Publications

2021

• Prediction of the interaction strength of an urea-based probe towards ions in water by means of DFT/PCM calculations
  
  • Benda Robert
  • Vezin Thomas
  • Lebental Bérengère
  , 2021. (10.1002/qua.26901)
  DOI : 10.1002/qua.26901
• Controlling solid–liquid–solid GeSn nanowire growth modes by changing deposition sequences of a-Ge:H layer and SnO 2 nanoparticles
  
  • Gong Ruiling
  • Azrak Edy
  • Castro Celia
  • Duguay Sébastien
  • Pareige Philippe
  • Roca I Cabarrocas Pere
  • Chen Wanghua
  Nanotechnology, Institute of Physics, 2021, 32 (34), pp.345602. (10.1088/1361-6528/abfc72)
  DOI : 10.1088/1361-6528/abfc72
• Plasma-enhanced CVD growth of cubic and hexagonal diamond silicon nanowires with liquid-solid mixed catalysts for photovoltaic applications
  
  • Wang Weixi
  , 2021. Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are attracting an increasing attention due to their unique one-dimensional geometry with properties suitable for different optoelectronic applications. Recently, small diameter NWs (below 10 nm) have become the target due to predicted quantum size effects. Moreover, small diameter SiNWs with hexagonal diamond crystalline structure, which are predicted to have a direct bandgap that can be tuned by the diameter control, have been synthesized directly in a PECVD reactor. This thesis is dedicated to fabricating small diameter SiNWs with hexagonal phase using PECVD. The analysis on the previous work at LPICM has shown that hexagonal SiNWs were not obtained with a single Sn catalyst. We have demonstrated SiNW growth using evaporated SnCu mixed catalysts with a controlled composition for the first time, which leads to a core-shell structure on the top of SiNW with a crystalline Cu3Si core and a Sn-rich shell most probably liquid during the growth. The SiNWs have been grown through a combined VLS and VSS growth process. We have investigated the influence of the catalyst composition and PECVD conditions on the SiNW growth systematically and achieved ultra-dense (5.7 × 1010 /cm2) and ultra-thin silicon quantum nanowire arrays with average crystalline diameter of around 4 to 5 nm and with a narrow distribution. TEM observation showed that hexagonal phase can be obtained with a substrate temperature between 385 and 447 °C, and within a SiH4 partial pressure range from 0.026 to 0.068 mbar, on a Cu TEM grid, and on (100) Si wafer substrates using different SnCu compositions. The hexagonal phase appeared statistically rarely (usually with a yield of around 5 – 6%), with no particular growth condition except for the small diameter (with crystalline diameters from 4.0 to 7.2 nm). By replacing Sn with In element with similar properties in a mixed catalyst with Cu, dense SiNW arrays with an average diameter of 10.5 nm have been obtained, among which we found a hexagonal SiNW with crystalline diameter of 5 nm. In addition, the use of AuCu mixed catalysts has led to faster SiNW growth rate when compared to pure Au catalyst. Therefore, using mixed catalysts allows for a control of SiNW diameter (narrower distribution), length (growth rate), and density that cannot be obtained by using pure metal catalysts. Finally, PIN radial junction solar cells based on ultra-dense and thin SiNWs synthesized with SnCu and InCu co-catalysts have been fabricated successfully.
• STEM-EELS investigation of c-Si/a-AlO interface for solar cell applications
  
  • Noircler Guillaume
  • Lebreton Fabien
  • Drahi Etienne
  • de Coux Patricia
  • Warot-Fonrose Bénédicte
  Micron, Elsevier, 2021, 145, pp.103032. (10.1016/j.micron.2021.103032)
  DOI : 10.1016/j.micron.2021.103032
• Hydrogen-mediated CVD epitaxy of Graphene on SiC: growth mechanism and atomic configuration
  
