Mohammad Karbalaei Akbari

Ghent University | UGhent · Faculty of Solid-States Sciences

Integrating two-dimensional (2D) electronic channels into semiconductor devices is fascinating strategy to meet the rising demands for developing low-power nanoelectronic systems. Understanding charge transfer mechanisms in 2D nanostructures has created significant opportunities for incorporating adjustable 2D electronic gates into hybrid nanoelect...

Acoustic-activated photonic reactions offer supplementary mechanisms for generating charge carriers at metal/semiconductor heterojunctions. These phenomena subsequently activate a wide range of physicochemical reactions at 2D heterointerfaces for environmentally-friendly applications. In this study, we successfully achieved the controlled growth of...

This study explores the opportunities of plasma treatment of ultra-thin metal-oxide films to enable the design of 2D electronic channels with tunable charge storage/transfer characteristics. The plasma treatment enabled the nanoengineering of 2D Ga2O3 films. Study revealed that various plasma treatments altered the electronic characteristics of 2D...

Directional ionic migration in ultra-thin metal-oxide semiconductors under applied electric fields is a key mechanism for developing various electronic nanodevices. However, understanding charge transfer dynamics is challenging due to rapid ionic migration and uncontrolled charge transfer, which can reduce the functionality of microelectronic devic...

Acoustic-activated polarization at two-dimensional (2D) domains provide supplementary mechanisms for adjustment of empty and occupied orbitals at material heterointerfaces, activating a wide range of physicochemical applications. The piezoelectric nanodomains grown at 2D liquid-metal heterointerfaces represent a new class of polarization-dependent...

The scientific field of two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures has witnessed tremendous development during the last decade. To date, different synthesis approaches have been developed; therefore, various exceptional properties of this family of advanced materials have been discovered. It has recently been found that the natural surface oxide films of...

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has emerged as a promising technology for the development of the next generation of low-power semiconductor electronics. The wafer-scaled growth of two-dimensional (2D) crystalline nanostructures is a fundamental step toward the development of advanced nanofabrication technologies. Ga2O3 is an ultra-wide bandgap metal...

Plasmonic nanostructures ensure the reception and harvesting of visible lights for novel photonic applications. In this area, plasmonic crystalline nanodomains decorated on the surface of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials represent a new class of hybrid nanostructures. These plasmonic nanodomains activate supplementary mechanisms at mate...

Two-dimensional (2D) liquid-metal (LM) heterointerfaces with their tunable physico-chemical characteristics are emerging platforms for the development of multifunctional hybrid nanostructures with numerous functional applications. From this perspective, the functionalization of LM galinstan nanoparticles (NPs) with crystalline nanodomains is a prom...

Realizing the neurological information processing by analyzing the complex data transferring behavior of populations and individual neurons is one of the fast-growing fields of neuroscience and bioelectronic technologies. This field is anticipated to cover a wide range of advanced applications, including neural dynamic monitoring, understanding the...

Two-dimensional (2D) conformal SnO2-Ga2O3 n-p heterostructures were fabricated on a wafer scale for the first time by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique and their physicochemical properties as well as electrochemical behaviors as supercapacitor electrodes were subsequently investigated. High specific capacitance of 167 F g−1 was achieved at th...

Ultra-low-level incorporation of trace impurities and dopants into two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors is a challenging step towards the development of functional electronic devices based on 2D materials. Herein, the incorporation of sulfur atoms into 2D Ga 2 O 3 surface oxide film of eutectic gallium-indium alloy (EGaIn) is achieved through plasma...

Fabrication of thin-film heterostructured electrodes with thickness below 10.0 nm is of great importance for the development of high-performance electrochemical supercapacitors (ESCs) with great capabilities. This is because such electrodes with uniform thicknesses enable fast electrochemical responses during charging/discharging ascribed to their...

Atomic-scale incorporation of elemental impurities into two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors is a significant step towards tailoring novel 2D materials in functional electronics. Here, the elemental functionalization of 2D surface oxide films of gallium-indium (EGaIn) liquid alloy is achieved through plasma- enhanced metal-catalyst-assisted dissocia...

