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A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanophotonics Materials and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2023) | Viewed by 19553

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ruifeng Lu

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Guest Editor

Department of Applied Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
Interests: ultrafast optical physics; photocatalysis; inorganic lead-free perovskites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Jian Zhou

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Co-Guest Editor

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
Interests: bulk photovoltaic effects; terahertz–matter interaction; optically induced phase transition

Prof. Dr. Jianing Chen

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Co-Guest Editor

Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Interests: plasmonic; phonon polaritons; ultrafast optics; infrared optical materials

Dr. Bin Yang

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Co-Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian 116023, China
Interests: lead-free perovskite; ultrafast spectroscopy; transient absorption

Prof. Dr. Kun Zhao

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Assistant Guest Editor

Department of Applied Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
Interests: ultrafast optical physics; low-dimensional quantum physics; two-dimensional magnets
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Semiconductor nanomaterials are promising for next-generation applications in many fields, such as energy harvesting, electronic and optoelectronic devices, chemical and biosensors, and catalysts at the nanoscale. A major feature of semiconductor nanomaterials is that their unique optical properties significantly differ from the same bulk material due to the quantum size effect or large surface-to-volume ratio. The optical properties of semiconductor nanomaterials are not only related to their atomic structure and electronic properties but also strongly correlated with the shape, size, and surface functionality of nanomaterials, which are attractive objects of fundamental research and new potential applications.

We are pleased to invite you to submit a manuscript to the "Special Issue on Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials" of Nanomaterials. This Special Issue aims to collect the latest experimental and theoretical research articles on the optical properties of semiconductor nanomaterials and their applications. The scope of this Special Issue covers the preparation, characterization and application of semiconductor nanomaterials.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome in this Special Issue. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: nanoparticles, quantum dots, modeling of nanomaterials and mesoscopic effects, ultrafast optics, photocatalysis, plasmonic, perovskites nanomaterials, low-dimensional materials.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Ruifeng Lu
Prof. Dr. Jian Zhou
Prof. Dr. Jianing Chen
Dr. Bin Yang
Prof. Dr. Kun Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

optical properties
semiconductors
nanomaterials
low-dimensional materials
photocatalysis
nanoparticles
ultrafast optics

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1419 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Over Two-Fold Photoluminescence Enhancement from Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Induced by Oxygen Doping

by Timofei Eremin, Valentina Eremina, Yuri Svirko and Petr Obraztsov

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(9), 1561; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13091561 - 6 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1734

Abstract

Covalent functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is a promising way to improve their photoluminescent (PL) brightness and thus make them applicable as a base material for infrared light emitters. We report as high as over two-fold enhancement of the SWCNT PL brightness by using oxygen doping via the UV photodissociation of hypochlorite ions. By analyzing the temporal evolution of the PL and Raman spectra of SWCNTs in the course of the doping process, we conclude that the enhancement of SWCNTs PL brightness depends on the homogeneity of induced quantum defects distribution over the SWCNT surface. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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9 pages, 2120 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Tb³⁺ and Bi³⁺ Co-Doping of Lead-Free Cs₂NaInCl₆ Double Perovskite Nanocrystals for Tailoring Optical Properties

by Yang Yu, Wei Zhou, Cheng Li, Peigeng Han, Hui Li and Kun Zhao

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(3), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13030549 - 29 Jan 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2630