  • Ben Jabra Zouhour
  • Berbezier Isabelle
  • Michon Adrien
  • Koudia Mathieu
  • Assaf Elie
  • Ronda Antoine
  • Castrucci Paola
  • de Crescenzi Maurizio
  • Vach Holger
  • Abel Mathieu
  ACS Applied Nano Materials, American Chemical Society, 2021, 4 (5), pp.4462-4473. Despite the large literature focused on the growth of graphene (Gr) on 6H-SiC(0001) by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), some important issues have not been solved and full wafer scale epitaxy of Gr remains challenging, hampering applications in microelectronics. With this study we shed light on the generic mechanism which produces the coexistence of two different types of Gr domains, whose proportion can be carefully controlled by tuning the H2 flow rate. For the first time, we show that the growth of Gr using CVD under H2/Ar flow rate proceeds in two stages. Firstly, the nucleation of free-standing epitaxial graphene on hydrogen (H-Gr) occurs, then H-atoms eventually desorb from either step edges or defects. This gives rise, for H2 flow rate below a critical value, to the formation of (6x6)Gr domains on 6H-SiC(0001). The front of H-desorption progresses proportionally to the reduction of H2. Using a robust and generic X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, we realistically quantify the proportions of H-Gr and (6x6)Gr domains of a Gr film synthetized in any experimental conditions. Scanning tunnelling microscopy supports the XPS measurements. From these results we can deduce that the H-assisted CVD growth of Gr developed here is a unique method to grow fully free-standing H-Gr on the contrary to the method consisting of H-intercalation below epitaxial Gr on buffer layer. These results are of crucial importance for future applications of Gr/SiC(0001) in nanoelectronics, providing the groundwork for the use of Gr as an optimal template layer for Van der Waals homo-and hetero-epitaxy. (10.1021/acsanm.1c00082)
  DOI : 10.1021/acsanm.1c00082
• Evolution of raw meat polarization‐based properties by means of Mueller matrix imaging
  
  • Peyvasteh Motahareh
  • Popov Alexey
  • Bykov Alexander
  • Pierangelo Angelo
  • Novikova Tatiana
  • Meglinski Igor
  Journal of Biophotonics, Wiley, 2021, 14 (5). Abstract The possibilities of using Mueller matrix (MM) imaging polarimetry to assess meat quality have not yet been sufficiently explored. In the current study, the fresh porcine muscles are imaged at room temperature with a wide‐field MM imaging polarimeter over 26 hours to visualize dynamics of tissue optical properties through applying Lu‐Chipman decomposition. The frequency distribution histograms (FDHs) and statistical analysis of the MM elements show prominent changes over time. The wavelength spectra of both total depolarization and scalar retardance have dips at 550 nm whereas their values continuously increase with time; the former is referred to the increase of number of scattering events and decrease of myoglobin absorption in the red part of visible spectra related to meat color and freshness, while the latter is associated with the increase in birefringence and meat tenderness. The obtained results are promising to develop a novel fast noncontact optical technique for monitoring of meat quality. (10.1002/jbio.202000376)
  DOI : 10.1002/jbio.202000376
• Radial Junction Silicon Nanowire Solar Mini-Modules Grown on FTO/Glass Substrates
  
  • Al-Ghzaiwat Mutaz
  • Foldyna Martin
  , 2021, pp.1-6. (10.1109/IREC51415.2021.9427848)
  DOI : 10.1109/IREC51415.2021.9427848
• In situ growth of silicon and germanium nanowires in the metastable hexagonal-diamond phase
  
  • Ngo Eric
  , 2021. The topic of this work is the identification and the understanding of the formation mechanisms of the metastable hexagonal-diamond crystalline phase (2H polytype) in silicon and germanium nanowires. Following numerical simulations, that phase presents specific and interesting electronic and optical properties. Our main investigation tool has been NanoMAX, an advanced transmission electron microscope equipped with atomic sources and a radical generator, allowing the in situ observation, at the atomic scale and in real time, of the synthesis of this phase.To grow silicon and germanium nanowires, we used the so-called "VLS" (vapor-liquid-solid) method, where the nanowire precipitates from Si or Ge atoms in solution in a liquid catalyst eutectic droplet. The atoms were brought to the catalyst by cracked gas molecules or also, in the case of Ge, directly from an effusion source.We show that the diamond-hexagonal phase is found to form mainly in silicon nanowires with the help of a copper-tin catalyst. A small nanowire diameter is found to stabilize this phase consistently with ab initio simulations. The yield of silicon nanowires with a hexagonal-diamond part is 20 % when the diameter is below 7 nm. At the growth temperature and in the presence of silane, there is a spatial segregation of copper and tin in the catalysts, which leads to the creation of an interface between liquid tin and solid copper silicide. This interface is thought to facilitate the formation of the metastable hexagonal-diamond phase.
• Role of Fluorinated Precursor in Area Selective PECVD of Silicon on SiOxNy
  
