Search

The piezotronics effect utilizes a piezopotential to modulate and control current in piezo-semiconductors. Ferroelectric materials, as a type of piezoelectric materials, possess piezoelectric coefficients that are significantly larger than those found in conventional piezoelectric materials. Here, we propose a strain modulated ferroelectric field-effect transistor (St-FeFET) utilizing external strain instead of gate voltage to achieve ferroelectric modulation, which eliminates the need for gate voltage. By applying a very small strain (0.01%), the St-FeFET can achieve a maximum on-off current ratio of 1250% and realizes a gauge factor (GF) of 1.19 × 106, which is much higher than that of conventional strain sensors. This work proposes a new method for realizing highly sensitive strain sensors and presents innovative approaches to the operation methods of ferroelectric field-effect transistors as well as potential applications for coupling of strain sensors and various devices across different fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a great deal of interest has been focused on developing sensors that can measure both pressure and light. However, traditional sensors are difficult to integrate into silicon (Si)-based integrated circuits. Therefore, it is particularly important to design a sensor that operates on a new principle. In this paper, junction piezotronic transistor (JPT) arrays based on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire are demonstrated. And the JPT arrays show high spatial resolution pressure and light mapping with 195 dpi. Because ZnO nanowires are arranged vertically above the p-type Si channel's center of the transistor, the width of the heterojunction depletion region is constricted by the positive piezoelectric potential generated by strained ZnO. In addition, photogenerated charge carriers can be created in the Si channel when JPT is stimulated by light, which increases its electrical conductivity. Consequently, the external pressure and light distribution information can be obtained from the variation in the output current of the device. The prepared JPT arrays can be compatible with Si transistors, which make them highly competitive and make it possible to incorporate both pressure and light sensors into large integrated circuits. This work will contribute to many applications, such as intelligent clothing, human–computer interaction, and electronic skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrides are the leading semiconductor material used for the fabrication of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). They exhibit piezoelectric properties, which, coupled with their high mechanical stiffness, expand their versatile applications into the fabrication of piezoelectric devices. Today, due to advances in device technology that result in a reduction in the size of individual transistor elements and due to increased structural complexity (e.g., multi-gate transistors), the integration of piezoelectric materials into HEMTs leads to an interesting occurrence, namely acoustic emission from the transistor gate due to piezoelectric effects. This could affect the device's performance, reliability, and durability. However, this phenomenon has not yet been comprehensively described. This paper aims to examine this overlooked aspect of AlGaN/GaN HEMT operation, that is, the acoustic emission from the gate region of the device induced by piezoelectric effects. For this purpose, dedicated test structures were designed, consisting of two narrow 1.7 μm-wide metallization strips placed at distances ranging from 5 μm to 200 μm fabricated in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures to simulate and examine the gate behavior of the HEMT transistor. For comparison, the test device structures were also fabricated on sapphire, which is not a piezoelectric material. Measurements of acoustic and electrical interactions in the microwave range were carried out using the "on wafer" method with Picoprobe's signal–ground–signal (SGS)-type microwave probes. The dependence of reflectance |S11| and transmittance |S21| vs. frequency was investigated, and the coupling capacitance was determined. An equivalent circuit model of the test structure was developed, and finite element method simulation was performed to study the distribution of the acoustic wave in the nitride layers and substrate for different frequencies using Comsol Multiphysics software. At frequencies up to 2–3 GHz, the formation of volume waves and a surface wave, capable of propagating over long distances (in the order of tens of micrometers) was observed. At higher frequencies, the resulting distribution of displacements as a result of numerous reflections and interferences was more complicated. However, there was always the possibility of a surface wave occurrence, even at large distances from the excitation source. At small gate distances, electrical interactions dominate. Above 100 µm, electrical interactions are comparable to acoustic ones. With further increases in distance, weakly attenuated surface waves will dominate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a great deal of interest has been focused on developing sensors that can measure both pressure and light. However, traditional sensors are difficult to integrate into silicon (Si)-based integrated circuits. Therefore, it is particularly important to design a sensor that operates on a new principle. In this paper, junction piezotronic transistor (JPT) arrays based on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire are demonstrated. And the JPT arrays show high spatial resolution pressure and light mapping with 195 dpi. Because ZnO nanowires are arranged vertically above the p-type Si channel’s center of the transistor, the width of the heterojunction depletion region is constricted by the positive piezoelectric potential generated by strained ZnO. In addition, photogenerated charge carriers can be created in the Si channel when JPT is stimulated by light, which increases its electrical conductivity. Consequently, the external pressure and light distribution information can be obtained from the variation in the output current of the device. The prepared JPT arrays can be compatible with Si transistors, which make them highly competitive and make it possible to incorporate both pressure and light sensors into large integrated circuits. This work will contribute to many applications, such as intelligent clothing, human–computer interaction, and electronic skin.

