Browsing by Author "Rocha, Paulo R. F."
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- Anomalous temperature dependence of the current in a metal-oxide-polymer resistive switching diodePublication . Gomes, Henrique L.; Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Kiazadeh, Asal; De Leeuw, Dago M.; Meskers, S. C. J.Metal-oxide polymer diodes exhibit non-volatile resistive switching. The current–voltage characteristics have been studied as a function of temperature. The low-conductance state follows a thermally activated behaviour. The high-conductance state shows a multistep-like behaviour and below 300K an enormous positive temperature coefficient. This anomalous behaviour contradicts the widely held view that switching is due to filaments that are formed reversibly by the diffusion of metal atoms. Instead, these findings together with small-signal impedance measurements indicate that creation and annihilation of filaments is controlled by filling of shallow traps localized in the oxide or at the oxide/polymer interface.
- Collective electrical oscillations of a diatom population induced by dark stressPublication . Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Silva, Alexandra D.; Godinho, Lia; Dane, Willem; Estrela, Pedro; Vandamme, Lode K. J.; Pereira-Leal, Jose B.; de Leeuw, Dago M.; Leite, RicardoDiatoms are photosynthetic microalgae, a group with a major environmental role on the planet due to the biogeochemical cycling of silica and global fixation of carbon. However, they can evolve into harmful blooms through a resourceful communication mechanism, not yet fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that a population of diatoms under darkness show quasi-periodic electrical oscillations, or intercellular waves. The origin is paracrine signaling, which is a feedback, or survival, mechanism that counteracts changes in the physicochemical environment. The intracellular messenger is related to Ca2+ ions since spatiotemporal changes in their concentration match the characteristics of the intercellular waves. Our conclusion is supported by using a Ca2+ channel inhibitor. The transport of Ca2+ ions through the membrane to the extracellular medium is blocked and the intercellular waves disappear. The translation of microalgae cooperative signaling paves the way for early detection and prevention of harmful blooms and an extensive range of stress-induced alterations in the aquatic ecosystem.
- Design and implementation of microstrip filters for a radio over fiber network demonstratorPublication . Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Medeiros, Maria CarmoThe need for networks able of integrating services such as voice, video, data and mobility is growing. To satisfy such needs wireless networks with a high data transmission capacity are required. An efficient solution for these broadband wireless networks is to transmit radio signals to the Base Stations (BS) via optical fiber using Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). The WDM usage helps this growing, allowing the use of a single optical fiber to feed several BSs using for each one a different wavelength (or WDM channel). Additionally, in the RoFnet project in order to improve radio coverage within a cell, it is considered a sectorized antenna interface. The combination of subcarrier multiplexing (SCM) with WDM, further simplifies the network architecture, by using a specific wavelength channel to feed an individual BS and different subcarriers to drive the individual antenna sectors within the BS. This dissertation reports the design and simulation of the microstrip bandpass filters used at the BS on of the RoFnet demonstrator. These bandpass filters are used for the filtering of fours subcarrier multiplexed channels located at (9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 GHz). The design and simulation of the lowpass root raised cosine filter required for testing is also discussed. Additionally, the design and testing of two power splitter is reported. Finally, all the designed components were brought together and the overall BS performance is assessed. The microstrip components have been designed and simulated using both ADS (Agilent’s Advanced Design System) and Momentum simulators.
- Dynamic behavior of resistive random access memories (RRAMS) based on plastic semiconductor (RRAMS) based on plastic semiconductorPublication . Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Kiazadeh, Asal; Chen, Q.; Gomes, Henrique L.Resistive Random Access Memories based on metal-oxide polymer diodes are characterized. The dynamic behavior is studied by recording current-voltage characteristics with varying voltage ramp speed. It is demonstrated that these organic memory devices have an internal capacitive double-layer structure, which inhibits the switching at high ramp rates (1000 V/s). This behavior is modeled and explained in terms of an equivalent circuit.
