In recent times, there has been an immense amount of interest in the utilization of gallium oxide (Ga2O3) in power electronics because of the excellent figure of merit (FOM) values it exhibits, mostly as a consequence of its wide bandgap of almost 5 eV. Many different Ga2O3-based field-effect transistors (FETs) have been realized, and a number of devices have also been proposed in the literature. Among these devices, high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are particularly advantageous in realizing the high-power RF capabilities of Ga2O3, as they typically exhibit higher values of sheet carrier density (ns) and effective mobility (μeff). Of the proposed structures, the AlN/β-Ga2O3 polar HEMT is one of the most promising, with simulations indicating ns of the order 1013 cm-2 and excellent RF parameter values. In this work, we have performed a proof-of-concept simulation of an AlN/β−Ga2O3 polar HEMT, having gate length (LG) of 50 nm to maximize RF performance, with the aim of benchmarking this device’s performance and exploring its design space. We note poor subthreshold characteristics and aim to improve subthreshold slope (SS), ON-OFF current ratio (ION/IOFF) and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) coefficient without significantly compromising the RF performance. To this end, we implement an (AlxGa1−x)2O3 back barrier layer to improve carrier confinement and mitigate OFF-state leakage current. SS and DIBL values of 122 mV/dec and 87 mV/V were obtained for an optimized structure having the back barrier, with an ON-OFF ratio (ION/IOFF) of the order 106−107. While the implementation of the back barrier initially produced improvement in the values of cutoff frequency (ft) and maximum oscillation frequency (fmax), the optimized structure having the best subthreshold performance exhibited lower ft and fmax values of 66.3 GHz and 74.8 GHz respectively, though these are still superior to the highest reported values for experimentally realized Ga2O3-based planar FETs. These results vindicate the interest in developing AlN/β−Ga2O3 polar HEMTs as reliable high-performance RF devices, while the improved subthreshold characteristics also increase the applicability of these devices for use in biosensors.

ABSTRACT Substituting lead in perovskite materials with non‐toxic elements offers a more sustainable, environmentally safe pathway for photovoltaic technologies. However, lower power conversion efficiency and stability remain challenges in the commercial development of lead‐free perovskite‐based solar cells. Here, we investigate a novel lead‐free Ge‐based halide perovskite‐based solar cell architecture through incorporating emerging 2D materials to enhance photovoltaic performance. We first use Green‐function‐based, single‐shot G0W0‐BSE simulations to predict the electronic and optical properties of a CsGeI 3 perovskite, overcoming the inaccuracies of density‐functional simulations. Furthermore, we examined the photovoltaic performance of the CsGeI 3 solar cells with and without 2D materials using SCAPS‐1D. The optimized device with integrated 2D MoS 2 and ZnS at the CsGeI 3 /transport‐layer interfaces shows excellent performance, with a PCE of 31.92%, a V oc of 1.39 V, a J sc of 28.48 mA/cm 2 , and an FF of 80.11%, compared with the device without 2D materials. Moreover, quantum efficiency analysis indicates that incorporating 2D materials extends the photon absorption range from ∼750 to 1050 nm, thereby enhancing the device's light‐harvesting capability. The enhanced performance of the solar cell is attributed to broadened spectral absorption and cascade energy‐level alignment with 2D materials. These results provide a viable pathway toward high‐performance and sustainable photovoltaic applications.

In this work, we report a structurally optimized design of 7 nm InGaAs-SOI complementary FinFET, and demonstrate thermal reliability of InGaAs-based logic device and circuit-level behavior over a wide temperature range of ∼ 200– ∼ 700 K. The proposed 7 nm InGaAs–SOI FinFET with optimized fin architecture achieves Vth values of 0.50 and 0.60 V for the n-type and p-type FinFETs, respectively, with an exceptional ON/OFF current ratio of 6.21 × 10 10 , subthreshold swing (SS) of 67.44 mV dec − 1 , and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) of 59.20 mV V − 1 . It is observed that the InGaAs–SOI FinFET device exhibits strong self-heating characteristics and superior short-channel immunity at elevated operating temperatures compared to conventional Si CMOS FinFETs and wide-bandgap technologies such as SiC. Furthermore, to mitigate the inherent imbalance at the circuit level, an asymmetric complementary inverter is designed using a 4:1 pMOS-to-nMOS Fin ratio to offset the electron–hole mobility disparity. The optimized binary inverter sustains reliable switching operation and exhibits improved voltage gain with maintaining positive noise margins up to 700 K at a low supply voltage of 1.5 V. These findings highlight the promise of InGaAs-SOI CMOS FinFETs for high-speed logic applications operating in elevated-temperature environments, such as defense and space systems.

