RBS and XRD analysis of silicon doped titanium diboride films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mollica, S.; Sood, D.K.; Ghantasala, M.K.; Kothari, R.

1999-01-01

Titanium diboride is a newly developed material suitable for protective coatings. Its high temperature oxidation resistance at temperatures of 700 deg C and beyond is limited due to its poor oxidative behaviour. This paper presents a novel approach to improving the coatings' oxidative characteristics at temperatures of 700 deg C by doping with silicon. Titanium diboride films were deposited onto Si(100) wafer substrates using a DC magnetron sputtering system. Films were deposited in two different compositions, one at pure TiB 2 and the other with 20 % Si doping. These samples were vacuum annealed at 700 deg C at 1x10 -6 Torr to investigate the anaerobic behaviour of the material at elevated temperatures and to ensure that they were crystalline. Samples were then oxidised in air at 700 deg C to investigate their oxidation resistance. Annealing the films at 700 deg C in air results in the oxidation of the film as titanium and boron form TiO 2 and B 2 O 3 . Annealing is seen to produce only minor changes in the films. There is some silicon diffusion from the substrate at elevated temperatures, which is related to the porous nature of the deposited film and the high temperature heat treatments. However, silicon doped films showed relatively less oxidation characteristics after annealing in air compared with the pure TiB 2 samples

Study on high-silicon boron-containing zeolite by thermogravimetric and IR-spectroscopy techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chukin, G.D.; Nefedov, B.K.; Surin, S.A.; Polinina, E.V.; Khusid, B.L.; Sidel'kovskaya, V.G.

1985-01-01

The structure identity of initial Na-forms of boron-containing and aluminosilicate high-silicon zeolites is established by thermogravimetric and IR-spectroscopy methods. The presence of boron in Na-forms of high-silicon zeolites is shown to lead to reduction of structure thermal stability. It is noted that thermal stability of the H-form of both high-silicon boron-containing and boron-free zeolites is practically equal and considerably higher than that of Na-forms

Formation of shallow boron emitters in crystalline silicon using flash lamp annealing: Role of excess silicon interstitials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riise, Heine Nygard, E-mail: h.n.riise@fys.uio.no; Azarov, Alexander; Svensson, Bengt G.; Monakhov, Edouard [Department of Physics/Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1048 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo (Norway); Schumann, Thomas; Hübner, Renè; Skorupa, Wolfgang [Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, P. O. Box 510119, 01314 Dresden (Germany)

2015-07-13

Shallow, Boron (B)-doped p{sup +} emitters have been realized using spin-on deposition and Flash Lamp Annealing (FLA) to diffuse B into monocrystalline float zone Silicon (Si). The emitters extend between 50 and 140 nm in depth below the surface, have peak concentrations between 9 × 10{sup 19 }cm{sup –3} and 3 × 10{sup 20 }cm{sup –3}, and exhibit sheet resistances between 70 and 3000 Ω/□. An exceptionally large increase in B diffusion occurs for FLA energy densities exceeding ∼93 J/cm{sup 2} irrespective of 10 or 20 ms pulse duration. The effect is attributed to enhanced diffusion of B caused by Si interstitial injection following a thermally activated reaction between the spin-on diffusant film and the silicon wafer.

XPS analysis of boron doped heterofullerenes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schnyder, B; Koetz, R [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland); Muhr, H J; Nesper, R [ETH Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland)

1997-06-01

Boron heterofullerenes were generated through arc-evaporation of doped graphite rods in a helium atmosphere. According to mass spectrometric analysis only mono-substituted fullerenes like C{sub 59}B, C{sub 69}B and higher homologues together with a large fraction of higher undoped fullerenes were extracted and enriched when pyridine was used as the solvent. XPS analysis of the extracts indicated the presence of two boron species with significantly different binding energies. One peak was assigned to borid acid. The second one corresponds to boron in the fullerene cage, which is mainly C{sub 59}B, according to the mass spectrum. This boron is in a somewhat higher oxidation state than that of ordinary boron-carbon compounds. The reported synthesis and extraction procedure opens a viable route for production of macroscopic amounts of these compounds. (author) 2 figs., 1 tab., 7 refs.

Grain-boundary contamination and ductility loss in boron-doped Ni3Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeyama, M.; Liu, C.T.

1989-01-01

The effect of heat treatment on ductility loss in a boron-doped Ni 3 Al was studied by tensile tests of specimens exposed to contaminated environments. Specimens heat treated at 1323 K exhibit only 3.3 pct ductility at 1033 K, whereas a previous study reported a tensile ductility of about 24 pct for specimens heat treated in a high vacuum system. Aluminum oxide and silicon-contaminated regions were observed at and near external surfaces of annealed specimens. The reactions occurring during heat treatment are interpreted in terms of thermodynamics. An Auger electron spectroscopy study revealed oxygen penetration along grain boundaries during annealing. Although the surface oxide layer and silicon contamination both contribute to some reductions in ductility, the major cause for embrittlement comes from oxygen penetration along grain boundaries

The atomic and electronic structure of nitrogen- and boron-doped phosphorene.

Science.gov (United States)

Boukhvalov, Danil W

2015-10-28

First principles modeling of nitrogen- and boron-doped phosphorene demonstrates the tendency toward the formation of highly ordered structures. Nitrogen doping leads to the formation of -N-P-P-P-N- lines. Further transformation into -P-N-P-N- lines across the chains of phosphorene occurs with increasing band gap and increasing nitrogen concentration, which coincides with the decreasing chemical activity of N-doped phosphorene. In contrast to the case of nitrogen, boron atoms prefer to form -B-B- pairs with the further formation of -P-P-B-B-P-P- patterns along the phosphorene chains. The low concentration of boron dopants converts the phosphorene from a semiconductor into a semimetal with the simultaneous enhancement of its chemical activity. Co-doping of phosphorene by both boron and nitrogen starts from the formation of -B-N- pairs, which provides flat bands and further transformation of these pairs into hexagonal BN lines and ribbons across the phosphorene chains.

First principle investigations on Boron doped Fe2VAl Heusler alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkatesh, Ch.; Srivastava, S.K.; Rao, V.V.

2014-01-01

The role of atomic size of sp-element is investigated through theoretical calculations and basic experiments to understand the physical properties of Boron doped Fe 2 VAl alloy. The results of ab-initio calculations on ordered L2 1 structure of Fe 2 VAl 1-x B x (x=0, 0.5, 1) alloys have been compared to understand the role of sp-element size on the hybridization among their respective valance states. Interestingly, semi-metallic and paramagnetic like ground states were found in the Boron doped alloys in similar to Fe 2 VAl, eliminating the role of size of the doppent sp-atom. These calculations result in hybridization where the covalent distribution of valance states among the atoms is responsible to produce a finite pseudo-gap at the Fermi level. The observed features could be explained on the basis of covalent theory of magnetism in which an amount of spectral weight transfer occurs in the DOS spectrum among the same spin orbitals, leading to symmetric distribution of bonding and anti-bonding states. However, the obtained experimental findings on Boron doped alloys are in contrast with these calculations, indicating that experimentally the alloy formation into an ideal L2 1 lattice does not happen while doping with Boron. Further, the micro structural analysis shows Boron segregation across the grain boundaries that may form magnetic inhomogeneities in the lattice of Boron doped Fe 2 VAl alloys which preferably cause these experimental anomalies

Dependence of reaction pressure on deposition and properties of boron-doped freestanding diamond films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Liuan; Li Hongdong; Lue Xianyi; Cheng Shaoheng; Wang Qiliang; Ren Shiyuan; Liu Junwei; Zou Guangtian

2010-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the reaction pressure-dependent growth and properties of boron-doped freestanding diamond films, synthesized by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) at different boron-doping levels. With the decrease in pressure, the growth feature of the films varies from mixed [1 1 1] and [1 1 0] to dominated [1 1 1] texture. The low reaction pressure, as well as high boron-doping level, results in the increase (decrease) of carrier concentration (resistivity). The high concentration of atomic hydrogen in the ambient and preferable [1 1 1] growth, due to the low reaction pressure, is available for the enhancement of boron doping. The estimated residual stress increases with increase in the introducing boron level.

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and X-ray Diffraction of Boron- and Phosphorus-Doped Nanodiamonds

Science.gov (United States)

Binh, Nguyen Thi Thanh; Dolmatov, V. Yu.; Lapchuk, N. M.; Shymanski, V. I.

2017-11-01

Powders of boron- and phosphorus-doped detonation nanodiamonds and sintered pellets of non-doped nanodiamond powders were studied using electron paramagnetic resonance and x-ray diffraction. Doping of detonation nanodiamond crystals with boron and phosphorus was demonstrated to be possible. These methods could be used to diagnose diamond nanocrystals doped during shock-wave synthesis.

Properties of p-type amorphous silicon carbide window layers prepared using boron trifluoride

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gandia, J J [Inst. de Energias Renovables, CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Gutierrez, M T [Inst. de Energias Renovables, CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Carabe, J [Inst. de Energias Renovables, CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain)

1993-03-01

One set (A) of undoped and three sets (B, C and D) of doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide samples have been made in the framework of a research plan for obtaining high quality p-type window layers by radiofrequency glow discharge of silane-based gas mixtures. The samples of sets A and B were made using different RF-power-density to mass-flow ratios for various methane percentages in the gas mixture. The best carbon incorporation in the amorphous silicon lattice was obtained at the highest RF-power density. The properties of sets C and D, prepared using different RF-power densities and silane and methane proportions have been analysed as functions of the concentration of boron trifluoride with respect to silane. In both cases, the optical gap E[sub G], after a slight initial decrease, remains at a value of approximately 2.1 eV without quenching in the doping ranges covered. The best conductivity obtained is 2x10[sup -7] ([Omega] cm)[sup -1]. IR spectra allow to associate these features with the structural quality of the films. (orig.)

Boron-doped MnO{sub 2}/carbon fiber composite electrode for supercapacitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chi, Hong Zhong, E-mail: hzchi@hdu.edu.cn [College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Zhu, Hongjie [College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Gao, Linhui [Center of Materials Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China)

2015-10-05

Highlights: • Interstitial ion in MnO{sub 2} lattice. • Porous film composed by interlocking worm-like nanostructure. • Boron-doped birnessite-type MnO{sub 2}/carbon fiber composite electrode. • Enhanced capacitive properties through nonmetal element doping. - Abstract: The boron-doped MnO{sub 2}/carbon fiber composite electrode has been prepared via in situ redox reaction between potassium permanganate and carbon fibers in the presence of boric acid. The addition of boron as dopant results in the increase of growth-rate of MnO{sub 2} crystal and the formation of worm-like nanostructure. Based on the analysis of binding energy, element boron incorporates into the MnO{sub 2} lattice through interstitial mode. The doped electrode with porous framework is beneficial to pseudocapacitive reaction and surface charge storage, leading to higher specific capacitance and superior rate capability. After experienced 1000 cycles, the boron-doped MnO{sub 2} still retain a higher specific capacitance by about 80% of its initial value. The fall in capacitance is blamed to be the combination of the formation of soluble Mn{sup 2+} and the absence of active site on the outer surface.

Boron-Proton Nuclear-Fusion Enhancement Induced in Boron-Doped Silicon Targets by Low-Contrast Pulsed Laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Picciotto

2014-08-01

Full Text Available We show that a spatially well-defined layer of boron dopants in a hydrogen-enriched silicon target allows the production of a high yield of alpha particles of around 10^{9} per steradian using a nanosecond, low-contrast laser pulse with a nominal intensity of approximately 3×10^{16}  W cm^{−2}. This result can be ascribed to the nature of the long laser-pulse interaction with the target and with the expanding plasma, as well as to the optimal target geometry and composition. The possibility of an impact on future applications such as nuclear fusion without production of neutron-induced radioactivity and compact ion accelerators is anticipated.

Effect of electron injection on defect reactions in irradiated silicon containing boron, carbon, and oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Makarenko, L. F.; Lastovskii, S. B.; Yakushevich, H. S.; Moll, M.; Pintilie, I.

2018-04-01

Comparative studies employing Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy and C-V measurements have been performed on recombination-enhanced reactions between defects of interstitial type in boron doped silicon diodes irradiated with alpha-particles. It has been shown that self-interstitial related defects which are immobile even at room temperatures can be activated by very low forward currents at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Their activation is accompanied by the appearance of interstitial carbon atoms. It has been found that at rather high forward current densities which enhance BiOi complex disappearance, a retardation of Ci annealing takes place. Contrary to conventional thermal annealing of the interstitial boron-interstitial oxygen complex, the use of forward current injection helps to recover an essential part of charge carriers removed due to irradiation.

Electronic structures and three-dimensional effects of boron-doped carbon nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koretsune, Takashi; Saito, Susumu

2008-01-01

We study boron-doped carbon nanotubes by first-principles methods based on the density functional theory. To discuss the possibility of superconductivity, we calculate the electronic band structure and the density of states (DOS) of boron-doped (10,0) nanotubes by changing the boron density. It is found that the Fermi level density of states D(ε F ) increases upon lowering the boron density. This can be understood in terms of the rigid band picture where the one-dimensional van Hove singularity lies at the edge of the valence band in the DOS of the pristine nanotube. The effect of three-dimensionality is also considered by performing the calculations for bundled (10,0) nanotubes and boron-doped double-walled carbon nanotubes (10,0)/(19,0). From the calculation of the bundled nanotubes, it is found that interwall dispersion is sufficiently large to broaden the peaks of the van Hove singularity in the DOS. Thus, to achieve the high D(ε F ) using the bundle of nanotubes with single chirality, we should take into account the distance from each nanotube. In the case of double-walled carbon nanotubes, we find that the holes introduced to the inner tube by boron doping spread also on the outer tube, while the band structure of each tube remains almost unchanged.

Photovoltaic investigation of minority carrier lifetime in the heavily-doped emitter layer of silicon junction solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, C.-T.

1982-01-01

The results of experiments on the recombination lifetime in a phosphorus diffused N(+) layer of a silicon solar cell are reported. The cells studied comprised three groups of Czochralski grown crystals: boron doped to one ohm-cm, boron doped to 6 ohm-cm, and aluminum doped to one ohm-cm, all with a shunt resistance exceeding 500 kilo-ohms. The characteristic bulk diffusion length of a cell sample was determined from the short circuit current response to light at a wavelength of one micron. The recombination rates were obtained by measurement of the open circuit voltage as a function of the photogeneration rate. The recombination rate was found to be dependent on the photoinjection level, and is positive-field controlled at low photoinjection, positive-field influence Auger recombination at a medium photoinjection level, and negative-field controlled Auger recombination at a high photoinjection level.

Transmutation doping of silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, R. F.; Westbrook, R. D.; Young, R. T.; Cleland, J. W.

1977-01-01

Normal isotopic silicon contains 3.05% of Si-30 which transmutes to P-31 after thermal neutron absorption, with a half-life of 2.6 hours. This reaction is used to introduce extremely uniform concentrations of phosphorus into silicon, thus eliminating the areal and spatial inhomogeneities characteristic of chemical doping. Annealing of the lattice damage in the irradiated silicon does not alter the uniformity of dopant distribution. Transmutation doping also makes it possible to introduce phosphorus into polycrystalline silicon without segregation of the dopant at the grain boundaries. The use of neutron transmutation doped (NTD) silicon in solar cell research and development is discussed.

Electrochemical characterization of doped diamond-coated carbon fibers at different boron concentrations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Almeida, E.C. [INPE, CP 515, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP 12201-970 (Brazil)]. E-mail: erica@las.inpe.br; Diniz, A.V. [INPE, CP 515, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP 12201-970 (Brazil); Trava-Airoldi, V.J. [INPE, CP 515, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP 12201-970 (Brazil); Ferreira, N.G. [CTA-Divisao de Materiais, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP 12228-904 (Brazil)

2005-08-01

Doped diamond films have been deposited on carbon fibers (felt) obtained from polyacrylonitrile at different levels of boron doping. For a successful coating of the fibers, an ultrasonic pretreatment in a bath of diamond powder dissolved in hexane was required. Films were grown on both sample sides, simultaneously, by hot filament-assisted chemical vapour deposition technique at 750 deg. C from a 0.5% H{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} mixture at a total pressure of 6.5 x 10{sup 3} Pa. Boron was obtained from H{sub 2} forced to pass through a bubbler containing B{sub 2}O{sub 3} dissolved in methanol. The doping level studied corresponds to films with acceptor concentrations in the range of 6.5 x 10{sup 18} to 1.5 x 10{sup 21} cm{sup -} {sup 3}, obtained from Mott-Schottky plots. Scanning electron microscopy analyses evidenced fibers totally covered with high quality polycrystalline boron-doped diamond film, also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy spectra. Diamond electrodes grown on carbon fibers demonstrated similar electrochemical behavior obtained from films on Si substrate, for ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple as a function of boron content. The boron content influences electrochemical surface area. A lower boron concentration provides a higher growth rate that results in a higher surface area.

Eliminating Light-Induced Degradation in Commercial p-Type Czochralski Silicon Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brett Hallam

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses developments in the mitigation of light-induced degradation caused by boron-oxygen defects in boron-doped Czochralski grown silicon. Particular attention is paid to the fabrication of industrial silicon solar cells with treatments for sensitive materials using illuminated annealing. It highlights the importance and desirability of using hydrogen-containing dielectric layers and a subsequent firing process to inject hydrogen throughout the bulk of the silicon solar cell and subsequent illuminated annealing processes for the formation of the boron-oxygen defects and simultaneously manipulate the charge states of hydrogen to enable defect passivation. For the photovoltaic industry with a current capacity of approximately 100 GW peak, the mitigation of boron-oxygen related light-induced degradation is a necessity to use cost-effective B-doped silicon while benefitting from the high-efficiency potential of new solar cell concepts.

Spectrophotometric determination of trace and ultratrace levels of boron in silicon and chlorosilane samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, J.S.; Lin, H.M.; Yang, M.H.

1991-01-01

Spectrophotometric methods for the determination of boron in the low μg/g and ng/g range in high-purity silicon and dichloro- and trichlorosilanes were investigated in detail. The procedures established involve dissolution of silicon samples and the hydrolyzed products of chlorosilane samples in hydrofluoric acid-containing reagents followed by evaporation of the silicon matrix as H 2 SiF 6 . The boron retained in the treated sample solution was then determined by a spectrophotometric method using carminic acid as a chromatic reagent. Special effort has been paid to the control of the analytical blank and reproducible determination of boron. The results indicate that addition of mannitol and proper control of the evaporation process are effective in preventing volatilization of boron during the evaporation of silicon matrix and can thus attain high recovery of boron and reproducible analysis. Through meticulous control of the analytical blank and experimental conditions, the limit of detection for boron determination with the established method can be as low as ng/g levels. Application of the methods to the determination of boron in various stages of purification of silicon and trichlorosilane as well as in borophosphosilicate film was conducted. (orig.)

Model for the boron-doping dependence of the critical temperature of superconducting boron-doped diamond

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šopík, Břetislav

2009-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 10 (2009), 103026/1-103026/10 ISSN 1367-2630 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100712 Grant - others:GAČR(CZ) GA202/07/0597 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : superconductivity * boron-doped diamond Subject RIV: BE - Theoretical Physics Impact factor: 3.312, year: 2009

Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) Coatings Protect Underlying Silicon in Aqueous Acidic Media–Application to the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halima, A.F.; Rana, U.A.; MacFarlane, D.R.

2014-01-01

Abstract: Silicon has potential application as a functional semiconductor electrode in proposed solar water splitting cells. It is abundant and has excellent photovoltaic attributes, however it is extremely susceptible to corrosion, even in the dark, resulting in the formation of an electrochemically passive oxide upon interaction with aqueous media. This work investigates the potential for conductive, inert and transparent boron doped diamond (BDD) coatings to protect p-type Silicon (p-Si). The stability and electrochemical performance of p-Si and p-Si|BDD were investigated using voltammetric techniques in 1 M H 2 SO 4 , before and after long-term exposure to the acidic medium (up to 280 hours) under no applied potential bias. Unprotected Si degraded very rapidly whilst BDD was shown to protect the underlying Si, as evident from I-V curves that indicated no increased resistance across the Si-diamond interface. Furthermore, BDD supported facile proton reduction at significantly lower onset potential for the hydrogen evolution reaction (up to -500 mV vs. SCE) compared with bare Si cathode (-850 mV vs. SCE). The activity of the BDD electrode/electrolyte interface was further improved by coating with platinum catalyst particles, to produce a p-Si|BDD|Pt strucure, which reduced the HER onset to nearly zero overpotential. Tafel analysis indicated that desirable electrochemical activity and stability were achieved for p-Si|BDD|Pt, making this a promising electrode for application in water splitting cells

Magnetostriction of the polycrystalline Fe80Al20 alloy doped with boron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bormio-Nunes, Cristina; Teodoro dos Santos, Claudio; Botani de Souza Dias, Mateus; Doerr, Mathias; Granovsky, Sergey; Loewenhaupt, Michael

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Fe 80 Al 20 polycrystalline alloy magnetostriction 40 ppm increased to 80 ppm due to 2% of B doping. ► B stabilizes α-FeAl phase and a coexistence of α-FeAl + Fe 3 Al improves magnetostriction. ► Presence of Fe 2 B phase causes domain rearrangement revealed by the decrease of the volume magnetostriction. - Abstract: The doping of Fe 80 Al 20 polycrystalline alloy with 2% of boron increased the total magnetostriction twofold compared to a sample without boron. A value close to 80 ppm was achieved at 300 K. The microstructures of the boron-doped alloys show a dendritically solidified matrix with interdendritic α-FeAl and/or Fe 3 Al and Fe 2 B eutectic between the grains. The XRD analysis reveals an increase in the volume fraction of α-FeAl and a correspondent decrease of the Fe 3 Al phase volume fraction as the boron content increases. The increase of the volume fraction of this tetragonal Fe 2 B phase in the samples doped with boron causes the decrease of the strong volume magnetostriction that was observed in the alloy without boron. There is some evidence that the improvement of the magnetostriction magnitude due to the addition of boron to the Fe 80 Al 20 alloy could reach the maximal magnetostriction if the 1:1 optimal ratio of the volume fractions of the α-FeAl and Fe 3 Al phases could be reached.

Innovative boron nitride-doped propellants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thelma Manning

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The U.S. military has a need for more powerful propellants with balanced/stoichiometric amounts of fuel and oxidants. However, balanced and more powerful propellants lead to accelerated gun barrel erosion and markedly shortened useful barrel life. Boron nitride (BN is an interesting potential additive for propellants that could reduce gun wear effects in advanced propellants (US patent pending 2015-026P. Hexagonal boron nitride is a good lubricant that can provide wear resistance and lower flame temperatures for gun barrels. Further, boron can dope steel, which drastically improves its strength and wear resistance, and can block the formation of softer carbides. A scalable synthesis method for producing boron nitride nano-particles that can be readily dispersed into propellants has been developed. Even dispersion of the nano-particles in a double-base propellant has been demonstrated using a solvent-based processing approach. Stability of a composite propellant with the BN additive was verified. In this paper, results from propellant testing of boron nitride nano-composite propellants are presented, including closed bomb and wear and erosion testing. Detailed characterization of the erosion tester substrates before and after firing was obtained by electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This promising boron nitride additive shows the ability to improve gun wear and erosion resistance without any destabilizing effects to the propellant. Potential applications could include less erosive propellants in propellant ammunition for large, medium and small diameter fire arms.

Metal-insulator transition and superconductivity in heavily boron-doped diamond and related materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Achatz, Philipp

2009-05-15

During this PhD project, the metal-insulator transition and superconductivity of highly boron-doped single crystal diamond and related materials have been investigated. The critical boron concentration n{sub c} for the metal-insulator transition was found to be the same as for the normal-superconductor transition. All metallic samples have been found to be superconducting and we were able to link the occurence of superconductivity to the proximity to the metal-insulator transition. For this purpose, a scaling law approach based on low temperature transport was proposed. Furthermore, we tried to study the nature of the superconductivity in highly boron doped single crystal diamond. Raman spectroscopy measurements on the isotopically substituted series suggest that the feature occuring at low wavenumbers ({approx} 500 cm{sup -1}) is the A1g vibrational mode associated with boron dimers. Usual Hall effect measurements yielded a puzzling situation in metallic boron-doped diamond samples, leading to carrier concentrations up to a factor 10 higher than the boron concentration determined by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The low temperature transport follows the one expected for a granular metal or insulator, depending on the interplay of intergranular and intragranular (tunneling) conductance. The metal-insulator transition takes place at a critical conductance g{sub c}. The granularity also influences significantly the superconducting properties by introducing the superconducting gap {delta} in the grain and Josephson coupling J between superconducting grains. A peak in magnetoresistance is observed which can be explained by superconducting fluctuations and the granularity of the system. Additionally we studied the low temperature transport of boron-doped Si samples grown by gas immersion laser doping, some of which yielded a superconducting transition at very low temperatures. Furthermore, preliminary results on the LO-phonon-plasmon coupling are shown for the

Metal-insulator transition and superconductivity in heavily boron-doped diamond and related materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Achatz, Philipp

2009-01-01

During this PhD project, the metal-insulator transition and superconductivity of highly boron-doped single crystal diamond and related materials have been investigated. The critical boron concentration n c for the metal-insulator transition was found to be the same as for the normal-superconductor transition. All metallic samples have been found to be superconducting and we were able to link the occurence of superconductivity to the proximity to the metal-insulator transition. For this purpose, a scaling law approach based on low temperature transport was proposed. Furthermore, we tried to study the nature of the superconductivity in highly boron doped single crystal diamond. Raman spectroscopy measurements on the isotopically substituted series suggest that the feature occuring at low wavenumbers (∼ 500 cm -1 ) is the A1g vibrational mode associated with boron dimers. Usual Hall effect measurements yielded a puzzling situation in metallic boron-doped diamond samples, leading to carrier concentrations up to a factor 10 higher than the boron concentration determined by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The low temperature transport follows the one expected for a granular metal or insulator, depending on the interplay of intergranular and intragranular (tunneling) conductance. The metal-insulator transition takes place at a critical conductance g c . The granularity also influences significantly the superconducting properties by introducing the superconducting gap Δ in the grain and Josephson coupling J between superconducting grains. A peak in magnetoresistance is observed which can be explained by superconducting fluctuations and the granularity of the system. Additionally we studied the low temperature transport of boron-doped Si samples grown by gas immersion laser doping, some of which yielded a superconducting transition at very low temperatures. Furthermore, preliminary results on the LO-phonon-plasmon coupling are shown for the first time in aluminum-doped

Adsorption of sugars on Al- and Ga-doped boron nitride surfaces: A computational study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darwish, Ahmed A. [Center for Nanotechnology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12588 (Egypt); Department of Nuclear and Radiation Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria (Egypt); Fadlallah, Mohamed M. [Center for Fundamental Physics, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12588 (Egypt); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha (Egypt); Badawi, Ashraf [Center for Nanotechnology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12588 (Egypt); Maarouf, Ahmed A., E-mail: ahmed.maarouf@egnc.gov.eg [Center for Fundamental Physics, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12588 (Egypt); Egypt Nanotechnology Center & Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613 (Egypt)

2016-07-30

Highlights: • Doping boron nitride sheets with aluminum or gallium atoms significantly enhances their molecular adsorption properties. • Adsorption of glucose or glucosamine on Al- and Ga-doped boron nitride sheets changes the band gap. • Doping concentration changes the bad gap, but has a minor effect on the adsorption energy. - Abstract: Molecular adsorption on surfaces is a key element for many applications, including sensing and catalysis. Non-invasive sugar sensing has been an active area of research due to its importance to diabetes care. The adsorption of sugars on a template surface study is at the heart of matter. Here, we study doped hexagonal boron nitride sheets (h-BNNs) as adsorbing and sensing template for glucose and glucosamine. Using first principles calculations, we find that the adsorption of glucose and glucosamine on h-BNNs is significantly enhanced by the substitutional doping of the sheet with Al and Ga. Including long range van der Waals corrections gives adsorption energies of about 2 eV. In addition to the charge transfer occurring between glucose and the Al/Ga-doped BN sheets, the adsorption alters the size of the band gap, allowing for optical detection of adsorption. We also find that Al-doped boron nitride sheet is better than Ga-doped boron nitride sheet to enhance the adsorption energy of glucose and glucosamine. The results of our work can be potentially utilized when designing support templates for glucose and glucosamine.

Synthesis and characterization of p-type boron-doped IIb diamond large single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Shang-Sheng; Li Xiao-Lei; Su Tai-Chao; Jia Xiao-Peng; Ma Hong-An; Huang Guo-Feng; Li Yong

2011-01-01

High-quality p-type boron-doped IIb diamond large single crystals are successfully synthesized by the temperature gradient method in a china-type cubic anvil high-pressure apparatus at about 5.5 GPa and 1600 K. The morphologies and surface textures of the synthetic diamond crystals with different boron additive quantities are characterized by using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope respectively. The impurities of nitrogen and boron in diamonds are detected by micro Fourier transform infrared technique. The electrical properties including resistivities, Hall coefficients, Hall mobilities and carrier densities of the synthesized samples are measured by a four-point probe and the Hall effect method. The results show that large p-type boron-doped diamond single crystals with few nitrogen impurities have been synthesized. With the increase of quantity of additive boron, some high-index crystal faces such as {113} gradually disappear, and some stripes and triangle pits occur on the crystal surface. This work is helpful for the further research and application of boron-doped semiconductor diamond. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Plasma-induced high efficient synthesis of boron doped reduced graphene oxide for supercapacitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Shaobo; Wang, Zhaofeng; Jiang, Hanmei

2016-01-01

In this work, we presented a novel route to synthesize boron doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by using the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technology under ambient conditions. The doping of boron (1.4 at%) led to a significant improvement in the capacitance of rGO and supercapacitors ...

Physically sound parameterization of incomplete ionization in aluminum-doped silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heiko Steinkemper

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Incomplete ionization is an important issue when modeling silicon devices featuring aluminum-doped p+ (Al-p+ regions. Aluminum has a rather deep state in the band gap compared to boron or phosphorus, causing strong incomplete ionization. In this paper, we considerably improve our recent parameterization [Steinkemper et al., J. Appl. Phys. 117, 074504 (2015]. On the one hand, we found a fundamental criterion to further reduce the number of free parameters in our fitting procedure. And on the other hand, we address a mistake in the original publication of the incomplete ionization formalism in Altermatt et al., J. Appl. Phys. 100, 113715 (2006.

Solid-state diffusion as an efficient doping method for silicon nanowires and nanowire field effect transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moselund, K E; Ghoneim, H; Schmid, H; Bjoerk, M T; Loertscher, E; Karg, S; Signorello, G; Webb, D; Tschudy, M; Beyeler, R; Riel, H

2010-01-01

In this work we investigate doping by solid-state diffusion from a doped oxide layer, obtained by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), as a means for selectively doping silicon nanowires (NWs). We demonstrate both n-type (phosphorous) and p-type (boron) doping up to concentrations of 10 20 cm -3 , and find that this doping mechanism is more efficient for NWs as opposed to planar substrates. We observe no diameter dependence in the range of 25 to 80 nm, which signifies that the NWs are uniformly doped. The drive-in temperature (800-950 deg. C) can be used to adjust the actual doping concentration in the range 2 x 10 18 to 10 20 cm -3 . Furthermore, we have fabricated NMOS and PMOS devices to show the versatility of this approach and the possibility of achieving segmented doping of NWs. The devices show high I on /I off ratios of around 10 7 and, especially for the PMOS, good saturation behavior and low hysteresis.