  • Akiki Ghewa
  • Frégnaux Mathieu
  • Florea Ileana
  • Bulkin Pavel
  • Daineka Dmitri
  • Filonovich Sergej
  • Bouttemy Muriel
  • Johnson E.V.
  , 2021.
• Reversible nature of photo-induced phase segregation and origin of long carrier lifetime in triple cation mixed halide perovskite films
  
  • Gautam Subodh K.
  • Kim Minjin
  • Miquita Douglas R.
  • Bourée Jean-Eric
  • Geffroy Bernard
  • Plantevin Olivier
  , 2021.
• Introduction de brome dans des cellules solaires triples mésoscopiques à électrode de carbone
  
  • Nahdi Hindia
  • Oswald Frédéric
  • Geffroy Bernard
  • Tondelier Denis
  • Bonnassieux Yvan
  • Haddad Madjid
  , 2021.
• A dominant positron capture and annihilation at vacancies in MAPbI$_3$ and CsMAFAPb(I$_x$Br$_{1-x}$)$_3$ layers on PEDOT-PPS/ITO/glass substrates
  
  • Aversa P.
  • Kim Minjin
  • Léger V.
  • Lee H.
  • Tondelier D.
  • Plantevin Olivier
  • Botsoa J.
  • Desgardin P.
  • Bourée Jean-Eric
  • Liszkay L.
  • Dickmann M.
  • Egger W.
  • Barthe M. F.
  • Geffroy Bernard
  • Corbel C.
  , 2021. Hybrid inorganic-organic halide perovskitesattract much attention for their application in optoelectronic devices. However, the performancesstrongly depend on the quality of the active layers and their capacity to withstand device operation without irreversible damage [1,2]. Light illumination is reported to induce ion migration in HOIPs [3]. Applying a bias in dark in CH3NH3PbI3(MAPbI3) based solar cells also results in ion migration [4]. Dark current measurements give evidence of temperature–dependent charge transport mechanisms in MAPbI3that are respectively related to electron/hole and ion transport [5]. This questions the existenceand/orgeneration of defects in HOIPs and their role in defect-assisted mechanisms of ion migration under bias and light illumination on photovoltaïc performance. This work focuses on vacancy-type defects. When in neutral or negatively charged states, such defects capture thermalized positronsin their open volume and give rise to annihilation fingerprints specific to the nature of the vacancy-type defects. Positrons have a most striking reproducible and stable behavior in MAPbI3 and CsMAFAPb(IxBr1-x)3layers spin coated on PEDOT:PPS/ITO/glass substrates in similar conditions by solution growth process. The annihilation characteristics, e-_e+ annihilating pair momentum distribution and positron lifetime spectra, are consistent with huge native vacancy concentration, ≥3*1018cm-3, that efficientlycapture thermalized positrons before their annihilation. An additional noticeable property is that the coverage with a PCBM electron transport layer has little effect on these native vacancies. The positron annihilation lifetime in the vacancies, 334(5) ps,has been also earlier observed in sintered MAPbI3 pellets [6]. The nature of the vacancies and their stability with ageingis discussed.
• Observation of internal circuit change of perovskite solar cell according to ageing
  
  • Kim Minjin
  • Bourée Jean-Eric
  • Bonnassieux Yvan
  • Geffroy Bernard
  , 2021.
• Simple and rapid gas sensing using a single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistor-based logic inverter
  
