METAL OXIDE NANOCOMPOSITE THIN FILMS FOR OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICE APPLICATIONS The book provides insight into the fundamental aspects, latest research, synthesis route development, preparation, and future applications of metal oxide nanocomposite thin films. The fabrication of thin film-based materials is important to the future production of safe, efficient, and affordable energy as the devices convert sunlight into electricity. Thin film devices allow excellent interface engineering for high-performance printable solar cells as their structures are highly reliable and stand-alone systems can provide the required megawatts. They have been used as power sources in solar home systems, remote buildings, water pumping, megawatt-scale power plants, satellites, communications, and space vehicles. Metal Oxide Nanocomposite Thin Films for Optoelectronic Device Applications covers the basics of advanced nanometal oxide-based materials, their synthesis, characterization, and applications, and all the updated information on optoelectronics. Topics discussed include the implications of metal oxide thin films, which are critical for device fabrications. It provides updated information on the economic aspect and toxicity, with great focus paid to display applications, and covers some core areas of nanotechnology, which are particularly concerned with optoelectronics and the available technologies. The book concludes with insights into the role of nanotechnology and the physics behind photovoltaics. Audience The book will be an important volume for electronics and electrical engineers, nanotechnologists, materials scientists, inorganic chemists in academic research, and those in industries, exploring the applications of nanoparticles in semiconductors, power electronics, and more.

This book guides beginners in the areas of thin film preparation, characterization, and device making, while providing insight into these areas for experts. As chemically deposited metal oxides are currently gaining attention in development of devices such as solar cells, supercapacitors, batteries, sensors, etc., the book illustrates how the chemical deposition route is emerging as a relatively inexpensive, simple, and convenient solution for large area deposition. The advancement in the nanostructured materials for the development of devices is fully discussed.

Presents the first comprehensive collection of articles on the fundamentals and applications of a wide variety of chemical sensors. Discusses a range of topics from the development of new sensor concepts to improvement in sensors that have been mass produced for several years. Specific types of sensors discussed include oxygen, electrochemical, microbial, drug, and glucose sensors.

Chemical Solution Synthesis for Materials Design and Thin Film Device Applications presents current research on wet chemical techniques for thin-film based devices. Sections cover the quality of thin films, types of common films used in devices, various thermodynamic properties, thin film patterning, device configuration and applications. As a whole, these topics create a roadmap for developing new materials and incorporating the results in device fabrication. This book is suitable for graduate, undergraduate, doctoral students, and researchers looking for quick guidance on material synthesis and device fabrication through wet chemical routes. Provides the different wet chemical routes for materials synthesis, along with the most relevant thin film structured materials for device applications Discusses patterning and solution processing of inorganic thin films, along with solvent-based processing techniques Includes an overview of key processes and methods in thin film synthesis, processing and device fabrication, such as nucleation, lithography and solution processing

Metal Oxide Nanocomposites: Synthesis and Applications summarizes many of the recent research accomplishments in the area of metal oxide-based nanocomposites. This book focussing on the following topics: Nanocomposites preparation and characterization of metal oxide nanocomposites; synthesis of core/shell metal oxide nanocomposites; multilayer thin films; sequential assembly of nanocomposite materials; semiconducting polymer metal oxide nanocomposites; graphene-based metal and metal oxide nanocomposites; carbon nanotube–metal–oxide nanocomposites; silicon mixed oxide nanocomposites; gas semiconducting sensors based on metal oxide nanocomposites; metal ]organic framework nanocomposite for hydrogen production and nanocomposites application towards photovoltaic and photocatalytic.

Sol-Gel Science: The Physics and Chemistry of Sol-Gel Processing presents the physical and chemical principles of the sol-gel process. The book emphasizes the science behind sol-gel processing with a chapter devoted to applications. The first chapter introduces basic terminology, provides a brief historical sketch, and identifies some excellent texts for background reading. Chapters 2 and 3 discuss the mechanisms of hydrolysis and condensation for nonsilicate and silicate systems. Chapter 4 deals with stabilization and gelation of sols. Chapter 5 reviews theories of gelation and examines the predicted and observed changes in the properties of a sol in the vicinity of the gel point. Chapter 6 describes the changes in structure and properties that occur during aging of a gel in its pore liquor (or some other liquid). The discussion of drying is divided into two parts, with the theory concentrated in Chapter 7 and the phenomenology in Chapter 8. The structure of dried gels is explored in Chapter 9. Chapter 10 shows the possibility of using the gel as a substrate for chemical reactions or of modifying the bulk composition of the resulting ceramic by performing a surface reaction (such as nitridation) on the gel. Chapter 11 reviews the theory and practice of sintering, describing the mechanisms that govern densification of amorphous and crystalline materials, and showing the advantages of avoiding crystallization before sintering is complete. The properties of gel-derived and conventional ceramics are discussed in Chapter 12. The preparation of films is such an important aspect of sol-gel technology that the fundamentals of film formation are treated at length in Chapter 13. Films and other applications are briefly reviewed in Chapter 14. Materials scientists and researchers in the field of sol-gel processing will find the book invaluable.

The challenge for producing “invisible” electronic circuitry and opto-electronic devices is that the transistor materials must be transparent to visible light yet have good carrier mobilities. This requires a special class of materials having “contra-indicated properties” because from the band structure point of view, the combination of transparency and conductivity is contradictory. Structured to strike a balance between introductory and advanced topics, this monograph juxtaposes fundamental science and technology / application issues, and essential materials characteristics versus device architecture and practical applications. The first section is devoted to fundamental materials compositions and their properties, including transparent conducting oxides, transparent oxide semiconductors, p-type wide-band-gap semiconductors, and single-wall carbon nanotubes. The second section deals with transparent electronic devices including thin-film transistors, photovoltaic cells, integrated electronic circuits, displays, sensors, solar cells, and electro-optic devices. Describing scientific fundamentals and recent breakthroughs such as the first “invisible” transistor, Transparent Electronics: From Synthesis to Applications brings together world renowned experts from both academia, national laboratories, and industry.