Abstract

Lead halide perovskites have achieved remarkable success in various photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications, especially solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Despite the significant advances of lead halide perovskites, lead toxicity and insufficient stability limit their commercialization. Lead-free double perovskites (DPs) are potential materials to address these issues because of their non-toxicity and high stability. By doping DP nanocrystals (NCs) with lanthanide ions (Ln³⁺), it is possible to make them more stable and impart their optical properties. In this work, a variable temperature hot injection method is used to synthesize lead-free Tb³⁺-doped Cs₂NaInCl₆ DP NCs, which exhibit a major narrow green photoluminescence (PL) peak at 544 nm derived from the transition of Tb^3+ 5D₄→⁷F₅. With further Bi³⁺ co-doping, the Tb³⁺-Bi³⁺-co-doped Cs₂NaInCl₆ DP NCs are not only directly excited at 280 nm but are also excited at 310 nm and 342 nm. The latter have a higher PL intensity because partial Tb³⁺ ions are excited through more efficient energy transfer channels from the Bi³⁺ to the Tb³⁺ ions. The investigation of the underlying mechanism between the intrinsic emission of Cs₂NaInCl₆ NCs and the narrow green PL caused by lanthanide ion doping in this paper will facilitate the development of lead-free halide perovskite NCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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9 pages, 2278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photon-Energy-Dependent Reversible Charge Transfer Dynamics of Double Perovskite Nanocrystal-Polymer Nanocomposites

by Ruixiang Wu, Xiaoshuai Wang, Jingjing Luo, Xin Liu, Fengjie Guo, Bin Li, Shengzhi Wang, Peigeng Han and Xiangyang Miao

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(23), 4300; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12234300 - 4 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1493

Abstract

Combining steady-state photoluminescence and transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy, we have investigated the photoinduced charge transfer dynamics between lead-free Mn-doped Cs₂NaIn_0.75Bi_0.25Cl₆ double perovskite (DP) nanocrystals (NCs) and conjugated poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV). Upon ultraviolet-A excitation, the photoinduced absorption feature of DP NCs/MDMO-PPV nanocomposites disappeared, and the stimulated emission weakened in the TA spectrum. This was due to charge transfer from the MDMO-PPV polymers to DP NCs. Upon a higher photon-energy ultraviolet-C excitation, stimulated emission and photoinduced absorption features vanished, indicating there existed a reversible charge transfer from DP NCs to MDMO-PPV polymers. Reversible charge transfer of Mn-doped DP NCs/MDMO-PPV nanocomposites was tuned by varying the excitation photon-energy. The manipulation of reversible charge transfer dynamics in the perovskite-polymer nanocomposites opens a new avenue for optical and optoelectronic applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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9 pages, 5406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy in Graded In_xGa_1−xN

by Xiaofang Zhao, Tao Wang, Bowen Sheng, Xiantong Zheng, Li Chen, Haihui Liu, Chao He, Jun Xu, Rui Zhu and Xinqiang Wang

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(21), 3719; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12213719 - 23 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1601

Abstract

InGaN materials are widely used in optoelectronic devices due to their excellent optical properties. Since the emission wavelength of the full-composition-graded In_xGa_1−xN films perfectly matches the solar spectrum, providing a full-spectrum response, this makes them suitable for the manufacturing of high-efficiency optoelectronic devices. It is extremely important to study the optical properties of materials, but there are very few studies of the luminescence of full-composition-graded In_xGa_1−xN ternary alloy. In this work, the optical properties of full-composition-graded In_xGa_1−xN films are studied by cathodoluminescence (CL). The CL spectra with multiple luminescence peaks in the range of 365–1000 nm were acquired in the cross-sectional and plan-view directions. The CL spectroscopy studies were carried out inside and outside of microplates formed under the indium droplets on the InGaN surface, which found that the intensity of the light emission peaks inside and outside of microplates differed significantly. Additionally, the paired defects structure is studied by using the spectroscopic method. A detailed CL spectroscopy study paves the way for the growth and device optimization of high-quality, full-composition-graded In_xGa_1−xN ternary alloy materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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9 pages, 835 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Actively Controllable Terahertz Metal–Graphene Metamaterial Based on Electromagnetically Induced Transparency Effect

by Liang Gao, Chao Feng, Yongfu Li, Xiaohan Chen, Qingpu Wang and Xian Zhao

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(20), 3672; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12203672 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1738

Abstract

A metal–graphene metamaterial device exhibiting a tunable, electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) spectral response at terahertz frequencies is investigated. The metamaterial structure is composed of a strip and a ring resonator, which serve as the bright and dark mode to induce the EIT effect. By employing the variable conductivity of graphene to dampen the dark resonator, the response frequency of the device shifts dynamically over 100 GHz, which satisfies the convenient post-fabrication tunability requirement. The slow-light behavior of the proposed device is also analyzed with the maximum group delay of 1.2 ps. The sensing performance is lastly studied and the sensitivity can reach up to 100 GHz/(RIU), with a figure of merit (FOM) value exceeding 4

