich heterojunctions with high structural stability are formed, and the HER performance is improved with the combination of increased density of states near the Fermi level and optimal ΔG_H* as low as 0.07 eV. Those synergetic effects with many electrons and active sites with optimal ΔG_H* improve HER performance at the heterojunction. These results provide new insights into understanding the role of the heterojunction for HER.     

Artificial Optoelectronic Synapses Based on TiNxO2–x/MoS2 Heterojunction for Neuromorphic Computing and Visual System

Being capable of dealing with both electrical signals and light, artificial optoelectronic synapses are of great importance for neuromorphic computing and are receiving a burgeoning amount of interest in visual information processing. In this work, an artificial optoelectronic synapse composed of Al/TiN_xO_2–x/MoS₂/ITO (H-OSD) is proposed and experimentally realized. The H-OSD can enable basic electrical voltage-induced synaptic functions such as the long/short-term plasticity and moreover the synaptic plasticity can be electrically adjusted. In response to the light stimuli, versatile advanced synaptic functions including long/short-term memory, and learning-forgetting-relearning are successfully demonstrated, which could enhance the information processing capability for neuromorphic computing. Most importantly, based on these light-induced salient features, a 4 × 4 synapse array is developed to show the potential application of the proposed H-OSD in constructing artificial visual system. It is shown that the perceiving and memorizing of the light information that are respectively relevant to the visual perception and visual memory functions, can be readily attained through tuning of the light intensity and the number of illuminations. As such, the proposed optoelectronic synapse shows great potentials in both neuromorphic computing and visual information processing and will facilitate the applications such as electronic eyes and light-driven neurorobotics.     

Dual Catalytic Sites of Alloying Effect Bloom CO2 Catalytic Conversion for Highly Stable Li–CO2 Battery

Owing to the ingenious utilization of CO₂ conversion electrochemistry, rechargeable Li–CO₂ batteries, have attracted more and more attention. However, the large potential polarization resulting from the sluggish CO₂ reduction/evolution electrochemistry degrades energy efficiency and cycling performance. One possibility to break the kinetic bottlenecks of -Li–CO₂ batteries is to design high-efficiency catalysts with flexible geometric and electronic structures. Herein, an efficient synergistic catalyst with unique alloyed dual catalytic sites composed of uniformly ultrafine Ir–Ru alloyed nanoparticles modified nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube composite (denoted as IrRu/N-CNT) is synthesized. Combining the synergistic effect between the remarkably enhanced catalytic activity of Ir–Ru dual catalytic sites, the Li–CO₂ battery delivers a high discharge capacity of 6228 mAh g⁻¹ and outstanding stability over 7660 h. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation results uncover that the excellent electrochemical performance is ascribed to the novel dual catalytic sites on the surface of IrRu nanoalloys, which effectively modify its electronic structures and shorten the electron transfer pathway, leading to the deposition of film-like Li₂CO₃ products. This study highlights the novel view of building a dual catalytic site and provides some new insights for understanding the catalytic mechanism of an alloying-type bifunctional catalyst toward realizing high-performance Li–CO₂ batteries.     

Manipulating the Light-Matter Interaction of PtS/MoS2 p–n Junctions for High Performance Broadband Photodetection

Due to the limited carrier concentration, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides have lower intrinsic dark current, and thus, are widely studied for high performance room photodetection. However, the light-matter interaction is still unclear, thus tuning the photoexcitation and further manipulating the photodetection is a challenge. Herein, large-area PtS films are synthesized, and the growth mechanism is investigated. It is demonstrated that PtS has an orthorhombic structure and exhibits the p-type semiconducting behavior. Then, MoS₂/PtS p–n heterojunction is fabricated, and its energy diagram is discussed based on the Kelvin probe force microscopy. The contact potential difference is about 160 mV, which is much larger than previous 2D junctions facilitating the charge separation. Furthermore, the phototransistor based on MoS₂/PtS p–n heterojunction is prepared, showing broadband photoresponse from visible to near-infrared. The manipulation of an external field on photoresponse, detectivity, and rise/fall time are explored and discussed. The responsivity can reach up to 25.43 A W⁻¹, and the detectivity is 8.54 × 10¹² Jones. These results indicate that PtS film is a prospective candidate for high-performance optoelectronic devices and broaden the scope of infrared detection materials.     

Oxygen Defects Engineering of VO2·xH2O Nanosheets via In Situ Polypyrrole Polymerization for Efficient Aqueous Zinc Ion Storage

What has been a crucial demand is that designing mighty cathode materials for aqueous zinc−ion batteries (AZIBs), which are vigorous alternative devices for large−scale energy storage by means of their high safety and low cost. Herein, a facile strategy is designed that combines oxygen defect engineering with polymer coating in a synergistic action. As an example, the oxygen−deficient hydrate vanadium dioxide with polypyrrole coating (O_d−HVO@PPy) is synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method in which introducing oxygen vacancy in HVO is simultaneously realized during the in situ polymerization. Such a desirable material adjusts the surface adsorption and internal diffusion of Zn²⁺ demonstrated by electrochemical characterization and theoretical calculation results. Moreover, it also utilizes conductive polymer coating to improve electrical conductivity and suppress cathode dissolution. Therefore, the O_d−HVO@PPy electrode delivers a preferable reversible capacity (337 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹) with an impressive energy density of 228 Wh kg⁻¹ and stable long cycle life. This enlightened design opens up a new modus operandi toward superior cathode materials for advanced AZIBs.     