Low-temperature micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy on laser-doped silicon with different surface conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Young-Joon; Franklin, Evan; Fell, Andreas; Ernst, Marco; Nguyen, Hieu T.; Macdonald, Daniel

2016-04-01

Low-temperature micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy (μ-PLS) is applied to investigate shallow layers of laser-processed silicon for solar cell applications. Micron-scale measurement (with spatial resolution down to 1 μm) enables investigation of the fundamental impact of laser processing on the electronic properties of silicon as a function of position within the laser-processed region, and in particular at specific positions such as at the boundary/edge of processed and unprocessed regions. Low-temperature μ-PLS enables qualitative analysis of laser-processed regions by identifying PLS signals corresponding to both laser-induced doping and laser-induced damage. We show that the position of particular luminescence peaks can be attributed to band-gap narrowing corresponding to different levels of subsurface laser doping, which is achieved via multiple 248 nm nanosecond excimer laser pulses with fluences in the range 1.5-4 J/cm2 and using commercially available boron-rich spin-on-dopant precursor films. We demonstrate that characteristic defect PL spectra can be observed subsequent to laser doping, providing evidence of laser-induced crystal damage. The impact of laser parameters such as fluence and number of repeat pulses on laser-induced damage is also analyzed by observing the relative level of defect PL spectra and absolute luminescence intensity. Luminescence owing to laser-induced damage is observed to be considerably larger at the boundaries of laser-doped regions than at the centers, highlighting the significant role of the edges of laser-doped region on laser doping quality. Furthermore, by comparing the damage signal observed after laser processing of two different substrate surface conditions (chemically-mechanically polished and tetramethylammonium hydroxide etched), we show that wafer preparation can be an important factor impacting the quality of laser-processed silicon and solar cells.

Growth of a delta-doped silicon layer by molecular beam epitaxy on a charge-coupled device for reflection-limited ultraviolet quantum efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Hoenk, Michael E.; Grunthaner, Paula J.; Grunthaner, Frank J.; Terhune, R. W.; Fattahi, Masoud; Tseng, Hsin-Fu

1992-01-01

Low-temperature silicon molecular beam epitaxy is used to grow a delta-doped silicon layer on a fully processed charge-coupled device (CCD). The measured quantum efficiency of the delta-doped backside-thinned CCD is in agreement with the reflection limit for light incident on the back surface in the spectral range of 260-600 nm. The 2.5 nm silicon layer, grown at 450 C, contained a boron delta-layer with surface density of about 2 x 10 exp 14/sq cm. Passivation of the surface was done by steam oxidation of a nominally undoped 1.5 nm Si cap layer. The UV quantum efficiency was found to be uniform and stable with respect to thermal cycling and illumination conditions.

Boron-doped manganese dioxide for supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Hong Zhong; Li, Yuwei; Xin, Yingxu; Qin, Haiying

2014-11-11

The addition of boron as a dopant during the reaction between carbon fiber and permanganate led to significant enhancement of the growth-rate and formation of the porous framework. The doped MnO2 was superior to the pristine sample as electrode materials for supercapacitors in terms of the specific capacitance and rate capability.

Density functional theory investigation of oxygen interaction with boron-doped graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Juan; Wang, Chen [State Key Lab of New Ceramic and Fine Processing, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Liang, Tongxiang, E-mail: txliang@tsinghua.edu.cn [State Key Lab of New Ceramic and Fine Processing, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Lai, Wensheng [Advanced Material Laboratory, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Density-functional approach is applied to study the interaction of oxygen with boron-doped graphite. • Adsorption and diffusion of oxygen atoms on boron doped graphite surfaces are studied. • Recombination of oxygen is investigated by ER and LH mechanisms. • Low boron concentration facilitates O{sub 2} formation while high boron loading inhibits the recombination. • The presence of B−B bonds due to boron accumulation makes it impossible for oxygen recombination. - Abstract: Boron inserted as impurity by substitution of carbon atoms in graphite is known to change (improve or deteriorate) oxidation resistance of nuclear graphite, but the reason for both catalytic and inhibiting oxidation is still uncertain. As a first step, this work is more specially devoted to the adsorption and diffusion of oxygen atoms on the surface and related to the problem of oxygen retention on the pure and boron-containing graphite surfaces. Adsorption energies and energy barriers associated to the diffusion for molecular oxygen recombination are calculated in the density functional theory framework. The existence of boron modifies the electronic structure of the surface, which results in an increase of the adsorption energy for O. However, low boron loading makes it easier for the recombination into molecular oxygen. For high boron concentration, it induces a better O retention capability in graphite because the presence of B-B bonds decreases recombination of the adsorbed oxygen atoms. A possible explanation for both catalytic and inhibiting effects of boron in graphite is proposed.

Characterization of boron doped nanocrystalline diamonds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterlevitz, A C; Manne, G M; Sampaio, M A; Quispe, J C R; Pasquetto, M P; Iannini, R F; Ceragioli, H J; Baranauskas, V

2008-01-01

Nanostructured diamond doped with boron was prepared using a hot-filament assisted chemical vapour deposition system fed with an ethyl alcohol, hydrogen and argon mixture. The reduction of the diamond grains to the nanoscale was produced by secondary nucleation and defects induced by argon and boron atoms via surface reactions during chemical vapour deposition. Raman measurements show that the samples are nanodiamonds embedded in a matrix of graphite and disordered carbon grains, while morphological investigations using field electron scanning microscopy show that the size of the grains ranges from 20 to 100 nm. The lowest threshold fields achieved were in the 1.6 to 2.4 V/μm range

Doping of silicon carbide by ion implantation; Dopage du carbure de silicium par implantation ionique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gimbert, J

1999-03-04

It appeared that in some fields, as the hostile environments (high temperature or irradiation), the silicon compounds showed limitations resulting from the electrical and mechanical properties. Doping of 4H and 6H silicon carbide by ion implantation is studied from a physicochemical and electrical point of view. It is necessary to obtain n-type and p-type material to realize high power and/or high frequency devices, such as MESFETs and Schottky diodes. First, physical and electrical properties of silicon carbide are presented and the interest of developing a process technology on this material is emphasised. Then, physical characteristics of ion implantation and particularly classical dopant implantation, such as nitrogen, for n-type doping, and aluminium and boron, for p-type doping are described. Results with these dopants are presented and analysed. Optimal conditions are extracted from these experiences so as to obtain a good crystal quality and a surface state allowing device fabrication. Electrical conduction is then described in the 4H and 6H-SiC polytypes. Freezing of free carriers and scattering processes are described. Electrical measurements are carried out using Hall effect on Van der Panw test patterns, and 4 point probe method are used to draw the type of the material, free carrier concentrations, resistivity and mobility of the implanted doped layers. These results are commented and compared to the theoretical analysis. The influence of the technological process on electrical conduction is studied in view of fabricating implanted silicon carbide devices. (author)

Synthesis, Characterization, and Evaluation of Boron-Doped Iron Oxides for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Atrazine under Visible Light

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shan Hu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Photocatalytic degradation of atrazine by boron-doped iron oxides under visible light irradiation was investigated. In this work, boron-doped goethite and hematite were successfully prepared by sol-gel method with trimethylborate as boron precursor. The powders were characterized by XRD, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, and porosimetry analysis. The results showed that boron doping could influence the crystal structure, enlarge the BET surface area, improve light absorption ability, and narrow their band-gap energy. The photocatalytic activity of B-doped iron oxides was evaluated in the degradation of atrazine under the visible light irradiation, and B-doped iron oxides showed higher atrazine degradation rate than that of pristine iron oxides. Particularly, B-doped goethite exhibited better photocatalytic activity than B-doped hematite.

Study on excimer laser irradiation for controlled dehydrogenation and crystallization of boron doped hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gontad, F.; Conde, J.C.; Filonovich, S.; Cerqueira, M.F.; Alpuim, P.; Chiussi, S.

2013-01-01

We report on the excimer laser annealing (ELA) induced temperature gradients, allowing controlled crystallization and dehydrogenation of boron-doped a-Si:H/nc-Si:H multilayers. Depth of the dehydrogenation and crystallization process has been studied numerically and experimentally, showing that temperatures below the monohydride decomposition can be used and that significant changes of the doping profile can be avoided. Calculation of temperature profiles has been achieved through numerical modeling of the heat conduction differential equation. Increase in the amount of nano-crystals, but not in their size, has been demonstrated by Raman spectroscopy. Effective dehydrogenation and shape of the boron profile have been studied by time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The relatively low temperature threshold for dehydrogenation, below the monohydride decomposition temperature, has been attributed to both, the large hydrogen content of the original films and the partial crystallization during the ELA process. The results of this study show that UV-laser irradiation is an effective tool to improve crystallinity and dopant activation in p + -nc-Si:H films without damaging the substrate. - Highlights: • An efficient dehydrogenation is possible through excimer laser annealing. • 140 mJ/cm 2 is enough for dehydrogenation without significant changes in doping profile. • Fluences up to 300 mJ/cm 2 promote partial crystallization of the amorphous structures

Study on excimer laser irradiation for controlled dehydrogenation and crystallization of boron doped hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gontad, F., E-mail: fran_gontad@yahoo.es [Applied Physics Department, University of Vigo, E.I. Industrial, Campus de As Lagoas, Marcosende, E-36310, Vigo (Spain); Conde, J.C. [Applied Physics Department, University of Vigo, E.I. Industrial, Campus de As Lagoas, Marcosende, E-36310, Vigo (Spain); Filonovich, S.; Cerqueira, M.F.; Alpuim, P. [Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães (Portugal); Chiussi, S. [Applied Physics Department, University of Vigo, E.I. Industrial, Campus de As Lagoas, Marcosende, E-36310, Vigo (Spain)

2013-06-01

We report on the excimer laser annealing (ELA) induced temperature gradients, allowing controlled crystallization and dehydrogenation of boron-doped a-Si:H/nc-Si:H multilayers. Depth of the dehydrogenation and crystallization process has been studied numerically and experimentally, showing that temperatures below the monohydride decomposition can be used and that significant changes of the doping profile can be avoided. Calculation of temperature profiles has been achieved through numerical modeling of the heat conduction differential equation. Increase in the amount of nano-crystals, but not in their size, has been demonstrated by Raman spectroscopy. Effective dehydrogenation and shape of the boron profile have been studied by time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The relatively low temperature threshold for dehydrogenation, below the monohydride decomposition temperature, has been attributed to both, the large hydrogen content of the original films and the partial crystallization during the ELA process. The results of this study show that UV-laser irradiation is an effective tool to improve crystallinity and dopant activation in p{sup +}-nc-Si:H films without damaging the substrate. - Highlights: • An efficient dehydrogenation is possible through excimer laser annealing. • 140 mJ/cm{sup 2} is enough for dehydrogenation without significant changes in doping profile. • Fluences up to 300 mJ/cm{sup 2} promote partial crystallization of the amorphous structures.

Molecular dynamics study on the thermal conductivity and thermal rectification in graphene with geometric variations of doped boron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Qi, E-mail: alfred_02030210@163.com; Wei, Yuan

2014-03-15

Thermal conductivity and thermal rectification of graphene with geometric variations have been investigated by using classical non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation, and analyzed theoretically the cause of the changes of thermal conductivity and thermal rectification. Two different structural models, triangular single-boron-doped graphene (SBDG) and parallel various-boron-doped graphene (VBDG), were considered. The results indicated that the thermal conductivities of two different models are about 54–63% lower than pristine graphene. And it was also found that the structure of parallel various-boron-doped graphene is inhibited more strongly on the heat transfer than that of triangular single-boron-doped graphene. The reduction in the thermal conductivities of two different models gradually decreases as the temperature rises. The thermal conductivities of triangular boron-doped graphene have a large difference in both directions, and the thermal rectification of this structure shows the downward trend with increasing temperature. However, the thermal conductivities of parallel various-boron-doped graphene are similar in both directions, and the thermal rectification effect is not obvious in this structure. The phenomenon of thermal rectification exits in SBDG. It implies that the SBDG might be a potential promising structure for thermal rectifier by controlling the boron-doped model.

Molecular dynamics study on the thermal conductivity and thermal rectification in graphene with geometric variations of doped boron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Qi; Wei, Yuan

2014-01-01

Thermal conductivity and thermal rectification of graphene with geometric variations have been investigated by using classical non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation, and analyzed theoretically the cause of the changes of thermal conductivity and thermal rectification. Two different structural models, triangular single-boron-doped graphene (SBDG) and parallel various-boron-doped graphene (VBDG), were considered. The results indicated that the thermal conductivities of two different models are about 54–63% lower than pristine graphene. And it was also found that the structure of parallel various-boron-doped graphene is inhibited more strongly on the heat transfer than that of triangular single-boron-doped graphene. The reduction in the thermal conductivities of two different models gradually decreases as the temperature rises. The thermal conductivities of triangular boron-doped graphene have a large difference in both directions, and the thermal rectification of this structure shows the downward trend with increasing temperature. However, the thermal conductivities of parallel various-boron-doped graphene are similar in both directions, and the thermal rectification effect is not obvious in this structure. The phenomenon of thermal rectification exits in SBDG. It implies that the SBDG might be a potential promising structure for thermal rectifier by controlling the boron-doped model

Surface structuring of boron doped CVD diamond by micro electrical discharge machining

Science.gov (United States)

Schubert, A.; Berger, T.; Martin, A.; Hackert-Oschätzchen, M.; Treffkorn, N.; Kühn, R.

2018-05-01

Boron doped diamond materials, which are generated by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), offer a great potential for the application on highly stressed tools, e. g. in cutting or forming processes. As a result of the CVD process rough surfaces arise, which require a finishing treatment in particular for the application in forming tools. Cutting techniques such as milling and grinding are hardly applicable for the finish machining because of the high strength of diamond. Due to its process principle of ablating material by melting and evaporating, Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is independent of hardness, brittleness or toughness of the workpiece material. EDM is a suitable technology for machining and structuring CVD diamond, since boron doped CVD diamond is electrically conductive. In this study the ablation characteristics of boron doped CVD diamond by micro electrical discharge machining are investigated. Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of different process parameters on the machining result. The impact of tool-polarity, voltage and discharge energy on the resulting erosion geometry and the tool wear was analyzed. A variation in path overlapping during the erosion of planar areas leads to different microstructures. The results show that micro EDM is a suitable technology for finishing of boron doped CVD diamond.

Plasma-induced highly efficient synthesis of boron doped reduced graphene oxide for supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shaobo; Wang, Zhaofeng; Jiang, Hanmei; Zhang, Limei; Ren, Jingzheng; Zheng, Mingtao; Dong, Lichun; Sun, Luyi

2016-09-21

In this work, we presented a novel route to synthesize boron doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by using the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technology under ambient conditions. The doping of boron (1.4 at%) led to a significant improvement in the capacitance of rGO and supercapacitors based on the as-synthesized B-rGO exhibited an outstanding specific capacitance.

The fraction of substitutional boron in silicon during ion implantation and thermal annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caturla, M.J.; Johnson, M.D.; Diaz de la Rubia, T.

1998-01-01

We present results from a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of boron transient enhanced diffusion (TED) in silicon. Our approach avoids the use of phenomenological fits to experimental data by using a complete and self-consistent set of values for defect and dopant energetics derived mostly from ab initio calculations. The results predict that, during annealing of 40 keV B-implanted Si at 800 degree C, there exists a time window during which all the implanted boron atoms are substitutional. At earlier or later times, the interactions between free silicon self-interstitials and boron atoms drive the growth of boron clusters and result in an inactive boron fraction. The results show that the majority of boron TED takes place during the growth period of interstitial clusters and not during their dissolution. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 doped with boron and vanadium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bettinelli, M.; Dallacasa, V.; Falcomer, D.; Fornasiero, P.; Gombac, V.; Montini, T.; Romano, L.; Speghini, A.

2007-01-01

Boron (B)- and vanadium (V)-doped TiO 2 photocatalysts were synthesized using modified sol-gel reaction processes and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and N 2 physisorption (BET). The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue (MB). The results showed that the materials possess high surface area. The addition of B favored the transformation of anatase to rutile, while in the presence of V, anatase was the only phase detected. The MB degradation on V-doped TiO 2 was significantly affected by the preparation method. In fact while the presence of V in the bulk did not influence strongly the photoreactivity under visible irradiation, an increase of surface V doping lead to improved photodegradation of MB. The degradation of MB dye indicated that the photocatalytic activities of TiO 2 increased as the boron doping increased, with high conversion efficiency for 9 mol% B doping

Axial channeling of boron ions into silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Ferla, A.; Galvagno, G.; Raineri, V.; Setola, R.; Rimini, E.; Carnera, A.; Gasparotto, A.

1992-01-01

Channeling boron implants were performed into (100) and (110) silicon substrates in the energy range 80-700 keV. The dose ranged between 3.5x10 11 and 1x10 15 atoms/cm 2 . The axial channeling concentration profiles of implanted B + were compared with that obtained for incidence along the random direction of the crystal and with that obtained by implantation in amorphous silicon. The electrical and chemical boron distributions were obtained by spreading resistance and secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements, respectively. The inelastic stopping power, S c , was extracted from the experimental maximum ranges for the [100] and [110] axis. The energy dependence of the electronic stopping power is given by S e = KE p with p [100] = 0.469±0.010 and p [110] = 0.554±0.004. Simulations obtained by the MARLOWE code, using the Oen-Robinson impact parameter dependent formula, for the electronic energy loss reproduce quite well the experimental depth profiles. (orig.)

Effect of doping on electronic properties of double-walled carbon and boron nitride hetero-nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majidi, R.; Ghafoori Tabrizi, K.; Jalili, S.

2009-01-01

The effect of boron nitride (BN) doping on electronic properties of armchair double-walled carbon and hetero-nanotubes is studied using ab initio molecular dynamics method. The armchair double-walled hetero-nanotubes are predicted to be semiconductor and their electronic structures depend strongly on the electronic properties of the single-walled carbon nanotube. It is found that electronic structures of BN-doped double-walled hetero-nanotubes are intermediate between those of double-walled boron nitride nanotubes and double-walled carbon and boron nitride hetero-nanotubes. Increasing the amount of doping leads to a stronger intertube interaction and also increases the energy gap.

Effect of doping on electronic properties of double-walled carbon and boron nitride hetero-nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Majidi, R. [Department of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, Evin, Tehran 19839-63113 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghafoori Tabrizi, K., E-mail: K-TABRIZI@sbu.ac.i [Department of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, Evin, Tehran 19839-63113 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jalili, S. [Department of Chemistry, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran 16315-1618 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2009-11-01

The effect of boron nitride (BN) doping on electronic properties of armchair double-walled carbon and hetero-nanotubes is studied using ab initio molecular dynamics method. The armchair double-walled hetero-nanotubes are predicted to be semiconductor and their electronic structures depend strongly on the electronic properties of the single-walled carbon nanotube. It is found that electronic structures of BN-doped double-walled hetero-nanotubes are intermediate between those of double-walled boron nitride nanotubes and double-walled carbon and boron nitride hetero-nanotubes. Increasing the amount of doping leads to a stronger intertube interaction and also increases the energy gap.

New Pathways and Metrics for Enhanced, Reversible Hydrogen Storage in Boron-Doped Carbon Nanospaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pfeifer, Peter [University of Missouri; Wexler, Carlos [University of Missouri; Hawthorne, M. Frederick [University of Missouri; Lee, Mark W. [University of Missouri; Jalistegi, Satish S. [University of Missouri

2014-08-14

This project, since its start in 2007—entitled “Networks of boron-doped carbon nanopores for low-pressure reversible hydrogen storage” (2007-10) and “New pathways and metrics for enhanced, reversible hydrogen storage in boron-doped carbon nanospaces” (2010-13)—is in support of the DOE's National Hydrogen Storage Project, as part of the DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program’s comprehensive efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. Hydrogen storage is widely recognized as a critical enabling technology for the successful commercialization and market acceptance of hydrogen powered vehicles. Storing sufficient hydrogen on board a wide range of vehicle platforms, at energy densities comparable to gasoline, without compromising passenger or cargo space, remains an outstanding technical challenge. Of the main three thrust areas in 2007—metal hydrides, chemical hydrogen storage, and sorption-based hydrogen storage—sorption-based storage, i.e., storage of molecular hydrogen by adsorption on high-surface-area materials (carbons, metal-organic frameworks, and other porous organic networks), has emerged as the most promising path toward achieving the 2017 DOE storage targets of 0.055 kg H2/kg system (“5.5 wt%”) and 0.040 kg H2/liter system. The objective of the project is to develop high-surface-area carbon materials that are boron-doped by incorporation of boron into the carbon lattice at the outset, i.e., during the synthesis of the material. The rationale for boron-doping is the prediction that boron atoms in carbon will raise the binding energy of hydro- gen from 4-5 kJ/mol on the undoped surface to 10-14 kJ/mol on a doped surface, and accordingly the hydro- gen storage capacity of the material. The mechanism for the increase in binding energy is electron donation from H2 to electron-deficient B atoms, in the form of sp2 boron-carbon bonds. Our team is proud to have

Boron doped ZnO embedded into reduced graphene oxide for electrochemical supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alver, Ü.; Tanrıverdi, A.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Boron doped ZnO particles are fabricated and embedded into reduced graphene oxide (RGO) by hydrothermal method. • RGO/ZnO:B composites are used as electrodes for supercapacitors. • Presence of boron in RGO/ZnO composites caused increasing the stability and specific capacitance of electrodes. - Abstract: In this work, reduced graphene oxide/boron doped zinc oxide (RGO/ZnO:B) composites were fabricated by a hydrothermal process and their electrochemical properties were investigated as a function of dopant concentration. First, boron doped ZnO (ZnO:B) particles was fabricated with different boron concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt%) and then ZnO:B particles were embedded into RGO sheets. The physical properties of sensitized composites were characterized by XRD and SEM. Characterization indicated that the ZnO:B particles with plate-like structure in the composite were dispersed on graphene sheets. The electrochemical properties of the RGO/ZnO:B composite were investigated through cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements in a 6 M KOH electrolyte. Electrochemical measurements show that the specific capacitance values of RGO/ZnO:B electrodes increase with increasing boron concentration. RGO/ZnO:B composite electrodes (20 wt% B) display the specific capacitance as high as 230.50 F/g at 5 mV/s, which is almost five times higher than that of RGO/ZnO (52.71 F/g).

Boron doped ZnO embedded into reduced graphene oxide for electrochemical supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alver, Ü., E-mail: ualver@ktu.edu.tr [Karadeniz Technical University, Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, 61080 Trabzon (Turkey); Tanrıverdi, A. [Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Department of Physics, 46100 Kahramanmaraş (Turkey)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • Boron doped ZnO particles are fabricated and embedded into reduced graphene oxide (RGO) by hydrothermal method. • RGO/ZnO:B composites are used as electrodes for supercapacitors. • Presence of boron in RGO/ZnO composites caused increasing the stability and specific capacitance of electrodes. - Abstract: In this work, reduced graphene oxide/boron doped zinc oxide (RGO/ZnO:B) composites were fabricated by a hydrothermal process and their electrochemical properties were investigated as a function of dopant concentration. First, boron doped ZnO (ZnO:B) particles was fabricated with different boron concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt%) and then ZnO:B particles were embedded into RGO sheets. The physical properties of sensitized composites were characterized by XRD and SEM. Characterization indicated that the ZnO:B particles with plate-like structure in the composite were dispersed on graphene sheets. The electrochemical properties of the RGO/ZnO:B composite were investigated through cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements in a 6 M KOH electrolyte. Electrochemical measurements show that the specific capacitance values of RGO/ZnO:B electrodes increase with increasing boron concentration. RGO/ZnO:B composite electrodes (20 wt% B) display the specific capacitance as high as 230.50 F/g at 5 mV/s, which is almost five times higher than that of RGO/ZnO (52.71 F/g).

Modulation Doping of Silicon using Aluminium-induced Acceptor States in Silicon Dioxide

OpenAIRE

K?nig, Dirk; Hiller, Daniel; Gutsch, Sebastian; Zacharias, Margit; Smith, Sean

2017-01-01

All electronic, optoelectronic or photovoltaic applications of silicon depend on controlling majority charge carriers via doping with impurity atoms. Nanoscale silicon is omnipresent in fundamental research (quantum dots, nanowires) but also approached in future technology nodes of the microelectronics industry. In general, silicon nanovolumes, irrespective of their intended purpose, suffer from effects that impede conventional doping due to fundamental physical principles such as out-diffusi...

Quantitative SIMS measurement of high concentration of boron in silicon (up to 20 at.%) using an isotopic comparative method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubois, Christiane; Prudon, Gilles; Gautier, Brice; Dupuy, Jean-Claude

2008-01-01

Highly boron doped (up to 20 at.%) silicon samples have been analysed by SIMS with the aim of quantifying the boron concentration in a range where the dilute regime may not be valid any more. An original method is used based on the simultaneous analysis of two different isotopes, namely 10 B and 11 B, in order that the known concentration of the first isotope (initially present with a far lower, constant concentration) is the basis of the quantification of the concentration of the second, present with a very high dose. Argon and oxygen beams have been used and conclusions are drawn about the presence of matrix effects in the case of the analysis of highly doped samples. It appears that only the use of a 8 keV O 2 + beam leads to a significant matrix effect, whereas it is nearly absent in the case of an analysis under 8 keV Ar + beam. The proposed method may be applied to any element showing at least two isotopes in any binary alloys under any primary beam

Shallow boron dopant on silicon An MD study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez-Martin, A. Mari Carmen; Jimenez-Rodriguez, Jose J.; Jimenez-Saez, Jose Carlos

2004-01-01

Low energy boron bombardment of silicon has been simulated at room temperature by molecular dynamics (MD). Tersoff potential T3 was used in the simulation smoothly linked up with the universal potential. The boron-silicon (B-Si) interaction was simulated according to Tersoff potential for SiC but modified to account for the B-Si interaction. The algorithm can distinguish a B from a Si neighbour. Si-c, with (2 x 1) surface reconstruction, was bombarded with boron at 200 and 500 eV. These energies were initially chosen as good representative values of the low energy range. Reliable results require of a reasonable good statistic so that 1000-impact points were chosen uniformly distributed over a representative area of a 2 x 1 surface. The distribution of mean projected range for B is given. All kinds of point defect were looked for in a Si damaged target after bombardment. Energetically stable substitutional and interstitial configurations are presented and the relative appearances of the different types of interstitials, for both Si and B, are given. It is also determined the mean length of the distance to the first neighbours of defects

Rare-earth doped boron nitride nanotubes: Synthesis and characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Wellington Marcos; Sousa, Edesia Martins Barros de, E-mail: wellingtonmarcos@yahoo.com.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: Boron nitride is a heat and chemically resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen atoms with the chemical formula BN. This structure exists in various crystalline forms that are isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice. The hexagonal form (h-BN) corresponding to graphite is the most stable and soft among BN polymorph. However, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were first time synthesized in 1995 [1] and have a type of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure. Recently the BNNTs have attracted significant interest for scientific and technological applications due to their Wide bandgap. The Wide-bandgap semiconductors doped with rare-earth are considered as a new type of luminescent material, combining special Wide bandgap semiconducting properties with the rare-earth luminescence feature. BNNTs have a stable wide bandgap of 5.5 eV and super thermal and chemical stabilities, which make BNNTs an ideal nanosized luminescent material [2]. In this study, we report a simple and efficient route for the synthesis of BNNTs doped with samarium and europium. High quality BNNTs doped was produced via CVD technique using NH{sub 3} and N{sub 2} gases as source. Boron amorphous, catalyst and oxides rare-earth powder were used as precursor. Detailed studies involving energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were performed in order to characterize the BNNTs as grown. [1] Chopra, N. G.; Luyken, R. J. et al. Science, v. 269, p. 966-967, 1995. [2] Chen, H.; Chen, Y. et al. Adv. Matter. v. 19, p. 1845-1848, 2007. (author)

Rare-earth doped boron nitride nanotubes: Synthesis and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Wellington Marcos; Sousa, Edesia Martins Barros de

2016-01-01

Full text: Boron nitride is a heat and chemically resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen atoms with the chemical formula BN. This structure exists in various crystalline forms that are isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice. The hexagonal form (h-BN) corresponding to graphite is the most stable and soft among BN polymorph. However, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were first time synthesized in 1995 [1] and have a type of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure. Recently the BNNTs have attracted significant interest for scientific and technological applications due to their Wide bandgap. The Wide-bandgap semiconductors doped with rare-earth are considered as a new type of luminescent material, combining special Wide bandgap semiconducting properties with the rare-earth luminescence feature. BNNTs have a stable wide bandgap of 5.5 eV and super thermal and chemical stabilities, which make BNNTs an ideal nanosized luminescent material [2]. In this study, we report a simple and efficient route for the synthesis of BNNTs doped with samarium and europium. High quality BNNTs doped was produced via CVD technique using NH 3 and N 2 gases as source. Boron amorphous, catalyst and oxides rare-earth powder were used as precursor. Detailed studies involving energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were performed in order to characterize the BNNTs as grown. [1] Chopra, N. G.; Luyken, R. J. et al. Science, v. 269, p. 966-967, 1995. [2] Chen, H.; Chen, Y. et al. Adv. Matter. v. 19, p. 1845-1848, 2007. (author)

Battery, especially for portable devices, has an anode containing silicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kan, S.Y.

2002-01-01

The anode (2) contains silicon. A battery with a silicon-containing anode is claimed. An Independent claim is also included for a method used to make the battery, comprising the doping of a silicon substrate (1) with charge capacity-increasing material (preferably boron, phosphorous or arsenic),

Rectifying Properties of a Nitrogen/Boron-Doped Capped-Carbon-Nanotube-Based Molecular Junction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Peng; Zhang Ying; Wang Pei-Ji; Zhang Zhong; Liu De-Sheng

2011-01-01

Based on the non-equilibrium Green's function method and first-principles density functional theory calculations, we investigate the electronic transport properties of a nitrogen/boron-doped capped-single-walled carbon-nanotube-based molecular junction. Obvious rectifying behavior is observed and it is strongly dependent on the doping site. The best rectifying performance can be carried out when the nitrogen/boron atom dopes at a carbon site in the second layer. Moreover, the rectifying performance can be further improved by adjusting the distance between the C 60 nanotube caps. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Effects of processing and dopant on radiation damage removal in silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Weinberg, I.; Brandhorst, H. W., Jr.; Swartz, C. K.; Mehta, S.

