Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single Crystals

Abstract The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) provides a theory of surpassing the Schockley–Queisser limit. However, improving the BPVE efficiency to a level comparable to that of the semiconductor‐based efficiencies is challenging in practice due to conflicting material design requirements. Previous...

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Main Authors: Vasilii Balanov, Jani Peräntie, Jaakko Palosaari, Suhas Yadav, Yang Bai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2025-03-01
Series:Advanced Electronic Materials
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202400471
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author Vasilii Balanov
Jani Peräntie
Jaakko Palosaari
Suhas Yadav
Yang Bai
author_facet Vasilii Balanov
Jani Peräntie
Jaakko Palosaari
Suhas Yadav
Yang Bai
author_sort Vasilii Balanov
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) provides a theory of surpassing the Schockley–Queisser limit. However, improving the BPVE efficiency to a level comparable to that of the semiconductor‐based efficiencies is challenging in practice due to conflicting material design requirements. Previous works have shown that a stacked domain structure in a rhombohedral BiFeO3 ferroelectric epitaxial thin film is able to satisfy the criteria of both a small mean free path for an optimized photocurrent and a large distance between electrodes for an optimized photovoltage. Nevertheless, this hypothesis has remained difficult to verify with other materials due to the complication of domain wall manipulation. This work takes advantage of the recent advances in controlling the domain structure in rhombohedral Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 (PMN‐PT) single crystals via AC poling. By comparing the photovoltage and photocurrent values after domain manipulations in four types of commercial PMN‐PT samples, this work validates the hypothesis of the stacked domain structure enhancing the BPVE by witnessing a simultaneous increase of over 35% for both the open‐circuit voltage and short‐circuit current from DC to the AC‐poled states under a 405 nm laser illumination. This result paves the way for further improving the BPVE efficiency in ferroelectrics.
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spelling doaj-art-43b2d281015649639fc61eaf7a2c9f662025-08-20T01:58:04ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Electronic Materials2199-160X2025-03-01113n/an/a10.1002/aelm.202400471Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single CrystalsVasilii Balanov0Jani Peräntie1Jaakko Palosaari2Suhas Yadav3Yang Bai4Microelectronics Research Unit Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering University of Oulu Oulu 90570 FinlandMicroelectronics Research Unit Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering University of Oulu Oulu 90570 FinlandMicroelectronics Research Unit Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering University of Oulu Oulu 90570 FinlandMicroelectronics Research Unit Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering University of Oulu Oulu 90570 FinlandMicroelectronics Research Unit Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering University of Oulu Oulu 90570 FinlandAbstract The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) provides a theory of surpassing the Schockley–Queisser limit. However, improving the BPVE efficiency to a level comparable to that of the semiconductor‐based efficiencies is challenging in practice due to conflicting material design requirements. Previous works have shown that a stacked domain structure in a rhombohedral BiFeO3 ferroelectric epitaxial thin film is able to satisfy the criteria of both a small mean free path for an optimized photocurrent and a large distance between electrodes for an optimized photovoltage. Nevertheless, this hypothesis has remained difficult to verify with other materials due to the complication of domain wall manipulation. This work takes advantage of the recent advances in controlling the domain structure in rhombohedral Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 (PMN‐PT) single crystals via AC poling. By comparing the photovoltage and photocurrent values after domain manipulations in four types of commercial PMN‐PT samples, this work validates the hypothesis of the stacked domain structure enhancing the BPVE by witnessing a simultaneous increase of over 35% for both the open‐circuit voltage and short‐circuit current from DC to the AC‐poled states under a 405 nm laser illumination. This result paves the way for further improving the BPVE efficiency in ferroelectrics.https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202400471BPVEdomain wallsferroelectricspiezoelectricspolarized‐light microscopy
spellingShingle Vasilii Balanov
Jani Peräntie
Jaakko Palosaari
Suhas Yadav
Yang Bai
Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single Crystals
Advanced Electronic Materials
BPVE
domain walls
ferroelectrics
piezoelectrics
polarized‐light microscopy
title Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single Crystals
title_full Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single Crystals
title_fullStr Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single Crystals
title_full_unstemmed Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single Crystals
title_short Study on Influence of AC Poling on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Single Crystals
title_sort study on influence of ac poling on bulk photovoltaic effect in pb mg1 3nb2 3 o3 pbtio3 single crystals
topic BPVE
domain walls
ferroelectrics
piezoelectrics
polarized‐light microscopy
url https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202400471
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