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- ItemSymmetry‐Induced Selective Excitation of Topological States in Su–Schrieffer–Heeger Waveguide Arrays(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2023) Tang, Min; Wang, Jiawei; Valligatla, Sreeramulu; Saggau, Christian N.; Dong, Haiyun; Saei Ghareh Naz, Ehsan; Klembt, Sebastian; Lee, Ching Hua; Thomale, Ronny; van den Brink, Jeroen; Fulga, Ion Cosma; Schmidt, Oliver G.; Ma, LiboThe investigation of topological state transition in carefully designed photonic lattices is of high interest for fundamental research, as well as for applied studies such as manipulating light flow in on-chip photonic systems. Herein, the topological phase transition between symmetric topological zero modes (TZM) and antisymmetric TZMs in Su–Schrieffer–Heeger mirror symmetric waveguides is reported. The transition of TZMs is realized by adjusting the coupling ratio between neighboring waveguide pairs, which is enabled by selective modulation of the refractive index in the waveguide gaps. Bidirectional topological transitions between symmetric and antisymmetric TZMs can be achieved with proposed switching strategy. Selective excitation of topological edge mode is demonstrated owing to the symmetry characteristics of the TZMs. The flexible manipulation of topological states is promising for on-chip light flow control and may spark further investigations on symmetric/antisymmetric TZM transitions in other photonic topological frameworks.
- ItemPhotoluminescence Mapping over Laser Pulse Fluence and Repetition Rate as a Fingerprint of Charge and Defect Dynamics in Perovskites(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2023) Rao, Shraddha M.; Kiligaridis, Alexander; Yangui, Aymen; An, Qingzhi; Vaynzof, Yana; Scheblykin, Ivan G.Defects in metal halide perovskites (MHP) are photosensitive, making the observer effect unavoidable when laser spectroscopy methods are applied. Photoluminescence (PL) bleaching and enhancement under light soaking and recovery in dark are examples of the transient phenomena that are consequent to the creation and healing of defects. Depending on the initial sample composition, environment, and other factors, the defect nature and evolution can strongly vary, making spectroscopic data analysis prone to misinterpretations. Herein, the use of an automatically acquired dependence of PL quantum yield (PLQY) on the laser pulse repetition rate and pulse fluence as a unique fingerprint of both charge carrier dynamics and defect evolution is demonstrated. A simple visual comparison of such fingerprints allows for assessment of similarities and differences between MHP samples. The study illustrates this by examining methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3) films with altered stoichiometry that just after preparation showed very pronounced defect dynamics at time scale from milliseconds to seconds, clearly distorting the PLQY fingerprint. Upon weeks of storage, the sample fingerprints evolve toward the standard stoichiometric MAPbI3 in terms of both charge carrier dynamics and defect stability. Automatic PLQY mapping can be used as a universal method for assessment of perovskite sample quality.
- ItemSemitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells with an Evaporated Ultra-Thin Perovskite Absorber(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2023) Zhang, Zongbao; Ji, Ran; Jia, Xiangkun; Wang, Shu‐Jen; Deconinck, Marielle; Siliavka, Elena; Vaynzof, YanaMetal halide perovskites are of great interest for application in semitransparent solar cells due to their tunable bandgap and high performance. However, fabricating high-efficiency perovskite semitransparent devices with high average visible transmittance (AVT) is challenging because of their high absorption coefficient. Here, a co-evaporation process is adopted to fabricate ultra-thin CsPbI3 perovskite films. The smooth surface and orientated crystal growth of the evaporated perovskite films make it possible to achieve 10 nm thin films with compact and continuous morphology without pinholes. When integrated into a p-i-n device structure of glass/ITO/PTAA/perovskite/PCBM/BCP/Al/Ag with an optimized transparent electrode, these ultra-thin layers result in an impressive open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.08 V and a fill factor (FF) of 80%. Consequently, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.6% with an AVT above 50% is demonstrated, which is the first report for a perovskite device of a 10 nm active layer thickness with high VOC, FF and AVT. These findings demonstrate that deposition by thermal evaporation makes it possible to form compact ultra-thin perovskite films, which are of great interest for future smart windows, light-emitting diodes, and tandem device applications.