- Electrical characterization of metal-oxide-polymer devices for non-volatile memory applicationsPublication . Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Gomes, Henrique L.The objective of this thesis is to study the properties of resistive switching effect based on bistable resistive memory which is fabricated in the form of Al2O3/polymer diodes and to contribute to the elucidation of resistive switching mechanisms. Resistive memories were characterized using a variety of electrical techniques, including current-voltage measurements, small-signal impedance, and electrical noise based techniques. All the measurements were carried out over a large temperature range. Fast voltage ramps were used to elucidate the dynamic response of the memory to rapid varying electric fields. The temperature dependence of the current provided insight into the role of trapped charges in resistive switching. The analysis of fast current fluctuations using electric noise techniques contributed to the elucidation of the kinetics involved in filament formation/rupture, the filament size and correspondent current capabilities. The results reported in this thesis provide insight into a number of issues namely: (i) The fundamental limitations on the speed of operation of a bi-layer resistive memory are the time and voltage dependences of the switch-on mechanism. (ii) The results explain the wide spread in switching times reported in the literature and the apparently anomalous behaviour of the high conductance state namely the disappearance of the negative differential resistance region at high voltage scan rates which is commonly attributed to a “dead time” phenomenon which had remained elusive since it was first reported in the ‘60s. (iii) Assuming that the current is filamentary, Comsol simulations were performed and used to explain the observed dynamic properties of the current-voltage characteristics. Furthermore, the simulations suggest that filaments can interact with each other. (iv) The current-voltage characteristics have been studied as a function of temperature. The findings indicate that creation and annihilation of filaments is controlled by filling and neutralizing traps localized at the oxide/polymer interface. (v) Resistive switching was also studied in small-molecule OLEDs. It was shown that the degradation that leads to a loss of light output during operation is caused by the presence of a resistive switching layer. A diagnostic tool that predicts premature failure of OLEDs was devised and proposed. Resistive switching is a property of oxides. These layers can grow in a number of devices including, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), spin-valve transistors and photovoltaic devices fabricated in different types of material. Under strong electric fields the oxides can undergo dielectric breakdown and become resistive switching layers. Resistive switching strongly modifies the charge injection causing a number of deleterious effects and eventually device failure. In this respect the findings in this thesis are relevant to understand reliability issues in devices across a very broad field.
- Electroforming process in metal-oxide-polymer resistive switching memoriesPublication . Chen, Q.; Gomes, Henrique L.; Kiazadeh, Asal; Rocha, Paulo R. F.; De Leeuw, Dago M.; Meskers, S. C. J.Electroforming of an Al/Al2O3/polymer/Al esistive switching diode is reported. Electroforming is a dielectric soft-breakdown mechanism leading to hysteretic current–voltage characteristics and non–volatile memory behavior. Electron trapping occurs at early stages of electroforming. Trapping is physically located at the oxide/polymer interface. The detrapping kinetics is faster under reverse bias and for thicker oxides layers. Thermally detrapping experiments give a trap depth of 0.65 eV and a density of 5x1017 /cm2. It is proposed that the trapped electrons induce a dipole layer across the oxide. The associated electric field triggers breakdown and ultimately dictate the overall memory characteristics.
