We review the topic of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) studies of silicides, with an emphasis on fundamental scientific issues that can be addressed using STM and ballistic-electron-emission microscopy (BEEM). The discussion is organized according to the topics of structure (atomic scale precursors, surface reconstructions, bulk structures, interfaces) kinetics and growth (direct atomic me...

We have converted nanoscale mechanical energy into electrical energy by means of piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowire (NW) arrays. The aligned NWs are deflected with a conductive atomic force microscope tip in contact mode. The coupling of piezoelectric and semiconducting properties in zinc oxide creates a strain field and charge separation across the NW as a result of its bending. The rectifying ...

Silicon nanowires assembled from clusters or etched from the bulk, connected to aluminum electrodes and passivated, are studied with large-scale local-density-functional simulations. Short ( approximately 0.6 nm) wires are fully metallized by metal-induced gap states resulting in finite conductance ( approximately e(2)/h). For longer wires ( approximately 2.5 nm) nanoscale Schottky barriers dev...

Vertical heterostructures of van der Waals materials enable new pathways to tune charge and energy transport characteristics in nanoscale systems. We propose that graphene Schottky junctions can host a special kind of photoresponse that is characterized by strongly coupled heat and charge flows that run vertically out of the graphene plane. This regime can be accessed when vertical energy trans...

Vertical heterostructures combining two or more graphene (Gr) layers separated by ultra-thin insulating or semiconductor barriers represent very promising systems for next generation electronics devices, due to the combination of high speed operation with wide-range current modulation by a gate bias. They are based on the specific mechanisms of current transport between two-dimensional-electron...

We examine the photo-assisted polarization loop in a BiFeO3 thin film under UV light illumination. BiFeO3 thin film prepared by pulsed laser deposition method onto the BaTiO3 thin film and the polarization behavior has been measured under poling voltage. Our results show the engineered polarization due to controllable schottky barrier under inverse poling voltage. This control on schottky barri...