{RIU}^{- 1}

. Therefore, the graphene-based metamaterial provides a new miniaturized platform to facilitate the development of terahertz modulators, sensors, and slow-light applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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16 pages, 1057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optical Properties of Cylindrical Quantum Dots with Hyperbolic-Type Axial Potential under Applied Electric Field

by Esin Kasapoglu, Melike Behiye Yücel, Serpil Sakiroglu, Huseyin Sari and Carlos A. Duque

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(19), 3367; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12193367 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2056

Abstract

In this paper, we have researched the electronic and optical properties of cylindrical quantum dot structures by selecting four different hyperbolic-type potentials in the axial direction under an axially-applied electric field. We have considered a position-dependent effective mass model in which both the smooth variation of the effective mass in the axial direction adjusted to the way the confining potentials change and its abrupt change in the radial direction have been considered in solving the eigenvalue differential equation. The calculations of the eigenvalue equation have been implemented considering both the Dirichlet conditions (zero flux) and the open boundary conditions (non-zero flux) in the planes perpendicular to the direction of the applied electric field, which guarantees the validity of the results presented in this study for quasi-steady states with extremely high lifetimes. We have used the diagonalization method combined with the finite element method to find the eigenvalues and eigenfunction of the confined electron in the cylindrical quantum dots. The numerical strategies that have been used for the solution of the differential equations allowed us to overcome the multiple problems that the boundary conditions present in the region of intersection of the flat and cylindrical faces that form the boundary of the heterostructure. To calculate the linear and third-order nonlinear optical absorption coefficients and relative changes in the refractive index, a two-level approach in the density matrix expansion is used. Our results show that the electronic and, therefore, optical properties of the structures focused on can be adjusted to obtain a suitable response for specific studies or goals by changing structural parameters such as the widths and depths of the potentials in the axial direction, as well as the electric field intensity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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11 pages, 3150 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ligand Engineering Triggered Efficiency Tunable Emission in Zero-Dimensional Manganese Hybrids for White Light-Emitting Diodes

by Qiqiong Ren, Jian Zhang, Yilin Mao, Maxim S. Molokeev, Guojun Zhou and Xian-Ming Zhang

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(18), 3142; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12183142 - 10 Sep 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1708

Abstract

Zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid manganese halides have emerged as promising platforms for the white light-emitting diodes (w-LEDs) owing to their excellent optical properties. Necessary for researching on the structure-activity relationship of photoluminescence (PL), the novel manganese bromides (C₁₃H₁₄N)₂MnBr₄ and (C₁₃H₂₆N)₂MnBr₄ are reported by screening two ligands with similar atomic arrangements but various steric configurations. It is found that (C₁₃H₁₄N)₂MnBr₄ with planar configuration tends to promote a stronger electron-phonon coupling, crystal filed effect and concentration-quenching effect than (C₁₃H₂₆N)₂MnBr₄ with chair configuration, resulting in the broadband emission (FWHM = 63 nm) to peak at 539 nm with a large Stokes shift (70 nm) and a relatively low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) (46.23%), which makes for the potential application (LED-1, Ra = 82.1) in solid-state lighting. In contrast, (C₁₃H₂₆N)₂MnBr₄ exhibits a narrowband emission (FWHM = 44 nm) which peaked at 515 nm with a small Stokes shift (47 nm) and a high PLQY of 64.60%, and the as-fabricated white LED-2 reaches a wide colour gamut of 107.8% National Television Standards Committee (NTSC), thus highlighting the immeasurable application prospects in solid-state display. This work clarifies the significance of the spatial configuration of organic cations in hybrids perovskites and enriches the design ideas for function-oriented low-dimensional emitters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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8 pages, 3180 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Substrate-Modulated Electric and Magnetic Resonances of Lithium Niobite Nanoparticles Illuminated by White Light

by Hui Li, Yigeng Peng and Ruifeng Lu

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(12), 2010; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12122010 - 10 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1816

