Novel bio-inspired semiconductor/amino acid ceramic single crystals: from crystal growth to band gap engineering
| Reference | Presenter | Authors (Institution) | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03-032 | Iryna Polishchuk | Polishchuk, I.(Technion); | Many of the physical properties of ceramic biogenic crystals originate from the presence of intracrystalline organic molecules within individual inorganic crystalline hosts. The presence of these molecules has been shown to strongly influence the crystalline host microstructure and structure (anisotropic lattice distortions). Recently, by applying a bio-inspired approach, we have shown that similar microstructures and lattice distortions can be achieved in synthetic calcium carbonate crystals grown in the presence of organic molecules (1). However, no similar approach has been performed on non-calcium carbonate crystals. In this work, we utilize this bio-inspired approach so as to modify the crystal properties of functional semiconductor material (2, 3).
We will show that amino acids can get incorporated into the crystal lattice of ceramic semiconductor hosts, similar to the process observed for calcium carbonate. Moreover, not only that such incorporation exists; the resulting lattice distortions are accompanied by a significant band-gap energy shift of the semiconductor host (in some cases up to 17%). We will discuss possible mechanisms for this phenomenon and show that such bio-inspired organic/inorganic interfaces have much potential for the manipulation of not only structural properties of different crystalline hosts but rather of a variety of functional properties. Moreover, we believe that this research may open a new bio-inspired route for tuning the band-gaps of ceramic semiconductors in addition to the ones known and utilized to date. 1. Borukhin S, Bloch L, Radlauer T, Hill AH, Fitch AN, Pokroy B. Advanced Functional Materials 2012;22: 4216. 2. Brif A, Ankonina G, Drathen C, Pokroy B. Advanced Materials 2014;26: 477. 3. Brif A, Pokroy B. CrystEngComm 2014;16: 3268.
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