  • Forel Salomé
  • Sacco Leandro
  • Castan Alice
  • Florea Ileana
  • Cojocaru Costel Sorin
  Nanoscale Advances, RSC, 2021, 3 (6), pp.1582-1587. Simple and rapid gas sensing using a single-walled carbon nanotube fi eld-eff ect transistor-based logic inverter Nanoscale Advances Simple and rapid gas sensing using a single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistor-based logic inverter † (10.1039/D0NA00811G)
  DOI : 10.1039/D0NA00811G
• Mueller polarimetric imaging for fast macroscopic mapping of microscopic collagen matrix remodeling by smooth muscle cells
  
  • Chashchina Olga
  • Mezouar Hachem
  • Vizet Jérémy
  • Raoux Clothilde
  • Park Junha
  • Ramón-Lozano Clara
  • Schanne-Klein Marie-Claire
  • Barakat Abdul I
  • Pierangelo Angelo
  Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group, 2021, 11. Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are critical players in cardiovascular disease development and undergo complex phenotype switching during disease progression. However, SMC phenotype is difficult to assess and track in co-culture studies. To determine the contractility of SMCs embedded within collagen hydrogels, we performed polarized light imaging and subsequent analysis based on Mueller matrices. Measurements were made both in the absence and presence of endothelial cells (ECs) in order to establish the impact of EC-SMC communication on SMC contractility. The results demonstrated that Mueller polarimetric imaging is indeed an appropriate tool for assessing SMC activity which significantly modifies the hydrogel retardance in the presence of ECs. These findings are consistent with the idea that EC-SMC communication promotes a more contractile SMC phenotype. More broadly, our findings suggest that Mueller polarimetry can be a useful tool for studies of spatial heterogeneities in hydrogel remodeling by SMCs. (10.1038/s41598-021-85164-y)
  DOI : 10.1038/s41598-021-85164-y
• Bio-Based Materials for Electrochemical Detection of Bisphenol A
  
  • Elgiddawy Nada
  • Ren Shiwei
  • Ghattas Wadih
  • Rouby Waleed M a El
  • El-Gendy Ahmed O
  • Farghali Ahmed A
  • Yassar Abderrahim
  • Korri-Youssoufi Hafsa
  Sensors, MDPI, 2021, 21, pp.1715. Bisphenol A is a widely used endocrine disruptor known for its toxicity and prevalence in the environment. It contaminates drinking water, especially when plastic bottles are exposed to Sunlight. Rapid, on-site detection of BPA in drinking water is crucial for protecting human health and the environment. Herein, we developed an electrochemical sensor for detecting and monitoring bisphenol A in water bodies utilizing biobased materials. The device uses a biopolymeric membrane with agarose and gelified green tea tannins (GT/Agar). A sensitive part was made using this natural composite due to its high ability to attach bisphenol A to tannin monomers. Green tea tannins were purified and characterized through HPLC, FTIR, SEM, and AFM. The electrochemical activity of the GT-Agar/Au sensor is also evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry and scan rate. Based on its redox signal under the optimal experimental conditions, this sensor has a detection range of 10 −16 M to 10 −4 M, a limit of detection of 1.52 to 10 −17 M and very high selectivity. The proposed sensor successfully determined BPA levels from ultra-trace concentrations in bottled water samples, achieving satisfactory recovery rates. Compared to the results obtained using HPLC, it demonstrates high reliability. (10.3390/s21051715)
  DOI : 10.3390/s21051715
• Antimicrobial Activity of Cationic Poly(3-hexylthiophene) Nanoparticles Coupled with Dual Fluorescent and Electrochemical Sensing: Theragnostic Prospect
  