1982-01-01

Gallium and boron doped silicon solar cells, processed by ion-implantation followed by either laser or furnace anneal were irradiated by 1 MeV electrons and their post-irradiation recovery by thermal annealing determined. During the post-irradiation anneal, gallium-doped cells prepared by both processes recovered more rapidly and exhibited none of the severe reverse annealing observed for similarly processed 2 ohm-cm boron doped cells. Ion-implanted furnace annealed 0.1 ohm-cm boron doped cells exhibited the lowest post-irradiation annealing temperatures (200 C) after irradiation to 5 x 10 to the 13th e(-)/sq cm. The drastically lowered recovery temperature is attributed to the reduced oxygen and carbon content of the 0.1 ohm-cm cells. Analysis based on defect properties and annealing kinetics indicates that further reduction in annealing temperature should be attainable with further reduction in the silicon's carbon and/or divacancy content after irradiation.

The effect of carbon and boron on the accumulation of vacancy-oxygen complexes in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhmetov, V.D.; Bolotov, V.V.

1980-01-01

By means of IR-absorption measurements the dose dependencies of the concentrations of vacancy-oxygen complexes (VO), interstitial oxygen atoms (Osub(I)), substitutional carbon atoms (Csub(S)) and interstitial carbon-oxygen complexes (Csub(I)Osub(I)) in n- and p-type silicon irradiated with 1.1 MeV electrons have been investigated. The observed increase of the production rate of VO-complexes with the rise of carbon and boron atoms concentrations (these impurities act as sinks for silicon interstitial atoms) has been explained in terms of annihilation of the vacancies and interstitials on the oxygen atoms. The results obtained show that boron atoms are more effective sinks than carbon atoms for the interstitial silicon atoms. That seems to be connected not only with the higher probability of boron injection into interstitial position but also with the further capture of interstitial silicon atoms on the interstitial boron, i.e. with the interstitial cluster formation. (author)

Magnetostriction of the polycrystalline Fe{sub 80}Al{sub 20} alloy doped with boron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bormio-Nunes, Cristina, E-mail: cristina@demar.eel.usp.br [Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Dep. de Eng. de Materiais, Universidade de S.Paulo, Lorena, SP (Brazil); Teodoro dos Santos, Claudio; Botani de Souza Dias, Mateus [Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Dep. de Eng. de Materiais, Universidade de S.Paulo, Lorena, SP (Brazil); Doerr, Mathias; Granovsky, Sergey; Loewenhaupt, Michael [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, TU Dresden, D-01062 Dresden (Germany)

2012-10-25

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fe{sub 80}Al{sub 20} polycrystalline alloy magnetostriction 40 ppm increased to 80 ppm due to 2% of B doping. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer B stabilizes {alpha}-FeAl phase and a coexistence of {alpha}-FeAl + Fe{sub 3}Al improves magnetostriction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Presence of Fe{sub 2}B phase causes domain rearrangement revealed by the decrease of the volume magnetostriction. - Abstract: The doping of Fe{sub 80}Al{sub 20} polycrystalline alloy with 2% of boron increased the total magnetostriction twofold compared to a sample without boron. A value close to 80 ppm was achieved at 300 K. The microstructures of the boron-doped alloys show a dendritically solidified matrix with interdendritic {alpha}-FeAl and/or Fe{sub 3}Al and Fe{sub 2}B eutectic between the grains. The XRD analysis reveals an increase in the volume fraction of {alpha}-FeAl and a correspondent decrease of the Fe{sub 3}Al phase volume fraction as the boron content increases. The increase of the volume fraction of this tetragonal Fe{sub 2}B phase in the samples doped with boron causes the decrease of the strong volume magnetostriction that was observed in the alloy without boron. There is some evidence that the improvement of the magnetostriction magnitude due to the addition of boron to the Fe{sub 80}Al{sub 20} alloy could reach the maximal magnetostriction if the 1:1 optimal ratio of the volume fractions of the {alpha}-FeAl and Fe{sub 3}Al phases could be reached.

Hot wire and spark pyrolysis as simple new routes to silicon nanoparticle synthesis

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Scriba, MR

2012-11-01

Full Text Available doped silicon powders have a much higher conductivity than those doped with phosphorus. TEM and XPS analysis reveals that the difference in electrical resistivity between boron an phosphorus doped particles can be attributed to phosphorus dopants being...

Nanodiamonds for device applications: An investigation of the properties of boron-doped detonation nanodiamonds.

Science.gov (United States)

Afandi, Abdulkareem; Howkins, Ashley; Boyd, Ian W; Jackman, Richard B

2018-02-19

The inclusion of boron within nanodiamonds to create semiconducting properties would create a new class of applications in the field of nanodiamond electronics. Theoretical studies have differed in their conclusions as to whether nm-scale NDs would support a stable substitutional boron state, or whether such a state would be unstable, with boron instead aggregating or attaching to edge structures. In the present study detonation-derived NDs with purposefully added boron during the detonation process have been studied with a wide range of experimental techniques. The DNDs are of ~4 nm in size, and have been studied with CL, PL, Raman and IR spectroscopies, AFM and HR-TEM and electrically measured with impedance spectroscopy; it is apparent that the B-DNDs studied here do indeed support substitutional boron species and hence will be acting as semiconducting diamond nanoparticles. Evidence for moderate doping levels in some particles (~10 17 B cm -3 ), is found alongside the observation that some particles are heavily doped (~10 20 B cm -3 ) and likely to be quasi-metallic in character. The current study has therefore shown that substitutional boron doping in nm NDs is in fact possible, opening-up the path to a whole host of new applications for this interesting class of nano-particles.

Nuclear-physical techniques for determination of boron distribution in pure materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadirova, M.; Jumaev, N.; Simakhin, Yu.F.; Idrisov, Kh.; Usmanova, M.M.

2001-01-01

To study deep boron diffusion in the complex silicon structures, consisting of interchange boron doping layers of mono- and polycrystalline silicon, separated by oxide films a technique of sidelong section by using Solid State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) has been elaborated. The boron distribution determination technique is based on the detection of alpha particles from the 10B(n, )7Li reaction with cellulose nitrate film. The etched track registering cellulose nitrate film show the structure image magnified 1/sin fold. Boron concentration defined by density of the etched pits appearing on the film surface. An optical microscope analysis of the sample track-mapping image is realized by examination with closely spaced ( l < x/sin ) and largely spaced ( l x/sin ) movements. All these elaborated techniques can be used to investigate other solid matrix

Improving the electrochemical properties of nanosized LiFePO4-based electrode by boron doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trócoli, Rafael; Franger, Sylvain; Cruz, Manuel; Morales, Julián; Santos-Peña, Jesús

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal treatment of boron phosphate with LiFePO 4 provides electrode materials with high performance in lithium half-cells: 160 mAh·g -1 (90% of theoretical capacity) under C/5 rate • The products are composites containing boron-modified LiFePO 4 , FePO 4 and an amorphous phase with ionic diffusion properties • The boron treatment affects textural, conductive and lithium diffusivity of the electrode material leading to higher performance • A limited boron-doping of the phospholivine structure is observed - Abstract: Electrode materials with homogeneous distribution of boron were obtained by heating mixtures of nanosized carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate and BPO 4 in 3-9% weight at 700 °C. The materials can be described as nanocomposites containing i) LiFePO 4 , possibly doped with a low amount of boron, ii) FePO 4 and iii) an amorphous layer based on Li 4 P 2 O 7 -derived material that surrounds the phosphate particles. The thermal treatment with BPO 4 also triggered changes in the carbon coating graphitic order. Galvanostatic and voltammetric studies in lithium half-cells showed smaller polarisation, higher capacity and better cycle life for the boron-doped composites. For instance, one of the solids, called B 6 -LiFePO 4 , provided close to 150 and 140 mAhg -1 (87% and 81% of theoretical capacity, respectively) under C/2.5 and C regimes after several cycles. Improved specific surface area, carbon graphitization, conductivity and lithium ion diffusivity in the boron-doped phospholivine network account for this excellent rate performance. The properties of an amorphous layer surrounding the phosphate particles also account for such higher performance

Tuning the electronic properties of armchair carbon nanoribbons by a selective boron doping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navarro-Santos, P; Ricardo-Chavez, J L; Lopez-Sandoval, R [Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica, Camino a la presa San Jose 2055, San Luis Potosi 78216 (Mexico); Reyes-Reyes, M [Instituto de Investigacion en Comunicacion Optica, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, San Luis Potosi 78000 (Mexico); Rivera, J L, E-mail: sandov@ipicyt.edu.m [Facultad de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo, Santiago Tapia 403, Morelia, Michoacan, 58000 (Mexico)

2010-12-22

Armchair carbon nanoribbons (ACNRs) substitutionally doped with boron atoms are investigated in the framework of first-principles density functional theory. Different boron-boron arrangements and concentrations are considered in order to simulate possible aggregation patterns, their structural stability and electronic behavior are determined as a function of ribbon size. In agreement with previous studies, our results show that the dopant atoms have in general a preference for edge sites, but specific effects appear as a function of concentration that importantly modify the properties of the ribbons compared to the pristine case. Interesting tendencies are discovered as a function of dopant concentration that significantly affect the electronic properties of the ribbons. We have found that BC{sub 3} island formation and edge doping are the most important factors for the structural stabilization of the ribbons with high boron concentration (>7%) whereas for the cases of low boron concentrations (<5%) the structural stabilities are similar. For all the doped cases, we have found that the BC{sub 3} island patterns give rise to highly localized B states on top of the Fermi level, resulting in semiconducting behavior. On the other hand, when the average distance between the B atoms increases beyond island stoichiometry, the localization of their states is reduced and the ribbons may become metallic due to a band crossing caused by the lowering of the Fermi level resulting from the positive charge doping. Thus, tuning the dopant interaction would be an appropriate way to tailor the electronic properties of the ribbons in a convenient manner in view of potential technological applications.

Doping efficiency analysis of highly phosphorous doped epitaxial/amorphous silicon emitters grown by PECVD for high efficiency silicon solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Gohary, H.G.; Sivoththaman, S. [Waterloo Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

2008-08-15

The efficient doping of hydrogenated amorphous and crystalline silicon thin films is a key factor in the fabrication of silicon solar cells. The most popular method for developing those films is plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) because it minimizes defect density and improves doping efficiency. This paper discussed the preparation of different structure phosphorous doped silicon emitters ranging from epitaxial to amorphous films at low temperature. Phosphine (PH{sub 3}) was employed as the doping gas source with the same gas concentration for both epitaxial and amorphous silicon emitters. The paper presented an analysis of dopant activation by applying a very short rapid thermal annealing process (RTP). A spreading resistance profile (SRP) and SIMS analysis were used to detect both the active dopant and the dopant concentrations, respectively. The paper also provided the results of a structural analysis for both bulk and cross-section at the interface using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, for epitaxial and amorphous films. It was concluded that a unity doping efficiency could be achieved in epitaxial layers by applying an optimized temperature profile using short time processing rapid thermal processing technique. The high quality, one step epitaxial layers, led to both high conductive and high doping efficiency layers.

The preparation method of solid boron solution in silicon carbide in the form of micro powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pampuch, R.; Stobierski, L.; Lis, J.; Bialoskorski, J.; Ermer, E.

1993-01-01

The preparation method of solid boron solution in silicon carbide in the form of micro power has been worked out. The method consists in introducing mixture of boron, carbon and silicon and heating in the atmosphere of inert gas to the 1573 K

Extrinsic doping in silicon revisited

KAUST Repository

Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Chroneos, Alexander; Grimes, R. W.; Schuster, Cosima

2010-01-01

Both n-type and p-type doping of silicon is at odds with the charge transfer predicted by Pauling electronegativities and can only be reconciled if we no longer regarding dopant species as isolated atoms but rather consider them as clusters consisting of the dopant and its four nearest neighbor silicon atoms. The process that gives rise to n-type and p-type effects is the charge redistribution that occurs between the dopant and its neighbors, as we illustrate here using electronic structure calculations. This view point is able to explain why conventional substitutional n-type doping of carbon has been so difficult.

Extrinsic doping in silicon revisited

KAUST Repository

Schwingenschlögl, Udo

2010-06-17

Both n-type and p-type doping of silicon is at odds with the charge transfer predicted by Pauling electronegativities and can only be reconciled if we no longer regarding dopant species as isolated atoms but rather consider them as clusters consisting of the dopant and its four nearest neighbor silicon atoms. The process that gives rise to n-type and p-type effects is the charge redistribution that occurs between the dopant and its neighbors, as we illustrate here using electronic structure calculations. This view point is able to explain why conventional substitutional n-type doping of carbon has been so difficult.

Electron field emission from boron doped microcrystalline diamond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roos, M.; Baranauskas, V.; Fontana, M.; Ceragioli, H.J.; Peterlevitz, A.C.; Mallik, K.; Degasperi, F.T.

2007-01-01

Field emission properties of hot filament chemical vapor deposited boron doped polycrystalline diamond have been studied. Doping level (N B ) of different samples has been varied by the B/C concentration in the gas feed during the growth process and doping saturation has been observed for high B/C ratios. Threshold field (E th ) for electron emission as function of B/C concentration has been measured, and the influences of grain boundaries, doping level and surface morphology on field emission properties have been investigated. Carrier transport through conductive grains and local emission properties of surface sites have been figured out to be two independent limiting effects in respect of field emission. Emitter current densities of 500 nA cm -2 were obtained using electric fields less than 8 V/μm

Porous boron doped diamonds as metal-free catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solution

Science.gov (United States)

Suo, Ni; Huang, Hao; Wu, Aimin; Cao, Guozhong; Hou, Xiaoduo; Zhang, Guifeng

2018-05-01

Porous boron doped diamonds (BDDs) were obtained on foam nickel substrates with a porosity of 80%, 85%, 90% and 95% respectively by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that uniform and compact BDDs with a cauliflower-like morphology have covered the overall frame of the foam nickel substrates. Raman spectroscopy shows that the BDDs have a poor crystallinity due to heavily doping boron. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis effectively demonstrates that boron atoms can be successfully incorporated into the crystal lattice of diamonds. Electrochemical measurements indicate that the oxygen reduction potential is unaffected by the specific surface area (SSA), and both the onset potential and the limiting diffusion current density are enhanced with increasing SSA. It is also found that the durability and methanol tolerance of the boron doped diamond catalysts are attenuated as the increasing of SSA. The SSA of the catalyst is directly proportional to the oxygen reduction activity and inversely to the durability and methanol resistance. These results provide a reference to the application of porous boron doped diamonds as potential cathodic catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solution by adjusting the SSA.

Green synthesis of boron doped graphene and its application as high performance anode material in Li ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahoo, Madhumita; Sreena, K.P.; Vinayan, B.P.; Ramaprabhu, S.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Boron doped graphene (B-G), synthesized by simple hydrogen induced reduction technique using boric acid as boron precursor, have more uneven surface as a result of smaller bonding distance of boron compared to carbon, showed high capacity and high rate capability compared to pristine graphene as an anode material for Li ion battery application. - Abstract: The present work demonstrates a facile route for the large-scale, catalyst free, and green synthesis approach of boron doped graphene (B-G) and its use as high performance anode material for Li ion battery (LIB) application. Boron atoms were doped into graphene framework with an atomic percentage of 5.93% via hydrogen induced thermal reduction technique using graphite oxide and boric acid as precursors. Various characterization techniques were used to confirm the boron doping in graphene sheets. B-G as anode material shows a discharge capacity of 548 mAh g −1 at 100 mA g −1 after 30th cycles. At high current density value of 1 A g −1 , B-G as anode material enhances the specific capacity by about 1.7 times compared to pristine graphene. The present study shows a simplistic way of boron doping in graphene leading to an enhanced Li ion adsorption due to the change in electronic states

Green synthesis of boron doped graphene and its application as high performance anode material in Li ion battery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahoo, Madhumita; Sreena, K.P.; Vinayan, B.P.; Ramaprabhu, S., E-mail: ramp@iitm.ac.in

2015-01-15

Graphical abstract: Boron doped graphene (B-G), synthesized by simple hydrogen induced reduction technique using boric acid as boron precursor, have more uneven surface as a result of smaller bonding distance of boron compared to carbon, showed high capacity and high rate capability compared to pristine graphene as an anode material for Li ion battery application. - Abstract: The present work demonstrates a facile route for the large-scale, catalyst free, and green synthesis approach of boron doped graphene (B-G) and its use as high performance anode material for Li ion battery (LIB) application. Boron atoms were doped into graphene framework with an atomic percentage of 5.93% via hydrogen induced thermal reduction technique using graphite oxide and boric acid as precursors. Various characterization techniques were used to confirm the boron doping in graphene sheets. B-G as anode material shows a discharge capacity of 548 mAh g{sup −1} at 100 mA g{sup −1} after 30th cycles. At high current density value of 1 A g{sup −1}, B-G as anode material enhances the specific capacity by about 1.7 times compared to pristine graphene. The present study shows a simplistic way of boron doping in graphene leading to an enhanced Li ion adsorption due to the change in electronic states.

Boron-doped hydrogenated Al{sub 3} clusters: A material for hydrogen storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muz, İskender, E-mail: iskender.muz@nevsehir.edu.tr [Faculty of Education, Department of Science Education, Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University, 50300, Nevsehir (Turkey); Atiş, Murat [Kayseri Vocational School, Electricity and Energy Department, Erciyes University, 38300, Kayseri (Turkey)

2016-05-15

The energetic and structural stabilities of Al{sub 3}BH{sub 2n} (n = 0–6) clusters are investigated using ab initio calculations. Structural isomers are found using the stochastic search method to search for minima structures, followed by B3LYP optimizations; single-point CCSD(T) calculations are performed to compute relative energies. Chemical bonding analysis is also performed using the adaptive natural density partitioning method to investigate the chemical bonding in the clusters and to elucidate their structural evolution. Our results and analyses indicate that the stability of the boron-doped hydrogenated Al{sub 3} clusters increases as more hydrogen molecules are adsorbed, whereas the H{sub 2} loss energy decreases. The results are in good agreement with available theoretical findings. - Highlights: • The boron-doped hydrogenated Al{sub 3} clusters are generated using stochastic search method. • The energetic and structural stabilities are investigated in detail. • The chemical bonding analysis is performed by using AdNDP analysis. • The doping by boron allows development of better aluminum-based metal hydrides.

Doping of silicon by laser-induced diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pretorius, R.; Allie, M.S.

1986-01-01

This report gives information on the doping of silicon by laser-induced diffusion, modelling and heat-flow calculation, doping from evaporated layers and silicon self-diffusion during pulsed laser irradiation. In order to tailor dopant profiles accurately a knowledge of the heat flow and the melt depths attained as a function of laser energy and material type is crucial. The heat flow calculations described can be used in conjuntion with most diffusion equations in order to predict the redistribution of the deposited dopant which occurs as a result of liquid phase diffusion during the melting period. Doping of Si was carried out by evaporating this films of Sb, In and Bi 10 to 300 A thick, onto the substrates. During pulsed laser irradiation the dopant film and underlying silicon substrate is melted and the dopant incorporated into the crystal lattice during recrystallization. Radioactive 31 Si(T1/2=2,62h) was used as a tracer to measure the self-diffusion of silicon in silicon during pulsed laser (pulsewidth = 30ns, wavelength = 694nm) irradiation

Effect of radiation induced defects and incompatibility elastic stresses on the diffusion of ion implantated boron in silicon at the pulse annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stel'makh, V.F.; Suprun-Belevich, Yu.R.; Chelyadinskij, A.R.

1987-01-01

For determination of radiation defects effect on diffusion of the implanted boron in silicon at the pulse annealing, silicon crystals, implanted with boron, preliminary irradiated by silicon ions of different flows for checked defects implantation, were investigated. Silicon crystals additionally implanted by Ge + ions were investigated to research the effect of the incompatibility elastic stresses, emerging in implanted structures due to lattice periods noncoincidence in matrix and alloyed layers, on implanted boron diffusion. It is shown, that abnormally high values of boron diffusion coefficients in silicon at the pulse annealing are explained by silicon interstitial atom participation in redistribution of diffusing boron atoms by two diffusion channels - interstitial and vacation - and by incompatibility elastic stresses effect on diffusion

Factors influencing voltammetric reduction of 5-nitroquinoline at boron-doped diamond electrodes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vosáhlová, J.; Zavázalová, J.; Petrák, Václav; Schwarzová-Pecková, K.

2016-01-01

Roč. 147, č. 1 (2016), s. 21-29 ISSN 0026-9247 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : voltammetry * boron-doped diamond electrode * boron concentration * reduction * electrochemistry Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 1.282, year: 2016

Suppression of irradiation effects in gold-doped silicon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McPherson, M.; Sloan, T.; Jones, B.K.

1997-01-01

Two sets of silicon detectors were irradiated with 1 MeV neutrons to different fluences and then characterized. The first batch were ordinary p-i-n photodiodes fabricated from high-resistivity (400 Ω cm) silicon, while the second batch were gold-doped powder diodes fabricated from silicon material initially of low resistivity (20 Ω cm). The increase in reverse leakage current after irradiation was found to be more in the former case than in the latter. The fluence dependence of the capacitance was much more pronounced in the p-i-n diodes than in the gold-doped diodes. Furthermore, photo current generation by optical means was less in the gold doped devices. All these results suggest that gold doping in silicon somewhat suppresses the effects of neutron irradiation. (author)

High-concentration boron doping of graphene nanoplatelets by simple thermal annealing and their supercapacitive properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeom, Da-Young; Jeon, Woojin; Tu, Nguyen Dien Kha; Yeo, So Young; Lee, Sang-Soo; Sung, Bong June; Chang, Hyejung; Lim, Jung Ah; Kim, Heesuk

2015-05-05

For the utilization of graphene in various energy storage and conversion applications, it must be synthesized in bulk with reliable and controllable electrical properties. Although nitrogen-doped graphene shows a high doping efficiency, its electrical properties can be easily affected by oxygen and water impurities from the environment. We here report that boron-doped graphene nanoplatelets with desirable electrical properties can be prepared by the simultaneous reduction and boron-doping of graphene oxide (GO) at a high annealing temperature. B-doped graphene nanoplatelets prepared at 1000 °C show a maximum boron concentration of 6.04 ± 1.44 at %, which is the highest value among B-doped graphenes prepared using various methods. With well-mixed GO and g-B2O3 as the dopant, highly uniform doping is achieved for potentially gram-scale production. In addition, as a proof-of-concept, highly B-doped graphene nanoplatelets were used as an electrode of an electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) and showed an excellent specific capacitance value of 448 F/g in an aqueous electrolyte without additional conductive additives. We believe that B-doped graphene nanoplatelets can also be used in other applications such as electrocatalyst and nano-electronics because of their reliable and controllable electrical properties regardless of the outer environment.

High-concentration boron doping of graphene nanoplatelets by simple thermal annealing and their supercapacitive properties

Science.gov (United States)

Yeom, Da-Young; Jeon, Woojin; Tu, Nguyen Dien Kha; Yeo, So Young; Lee, Sang-Soo; Sung, Bong June; Chang, Hyejung; Lim, Jung Ah; Kim, Heesuk

2015-05-01

For the utilization of graphene in various energy storage and conversion applications, it must be synthesized in bulk with reliable and controllable electrical properties. Although nitrogen-doped graphene shows a high doping efficiency, its electrical properties can be easily affected by oxygen and water impurities from the environment. We here report that boron-doped graphene nanoplatelets with desirable electrical properties can be prepared by the simultaneous reduction and boron-doping of graphene oxide (GO) at a high annealing temperature. B-doped graphene nanoplatelets prepared at 1000 °C show a maximum boron concentration of 6.04 ± 1.44 at %, which is the highest value among B-doped graphenes prepared using various methods. With well-mixed GO and g-B2O3 as the dopant, highly uniform doping is achieved for potentially gram-scale production. In addition, as a proof-of-concept, highly B-doped graphene nanoplatelets were used as an electrode of an electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) and showed an excellent specific capacitance value of 448 F/g in an aqueous electrolyte without additional conductive additives. We believe that B-doped graphene nanoplatelets can also be used in other applications such as electrocatalyst and nano-electronics because of their reliable and controllable electrical properties regardless of the outer environment.

Electric fields in nonhomogeneously doped silicon. Summary of simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotov, I.V.; Humanic, T.J.; Nouais, D.; Randel, J.; Rashevsky, A.

2006-01-01

Variations of the doping concentration inside a silicon device result in electric field distortions. These distortions, 'parasitic' fields, have been observed in Silicon Drift Detectors [D. Nouais, et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 501 (2003) 119; E. Crescio, et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 539 (2005) 250]. Electric fields inside a silicon device can be calculated for a given doping profile. In this study, the ATLAS device simulator. [Silvaco International, 4701 Patrick Henry Drive, Bldg.2, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA and s imulation/atlas.html>] was used to calculate the electric field inside an inhomogeneously doped device. Simulations were performed for 1D periodic doping profiles. Results show strong dependence of the parasitic field strength on the 'smoothness' of the doping profile

Investigations on photoelectrochemical performance of boron doped ZnO nanorods synthesized by facile hydrothermal technique

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Akash; Chakraborty, Mohua; Thangavel, R.

2018-05-01

Undoped and 10% Boron (B)-doped Zinc Oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) on Tin doped Indium Oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates were synthesized using facile sol-gel, spin coating and hydrothermal method. The impact of adding Boron on the structural, optical properties, surface morphology and photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances of the ZnO NRs have been investigated. The XRD pattern confirmed the formation of pure hexagonal phase with space group P63mc (186). The same can also be clearly observed form the FESEM images. The UV-Vis study shows the narrowing in band gap from 3.22 eV to 3.19 eV with incorporation of Boron in ZnO matrix. The B-doped ZnO NRs sample shows an enhanced photocurrent density of 1.31 mA/cm2 at 0.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), which is more than 171% enhancement compared to bare ZnO NRs (0.483 mA/cm2) in 0.1 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution. The results clearly indicates that the boron doped ZnO NRs can be used as an efficient photoelectrode material for photoelectrochemical cell.

Influence of boron content on the morphological, spectral, and electroanalytical characteristics of anodically oxidized boron-doped diamond electrodes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Schwarzová-Pecková, K.; Vosáhlová, J.; Barek, J.; Šloufová, I.; Pavlova, Ewa; Petrák, Václav; Zavázalová, J.

2017-01-01

Roč. 243, 20 July (2017), s. 170-182 ISSN 0013-4686 R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) TE01020118 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : 2-aminobiphenyl * boron content * boron-doped diamond Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry; CG - Electrochemistry (FZU-D) OBOR OECD: Polymer science; Electrochemistry (dry cells, batteries, fuel cells, corrosion metals, electrolysis) (FZU-D) Impact factor: 4.798, year: 2016

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of carbon doped boron nitride nanowire: Ab initio study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jalilian, Jaafar, E-mail: JaafarJalilian@gmail.com [Young Researchers and Elite Club, Kermanshah Br anch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box: 6718997551, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kanjouri, Faramarz, E-mail: kanjouri@khu.ac.ir [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Kharazmi University, University Square, P.O. Box: 3197937551, Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-11-15

Using spin-polarized density functional theory calculations, we demonstrated that carbon doped boron nitride nanowire (C-doped BNNW) has diverse electronic and magnetic properties depending on position of carbon atoms and their percentages. Our results show that only when one carbon atom is situated on the edge of the nanowire, C-doped BNNW is transformed into half-metal. The calculated electronic structure of the C-doped BNNW suggests that doping carbon can induce localized edge states around the Fermi level, and the interaction among localized edge states leads to semiconductor to half-metal transition. Overall, the bond reconstruction causes of appearance of different electronic behavior such as semiconducting, half-metallicity, nonmagnetic metallic, and ferromagnetic metallic characters. The formation energy of the system shows that when a C atom is doped on surface boron site, system is more stable than the other positions of carbon impurity. Our calculations show that C-doped BNNW may offer unique opportunities for developing nanoscale spintronic materials.

Deep level transient spectroscopy and minority carrier lifetime study on Ga-doped continuous Czochralski silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Yohan; Yan, Yixin; Ostrom, Nels P.; Kim, Jinwoo; Rozgonyi, George

2012-11-01

Continuous-Czochralski (c-Cz) crystal growth has been suggested as a viable technique for the fabrication of photovoltaic Si wafers due to its low resistivity variation of any dopant, independent of segregation, compared to conventional Cz. In order to eliminate light induced degradation due to boron-oxygen traps in conventional p-type silicon wafers, gallium doped wafers have been grown by c-Cz method and investigated using four point probe, deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), and microwave-photoconductance decay. Iron-gallium related electrically active defects were identified using DLTS as the main lifetime killers responsible for reduced non-uniform lifetimes in radial and axial positions of the c-Cz silicon ingot. A direct correlation between minority carrier lifetime and the concentration of electrically active Fe-Ga pairs was established.

Field assisted photoemission by silicon photocathodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aboubacar, A.; Dupont, M.; El Manouni, A.; Querrou, M.; Says, L.P.

1991-01-01

Silicon photocathodes with arrays of tips have been prepared using microlithographic techniques. Current emission due to field effect has been measured in the case of heavy and weakly doped boron Silicon. An Argon continuous laser has been used to produce photocurrent. An instantaneous current (600 μA) with a moderate laser power (83 mW), has been produced on weakly doped photocathodes. This current corresponds to an average quantum yield (purely photoelectric) of about 1.7%, and a local current density in the range of a few 10 6 A m -2

Microdefects in neutron-transmutationaly doped silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vysotskaya, V.V.; Gorin, S.N.; Gres'kov, I.M.; Sobolev, N.A.; Shek, E.I.

1988-01-01

Using the method of X-ray topography and high-voltage electron microscopy, the nature of microdefects and character of their changes in neutron-transmutationaly doped silicon depending on the sample prehistory and heat treatment (HT) conditions are refined. It is shown that the microstructure of neutron-transmutationaly doped dislocation-free silicon crystals depends on conditions of ingot growth and post-radiation annealing environment. Annealing in chlorine-containing atmosphere removes microdefects (MD), although in vacuum, argon or air growing MD are preserved and new MD are formed

Microdefects in neutron-transmutationaly doped silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vysotskaya, V V; Gorin, S N; Gres' kov, I M; Sobolev, N A; Shek, E I

1988-03-01

Using the method of X-ray topography and high-voltage electron microscopy, the nature of microdefects and character of their changes in neutron-transmutationaly doped silicon depending on the sample prehistory and heat treatment (HT) conditions are refined. It is shown that the microstructure of neutron-transmutationaly doped dislocation-free silicon crystals depends on conditions of ingot growth and post-radiation annealing environment. Annealing in chlorine-containing atmosphere removes microdefects (MD), although in vacuum, argon or air growing MD are preserved and new MD are formed.