A Stable Low Power Dissipating 9 T SRAM for Implementation of 4 × 4 Memory Array with High Frequency Analysis

Wireless Personal Communications - Today’s high speed data processing and memory storage operations demand immediate data write and retrieval to meet up to benchmark. To act as a volatile or...     

High-Resolution and Stable Ruddlesden–Popper Quasi-2D Perovskite Flexible Photodetectors Arrays for Potential Applications as Optical Image Sensor

The development of an efficient fabrication route to achieve high-resolution perovskite pixel array is key for large-scale flexible image sensor devices. Herein, a high-resolution and stable 10 × 10 flexible PDs array based on formamidinium(FA⁺) and phenylmethylammonium (PMA⁺) quasi-2D (PMA)₂FAPb₂I₇ (n = 2) perovskite is demonstrated by developing SiO₂-assisted hydrophobic and hydrophilic treatment process on polyethylene terephthalate substrate. By introducing Au nanoparticles (Au NPs),  the perovskite film quality is improved and grain boundaries are reduced. The mechanism by which Au NPs upgrade the photoelectric quality of perovskite is mainly revealed by glow discharge-optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS). To further improve the photoelectric performance of the devices, a post-treatment strategy with formamidinium chloride (FACl) is used . The optimized flexible PDs arrays show excellent optoelectronic properties with a high responsivity of 4.7 A W⁻¹, a detectivity of 6.3 × 10¹² Jones, and a broad spectral sensitivity. The device also exhibits excellent electrical stability even under severe bending and excellent flexural strength, as well as excellent environmental stability. Finally, the integrated flexible PDs arrays are used as sensor pixels in an imaging system to obtain high-resolution imaging patterns, demonstrating the imaging capability of the PDs arrays.     

Impact of 2D Ligands on Lattice Strain and Energy Losses in Narrow-Bandgap Lead–Tin Perovskite Solar Cells

Mixed lead and tin (Pb/Sn) hybrid perovskites exhibit a great potential in fabricating all-perovskite tandem devices due to their easily tunable bandgaps. However, the energy deficit and instability in Pb/Sn perovskite solar cells (PSCs) constrain their practical applications, which renders defect passivation engineering indispensable to develop highly efficient and long-term stable PSCs. Herein, the mechanisms of strain tailoring and defect passivation in Pb/Sn PSCs by 2D ligands are investigated. The 2D ligands include electroneutral cations with long alkyl chain (LAC), iodates with relatively short alkyl chain (SAC) and their mixtures. This study reveals that LAC ligands facilitate the relaxation of tensile strain in perovskite films while SAC ligands cause strain buildup. By mixing LAC/SAC ligands, tensile strain in perovskite films can be balanced which improves solar cell performance. PSCs with admixed β-guanidinopropionic acid (GUA)/phenethylammonium iodide (PEAI) exhibit enhanced open circuit voltage and fill factor, which is attributed to reduced nonradiative recombination losses in the bulk and at the interfaces. Furthermore, the operational stability of PSCs is slightly improved by the mixed 2D ligands. This work reveals the mechanisms of 2D ligands in strain tailoring and defect passivation toward efficient and stable narrow-bandgap PSCs.     

Users’ Preferences for Smart Home Automation – Investigating Aspects of Privacy and Trust

Smart home automation provides residents with relief and convenience in everyday life and allows for self-determined aging in place. Yet, market penetration is offset by user concerns related to privacy and trust issues: With increasing system complexity, users may perceive a loss of control and fear technical unreliability. While barriers to acceptance in terms of privacy and trust are well understood when considered separately, they are hardly investigated in conjunction so far. We conducted a quantitative study using Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis via an online questionnaire. We explored how aspects of privacy and trust determine the willingness to use smart homes from the perspective of (future) users (n = 137, 18 to 64 years of age), and also with respect to the level of automation and application field. Results show that semi-automated systems are rather preferred than fully automated smart home technology. The perceived reliability of automation is the most important acceptance determinant, followed by the location of data storage. Whereas the awareness to use (e.g., recommendations), the type of data, and application field are less important factors for the overall willingness to use smart homes. Findings inform scientists in the field of human-automation interaction and technical developers of smart home automation for technology innovation adapted to user needs.     

