Semiconductors are physical systems whose electrical conductivity lies between that of conductors and insulators and is strongly tunable by temperature, impurity concentration, and external fields. Their behavior is governed by band structure, featuring a finite band gap between valence and conduction bands that enables controlled carrier generation and recombination. Charge transport arises from electrons and holes, with densities modulated via doping, optical excitation, or electrostatic gating. Semiconductor systems support phenomena such as drift, diffusion, and quantum confinement, and they serve as the foundational medium for devices like diodes, transistors, and optoelectronic components through engineered heterostructures, junctions, and nanostructures.
A research team has successfully developed a new technology to control doping at the nucleus (seed) phase to increase the performance of semiconductor nanocrystals. The study uncovered how the doping process and location ...
Nanomaterials
Jan 6, 2025
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78
Prof Zhang Zhiyong's team at Peking University developed a heterojunction-gated field-effect transistor (HGFET) that achieves high sensitivity in short-wave infrared detection, with a recorded specific detectivity above 1014 ...
Optics & Photonics
Jan 2, 2025
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60
A research team has developed high-performance diamond/ε-Ga2O3 heterojunction pn diodes based on ultrawide bandgap semiconductors, achieving breakdown voltages exceeding 3 kV. This work was published in Nano Letters.
Nanomaterials
Dec 27, 2024
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56
A global review of advancements in integrating metasurfaces—thin planar arrays of nanostructures—into optoelectronic devices highlights their potential to transform technologies such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), lasers, ...
Nanophysics
Dec 20, 2024
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114
After dominating the electronics industry for decades, conventional silicon-based transistors are gradually approaching their limits, which is preventing engineers from further reducing their size without affecting their ...
Current laser technologies for the extended short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral range rely on expensive and complex materials, limiting their scalability and affordability. To address these challenges, ICFO researchers have ...
Optics & Photonics
Dec 10, 2024
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95
Scientists have developed the first electrically pumped continuous-wave semiconductor laser composed exclusively of elements from the fourth group of the periodic table—the "silicon group."
Optics & Photonics
Dec 9, 2024
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210
What do motion detectors, self-driving cars, chemical analyzers and satellites have in common? They all contain detectors for infrared (IR) light. At their core and besides readout electronics, such detectors usually consist ...
Optics & Photonics
Dec 3, 2024
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113
Perovskites, materials with a crystal structure that mirrors that of the mineral calcium titanate CaTiO₃, exhibit properties that are advantageous for developing various technologies. For instance, they have proved promising ...
Cooling systems are an integral part of many modern technologies, as heat tends to wear down materials and decrease performance in several ways. In many cases, however, cooling can be an inconvenient and energy-intensive ...
Nanophysics
Nov 26, 2024
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