Photonic junctions with their plasmonic components can outstandingly amplify the light-matter interactions, boost the localized surface plasmon resonance and tightly concentrate the optical electromagnetic fields. The mechanisms of plasmon-enhanced metal photoluminescence (PL) and especially florescence (FL) emission enhancement of plasmonic juncti...

Thin MoO3 films with different thickness at nanoscale were fabricated by atomic layer deposition technique over Au electrodes on the Si/SiO2 wafers. Bis(t-butylimido)bis(dimethylamino)molybdenum(VI) (C12H30N4Mo) and O2 plasma were used as Mo precursor and oxygen source, respectively. Both crystalline phase stabilization and oxygen vacancies enhance...

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors beyond graphene represent the thinnest stable known nanomaterials. Rapid growth of their family and applications during the last decade of the twenty-first century have brought unprecedented opportunities to the advanced nano- and opto-electronic technologies. In this article, we review the latest progress in fin...

Two-dimensional (2D) Au-SnO2-In2O3 heterostructures with thickness less than 10.0 nm were fabricated on 4-inch Si/SiO2 wafers by the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) technique as functional electrodes for electrochemical ethanol sensors. Structural, morphological and electrochemical characteristics of the developed 2D samples were s...

A visible light optical nociceptive sensor was developed based on the heterostructured plasmonic Au/G2O3/TiO2 semiconductor films. The incorporation of nitrogen atoms and the following phase transformation of G2O3 ultra-thin film during rapid thermal annealing enabled the nociceptive characteristics in heterostructured G2O3/TiO2 plasmonic visible l...

The heterointerface engineering at metal/semiconductor (MS) hetero-interfaces in Au/Ga2O3/TiO2 plasmonic photosensors enabled the modulation of charge transfer and photoconductance of detectors for adaptive perception of visible optical lights. The photoconductance at heterointerface between plasmonic Au antenna and main TiO2 semiconductor was modu...

Visible light opto-electronic systems with synaptic characteristics have outstanding potential for a wide range of applications from photonic computing to the emulation of the basic functionalities of human visual systems. However, the complexities of photonic memristors and opto-synaptic devices are far beyond the concept of conventional image sen...

Two-dimensional (2D) surface oxide films of post-transition liquid metals and their alloys have been recently introduced as an emerging category of ultra-thin functional semiconductor materials with fascinating physico-chemical and structural characteristics. These 2D films are natural surface oxide films of low melting temperature post-transition...

Chemical sensors based on atomically-thin two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors and their hetero-structures are promising candidates for sensing various agents with unipolar sensitivity, excellent selectivity, high responsivity and great long-term stability for versatile applications at the wide working temperature range. Further improvement of senso...

Cover describes the performance of a metal oxide hetrostructured nociceptor

Bio-inspired nano-electronic devices are key instruments for the development of advanced artificial intelligence systems, which will shape the future of humanoid nano-robotics. An emerging demand is realized for an accurate reception of environmental stimuli via visual perception, processing and realization of optical signals. The present study dem...

The present chapter summarizes the current progress achieved for 2D lateral heterostructures. The characteristics of homogenous and heterogeneous lateral heterojunctions will be discussed. The structural characteristics of 2D heterostructures including the atomic level sharpness at hetero-interfaces, and the mechanical strain due to structural mism...

The present chapter primarily focuses on the Resistive switching mechanism in solid-state electronics of ultra-thin films and 2D materials. The design and fabrication techniques of memristor devices are introduced and both advantages and disadvantages of each fabrication design are discussed. Several practical examples are reviewed to address the m...

The present chapter focuses on the fundamental aspects of nucleation and growth of 2D materials as well as the wafer-scale synthesis and growth mechanisms. The topics specifically focus on the CVD of 2D TMDCs, since the CVD is one of the most recommended techniques for deposition of transition metal dichalcogenide based 2D semiconductors. A compreh...