Black phosphorus induced photo-doping for high-performance organic-silicon heterojunction photovoltaics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhouhui Xia; Pengfei Li; Yuqiang Liu; Tao Song; Qiaoliang Bao; Shuit-Tong Lee; Baoquan Sun

2017-01-01

In conventional crystalline silicon (Si) homojunction solar cells,a strategy of doping by transporting phosphorus or boron impurities into Si is commonly used to build Ohmic contacts at rear electrodes.However,this technique involves an energy intensive,high temperature (～ 800 ℃) process and toxic doping materials.Black phosphorus (BP) is a two-dimensional,narrow bandgap semiconductor with high carrier mobility that exhibits broad light harvesting properties.Here,we place BP:zinc oxide (ZnO) composite films between Si and aluminum (Al) to improve their contact.Once the BP harvests photons with energies below 1.1 eV from the crystalline Si,the ZnO carrier concentration increases dramatically due to charge injection.This photo-induced doping results in a high carrier concentration in the ZnO film,mimicking the modulated doping technique used in semiconductor heterojunctions.We show that photo-induced carriers dramatically increase the conductivities of the BP-modified ZnO films,thus reducing the contact resistance between Si and Al.A photovoltaic power conversion efficiency of 15.2％ is achieved in organic-Si heterojunction solar cells that use a ZnO:BP layer.These findings demonstrate an effective way of improving Si/metal contact via a simple,low temperature process.

Impurity doping processes in silicon

CERN Document Server

Wang, FFY

1981-01-01

This book introduces to non-experts several important processes of impurity doping in silicon and goes on to discuss the methods of determination of the concentration of dopants in silicon. The conventional method used is the discussion process, but, since it has been sufficiently covered in many texts, this work describes the double-diffusion method.

Boron-doped cadmium oxide composite structures and their electrochemical measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lokhande, B.J., E-mail: bjlokhande@yahoo.com [Lab of Smart Mtrls Supercapacitive and Energy Studies, School of Physical Sciences, Solapur University, Solapur 413255, Maharashtra (India); Ambare, R.C. [Lab of Smart Mtrls Supercapacitive and Energy Studies, School of Physical Sciences, Solapur University, Solapur 413255, Maharashtra (India); Mane, R.S. [School of Physical Sciences, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded 431606 (India); Bharadwaj, S.R. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2013-08-01

Graphical abstract: Conducting nano-fibrous 3% boron doped cadmium oxide thin films were prepared by SILAR and its super capacitive properties were studied. - Highlights: • Samples are of nanofibrous nature. • All samples shows pseudocapacitive behavior. • 3% B doped CdO shows good specific capacitance. • 3% B doped CdO shows maximum 74.93% efficiency at 14 mA/cm{sup 2}. • 3% B doped CdO shows 0.8 Ω internal resistance. - Abstract: Boron-doped and undoped cadmium oxide composite nanostructures in thin film form were prepared onto stainless steel substrates by a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method using aqueous solutions of cadmium nitrate, boric acid and 1% H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. As-deposited films were annealed at 623 K for 1 h. The X-ray diffraction study shows crystalline behavior for both doped and undoped films with a porous topography and nano-wires type architecture, as observed in SEM image. Wettability test confirms the hydrophilic surface with 58° contact angle value. Estimated band gap energy is around 1.9 eV. Electrochemical behavior of the deposited films is attempted in 1 M KOH electrolyte using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests. Maximum values of the specific capacitance, specific energy and specific power obtained for 3% B doped CdO film at 2 mV/s scan rate are 20.05 F/g, 1.22 Wh/kg and 3.25 kW/kg, respectively.

Structural and mechanical characterization of boron doped biphasic calcium phosphate produced by wet chemical method and subsequent thermal treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albayrak, Onder, E-mail: albayrakonder@mersin.edu.tr

2016-03-15

In the current study, boron doped biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics consisting of a mixture of boron doped hydroxyapatite (BHA) and beta tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) of varying BHA/β-TCP ratios were obtained after sintering stage. The effects of varying boron contents and different sintering temperatures on the BHA/β-TCP ratios and on the sinterability of the final products were investigated. Particle sizes and morphologies of the obtained precipitates were determined using SEM. XRD and FTIR investigation were conducted to detect the boron formation in the structure of HA and quantitative analysis was performed to determine the BHA/β-TCP ratio before and after sintering stage. In order to determine the sinterability of the obtained powders, pellets were prepared and sintered; the rates of densification were calculated and obtained results were correlated by SEM images. Also Vickers microhardness values of the sintered samples were determined. The experimental results verified that boron doped hydroxyapatite powders were obtained after sintering stage and the structure consists of a mixture of BHA and β-TCP. As the boron content used in the precipitation stage increases, β-TCP content of the BHA/β-TCP ratio increases but sinterability, density and microhardness deteriorate. As the sintering temperature increases, β-TCP content, density and microhardness of the samples increase and sinterability improves. - Highlights: • This is the first paper about boron doped biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics. • Boron doping affects the structural and mechanical properties. • BHA/β-TCP ratio can be adjustable with boron content and sintering temperature.

Functionalization of silicon-doped single walled carbon nanotubes at the doping site: An ab initio study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Chen; Xia Yueyuan; Zhao Mingwen; Liu Xiangdong; Li Feng; Huang Boda; Zhang Hongyu; Zhang Bingyun

2006-01-01

We performed ab initio calculations on the cytosine-functionalized silicon-doped single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). The results show that silicon substitutional doping to SWNT can dramatically change the atomic and electronic structures of the SWNT. And more importantly, it may provide an efficient pathway for further sidewall functionalization to synthesize more complicated SWNT based complex materials, for example, our previously proposed base-functionalized SWNTs, because the doping silicon atom can improve the reaction activity of the tube at the doping site due to its preference to form sp3 hybridization bonding

N-Type delta Doping of High-Purity Silicon Imaging Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Blacksberg, Jordana; Hoenk, Michael; Nikzad, Shouleh

2005-01-01

A process for n-type (electron-donor) delta doping has shown promise as a means of modifying back-illuminated image detectors made from n-doped high-purity silicon to enable them to detect high-energy photons (ultraviolet and x-rays) and low-energy charged particles (electrons and ions). This process is applicable to imaging detectors of several types, including charge-coupled devices, hybrid devices, and complementary metal oxide/semiconductor detector arrays. Delta doping is so named because its density-vs.-depth characteristic is reminiscent of the Dirac delta function (impulse function): the dopant is highly concentrated in a very thin layer. Preferably, the dopant is concentrated in one or at most two atomic layers in a crystal plane and, therefore, delta doping is also known as atomic-plane doping. The use of doping to enable detection of high-energy photons and low-energy particles was reported in several prior NASA Tech Briefs articles. As described in more detail in those articles, the main benefit afforded by delta doping of a back-illuminated silicon detector is to eliminate a "dead" layer at the back surface of the silicon wherein high-energy photons and low-energy particles are absorbed without detection. An additional benefit is that the delta-doped layer can serve as a back-side electrical contact. Delta doping of p-type silicon detectors is well established. The development of the present process addresses concerns specific to the delta doping of high-purity silicon detectors, which are typically n-type. The present process involves relatively low temperatures, is fully compatible with other processes used to fabricate the detectors, and does not entail interruption of those processes. Indeed, this process can be the last stage in the fabrication of an imaging detector that has, in all other respects, already been fully processed, including metallized. This process includes molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) for deposition of three layers, including

Boron doped ZnO embedded into reduced graphene oxide for electrochemical supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Alver, Ü.; Tanrıverdi, A.

2016-08-01

In this work, reduced graphene oxide/boron doped zinc oxide (RGO/ZnO:B) composites were fabricated by a hydrothermal process and their electrochemical properties were investigated as a function of dopant concentration. First, boron doped ZnO (ZnO:B) particles was fabricated with different boron concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt%) and then ZnO:B particles were embedded into RGO sheets. The physical properties of sensitized composites were characterized by XRD and SEM. Characterization indicated that the ZnO:B particles with plate-like structure in the composite were dispersed on graphene sheets. The electrochemical properties of the RGO/ZnO:B composite were investigated through cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements in a 6 M KOH electrolyte. Electrochemical measurements show that the specific capacitance values of RGO/ZnO:B electrodes increase with increasing boron concentration. RGO/ZnO:B composite electrodes (20 wt% B) display the specific capacitance as high as 230.50 F/g at 5 mV/s, which is almost five times higher than that of RGO/ZnO (52.71 F/g).

Laser-excited photoemission spectroscopy study of superconducting boron-doped diamond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Ishizaka, R. Eguchi, S. Tsuda, T. Kiss, T. Shimojima, T. Yokoya, S. Shin, T. Togashi, S. Watanabe, C.-T. Chen, C.Q. Zhang, Y. Takano, M. Nagao, I. Sakaguchi, T. Takenouchi and H. Kawarada

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We have investigated the low-energy electronic state of boron-doped diamond thin film by the laser-excited photoemission spectroscopy. A clear Fermi-edge is observed for samples doped above the semiconductor–metal boundary, together with the characteristic structures at 150×n meV possibly due to the strong electron–lattice coupling effect. In addition, for the superconducting sample, we observed a shift of the leading edge below Tc indicative of a superconducting gap opening. We discuss the electron–lattice coupling and the superconductivity in doped diamond.

Electrical conductivity enhancement by boron-doping in diamond using first principle calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Ullah, Mahtab; Ahmed, Ejaz; Hussain, Fayyaz; Rana, Anwar Manzoor; Raza, Rizwan

2015-04-01

Boron doping in diamond plays a vital role in enhancing electrical conductivity of diamond by making it a semiconductor, a conductor or even a superconductor. To elucidate this fact, partial and total density of states has been determined as a function of B-content in diamond. Moreover, the orbital charge distributions, B-C bond lengths and their population have been studied for B-doping in pristine diamond thin films by applying density functional theory (DFT). These parameters have been found to be influenced by the addition of different percentages of boron atoms in diamond. The electronic density of states, B-C bond situations as well as variations in electrical conductivities of diamond films with different boron content and determination of some relationship between these parameters were the basic tasks of this study. Diamond with high boron concentration (∼5.88% B-atoms) showed maximum splitting of energy bands (caused by acceptor impurity states) at the Fermi level which resulted in the enhancement of electron/ion conductivities. Because B atoms either substitute carbon atoms and/or assemble at grain boundaries (interstitial sites) inducing impurity levels close to the top of the valence band. At very high B-concentration, impurity states combine to form an impurity band which accesses the top of the valence band yielding metal like conductivity. Moreover, bond length and charge distributions are found to decrease with increase in boron percentage in diamond. It is noted that charge distribution decreased from +1.89 to -1.90 eV whereas bond length reduced by 0.04 Å with increasing boron content in diamond films. These theoretical results support our earlier experimental findings on B-doped diamond polycrystalline films which depict that the addition of boron atoms to diamond films gives a sudden fall in resistivity even up to 105 Ω cm making it a good semiconductor for its applications in electrical devices.

Thermal grafting of fluorinated molecular monolayers on doped amorphous silicon surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabbah, H.; Zebda, A.; Ababou-Girard, S.; Solal, F.; Godet, C.; Conde, J. P.; Chu, V.

2009-01-01

Thermally induced (160-300 deg. C) gas phase grafting of linear alkene molecules (perfluorodecene) was performed on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films, either nominally undoped or doped with different boron and phosphorus concentrations. Dense and smooth a-Si:H films were grown using plasma decomposition of silane. Quantitative analysis of in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates the grafting of a single layer of organic molecules. The hydrophobic properties of perfluorodecene-modified surfaces were studied as a function of surface coverage. Annealing experiments in ultrahigh vacuum show the covalent binding and the thermal stability of these immobilized layers up to 370 deg. C; this temperature corresponds to the Si-C bond cleavage temperature. In contrast with hydrogenated crystalline Si(111):H, no heavy wet chemistry surface preparation is required for thermal grafting of alkene molecules on a-Si:H films. A threshold grafting temperature is observed, with a strong dependence on the doping level which produces a large contrast in the molecular coverage for grafting performed at 230 deg. C

Tuning the electronic properties of armchair carbon nanoribbons by a selective boron doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navarro-Santos, P; Ricardo-Chavez, J L; Lopez-Sandoval, R; Reyes-Reyes, M; Rivera, J L

2010-01-01

Armchair carbon nanoribbons (ACNRs) substitutionally doped with boron atoms are investigated in the framework of first-principles density functional theory. Different boron-boron arrangements and concentrations are considered in order to simulate possible aggregation patterns, their structural stability and electronic behavior are determined as a function of ribbon size. In agreement with previous studies, our results show that the dopant atoms have in general a preference for edge sites, but specific effects appear as a function of concentration that importantly modify the properties of the ribbons compared to the pristine case. Interesting tendencies are discovered as a function of dopant concentration that significantly affect the electronic properties of the ribbons. We have found that BC 3 island formation and edge doping are the most important factors for the structural stabilization of the ribbons with high boron concentration (>7%) whereas for the cases of low boron concentrations ( 3 island patterns give rise to highly localized B states on top of the Fermi level, resulting in semiconducting behavior. On the other hand, when the average distance between the B atoms increases beyond island stoichiometry, the localization of their states is reduced and the ribbons may become metallic due to a band crossing caused by the lowering of the Fermi level resulting from the positive charge doping. Thus, tuning the dopant interaction would be an appropriate way to tailor the electronic properties of the ribbons in a convenient manner in view of potential technological applications.

Passivation effects in B doped self-assembled Si nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puthen Veettil, B.; Wu, Lingfeng; Jia, Xuguang; Lin, Ziyun; Zhang, Tian; Yang, Terry; Johnson, Craig; Conibeer, Gavin; Perez-Würfl, Ivan; McCamey, Dane

2014-01-01

Doping of semiconductor nanocrystals has enabled their widespread technological application in optoelectronics and micro/nano-electronics. In this work, boron-doped self-assembled silicon nanocrystal samples have been grown and characterised using Electron Spin Resonance and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The passivation effects of boron on the interface dangling bonds have been investigated. Addition of boron dopants is found to compensate the active dangling bonds at the interface, and this is confirmed by an increase in photoluminescence intensity. Further addition of dopants is found to reduce the photoluminescence intensity by decreasing the minority carrier lifetime as a result of the increased number of non-radiative processes

Electrochemical treatment of wastewaters containing 4-chlororesorcinol using boron doped diamond anodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nasr, B.; Abdelatif, G.

2009-01-01

The electrochemical oxidation of aqueous wastes polluted with 4-chlororesorcinol has been studied on boron-doped diamond electrodes on acidic medium. The voltammetric results showed that in the potential region where the supporting electrolyte is stable, reactions occur, resulting in the loss of activity due to electrode fouling. Galvanostatic electrolysis study showed that the oxidation of these wastes in single-compartment electrochemical flow cell with boron doped diamond anodes deal to the complete mineralization of the organics but is no indication of electrode fouling. Resorcinol, 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene, benzoquinone, maleic, fumaric, and oxalic acids have been detected as soluble organics and chlorides (Cl - ) and hypochlorites (ClO - ) as mineral products during the electrolysis of 4-chlororesorcinol. The electrochemical oxidation of 4-chlororesorcinol consists of a sequence of steps: Release of Cl and/or hydroxylation of the aromatic ring; formation of quinonic compounds; oxidative opening of aromatic ring to form carboxylic acids; and oxidation of carboxylic acids to carbon dioxide. Both, direct oxidation at boron doped diamond surface and mediated oxidation by powerful oxidants electrogenerated from electrolyte oxidation at anode surface are involved in these stages. (author)

A boron and gallium co-doped ZnO intermediate layer for ZnO/Si heterojunction diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yuanxi; Huang, Jian; Li, Bing; Tang, Ke; Ma, Yuncheng; Cao, Meng; Wang, Lin; Wang, Linjun

2018-01-01

ZnO (Zinc oxide)/Si (Silicon) heterojunctions were prepared by depositing n-type ZnO films on p-type single crystal Si substrates using magnetron sputtering. A boron and gallium co-doped ZnO (BGZO) high conductivity intermediate layer was deposited between aurum (Au) electrodes and ZnO films. The influence of the BGZO layer on the properties of Au/ZnO contacts and the performance of ZnO/Si heterojunctions was investigated. The results show an improvement in contact resistance by introducing the BGZO layer. Compared with the ZnO/Si heterojunction, the BGZO/ZnO/Si heterojunction exhibits a larger forward current, a smaller turn-on voltage and higher ratio of ultraviolet (UV) photo current/dark current.

Erbium doped stain etched porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez-Diaz, B.; Diaz-Herrera, B.; Guerrero-Lemus, R.; Mendez-Ramos, J.; Rodriguez, V.D.; Hernandez-Rodriguez, C.; Martinez-Duart, J.M.

2008-01-01

In this work a simple erbium doping process applied to stain etched porous silicon layers (PSLs) is proposed. This doping process has been developed for application in porous silicon solar cells, where conventional erbium doping processes are not affordable because of the high processing cost and technical difficulties. The PSLs were formed by immersion in a HF/HNO 3 solution to properly adjust the porosity and pore thickness to an optimal doping of the porous structure. After the formation of the porous structure, the PSLs were analyzed by means of nitrogen BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) area measurements and scanning electron microscopy. Subsequently, the PSLs were immersed in a saturated erbium nitrate solution in order to cover the porous surface. Then, the samples were subjected to a thermal process to activate the Er 3+ ions. Different temperatures and annealing times were used in this process. The photoluminescence of the PSLs was evaluated before and after the doping processes and the composition was analyzed by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy

Luminescence of porous silicon doped by erbium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondarenko, V.P.; Vorozov, N.N.; Dolgij, L.N.; Dorofeev, A.M.; Kazyuchits, N.M.; Leshok, A.A.; Troyanova, G.N.

1996-01-01

The possibility of the 1.54 μm intensive luminescence in the silicon dense porous layers, doped by erbium, with various structures is shown. Low-porous materials of both porous type on the p-type silicon and porous silicon with wood-like structure on the n + type silicon may be used for formation of light-emitting structures

Electrochemical reactivity at graphitic micro-domains on polycrystalline boron doped diamond thin-films electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahe, E.; Devilliers, D.; Comninellis, Ch.

2005-01-01

This paper deals with the electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. A comparative study has been carried out to show the influence of the presence of graphitic micro-domains upon the surface of these films. Those graphitic domains are sometimes present on as-grown boron doped diamond electrodes. The effect of doping a pure Csp 3 diamond electrode is established by highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) abrasion onto the diamond surface. In order to establish the effect of doping on a pure Csp 3 diamond electrode, the amount of graphitic domains was increased by means of HOPG crystals grafted onto the BDD surface. Indeed that method allows the enrichment of the Csp 2 contribution of the electrode. The presence of graphitic domains can be correlatively associated with the presence of kinetically active redox sites. The electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond electrodes shows a distribution of kinetic constants on the whole surface of the electrode corresponding to different active sites. In this paper, we have studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy the kinetics parameters of the ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple in KCl electrolyte. A method is proposed to diagnose the presence of graphitic domains on diamond electrodes, and an electrochemical 'pulse cleaning' procedure is proposed to remove them

Boron doping compensation of hydrogenated amorphous and polymorphous germanium thin films for infrared detection applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreno, M., E-mail: mmoreno@inaoep.mx [National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics, INAOE, P.O. Box 51 and 216, Puebla, Z. P. 72840 Puebla (Mexico); Delgadillo, N. [Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Av. Universidad No. 1, Z. P. 90006 Tlaxcala (Mexico); Torres, A. [National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics, INAOE, P.O. Box 51 and 216, Puebla, Z. P. 72840 Puebla (Mexico); Ambrosio, R. [Technology and Engineering Institute, Ciudad Juarez University UACJ, Av. Del Charro 450N, Z. P. 32310 Chihuahua (Mexico); Rosales, P.; Kosarev, A.; Reyes-Betanzo, C.; Hidalga-Wade, J. de la; Zuniga, C.; Calleja, W. [National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics, INAOE, P.O. Box 51 and 216, Puebla, Z. P. 72840 Puebla (Mexico)

2013-12-02

In this work we have studied boron doping of hydrogenated amorphous germanium a-Ge:H and polymorphous germanium (pm-Ge:H) in low regimes, in order to compensate the material from n-type (due to oxygen contamination that commonly occurs during plasma deposition) to intrinsic, and in this manner improve the properties that are important for infrared (IR) detection, as activation energy (E{sub a}) and temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). Electrical, structural and optical characterization was performed on the films produced. Measurements of the temperature dependence of conductivity, room temperature conductivity (σ{sub RT}), E{sub a} and current–voltage characteristics under IR radiation were performed in the compensated a-Ge:H and pm-Ge:H films. Our results demonstrate that, effectively, the values of E{sub a}, TCR and IR detection are improved on the a-Ge:H/pm-Ge:H films, using boron doping in low regimes, which results of interest for infrared detectors. - Highlights: • We reported boron doping compensation of amorphous and polymorphous germanium. • The films were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. • The aim is to use the films as thermo-sensing elements in un-cooled microbolometers. • Those films have advantages over boron doped a-Si:H used in commercial detectors.

Boron doping compensation of hydrogenated amorphous and polymorphous germanium thin films for infrared detection applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, M.; Delgadillo, N.; Torres, A.; Ambrosio, R.; Rosales, P.; Kosarev, A.; Reyes-Betanzo, C.; Hidalga-Wade, J. de la; Zuniga, C.; Calleja, W.

2013-01-01

In this work we have studied boron doping of hydrogenated amorphous germanium a-Ge:H and polymorphous germanium (pm-Ge:H) in low regimes, in order to compensate the material from n-type (due to oxygen contamination that commonly occurs during plasma deposition) to intrinsic, and in this manner improve the properties that are important for infrared (IR) detection, as activation energy (E a ) and temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). Electrical, structural and optical characterization was performed on the films produced. Measurements of the temperature dependence of conductivity, room temperature conductivity (σ RT ), E a and current–voltage characteristics under IR radiation were performed in the compensated a-Ge:H and pm-Ge:H films. Our results demonstrate that, effectively, the values of E a , TCR and IR detection are improved on the a-Ge:H/pm-Ge:H films, using boron doping in low regimes, which results of interest for infrared detectors. - Highlights: • We reported boron doping compensation of amorphous and polymorphous germanium. • The films were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. • The aim is to use the films as thermo-sensing elements in un-cooled microbolometers. • Those films have advantages over boron doped a-Si:H used in commercial detectors

Electric fields in nonhomogeneously doped silicon. Summary of simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotov, I.V. [Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)]. E-mail: kotov@mps.ohio-state.edu; Humanic, T.J. [Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Nouais, D. [INFN, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Turin (Italy); Randel, J. [Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Rashevsky, A. [INFN, Sezione di Triste, I-34127 Trieste (Italy)

2006-11-30

Variations of the doping concentration inside a silicon device result in electric field distortions. These distortions, 'parasitic' fields, have been observed in Silicon Drift Detectors [D. Nouais, et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 501 (2003) 119; E. Crescio, et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 539 (2005) 250]. Electric fields inside a silicon device can be calculated for a given doping profile. In this study, the ATLAS device simulator. [Silvaco International, 4701 Patrick Henry Drive, Bldg.2, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA and ] was used to calculate the electric field inside an inhomogeneously doped device. Simulations were performed for 1D periodic doping profiles. Results show strong dependence of the parasitic field strength on the 'smoothness' of the doping profile.

Soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of heavily boron-doped superconducting diamond films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Yokoya, T. Nakamura, T. Matushita, T. Muro, H. Okazaki, M. Arita, K. Shimada, H. Namatame, M. Taniguchi, Y. Takano, M. Nagao, T. Takenouchi, H. Kawarada and T. Oguchi

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We have performed soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SXARPES of microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition diamond films with different B concentrations in order to study the origin of the metallic behavior of superconducting diamond. SXARPES results clearly show valence band dispersions with a bandwidth of ~23 eV and with a top of the valence band at gamma point in the Brillouin zone, which are consistent with the calculated valence band dispersions of pure diamond. Boron concentration-dependent band dispersions near the Fermi level (EF exhibit a systematic shift of EF, indicating depopulation of electrons due to hole doping. These SXARPES results indicate that diamond bands retain for heavy boron doping and holes in the diamond band are responsible for the metallic states leading to superconductivity at low temperature. A high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy spectrum near EF of a heavily boron-doped diamond superconductor is also presented.

Depth profiling of boron implanted silicon by positron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oevuenc, S.

2004-01-01

Positron depth profiling analyses of low energy implants of silicon aim to observe tbe structure and density of the vacancies generating by implantation and the effect of annealing. This work present the results to several set of data starting S and W parameters. Boron implanted Silicon samples with different implantation energies,20,22,24,and 26 keV are analyzed by Slow positron beam (0-40 keV and 10 5 e + /s )(Variable Energy Positron) at the Positron Centre Delf-HOLLAND

Thermal diffusion boron doping of single-crystal natural diamond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Jung-Hun; Mikael, Solomon; Mi, Hongyi; Venkataramanan, Giri; Ma, Zhenqiang, E-mail: mazq@engr.wisc.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Wu, Henry; Morgan, Dane [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Blanchard, James P. [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Zhou, Weidong [Department of Electrical Engineering, NanoFAB Center, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019 (United States); Gong, Shaoqin [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2016-05-28

With the best overall electronic and thermal properties, single crystal diamond (SCD) is the extreme wide bandgap material that is expected to revolutionize power electronics and radio-frequency electronics in the future. However, turning SCD into useful semiconductors requires overcoming doping challenges, as conventional substitutional doping techniques, such as thermal diffusion and ion implantation, are not easily applicable to SCD. Here we report a simple and easily accessible doping strategy demonstrating that electrically activated, substitutional doping in SCD without inducing graphitization transition or lattice damage can be readily realized with thermal diffusion at relatively low temperatures by using heavily doped Si nanomembranes as a unique dopant carrying medium. Atomistic simulations elucidate a vacancy exchange boron doping mechanism that occurs at the bonded interface between Si and diamond. We further demonstrate selectively doped high voltage diodes and half-wave rectifier circuits using such doped SCD. Our new doping strategy has established a reachable path toward using SCDs for future high voltage power conversion systems and for other novel diamond based electronic devices. The novel doping mechanism may find its critical use in other wide bandgap semiconductors.

Thermal diffusion boron doping of single-crystal natural diamond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Jung-Hun; Mikael, Solomon; Mi, Hongyi; Venkataramanan, Giri; Ma, Zhenqiang; Wu, Henry; Morgan, Dane; Blanchard, James P.; Zhou, Weidong; Gong, Shaoqin

2016-01-01

With the best overall electronic and thermal properties, single crystal diamond (SCD) is the extreme wide bandgap material that is expected to revolutionize power electronics and radio-frequency electronics in the future. However, turning SCD into useful semiconductors requires overcoming doping challenges, as conventional substitutional doping techniques, such as thermal diffusion and ion implantation, are not easily applicable to SCD. Here we report a simple and easily accessible doping strategy demonstrating that electrically activated, substitutional doping in SCD without inducing graphitization transition or lattice damage can be readily realized with thermal diffusion at relatively low temperatures by using heavily doped Si nanomembranes as a unique dopant carrying medium. Atomistic simulations elucidate a vacancy exchange boron doping mechanism that occurs at the bonded interface between Si and diamond. We further demonstrate selectively doped high voltage diodes and half-wave rectifier circuits using such doped SCD. Our new doping strategy has established a reachable path toward using SCDs for future high voltage power conversion systems and for other novel diamond based electronic devices. The novel doping mechanism may find its critical use in other wide bandgap semiconductors.

Superlattice doped layers for amorphous silicon photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Arya, Rajeewa R.

1988-01-12

Superlattice doped layers for amorphous silicon photovoltaic cells comprise a plurality of first and second lattices of amorphous silicon alternatingly formed on one another. Each of the first lattices has a first optical bandgap and each of the second lattices has a second optical bandgap different from the first optical bandgap. A method of fabricating the superlattice doped layers also is disclosed.

FTIR studies of swift silicon and oxygen ion irradiated porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhave, Tejashree M.; Hullavarad, S.S.; Bhoraskar, S.V.; Hegde, S.G.; Kanjilal, D.

1999-01-01

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy has been used to study the bond restructuring in silicon and oxygen irradiated porous silicon. Boron doped p-type (1 1 1) porous silicon was irradiated with 10 MeV silicon and a 14 MeV oxygen ions at different doses ranging between 10 12 and 10 14 ions cm -2 . The yield of PL in porous silicon irradiated samples was observed to increase considerably while in oxygen irradiated samples it was seen to improve only by a small extent for lower doses whereas it decreased for higher doses. The results were interpreted in view of the relative intensities of the absorption peaks associated with O-Si-H and Si-H stretch bonds

Phosphorous Doping of Nanostructured Crystalline Silicon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Plakhotnyuk, Maksym; Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Steckel, André

Nano-textured silicon, known as black silicon (bSi), is attractive with excellent photon trapping properties. bSi can be produced using simple one-step fabrication reactive ion etching (RIE) technique. However, in order to use bSi in photovoltaics doping process should be developed. Due to high s...

Boron-Doped Carbon Nano-/Microballs from Orthoboric Acid-Starch: Preparation, Characterization, and Lithium Ion Storage Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinhua Lu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A boron-doped carbon nano-/microballs (BC was successfully obtained via a two-step procedure including hydrothermal reaction (180°C and carbonization (800°C with cheap starch and H3BO3 as the carbon and boron source. As a new kind of boron-doped carbon, BC contained 2.03 at% B-content and presented the morphology as almost perfect nano-/microballs with different sizes ranging from 500 nm to 5 μm. Besides that, due to the electron deficient boron, BC was explored as anode material and presented good lithium storage performance. At a current density of 0.2 C, the first reversible specific discharge capacity of BC electrode reached as high as 964.2 mAh g–1 and kept at 699 mAh g–1 till the 11th cycle. BC also exhibited good cycle ability with a specific capacity of 356 mAh g–1 after 79 cycles at a current density of 0.5 C. This work proved to be an effective approach for boron-doped carbon nanostructures which has potential usage for lithium storage material.

Solidification phenomena in nickel base brazes containing boron and silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tung, S.K.; Lim, L.C.; Lai, M.O.

1996-01-01

Nickel base brazes containing boron and/or silicon as melting point depressants are used extensively in the repair and joining of aero-engine hot-section components. These melting point depressants form hard and brittle intermetallic compounds with nickel which are detrimental to the mechanical properties of brazed joints. The present investigation studied the microstructural evolution in nickel base brazes containing boron and/or silicon as melting point depressant(s) in simple systems using nickel as the base metal. The basic metallurgical reactions and formation of intermetallic compounds uncovered in these systems will be useful as a guide in predicting the evolution of microstructures in similar brazes in more complex systems involving base metals of nickel base superalloys. The four filler metal systems investigated in this study are: Ni-Cr-Si; Ni-Cr-B; Ni-Si-B and Ni-Cr-Fe-Si-B

Diffusion modelling of low-energy ion-implanted BF{sub 2} in crystalline silicon: Study of fluorine vacancy effect on boron diffusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marcon, J. [Laboratoire Electronique Microtechnologie et Instrumentation (LEMI), University of Rouen, 76821 Mont Saint Aignan (France)], E-mail: Jerome.Marcon@univ-rouen.fr; Merabet, A. [Laboratoire de Physique et Mecanique des Materiaux Metalliques, Departement d' O.M.P., Faculte des Sciences de l' Ingenieur, Universite de Setif, 19000 Setif (Algeria)

2008-12-05

We have investigated and modelled the diffusion of boron implanted into crystalline silicon in the form of boron difluoride BF{sub 2}{sup +}. We have used published data for BF{sub 2}{sup +} implanted with an energy of 2.2 keV in crystalline silicon. Fluorine effects are considered by using vacancy-fluorine pairs which are responsible for the suppression of boron diffusion in crystalline silicon. Following Uematsu's works, the simulations satisfactory reproduce the SIMS experimental profiles in the 800-1000 deg. C temperature range. The boron diffusion model in silicon of Uematsu has been improved taking into account the last experimental data.