Hydrothermal “Disproportionation” of Biomass into Oriented Carbon Microsphere Anode and 3D Porous Carbon Cathode for Potassium Ion Hybrid Capacitor

The comprehensive utilization of biomass to obtain energy-storage carbonaceous materials with special microstructures is of great significance. Herein, a universal method is proposed to fabricate oriented carbon microspheres (OCMSs) and 3D porous carbon (3DPC) block at the same time via high-temperature hydrothermal “disproportionation” of biomass including but not limited to basswood, pinus sylvestris, red walnut, beech, bamboo, and sorghum straw. Through nuclear magnetic resonance, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, as well as various morphologic and structural characterizations, it is demonstrated that OCMS with (002) orientation originates from the carbonization of organic matters produced by the successive decomposition of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin during the high-temperature hydrothermal process, while the 3DPC blocks exhibit abundant sp³ defects and micropores with a surface area of 855.12 m² g⁻¹ due to the constant loss of organic components from basswood blocks. As a result, the OCMS anode exhibits a high capacity of 201.1 mA h g⁻¹ at 2000 mA g⁻¹ after 2000 cycles, 3DPC cathode delivers a capacity of 95.7 mA h g⁻¹ at 1.0 A g⁻¹ after 5000 cycles. Remarkably, the as-assembled OCMS//3DPC potassium ion hybrid capacitor exhibits an energy of 140.7 Wh kg⁻¹ at 643.8 W kg⁻¹, with a long cycle life over 8500 cycles.     

Solar generation — Targets for a conservative industry: ‘Energy for 1 billion,jobs for 2 billion’

Despite limited installed-capacity to date, PV or solar power, is forecast to make a major contribution to world energy needs. However, there still is a long way to go before solar power can claim its rightful place alongside conventional generation. The idea of unlimited energy from the sun seems an obvious winner. Fuel is free and limitless, there are no troublesome emissions or noise problems, and, as a modular technology, it can be deployed close to the point of consumption, saving on infrastructure costs, transmission losses and offering greater control to individual users.     

Study of sensitivity and selectivity of α-Fe2O3 thin films for different toxic gases and alcohols

This paper presents a detailed study on the sensitivity and selectivity of α-Fe₂O₃ thin films produced by deposition of Fe and post-deposition annealed at two temperatures of 600 °C and 800 °C with flow of oxygen for application as a sensor for toxic gases including CO, H₂S, NH₃ and NO₂ and alcohols such as C₃H₇OH, CH₃OH, and C₂H₅OH. The crystallographic structure of the samples was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method while an atomic force microscope (AFM) was employed for surface morphology investigation. The electrical response of the films was measured while they were exposed to various toxic gases and alcohols in the temperature range of 50–300 °C. The sample annealed at higher temperature showed higher response for different gases and alcohols tested in this work which can be due to the higher resistance of this sample. Results also indicated that the α-Fe₂O₃ thin films show higher selectivity to NO₂ gas relative to the other gases and alcohols while the best sensitivity is obtained at 200 °C. The α-Fe₂O₃ thin film post-deposition annealed at 800 °C also showed a good stability and reproducibility and a detection limit of 10 ppm for NO₂ gas at the operating temperature of 200 °C.     

Design and Implementation of the Reconfigurable Area and Power-Efficient Steganography for Medical Information’s in MIMO-OFDM Channel Coding

Wireless Personal Communications - In general, confidentiality is an important issue when transferring data in the medical field. Medical data hacking is a trending business followed by many...     

Structural and Electronic Properties of ZnSiAs2, ZnSnAs2, and Their Mixed Crystals ZnSi1 – xSnxAs2

Semiconductors - In this work, the structural and electronic properties of the ternary chalcopyrite semiconductors ZnSiAs2 and ZnSnAs2 and their related ZnSi1 – xSnxAs2 quaternary alloys are...     

Scalable modeling and comparison for spiral inductors using enhanced 1-π and 2-π topologies

Two different scalable models developed based on enhanced 1-π and 2-π topologies are presented for onchip spiral inductor modeling.All elements used in the two topologies for accurately predicting the characteristics of spiral inductors at radio frequencies are constructed in geometry-dependent equations for scalable modeling.Then a comparison between the 1-π and 2-π scalable models is made from the following aspects:the complexity of equivalent circuit models and parameter-extraction procedures,scalable rules and the accuracy of scalable models.The two scalable models are further verified by the excellent match between the measured and simulated results on extracted parameters up to self-resonant frequency (SRF) for a set of spiral inductors with different L,R and N,which are fabricated by employing 0.18-μm 1P6M RF CMOS technology.     

Scalable modeling and comparison for spiral inductors using enhanced 1-π and 2-π topologies

Two different scalable models developed based on enhanced 1-πand 2-πtopologies are presented for onchip spiral inductor modeling.All elements used in the two topologies for accurately predicting the characteristics of spiral inductors at radio frequencies are constructed in geometry-dependent equations for scalable modeling.Then a comparison between the 1-πand 2-πscalable models is made from the following aspects:the complexity of equivalent circuit models and parameter-extraction procedures,scalable rul...