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The possibility to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) cells based on hybrid carbon nanotube (CNT)–Si heterojunctions is related to the ability to control the chemical properties of the CNT–Si interface and of the CNT bundle layer. In spite of the encouraging performances of PV cells based on multiwall (MW) CNT, so far few efforts have been made in the study of this device compared to single wall (SW) CNT–Si interfaces. Here, surface and interface effects on the current–voltage characteristic curves of MW CNT–Si hybrid junctions are investigated through exposure to HF vapors and to 10 ppm-NO2 and compared to the effects detected in SW CNT–Si junctions. Quite similar results in terms of open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and efficiency are found for both cells, suggesting that exposure to HF vapors mostly affects the interface chemical properties, i.e., the silicon oxidation state, that in both junctions reach an optimal state about 50 h after etching. In turn, NO2 exposure has larger effects on the SW-based cell, consistently with the larger surface-to-volume ratio of SW with respect to MW. In both cases, the efficiency value reaches a maximum after 28 min, before dropping when the NO2 molecules desorb from the surface. A combined analysis of current–voltage curves and photoemission data collected along the different phases of gas exposures allowed us to relate changes in the electrical properties to the chemistry of Si at the interface.

Sound is usually generated in a medium by an electromechanical vibrating structure. The geometrical size and inertia of the structure set the frequency cutoff in the sound-transduction mechanism and, often, different vibrating structures are necessary to cover the whole range from infrasound to ultrasound. An alternative mechanism without any physical movement of the emitter is the thermoacoustic effect, where sound is produced by Joule heating in a conductive material. Here we show that a single thermoacoustic transducer based on a graphene aerogel can emit ultrabroadband sound from infrasound (1 Hz) to ultrasound (20 MHz), with no harmonic distortion. Since conventional acoustic transducers are frequency band limited due to their transduction mechanism, ultrabroadband graphene aerogels may offer a valid alternative to conventional hi-fi loudspeakers, and infrasound and ultrasound transducers., 9 pages, 7 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1909.08858

Graphene hydrophobic coatings paved the way towards a new generation of optoelectronic and fluidic devices. Nevertheless, such hydrophobic thin films rely only on graphene non-polar surface, rather than taking advantage of its surface roughness. Furthermore, graphene is typically not self-standing. Differently, carbon aerogels have high porosity, large effective surface area due to their surface roughness, and very low mass density, which make them a promising candidate as a super-hydrophobic material for novel technological applications. However, despite a few works reporting the general super-hydrophobic and lipophilic behavior of the carbon aerogels, a detailed characterization of their wetting properties is still missing, to date. Here, the wetting properties of graphene aerogels are demonstrated in detail. Without any chemical functionalization or patterning of their surface, the samples exhibit a super-lipophilic state and a stationary super-hydrophobic state with a contact angle up to $150\pm15^{\deg}$ and low contact angle hysteresis $\approx15^{\deg}$, owing to the fakir effect. In addition, the adhesion force of the graphene aerogels in contact with the water droplets and their surface tension are evaluated. For instance, the unique wettability and enhanced liquid absorption of the graphene aerogels can be exploited for reducing contamination from oil spills and chemical leakage accidents., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures

Metamaterials have recently established a new paradigm for enhanced light absorption in state-of-the-art photodetectors. Here, we demonstrate broadband, highly efficient, polarization-insensitive, and gate-tunable photodetection at room temperature in a novel metadevice based on gold/graphene Sierpinski carpet plasmonic fractals. We observed an unprecedented internal quantum efficiency up to 100% from the near-infrared to the visible range with an upper bound of optical detectivity of $10^{11}$ Jones and a gain up to $10^{6}$, which is a fingerprint of multiple hot carriers photogenerated in graphene. Also, we show a 100-fold enhanced photodetection due to highly focused (up to a record factor of $|E/E_{0}|\approx20$ for graphene) electromagnetic fields induced by electrically tunable multimodal plasmons, spatially localized in self-similar fashion on the metasurface. Our findings give direct insight into the physical processes governing graphene plasmonic fractal metamaterials. The proposed structure represents a promising route for the realization of a broadband, compact, and active platform for future optoelectronic devices including multiband bio/chemical and light sensors., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures

We observed a 73% enhancement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of a photovoltaic cell based on a single wall carbon nanotube/Si hybrid junction after exposing the device to a limited amount (10 ppm) of NO2 diluted in dry air. On the basis of a computational modeling of the junction, this enhancement is discussed in terms of both carbon nanotube (CNT) p-doping, induced by the interaction with the oxidizing molecules, and work function changes across the junction. Unlike studies so far reported, where the PCE enhancement was correlated only qualitatively to CNT doping, our study (i) provides a novel and reversible path to tune and considerably enhance the cell efficiency by a few ppm gas exposure, and (ii) shows computational results that quantitatively relate the observed effects to the electrostatics of the cell through a systematic calculation of the work function. These effects have been cross-checked by exposing the cell to reducing molecules (i.e·NH3) that resulted to be detrimental to the cell efficiency, consistently with the theoretical ab-initio calculations.