Optical information processing is a powerful paradigm due to its inherent parallelism, high speed, and multidimensional processing capability. This study provides a comprehensive overview of optical architectures for information processing, with particular focus on optical pattern recognition, phase retrieval techniques, and optical security frameworks. Optical correlators are among the most significant implementations of optical information processing for pattern recognition. They can correlate vast amounts of data simultaneously by exploiting the inherent parallelism of light, enabling processing at the speed of light. The unparalleled computational capability surpasses the performance limits of conventional electronic processors, making optical correlators highly suitable for real-time and high-throughput pattern recognition applications. Various parameters of the optical field provide distinctive and versatile means to encode information. Properties such as amplitude, phase, polarization, wavelength, and orbital angular momentum enable multidimensional data representation, thereby enhancing encoding capability, security, and transmission efficiency. Further, optical imaging techniques have advanced significantly, delivering improved resolution, contrast, and functional imaging capabilities. A significant contribution to this progress comes from phase retrieval techniques, which reconstruct phase information from intensity-only measurements. Collectively, these approaches demonstrate the potential of hybrid optical–digital systems for next-generation imaging and information processing applications.

The emergence of a long-range magnetic order in the atomically thin, two-dimensional (2D) limit has long remained a fundamental question in condensed matter physics. The advent of exfoliable van der Waals (vdW) materials, particularly transition-metal phosphorus trisulfides (T MPS3; T M = Fe, Ni, and Mn), provided the first experimental access to this regime and established a foundational platform for investigating 2D magnetism. The 2016 experimental demonstrations of intrinsic magnetism in monolayer FePS3 provided a platform to test key aspects of 2D Ising criticality in the true 2D limit. It was followed by a rapid growth resulting in a wealth of emergent phenomena arising from the interplay of low-dimensional magnetism and quantum materials. We begin this review with the historical development of vdW antiferromagnets and highlight the key physical insights gained over the past decade. We finish with emerging opportunities in which vdW antiferromagnets can serve as versatile platforms for exploring low-dimensional magnetism and its interplay with other quantum degrees of freedom.

Engineering efficient heterojunction interfaces remains a promising route to unlock enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting systems. In this work, we report the strategic integration of layered tantalum diselenide (TaSe2) with narrow band gap Bi2Se3 and wide band gap ZnSe to construct novel heterojunctions. A polycrystalline TaSe2 film was directly grown on flexible Ta metal foil using chemical vapor deposition, which served as a robust and conductive scaffold. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses confirmed the successful formation of the desired heterojunctions and elucidated their crystalline, chemical, and electronic states. PEC studies demonstrated a substantial enhancement in photocurrent density upon heterojunction formation. The ZnSe/TaSe2 heterojunction exhibited a markedly enhanced photocurrent density of similar to 252.3 mu A/cm(2) at 1.4 V vs. RHE, representing nearly six-fold improvement relative to bare TaSe2 (similar to 42.7 mu A/cm(2)) and similar to 1.8-fold enhancement compared to the Bi2Se3/TaSe2 counterpart (similar to 145.3 mu A/cm(2)). This improvement is attributed to synergistic interfacial interactions at the ZnSe/TaSe2 junction, including effective charge separation and increased density of active sites. The superior conductivity of TaSe2 further facilitates rapid carrier transport and minimizes recombination losses. This study highlights the electrochemical versatility of TaSe2-based heterojunctions and establishes a rational design framework for constructing efficient photoelectrodes for solar fuel generation on scalable and flexible substrates.