- ItemBest practice for electrochemical water desalination data generation and analysis(Maryland Heights, MO : Cell Press, 2023) Torkamanzadeh, Mohammad; Kök, Cansu; Burger, Peter Rolf; Ren, Panyu; Zhang, Yuan; Lee, Juhan; Kim, Choonsoo; Presser, VolkerElectrochemical desalination shows promise for ion-selective, energy-efficient water desalination. This work reviews performance metrics commonly used for electrochemical desalination. We provide a step-by-step guide on acquiring, processing, and calculating raw desalination data, emphasizing informative and reliable figures of merit. A typical experiment uses calibrated conductivity probes to relate measured conductivity to concentration. Using a standard electrochemical desalination cell with activated carbon electrodes, we demonstrate the calculation of desalination capacity, charge efficiency, energy consumption, and ion selectivity metrics. We address potential pitfalls in performance metric calculations, including leakage current (charge) considerations and aging of conductivity probes, which can lead to inaccurate results. The relationships between pH, temperature, and conductivity are explored, highlighting their influence on final concentrations. Finally, we provide a checklist for calculating performance metrics and planning electrochemical desalination tests to ensure accuracy and reliability. Additionally, we offer simplified spreadsheet tools to aid data processing, system design, estimations, and upscaling.
- ItemInvestigating the Static Recrystallization Behavior of 22MnB5 Manganese–Boron Steel through Stress Relaxation Analysis(Basel : MDPI, 2023) Birnbaum, Peter; Pilz, Stefan; Neufeld, Kai; Kunke, AndreasA constitutive model was developed to characterize the static recrystallization (SRX) and evolution of the grain size of the industrially relevant press-hardening steel, 22MnB5, subsequent to the hot forming of sheet metal. Isothermal stress relaxation tests were conducted using the BAEHR 805 A/D thermomechanical simulator, encompassing a temperature range of 950 to 1050 °C, prestrain levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.1, and strain rates spanning from 0.01 to 0.8 s−1. The results obtained from the isothermal stress relaxation tests facilitated the formulation of an Avrami equation-based model, which aptly describes the kinetics of SRX in relation to the temperature, prestrain, and strain rate. Notably, an increase in temperature led to accelerated recrystallization kinetics, signifying temperature-dependent behavior. When the temperature increased from 950 to 1050 °C, the recrystallization time was reduced to approximately one-third. Additionally, the prestrain exhibited a positive influence on the acceleration of SRX kinetics. A quintupling of the prestrain from 0.01 to 0.05 resulted in a reduction of the static recrystallization duration to approximately one-fifth. Among the parameters studied, the strain rate had the least impact on the SRX kinetics, as doubling the strain rate from 0.01 to 0.8 only resulted in a halving of the recrystallization duration. Moreover, an analysis of the microstructural evolution in response to the forming parameters was undertaken. While the grain-size investigation post-isothermal stress relaxation tests provided results in line with the SRX kinetics calculations, the observed effects were comparatively subdued. Furthermore, a comprehensive examination was conducted using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, aiming to explore the effects of specific stress relaxation states on the morphology of martensite. The findings reveal fully recrystallized globulitic microstructures, characterized by relatively minor differences among them.
- ItemTowards low-temperature processing of efficient γ-CsPbI3 perovskite solar cells(London [u.a.] : RSC, 2023) Zhang, Zongbao; Ji, Ran; Hofstetter, Yvonne J.; Deconinck, Marielle; Brunner, Julius; Li, Yanxiu; An, Qingzhi; Vaynzof, YanaInorganic cesium lead iodide (CsPbI3) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted enormous attention due to their excellent thermal stability and optical bandgap (∼1.73 eV), well-suited for tandem device applications. However, achieving high-performance photovoltaic devices processed at low temperatures is still challenging. Here we reported a new method for the fabrication of high-efficiency and stable γ-CsPbI3 PSCs at lower temperatures than was previously possible by introducing the long-chain organic cation salt ethane-1,2-diammonium iodide (EDAI2) and regulating the content of lead acetate (Pb(OAc)2) in the perovskite precursor solution. We find that EDAI2 acts as an intermediate that can promote the formation of γ-CsPbI3, while excess Pb(OAc)2 can further stabilize the γ-phase of CsPbI3 perovskite. Consequently, improved crystallinity and morphology and reduced carrier recombination are observed in the CsPbI3 films fabricated by the new method. By optimizing the hole transport layer of CsPbI3 inverted architecture solar cells, we demonstrate efficiencies of up to 16.6%, surpassing previous reports examining γ-CsPbI3 in inverted PSCs. Notably, the encapsulated solar cells maintain 97% of their initial efficiency at room temperature and under dim light for 25 days, demonstrating the synergistic effect of EDAI2 and Pb(OAc)2 in stabilizing γ-CsPbI3 PSCs.