The chapter focuses on the properties and plasmonic characteristics of 2D materials and the fabricated 2D integrated plasmonic utensils. Then the privilege of coupling plasmonic characteristics of 2D materials with their excitonic irradiations will be explained and novel photonic devices with distinguished optoelectronic characteristics will be rev...

the advantages of Atomic layer deposition (ALD) turned this deposition method into one of the most promising techniques for the wafer-scale deposition of ultrathin 2D materials for practical applications and placed this technology in a unique position to address many challenges in development of 2D semiconductors. The present chapter provides compa...

The library of 2D materials is expanding rapidly since the advent of exfoliated graphene. The ultra-bandgap diversity of 2D materials provides a flexible platform to choose 2D materials with the desired property for designed electronic applications. The present chapter reviews the recent advances in the development of artificial synaptic devices ba...

The emulation of human sensorimotor system and its functionalities is a fundamental step toward the technological advancement for the next generation of bioinspired electronic devices for humanoid and robotic applications. The performance of the human body is not only based on naturally and intricately designed networks of sensors, receptors, and n...

Scientific monograph offers perspective on both the scientific and engineering aspects of 2D semiconductors. Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Semiconductors for Novel Electronic Applications discusses how to successfully engineer 2D materials for practical applications. It also covers several novel topics regarding 2D semiconductors which have not yet bee...

This chapter will review the fundamental concepts of the atomic-scale 2D surface oxide of liquid metal alloys. The metallurgical and thermodynamic aspects of liquid metal alloys are explained. Specific attention will be devoted to the individual properties of these 2D materials, the methods of their synthesis, characterization, and functionalizatio...

Retina nociceptor, as a key sensory receptor, not only enables the transport of warning signals to the human central nervous system upon its exposure to noxious stimuli, but also triggers the motor response that minimizes potential sensitization. In this study, the capability of two-dimensional all-oxide-heterostructured artificial nociceptor as a...

Controlable immitation of sensorimotor functionalities by neuromorphic technologies is an essential achievement towards the development of artificially engineered bio‐inspired elecronic devices. This study proposes and demostrates principally new artificial bio‐inspired opto‐electronic system for emulation of the human sensorimotor system with ultr...

Development of the next generation of bio- and nano-electronics is inseparably connected to the innovative concept of emulation and reproduction of biological sensorimotor systems and artificial neurobotics. Here, we report for the first time principally new artificial bioinspired optoelectronic sensorimotor system for the controlable immitation of...

Development of the next generation of bio- and nano-electronics is inseparably connected to the innovative concept of emulation and reproduction of biological sensorimotor systems and artificial neurobotics. Here, we report for the first time principally new artificial bioinspired optoelectronic sensorimotor system for the controlable immitation of...

Electrochromic devices, serving as smart glasses, have not yet been intelligent enough to regulate lighting conditions independent of external photosensing devices. On the other hand, their bulky sandwich structures have been suffering setbacks utilized for reflective displays in an effort to compete with mature emissive displays. The key to resolv...

The spectrum of employment of ultra-thin layered materials in functional heterostructures and the precise control of their surface characteristics offer a remarkable platform to develop advanced optoelectronic devices. Herein, the wide bandgap and self-limiting surface oxides of Galinstan were innovatively employed as templates for the next sonoche...

The featured front Cover depicts the sonochemical Functionalization of two-dimensional (2D) surface oxide of liquid metal (Galinstan). The functionalization of 2D oxide films has resulted in enhancement of visible light sensitivity of heterostrcutured optoelctronic devices based on All oxide heterostrcutrued sensors.

Wafer-scale ultra-thin WO3 nanofilms, Ga2O3 nanofilms and Ga2O3-WO3 heterostructures with thickness of approximately ˜8.0 nm were fabricated on the SiO2/Si substrates by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique for their subsequent usage as sensing materials for the ethanol detection. Structure and morphology of the developed ultra-thin samples were...

