The sputter-based synthesis of tantalum oxynitride nanoparticles with architecture and bandgap controlled by design

0550016 - FZÚ 2022 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Pleskunov, P. - Košutová, T. - Vaidulych, M. - Nikitin, D. - Krtouš, Z. - Ali-Ogly, S. - Kishenina, K. - Tafiichuk, R. - Biederman, H. - Gordeev, Ivan - Drewes, J. - Barg, I. - Faupel, F. - Cieslar, M. - Yatskiv, Roman - Pihosh, Y. - Nandal, V. - Seki, K. - Domen, K. - Choukourov, A.
The sputter-based synthesis of tantalum oxynitride nanoparticles with architecture and bandgap controlled by design.
Applied Surface Science. Roč. 559, Sep. (2021), č. článku 149974. ISSN 0169-4332. E-ISSN 1873-5584
Research Infrastructure: e-INFRA CZ - 90140
Institutional support: RVO:68378271 ; RVO:67985882
Keywords : nanoparticles * tantalum oxynitrides * magnetron sputtering * DOS simulations * photoluminescence
OECD category: Nano-materials (production and properties); Nano-materials (production and properties) (URE-Y)
Impact factor: 7.392, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.149974

This research suggests a new route to engineer Ta3NyOx nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled structure, crystallinity, chemical, and optoelectronic properties. The NPs with the chemical composition of Ta3N3.9O0.6 are synthesized, however, they become partially oxidized when exposed to air, providing an inwardly-directed gradient of the nitrogen concentration. The core-region consists of n-type sub-stoichiometric Ta3Ny with a band gap of <2.0 eV partially filled with mid-gap states, whereas the outermost region belongs to Ta3NyOx, with oxygen enhancing the n-character of the material. The NPs exhibit plasmonic and photoluminescent properties in the visible range and are therefore attractive for numerous interdisciplinary fields. In particular, additional annealing in ammonia improves crystallinity and nitridation, making the NP-assembled deposits perform as advanced anodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0326149