The deposition of barium fluoride thin and ultra-thin films on gallium arsenide substrates was performed by electron beam evaporation for analyzing the influence of film thickness and chemical composition on the work function of the resulting heterostructure. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy combined with ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveals that films of 2 nm nominal thickness and Ba/F = 1.0 stoichiometry ratio induce the achievement of a significantly low work function of 2.1 eV to the BaFx/GaAs heterostructure. The significant reduction of the work function at least down to 3.0 eV is confirmed by a test thermionic converter operating at a cathode temperature of 1385 °C, where the heterostructure was applied as anode. The low work function, together with a negligible optical absorption, makes feasible the practical application of barium fluoride coatings on GaAs within hybrid thermionic-thermophotovoltaic devices.

Ultra-thin films of barium fluoride with low work function for thermionic-thermophotovoltaic applications / Serpente, V.; Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Mezzi, A.; Kaciulis, S.; Carducci, R.; Polini, R.; Valentini, V.; Trucchi, D. M.. - In: MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS. - ISSN 0254-0584. - 249:(2020). [10.1016/j.matchemphys.2020.122989]

Ultra-thin films of barium fluoride with low work function for thermionic-thermophotovoltaic applications

Mastellone M.;
2020

Abstract

The deposition of barium fluoride thin and ultra-thin films on gallium arsenide substrates was performed by electron beam evaporation for analyzing the influence of film thickness and chemical composition on the work function of the resulting heterostructure. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy combined with ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveals that films of 2 nm nominal thickness and Ba/F = 1.0 stoichiometry ratio induce the achievement of a significantly low work function of 2.1 eV to the BaFx/GaAs heterostructure. The significant reduction of the work function at least down to 3.0 eV is confirmed by a test thermionic converter operating at a cathode temperature of 1385 °C, where the heterostructure was applied as anode. The low work function, together with a negligible optical absorption, makes feasible the practical application of barium fluoride coatings on GaAs within hybrid thermionic-thermophotovoltaic devices.
2020
barium fluoride; thermionic-thermophotovoltaic energy conversion; ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy; work function
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Ultra-thin films of barium fluoride with low work function for thermionic-thermophotovoltaic applications / Serpente, V.; Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Mezzi, A.; Kaciulis, S.; Carducci, R.; Polini, R.; Valentini, V.; Trucchi, D. M.. - In: MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS. - ISSN 0254-0584. - 249:(2020). [10.1016/j.matchemphys.2020.122989]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1493559
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