Driven by the urgent demands for information technology, energy, and intelligent industry, third-generation semiconductor GaN has emerged as a pivotal component in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Fundamentally, piezoelectric polarization is the most essential feature of GaN materials. Incorporating piezotronics and piezo-phototronics, GaN materials synergize mechanical signals with electrical and optical signals, thereby achieving multi-field coupling that enhances device performance. Piezotronics regulates the carrier transport process in micro–nano devices, which has been proven to significantly improve the performance of devices (such as high electron mobility transistors and microLEDs) and brings many novel applications. This review examines GaN material properties and the theoretical foundations of piezotronics and phototronics. Furthermore, it delves into the fabrication and integration processes of GaN devices to achieve state-of-the-art performance. Additionally, this review analyzes the impact of introducing three-dimensional stress and regulatory forces on the electrical and optical output performance of devices. Moreover, it discusses the burgeoning applications of GaN devices in neural sensing, optoelectronic output, and energy harvesting. The potential of piezotronic-controlled GaN devices provides valuable insights for future research and the development of multi-functional, diversified electronic devices.

With the arrival of the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, the explosive growth of data has raised higher demands on computer hardware and systems. Neuromorphic techniques inspired by biological nervous systems are expected to be one of the approaches to breaking the von Neumann bottleneck. Piezotronic neuromorphic devices modulate electrical transport characteristics by piezopotential and directly associate external mechanical motion with electrical output signals in an active manner, with the capability to sense/store/process information of external stimuli. In this review, we have presented the piezotronic neuromorphic devices (which are classified into strain-gated piezotronic transistors and piezoelectric nanogenerator-gated field effect transistors based on device structure) and discussed their operating mechanisms and related manufacture techniques. Secondly, we summarized the research progress of piezotronic neuromorphic devices in recent years and provided a detailed discussion on multifunctional applications, including bionic sensing, information storage, logic computing, and electrical/optical artificial synapses. Finally, in the context of future development, challenges, and perspectives, we have discussed how to modulate novel neuromorphic devices with piezotronic effects more effectively. It is believed that the piezotronic neuromorphic devices have great potential for the next generation of interactive sensation/memory/computation to facilitate the development of the Internet of Things, AI, biomedical engineering, etc.

Piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effects can effectively modulate the Schottky barrier height (SBH) of the metal-semiconductor contact and the built-in electric field. Most models focus on the built-in electric field of perovskite solar cells, and polarization-modulated SBH is missing. We investigated piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effects on the Schottky barrier and built-in electric field of perovskite solar cells. A model of the surface potential induced by polarization was developed. The analytical and numerical results are calculated for perovskite solar cells. We found that the piezo-phototronic effect can significantly increase the performance of perovskite solar cells by reducing the height of the Schottky barrier. This model not only provides a fundamental physical picture of the piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect on perovskite solar cells, but also paves a new path to develop high-efficiency perovskite solar cells. [Display omitted] • Piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect can improve the performance of perovskite solar cells. • The model of piezotronics and piezo-phototronics on perovskite solar cells was proposed. • This model provides a basic physics picture for piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect on perovskite solar cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new Kirchhoff–Love composite piezoelectric semiconductor shell is established. • The principle of virtual work is applied for the governing equations. • Static bending and forced vibration analyses are analytically conducted. • Coupling relations between mechanical deformation and charge behavior are obtained. • New structures and analytical solutions are helpful for sensing and energy harvesting. We study electromechanical effects and piezotronic behaviors in a Kirchhoff–Love laminated composite piezoelectric semiconductor circular cylindrical thin shell, which is composed of a non-piezoelectric semiconductor core and two piezoelectric dielectric layers. A second-order assumption for electric potentials and carrier concentration perturbations is utilized to capture accurate descriptions of the electric field and charge distributions within the composite shell, where the zeroth-order, first-order, and second-order forms represent constant, antisymmetric, and symmetric distributions along the thickness, respectively. The field equations and boundary conditions are simultaneously derived through a principle of virtual work and the fundamental lemma of the calculus of variation. The new governing equations derived show a new coupling relation between mechanical deformation and charge behavior in the composite shell, where all mechanical deformations (extension, bending of the shell) and all distribution forms of electric potential (zeroth-, first-, second-order electric potentials) are coupled, which is different from piezoelectric semiconductor beams and plates. Then, the numerical results of electromechanical effects and piezotronic behaviors in static bending and forced vibration problems of the shell are conducted with the derived theoretical model. Numerical studies of static bending graphically show some fundamental coupling relations between mechanical forces and charge distributions in deformed piezoelectric semiconductor shells. The new results from the forced vibration analysis given by the current model show that the deflection amplitude and the electric potential distribution in the thin shell are frequency-dependent and can be adjusted by controlling the excitation frequency. In addition, the semiconducting properties (dependence of mechanical behavior on doping level) are studied in both static and dynamic problems. The mechanically controlled charge distribution suggests that shell-shaped piezoelectric semiconductor shells could serve as an effective means of sensing or energy harvesting by converting mechanical energy into electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]