Optical anti-reflection is achieved in natural surfaces by exploiting hierarchical surface morphology. Here, we show that single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) coatings deposited on silicon (Si) realize a broad-band, omnidirectional, and nearly polarization-independent suppression of Si optical reflection, with an increase of film absorption. This is attributed to a biomimetic, hierarchical surface morphology, which introduces a graded refractive index–the so-called moth-eye effect. Moreover, the anti-reflective behavior can be tuned by varying the SWCNT film thickness. The SWCNT random networks are realized by a simple, rapid, reproducible, and inexpensive solution-processing technique and deposited on Si by a dry-transfer printing method, at room temperature. The technology may be used to coat arbitrary substrates such as optical instruments, radiometric applications, light and thermal sensors, solar cells, and light emitting diodes; thus improving the device absorption or emission of light, due to the film optical properties.

Ultrablack metamaterials are artificial materials able to harvest all the incident light regardless of wavelength, angle, or polarization. Here, we show the ultrablack properties of randomly aligned hierarchical carbon nanotube arrays with thicknesses below 200 nm. The thin coatings are realized by solution processing and dry-transfer deposition on different substrates. The hierarchical surface morphology of the coatings is biomimetic and provides a large effective area that improves the film optical absorption. Also, such a morphology is responsible for the moth-eye effect, which leads to the omnidirectional and polarization-independent suppression of optical reflection. The films exhibit an emissivity up to 99.36% typical of an ideal black body, resulting in the thinnest ultrablack metamaterial ever reported. Such a material may be exploited for thermal, optical, and optoelectronic devices such as heat sinks, optical shields, solar cells, light and thermal sensors, and light-emitting diodes.

Bulk heterojunction films made of polychiral single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) form efficient heterojunction solar cells with n-type crystalline silicon (n-Si), due to their superior electronic, optical, and electrical properties. The films are multi-functional, since their hierarchical surface morphology provides a biomimetical anti-reflective, air-stable, and hydrophobic encapsulation for Si. Also, the films have a large effective area conferring them high optical absorption, which actively contribute to the solar energy harvesting together with Si. Here, we report photovoltaic devices with photoconversion efficiency up to 12% and a record 100% internal quantum efficiency (IQE). Such unprecedented IQE value is truly remarkable and indicates that every absorbed photon from the device, at some wavelengths, generates a pair of separated charge carriers, which are collected at the electrodes. The SWCNT/Si devices favor high and broadband carrier photogeneration; charge dissociation of ultra-fast hot excitons; transport of electrons through n-Si and high-mobility holes through the SWCNT percolative network. Moreover, by varying the film thickness, it is possible tailoring the physical properties of such a two-dimensional interacting system, therefore the overall device features. These results not only pave the way for low-cost, high-efficient, and broadband photovoltaics, but also are promising for the development of generic SWCNT-based optoelectronic applications.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films form efficient heterojunction solar cells with n-type crystalline silicon (n-Si), due to their superior optical and electrical properties. Here, we report air-stable photovoltaic devices with record photoconversion efficiency of 10%. We realized thin films consisting of MWCNTs arranged in semitransparent random networks deposited on n-Si substrates by a simple, rapid, reproducible, and inexpensive vacuum filtration process at room temperature. Such heterojunctions favor high and broadband carrier photogeneration, extending the Si spectral response from near infrared to near ultraviolet range; charge dissociation of ultrafast hot carriers [1]; transport of electrons through n-Si and high-mobility [2] holes through the MWCNT percolative network. Furthermore, by varying the MWCNT film thickness, it is possible tailoring its optical and electrical properties, therefore the overall device optoelectronic features. These results not only pave the way for low-cost, efficient, and broadband photovoltaics, but also are promising for the development of MWCNT-based optoelectronic applications.

The ability to generate, amplify, mix, and modulate sound with no harmonic distortion in a passive opto-acoustic device would revolutionize the field of acoustics. The photo-thermo-acoustic (PTA) effect allows to transduce light into sound without any bulk electro-mechanically moving parts and electrical connections, as for conventional loudspeakers. Also, PTA devices can be integrated with standard silicon complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication techniques. Here, we demonstrate that the ultimate PTA efficiency of graphene aerogels, depending on their particular thermal and optical properties, can be experimentally achieved by reducing their mass density. Furthermore, we illustrate that the aerogels behave as an omnidirectional point-source throughout the audible range with no harmonic distortion. This research represents a breakthrough for audio-visual consumer technologies and it could pave the way to novel opto-acoustic sensing devices., 6 pages, 4 figures