title: Modulation of Defects in Semiconductors by Facile and Controllable Reduction: The Case of p-type CuCrO2 Nanoparticles.
abstract: Optical and electrical characteristics of solid materials are well-known to be intimately related to the presence of intrinsic or extrinsic defects. Hence, the control of defects in semiconductors is of great importance to achieve specific properties, for example, transparency and conductivity. Herein, a facile and controllable reduction method for modulating the defects is proposed and used for the case of p-type delafossite CuCrO2 nanoparticles. The optical absorption in the infrared region of the CuCrO2 material can then be fine-tuned via the continuous reduction of nonstoichiometric Cu(II), naturally stabilized in small amounts. This reduction modifies the concentration of positive charge carriers in the material, and thus the conductive and reflective properties, as well as the flat band potential. Indeed, this controllable reduction methodology provides a novel strategy to modulate the (opto-) electronic characteristics of semiconductors.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS , 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Tengfei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS , 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Xueyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS , 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bujoli-Doeuff
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS , 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gautron
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS , 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cario
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS , 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jobic
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS , 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gautier