Surface functionalization of two-dimensional (2D) WO3 nanofilms by noble metal (NM) nanoparticles (NM = Ag, Pt and Pd) was successfully achieved for the first time via combination of the atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and electrochemical deposition method. Deposited NM nanoparticles were uniformly in the particle size and homogeneously dispe...

Although 2D layered nanomaterials have been intensively investigated towards their application in energy conversion and storage devices, their disadvantages have rarely been explored so far especially compared to their 3D counterparts. Herein, WO3·nH2O (n = 0, 1, 2), as the most common and important electrochemical and electrochromic active nanomat...

From the technical and design points of view, it is quite difficult to maintain the integrity of nano-films during the deposition process to fabricate practical devices based on ultra-thin semiconductor films. Thus, defect-free wafer-scaled development of ultra-thin quasi two-dimensional (2D) oxide semiconductor films represents serious challenges....

Electrically responsive plasmonic devices, which benefit from the privilege of surface plasmon excited hot carries, have supported fascinating applications in the visible-light assisted technologies. The properties of plasmonic devices can be tuned by charge transfer controlling. It can be attained by intentional architecturing of the metal-semicon...

Two-dimensional (2D) α-MoO3 nano-films with thickness of 4.9 nm were fabricated via atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique for the first time on the wafer scale and were subsequently annealed at 200 °C. The developed MoO3 nano-films were composed of flat nanoparticles with the average size of about 35 nm and possessed layered orthorhombic phase (α...

Wafer-scale two-dimensional (2D) WO3 nano-films with the different thicknesses of 0.78, 1.4, 3.6 and 6.5 nm were fabricated on Au-SiO2/Si substrates by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. Their surface morphologies and chemical components were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) a...

In this study two-dimensional (2D) WO3/TiO2 heterojunction developed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique has been demonstrated for the first time for supercapacitor (SC) electrodes. This 2D heterojunction has a uniform thickness of ~ 12 nm with relatively rough surface. The electrode based on WO3/TiO2 heterojunction shown excellent super-cap...

It is known that the interaction between suspended ceramic nanoparticles (TiB2 and TiO2) in molten alloys affects the strengthening mechanisms of nanoparticle reinforced composites. The present study follows a comparative approach to investigate this phenomenon during casting process of aluminum composites reinforced by TiB2 and TiO2 nanoparticles....

Bilayer Au-TiO2 configuration with two-dimensional (2D) TiO2 films enabled sensible improvement in photocatalytic degradation of Palmitic Acid (PA) and also the enhancement of current density under visible light illumination. The improved visible light photocatalytic and photocurrent properties were attained when 35 nm thick 2D TiO2 film was develo...

TiO2 nanoparticles-functionalized two-dimensional (2D) WO3 (TiO2NP-WO3) films fabricated by the facile two-step atomic layer deposition (ALD) process with following post-annealing at 380 °C were investigated as electrode material for supercapacitors. The surface functionalization of 2D WO3 electrode by TiO2 nanoparticles significantly enhanced the...

In this paper, high-quality wafer-scale monolayer TiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> films were synthesized via atomic layer deposition and their main characteristics were investigated. The deposited TiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://ww...

Effect of nano-thickness of the two-dimensional (2D) WO3 electrodes on their supercapacitor performance was investigated at the nanometers’ thickness level. The 2D WO3 films with the thickness of ∼6.0, 1.2 and 0.7 nm were fabricated by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. Subsequently, their electrochemical behaviors as supercapacitor elect...

A facile doping method for two dimensional (2D) materials utilizing inexpensive raw materials was proposed to achieve excellent photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO). In this work, MoS2 nanosheets were synthesized and carbon-doped using carbon-assistant heating with degreasing cotton. The prepared samples were characterized and investiga...

The data and complementary information presented hare are related to the research article of “http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2017.02.016; Materials and Design 120 (2017) 99–108” [1]. The article provides data and information on the case of atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ultra-thin two-dimensional TiO2 film. The chemical structure of precursor...

A facile doping method utilizing inexpensive raw materials was proposed to achieve variation in optical bandgap and UV-visible light absorption property of MoS2 nanosheets. Carbon-assistant heating with degreasing cotton has demonstrated the development of carbon-doped MoS2 nanosheets with enhanced rich defects. The results obtained shown that modi...