Oxidation-enhanced diffusion of boron in very low-energy N2+-implanted silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Skarlatos, D.; Tsamis, C.; Perego, M.; Fanciulli, M.

2005-06-01

In this article we study the interstitial injection during oxidation of very low-energy nitrogen-implanted silicon. Buried boron δ layers are used to monitor the interstitial supersaturation during the oxidation of nitrogen-implanted silicon. No difference in boron diffusivity enhancement was observed compared to dry oxidation of nonimplanted samples. This result is different from our experience from N2O oxynitridation study, during which a boron diffusivity enhancement of the order of 20% was observed, revealing the influence of interfacial nitrogen on interstitial kinetics. A possible explanation may be that implanted nitrogen acts as an excess interstitial sink in order to diffuse towards the surface via a non-Fickian mechanism. This work completes a wide study of oxidation of very low-energy nitrogen-implanted silicon related phenomena we performed within the last two years [D. Skarlatos, C. Tsamis, and D. Tsoukalas, J. Appl. Phys. 93, 1832 (2003); D. Skarlatos, E. Kapetanakis, P. Normand, C. Tsamis, M. Perego, S. Ferrari, M. Fanciulli, and D. Tsoukalas, J. Appl. Phys. 96, 300 (2004)].

Metallization and superconductivity in a multizone doped semiconductor: boron-doped diamond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loktev, V.M.; Pogorelov, Yu.G.

2005-01-01

Within the framework of Anderson's s - d hybride model, metallization of a semiconductor at collectivization of impurity states is discussed. Taking in mind the description of boron-doped diamond CB x , the model is generalized for the case of the multiband initial spectrum and cluster acceptor states, due to the pairs of the nearest neighbor impurities ('impurity dumbbells'). The parameters of the calculated band of collective impurity states are compared to those observed in metallized and superconducting CB x

Enhanced Manifold of States Achieved in Heterostructures of Iron Selenide and Boron-Doped Graphene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Cantatore

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Enhanced superconductivity is sought by employing heterostructures composed of boron-doped graphene and iron selenide. Build-up of a composite manifold of near-degenerate noninteracting states formed by coupling top-of-valence-band states of FeSe to bottom-of-conduction-band states of boron-doped graphene is demonstrated. Intra- and intersubsystem excitons are explored by means of density functional theory in order to articulate a normal state from which superconductivity may emerge. The results are discussed in the context of electron correlation in general and multi-band superconductivity in particular.

Electrochemical reactivity at graphitic micro-domains on polycrystalline boron doped diamond thin-films electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahe, E. [LI2C CNRS/UMR 7612, Laboratoire d' Electrochimie, Universite Pierre-et-Marie Curie - case courrier 51, 4, Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Devilliers, D. [LI2C CNRS/UMR 7612, Laboratoire d' Electrochimie, Universite Pierre-et-Marie Curie - case courrier 51, 4, Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Comninellis, Ch. [Unite de Genie Electrochimique, Institut de sciences des procedes chimiques et biologiques, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne (Switzerland)

2005-04-01

This paper deals with the electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. A comparative study has been carried out to show the influence of the presence of graphitic micro-domains upon the surface of these films. Those graphitic domains are sometimes present on as-grown boron doped diamond electrodes. The effect of doping a pure Csp{sup 3} diamond electrode is established by highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) abrasion onto the diamond surface. In order to establish the effect of doping on a pure Csp{sup 3} diamond electrode, the amount of graphitic domains was increased by means of HOPG crystals grafted onto the BDD surface. Indeed that method allows the enrichment of the Csp{sup 2} contribution of the electrode. The presence of graphitic domains can be correlatively associated with the presence of kinetically active redox sites. The electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond electrodes shows a distribution of kinetic constants on the whole surface of the electrode corresponding to different active sites. In this paper, we have studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy the kinetics parameters of the ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple in KCl electrolyte. A method is proposed to diagnose the presence of graphitic domains on diamond electrodes, and an electrochemical 'pulse cleaning' procedure is proposed to remove them.

Theoretical study of ozone adsorption on the surface of Fe, Co and Ni doped boron nitride nanosheets

Science.gov (United States)

Farmanzadeh, Davood; Askari Ardehjani, Nastaran

2018-06-01

In this work, the adsorption of ozone molecule on Fe, Co and Ni doped boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) were investigated using density functional theory. The most stable adsorption configurations, charge transfer and adsorption energy of ozone molecule on pure and doped BNNSs are calculated. It is shown that ozone molecule has no remarkable interaction with pure boron nitride nanosheet, it tends to be chemisorbed on Fe, Co and Ni doped BNNSs with adsorption energy in the range of -249.4 to -686.1 kJ/mol. In all configurations, the adsorption of ozone molecule generates a semiconductor by reducing Eg in the pure and Fe, Co and Ni doped boron nitride nanosheet. It shows that the conductance of BNNSs change over the adsorption of ozone molecule. The obtained results in this study can be used in developing BN-based sheets for ozone molecule removal.

The irradiation induced creep of graphite under accelerated damage produced by boron doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brocklehurst, J.E.

1975-01-01

The presence of boron enhances fast neutron irradiation damage in graphite by providing nucleation sites for interstitial loop formation. Doping with 11 B casues an increase in the irradiation induced macroscopic dimensional changes, which have been shown to result from an acceleration in the differential crystal growth rate for a given carbon atom displacement rate. Models of irradiation induced creep in graphite have centred around those in which creep is induced by internal stresses due to the anisotopic crystal growth, and those in which creep is activated by atomic displacements. A creep test on boron doped graphite has been performed in an attempt to establish which of these mechanisms is the determining factor. An isotropic nuclear graphite was doped to a 11 B concentration of 0.27 wt.%. The irradiation induced volume shrinkage rate at 750 0 C increased by a factor of 3 over that of the virgin graphite, in agreement with predictions from the earlier work, but the total creep strains were comparable in both doped and virgin samples. This observation supports the view that irradiation induced creep is dependent only on the carbon atom displacement rate and not on the internal stress level determined by the differential crystal growth rate. The implications of this result on the irradiation behaviour of graphite containing significant concentrations of boron are briefly discussed. (author)

The Immunosuppressive drug – Rapamycin – Electroanalytical Sensing Using Boron- Doped Diamond electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanković, Dalibor M.; Kalcher, Kurt

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted -- Abstract: This paper presents for the first time the study of electrochemical behavior of well known immunosuppressant drug – rapamycin (sirolimus) using boron-doped diamond electrode. Rapamycin provided single and oval-shaped oxidation peak at +1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl electrode in Britton–Robinson buffer solution at pH 3 confirming highly irreversible behavior of analyte at boron-doped diamond electrode. A differential pulse voltammetry was used for quantification of tested drug under the optimum experimental conditions. The calibration curve was linear over the range from 0.5 to 19.5 μM (R 2 = 0.9976) with detection limit of 0.22 μM. Repeatability of ten successfully measurements of three different concentrations (5, 10 and 15 μM) was 2.5, 1.9 and 1,7 %, respectively. Influence of most common biomolecules presented in urine samples was evaluated. The suggested analytical methodology was successfully applied for determination of rapamycin in four urine samples with excellent recoveries. The developed approach could be beneficial in analysis of rapamycin in biological samples using boron-doped diamond electrode as up-to-date electrochemical sensor and could represent inexpensive analytical alternative to separation methods

Kinetics of the permanent deactivation of the boron-oxygen complex in crystalline silicon as a function of illumination intensity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verena Steckenreiter

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Based on contactless carrier lifetime measurements performed on p-type boron-doped Czochralski-grown silicon (Cz-Si wafers, we examine the rate constant Rde of the permanent deactivation process of the boron-oxygen-related defect center as a function of the illumination intensity I at 170°C. While at low illumination intensities, a linear increase of Rde on I is measured, at high illumination intensities, Rde seems to saturate. We are able to explain the saturation by assuming that Rde increases proportionally with the excess carrier concentration Δn and take the fact into account that at sufficiently high illumination intensities, the carrier lifetime decreases with increasing Δn and hence the slope of Δn(I decreases, leading to an apparent saturation. Importantly, on low-lifetime Cz-Si samples no saturation of the deactivation rate constant is observed for the same illumination intensities, proving that the deactivation is stimulated by the presence of excess electrons and not directly by the photons.

The corrosion resistance of zinc coatings in the presence of boron-doped detonation nanodiamonds (DND)

Science.gov (United States)

Burkat, G. K.; Alexandrova, G. S.; Dolmatov, V. Yu; Osmanova, E. D.; Myllymäki, V.; Vehanen, A.

2017-02-01

The effect of detonation nanodiamonds, doped with boron (boron-DND) in detonation synthesis on the process of zinc electrochemical deposition from zincate electrolyte is investigated. It is shown that the scattering power (coating uniformity) increases 2-4 times (depending on the concentration of DND-boron electrolyte conductivity does not change, the corrosion resistance of Zn- DND -boron coating increases 2.6 times in 3% NaCl solution (corrosion currents) and 3 times in the climatic chamber.

The diffusion bonding of silicon carbide and boron carbide using refractory metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cockeram, B.V.

1999-01-01

Joining is an enabling technology for the application of structural ceramics at high temperatures. Metal foil diffusion bonding is a simple process for joining silicon carbide or boron carbide by solid-state, diffusive conversion of the metal foil into carbide and silicide compounds that produce bonding. Metal diffusion bonding trials were performed using thin foils (5 microm to 100 microm) of refractory metals (niobium, titanium, tungsten, and molybdenum) with plates of silicon carbide (both α-SiC and β-SiC) or boron carbide that were lapped flat prior to bonding. The influence of bonding temperature, bonding pressure, and foil thickness on bond quality was determined from metallographic inspection of the bonds. The microstructure and phases in the joint region of the diffusion bonds were evaluated using SEM, microprobe, and AES analysis. The use of molybdenum foil appeared to result in the highest quality bond of the metal foils evaluated for the diffusion bonding of silicon carbide and boron carbide. Bonding pressure appeared to have little influence on bond quality. The use of a thinner metal foil improved the bond quality. The microstructure of the bond region produced with either the α-SiC and β-SiC polytypes were similar

Electrochemical mineralization pathway of quinoline by boron-doped diamond anodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunrong; Ma, Keke; Wu, Tingting; Ye, Min; Tan, Peng; Yan, Kecheng

2016-04-01

Boron-doped diamond anodes were selected for quinoline mineralization, and the resulting intermediates, phenylpropyl aldehyde, phenylpropionic acid, and nonanal were identified and followed during quinoline oxidation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography. The evolutions of formic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, NO2(-), NO3(-), and NH4(+) were quantified. A new reaction pathway for quinoline mineralization by boron-doped diamond anodes has been proposed, where the pyridine ring in quinoline is cleaved by a hydroxyl radical giving phenylpropyl aldehyde and NH4(+). Phenylpropyl aldehyde is quickly oxidized into phenylpropionic acid, and the benzene ring is cleaved giving nonanal. This is further oxidized to formic acid, acetic acid, and oxalic acid. Finally, these organic intermediates are mineralized to CO2 and H2O. NH4(+) is also oxidized to NO2(-) and on to NO3(-). The results will help to gain basic reference for clearing intermediates and their toxicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deposition of boron doped DLC films on TiNb and characterization of their mechanical properties and blood compatibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Liza, Shahira; Hieda, Junko; Akasaka, Hiroki; Ohtake, Naoto; Tsutsumi, Yusuke; Nagai, Akiko; Hanawa, Takao

2017-01-01

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) material is used in blood contacting devices as the surface coating material because of the antithrombogenicity behavior which helps to inhibit platelet adhesion and activation. In this study, DLC films were doped with boron during pulsed plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to improve the blood compatibility. The ratio of boron to carbon (B/C) was varied from 0 to 0.4 in the film by adjusting the flow rate of trimethylboron and acetylene. Tribological tests indicated that boron doping with a low B/C ratio of 0.03 is beneficial for reducing friction (μ = 0.1), lowering hardness and slightly increasing wear rate compared to undoped DLC films. The B/C ratio in the film of 0.03 and 0.4 exhibited highly hydrophilic surface owing to their high wettability and high surface energy. An in vitro platelet adhesion experiment was conducted to compare the blood compatibility of TiNb substrates before and after coating with undoped and boron doped DLC. Films with highly hydrophilic surface enhanced the blood compatibility of TiNb, and the best results were obtained for DLC with the B/C ratio of 0.03. Boron doped DLC films are promising surface coatings for blood contacting devices.

Enhanced field emission characteristics of boron doped diamond films grown by microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koinkar, Pankaj M. [Center for International Cooperation in Engineering Education (CICEE), University of Tokushima, 2-1 Minami-josanjima-cho, Tokushima 770-8506 (Japan); Patil, Sandip S. [Center for Advanced Studies in Materials Science and Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India); Kim, Tae-Gyu [Department of Nano System and Process Engineering, Pusan National University, 50 Cheonghak-ri, Samrangjin-eup, Miryang, Gyeongnam, Pusan 627-706 (Korea, Republic of); Yonekura, Daisuke [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tokushima, 2-1 Minami-josanjima-cho, Tokushima 770-8506 (Japan); More, Mahendra A., E-mail: mam@physics.unipune.ac.in [Center for Advanced Studies in Materials Science and Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India); Joag, Dilip S. [Center for Advanced Studies in Materials Science and Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India); Murakami, Ri-ichi, E-mail: murakami@me.tokushima-u.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tokushima, 2-1 Minami-josanjima-cho, Tokushima 770-8506 (Japan)

2011-01-01

Boron doped diamond films were synthesized on silicon substrates by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) technique. The effect of B{sub 2}O{sub 3} concentration varied from 1000 to 5000 ppm on the field emission characteristics was examined. The surface morphology and quality of films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology obtained by SEM showed variation from facetted microcrystal covered with nanometric grains to cauliflower of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) particles with increasing B{sub 2}O{sub 3} concentration. The Raman spectra confirm the formation of NCD films. The field emission properties of NCD films were observed to improve upon increasing boron concentration. The values of the onset field and threshold field are observed to be as low as 0.36 and 0.08 V/{mu}m, respectively. The field emission current stability investigated at the preset value of {approx}1 {mu}A is observed to be good, in each case. The enhanced field emission properties are attributed to the better electrical conductivity coupled with the nanometric features of the diamond films.

Development of Doped Microcrystalline Silicon Oxide and its Application to Thin‑Film Silicon Solar Cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lambertz, A.

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study is the development of doped microcrystalline silicon oxide (µc‑SiOx:H) alloys and its application in thin‑film silicon solar cells. The doped µc‑SiOx:H material was prepared from carbon dioxide (CO2), silane (SiH4), hydrogen (H2) gas mixtures using plasma enhanced

a Study of Oxygen Precipitation in Heavily Doped Silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Graupner, Robert Kurt

Gettering of impurities with oxygen precipitates is widely used during the fabrication of semiconductors to improve the performance and yield of the devices. Since the effectiveness of the gettering process is largely dependent on the initial interstitial oxygen concentration, accurate measurements of this parameter are of considerable importance. Measurements of interstitial oxygen following thermal cycles are required for development of semiconductor fabrication processes and for research into the mechanisms of oxygen precipitate nucleation and growth. Efforts by industrial associations have led to the development of standard procedures for the measurement of interstitial oxygen in wafers. However practical oxygen measurements often do not satisfy the requirements of such standard procedures. An additional difficulty arises when the silicon wafer has a low resitivity (high dopant concentration). In such cases the infrared light used for the measurement is severely attenuated by the electrons of holes introduced by the dopant. Since such wafers are the substrates used for the production of widely used epitaxial wafers, this measurement problem is economically important. Alternative methods such as Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy or Gas Fusion Analysis have been developed to measure oxygen in these cases. However, neither of these methods is capable of distinguishing interstitial oxygen from precipitated oxygen as required for precipitation studies. In addition to the commercial interest in heavily doped silicon substrates, they are also of interest for research into the role of point defects in nucleation and precipitation processes. Despite considerable research effort, there is still disagreement concerning the type of point defect and its role in semiconductor processes. Studies of changes in the interstitial oxygen concentration of heavily doped and lightly doped silicon wafers could help clarify the role of point defects in oxygen nucleation and precipitation

Doping in silicon nanocrystals: An ab initio study of the structural, electronic and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iori, Federico; Degoli, Elena; Luppi, Eleonora; Magri, Rita; Marri, Ivan; Cantele, G.; Ninno, D.; Trani, F.; Ossicini, Stefano

2006-01-01

There are experimental evidences that doping control at the nanoscale can significantly modify the optical properties with respect to the pure systems. This is the case of silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc), for which it has been shown that the photoluminescence (PL) peak can be tuned also below the bulk Si band gap by properly controlling the impurities, for example by boron (B) and phosphorus (P) codoping. In this work, we report on an ab initio study of impurity states in Si-nc. We consider B and P substitutional impurities for Si-nc with a diameter up to 2.2 nm. Formation energies (FEs), electronic, optical and structural properties have been determined as a function of the cluster dimension. For both B-doped and P-doped Si-nc the FE increases on decreasing the dimension, showing that the substitutional doping gets progressively more difficult for the smaller nanocrystals. Moreover, subsurface impurity positions result to be the most stable ones. The codoping reduces the FE strongly favoring this process with respect to the simple n-doping or p-doping. Such an effect can be attributed to charge compensation between the donor and the acceptor atoms. Moreover, smaller structural deformations, with respect to n-doped and p-doped cases, localized only around the impurity sites are observed. The band gap and the optical threshold are largely reduced with respect to the undoped Si-nc showing the possibility of an impurity-based engineering of the Si-nc PL properties

Silicon fiber with p-n junction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Homa, D.; Cito, A.; Pickrell, G.; Hill, C.; Scott, B.

2014-01-01

In this study, we fabricated a p-n junction in a fiber with a phosphorous doped silicon core and fused silica cladding. The fibers were fabricated via a hybrid process of the core-suction and melt-draw techniques and maintained overall diameters ranging from 200 to 900 μm and core diameters of 20–800 μm. The p-n junction was formed by doping the fiber with boron and confirmed via the current-voltage characteristic. The demonstration of a p-n junction in a melt-drawn silicon core fiber paves the way for the seamless integration of optical and electronic devices in fibers.

Comparison on mechanical properties of heavily phosphorus- and arsenic-doped Czochralski silicon wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Kang; Sun, Yuxin; Lu, Yunhao; Liang, Xingbo; Tian, Daxi; Ma, Xiangyang; Yang, Deren

2018-04-01

Heavily phosphorus (P)- and arsenic (As)-doped Czochralski silicon (CZ-Si) wafers generally act as the substrates for the epitaxial silicon wafers used to fabricate power and communication devices. The mechanical properties of such two kinds of n-type heavily doped CZ silicon wafers are vital to ensure the quality of epitaxial silicon wafers and the manufacturing yields of devices. In this work, the mechanical properties including the hardness, Young's modulus, indentation fracture toughness and the resistance to dislocation motion have been comparatively investigated for heavily P- and As-doped CZ-Si wafers. It is found that heavily P-doped CZ-Si possesses somewhat higher hardness, lower Young's modulus, larger indentation fracture toughness and stronger resistance to dislocation motion than heavily As-doped CZ-Si. The mechanisms underlying this finding have been tentatively elucidated by considering the differences in the doping effects of P and As in silicon.

p-type doping by platinum diffusion in low phosphorus doped silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Ventura, L.; Pichaud, B.; Vervisch, W.; Lanois, F.

2003-07-01

In this work we show that the cooling rate following a platinum diffusion strongly influences the electrical conductivity in weakly phosphorus doped silicon. Diffusions were performed at the temperature of 910 °C in the range of 8 32 hours in 0.6, 30, and 60 Ωrm cm phosphorus doped silicon samples. Spreading resistance profile analyses clearly show an n-type to p-type conversion under the surface when samples are cooled slowly. On the other hand, a compensation of the phosphorus donors can only be observed when samples are quenched. One Pt related acceptor deep level at 0.43 eV from the valence band is assumed to be at the origin of the type conversion mechanism. Its concentration increases by lowering the applied cooling rate. A complex formation with fast species such as interstitial Pt atoms or intrinsic point defects is expected. In 0.6 Ωrm cm phosphorus doped silicon, no acceptor deep level in the lower band gap is detected by DLTS measurement. This removes the opportunity of a pairing between phosphorus and platinum and suggests the possibility of a Fermi level controlled complex formation.

Erratum to: Influence of boron doping on mechanical and tribological ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-08-26

Aug 26, 2016 ... Erratum to: Influence of boron doping on mechanical and tribological properties in multilayer CVD-diamond coating systems. SAJAD HUSSAIN DIN M A SHAH N A SHEIKH K A NAJAR K RAMASUBRAMANIAN S BALAJI M S RAMACHANDRA RAO. Volume 39 Issue 7 December 2016 pp 1763-1763 ...

Negligible Electronic Interaction between Photoexcited Electron-Hole Pairs and Free Electrons in Phosphorus-Boron Co-Doped Silicon Nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Limpens, Rens [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Neale, Nathan R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Fujii, Minoru [Kobe University; Gregorkiewicz, Tom [University of Amsterdam

2018-03-05

Phosphorus (P) and boron (B) co-doped Si nanocrystals (NCs) have raised interest in the optoelectronic industry due to their electronic tunability, optimal carrier multiplication properties, and straightforward dispersibility in polar solvents. Yet a basic understanding of the interaction of photoexcited electron-hole (e-h) pairs with new physical features that are introduced by the co-doping process (free carriers, defect states, and surface chemistry) is missing. Here, we present the first study of the ultrafast carrier dynamics in SiO2-embedded P-B co-doped Si NC ensembles using induced absorption spectroscopy through a two-step approach. First, the induced absorption data show that the large fraction of the dopants residing on the NC surface slows down carrier relaxation dynamics within the first 20 ps relative to intrinsic (undoped) Si NCs, which we interpret as enhanced surface passivation. On longer time-scales (picosecond to nanosecond regime), we observe a speeding up of the carrier relaxation dynamics and ascribe it to doping-induced trap states. This argument is deduced from the second part of the study, where we investigate multiexciton interactions. From a stochastic modeling approach we show that localized carriers, which are introduced by the P or B dopants, have minor electronic interactions with the photoexcited e-h pairs. This is understood in light of the strong localization of the introduced carriers on their original P- or B-dopant atoms, due to the strong quantum confinement regime in these relatively small NCs (<6 nm).

Phosphorus {delta}-doped silicon: mixed-atom pseudopotentials and dopant disorder effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carter, Damien J; Marks, Nigel A [Nanochemistry Research Institute, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845 (Australia); Warschkow, Oliver; McKenzie, David R, E-mail: d.carter@curtin.edu.au [Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)

2011-02-11

Within a full density functional theory framework we calculate the band structure and doping potential for phosphorus {delta}-doped silicon. We compare two different representations of the dopant plane; pseudo-atoms in which the nuclear charge is fractional between silicon and phosphorus, and explicit arrangements employing distinct silicon and phosphorus atoms. While the pseudo-atom approach offers several computational advantages, the explicit model calculations differ in a number of key points, including the valley splitting, the Fermi level and the width of the doping potential. These findings have implications for parameters used in device modelling.

Phosphorus-doped Amorphous Silicon Nitride Films Applied to Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feinäugle, Matthias

2008-01-01

The Photovoltaics Group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya is investigating silicon carbide (SiC) for the electronic passivation of the surface of crystalline silicon solar cells. The doping of SiC passivation layers with phosphorus resulted in a clear improvement of the minority carrier

A new computationally-efficient two-dimensional model for boron implantation into single-crystal silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, K.M.; Park, C.; Yang, S.; Morris, S.; Do, V.; Tasch, F.

1992-01-01

We have developed a new computationally-efficient two-dimensional model for boron implantation into single-crystal silicon. This paper reports that this new model is based on the dual Pearson semi-empirical implant depth profile model and the UT-MARLOWE Monte Carlo boron ion implantation model. This new model can predict with very high computational efficiency two-dimensional as-implanted boron profiles as a function of energy, dose, tilt angle, rotation angle, masking edge orientation, and masking edge thickness

Electrophysical properties of silicon doped by palladium-103 isotope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makhkamov, Sh.; Tursunov, N.A.; Sattiev, A.R.; Normurodov, A.B.

2007-01-01

The work is devoted to study of radiation physical processes taking place in Si under nuclear transmutation, Identification and determination of defects microstructure and homogeneities and their distribution, study of interactions of nuclear-transformed phosphorus isotopes with palladium atoms, and its effect on crystal properties. For examination monocrystalline silicon of n- and p-type conductivity with specific resistance from 1 to 40 Ω·cm, dislocation density ∼10 4 cm -2 and oxygen content ∼10 17 cm -3 has been applied. Doping of silicon plates by examined admixture has been carried out by thermal diffusion method within temperature range 1000-1250 deg. C for 0.5- 5 h. Irradiation of doped silicon was conducted by reactor neutron fluences 5·10 18 - 5·10 19 cm -2 with subsequent annealing at 1000 deg. C for 30 min. Efficiency of mixture centers formation in silicon, effect of concentration of formed mixture-defect centers on electro-physical, photoelectric and recombination parameters of doped silicon and revealing of type and state of generated defects have been controlled by electric, volume and X-ray fluorescent methods. On the base of spectroscopic researches it is shown, that in silicon forbidden zone after Pd diffusion in DLTS spectra peaks related with acceptor (E c -0.18 and E v +0.34 eV) levels, and peak responsible for level E v +0.32 eV of donor character caused by palladium impurity. It is shown, that irradiation of doped silicon samples by neutrons lead to nuclear transmutation of 102 Pd, 104 Pd in 103 Pd isotopes in the crystal volume with following electron capture in stable isotope 103m Rh

Electron transfer at boron-doped diamond electrodes modified by graphitic micro-domains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahe, E.; Devilliers, D. [Pierre et Marie Curie Univ., Paris (France). Electrochemistry Lab.; Comninellis, C. [Lausanne Ecole Polytechnique, Lausanne (Switzerland). Groupe de Genie Electrochimique

2006-07-01

Boron-doped (BDD) electrodes have been used in electrolysis procedures for the last 10 years. The mechanical stability of the electrode, its large electrochemical window and its low capacitive current place this new electrode material as an alternative for replacing more costly or toxic materials such as mercury. However, the ferri/ferrocyanide system of boron-doped electrodes has shown contradictory results in the literature. This study proposed a cathodic pre-treatment which relied on the presence of residual graphitic domains formed during the preparation of the BDD film. An experiment was conducted in which the doping procedure was used to control the amount of graphitic phase on the electrode with highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) grafted on the BDD surface. Surface characterization with Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was then carried out using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electroanalytical determination of the amount of graphitic micro-domains was described and a pulse procedure was proposed which obtained a reproducible surface state. 2 refs., 2 figs.

Tunable Bandgap Opening in the Proposed Structure of Silicon Doped Graphene

OpenAIRE

Azadeh, Mohammad S. Sharif; Kokabi, Alireza; Hosseini, Mehdi; Fardmanesh, Mehdi

2011-01-01

A specific structure of doped graphene with substituted silicon impurity is introduced and ab. initio density-functional approach is applied for energy band structure calculation of proposed structure. Using the band structure calculation for different silicon sites in the host graphene, the effect of silicon concentration and unit cell geometry on the bandgap of the proposed structure is also investigated. Chemically silicon doped graphene results in an energy gap as large as 2eV according t...

Neutron transmutation doping of polycrystalline silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleland, J.W.; Westbrook, R.D.; Wood, R.F.; Young, R.T.

1976-04-01

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of doped silane has been used by others to deposit a polycrytalline silicon film (polysil) on metal or graphite substrates, but dopant migration to grain boundaries during deposition apparently prohibits attaining a uniform or desired dopant concentration. In contrast, we have used neutron transmutation doping to introduce a uniform phosphorus dopant concentration in commercially available undoped CVD polysil at doping concentrations greater than or equal to 2 x 10 15 cm -3 . Radiation damage annealing to 800 0 C did not indicate dopant migration. Carrier mobility increased with doping concentration and the minority carrier lifetime (MCL) appears to be comparable to that of neutron transmutation doped (NTD) single crystal Si. Application of this technique to photovoltaic solar cell fabrication is discussed

Stopping characteristics of boron and indium ions in silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veselov, D. S., E-mail: DSVeselov@mephi.ru; Voronov, Yu. A. [National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Russian Federation)

2016-12-15

The mean range and its standard deviation are calculated for boron ions implanted into silicon with energies below 10 keV. Similar characteristics are calculated for indium ions with energies below 200 keV. The obtained results are presented in tabular and graphical forms. These results may help in the assessment of conditions of production of integrated circuits with nanometer-sized elements.

Plasma immersion ion implantation of boron for ribbon silicon solar cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derbouz K.

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In this work, we report for the first time on the solar cell fabrication on n-type silicon RST (for Ribbon on Sacrificial Template using plasma immersion ion implantation. The experiments were also carried out on FZ silicon as a reference. Boron was implanted at energies from 10 to 15 kV and doses from 1015 to 1016 cm-2, then activated by a thermal annealing in a conventional furnace at 900 and 950 °C for 30 min. The n+ region acting as a back surface field was achieved by phosphorus spin-coating. The frontside boron emitter was passivated either by applying a 10 nm deposited SiOX plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD or with a 10 nm grown thermal oxide. The anti-reflection coating layer formed a 60 nm thick SiNX layer. We show that energies less than 15 kV and doses around 5 × 1015 cm-2 are appropriate to achieve open circuit voltage higher than 590 mV and efficiency around 16.7% on FZ-Si. The photovoltaic performances on ribbon silicon are so far limited by the bulk quality of the material and by the quality of the junction through the presence of silicon carbide precipitates at the surface. Nevertheless, we demonstrate that plasma immersion ion implantation is very promising for solar cell fabrication on ultrathin silicon wafers such as ribbons.

Substrate and p-layer effects on polymorphous silicon solar cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abolmasov S.N.

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The influence of textured transparent conducting oxide (TCO substrate and p-layer on the performance of single-junction hydrogenated polymorphous silicon (pm-Si:H solar cells has been addressed. Comparative studies were performed using p-i-n devices with identical i/n-layers and back reflectors fabricated on textured Asahi U-type fluorine-doped SnO2, low-pressure chemical vapor deposited (LPCVD boron-doped ZnO and sputtered/etched aluminum-doped ZnO substrates. The p-layers were hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbon and microcrystalline silicon oxide. As expected, the type of TCO and p-layer both have a great influence on the initial conversion efficiency of the solar cells. However they have no effect on the defect density of the pm-Si:H absorber layer.