- ItemCoulomb exchange as source of Kitaev and off-diagonal symmetric anisotropic couplings(London : Springer Nature, 2024) Bhattacharyya, Pritam; Petersen, Thorben; Bogdanov, Nikolay A.; Hozoi, LiviuExchange underpins the magnetic properties of quantum matter. In its most basic form, it occurs through the interplay of Pauli’s exclusion principle and Coulomb repulsion, being referred to as Coulomb or direct exchange. Pauli’s exclusion principle combined with inter-atomic electron hopping additionally leads to kinetic exchange and superexchange. Here we disentangle the different exchange channels in anisotropic Kitaev–Heisenberg context. By quantum chemical computations, we show that anisotropic Coulomb exchange, completely neglected so far in the field, may be as large as (or even larger than) other contributions — kinetic exchange and superexchange. This opens new perspectives onto anisotropic exchange mechanisms and sets the proper conceptual framework for further research on tuning Kitaev–Heisenberg magnetism.
- ItemQuantenphysik in Klasse 9: Ergebnisse einer Akzeptanzbefragung für ein Spin-First-Unterrichtskonzept(Berlin : FU Berlin, 2023) Albert, Carsten; Pospiech, GescheQuantenphysik gilt als eines der herausforderndsten Themen bei der Vermittlung von Physik und ist gleichzeitig von herausragender Bedeutung bei künftigen technologischen Entwicklungen. Mit Blick auf den wachsenden Stellenwert der Quantenphysik innerhalb der schulischen Bildung wurde im Rahmen eines Design-Based-Research-Projektes ein Lehrkonzept entwickelt, das einen qualitativen und anknüpfungsfähigen Zugang zur Quantenphysik bereits in Klassenstufe 9 ermöglichen soll. Die Lerninhalte bauen dabei auf dem Elektronenspin als exemplarisches Zweizustandssystem auf. Mit dem Ziel einer ersten formativen Evaluierung wurden Akzeptanzbefragungen durchgeführt, um die Vermittlungsstrategie zu überprüfen und vor einer ersten Erprobung mit Schulklassen anzupassen. Die Interviews konnten zeigen, dass mit dem Ansatz die intendierten Inhalte überwiegend erfolgreich vermittelt werden können und dass ein weiterer Einsatz des Konzeptes im Rahmen von Feldstudien legitim erscheint. Außerdem gaben sie Hinweise und Impulse für erste Anpassungen am Konzept.
- ItemFormation of intermittent covalent bonds at high contact pressure limits superlow friction on epitaxial graphene(College Park, MD : APS, 2023) Szczefanowicz, Bartosz; Kuwahara, Takuya; Filleter, Tobin; Klemenz, Andreas; Mayrhofer, Leonhard; Bennewitz, Roland; Moseler, MichaelEpitaxial graphene on SiC(0001) exhibits superlow friction due to its weak out-of-plane interactions. Friction-force microscopy with silicon tips shows an abrupt increase of friction by one order of magnitude above a threshold normal force. Density-functional tight-binding simulations suggest that this wearless high-friction regime involves an intermittent sp3 rehybridization of graphene at contact pressure exceeding 10 GPa. The simultaneous formation of covalent bonds with the tip's silica surface and the underlying SiC interface layer establishes a third mechanism limiting the superlow friction on epitaxial graphene, in addition to dissipation in elastic instabilities and in wear processes.
- ItemCorrelation induced magnetic topological phases in the mixed-valence compound SmB6(College Park, MD : APS, 2023) Liu, Huimei; Hirschmann, Moritz M.; Sawatzky, George A.; Khaliullin, Giniyat; Schnyder, Andreas P.SmB6 is a mixed-valence compound with flat f-electron bands that have a propensity to magnetism. Here, using a realistic Γ8 quartet model, we investigate the dynamical spin susceptibility and describe the in-gap collective mode observed in neutron scattering experiments. We show that as the Sm valence increases with pressure, the magnetic correlations enhance and SmB6 undergoes a first-order phase transition into a metallic antiferromagnetic state, whose symmetry depends on the model parameters. The magnetic orderings give rise to distinct band topologies: while the A-type order leads to an overlap between valence and conduction bands in the form of Dirac nodal lines, the G-type order has a negative indirect gap with weak Z2 indices. We also consider the spin polarized phase under a strong magnetic field, and find that it exhibits Weyl points as well as nodal lines close to the Fermi level. The magnetic phases show markedly different surface states and tunable bulk transport properties, with important implications for experiments. Our theory predicts that a magnetic order can be stabilized also by lifting the Γ8 cubic symmetry, thus explaining the surface magnetism reported in SmB6.