Beyond protonic diodes: toward 2D gases, spintronics, and topological insulators based on protons

Leanna Schulte; Ethan Heffernan; Shane Ardo

doi:10.1117/12.2678078

5 October 2023 Beyond protonic diodes: toward 2D gases, spintronics, and topological insulators based on protons

Leanna Schulte, Ethan Heffernan, Shane Ardo

Proceedings Volume PC12651, Low-Dimensional Materials and Devices 2023; PC126510K (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2678078
Event: SPIE Nanoscience + Engineering, 2023, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The equivalence of protonic water to an electronic semiconductor is undeniable: each undergoes detailed-balance generation, recombination, and transport of mobile charge carriers driven by gradients in their electrochemical potentials. During my presentation, I will further explain how water is a protonic semiconductor and show that it can be doped through addition of salts of H+ and/or OH– that when fixed in place using polymeric bipolar membrane scaffolds, or by freezing, enables protonic diodes. Their electrochemical evaluation requires fabrication of membrane–electrode–assemblies that drive reversible H2 redox chemistry in order to transduce electronic electrochemical potentials into protonic electrochemical potentials, and vice versa. Analysis of impedance spectroscopy data afforded quantification of the so-called “flatband” potential (i.e. when the electric potential difference across the pn-junction is zero), “electroactive” dopant density, minority carrier collection length, and distribution of quasi-electrochemical potential splitting. Collectively, these efforts form the foundational framework for new devices and functions that benefit from purely protonic transport and reactivity. We are hopeful that it motivates participants to help us expand our platform to protonic versions of other condensed matter phenomena, such as 2D gases, spintronic devices, and topological insulators.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Leanna Schulte, Ethan Heffernan, and Shane Ardo "Beyond protonic diodes: toward 2D gases, spintronics, and topological insulators based on protons", Proc. SPIE PC12651, Low-Dimensional Materials and Devices 2023, PC126510K (5 October 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2678078

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