The orthorhombic phase of gallium oxide (Ga(2)0(3)), colloquially referred to as K Ga(2)0(3), has attracted a huge amount of interest for use in high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) due to its strong polarization properties and ferroelectric nature. The AlN/K Ga(2)0(3) heterojunction is believed to support interfacial two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with sheet carrier density (n(s)) of the order of 1014 cm -2, making it highly suitable for use as a high performance HEMT. Unfortunately, owing to thermal stability issues associated with the metastable nature of K- Ga(2)0(3), high lattice mismatch and the intricacies associated with interfacial 2DEG formation, the fabrication of such devices is very challenging. Based on recent progress made in the realization of Ga(2)0(3) phase heterostructures, we propose an alternative HEMT design based on the beta- Ga(2)0(3)/K Ga(2)0(3) phase heterojunction. The existence of interfacial 2DEG at the junction is confirmed using a self-consistent Schrodinger-Poisson solver, and DC analysis of the proposed design is performed using ATLAS TCAD simulations. The extracted performance parameter values are compared with values reported in the literature for other high performance Ga(2)0(3) based HEMTs.

In recent times, the semiconductor (SC) power electronics industry has experienced a renewed interest in wide bandgap SCs, with the intent of exploiting their superior performance characteristics, particularly the excellent breakdown fields (EBR). One of the materials at the forefront of these research efforts is gallium sesquioxide or gallium oxide (Ga2O3), a polymorphic crystal with a bandgap in the 4.6–4.9 eV range. Ga2O3 exhibits high EBR as a consequence of its wide bandgap and also has a relatively high saturation electron velocity (vsat). Therefore, its figure of merit values are very high, and it is regarded as being highly suitable for use in SC power electronics. Conventional power devices like field effect transistors (FETs) have already been fabricated using Ga2O3, exhibiting highly desirable performance, particularly suited to high-power radio frequency (RF) applications. But Ga2O3 also has a few disadvantages associated with it, the most pertinent of which are its comparatively low electron mobility (μe), its low thermal conductivity (λ), and the difficulty in achieving p-type doping. Efforts have been made to overcome these issues and realize the full potential of Ga2O3-based power electronic devices. Of the Ga2O3-based FETs that have been fabricated, high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) exhibit some of the best performance. These devices utilize two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) as the conducting channel and generally allow for higher values of effective mobility (μeff) in devices by reducing the impact of dopant scattering on channel electrons. In addition, HEMTs (particularly those based on polar heterostructures) exhibit high values of sheet carrier density (ns), which allows for improved current carrying capacity (ID) and lower on-state resistance (RON), among other benefits. The combined effect of high μeff and ns makes HEMTs very suitable as a high-performance device, especially in the high-power RF application space. As a result, there is a burgeoning interest in the realization of interfacial 2DEG at Ga2O3-based heterojunctions and the fabrication of HEMTs based on these junctions. This paper aims to provide some background on the principles governing HEMT technology, summarize research efforts that have so far been made in the fabrication of Ga2O3-based HEMTs, discuss where the technology can go in the future and the developments that need to take place for this to happen, and highlight the multitude of challenges preventing further progress. In addition to reviewing the work of others, we have also performed our own simulations on Ga2O3-based heterojunctions to further highlight the applicability of these structures. With this work, we hope to spur further advancements in the field of Ga2O3-based power electronics and, more specifically, the field of Ga2O3-based HEMT technology.

Optical beams with helical wavefronts, carrying orbital angular momentum, have become a hot topic for research due to their inherent feature such as an infinite number of orthogonal modes. An idea of optical image encryption based on deoxyribonucleic acid encoding and an optical vortex beam is proposed that provides a new way of encoding information into optical vortices without compromising the security of the optical cryptosystem.

The present study investigates the integration of charge density wave material TiSe2 pyramids grown on Ti metal foil with wide bandgap ZnSe film for sunlight-driven water-splitting. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis verified the excellent crystallinity and successful fabrication of the ZnSe/TiSe2 pyramids heterostructure. The photoelectrochemical measurements were performed in 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte under AM = 1.5 G solar condition, demonstrating ZnSe/TiSe2 exhibited photocurrent density of 175.2 µA/cm2 at 0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl. The enhanced photocurrent density is attributed to the excellent electrical conductivity between ZnSe and TiSe2, increased catalytic sites, and rapid charge carrier separation and migration due to favorable band alignment between ZnSe and TiSe2. These results underscore the potential of TiSe2-based heterostructure in optimizing solar-to-hydrogen conversion and offer insights into band engineering for improving PEC performance.