The development of the market for neutron transmutation doped silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herzer, H.; Vieweg-Gutberlet, G.

1984-01-01

Neutron transmutation doped silicon was introduced to the electronic device market in the 1975-1976 time period. Today, neutron transmutation doping is definitely a mature technology applied mainly to semiconductor power devices. There is no doubt that the power device sector will remain the major consumer of NTD silicon in the near future. This paper examines the possible application of NTD silicon to other areas of the semiconductor market, and concludes that the need for NTD silicon will continue to grow and will expand into other applications. Consequently, unless new reactor capacities become available by the end of the decade, NTD silicon applications will probably be limited mainly to power and sensor devices

Plasma Synthesized Doped Boron Nanopowder for MgB2 Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marzik, James V.

2012-01-01

Under this program, a process to synthesize nano-sized doped boron powder by a plasma synthesis process was developed and scaled up from 20 gram batches at program start to over 200 grams by program end. Over 75 batches of boron nanopowder were made by RF plasma synthesis. Particle sizes were typically in the 20-200 nm range. The powder was synthesized by the reductive pyrolysis of BCl 3 in hydrogen in an RF plasma. A wide range of process parameters were investigated including plasma power, torch geometry, gas flow rates, and process pressure. The powder-in-tube technique was used to make monofilament and multifilament superconducting wires. MgB 2 wire made with Specialty Materials plasma synthesized boron nanopowder exhibited superconducting properties that significantly exceeded the program goals. Superconducting critical currents, J c , in excess of 10 5 A cm -2 at magnetic fields of 8 tesla were reproducibly achieved. The upper critical magnetic field in wires fabricated with program boron powder were H c2 (0) = 37 tesla, demonstrating the potential of these materials for high field magnet applications. T c in carbon-doped MgB 2 powder showed a systematic decrease with increasing carbon precursor gas flows, indicating the plasma synthesis process can give precise control over dopant concentrations. Synthesis rates increased by a factor of 400% over the course of the program, demonstrating the scalability of the powder synthesis process. The plasma synthesis equipment at Specialty Materials has successfully and reproducibly made high quality boron nanopowder for MgB 2 superconductors. Research and development from this program enabled Specialty Materials to successfully scale up the powder synthesis process by a factor of ten and to double the size of its powder pilot plant. Thus far the program has been a technical success. It is anticipated that continued systematic development of plasma processing parameters, dopant chemistry and concentration, wire

Communication: Towards catalytic nitric oxide reduction via oligomerization on boron doped graphene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cantatore, Valentina, E-mail: valcan@chalmers.se; Panas, Itai [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy & Materials, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg (Sweden)

2016-04-21

We use density functional theory to describe a novel way for metal free catalytic reduction of nitric oxide NO utilizing boron doped graphene. The present study is based on the observation that boron doped graphene and O—N=N—O{sup −} act as Lewis acid-base pair allowing the graphene surface to act as a catalyst. The process implies electron assisted N=N bond formation prior to N—O dissociation. Two N{sub 2} + O{sub 2} product channels, one of which favoring N{sub 2}O formation, are envisaged as outcome of the catalytic process. Besides, we show also that the N{sub 2} + O{sub 2} formation pathways are contrasted by a side reaction that brings to N{sub 3}O{sub 3}{sup −} formation and decomposition into N{sub 2}O + NO{sub 2}{sup −}.

Shock compression parameters for a boron-loaded, silicone-rubber composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gust, W.H.; Van Thiel, M.; Gathers, G.R.

1975-01-01

Hugoniot parameters under uniaxial-shock-wave-loading from 0.03 to 0.6 Mbar are presented for a composite with 70 wt percent boron loaded in a silicone-rubber matrix. The plot of shock velocity vs particle velocity was found to be nonlinear. Equations that describe fits of the data are presented. (U.S.)

Novel semiconducting boron carbide/pyridine polymers for neutron detection at zero bias

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Echeverria, Elena; Enders, A.; Dowben, P.A. [University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Lincoln, NE (United States); James, Robinson; Chiluwal, Umesh; Gapfizi, Richard; Tae, Jae-Do; Driver, M. Sky; Kelber, Jeffry A. [University of North Texas, Department of Chemistry, Denton, TX (United States); Pasquale, Frank L. [University of North Texas, Department of Chemistry, Denton, TX (United States); Lam Research Corporation, PECVD Business Unit, Tualatin, OR (United States); Colon Santana, Juan A. [Center for Energy Sciences Research, Lincoln, NE (United States)

2014-09-19

Thin films containing aromatic pyridine moieties bonded to boron, in the partially dehydrogenated boron-rich icosahedra (B{sub 10}C{sub 2}H{sub X}), prove to be an effective material for neutron detection applications when deposited on n-doped (100) silicon substrates. The characteristic I-V curves for the heterojunction diodes exhibit strong rectification and largely unperturbed normalized reverse bias leakage currents with increasing pyridine content. The neutron capture generated pulses from these heterojunction diodes were obtained at zero bias voltage although without the signatures of complete electron-hole collection. These results suggest that modifications to boron carbide may result in better neutron voltaic materials. (orig.)

Homojunction silicon solar cells doping by ion implantation

Science.gov (United States)

Milési, Frédéric; Coig, Marianne; Lerat, Jean-François; Desrues, Thibaut; Le Perchec, Jérôme; Lanterne, Adeline; Lachal, Laurent; Mazen, Frédéric

2017-10-01

Production costs and energy efficiency are the main priorities for the photovoltaic (PV) industry (COP21 conclusions). To lower costs and increase efficiency, we are proposing to reduce the number of processing steps involved in the manufacture of N-type Passivated Rear Totally Diffused (PERT) silicon solar cells. Replacing the conventional thermal diffusion doping steps by ion implantation followed by thermal annealing allows reducing the number of steps from 7 to 3 while maintaining similar efficiency. This alternative approach was investigated in the present work. Beamline and plasma immersion ion implantation (BLII and PIII) methods were used to insert n-(phosphorus) and p-type (boron) dopants into the Si substrate. With higher throughput and lower costs, PIII is a better candidate for the photovoltaic industry, compared to BL. However, the optimization of the plasma conditions is demanding and more complex than the beamline approach. Subsequent annealing was performed on selected samples to activate the dopants on both sides of the solar cell. Two annealing methods were investigated: soak and spike thermal annealing. Best performing solar cells, showing a PV efficiency of about 20%, was obtained using spike annealing with adapted ion implantation conditions.

Segregation of boron implanted into silicon on angular configurations of silicon/silicon dioxide oxidation interface

CERN Document Server

Tarnavskij, G A; Obrekht, M S

2001-01-01

One studies segregation of boron implanted into silicon when a wave (interface) of oxidation moves within it. There are four types of angular configurations of SiO sub 2 /Si oxidation interface, that is: direct and reverse shoulders, trench type cavities and a square. By means of computer-aided simulation one obtained and analyzed complex patterns of B concentration distribution within Si, SiO sub 2 domains and at SiO sub 2 /Si interface for all types of angular configurations of the oxidation interface

Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes for the Electrochemical Oxidation and Cleavage of Peptides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roeser, Julien; Alting, Niels F. A.; Permentier, Hjalmar P.; Bruins, Andries P.; Bischoff, Rainer

2013-01-01

Electrochemical oxidation of peptides and proteins is traditionally performed on carbon-based electrodes. Adsorption caused by the affinity of hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids toward these surfaces leads to electrode fouling. We compared the performance of boron-doped diamond (BDD) and glassy

Doping profile measurement on textured silicon surface

Science.gov (United States)

Essa, Zahi; Taleb, Nadjib; Sermage, Bernard; Broussillou, Cédric; Bazer-Bachi, Barbara; Quillec, Maurice

2018-04-01

In crystalline silicon solar cells, the front surface is textured in order to lower the reflection of the incident light and increase the efficiency of the cell. This texturing whose dimensions are a few micrometers wide and high, often makes it difficult to determine the doping profile measurement. We have measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and electrochemical capacitance voltage profiling the doping profile of implanted phosphorus in alkaline textured and in polished monocrystalline silicon wafers. The paper shows that SIMS gives accurate results provided the primary ion impact angle is small enough. Moreover, the comparison between these two techniques gives an estimation of the concentration of electrically inactive phosphorus atoms.

Neutralization study of boron and some metallic impurities (gold, titanium, manganese, chromium) by hydrogen implantation in monocrystal silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zundel, T.

1987-02-01

Boron doped silicon implanted with hydrogen at low energy in the temperature range 80-140 0 C shows a large decrease of the electrically active dopant concentration up to a depth which increases with the temperature, the implantation duration and the starting material resistivity. This effect is assigned to the formation of an electrically inactive BH complex. The hydrogen incorporation process shows a weakly temperature dependent enhanced diffusion step followed by a normal diffusion phase which may be described by a thermally activated diffusion coefficient. Heating at 80 0 C produces a complete dissociation of the BH complexes in the space charge region of reverse biased Schottky diodes. Consequently the released hydrogen drifts under the electric field and the neutralization becomes more pronounced in the bulk. Hydrogen neutralizes the gold, chromium, manganese related deep levels but has no effect on titanium related defect levels. Thermal annealing at 495 0 C of hydrogenated chromium or manganese doped samples produces four majority carriers levels which disappear at 700 0 C [fr

Electron trap annealing in neutron transmutation doped silicon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guldberg, J.

1977-01-01

Silicon doped by neutron transmutation to 1.2×1014 phosphorus atoms/cm3 was investigated with deep level transient spectroscopy using evaporated Au/n-Si diodes. Seven bulk electron traps were identified which appear after 30 min N2 anneal at temperatures between 425 and 725 °C. Five of these anne......Silicon doped by neutron transmutation to 1.2×1014 phosphorus atoms/cm3 was investigated with deep level transient spectroscopy using evaporated Au/n-Si diodes. Seven bulk electron traps were identified which appear after 30 min N2 anneal at temperatures between 425 and 725 °C. Five...

Influence of screening effect on hydrogen passivation of hole silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksandrov, O.V.

2002-01-01

The simulation of hole silicon passivation during hydrogen diffusion with account of hydrogen-acceptor pairs formation, internal electrical field and screening effect has been carried out. Screening by free carriers of hydrogen and acceptor ions results in shortening their interaction radii and slacking the concentration dependence of hydrogen diffusivity at high level of silicon doping. The consistency of simulated and experimental profiles of holes and hydrogen-acceptor pairs is reached in a broad band of doping levels from 4 x 10 14 to 1.2 x 10 20 cm -3 at the pair binding energy of 0.70-0.79 eV while the radius of the Coulomb interaction of hydrogen and boron ions is equal to 35 A under low doping and decrease with increasing doping level [ru

Chalcogen doping of silicon via intense femtosecond-laser irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheehy, Michael A.; Tull, Brian R.; Friend, Cynthia M.; Mazur, Eric

2007-01-01

We have previously shown that doping silicon with sulfur via femtosecond-laser irradiation leads to near-unity absorption of radiation from ultraviolet wavelengths to below band gap short-wave infrared wavelengths. Here, we demonstrate that doping silicon with two other group VI elements (chalcogens), selenium and tellurium, also leads to near-unity broadband absorption. A powder of the chalcogen dopant is spread on the silicon substrate and irradiated with femtosecond-laser pulses. We examine and compare the resulting morphology, optical properties, and chemical composition for each chalcogen-doped substrate before and after thermal annealing. Thermal annealing reduces the absorption of below band gap radiation by an amount that correlates with the diffusivity of the chalcogen dopant used to make the sample. We propose a mechanism for the absorption of below band gap radiation based on defects in the lattice brought about by the femtosecond-laser irradiation and the presence of a supersaturated concentration of chalcogen dopant atoms. The selenium and tellurium doped samples show particular promise for use in infrared photodetectors as they retain most of their infrared absorptance even after thermal annealing-a necessary step in many semiconductor device manufacturing processes

High-field EPR spectroscopy of thermal donors in silicon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dirksen, R.; Rasmussen, F.B.; Gregorkiewicz, T.

1997-01-01

Thermal donors generated in p-type boron-doped Czochralski-grown silicon by a 450 degrees C heat treatment have been studied by high-field magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In the experiments conducted at a microwave frequency of 140 GHz and in a magnetic field of approximately 5 T four individual...

Synthesis of boron, nitrogen co-doped porous carbon from asphaltene for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ying; Wang, Dao-Long; Wang, Chun-Lei; Jin, Xin-Xin; Qiu, Jie-Shan

2014-08-01

Oxidized asphaltene (OA), a thermosetting material with plenty of functional groups, is synthesized from asphaltene (A) using HNO3/H2SO4 as the oxidizing agent. Boron, nitrogen co-doped porous carbon (BNC—OA) is prepared by carbonization of the mixture of boric acid and OA at 1173 K in an argon atmosphere. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization reveals that the BNC—OA has a nitrogen content of 3.26 at.% and a boron content of 1.31 at.%, while its oxidation-free counterpart (BNC—SA) has a nitrogen content of 1.61 at.% and a boron content of 3.02 at.%. The specific surface area and total pore volume of BNC—OA are 1103 m2·g-1 and 0.921 cm3·g-1, respectively. At a current density of 0.1 A·g-1, the specific capacitance of BNC-OA is 335 F·g-1 and the capacitance retention can still reach 83% at 1 A·g-1. The analysis shows that the superior electrochemical performance of the BNC—OA is attributed to the pseudocapacitance behavior of surface heteroatom functional groups and an abundant pore-structure. Boron, nitrogen co-doped porous carbon is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors.

Roughness-based monitoring of transparency and conductivity in boron-doped ZnO thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaikwad, Rajendra S.; Bhande, Sambhaji S.; Mane, Rajaram S.; Pawar, Bhagwat N.; Gaikwad, Sanjay L.; Han, Sung-Hwan; Joo, Oh-Shim

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► We report surface roughness dependent transparency and conductivity in ZnO films. ► The surface roughness with respected to boron doping concentrations is studied. ► Boron doped and pristine Zinc oxide thin films have showed ≥95% transmittance. ► Increased carrier concentration of 9.21 × 10 21 cm −3 revealed from Hall measurement. -- Abstract: Sprayed polycrystalline ZnO and boron-doped ZnO thin films composed of spherical grains of 25–32 nm in diameters are used in roughness measurement and further correlated with the transparency and the conductivity characteristics. The surface roughness is increased up to Zn 0.98 B 0.02 O and then declined at higher boron concentrations. The sprayed ZnO films revealed ≥95% transmittance in the visible wavelength range, 1.956 × 10 −4 Ω cm electrical resistivity, 46 cm 2 /V s Hall mobility and 9.21 × 10 21 cm −3 charge carrier concentration. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study has confirmed 0.15 eV binding energy change for Zn 2p 3/2 when 2 at% boron content is mixed without altering electro-optical properties substantially. Finally, using soft modeling importance of these textured ZnO over non-textured films for enhancing the solar cells performance is explored.

Electrochemical Properties of Boron-Doped Fullerene Derivatives for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sood, Parveen; Kim, Ki Chul; Jang, Seung Soon

2018-03-19

The high electron affinity of fullerene C 60 coupled with the rich chemistry of carbon makes it a promising material for cathode applications in lithium-ion batteries. Since boron has one electron less than carbon, the presence of boron on C 60 cages is expected to generate electron deficiency in C 60 , and thereby to enhance its electron affinity. By using density functional theory (DFT), we studied the redox potentials and electronic properties of C 60 and C 59 B. We have found that doping C 60 with one boron atom results in a substantial increase in redox potential from 2.462 V to 3.709 V, which was attributed to the formation of an open shell system. We also investigated the redox and electronic properties of C 59 B functionalized with various redox-active oxygen containing functional groups (OCFGs). For the combination of functionalization with OCFGs and boron doping, it is found that the enhancement of redox potential is reduced, which is mainly attributed to the open shell structure being changed to a closed-shell one. Nevertheless, the redox potentials are still higher than that of pristine C 60 . From the observation that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of closed-shell OCFG- functionalized C 59 B is correlated well with the redox potential, it was confirmed that the spin state is crucial to be considered to understand the relationship between electronic structure and redox properties. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrochemical evaluation and determination of antiretroviral drug fosamprenavir using boron-doped diamond and glassy carbon electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gumustas, Mehmet; Ozkan, Sibel A

2010-05-01

Fosamprenavir is a pro-drug of the antiretroviral protease inhibitor amprenavir and is oxidizable at solid electrodes. The anodic oxidation behavior of fosamprenavir was investigated using cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry at boron-doped diamond and glassy carbon electrodes. In cyclic voltammetry, depending on pH values, fosamprenavir showed one sharp irreversible oxidation peak or wave depending on the working electrode. The mechanism of the oxidation process was discussed. The voltammetric study of some model compounds allowed elucidation of the possible oxidation mechanism of fosamprenavir. The aim of this study was to determine fosamprenavir levels in pharmaceutical formulations and biological samples by means of electrochemical methods. Using the sharp oxidation response, two voltammetric methods were described for the determination of fosamprenavir by differential pulse and square-wave voltammetry at the boron-doped diamond and glassy carbon electrodes. These two voltammetric techniques are 0.1 M H(2)SO(4) and phosphate buffer at pH 2.0 which allow quantitation over a 4 x 10(-6) to 8 x 10(-5) M range using boron-doped diamond and a 1 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-4) M range using glassy carbon electrodes, respectively, in supporting electrolyte. All necessary validation parameters were investigated and calculated. These methods were successfully applied for the analysis of fosamprenavir pharmaceutical dosage forms, human serum and urine samples. The standard addition method was used in biological media using boron-doped diamond electrode. No electroactive interferences from the tablet excipients or endogenous substances from biological material were found. The results were statistically compared with those obtained through an established HPLC-UV technique; no significant differences were found between the voltammetric and HPLC methods.

Textured surface boron-doped ZnO transparent conductive oxides on polyethylene terephthalate substrates for Si-based thin film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xinliang; Lin Quan; Ni Jian; Zhang Dekun; Sun Jian; Zhao Ying; Geng Xinhua

2011-01-01

Textured surface boron-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:B) thin films were directly grown via low pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition (LP-MOCVD) on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flexible substrates at low temperatures and high-efficiency flexible polymer silicon (Si) based thin film solar cells were obtained. High purity diethylzinc and water vapors were used as source materials, and diborane was used as an n-type dopant gas. P-i-n silicon layers were fabricated at ∼ 398 K by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. These textured surface ZnO:B thin films on PET substrates (PET/ZnO:B) exhibit rough pyramid-like morphology with high transparencies (T ∼ 80%) and excellent electrical properties (Rs ∼ 10 Ω at d ∼ 1500 nm). Finally, the PET/ZnO:B thin films were applied in flexible p-i-n type silicon thin film solar cells (device structure: PET/ZnO:B/p-i-n a-Si:H/Al) with a high conversion efficiency of 6.32% (short-circuit current density J SC = 10.62 mA/cm 2 , open-circuit voltage V OC = 0.93 V and fill factor = 64%).

Thermal shock resistance of thick boron-doped diamond under extreme heat loads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Temmerman, G.; Dodson, J.; Linke, J.; Lisgo, S.; Pintsuk, G.; Porro, S.; Scarsbrook, G.

2011-01-01

Thick free-standing boron-doped diamonds were prepared by microwave plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition. Samples with a final thickness close to 5 mm and with lateral dimensions 25 x 25 mm were produced. The thermal shock resistance of the material was tested by exposure in the JUDITH

Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond electrodes for neural interfaces: in vivo biocompatibility evaluation

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Alcaide, M.; Taylor, Andrew; Fjorback, M.; Zachar, V.; Pennisi, C.P.

2016-01-01

Roč. 10, Mar (2016), 1-9, č. článku 87. ISSN 1662-453X Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : nanocrystalline diamond * neuroprosthetic interfaces * neural electrodes * boron-doped diamond * titanium nitride * foreign body reaction Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.566, year: 2016

In-situ boron doping of chemical-bath deposited CdS thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khallaf, Hani; Park, S.; Schulte, Alfons; Chai, Guangyu; Lupan, Oleg; Chow, Lee; Heinrich, Helge

2009-01-01

In-situ boron doping of CdS using chemical-bath deposition (CBD) is reported. The effect of B doping on optical properties, as well as electrical properties, crystal structure, chemistry, and morphology of CdS films is studied. We present a successful approach towards B doping of CdS using CBD, where a resistivity as low as 1.7 x 10 -2 Ωcm and a carrier density as high as 1.91 x 10 19 cm -3 were achieved. The bandgap of B-doped films was found to slightly decrease as the[B]/[Cd] ratio in the solution increases. X-ray diffraction studies showed B 3+ ions likely enter the lattice substitutionally. A phase transition, due to annealing, as well as induced lattice defects, due to B doping, were detected by micro-Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The chemistry and morphology of films were unaffected by B doping. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

X-ray diffuse scattering study of the kinetics of stacking fault growth and annihilation in boron-implanted silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Luebbert, D.; Arthur, J.; Sztucki, M.; Metzger, T. H.; Griffin, P. B.; Patel, J. R.

2002-10-01

Stacking faults in boron-implanted silicon give rise to streaks or rods of scattered x-ray intensity normal to the stacking fault plane. We have used the diffuse scattering rods to follow the growth of faults as a function of time when boron-implanted silicon is annealed in the range of 925 to 1025 degC. From the growth kinetics we obtain an activation energy for interstitial migration in silicon: EI=1.98plus-or-minus0.06 eV. Fault intensity and size versus time results indicate that faults do not shrink and disappear, but rather are annihilated by a dislocation reaction mechanism.

Investigation of optimized experimental parameters including laser wavelength for boron measurement in photovoltaic grade silicon using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darwiche, S.; Benmansour, M.; Eliezer, N.; Morvan, D.

2010-01-01

The quantification of boron and other impurities in photovoltaic grade silicon was investigated using the LIBS technique with attention to the laser wavelength employed, temporal parameters, and the nature of the ambient gas. The laser wavelength was found to have a moderate effect on the performance of the process, while the type of purge gas and temporal parameters had a strong effect on the signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of the boron spectral emission, which was used to determine the boron concentration in silicon. The three parameters are not independent, meaning that for each different purge gas, different optimal temporal parameters are observed. Electron density was also calculated from Stark broadening of the 390.5 nm silicon emission line in order to better understand the different performances observed when using different gases and gating parameters. Calibration curves were made for boron measurement in silicon using certified standards with different purge gases while using the temporal parameters which had been optimized for that gas. By comparing the calibration curves, it was determined that argon is superior to helium or air for use as the analysis chamber purge gas with an UV laser.

First-principles study of the effects of Silicon doping on the Schottky barrier of TiSi2/Si interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Han; Silva, Eduardo; West, Damien; Sun, Yiyang; Restrepo, Oscar; Zhang, Shengbai; Kota, Murali

As scaling of semiconductor devices is pursued in order to improve power efficiency, quantum effects due to the reduced dimensions on devices have become dominant factors in power, performance, and area scaling. In particular, source/drain contact resistance has become a limiting factor in the overall device power efficiency and performance. As a consequence, techniques such as heavy doping of source and drain have been explored to reduce the contact resistance, thereby shrinking the width of depletion region and lowering the Schottky barrier height. In this work, we study the relation between doping in Silicon and the Schottky barrier of a TiSi2/Si interface with first-principles calculation. Virtual Crystal Approximation (VCA) is used to calculate the average potential of the interface with varying doping concentration, while the I-V curve for the corresponding interface is calculated with a generalized one-dimensional transfer matrix method. The relation between substitutional and interstitial Boron and Phosphorus dopant near the interface, and their effect on tuning the Schottky barrier is studied. These studies provide insight to the type of doping and the effect of dopant segregation to optimize metal-semiconductor interface resistance.

Evaluation of freestanding boron-doped diamond grown by chemical vapour deposition as substrates for vertical power electronic devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Issaoui, R.; Achard, J.; Tallaire, A.; Silva, F.; Gicquel, A. [LSPM-CNRS (formerly LIMHP), Universite Paris 13, 99, Avenue Jean-Baptiste Clement, 93430 Villetaneuse (France); Bisaro, R.; Servet, B.; Garry, G. [Thales Research and Technology France, Campus de Polytechnique, 1 Avenue Augustin Fresnel, F-91767 Palaiseau Cedex (France); Barjon, J. [GEMaC-CNRS, Universite de Versailles Saint Quentin Batiment Fermat, 45 Avenue des Etats-Unis, 78035 Versailles Cedex (France)

2012-03-19

In this study, 4 x 4 mm{sup 2} freestanding boron-doped diamond single crystals with thickness up to 260 {mu}m have been fabricated by plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition. The boron concentrations measured by secondary ion mass spectroscopy were 10{sup 18} to 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3} which is in a good agreement with the values calculated from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, thus indicating that almost all incorporated boron is electrically active. The dependence of lattice parameters and crystal mosaicity on boron concentrations have also been extracted from high resolution x-ray diffraction experiments on (004) planes. The widths of x-ray rocking curves have globally shown the high quality of the material despite a substantial broadening of the peak, indicating a decrease of structural quality with increasing boron doping levels. Finally, the suitability of these crystals for the development of vertical power electronic devices has been confirmed by four-point probe measurements from which electrical resistivities as low as 0.26 {Omega} cm have been obtained.

Synthesis of boron and nitrogen co-doped carbon nanofiber as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for the VO"2"+/VO_2"+ Redox Reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Lang; Liu, Suqin; He, Zhen; Yuan, Hao; Shen, Junxi

2015-01-01

Boron or nitrogen mono-doped carbon nanofiber (CNF), and boron, nitrogen co-doped CNF are intentionally prepared as positive electrodes in a vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). The structures and electrochemical properties of the materials are investigated by Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impendence spectroscopy. The experimental results indicate that either B or N mono-doped CNF shown better electrochemical performance than untreated one. Interestingly, for the B and N co-doped CNF, the separated case exhibited an outstanding electrochemical activity better than either B or N mono-doped case, while the bonded case leading to a sharp drop in conductivity and shown poor electrochemical performances. These results demonstrated that not the total amount of incorporated B and N but how the B and N are incorporated into carbon nanostructures determines the catalytic activity toward VO"2"+/VO_2"+ reaction. Moreover, the individual mechanism of the nitrogen and boron containing functional groups act as active sites have been analyzed.

Modelling structure and properties of amorphous silicon boron nitride ceramics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johann Christian Schön

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Silicon boron nitride is the parent compound of a new class of high-temperature stable amorphous ceramics constituted of silicon, boron, nitrogen, and carbon, featuring a set of properties that is without precedent, and represents a prototypical random network based on chemical bonds of predominantly covalent character. In contrast to many other amorphous materials of technological interest, a-Si3B3N7 is not produced via glass formation, i.e. by quenching from a melt, the reason being that the binary components, BN and Si3N4, melt incongruently under standard conditions. Neither has it been possible to employ sintering of μm-size powders consisting of binary nitrides BN and Si3N4. Instead, one employs the so-called sol-gel route starting from single component precursors such as TADB ((SiCl3NH(BCl2. In order to determine the atomic structure of this material, it has proven necessary to simulate the actual synthesis route.Many of the exciting properties of these ceramics are closely connected to the details of their amorphous structure. To clarify this structure, it is necessary to employ not only experimental probes on many length scales (X-ray, neutron- and electron scattering; complex NMR experiments; IR- and Raman scattering, but also theoretical approaches. These address the actual synthesis route to a-Si3B3N7, the structural properties, the elastic and vibrational properties, aging and coarsening behaviour, thermal conductivity and the metastable phase diagram both for a-Si3B3N7 and possible silicon boron nitride phases with compositions different from Si3N4: BN = 1 : 3. Here, we present a short comprehensive overview over the insights gained using molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations to explore the energy landscape of a-Si3B3N7, model the actual synthesis route and compute static and transport properties of a-Si3BN7.

Boron-enhanced diffusion of boron from ultralow-energy boron implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, A.; Eaglesham, D.J.; Gossmann, H.J.; Pelaz, L.; Herner, S.B.; Jacobson, D.C.

1998-01-01

The authors have investigated the diffusion enhancement mechanism of BED (boron enhanced diffusion), wherein the boron diffusivity is enhanced three to four times over the equilibrium diffusivity at 1,050 C in the proximity of a silicon layer containing a high boron concentration. It is shown that BED is associated with the formation of a fine-grain polycrystalline silicon boride phase within an initially amorphous Si layer having a high B concentration. For 0.5 keV B + , the threshold implantation dose which leads to BED lies between 3 x 10 14 and of 1 x 10 15 /cm -2 . Formation of the shallowest possible junctions by 0.5 keV B + requires that the implant dose be kept lower than this threshold

Electrochemical protein cleavage in a microfluidic cell with integrated boron doped diamond electrodes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Brink, Floris Teunis Gerardus; Zhang, Tao; Ma, Liwei; Odijk, Mathieu; Olthuis, Wouter; Permentier, Hjalmar P.; Bischoff, Rainer P.H.; van den Berg, Albert

2015-01-01

We present a microfluidic electrochemical cell with integrated boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes which is designed for high electrochemical conversion efficiencies. With our newest developments, we aim to exploit the benefits of BDD as a novel electrode material to conduct tyrosine- and

Co-doping TiO{sub 2} with boron and/or yttrium elements: Effects on antimicrobial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yuzheng [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang 110870 (China); Wu, Yusheng, E-mail: henanwys@sina.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang 110870 (China); Yang, He; Xue, Xiangxin; Liu, Zhihua [Institute of Metallurgical Resources and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China)

2016-09-15

Highlights: • B-Y/TiO{sub 2} nano materials firstly applied to the fields of antibacterial materials. • Systems analysis the existence state of boron and yttrium ion in TiO{sub 2}. • Doping B and Y greatly strengthened the antibacterial activity of TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Pure TiO{sub 2}, boron and/or yttrium doped TiO{sub 2} nano-materials were synthesized by a sol–gel method and characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS and PL. XRD analysis indicates that, in the pure TiO{sub 2} and B single doped TiO{sub 2} (B-TiO{sub 2}) nano-materials calcinated at 700 °C, the presence of TiO{sub 2} is a mixture of anatase and rutile; in the Y single doped (Y-TiO{sub 2}), B and Y co-doped TiO{sub 2} nano-materials (B/Y-TiO{sub 2}), the presence of TiO{sub 2} is anatase. SEM image shows the prepared materials have a common round morphology and hexagonal plate morphology caused by the agglomeration of particles. Boron atoms are partially embedded into the TiO{sub 2} interstitial structure or incorporated into the TiO{sub 2} lattice through occupying the position of the oxygen atoms. The results of antimicrobial experiment show that B/Y-TiO{sub 2} material has a remarkable antimicrobial activity. Compared with the visible light irradiation, antimicrobial activity of B/Y-TiO{sub 2} in dark is significant poor.