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is an enabling technology which provides coating and material features with significant advantages compared to other existing techniques for depositing precise ultra-thin two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures. ALD provides digital thickness control to the atomic level by depositing film one atomic layer at a time, as wel...

The synthesis of ultra-thin atomic-layered oxides with precise thickness controllability and excellent uniformity remains a significant challenge in the fields of photovoltaics and opto-electronics. The wafer–scale synthesis and conformal growth of atomic-layered TiO2 film on Si/SiO2 substrate achieved by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) using tet...

Reduction from multi-layer to one fundamental layer thickness represents a variety of exotic properties and distinctive applications of such two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor as tungsten trioxide (WO3). This transition without damaging single layer on a large spatial resolution remained elusive until the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique was...

Photodetector based on monolayer of tungsten trioxide (WO3) was fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and its structure and properties were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and spectrophotometry techniques....

The monolayer WO3-based UV-A photodetectors, fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique at the large area of SiO2/Si wafer, have demonstrated vastly improved functional capabilities: extremely fast response time of less than 40 μs and photoresponsivity reaching of ∼0.329 A W⁻¹. Their ultrafast photoresponse time is at least 400-fold impr...

The interactions between suspended ceramic particles in composite slurry and advancing solidification front take place during liquid state processing of particle reinforced metal matrix composites. The introduced solidification models in this research propose the possibility of nanoparticle engulfment by solidification front during gravity casting...

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is an enabling technology which provides coating and material features with significant advantages compared to other existing techniques for depositing precise nanometer-thin two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures. It is a cyclic process which relies on sequential self-terminating reactions between gas phase precursor mol...

This paper focuses on the influence of processing temperature and inclusion of micron-sized B4C,TiB2 and ZrSiO4 on the mechanical performance of aluminium matrix composites fabricated through stir casting. The ceramic/aluminium composite could withstand greater external loads, due to interfacial ceramic/aluminium bonding effect on the movement of g...

This paper focuses on the influence of processing temperature and inclusion of micron-sized B 4 C, TiB 2 and ZrSiO 4 on the mechanical performance of aluminium matrix composites fabricated through stir casting. The ceramic/aluminium composite could withstand greater external loads, due to interfacial ceramic/aluminium bonding effect on the movement...

The focus of this research is on the fabrication of aluminium-B4C and aluminium-ZrSiO4 composites by vortex method as a liquid phase process of metal matrix composites. SEM observations show that reinforcement particles are dispersed homogeneously throughout the aluminium matrix. Density, mechanical properties such as hardness and tensile strength...

In the present study, regarding the theoretical and practical aspects of nanoparticle capture in liquid-state processing of aluminum composite, different volume fractions of TiB 2 and TiO 2 nanopowders were incorporated into aluminum alloy via stir casting method. Hardness and sliding wear test were carried out to evaluate the mechanical properties...

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of alumina particle size and its amount on relative density, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of Al À Al 2 O 3 composite. To manufacture micro and nano-composites, alumina particles with various sizes of 50 mm, 10 mm, and 20 nm were separately milled with aluminum powders, and su...

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of alumina particle size and its amount on relative density, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of composite. To manufacture micro and nano-composites, alumina particles with various sizes of 50 µm, 10 µm, and 20 nm were separately milled with aluminum powders, and subsequently dif...

The aim of the present study is to investigate the tensile performance and fracture behavior of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with TiB2 nano and microparticles. Different volume fractions of micro and nano titanium diboride powders with average sizes of 20 nm and 5 μm were separately incorporated into molten A356 aluminum matrix by a mechan...

a b s t r a c t In this study, a novel approach was used to fabricate Al 2 O 3 nanoparticle reinforced aluminum composites to avoid agglomeration of nanoparticles in matrix. Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were separately milled with alu-minum and copper powders at different milling durations and incorporated into A356 alloy via stir cast-ing method. The ef...