Abstract

The manipulation of light at the nanoscale is important for nanophotonic research. Lithium niobite (LiNbO₃), as an ideal building block for metamaterials, has attracted great interest for its unique properties in the field of nonlinear optics. In this paper, we numerically studied the effect of different substrates on the optical resonances of a LiNbO₃ nanoparticle. The results show that the electric and magnetic resonances of such a system can be effectively adjusted by changing the substrate. Compared to the impact of dielectric substrate, the interaction between the LiNbO₃ nanoparticle and the Au film shows a fascinating phenomenon that a sharp resonance peak appears. The multipole decomposition of the scattering spectrum shows that the size, shape of the LiNbO₃ nanoparticle, and the thickness of the SiO₂ film between the particle and the Au film have a significant impact on the electromagnetic resonance of the LiNbO₃ nanoparticle. This work provides a new insight into LiNbO₃ nanoparticles, which may have potential use in the design of dielectric nanomaterials and devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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9 pages, 2408 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Versatile Gold Telluride Iodide Monolayer as a Potential Photocatalyst for Water Splitting

by Bingru Hai, Zhanying Yang, Bo Zhou, Lei Zhang, Aijun Du and Chunmei Zhang

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1915; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12111915 - 3 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1813

Abstract

Two-dimensional materials promise great potential for photochemical water splitting due to the abundant active sites and large surface area, but few of the known materials meet the rigorous requirements. In this work, we systematically investigate structural, electronic, and optical properties of an experimentally unexplored 2D material, i.e., gold telluride iodide (AuTeI) monolayer using density functional theory and Bethe–Salpeter equation approaches. Bulk AuTeI is a layered material and was realized in experiments a few decades ago. However, its bandgap is relatively small for water splitting. We find the exfoliation of monolayer AuTeI from the bulk phase is highly favorable, and 2D AuTeI is dynamically stable. The bandgap of 2D AuTeI becomes larger due to the quantum confinement effect. Importantly, the edge positions of the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum of 2D AuTeI perfectly fit the water oxidation and reduction potentials, enabling it a promising photocatalyst for water splitting. Additionally, the exciton binding energy of 2D AuTeI is calculated to be 0.35 eV, suggesting efficient electron-hole separation. Our results highlight a new and experimentally accessible 2D material for potential application in photocatalytic water splitting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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13 pages, 2466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Optical Response of Zinc-Doped Tin Disulfide Layered Crystals Grown with the Chemical Vapor Transport Method

by Yu-Tai Shih, Der-Yuh Lin, Yu-Cheng Li, Bo-Chang Tseng and Sheng-Beng Hwang

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(9), 1442; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12091442 - 23 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1623

Abstract

Tin disulfide (SnS₂) is a promising semiconductor for use in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. Doping plays an essential role in SnS₂ applications, because it can increase the functionality of SnS₂ by tuning its original properties. In this study, the effect of zinc (Zn) doping on the photoelectric characteristics of SnS₂ crystals was explored. The chemical vapor transport method was adopted to grow pristine and Zn-doped SnS₂ crystals. Scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the grown SnS₂ crystals were layered materials. The ratio of the normalized photocurrent of the Zn-doped specimen to that of the pristine specimen increased with an increasing illumination frequency, reaching approximately five at 10⁴ Hz. Time-resolved photocurrent measurements revealed that the Zn-doped specimen had shorter rise and fall times and a higher current amplitude than the pristine specimen. The photoresponsivity of the specimens increased with an increasing bias voltage or decreasing laser power. The Zn-doped SnS₂ crystals had 7.18 and 3.44 times higher photoresponsivity, respectively, than the pristine crystals at a bias voltage of 20 V and a laser power of 4 × 10⁻⁸ W. The experimental results of this study indicate that Zn doping markedly enhances the optical response of SnS₂ layered crystals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanomaterials)

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