Search

Oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) have attracted much attention because they can be applied to flexible and large-scaled switching devices. Especially, oxide semiconductors (OSs) have been developed as active layers of TFTs. Among them, indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) is actively used in the organic light-emitting diode display field. However, despite their superior off-state properties, IGZO TFTs are limited by low field-effect mobility, which critically affects display resolution and power consumption. Herein, we determine new working mechanisms in dual-stacked OS, and based on this, we develop a dual-stacked OS-based TFT with improved performance: high field-effect mobility (∼80 cm2/V·s), ideal threshold voltage near 0 V, high on-off current ratio (>109), and good stability at bias stress. Induced areas are formed at the interface by the band offset: band offset-induced area (BOIA) and BOIA-induced area (BIA). They connect the gate bias-induced area (GBIA) and electrode bias-induced area (EBIA), resulting in high current flow. Equivalent circuit modeling and the transmission line method are also introduced for more precise verification. By verifying current change with gate voltage in the single OS layer, the current flowing direction in the dual-stacked OS is calculated and estimated. This is powerful evidence to understand the conduction mechanism in a dual-stacked OS-based TFT, and it will provide new design rules for high-performance OS-based TFTs.

Halide perovskites have drawn considerable attention as a remarkable material in advanced optoelectronics. However, toxicity and poor stability of halide perovskites are major challenges hindering ...

Recently, organic compounds are considered as promising candidates for application in next-generation energy storage systems to overcome the disadvantages of conventional inorganic cathode materials, including their low specific capacity and poor disposal systems. In particular, pillar[5]quinone (P5Q) is very effective as it provides active sites that favor Li uptake and promote a high theoretical capacity. Herein, we propose P5Q-derived cathodes, which are enveloped in multi-walled carbon nanotubes and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), fabricated by a simple vacuum-filtering method. The designed cathode solves the issues associated with organic materials, including their high solubilities in aprotic electrolytes and low conductivities. Furthermore, CNFs are introduced as alternatives to conventional polyolefin separators. CNF separators can effectively suppress the dissolution of active materials in liquid electrolytes. In addition, CNFs improve ionic conductivity (0.88 mS cm−1), electrolyte wettability (electrolyte uptake: 333.41%, porosity: 70 ± 5%), and thermal shrinkage in contrast to conventional polyolefin separators. The Li-ion battery, assembled with the suggested P5Q cathode and CNF separator, exhibits highly stable capacity retention (76.5% after 50 cycles at a 0.2 C rate) and good rate capability, although an organic electrolyte is used.

Recently, lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) have been highlighted as next-generation batteries due to the high theoretical capacity of the sulfur nonmetal and Li metal. However, LSBs are difficult to be commercialized because of the continuous capacity fading phenomenon derived from the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfide. Herein, a novel organic–inorganic composite separator composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and anodic aluminum oxide is proposed to overcome these limitations. The proposed separator strongly reduces the dissolution issue of lithium polysulfide and considerably limits the movement of polysulfide. Moreover, it improves the stability of the lithium metal anode by evenly distributing the flux of lithium ions. Also, it shows excellent thermal stability and good electrolyte wettability. Therefore, the ionic conductivity shows a high value of more than 1 mS cm−1, and the coulombic efficiency is over 99%. The LSBs assembled with the composite separator exhibit the maintained specific capacity over of 75% after 100 cycles at 0.5C.

Metal oxide semiconductors doped with additional inorganic cations have insufficient electron mobility for next-generation electronic devices so strategies to realize the semiconductors exhibiting stability and high performance are required. To overcome the limitations of conventional inorganic cation doping to improve the electrical characteristics and stability of metal oxide semiconductors, we propose solution-processed high-performance metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) by incorporating polyaniline (PANI), a conductive polymer, in a metal oxide matrix. The chemical interaction between the metal oxide and PANI demonstrated that the defect sites and crystallinity of the semiconductor layer are controllable. In addition, the change in oxygen-related chemical bonding of PANI-doped indium oxide (InOx) TFTs induces superior electrical characteristics compared to pristine InOx TFTs, even though trace amounts of PANI are doped in the semiconductor. In particular, the average field-effect mobility remarkably enhanced from 15.02 to 26.58 cm2 V-1 s-1, the on/off current ratio improved from 108 to 109, and the threshold voltage became close to 0 V actually from -7.9 to -1.4 V.

The Neoproterozoic strata of the Sichuan Basin are a key target for oil and gas. To evaluate the hydrocarbon evolution and its relationship with tectonic events in the Micang Shan uplift, northernmost Sichuan Basin, we apply solid bitumen geochemistry (bitumen reflectance and fluorescence) and Re-Os geochronology. The geochemistry of the solid bitumen indicates that it is highly mature pyrobitumen that formed contemporaneously with dry-gas generation during oil thermal cracking. The pyrobitumen is enriched in both Re (∼106–191 ppb) and Os (∼3030–5670 parts per trillion). The Re-Os isotope data imply an Early Jurassic date for pyrobitumen formation, which coincides well with age estimates from fluid-inclusion data and basin modeling. The Re-Os date for pyrobitumen formation coupled with previously presented apatite fission-track (AFT) analysis show that exhumation of the Neoproterozoic strata occurred during the Cretaceous in the Micang Shan uplift. This extensive uplift led to the erosion of any potential gas reservoirs and surface exposure of bitumen-bearing Neoproterozoic strata. In contrast, the more southern and central portions of the Sichuan Basin have experienced less severe exhumation and, as a result, Neoproterozoic-sourced gas systems are present. This study shows that, through the combined application of Re-Os and AFT methodologies, the timing of gas generation and subsequent erosion of any potential gas reservoirs in the Micang Shan uplift, northern Sichuan Basin, can be quantified. Moreover, the Re-Os and AFT data illustrate the potential to constrain the timing of gas generation in petroleum systems worldwide.

The Nanmushu carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb deposit is located in the Mayuan district of Shaanxi Province, a newly discovered metallogenic district next to the Sichuan Basin, in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block, which is the largest and the only one that is currently mined in this district. The δ34S values of sulfides are characterized by positive values with a peak around +18‰, and the reduced sulfur may have derived from reduction of SO42- from paleoseawater or evaporitic sulfates that have possibly been leached by basinal brines during mineralization stage. Detailed fluid inclusion study shows two types of fluids in the sphalerite, quartz, dolomite, calcite and barite, that is, aqueous-salt dominant inclusions (type I) and hydrocarbon-bearing inclusions (type II). The Laser Raman spectroscopy study shows occurrence of certain amount of CH4, C4H6, and bitumen. The salinities show similar values around 6 to 12 wt% NaCl equivalent but a decreasing temperature from early to late stages (typically 200° to 320°C in stage I, 180° to 260°C in stage II, and 140° to 180°C in stage III). These features may be related to basinal brines mixing between an external higher salinity CaCl2 ± MgCl2-rich fluid and a local H2O-NaCl methane-rich fluid.