  • Elgiddawy Nada
  • Ren Shiwei
  • Ghattas Wadih
  • Rouby Waleed M a El
  • El-Gendy Ahmed O
  • Farghali Ahmed A
  • Yassar Abderrahim
  • Korri-Youssoufi Hafsa
  Sensors, MDPI, 2021, 21 (5), pp.1715. Designing therapeutic and sensor materials to diagnose and eliminate bacterial infections remains a significant challenge for active theragnostic nanoprobes. In the present work, fluorescent/electroactive poly(3-hexylthiophene) P3HT nanoparticles (NPs) stabilized with quaternary ammonium salts using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), (CTAB-P3HT NPs) were prepared using a simple mini-emulsion method. The morphology, spectroscopic properties and electronic properties of CTAB-P3HT NPs were characterized by DLS, zeta potential, SEM, TEM, UV-vis spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). In an aqueous solution, CTAB-P3HT NPs were revealed to be uniformly sized, highly fluorescent and present a highly positively charged NP surface with good electroactivity. Dual detection was demonstrated as the binding of the bacteria to NPs could be observed by fluorescence quenching as well as by the changes in EIS. Binding of E. coli to CTAB-P3HT NPs was demonstrated and LODs of 5 CFU/mL and 250 CFU/mL were obtained by relying on the fluorescence spectroscopy and EIS, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of CTAB-P3HT NPs on bacteria and fungi was also studied under dark and nutritive conditions. An MIC and an MBC of 2.5 µg/mL were obtained with E. coli and with S. aureus, and of 0.312 µg/mL with C. albicans. Additionally a good biocompatibility toward normal human cells (WI38) was observed, which opens the way to their possible use as a therapeutic agent. (10.3390/s21051715)
  DOI : 10.3390/s21051715
• Amorphization of a Proposed Sorbent of Strontium, Brushite, CaHPO4•2H2O, Studied by X-ray Diffraction and Raman Spectroscopy
  
  • de Noirfontaine Marie-Noëlle
  • Garcia-Caurel Enrique
  • Funes-Hernando Daniel
  • Courtial Mireille
  • Tusseau-Nenez Sandrine
  • Cavani Olivier
  • Jdaini Jihane
  • Cau-Dit-Coumes Céline
  • Dunstetter Frédéric
  • Gorse-Pomonti Dominique
  Journal of Nuclear Materials, Elsevier, 2021, 545, pp.152751. We present a systematic study of the transformation of brushite (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, CaHPO4•2H2O) under irradiation of electrons of well-defined energy (2.5 MeV) and flux as a function of the irradiation dose. Contrarily to model hydroxides such as portlandite and brucite, which are very resistant to electron radiation damage, the studied brushite decomposes quite easily, even for very low irradiation doses. Irradiated brushite samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy to get complementary information about changes in atomic structure and chemical composition respectively under irradiation. XRD showed that irradiation causes a very limited dilatation of unit cell of crystalline brushite, which becomes progressively amorphous with increasing radiation dose. Raman spectroscopy complemented XRD results and confirmed that the transformation of brushite to the amorphous phase was not abrupt, but rather progressive. Raman spectroscopy allowed for the identification of the amorphous phase as a calcium pyrophosphate. Both techniques showed that the amorphization of brushite was not fully complete at the maximum dose used, 5.5 GGy (4 C). Interestingly, monetite phase, (CaHPO4 dicalcium phosphate), was not detected at any step of the transformation as it is the case when brushite is thermally decomposed. This study reveals the high sensitivity to electron radiation of both hydrogen bonds and protonated phosphate units in brushite, thus facilitating the transformation into pyrophosphate. The damage of brushite by energetic electrons is to be carefully considered for applications related to the use of brushite as ion-exchanger in the decontamination of effluents polluted with strontium-90, an efficient beta ray emitter. (10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152751)
  DOI : 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152751
• Polarimetric imaging microscopy for advanced inspection of vegetal tissues
  