A high-specific capacitance and longer cycle stability are the main requirements for a supercapacitor. This study explores the supercapacitive performance of an Fe2O3 and graphene (Fe2O3@G) nanocomposite used as an electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The Fe2O3@G composite utilizes the features of layered structure of graphene and pseudocapacitive property of Fe2O3 to achieve a high capacitance and capacitance retention. The Fe2O3 nanoparticles are observed to be well attached over the graphene sheets. The Fe2O3 nanoparticles decorated over graphene sheets exhibited specific capacitance of 345 Fg−1 at current density of 1 Ag−1. An energy density of 47.9 Wh kg−1 with a power density of 2.5 kW kg−1 was obtained. The Fe2O3@G electrode also exhibited excellent capacitance retention of 91

This study explores the electrochemical properties of sucrose-derived carbon (SDC), highlighting its feasibility as a sustainable and proficient electrode material for supercapacitor applications. Sucrose, a renewable and cost-effective precursor, was carbonized through pyrolysis to synthesize porous carbon. The SDC material showed a specific surface area of 113 m2/g and well-developed porous structure, which facilitated efficient ion diffusion and charge storage. Electrochemical testing, including cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), revealed that the SDC demonstrates the properties of the electrode material used in supercapacitor. The specific capacitance of SDC reached significant value 167.5 Fg−1 at lower scan rate 1 mV/s due to enhanced ion penetration into the pores, while good rate capability was observed at higher scan rates. The SDC electrode showed an excellent power density of 2979.18 Wkg−1 at energy density of 40.55 Whkg−1, positioning it as a promising option for energy storage applications. This work highlights the potential of sucrose-derived carbon materials in sustainable energy technologies and provides a pathway for further development of high-performance, eco-friendly supercapacitors.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a revolutionizing element in biomaterials research, significantly enhancing their functionality and versatility in medical applications from tissue engineering, drug delivery, regenerative medicine, to medical implants. Integration of nanomaterials in biomaterials has led to an enormous enhancement in biocompatibility, mechanical strength, drug release control, and bioactivity. The present review provides an exhaustive overview of the historical perspective, classification, and applications of nanomaterials in biomaterials research. It talks about how inorganic, organic, and hybrid nanomaterials are contributing to advancing biomedical applications, including their impact on scaffolds, nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery, and surface modification for implants. The paper also considers the current challenges associated with the use of nanomaterials, including biocompatibility, toxicity, scalability, and regulation. Finally, future research directions are proposed to drive the safety, functionality, and integration of nanotechnology in biomaterials, with possibilities for next-generation biomedical applications. This review aims to highlight the profound influence of nanotechnology on biomaterials and its potential to revolutionize healthcare. It explores the transformative impact of nanomaterials on biological applications and focuses on specific applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, diagnostic instruments, and regenerative medicine.

This study explored the potential of an AlN/beta-Ga2O3 MOSHEMT (Metal OxideSemiconductor High Electron Mobility Transistor) as a biosensor. An analytical framework was developedto effectively detect biomolecules, with the biosensor operating by modifying electrical parameters inresponse to changes in the dielectric constant of these biomolecules. The findings demonstrate significantsensitivity to various biomolecules, with Uricase displaying the highest sensitivity. In comparison to theAlGaN/GaN MOSHEMT, the AlN/beta-Ga2O3 MOSHEMT showed improved sensitivity in terms of draincurrent. Additionally, the machine learning (ML) model created for this investigation correlates stronglywith the simulation results. It can accurately predict outcomes within its trained range. Implementing theML model leads to considerable reductions in both computational costs and time for similar simulations.Furthermore, it eliminates empirical adjustments typically required in traditional physics-based models.

Transitional metal oxides (such as iron oxides) hold significant potential as electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their promising properties, such as high specific capacitance, multiple oxidation states, high energy density, abundance, and versatile synthesis methods. However, challenges such as poor rate performance, low electrical conductivity, and limited cycling stability must be addressed to make these materials viable for practical applications. To enhance the performance of transition metal oxides in supercapacitors, carbon materials (graphene, carbon nanotubes, activated carbon, etc.) have been employed effectively. Among transition metal oxides, iron oxide (Fe3O4) is abundant in nature and low cost, making it an attractive material for scalable and cost-effective supercapacitor production. In this study, in-situ-carbon-coated iron oxide (ISCC-Fe3O4) was synthesized using glucose as a carbon precursor, which transformed into conducting carbon through heat treatment at 1200 degrees C. ISCC-Fe3O4 was used as an electrode material. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis revealed that the surface area and average pore diameter of ISCC-Fe3O4 were 36.3 m2/g and 4.5 nm respectively, indicating the nanosized particles and multi-porous structure. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of ISCC-Fe3O4 confirmed the presence of carbon coating on the surface of iron oxide particles. ISCC-Fe3O4 exhibited a specific capacitance of 150 F/g at 1.5 A/g (170.6 F/g at 25 mV/s) and achieved an energy density of 20.8 Wh/kg at a power density of 745.1W/kg in a 1M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The multi-porous structure of ISCC-Fe3O4 (as confirmed by BET and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)) may allow sufficient diffusion of electrolyte and increase the surface area for interfacial redox reactions in supercapacitors, while the carbon produced from glucose provides a uniform conductive network essential for efficient charge transport and structure stability in the supercapacitor.