- Extracellular electrical recording of pH-triggered bursts in C6 glioma cell populationsPublication . Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Medeiros, Maria C. R.; Kintzel, Ulrike; Vogt, Johannes; Araújo, Inês; Mestre, Ana L. G.; Mailaender, Volker; Schlett, Paul; Droege, Melanie; Schneider, Leonid; Biscarini, Fabio; de Leeuw, Dago M.; Gomes, Henrique L.Glioma patients often suffer from epileptic seizures because of the tumor's impact on the brain physiology. Using the rat glioma cell line C6 as a model system, we performed long-term live recordings of the electrical activity of glioma populations in an ultrasensitive detection method. The transducer exploits large-area electrodes that maximize double-layer capacitance, thus increasing the sensitivity. This strategy allowed us to record glioma electrical activity. We show that although glioma cells are nonelectrogenic, they display a remarkable electrical burst activity in time. The low-frequency current noise after cell adhesion is dominated by the flow of Na+ ions through voltage-gated ion channels. However, after an incubation period of many hours, the current noise markedly increased. This electric bursting phenomenon was not associated with apoptosis because the cells were viable and proliferative during the period of increased electric activity. We detected a rapid cell culture medium acidification accompanying this event. By using specific inhibitors, we showed that the electrical bursting activity was prompted by extracellular pH changes, which enhanced Na+ ion flux through the psalmotoxin 1-sensitive acid-sensing ion channels. Our model of pH-triggered bursting was unambiguously supported by deliberate, external acidification of the cell culture medium. This unexpected, acidosis-driven electrical activity is likely to directly perturb, in vivo, the functionality of the healthy neuronal network in the vicinity of the tumor bulk and may contribute to seizures in glioma patients.
- Lithium fluoride injection layers can form quasi-Ohmic contacts for both holes and electronsPublication . Bory, B. F.; Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Janssen, R. A. J.; Gomes, Henrique L.; de Leeuw, D. M.; Meskers, S. C. J.Thin LiF interlayers are typically used in organic light-emitting diodes to enhance the electron injection. Here, we show that the effective work function of a contact with a LiF interlayer can be either raised or lowered depending on the history of the applied bias. Formation of quasi-Ohmic contacts for both electrons and holes is demonstrated by electroluminescence from symmetric LiF/polymer/LiF diodes in both bias polarities. The origin of the dynamic switching is charging of electrically induced Frenkel defects. The current density-electroluminescence-voltage characteristics can qualitatively be explained. The interpretation is corroborated by unipolar memristive switching and by bias dependent reflection measurements. (C) 2014 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
- Low-frequency noise as a diagnostic tool for OLED reliabilityPublication . Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Vandamme, L. K. J.; Meskers, S. C. J.; Gomes, Henrique L.; De Leeuw, D. M.; Van De Weijer, P.Organic light emitting diodes (OLED), either based on polymers or small molecules, suffer from early failure: an unpredictable sudden increase in current with a total loss of light output. This work addresses this problem using small-signal impedance measurements and electrical noise techniques. Robust OLEDs show a current noise spectrum proportional to 1/f. OLEDs susceptible to failure have 1/f3/2 and/or may start exhibiting a standard 1/f behavior that rapidly evolves with time (typical 30 minutes) to 1/f1.6. In addition OLEDs susceptible to early failure have a higher DC leakage. It is proposed that a combination of both measurements can be used as a diagnostic tool for OLED reliability in a production line. Insight into the physics of the degradation mechanism is also provided. Unreliable OLEDs exhibit current switching events and optical blinks at wavelengths higher than the polymer band gap electroluminescence. It is proposed that degradation is induced by the appearance of an insulating resistive switching layer. Charge recombination trough this layer is responsible for the optical and electrical blinks. © 2013 IEEE.
- Opto-electronic characterization of electron traps upon forming polymer oxide memory diodesPublication . Chen, Q.; Bory, Benjamin F.; Kiazadeh, Asal; Rocha, Paulo R. F.; Gomes, Henrique L.; Verbakel, F.; De Leeuw, Dago M.; Meskers, S. C. J.Metal-insulator-polymer diodes where the insulator is a thin oxide (Al2O3) layer are electroformed by applying a high bias. The initial stage is reversible and involves trapping of electrons near the oxide/polymer interface. The rate of charge trapping is limited by electron transport through the polymer. Detrapping of charge stored can be accomplished by illuminating with light under short-circuit conditions. The amount of stored charge is determined from the optically induced discharging current transient as a function of applied voltage and oxide thickness. When the charge density exceeds 8 1017/m2, an irreversible soft breakdown transition occurs to a non-volatile memory diode.