  • van Eeckhout Albert
  • Garcia-Caurel Enrique
  • Garnatje Teresa
  • Escalera Juan Carlos
  • Durfort Mercè
  • Vidal Josep
  • Gil José
  • Campos Juan
  • Lizana Angel
  Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group, 2021, 11 (1), pp.3913. Abstract Optical microscopy techniques for plant inspection benefit from the fact that at least one of the multiple properties of light (intensity, phase, wavelength, polarization) may be modified by vegetal tissues. Paradoxically, polarimetric microscopy although being a mature technique in biophotonics, is not so commonly used in botany. Importantly, only specific polarimetric observables, as birefringence or dichroism, have some presence in botany studies, and other relevant metrics, as those based on depolarization, are underused. We present a versatile method, based on a representative selection of polarimetric observables, to obtain and to analyse images of plants which bring significant information about their structure and/or the spatial organization of their constituents (cells, organelles, among other structures). We provide a thorough analysis of polarimetric microscopy images of sections of plant leaves which are compared with those obtained by other commonly used microscopy techniques in plant biology. Our results show the interest of polarimetric microscopy for plant inspection, as it is non-destructive technique, highly competitive in economical and time consumption, and providing advantages compared to standard non-polarizing techniques. (10.1038/s41598-021-83421-8)
  DOI : 10.1038/s41598-021-83421-8
• TLM versus temperature investigation of Ag and Au direct contacts with MAPI and 3CP halide perovskites
  
  • Chau G
  • Kim M.
  • Geffroy Bernard
  • Mencaraglia Denis
  , 2021.
• Effects of ageing time on ion distributions in perovskite solar cells
  
  • Tondelier Denis
  • Kim Minjin
  • Bourée Jean-Eric
  • Bonnassieux Yvan
  • Geffroy Bernard
  , 2021.
• Modeling the perovskite solar cell and the ion migration with physical approach based on FEM from Silvaco
  
  • Baik Jihye
  • Jun Haeyon
  • Nahdi Hindia
  • Geffroy Bernard
  • Tondelier Denis
  • Bonnassieux Yvan
  , 2021.
• Utility of Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy to Investigate Chemical Composition in Perovskite Thin Films
  
  • Jun Haeyon
  • Tondelier Denis
  • Geffroy Bernard
  • Bourée Jean-Eric
  • Swaraj Sufal
  • Bonnassieux Yvan
  , 2021.
• Impact of PECVD-prepared interfacial Si and SiGe layers on epitaxial Si layers grown by PECVD (200 °C) and APCVD (1130 °C)
  
  • An Junyang
  • Maurice Jean-Luc
  • Depauw Valérie
  • Roca I Cabarrocas Pere
  • Chen Wanghua
  Applied Surface Science, Elsevier, 2021, 546, pp.149056. The homoepitaxy of Si is particularly interesting for the purpose of kerfless wafer production, for example in the photovoltaic domain. Substrate surface engineering is a key step prior to epitaxial growth, which will affect the quality of the epitaxial layer and its detachment for layer transfer. In this work, we propose two plasma-based surface engineering methods including the deposition of a bilayer homoepitaxial interface and a SiGe heteroepitaxial interface. Their impact on the crystalline quality of epitaxial Si layers grown both by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 200 °C and by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) at 1130 °C are explored. Stacking faults are observed in epitaxial Si layers with an ultra-thin epitaxial Si interface layer. For surface engineering method based on the 2 addition of an interfacial heteroepitaxial SiGe layer, higher interfacial hydrogen content and better bulk epitaxial Si quality are observed in comparison with interfacial homoepitaxial Si layer. (10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.149056)
  DOI : 10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.149056
• III-V MULTIJUNCTION SOLAR CELLS ON ULTRATHIN GE|SI VIRTUAL SUBSTRATES GROWN AT LOW TEMPERATURE BY RF-PECVD
  
  • García Iván
  • Ghosh Monalisa
  • Orejuela Víctor
  • Roca I Cabarrocas Pere
  • Rey-Stolle Ignacio
  , 2021. The application of Ge|Si virtual substrates with an ultrathin Ge layer to the development of high efficiency III-V solar cells is analyzed. The potential to achieve high efficiencies in GaInP/GaInAs/Si triple-junction cells, which is affected by the optical absorption in the Ge layer, is theoretically demonstrated under realistic scenarios of Ge|Si substrate characteristics and III-V cell configurations. The first dual-junction GaInAs/Ge|Si III-V cells fabricated on these substrates demonstrate the concept with functional devices and show the route to high efficiency implementations by using appropriate Si substrates and optimized Ge deposition.