Severe compositional/structural instability of 'layered' Na-transition metal (TM) oxide cathode materials for Na-ion batteries upon exposure to air/water renders their handling/storage challenging and mandates the use of toxic/hazardous-cum-expensive chemicals, like N-methyl pyrrolidone, as the solvent for electrode preparation; viz., 'non-aqueous processing'. Against this backdrop, since the major mechanism associated with 'air/water-instability' involves spontaneous intercalation of water-based species (especially, H+) and simultaneous Na-extraction from the lattice of 'layered' Na-TM-oxide via tetrahedral sites of the Na layer, the present study reveals that precise positioning of a suitable cation at some of the tetrahedral sites can hinder the same, in truly significant terms. As also demonstrated here, the vastly improved air/water-stability can even facilitate health/environment-friendly 'aqueous processing' of electrodes (viz., using water as the solvent), with absolutely no compromise on the electrochemical behaviour/performance. A combination of experimental results/observations/inferences, bond valence sum analysis and density functional theory simulation has established that a small fraction of d0 Ti4+, having non-existent crystal-field stabilization energy, is present in the tetrahedral sites of the Na-layer of Na(Li0.05Ni0.3Ti0.5Cu0.1Mg0.05)O2; which significantly hinders the insertion of water-based species into the Na-TM-oxide lattice (and concomitant Na-extraction) upon air/water-exposure by directly impeding the transport pathway. This, in turn, bestows Na(Li0.05Ni0.3Ti0.5Cu0.1Mg0.05)O2 with exceptional air/water-stability. More importantly, the excellent 'water-stability' enables 'aqueous processing' of the electrodes, which still exhibit excellent electrochemical behaviour/performance in Na 'half', as well as Na-ion 'full', cells. In the broader context, such an elimination of the requirements for toxic/hazardous-cum-expensive 'non-aqueous' solvents/binders for electrode preparation and the associated learning from a materials-chemistry perspective are important steps towards the development of sustainable and high-performance Na-ion batteries.

Rapid industrialization advancements have grabbed worldwide attention to integrate a very large number of electronic components into a smaller space for performing multifunctional operations. To fulfill the growing computing demand state-of-the-art materials are required for substituting traditional silicon and metal oxide semiconductors frameworks. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have shown their tremendous potential surpassing the limitations of conventional materials for developing smart devices. Despite their ground-breaking progress over the last two decades, systematic studies providing in-depth insights into the exciting physics of 2D materials are still lacking. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the importance of 2D materials in bridging the gap between conventional and advanced technologies due to their distinct statistical and quantum physics. Moreover, the inherent properties of these materials could easily be tailored to meet the specific requirements of smart devices. Hence, we discuss the physics of various 2D materials enabling them to fabricate smart devices. We also shed light on promising opportunities in developing smart devices and identified the formidable challenges that need to be addressed.

The poor stability of transition metal (TM) layered oxide cathode materials upon exposure to moisture poses a significant challenge, hindering their widespread practical use in sodium-ion batteries. To facilitate the selection of suitable dopants for enhancing air stability, we propose energy-based descriptors to assess material stability and water-material interactions. These descriptors are assessed through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, focusing on the onset of water insertion in NaTmxNi1-xO2 (Tm = Ti, Mn) cathode materials. The importance of energy-based descriptors is highlighted by examples discussed where, despite having large sodium layer disruption and expansion of the surface layers due to water insertion, the formation of hydrogen bonds and charge transfer between water and the oxide layers greatly stabilize the NaTmxNi1-xO2 structure, thus promoting water insertion. The energy descriptors are used in a materials screening protocol to predict the water stability trends in sodium-ion battery materials and to understand the effect of dopants in mitigating the air stability issue.