. 24/7 Space News .
CHIP TECH
Electrical enhancement: Engineers speed up electrons in semiconductors
by Staff Writers
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Oct 18, 2018

Chemical structure of poly(P3HT)-b-(PSt) and a diagram of Plausible hole transporting paths in P3HT-b-PSt.

Researchers from Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) have sped up the movement of electrons in organic semiconductor films by two to three orders of magnitude. The speedier electronics could lead to improved solar power and transistor use across the world, according to the scientists.

They published their results in the September issue of Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, where the paper is featured on the cover.

Led by Kenji Ogino, a professor at Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering at TUAT, Japan, the team found that adding polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam in North America, could enhance the semiconducting polymer by allowing electrons to move from plane to plane quickly. The process, called hole mobility, is how electrons move through an electric field consisting of multiple layers. When a molecule is missing an electron, an electron from a different plane can jump or fall and take its place.

Through various imaging techniques, it's fairly easy to follow the electron trail in the crystal-based structures. In many semiconducting polymers, however, the clean, defined lines of the crystalline skeleton intertwine with a much more difficult-to-define region. It's actually called the amorphous domain.

"[Electrons] transport in both crystalline and amorphous domains. To improve the total electron mobility, it is necessary to control the nature of the amorphous domain," Ogino said. "We found that hole mobility extraordinarily improved by the introduction of polystyrene block accompanied by the increase of the ratio of rigid amorphous domain."

The researchers believe that the way the crystalline domain connects within itself occurs most effectively through the rigid amorphous domain. The addition of polystyrene introduced more amorphous domain, but contained by flexible chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Even though the chains are flexible, it provides rigidity, and some degree of control, to the amorphous domain.

Electrons moved two to three times quicker than normal.

"The introduction of a flexible chain in semicrystalline polymers is one of the promising strategies to improve the various functionalities of polymer films by altering the characteristics of the amorphous domain," Ogino said. "We propose that the rigid amorphous domain plays an important role in the hole transporting process."

Enhanced hole mobility is a critical factor in developing more efficient solar devices, according to Ogino. Next, Ogino and the researchers plan to examine how the enhanced hole mobility affected other parameters, such as the chemical composition and position of the structures within the polymer film.

Research Report: Enhancement of Out-of-Plane Hole Mobility in Poly(3-Hexylthiophene)-b-Poly(styrene) Film


Related Links
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Computer Chip Architecture, Technology and Manufacture
Nano Technology News From SpaceMart.com


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


CHIP TECH
Inorganic metal halide perovskite-based photodetectors for optical communication applications
Linkoping, Sweden (SPX) Oct 18, 2018
Researchers at the universities in Linkoping and Shenzhen have shown how an inorganic perovskite can be made into a cheap and efficient photodetector that transfers both text and music. "It's a promising material for future rapid optical communication", says Feng Gao, researcher at Linkoping University. "Perovskites of inorganic materials have a huge potential to influence the development of optical communication. These materials have rapid response times, are simple to manufacture, and are extrem ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

CHIP TECH
Plant hormone makes space farming a possibility

Installing life support the hands-free way

Smell and stress sensors a smash at Tokyo tech fair

Escape capsule with Soyuz MS-10 crew hit ground 5 times before stopping

CHIP TECH
US astronaut Hague 'amazed' by Russian rescue team's work after Soyuz failure

Russian investigators identify responsible for failed Soyuz launch

Russian Space Corp gets telemetry data, video to probe Soyuz failure

Roscosmos plans to restart Soyuz launches from late November

CHIP TECH
The claw game on Mars: NASA InSight plays to win

Scientists to debate landing site for next Mars rover

Efforts to communicate with Opportunity continue

Painting cars for Mars

CHIP TECH
China's commercial aerospace companies flourishing

China launches Centispace-1-s1 satellite

China tests propulsion system of space station's lab capsules

China unveils Chang'e-4 rover to explore Moon's far side

CHIP TECH
How Max Polyakov from Zaporozhie develops the Ukrainian space industry

European Space Talks: we need more space!

Source reveals timing of OneWeb satellites' debut launch on Soyuz

French Space Agency opens new office in the UAE

CHIP TECH
Bursting the clouds for better communication

Lockheed Martin reaches technical milestone for Long Range Discrimination Radar

Extremely small magnetic nanostructures with invisibility cloak imaged

Kleos Space signs MoU with Airbus to collaborate on In-Space manufacturing technology

CHIP TECH
Double dust ring test could spot migrating planets

Life-long space buff and Western graduate student discovers exoplanet

How the seeds of planets take shape

NASA should expand search for life in the universe: NAS Report

CHIP TECH
Icy moon of Jupiter, Ganymede, shows evidence of past strike-slip faulting

Icy warning for space missions to Jupiter's moon

New Horizons sets up for New Year's flyby of Ultima Thule

Hunt for Planet X reveals the Goblin, a faraway dwarf planet









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.