Crystallization induced of amorphous silicon by nickel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, J.A; Rinaldi, P; Budini, N; Arce, R; Buitrago, R.H

2008-01-01

Polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si) deposited on glass substrates is a very promising material for the production of different electronic devices, like thin film transistors, active matrices or solar cells. The crystallization of the amorphous silicon to obtain pc-Si can be achieved with different processes, among which nickel-induced crystallization is because it requires low concentrations of the metal and low annealing temperatures. Nucleation and growth of crystalline silicon are measured by the formation of silicide NiSi 2 , which has a lattice constant very similar to that of Si, and acts as a seed upon which crystalline grains can develop. The size of the pc-Si final grain depends on many factors, such as the initial concentration of Ni, the annealing time and temperature, and the presence of other atoms in the Si structure. This work presents a study on the influence of these parameters on the silicon crystallization process induced by Ni. We deposited a series of hydrogenated amorphous silicon samples (a-Si:H) on glass substrates, using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method (PE-CVD) with silane gas (SiH 4 ). The deposition temperature was 200 o C, and we prepared intrinsic samples (i), lightly doped with boron (p), heavily doped with boron (p + ) and heavily doped with phosphorous (n + ). Each sample was divided into eight portions, depositing different concentrations of Ni into each one using the cathodic sputtering method. The concentration of Ni was determined by atomic adsorption spectroscopy, and included from 1.5 1 0 15 to 1.5 1 0 16 at/cm 2 . Later the samples were submitted to different thermal treatments in a circulating nitrogen atmosphere. In order to avoid violent dehydrogenation of the a-Si:H that damages the samples, the annealing was carried out gradually. In a first stage the samples were heated at a velocity of 0.5 o C /min up to 400 o C, holding them for 24 hrs at this temperature in order to reach hydrogen effusion. Heating

Influence of screening effect on hydrogen passivation of hole silicon

CERN Document Server

Aleksandrov, O V

2002-01-01

The simulation of hole silicon passivation during hydrogen diffusion with account of hydrogen-acceptor pairs formation, internal electrical field and screening effect has been carried out. Screening by free carriers of hydrogen and acceptor ions results in shortening their interaction radii and slacking the concentration dependence of hydrogen diffusivity at high level of silicon doping. The consistency of simulated and experimental profiles of holes and hydrogen-acceptor pairs is reached in a broad band of doping levels from 4 x 10 sup 1 sup 4 to 1.2 x 10 sup 2 sup 0 cm sup - sup 3 at the pair binding energy of 0.70-0.79 eV while the radius of the Coulomb interaction of hydrogen and boron ions is equal to 35 A under low doping and decrease with increasing doping level

High-Current-Density Vertical-Tunneling Transistors from Graphene/Highly Doped Silicon Heterostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuan; Sheng, Jiming; Wu, Hao; He, Qiyuan; Cheng, Hung-Chieh; Shakir, Muhammad Imran; Huang, Yu; Duan, Xiangfeng

2016-06-01

Scalable fabrication of vertical-tunneling transistors is presented based on heterostructures formed between graphene, highly doped silicon, and its native oxide. Benefiting from the large density of states of highly doped silicon, the tunneling transistors can deliver a current density over 20 A cm(-2) . This study demonstrates that the interfacial native oxide plays a crucial role in governing the carrier transport in graphene-silicon heterostructures. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Activation of boron and phosphorus atoms implanted in polycrystalline silicon films at low temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andoh, Nobuyuki; Sameshima, Toshiyuki; Andoh, Yasunori

2005-01-01

Phosphorus atoms implanted in laser crystallized polycrystalline silicon films were activated by a heat treatment in air at 260 deg. C for 1, 3 and 24 h. Analysis of ultraviolet reflectivity of phosphorus-doped silicon films implanted by ion doping method at 4 keV revealed that the thickness of the top disordered layer formed by ion bombardment was 6 nm. It is reduced to 4 nm by a 3 h heat treatment at 260 deg. C by recrystallization of disordered region. The electrical conductance of silicon films implanted increased to 1.7x10 5 S/sq after 3 h heat treatment

Heavy doping effects in high efficiency silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Lindholm, F. A.; Neugroschel, A.

1986-01-01

The temperature dependence of the emitter saturation current for bipolar devices was studied by varying the surface recombination velocity at the emitter surface. From this dependence, the value was derived for bandgap narrowing that is in better agreement with other determinations that were obtained from the temperature dependence measure on devices with ohmic contacts. Results of the first direct measurement of the minority-carrier transit time in a transparent heavily doped emitter layer were reported. The value was obtained by a high-frequency conductance method recently developed and used for doped Si. Experimental evidence is presented for significantly greater charge storage in highly excited silicon near room temperature than conventional theory would predict. These data are compared with various data for delta E sub G in heavily doped silicon.

Preparation of Boron Nitride Nanoparticles with Oxygen Doping and a Study of Their Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Qing; Zhao, Qi; Yang, Tianye; Zhai, Chengbo; Wang, Dongxue; Zhang, Mingzhe

2018-04-18

In this work, oxygen-doped boron nitride nanoparticles with room-temperature ferromagnetism have been synthesized by a new, facile, and efficient method. There are no metal magnetic impurities in the nanoparticles analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The boron nitride nanoparticles exhibit a parabolic shape with increase in the reaction time. The saturation magnetization value reaches a maximum of 0.2975 emu g -1 at 300 K when the reaction time is 12 h, indicating that the Curie temperature ( T C ) is higher than 300 K. Combined with first-principles calculation, the coupling between B 2p orbital, N 2p orbital, and O 2p orbital in the conduction bands is the main origin of room-temperature ferromagnetism and also proves that the magnetic moment changes according the oxygen-doping content change. Compared with other room temperature ferromagnetic semiconductors, boron nitride nanoparticles have widely potential applications in spintronic devices because of high temperature oxidation resistance and excellent chemical stability.

Wavelength dependence of the Brillouin spectral width of boron doped germanosilicate optical fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Pi-Cheng; Dragic, Peter D

2010-08-30

Boron co-doped germanosilicate fibers are investigated via the Brillouin light scattering technique using two wavelengths, 1534 nm and 1064 nm. Several fibers are investigated, including four drawn from the same preform but at different draw temperatures. The Stokes' shifts and the Brillouin spectral widths are found to increase with increasing fiber draw temperature. A frequency-squared law has adequately described the wavelength dependence of the Brillouin spectral width of conventional Ge-doped fibers. However, it is found that unlike conventional Ge-doped fibers these fibers do not follow the frequency-squared law. This is explained through a frequency-dependent dynamic viscosity that modifies this law.

Multivariate data analysis of process control data from neutron transmutation doping of silicon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heydorn, K.; Hegaard, N.

1994-01-01

Final resistivities obtained by neutron transmutation doping (NTD) of silicon can be measured only after an annealing process has been carried out at the manufacturer's plant. The reactor centre carrying out the neutron doping process by irradiation under selected conditions must control the proc......Final resistivities obtained by neutron transmutation doping (NTD) of silicon can be measured only after an annealing process has been carried out at the manufacturer's plant. The reactor centre carrying out the neutron doping process by irradiation under selected conditions must control...

Defect and dopant depth profiles in boron-implanted silicon studied with channeling and nuclear reaction analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, M.; Boerma, D.O.; Smulders, P.J.M.; Oosterhoff, S.

1986-01-01

Single crystals of silicon were implanted at RT with 1 MeV boron ions to a dose of 1 × 1015 ions/cm2. The depth profile of the boron was measured using the 2060-keV resonance of the 11B(α, n)14N nuclear reaction. The distribution of the lattice disorder as a function of depth was determined from

Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond microelectrode arrays monitor cardiac action potentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Maybeck, Vanessa; Edgington, Robert; Bongrain, Alexandre; Welch, Joseph O; Scorsone, Emanuel; Bergonzo, Philippe; Jackman, Richard B; Offenhäusser, Andreas

2014-02-01

The expansion of diamond-based electronics in the area of biological interfacing has not been as thoroughly explored as applications in electrochemical sensing. However, the biocompatibility of diamond, large safe electrochemical window, stability, and tunable electronic properties provide opportunities to develop new devices for interfacing with electrogenic cells. Here, the fabrication of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) with boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BNCD) electrodes and their interfacing with cardiomyocyte-like HL-1 cells to detect cardiac action potentials are presented. A nonreductive means of structuring doped and undoped diamond on the same substrate is shown. The resulting BNCD electrodes show high stability under mechanical stress generated by the cells. It is shown that by fabricating the entire surface of the MEA with NCD, in patterns of conductive doped, and isolating undoped regions, signal detection may be improved up to four-fold over BNCD electrodes passivated with traditional isolators. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

In situ boron doping during heteroepitaxial growth of diamond on Ir/YSZ/Si

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sartori, Andre F.; Fischer, Martin; Gsell, Stefan; Schreck, Matthias [Universitaet Augsburg, Institut fuer Physik, 86135 Augsburg (Germany)

2012-09-15

In situ boron doping of heteroepitaxial diamond films grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition on Ir/YSZ/Si (001) is investigated. The study comprises the analysis of the gas phase by optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and measurements of B doped films by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), cathodoluminescence (CL), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The OE intensity of BH species scales linearly with the concentration of the boron precursor trimethylboron (TMB) in the feed gas. Addition of CO{sub 2} as an oxygen source causes a proportional reduction of the BH signal. At a ratio C:O = 1, a reduction factor of {proportional_to}50 is obtained. It is shown for two diamond samples that the boron incorporation drops nearly identical to the BH emission intensity. We conclude that the influence of oxygen on boron incorporation is a pure gas phase effect. In contrast, CN and BH emission indicate a negligible interaction between N{sub 2} and TMB added to the feed gas. At the same time, preliminary growth rate measurements show that the boron background pressure in the chamber after growth with TMB completely cancels the growth acceleration by nitrogen up to N{sub 2} concentrations of 100 ppm which points to the dominance of surface processes. Heteroepitaxial diamond films grown on Ir at 50 mbar between 720 and 900 C contain high intrinsic stress that varies from -2.2 GPa compressive at the lowest to slightly tensile at the highest deposition temperature. The observed behavior is similar to former work at 200 mbar in which effective climb of dislocations was suggested as responsible mechanism. Addition of boron rather enhances the stress formation than causing a relaxation. The B concentration in the heteroepitaxial films is deduced by SIMS, CL, and XRD and correlated with the TMB concentration in the gas phase. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Synthesis and characterization of silicon-doped polycrystalline GaN ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Silicon-doped polycrystalline GaN films were successfully deposited at temperatures ranging from 300 to 623 K on fused silica and silicon substrates by radio frequency (r.f.) magnetron sputtering at a system pressure of ~ 5 Pa. The films were characterized by optical as well as microstructural measurements. The optical ...

The behavior of silicon and boron in the surface of corroded nuclear waste glasses: an EFTEM study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buck, E. C.; Smith, K. L.; Blackford, M. G.

1999-01-01

Using electron energy-loss filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), we have observed the formation of silicon-rich zones on the corroded surface of a West Valley (WV6) glass. This layer is approximately 100-200 nm thick and is directly underneath a precipitated smectite clay layer. Under conventional (C)TEM illumination, this layer is invisible; indeed, more commonly used analytical techniques, such as x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), have failed to describe fully the localized changes in the boron and silicon contents across this region. Similar silicon-rich and boron-depleted zones were not found on corroded Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) borosilicate glasses, including SRL-EA and SRL-51, although they possessed similar-looking clay layers. This study demonstrates a new tool for examining the corroded surfaces of materials

Chemical hole doping into large-area transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers using boron-based oxidant

KAUST Repository

Matsuoka, Hirofumi; Kanahashi, Kaito; Tanaka, Naoki; Shoji, Yoshiaki; Li, Lain-Jong; Pu, Jiang; Ito, Hiroshi; Ohta, Hiromichi; Fukushima, Takanori; Takenobu, Taishi

2018-01-01

Hole carrier doping into single-crystalline transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) films can be achieved with various chemical reagents. However, large-area polycrystalline TMDC monolayers produced by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth method have yet to be chemically doped. Here, we report that a salt of a two-coordinate boron cation, Mes2B+ (Mes: 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl group), with a chemically stable tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate anion, [(C6F5)4B]−, can serve as an efficient hole-doping reagent for large-area CVD-grown tungsten diselenide (WSe2) films. Upon doping, the sheet resistance of large-area polycrystalline WSe2 monolayers decreased from 90 GΩ/sq to 3.2 kΩ/sq.

Chemical hole doping into large-area transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers using boron-based oxidant

KAUST Repository

Matsuoka, Hirofumi

2018-01-18

Hole carrier doping into single-crystalline transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) films can be achieved with various chemical reagents. However, large-area polycrystalline TMDC monolayers produced by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth method have yet to be chemically doped. Here, we report that a salt of a two-coordinate boron cation, Mes2B+ (Mes: 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl group), with a chemically stable tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate anion, [(C6F5)4B]−, can serve as an efficient hole-doping reagent for large-area CVD-grown tungsten diselenide (WSe2) films. Upon doping, the sheet resistance of large-area polycrystalline WSe2 monolayers decreased from 90 GΩ/sq to 3.2 kΩ/sq.

Oxygen- and Lithium-Doped Hybrid Boron-Nitride/Carbon Networks for Hydrogen Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Shayeganfar, Farzaneh; Shahsavari, Rouzbeh

2016-12-20

Hydrogen storage capacities have been studied on newly designed three-dimensional pillared boron nitride (PBN) and pillared graphene boron nitride (PGBN). We propose these novel materials based on the covalent connection of BNNTs and graphene sheets, which enhance the surface and free volume for storage within the nanomaterial and increase the gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen uptake capacities. Density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations show that these lithium- and oxygen-doped pillared structures have improved gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen capacities at room temperature, with values on the order of 9.1-11.6 wt % and 40-60 g/L. Our findings demonstrate that the gravimetric uptake of oxygen- and lithium-doped PBN and PGBN has significantly enhanced the hydrogen sorption and desorption. Calculations for O-doped PGBN yield gravimetric hydrogen uptake capacities greater than 11.6 wt % at room temperature. This increased value is attributed to the pillared morphology, which improves the mechanical properties and increases porosity, as well as the high binding energy between oxygen and GBN. Our results suggest that hybrid carbon/BNNT nanostructures are an excellent candidate for hydrogen storage, owing to the combination of the electron mobility of graphene and the polarized nature of BN at heterojunctions, which enhances the uptake capacity, providing ample opportunities to further tune this hybrid material for efficient hydrogen storage.

Sintering of nano crystalline α silicon carbide by doping with boron ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

tions, they concluded that either reaction sintering or liquid phase .... α-6H silicon carbide single crystal by three different laboratories ... silicon carbide particles by the overall reaction .... layer displacement is likely to occur in such a manner as.

Silicon-Rich Silicon Carbide Hole-Selective Rear Contacts for Crystalline-Silicon-Based Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Nogay, Gizem; Stuckelberger, Josua; Wyss, Philippe; Jeangros, Quentin; Allebé, Christophe; Niquille, Xavier; Debrot, Fabien; Despeisse, Matthieu; Haug, Franz-Josef; Löper, Philipp; Ballif, Christophe

2016-12-28

The use of passivating contacts compatible with typical homojunction thermal processes is one of the most promising approaches to realizing high-efficiency silicon solar cells. In this work, we investigate an alternative rear-passivating contact targeting facile implementation to industrial p-type solar cells. The contact structure consists of a chemically grown thin silicon oxide layer, which is capped with a boron-doped silicon-rich silicon carbide [SiC x (p)] layer and then annealed at 800-900 °C. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the thin chemical oxide layer disappears upon thermal annealing up to 900 °C, leading to degraded surface passivation. We interpret this in terms of a chemical reaction between carbon atoms in the SiC x (p) layer and the adjacent chemical oxide layer. To prevent this reaction, an intrinsic silicon interlayer was introduced between the chemical oxide and the SiC x (p) layer. We show that this intrinsic silicon interlayer is beneficial for surface passivation. Optimized passivation is obtained with a 10-nm-thick intrinsic silicon interlayer, yielding an emitter saturation current density of 17 fA cm -2 on p-type wafers, which translates into an implied open-circuit voltage of 708 mV. The potential of the developed contact at the rear side is further investigated by realizing a proof-of-concept hybrid solar cell, featuring a heterojunction front-side contact made of intrinsic amorphous silicon and phosphorus-doped amorphous silicon. Even though the presented cells are limited by front-side reflection and front-side parasitic absorption, the obtained cell with a V oc of 694.7 mV, a FF of 79.1%, and an efficiency of 20.44% demonstrates the potential of the p + /p-wafer full-side-passivated rear-side scheme shown here.

Insight into boron-doped diamond Raman spectra characteristic features

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mortet, Vincent; Vlčková Živcová, Zuzana; Taylor, Andrew; Frank, Otakar; Hubík, Pavel; Trémouilles, D.; Jomard, F.; Barjon, J.; Kavan, Ladislav

2017-01-01

Roč. 115, May (2017), s. 279-284 ISSN 0008-6223 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-31783S; GA MŠk 7AMB16FR004 Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) Fellowship J. E. Purkyně Institutional support: RVO:68378271 ; RVO:61388955 Keywords : diamond * boron doping * Raman spectroscopy Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism; CG - Electrochemistry (UFCH-W) OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.); Electrochemistry (dry cells, batteries, fuel cells, corrosion metals, electrolysis) (UFCH-W) Impact factor: 6.337, year: 2016

Ion-beam doping of amorphous silicon with germanium isovalent impurity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khokhlov, A.F.; Mashin, A.I.; Ershov, A.V.; Mashin, N.I.; Ignat'eva, E.A.

1988-01-01

Experimental data on ion-beam doping of amorphous silicon containing minor germanium additions by donor and acceptor impurity are presented. Doping of a-Si:Ge films as well as of a-Si layers was performed by implantation of 40 keV energy B + ions or 120 keV energy phosphorus by doses from 3.2x10 13 up to 1.3x10 17 cm -2 . Ion current density did not exceed 1 μA/cm 2 . Radiation defect annealing was performed at 400 deg C temperature during 30 min. Temperature dependences of conductivity in the region of 160-500 K were studied. It is shown that a-Si:Ge is like hydrogenized amorphous silicon in relation to doping

Raman Microscopic Analysis of Internal Stress in Boron-Doped Diamond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin E. Bennet

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Analysis of the induced stress on undoped and boron-doped diamond (BDD thin films by confocal Raman microscopy is performed in this study to investigate its correlation with sample chemical composition and the substrate used during fabrication. Knowledge of this nature is very important to the issue of long-term stability of BDD coated neurosurgical electrodes that will be used in fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, as potential occurrence of film delaminations and dislocations during their surgical implantation can have unwanted consequences for the reliability of BDD-based biosensing electrodes. To achieve a more uniform deposition of the films on cylindrically-shaped tungsten rods, substrate rotation was employed in a custom-built chemical vapor deposition reactor. In addition to visibly preferential boron incorporation into the diamond lattice and columnar growth, the results also reveal a direct correlation between regions of pure diamond and enhanced stress. Definite stress release throughout entire film thicknesses was found in the current Raman mapping images for higher amounts of boron addition. There is also a possible contribution to the high values of compressive stress from sp2 type carbon impurities, besides that of the expected lattice mismatch between film and substrate.

Visible-light sensitization of boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond through non-covalent surface modification

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Krýsová, Hana; Vlčková Živcová, Zuzana; Bartoň, Jan; Petrák, Václav; Nesladek, M.; Cígler, Petr; Kavan, Ladislav

2015-01-01

Roč. 17, č. 2 (2015), s. 1165-1172 ISSN 1463-9076 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-31783S Institutional support: RVO:61388955 ; RVO:61388963 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : nanocrystallines * visible-light sensitization * boron-doped diamond Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 4.449, year: 2015

Improvement in switching characteristics and long-term stability of Zn-O-N thin-film transistors by silicon doping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroshi Tsuji

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of silicon doping on the properties of Zn-O-N (ZnON films and on the device characteristics of ZnON thin-film transistors (TFTs were investigated by co-sputtering silicon and zinc targets. Silicon doping was effective at decreasing the carrier concentration in ZnON films; therefore, the conductivity of the films can be controlled by the addition of a small amount of silicon. Doped silicon atoms also form bonds with nitrogen atoms, which suppresses nitrogen desorption from the films. Furthermore, Si-doped ZnON-TFTs are demonstrated to exhibit less negative threshold voltages, smaller subthreshold swings, and better long-term stability than non-doped ZnON-TFTs.

Reassessment of the recombination parameters of chromium in n- and p-type crystalline silicon and chromium-boron pairs in p-type crystalline silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Chang; Rougieux, Fiacre E.; Macdonald, Daniel

2014-01-01

Injection-dependent lifetime spectroscopy of both n- and p-type, Cr-doped silicon wafers with different doping levels is used to determine the defect parameters of Cr i and CrB pairs, by simultaneously fitting the measured lifetimes with the Shockley-Read-Hall model. A combined analysis of the two defects with the lifetime data measured on both n- and p-type samples enables a significant tightening of the uncertainty ranges of the parameters. The capture cross section ratios k = σ n /σ p of Cr i and CrB are determined as 3.2 (−0.6, +0) and 5.8 (−3.4, +0.6), respectively. Courtesy of a direct experimental comparison of the recombination activity of chromium in n- and p-type silicon, and as also suggested by modelling results, we conclude that chromium has a greater negative impact on carrier lifetimes in p-type silicon than n-type silicon with similar doping levels.

Electrochemical Biosensor Based on Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes with Modified Surfaces

OpenAIRE

Yu, Yuan; Zhou, Yanli; Wu, Liangzhuan; Zhi, Jinfang

2012-01-01

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) thin films, as one kind of electrode materials, are superior to conventional carbon-based materials including carbon paste, porous carbon, glassy carbon (GC), carbon nanotubes in terms of high stability, wide potential window, low background current, and good biocompatibility. Electrochemical biosensor based on BDD electrodes have attracted extensive interests due to the superior properties of BDD electrodes and the merits of biosensors, such as specificity, sensitiv...

Study of the defects related to oxygen in Czochralski silicon destined to photovoltaic solar cells - Influence of isovalent impurities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanay, Florent

2013-01-01

This study aims at understanding the effects of two main defects related to oxygen, the boron-oxygen complexes (responsible for light-induced degradation of the carrier lifetime) and the thermal donors (among other things, responsible for variations of the conductivity), on the electric and photovoltaic properties of silicon. More precisely, the interactions of isovalent impurities, known for modifying the oxygen spatial distribution, with these defects were studied. Two experimental protocols were first developed to evaluate the light-induced degradation of the carrier lifetime in iron-rich silicon. Then, the introduction in silicon of germanium and tin in high quantity were shown not to significantly influence the conversion efficiency of the cells. However, contrary to recent studies from the literature, no reduction due to germanium co-doping or to tin co-doping of the light-induced degradation of the photovoltaic performances was observed. However carbon was shown to lead to a slowdown of the degradation due to boron-oxygen complexes. Moreover contrary to tin which has no influence on the thermal donor generation, germanium slows down their formation. An empirical expression has been proposed to take into account this effect for a large range of germanium concentrations. Eventually in highly doped and compensated silicon, the thermal donor generation is identical as in conventional silicon, which experimentally confirms that the thermal donor formation is limited by the electron density. (author) [fr

X-ray analysis of temperature induced defect structures in boron implanted silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Sztucki, M.; Metzger, T. H.; Kegel, I.; Tilke, A.; Rouvière, J. L.; Lübbert, D.; Arthur, J.; Patel, J. R.

2002-10-01

We demonstrate the application of surface sensitive diffuse x-ray scattering under the condition of grazing incidence and exit angles to investigate growth and dissolution of near-surface defects after boron implantation in silicon(001) and annealing. Silicon wafers were implanted with a boron dose of 6×1015 ions/cm2 at 32 keV and went through different annealing treatments. From the diffuse intensity close to the (220) surface Bragg peak we reveal the nature and kinetic behavior of the implantation induced defects. Analyzing the q dependence of the diffuse scattering, we are able to distinguish between point defect clusters and extrinsic stacking faults on {111} planes. Characteristic for stacking faults are diffuse x-ray intensity streaks along directions, which allow for the determination of their growth and dissolution kinetics. For the annealing conditions of our crystals, we conclude that the kinetics of growth can be described by an Ostwald ripening model in which smaller faults shrink at the expense of the larger stacking faults. The growth is found to be limited by the self-diffusion of silicon interstitials. After longer rapid thermal annealing the stacking faults disappear almost completely without shrinking, most likely by transformation into perfect loops via a dislocation reaction. This model is confirmed by complementary cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy.

Doping of silicon by carbon during laser ablation process

Science.gov (United States)

Raciukaitis, G.; Brikas, M.; Kazlauskiene, V.; Miskinis, J.

2007-04-01

Effect of laser ablation on properties of remaining material was investigated in silicon. It was established that laser cutting of wafers in air induced doping of silicon by carbon. The effect was found to be more distinct by the use of higher laser power or UV radiation. Carbon ions created bonds with silicon in the depth of silicon. Formation of the silicon carbide type bonds was confirmed by SIMS, XPS and AES measurements. Modeling of the carbon diffusion was performed to clarify its depth profile in silicon. Photo-chemical reactions of such type changed the structure of material and could be a reason for the reduced quality of machining. A controlled atmosphere was applied to prevent carbonization of silicon during laser cutting.

Doping of silicon by carbon during laser ablation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raciukaitis, G; Brikas, M; Kazlauskiene, V; Miskinis, J

2007-01-01

Effect of laser ablation on properties of remaining material was investigated in silicon. It was established that laser cutting of wafers in air induced doping of silicon by carbon. The effect was found to be more distinct by the use of higher laser power or UV radiation. Carbon ions created bonds with silicon in the depth of silicon. Formation of the silicon carbide type bonds was confirmed by SIMS, XPS and AES measurements. Modeling of the carbon diffusion was performed to clarify its depth profile in silicon. Photo-chemical reactions of such type changed the structure of material and could be a reason for the reduced quality of machining. A controlled atmosphere was applied to prevent carbonization of silicon during laser cutting

On the origin of the changes in the opto-electrical properties of boron-doped zinc oxide films after plasma surface treatment for thin-film silicon solar cell applications

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Anh Huy Tuan; Kim, Youngkuk; Lee, Youn-Jung; Hussain, Shahzada Qamar; Nguyen, Cam Phu Thi; Lee, Jaehyung; Yi, Junsin

2018-03-01

The modification of the steep and sharp valleys on the surface of the boron-doped zinc oxide (BZO) front electrodes by plasma surface treatment is a critical process for avoiding a significant reduction in the electrical performance of thin-film silicon solar cells. In this work, we report the origin of the changes in the electrical and optical properties of the BZO films that occur after this process. On the basis of an analysis of the chemical states, we found an improvement of the carrier concentration along with the treatment time that was mainly due to an increase of the oxygen vacancy. This indicated a deficiency of the oxygen in the BZO films under argon-ion bombardment. The red-shift of the A1 longitudinal optical mode frequency in the Raman spectra that was attributed to the existence of vacancy point defects within the films also strengthened this argument. The significant reduction of the haze ratio as well as the appearance of interference peaks on the transmittance spectra as the treatment time was increased were mainly due to the smoothing of the film surface, which indicated a degradation of the light-scattering capability of the BZO films. We also observed a gain of the visible-region transmittance that was attributed to the decrease of the thickness of the BZO films after the plasma surface treatment, instead of the crystallinity improvement. On the basis of our findings, we have proposed a further design rule of the BZO front electrodes for thin-film silicon solar cell applications.

Comparison of boron diffusion in silicon during shallow p{sup +}/n junction formation by non-melt excimer and green laser annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aid, Siti Rahmah; Matsumoto, Satoru [Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kouhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522 (Japan); Fuse, Genshu [SEN Corporation, SBS Tower 9F, 4-10-1 Yoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0097 (Japan); Sakuragi, Susumu [Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd., 19 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-8555 (Japan)

2011-12-15

The combination of Ge pre-amorphization implantation, low-energy boron implantation, and non-melt laser annealing is a promising method for forming ultrashallow p{sup +}/n junctions in silicon. In this study, shallow p{sup +}/n junctions were formed by non-melt annealing implanted samples using a green laser (visible laser). The dopant diffusion, activation, and recrystallization of an amorphous silicon layer were compared with those obtained in our previous study in which non-melt annealing was performed using a KrF excimer laser (UV laser). The experimental results reveal that only slight diffusion of boron in the tail region occurred in green-laser-annealed samples. In contrast, remarkable boron diffusion occurred in KrF-laser-annealed samples for very short annealing times. Recrystallization of the amorphous silicon layer was slower in green-laser-annealed samples than in KrF-laser-annealed samples. We consider the penetration depth and the pulse duration are important factors that may affect boron diffusion. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Multiple delta doping of single crystal cubic boron nitride films heteroepitaxially grown on (001)diamonds

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, H.; Ziemann, P.

2014-06-01

Phase pure cubic boron nitride (c-BN) films have been epitaxially grown on (001) diamond substrates at 900 °C. The n-type doping of c-BN epitaxial films relies on the sequential growth of nominally undoped (p-) and Si doped (n-) layers with well-controlled thickness (down to several nanometer range) in the concept of multiple delta doping. The existence of nominally undoped c-BN overgrowth separates the Si doped layers, preventing Si dopant segregation that was observed for continuously doped epitaxial c-BN films. This strategy allows doping of c-BN films can be scaled up to multiple numbers of doped layers through atomic level control of the interface in the future electronic devices. Enhanced electronic transport properties with higher hall mobility (102 cm2/V s) have been demonstrated at room temperature as compared to the normally continuously Si doped c-BN films.

Deep level transient spectroscopic investigation of phosphorus-doped silicon by self-assembled molecular monolayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Xuejiao; Guan, Bin; Mesli, Abdelmadjid; Chen, Kaixiang; Dan, Yaping

2018-01-09

It is known that self-assembled molecular monolayer doping technique has the advantages of forming ultra-shallow junctions and introducing minimal defects in semiconductors. In this paper, we report however the formation of carbon-related defects in the molecular monolayer-doped silicon as detected by deep-level transient spectroscopy and low-temperature Hall measurements. The molecular monolayer doping process is performed by modifying silicon substrate with phosphorus-containing molecules and annealing at high temperature. The subsequent rapid thermal annealing drives phosphorus dopants along with carbon contaminants into the silicon substrate, resulting in a dramatic decrease of sheet resistance for the intrinsic silicon substrate. Low-temperature Hall measurements and secondary ion mass spectrometry indicate that phosphorus is the only electrically active dopant after the molecular monolayer doping. However, during this process, at least 20% of the phosphorus dopants are electrically deactivated. The deep-level transient spectroscopy shows that carbon-related defects are responsible for such deactivation.

