Ink-based semiconductors that come to mind today include conjugated molecules and polymers, colloidal quantum dots, metal halide hybrid perovskites, and transition metal oxides. These materials form an ink (solution/ suspension/ sol-gel) that can be applied and dried in ambient air to form high-quality films for optoelectronic devices. In this study, we will introduce the current understanding of ink-based lead and lead-free hybrid perovskite and perovskite-inspired thin films. Examples will be presented through time-resolved studies of the solidification to link the solid-state microstructure and device figures of merit to the ink’s formulation, drying, and solidification process. The perovskite crystallization kinetics characterized in situ during the solution process indicates an essential role by the inclusion of Cs+ and K+ alkali metal cations in perovskite inks. The film and device characterizations indicate the functions of mixed cation and halides in determining the optoelectronic properties. The further sophisticated design of perovskite inks enables significantly optimized charge dynamics, including exciton separation, inter-grain charge transfer, trap density, charge mobility, and charge collection efficiency. The considerably improved optoelectronic properties lead to higher charge collection efficiency and, therefore, better open-circuit voltage and fill factor for the Cs+-containing 3D perovskite devices in contrast to the control FAPbI3 one. Recent developments in ink formulation and processing that enable scalable ambient fabrication of high-quality perovskite semiconductor films will also be presented. These findings raise the possibility of developing more controlled perovskites for systematically addressing both charge dynamics and degradation mechanisms in concert for the timely commercialization of perovskite solar cells.

The main challenge of water splitting technology is to develop stable, visible responsive photocatalysts that satisfy the thermodynamic requirements to achieve water redox reactions. This study investigates development of the semiconductors containing metals with s2d10 electronic configuration such as Sn2+ or Bi3+ which shifts the valence band position negatively. Efficient water splitting can, however, be only achieved by understanding the fundamental semiconductor properties of underlying processes. This work elucidates the semiconductor properties through two approaches: the first is to synthesize the materials of various stoichiometry in various forms (powders, thin film etc.) and the second is to perform a combined experimental-theoretical studies to determine the optoelectronic properties of the synthesized materials. The study includes the synthesis and characterization of a series of Bi3+ based semiconductors (Bi2Ti2O7, Bi12TiO20, and Bi4Ti3O12) to resolve inconsistencies in their optoelectronic properties. The crystal parameters and stoichiometry were confirmed by the Rietveld refinement and XRD measurements. These compounds showed a UV responsive absorption, high dielectric constants, and low electron and hole effective masses in one crystallographic reflecting their good charge separation and carrier diffusion properties. The approach showed to be accurate in determining the optoelectronic properties due to good agreement between experimental and theoretical values. The second study investigated the synthesis of SnNb2O6 and using flux assisted method which afforded control over the surface. Increasing the flux to reactant molar ratio resulted in a 2D platelets with anisotropic growth along bc plane as confirmed by XRD and SEM. The photocatalytic activity increased while increasing the flux to reactant ratio exceeding solid state synthesis. This method minimized the oxidation of the surface and formation of grain boundaries and enabled the synthesis of the compound at lower temperature. Next, the optoelectronic properties of α-SnWO4 structure were studied though a combination of experimental and theoretical approach. α-SnWO4 thin films were deposited by RF-sputtering. An interesting low band gap of ~ 1.95 eV was experimentally for direct band gap and 1.7 eV for indirect band gap, high dielectric constants and low electron effective masses in one crystallographic direction were obtained, exhibiting good charge separation and charge carrier transport of the charge carriers. The PEC performance was limited by the oxidation of Sn2+ in the material under applied potential. Finally, pyrochlore SnSb2O6 structure was synthesized utilizing soft hydrothermal method. The crystal structure was studied by Rietveld refinement and the position of Sn2+ was specified. The material showed interesting absorption edge around 700 which is promising for overall water splitting application.

Despite many advances in the design methods for compliant mechanisms, it is still not possible to know if a set of user-specifications has a solution. Furthermore, practical considerations such as failure limits and manufacturing limitations cannot be easily incorporated into existing methods. To address these issues, we have recently developed the concept of feasible stiffness and inertia maps. This thesis extends the concept of feasible maps and proposes another kind of maps that comprehensively depict the nonlinear kinetoelastostatic behaviour of compliant mechanisms. Feasible maps drawn as per user-specifications, with compliant mechanisms of the database overlaid on it, instantly inform the reader whether the specifications are feasible; whether the specifications are stringent; whether any mechanisms in the database meet the specifications, and whether any mechanism can be interactively modified to meet the specifications including size, strength and manufacturability. This thesis extends the earlier work on feasible maps by relaxing one condition that all beam segments in a compliant mechanism must retain their relative proportions. This is achieved by using size optimization. Thus, a certain degree of automation is brought into the procedure, which enhances the ease of use of the feasible maps. Illustrative examples are presented and implementation into a software is demonstrated. A major contribution of this work is the development of the concept of kinetoelastostatic maps of compliant mechanisms with fixed topology, shape, and relative proportions of beam segments in them. The map is drawn on a 2D plot using two non-dimensional quantities, one that captures the response of the mechanism and the other that combines the force, geometry, and material parameters. The map encloses a region that indicates the kinetoelastostatic capability of the mechanism. Another contribution of this work is the observation that the enclosed region can be parameterized using average slenderness ratio of the beam segments. The resulting curves help designers in assessing the capability and limits of a mechanism in terms of geometric advantage, mechanical advantage, normalized output displacement, inherent stiffness, etc. Numerous examples are presented to explain various uses of the non-dimensional maps.