Department of Materials
The Interfaces Lab aims to understand and develop thin-film materials that can improve next-generation optoelectronic devices and integrated circuits.
Our focus lies on the dynamics of charge carriers in metal-dielectric and dielectric-semiconductor interfaces. Such interfaces are fundamental to the operation of most electronic devices, from simple diodes and solar cells, to complex 2D field effect transistors and memories. We explore a range of metal oxide and nitride functional dielectric materials, which can serve as a platform for tailoring and controlling semiconductor devices.
This young group was established in 2019 by Dr Ruy Sebastian Bonilla. It brings together the world-leading work in photovoltaics carried out by the Semiconductor and Silicon PV group, with a new research area on applied dielectric materials and interfaces. We're also happy to engage in new areas where semiconductor-dielectric interfaces can affect or limit device performance, so please drop us a line if you'd like to collaborate.
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2020
ALD titanium oxide nanolayers, althought known as electron selective contacts, are found to be widely tunable from electron to hole selective depending on deposition conditions, post-deposition treatments, and work function of the metal electrode used. Solar cell test structure exhibiting open-circuit voltages (Voc) as high as 720 and 650 mV are shown for electron and hole selective contacts, respectively.
Understanding and optimizing EBIC pn-junction characterization from modeling insights
Journal of Applied Physics, 2020
A comprehensive review of the physical mechanisms of EBIC imaging in semiconductor devices is used to draw insights into accelerating voltage and surface effects. Low kV and high SRV are shown key to improve EBIC lateral resolution.
Charge fluctuations at the Si–SiO2 interface and its effect on surface recombination in solar cells
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2020
This work presents a detailed examination of how charge at or near the Si–SiO2 interface influences the performance of silicon solar cells. SiO2 will continue to play a major role in the development of photovoltaic devices.
Exceptional Surface Passivation Arising from Bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-Based Solutions
ACS Applied Electronic Materials, 2019 Here we find that surface chemical treatments with solutions based on molecules with trifluoromethanesulfonyl groups, including TFSI, give rise to excellent room temperature surface passivation of inorganic electronic materials (e.g., MoS2, WSe2, Si). The common factor being the presence of CF3SO2 groups and not the solution’s acidity.
