arXiv subjects

A. Carvalho

Publications and source records attributed to A. Carvalho.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Exciton binding energies and luminescence of phosphorene under pressure

The optical response of phosphorene can be gradually changed by application of moderate uniaxial compression, as the material undergoes the transition into an indirect gap semiconductor and eventually into a semimetal. Strain tunes not only the gap between the valence band and conduction band local extrema, but also the effective masses, and in consequence, the exciton anisotropy and binding strength. In this article, we consider from a theoretical point of view how the exciton stability and the resulting luminescence energy evolves under uniaxial strain. We find that the exciton binding energy can be as large as 0.87 eV in vacuum for 5% transverse strain, placing it amongst the highest for 2D materials. Further, the large shift of the luminescence peak and its linear dependence on strain suggest that it can be used to probe directly the strain state of single-layers.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2014

Phosphorene oxides: bandgap engineering of phosphorene by oxidation

We show that oxidation of phosphorene can lead to the formation of a new family of planar (2D) and tubular (1D) oxides and sub-oxides, most of them insulating. This confers to black phosphorus a native oxide that can be used as barrier material and protective layer. Further, the bandgap of phosphorene oxides depends on the oxygen concentration, suggesting that controlled oxidation can be used as a means to engineer the bandgap. For the oxygen saturated composition, P$_2$O$_5$, both the planar and tubular phases have a large bandgap energy of about 8.5eV, and are transparent in the near UV. These two forms of phosphorene oxides are predicted to have the same formation enthalpy as o$^\prime$-P$_2$O$_5$, the most stable of the previously known forms of phosphorus pentoxide.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Phosphorene nanoribbons

Edge-induced gap states in finite phosphorene layers are examined using analytical models and density functional theory. The nature of such gap states depends on the direction of the cut. Armchair nanoribbons are insulating, whereas nanoribbons cut in the perpendicular direction (with zigzag and cliff-type edges) are metallic, unless they undergo a reconstruction or distortion with cell doubling, which opens a gap. All stable nanoribbons with unsaturated edges have gap states that can be removed by hydrogen passivation. Armchair nanoribbon edge states decay exponentially with the distance to the edge and can be described by a nearly-free electron model.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Oxygen defects in phosphorene

Oxygen, invariably present in a normal working environment, is a fundamental cause of the degradation of phosphorene. Using first-principles calculations, we show that for each oxygen atom adsorbed onto phosphorene there is an energy release of about 2 eV. Although the most stable forms of oxygen are electrically inactive and lead only to minor distortions of the lattice, there are a number of low energy metastable forms which introduce deep donor and/or acceptor levels in the gap. We also propose a possible mechanism for phosphorene oxidation and we suggest that dangling oxygen atoms increase the hydrophilicity of phosphorene due to their ability to establish hydrogen bonds.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Tunable optical properties of multilayers black phosphorus thin films

Black phosphorus thin films might offer attractive alternatives to narrow gap compound semiconductors for optoelectronics across mid- to near-infrared frequencies. In this work, we calculate the optical conductivity tensor of multilayer black phosphorus thin films using the Kubo formula within an effective low-energy Hamiltonian. The optical absorption spectra of multilayer black phosphorus are shown to vary sensitively with thickness, doping, and light polarization. In conjunction with experimental spectra obtained from infrared absorption spectroscopy, we also discuss the role of interband coupling and disorder on the observed anisotropic absorption spectra.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2014

Excitons in anisotropic 2D semiconducting crystals

The excitonic behavior of anisotropic two-dimensional crystals is investigated using numerical methods. We employ a screened potential arising due to the system polarizability to solve the central-potential problem using the Numerov approach. The dependence of the exciton energies on the interaction strength and mass anisotropy is demonstrated. We use our results to obtain the exciton binding energy in phosphorene as a function of the substrate dielectric constant.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Strain-induced gap modification in black phosphorus

The band structure of single-layer black phosphorus and the effect of strain are predicted using density functional theory and tight-binding models. Having determined the localized orbital composition of the individual bands from first-principles, we use the system symmetry to write down the effective low-energy Hamiltonian at the $Γ$ point. From numerical calculations and arguments based on the crystal structure of the material, we show that the deformation in the direction normal to the plane can be use to change the gap size and induce a semiconductor-metal transition.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Donor and Acceptor Levels in Semiconducting Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Density functional theory calculations are used to show that it is possible to dope semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) such as MoS$_2$ and WS$_2$ with electrons and/or holes either by chemical substitution or by adsorption on the sulfur layer. Notably, the activation energies of Lithium and Phosphorus, a shallow donor and a shallow acceptor, respectively, are smaller than 0.1 eV. Substitutional halogens are also proposed as alternative donors adequate for different temperature regimes. All dopants proposed result in very little lattice relaxation and, hence, are expected to lead to minor scattering of the charge carriers. Doped MoS$_2$ and WS$_2$ monolayers are extrinsic in a much wider temperature range than 3D semiconductors, making them superior for high temperature electronic and optoelectronic applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Electronic structure modification of Si-nanocrystals with F4 -TCNQ

We use first-principles models to demonstrate how an organic oxidizing agent, F4 -TCNQ (7,7,8,8- tetracyano-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroquinodimethane), modifies the electronic structure of silicon nanocrys- tals, suggesting it may enhance p-type carrier density and mobility. The proximity of the lowest unoccupied level of F4 -TCNQ to the highest occupied level of the Si-nanocrystals promotes the formation of an empty hybrid state overlapping both nanocrystal and molecule, reducing the exci- tation energy to about 0.8-1 eV in vacuum. Hence, it is suggested that F4 -TCNQ can serve both as a surface oxidant and a mediator for hole hopping between adjacent nanocrystals.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2013

Band nesting and the optical response of two-dimensional semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides

We have studied the optical conductivity of two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (STMDC) using ab-initio density functional theory (DFT). We find that this class of materials presents large optical response due to the phenomenon of band nesting. The tendency towards band nesting is enhanced by the presence of van Hove singularities in the band structure of these materials. Given that 2D crystals are atomically thin and naturally transparent, our results show that it is possible to have strong photon-electron interactions even in 2D

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2012

Doping of Si nanoparticles: the effect of oxidation

The preferred location of boron and phosphorus in oxidized free-standing Si nanoparticles was investigated using a first-principles density functional approach. The calculated formation energies indicate that P should segregate to the silicon core, whereas B is equally stable in the Si and SiO_2 regions. Our models thus suggest that, in contrast with nanocrystals with H-terminated surfaces, the efficiency of phosphorus incorporation in oxidized Si nanoparticles can be improved by thermal annealing.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2011

Electronic properties, doping and defects in chlorinated silicon nanocrystals

Silicon nanocrystals with diameters between 1 and 3 nm and surfaces passivated by chlorine or a mixture of chlorine and hydrogen were modeled using density functional theory, and their properties compared with those of fully hydrogenated nanocrystals. It is found that fully and partially chlorinated nanocrystals are stable, and have higher electron affinity, higher ionization energy and lower optical absorption energy threshold. As the hydrogenated silicon nanocrystals, chlorinated silicon nanocrystals doped with phosphorus or boron require a high activation energy to transfer an electron or hole, respectively, to undoped silicon nanocrystals. The electronic levels of surface dangling bonds are similar for both types of surface passivation, although in the chlorinated silicon nanocrystals some fall outside the narrower energy gap.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