Anodic oxidation of wastewater containing the Reactive Orange 16 Dye using heavily boron-doped diamond electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migliorini, F.L.; Braga, N.A.; Alves, S.A.; Lanza, M.R.V.; Baldan, M.R.; Ferreira, N.G.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Electrochemical advanced oxidation process was studied using BDD based anodes with different boron concentrations. → The difference between the non-active and active anodes for organics degradation. → The influence of morphologic and structural properties of BDD electrodes on the RO-16 dye degradation. - Abstract: Boron-doped diamond (BDD) films grown on the titanium substrate were used to study the electrochemical degradation of Reactive Orange (RO) 16 Dye. The films were produced by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique using two different boron concentrations. The growth parameters were controlled to obtain heavily doped diamond films. They were named as E1 and E2 electrodes, with acceptor concentrations of 4.0 and 8.0 x 10 21 atoms cm -3 , respectively. The boron levels were evaluated from Mott-Schottky plots also corroborated by Raman's spectra, which characterized the film quality as well as its physical property. Scanning Electron Microscopy showed well-defined microcrystalline grain morphologies with crystal orientation mixtures of (1 1 1) and (1 0 0). The electrode efficiencies were studied from the advanced oxidation process (AOP) to degrade electrochemically the Reactive Orange 16 azo-dye (RO16). The results were analyzed by UV/VIS spectroscopy, total organic carbon (TOC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques. From UV/VIS spectra the highest doped electrode (E2) showed the best efficiency for both, the aromaticity reduction and the azo group fracture. These tendencies were confirmed by the TOC and chromatographic measurements. Besides, the results showed a direct relationship among the BDD morphology, physical property, and its performance during the degradation process.

Experimental results on performance improvement of doped carbon-base materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Zengyu

2002-01-01

Carbon-base materials is one of candidate plasma facing materials and have been widely used in current tokamak facilities in the world. But some defect properties are presented on high yield of chemical sputtering , high yield of radiation enhancement sublimate (RES), cracking after heat flux and so on. It can be improved by doped some little other elements into the carbon-base materials, such as boron, silicon, titanium and so on. Experimental results indicate that it is feasible and successful to improve thermo-physics and chemical properties of carbon-base materials by multi-element doped. Doped 12 % silicon can strained RES and chemical sputtering yield do not changed. It is the same level of chemical sputtering yield for B 4 C from 3 % to 10 % , but their resistance thermal shock properties ability increases with B 4 C increases

Electrochemical Incineration of Phenolic Compounds from the Hydrocarbon Industry Using Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandro Medel

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Electrochemical incineration using boron-doped diamond electrodes was applied to samples obtained from a refinery and compared to the photo-electro-Fenton process in order to selectively eliminate the phenol and phenolic compounds from a complex matrix. Due to the complex chemical composition of the sample, a pretreatment to the sample in order to isolate the phenolic compounds was applied. The effects of the pretreatment and of pH on the degradation of the phenolic compounds were evaluated. The results indicate that the use of a boron-doped diamond electrode in an electrochemical incineration process mineralizes 99.5% of the phenolic sample content. Working in acidic medium (pH = 1, and applying 2 A at 298 K under constant stirring for 2 hours, also results in the incineration of the reaction intermediates reflected by 97% removal of TOC. In contrast, the photo-electro-Fenton process results in 99.9% oxidation of phenolic compounds with only a 25.69% removal of TOC.

Performance of conversion efficiency of a crystalline silicon solar cell with base doping density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gokhan Sahin

Full Text Available In this study, we investigate theoretically the electrical parameters of a crystalline silicon solar cell in steady state. Based on a one-dimensional modeling of the cell, the short circuit current density, the open circuit voltage, the shunt and series resistances and the conversion efficiency are calculated, taking into account the base doping density. Either the I-V characteristic, series resistance, shunt resistance and conversion efficiency are determined and studied versus base doping density. The effects applied of base doping density on these parameters have been studied. The aim of this work is to show how short circuit current density, open circuit voltage and parasitic resistances are related to the base doping density and to exhibit the role played by those parasitic resistances on the conversion efficiency of the crystalline silicon solar. Keywords: Crystalline silicon solar cell, Base doping density, Series resistance, Shunt resistance, Conversion efficiency

The effects of trichloroethane HCl and ion-implantation on the oxidation rate of silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, W.; Ahmed, E.

1994-01-01

The thermal oxidation of silicon was studied using a large-scale industrial oxidation system. The characteristics of the oxides resulting from pure hydrogen/oxygen (Hsub(2)/Osub(2)), trichloroethane/oxygen (TCA/Osub(2) and hydrogen chloride/oxygen (HCI/Osub(2)) mixtures are compared. Both HCI and TCA addition to oxygen produced an enhanced oxidation rate. The oxidation rate for TCA/Osub(2) was approximately 30-40% higher than for HCI/Osub(2) mixtures. A molar ratio of TCA/Osub(2) of 1% gives an optimum process for very-large-scale industrial (VLSI) applications. However, 3% HCI/Osub(2) gives comparable results to 1% TCA. In addition, boron and phosphorus implantation are observed to increase the oxidation rate. Phosphorus doping of the silicon yields a higher rate than boron-doped wafers. This behaviour is explained in terms of surface damage and chemistry. It appears that the overall mechanisms governing all these processes are similar. (8 figures, 22 references) (Author)

The infra-red photoresponse of erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenyon, A.J.; Bhamber, S.S.; Pitt, C.W.

2003-01-01

We have exploited the interaction between erbium ions and silicon nanoclusters to probe the photoresponse of erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals in the spectral region around 1.5 μm. We have produced an MOS device in which the oxide layer has been implanted with both erbium and silicon and annealed to produce silicon nanocrystals. Upon illumination with a 1480 nm laser diode, interaction between the nanocrystals and the rare-earth ions results in a modification of the conductivity of the oxide that enables a current to flow when a voltage is applied across the oxide layer

Doping of silicon with carbon during laser ablation process

Science.gov (United States)

Račiukaitis, G.; Brikas, M.; Kazlauskienė, V.; Miškinis, J.

2006-12-01

The effect of laser ablation on properties of remaining material in silicon was investigated. It was found that laser cutting of wafers in the air induced the doping of silicon with carbon. The effect was more distinct when using higher laser power or UV radiation. Carbon ions created bonds with silicon atoms in the depth of the material. Formation of the silicon carbide type bonds was confirmed by SIMS, XPS and AES measurements. Modeling of the carbon diffusion to clarify its depth profile in silicon was performed. Photochemical reactions of such type changed the structure of material and could be the reason of the reduced machining quality. The controlled atmosphere was applied to prevent carbonization of silicon during laser cutting.

Amorphous Si layers co-doped with B and Mn: Thin film growth and steering of magnetic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drera, G.; Mozzati, M.C.; Colombi, P.; Salvinelli, G.; Pagliara, S.; Visentin, D.; Sangaletti, L.

2015-01-01

Amorphous silicon thin films co-doped with manganese (5% at.) and boron (1.8% at.) have been prepared by RF sputtering on Al 2 O 3 substrates held at room temperature (RT). The films, with an average thickness of about 0.9 μm, were carefully characterized by micro-Raman and X-ray photoemission spectroscopies. A ferromagnetic (FM) behavior up to RT was observed. In order to discuss and possibly rule out extrinsic effects usually related to segregations of ferromagnetic impurities in the samples, magnetization measurements were carried out on the Al 2 O 3 substrates, as well as on Si:B and Si:Mn films grown with the same RF sputtering system. Only the Si:B:Mn films displayed a FM behavior up to RT. Since amorphous films doped with Mn alone did not display any signature of FM ordering, boron co-doping results to be crucial for the onset of the FM behavior. The conductivity of the samples is not affected by boron doping that, therefore, does not appear to significantly contribute to a possible carrier-mediated FM interaction between Mn ions by supplying extra charges to the system. On this basis, the capability of B to hinder the quenching of the Mn 3d magnetic moments has also to be regarded as a possible role of this co-dopant in the observed magnetization. - Highlights: • We successfully deposited amorphous silicon thin films co-doped with Mn and B. • Structural, electronic, and magnetic properties have been carefully characterized. • A ferromagnetic behavior up to room temperature was detected. • The extrinsic origin of magnetism is excluded. • Boron can play a relevant role to avoid quenching of magnetic moment in Mn ions

Amorphous Si layers co-doped with B and Mn: Thin film growth and steering of magnetic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drera, G. [I-LAMP, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via dei Musei 41, 25121 Brescia (Italy); Mozzati, M.C. [CNISM, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pavia, Via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Colombi, P. [CSMT Gestione s.c.a.r.l, Via Branze 45, 25123 Brescia (Italy); Salvinelli, G.; Pagliara, S.; Visentin, D. [I-LAMP, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via dei Musei 41, 25121 Brescia (Italy); Sangaletti, L., E-mail: sangalet@dmf.unicatt.it [I-LAMP, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via dei Musei 41, 25121 Brescia (Italy)

2015-09-01

Amorphous silicon thin films co-doped with manganese (5% at.) and boron (1.8% at.) have been prepared by RF sputtering on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates held at room temperature (RT). The films, with an average thickness of about 0.9 μm, were carefully characterized by micro-Raman and X-ray photoemission spectroscopies. A ferromagnetic (FM) behavior up to RT was observed. In order to discuss and possibly rule out extrinsic effects usually related to segregations of ferromagnetic impurities in the samples, magnetization measurements were carried out on the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates, as well as on Si:B and Si:Mn films grown with the same RF sputtering system. Only the Si:B:Mn films displayed a FM behavior up to RT. Since amorphous films doped with Mn alone did not display any signature of FM ordering, boron co-doping results to be crucial for the onset of the FM behavior. The conductivity of the samples is not affected by boron doping that, therefore, does not appear to significantly contribute to a possible carrier-mediated FM interaction between Mn ions by supplying extra charges to the system. On this basis, the capability of B to hinder the quenching of the Mn 3d magnetic moments has also to be regarded as a possible role of this co-dopant in the observed magnetization. - Highlights: • We successfully deposited amorphous silicon thin films co-doped with Mn and B. • Structural, electronic, and magnetic properties have been carefully characterized. • A ferromagnetic behavior up to room temperature was detected. • The extrinsic origin of magnetism is excluded. • Boron can play a relevant role to avoid quenching of magnetic moment in Mn ions.

High-rate and ultralong cycle-life LiFePO4 nanocrystals coated by boron-doped carbon as positive electrode for lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Jinpeng; Wang, Youlan

2016-12-01

An evolutionary modification approach, boron-doped carbon coating, has been used to improve the electrochemical performances of positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, and demonstrates apparent and significant modification effects. In this study, the boron-doped carbon coating is firstly adopted and used to decorate the performance of LiFePO4. The obtained composite exhibits a unique core-shell structure with an average diameter of 140 nm and a 4 nm thick boron-doped carbon shell that uniformly encapsulates the core. Owing to the boron element which could induce high amount of defects in the carbon, the electronic conductivity of LiFePO4 is greatly ameliorated. Thus, the boron-doped composite shows superior rate capability and cycle stability than the undoped sample. For instance, the reversible specific capacity of LiFePO4@B0.4-C can reach 164.1 mAh g-1 at 0.1C, which is approximately 96.5% of the theoretical capacity (170 mAh g-1). Even at high rate of 10C, it still shows a high specific capacity of 126.8 mAh g-1 and can be maintained at 124.5 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles with capacity retention ratio of about 98.2%. This outstanding Li-storage property enable the present design strategy to open up the possibility of fabricating the LiFePO4@B-C composite for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Study of aluminum-doped silicon clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhan Shichang; Li Baoxing; Yang Jiansong

2007-01-01

Using full-muffin-tin-orbital molecular-dynamics (FP-LMTO-MD) method, we have investigated the effect of aluminum heteroatoms on the geometric structures and bond characteristics of Si n (n=5-10) clusters in detail. It is found that the geometric framework of the ground state structures for Si n (n=5-10) clusters change to some extent upon the substitution of Al atoms in some Si atoms. The effect of aluminum doping on the silicon clusters depends on the geometric structures of Si n (n=5-10) clusters. In particular, the calculations suggest that the aluminum doping would improve the bond strength of some Si-Si bonds in the mixed Si n - m Al m clusters

Boron-doped diamond electrode: synthesis, characterization, functionalization and analytical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Luong, John H T; Male, Keith B; Glennon, Jeremy D

2009-10-01

In recent years, conductive diamond electrodes for electrochemical applications have been a major focus of research and development. The impetus behind such endeavors could be attributed to their wide potential window, low background current, chemical inertness, and mechanical durability. Several analytes can be oxidized by conducting diamond compared to other carbon-based materials before the breakdown of water in aqueous electrolytes. This is important for detecting and/or identifying species in solution since oxygen and hydrogen evolution do not interfere with the analysis. Thus, conductive diamond electrodes take electrochemical detection into new areas and extend their usefulness to analytes which are not feasible with conventional electrode materials. Different types of diamond electrodes, polycrystalline, microcrystalline, nanocrystalline and ultrananocrystalline, have been synthesized and characterized. Of particular interest is the synthesis of boron-doped diamond (BDD) films by chemical vapor deposition on various substrates. In the tetrahedral diamond lattice, each carbon atom is covalently bonded to its neighbors forming an extremely robust crystalline structure. Some carbon atoms in the lattice are substituted with boron to provide electrical conductivity. Modification strategies of doped diamond electrodes with metallic nanoparticles and/or electropolymerized films are of importance to impart novel characteristics or to improve the performance of diamond electrodes. Biofunctionalization of diamond films is also feasible to foster several useful bioanalytical applications. A plethora of opportunities for nanoscale analytical devices based on conducting diamond is anticipated in the very near future.

Mobility and Device Applications of Heavily Doped Silicon and Strained SILICON(1-X) Germanium(x) Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Carns, Timothy Keith

With the advent of Si molecular beam epitaxy (Si -MBE), a significant amount of research has occurred to seek alternative high conductivity Si-based materials such as rm Si_{1-x}Ge_ {x} and delta-doped Si. These materials have brought improvements in device speeds and current drives with the added advantage of monolithic integration into Si VLSI circuits. The bulk of research in Si-based materials has been devoted to the implementation of strained rm Si_{1-x}Ge_{x} as the base layer of a rm Si_ {1-x}Ge_{x}/Si heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). Because of the valence band offset, the rm Si_{1-x}Ge _{x} layer can be heavily doped, leading to lower base sheet resistances and hence, improved speed performances. The Ge content in the base can also be graded to increase the drift field in the base. However, very few hole mobility measurements have been done in these strained layers, leading to limitations in device modeling and in understanding the transport behavior in this important material. In addition to rm Si_{1 -x}Ge_{x}, much potential also exists in using delta-doping in Si for improved conductivities over those of bulk Si. However, as of yet, delta-doped Si has received little attention. Therefore, this dissertation is dedicated to the investigation of both of these Si-based materials (strained rm Si_{1-x}Ge_{x } and delta-doped Si and rm Si_{1-x}Ge_ {x}) for the purpose of obtaining higher conductivities than comparably doped bulk Si. This work is divided into three parts to accomplish this objective. The first part is contained in Chapter 3 and is comprised of a comprehensive characterization of the hole mobility in compressively strained rm Si_{1 -x}Ge_{x}. Few results have been obtained prior to this research which has led to many inaccuracies in device modeling. The second part of this dissertation in Chapters 4 and 5 is devoted to the study of the mobility behavior in both boron and antimony delta-doped Si and rm Si_ {1-x}Ge_{x}. The important

Feasibility study on silicon doping using high temperature test engineering reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seki, Masaya; Takaki, Naoyuki; Goto, Minoru; Shimakawa, Satoshi

2011-01-01

The feasibility study on silicon doping using the High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) is performed by numerical simulations. The HTTR is a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) situated at JAEA Oarai research and development center. It has a 30MW thermal power and the outlet coolant temperature is 950degC. The objective of this study is to evaluate the following issues, 1. The impact of loading Si-ingots into the core on the criticality, 2. The uniformity of the neutron capture reaction rate in Si-ingots, and 3. The production rate of silicon semiconductor. In this study, six Si-ingots are loaded into the irradiation area which is located in the peripheral region of the core. They are irradiated with rotation movement around the axial direction to obtain uniform neutron capture reaction rate in the radial direction. Additionally, the neutron filter, which is made of graphite containing boron, is used to obtain uniform neutron capture reaction rate in the axial direction. The evaluations were conducted by performing the HTTR whole core calculations with the Monte Carlo code MVP-2.0. In the calculations, several tally regions were defined on the Si-ingots to investigate the uniformity of the neutron capture reaction rate. As a result, loading the Si-ingots into the core causes negative reactivity by about 0.7%dk/k. Uniform neutron capture reaction rate of Si-ingot is obtained 98% in the radial and the axial direction. In case of the target of semiconductor resistivity is set to 50 Ωcm, the required irradiation time becomes 10 hours. The HTTR is able to produce silicon semiconductor of 540kg in one-time irradiation. This study was conducted as a joint research with JAEA, Nuclear Fuel Industries, LTD, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Tokai University. (author)

Thermodynamics of Boron Removal from Silicon Using CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 Slags

Science.gov (United States)

Jakobsson, Lars Klemet; Tangstad, Merete

2018-04-01

Slag refining is one of few metallurgical methods for removal of boron from silicon. It is important to know the thermodynamic properties of boron in slags to understand the refining process. The relation of the distribution coefficient of boron to the activity of silica, partial pressure of oxygen, and capacity of slags for boron oxide was investigated. The link between these parameters explains why the distribution coefficient of boron does not change much with changing slag composition. In addition, the thermodynamic properties of dilute boron oxide in CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 slags was determined. The ratio of the activity coefficient of boron oxide and silica was found to be the most important parameter for understanding changes in the distribution coefficient of boron for different slags. Finally, the relation between the activity coefficient of boron oxide and slag structure was investigated. It was found that the structure can explain how the distribution coefficient of boron changes depending on slag composition.

Optical properties of erbium-doped porous silicon waveguides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Najar, A. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, B P. 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Raman, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 ElManar, Tunis (Tunisia); Charrier, J. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, B P. 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France)]. E-mail: joel.charier@univ-rennes1.fr; Ajlani, H. [Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Raman, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 ElManar, Tunis (Tunisia); Lorrain, N. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, B P. 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Elhouichet, H. [Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Raman, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 ElManar, Tunis (Tunisia); Oueslati, M. [Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Raman, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 ElManar, Tunis (Tunisia); Haji, L. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, B P. 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France)

2006-12-15

Planar and buried channel porous silicon waveguides (WG) were prepared from p{sup +}-type silicon substrate by a two-step anodization process. Erbium ions were incorporated into pores of the porous silicon layers by an electrochemical method using ErCl{sub 3}-saturated solution. Erbium concentration of around 10{sup 20} at/cm{sup 3} was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis performed on SEM cross-section. The luminescence properties of erbium ions in the IR range were determined and a luminescence time decay of 420 {mu}s was measured. Optical losses were studied on these WG. The increased losses after doping were discussed.

Investigation of magnetism in aluminum-doped silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad

2013-11-01

The effect of aluminum doping on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of (8,0) silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) is investigated using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found from the calculation of the formation energies that aluminum substitution for silicon atom is preferred. Our results show that the magnetization depends on the substitutional site, aluminum substitution at silicon site does not introduce any spin-polarization, whereas the aluminum substitution for carbon atom yields a spin polarized, almost dispersionless π band within the original band gap.

Highly transparent and conducting boron doped zinc oxide films for window of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Vinod, E-mail: vinod.phy@gmail.com [Materials Science Group, Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India); Department of Physics, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar 249404 (India); Singh, R.G. [Department of Electronic Science, Maharaja Agrasen College University of Delhi, New Delhi 110096 (India); Singh, Fouran [Materials Science Group, Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India); Purohit, L.P. [Department of Physics, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar 249404 (India)

2012-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Synthesis of Boron doped ZnO (ZnO:B) films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Minimum of resistivity is observed to be 7.9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} {Omega} cm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Maximum transmittance {approx}91% for 450 Degree-Sign C annealed films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Applicable for window materials in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell. - Abstract: Highly transparent and conducting boron doped zinc oxide (ZnO:B) films grown by sol-gel method are reported. The annealing temperature is varied from 350 to 550 Degree-Sign C and doping concentration of boron is kept fixed for 0.6 at.% for all the films. At low temperature the stress in the films is compressive, which becomes tensile for the films annealed at higher temperature. A minimum resistivity of 7.9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} {Omega} cm and maximum transmittance of {approx}91% are observed for the film annealed at 450 Degree-Sign C. This could be attributed to minimum stress of films, which is further evident by the evolution of A{sub 1} and defect related Raman modes without any shifting in its position. Such kind of highly transparent and conducting ZnO:B thin film could be used as window material in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC).

Boron doped nanostructure ZnO films deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karakaya, Seniye, E-mail: seniyek@ogu.edu.tr; Ozbas, Omer

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Nanostructure undoped and boron doped ZnO films were deposited by USP technique. • Influences of doping on the surface and optical properties of the ZnO films were investigated. • XRD spectra of the films exhibited a variation in crystalline quality depending on the B content. - Abstract: ZnO is an II–VI compound semiconductor with a wide direct band gap of 3.3 eV at room temperature. Doped with group III elements (B, Al or Ga), it becomes an attractive candidate to replace tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) or indium tin oxide (ITO) as transparent conducting electrodes in solar cell devices and flat panel display due to competitive electrical and optical properties. In this work, ZnO and boron doped ZnO (ZnO:B) films have been deposited onto glass substrates at 350 ± 5 °C by a cost-efficient ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The optical, structural, morphological and electrical properties of nanostructure undoped and ZnO:B films have been investigated. Electrical resistivity of films has been analyzed by four-probe technique. Optical properties and thicknesses of the films have been examined in the wavelength range 1200–1600 nm by using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements. The optical constants (refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k)) and the thicknesses of the films have been fitted according to Cauchy model. The optical method has been used to determine the band gap value of the films. Transmission spectra have been taken by UV spectrophotometer. It is found that both ZnO and ZnO:B films have high average optical transmission (≥80%). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that the obtained ZnO has a hexagonal wurtzite type structure. The morphological properties of the films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface morphology of the nanostructure films is found to depend on the concentration of B. As a result, ZnO:B films are promising contender for their potential use as transparent window layer and

Measurement of mobility profile in ion-implanted silicon layers using electroreflection spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galiev, G.B.; Kapaev, V.V.; Mokerov, V.G.

1986-01-01

The possibility is shown of the application of the low field linearized electroreflection spectroscopy for the measurement of profiles of carriers mobilities μ(x) simultaneously with the concentration profiles N(x) in thin ion-implanted silicon layers. The μ(χ) value is determined from the calibration curve of the dependence of the phenomenological broadening parameter γ on the mobility for uniformly doped samples. The results are presented for the measurements of the profiles μ(x) for boron- and arsenic-implanted silicon

Effect of silicon, tantalum, and tungsten doping and polarization on bioactivity of hydroxyapatite

Science.gov (United States)

Dhal, Jharana

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) ceramics has important applications as bone graft because of the structural and compositional similarities with bone tissue. However, inferior osteogenic capacity to bone and poor mechanical properties have been identified to be major disadvantages of synthetic HAp compared to the living bone tissue. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the effect of doping with higher valent cations (Tungsten, tantalum, and silicon) and polarization or combination of both on change in property of doped HAp and subsequent impact its bioactivity. In vitro study with human osteoblast cells was used to investigate the influences of doping and polarization on bone cell-materials interactions. The bioactivity of doped HAp was compared with pure HAp. Effect of doping and polarization on the change in HAp was investigated by monitoring change in mineral phases, stored charge, and activation energy of HAp. Activation energy of depolarization was used to explain the possible mechanism of polarization in doped samples. Bioactivity of HAp increased when doped with tantalum and tungsten. Polarization further increased the bioactivity of tungsten- and tantalum-doped samples. Increase in bioactivity on polarized and doped samples was attributed to increase in surface energy and increase in surface wettability. Whereas, an increase in bioactivity on doped unpolarized surface was attributed to change in microstructure. Polarized charge calculated from TSDC indicates that polarized charge decreases on tantalum- and tungsten-doped HAp. The decrease in polarized charge was attributed to the presence of significant amount of different phases that may hinder the ionic motion in doped samples. However, for silicon-doped HAp, TSDC study showed no difference in the mechanism of polarization between doped and undoped samples. Increase in silicon doping decreased the grain size though mechanism is not affected by grain size. Total stored charge decreased with increase in

Silicon doped InP as an alternative plasmonic material for mid-infrared

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Panah, Mohammad Esmail Aryaee; Han, Li; Christensen, Dennis Valbjørn

2016-01-01

Silicon-doped InP is grown on top of semiinsulating iron-doped and sulfur-doped InP substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), and the growth parameters are adjusted to obtain various free carrier concentrations from 1.05×1019 cm-3 up to 3.28×1019 cm-3. Midinfrared (IR) reflection...

The Impact of Metallic Impurities on Minority Carrier Lifetime in High Purity N-type Silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Yohan

Boron-doped p-type silicon is the industry standard silicon solar cell substrate. However, it has serious limitations: iron boron (Fe-B) pairs and light induced degradation (LID). To suppress LID, the replacement of boron by gallium as a p-type dopant has been proposed. Although this eliminates B-O related defects, gallium-related pairing with iron, oxygen, and carbon can reduce lifetime in this material. In addition resistivity variations are more pronounced in gallium doped ingots, however Continuous-Czochralski (c-Cz) growth technologies are being developed to overcome this problem. In this work lifetime limiting factors and resistivity variations have been investigated in this material. The radial and axial variations of electrically active defects were observed using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) these have been correlated to lifetime and resistivity variations. The DLTS measurements demonstrated that iron-related pairs are responsible for the lifetime variations. Specifically, Fe-Ga pairs were found to be important recombination sites and are more detrimental to lifetime than Fei. Typically n-type silicon has a higher minority carrier lifetime than p-type silicon with similar levels of contamination. That is because n-type silicon is more tolerant to metallic impurities, especially Fe. Also, it has no serious issues in relation to lifetime degradation, such as FeB pairs and light-induced degradation (LID). However, surface passivation of the p + region in p+n solar cells is much more problematic than the n+p case where silicon nitride provides very effective passivation of the cell. SiO2 is the most effective passivation for n type surfaces, but it does not work well on B-doped surfaces, resulting in inadequate performance. Al2O3 passivation layer suggested for B-doped emitters. With this surface passivation layer a 23.2 % conversion efficiency has been achieved. After this discovery n-type silicon is now being seriously considered for

Carbon doping induced giant low bias negative differential resistance in boron nitride nanoribbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, N.; Liu, J.B.; Gao, G.Y.; Yao, K.L.

2014-01-01

By applying nonequilibrium Green's function combined with density functional theory, we investigated the electronic transport properties of carbon-doped armchair boron nitride nanoribbons. Obvious negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior with giant peak-to-valley ratio up to the order of 10 4 –10 6 is found by tuning the doping position and concentration. Especially, with the reduction of doping concentration, NDR peak position can enter into mV bias range and even can be expected lower than mV bias. The negative differential resistance behavior is explained by the evolution of the transmission spectra and band structures with applied bias. - Highlights: • Negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior with giant peak-to-valley ratio is found. • Doping concentration changes the NDR peak position significantly. • NDR peak position can enter into mV bias range and even lower than mV bias. • The results are explained by the bias-dependent transmission spectra and band structures

Ultrafast Silicon Photonics with Visible to Mid-Infrared Pumping of Silicon Nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Diroll, Benjamin T; Schramke, Katelyn S; Guo, Peijun; Kortshagen, Uwe R; Schaller, Richard D

2017-10-11

Dynamic optical control of infrared (IR) transparency and refractive index is achieved using boron-doped silicon nanocrystals excited with mid-IR optical pulses. Unlike previous silicon-based optical switches, large changes in transmittance are achieved without a fabricated structure by exploiting strong light coupling of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) produced from free holes of p-type silicon nanocrystals. The choice of optical excitation wavelength allows for selectivity between hole heating and carrier generation through intraband or interband photoexcitation, respectively. Mid-IR optical pumping heats the free holes of p-Si nanocrystals to effective temperatures greater than 3500 K. Increases of the hole effective mass at high effective hole temperatures lead to a subpicosecond change of the dielectric function, resulting in a redshift of the LSPR, modulating mid-IR transmission by as much as 27%, and increasing the index of refraction by more than 0.1 in the mid-IR. Low hole heat capacity dictates subpicosecond hole cooling, substantially faster than carrier recombination, and negligible heating of the Si lattice, permitting mid-IR optical switching at terahertz repetition frequencies. Further, the energetic distribution of holes at high effective temperatures partially reverses the Burstein-Moss effect, permitting the modulation of transmittance at telecommunications wavelengths. The results presented here show that doped silicon, particularly in micro- or nanostructures, is a promising dynamic metamaterial for ultrafast IR photonics.

Controlling the Er content of porous silicon using the doping current intensity

KAUST Repository

Mula, Guido

2014-07-04

The results of an investigation on the Er doping of porous silicon are presented. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, optical reflectivity, and spatially resolved energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) coupled to scanning electron microscopy measurements were used to investigate on the transient during the first stages of constant current Er doping. Depending on the applied current intensity, the voltage transient displays two very different behaviors, signature of two different chemical processes. The measurements show that, for equal transferred charge and identical porous silicon (PSi) layers, the applied current intensity also influences the final Er content. An interpretative model is proposed in order to describe the two distinct chemical processes. The results can be useful for a better control over the doping process.

High-rate and ultralong cycle-life LiFePO_4 nanocrystals coated by boron-doped carbon as positive electrode for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Jinpeng; Wang, Youlan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • B-doped carbon decorated LiFePO_4 has been fabricated for the first time. • The LiFePO_4@B-CdisplaysimprovedbatteryperformancecomparedtoLiFePO_4@C. • The LiFePO_4@B-C is good candidate for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. - Abstract: An evolutionary modification approach, boron-doped carbon coating, has been used to improve the electrochemical performances of positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, and demonstrates apparent and significant modification effects. In this study, the boron-doped carbon coating is firstly adopted and used to decorate the performance of LiFePO_4. The obtained composite exhibits a unique core-shell structure with an average diameter of 140 nm and a 4 nm thick boron-doped carbon shell that uniformly encapsulates the core. Owing to the boron element which could induce high amount of defects in the carbon, the electronic conductivity of LiFePO_4 is greatly ameliorated. Thus, the boron-doped composite shows superior rate capability and cycle stability than the undoped sample. For instance, the reversible specific capacity of LiFePO_4@B_0_._4-C can reach 164.1 mAh g"−"1 at 0.1C, which is approximately 96.5% of the theoretical capacity (170 mAh g"−"1). Even at high rate of 10C, it still shows a high specific capacity of 126.8 mAh g"−"1 and can be maintained at 124.5 mAh g"−"1 after 100 cycles with capacity retention ratio of about 98.2%. This outstanding Li-storage property enable the present design strategy to open up the possibility of fabricating the LiFePO_4@B-C composite for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Electrical properties of MOS structures on nitrogen-doped Czochralski-grown silicon: A positron annihilation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slugen, V.; Harmatha, L.; Tapajna, M.; Ballo, P.; Pisecny, P.; Sik, J.; Koegel, G.; Krsjak, V.

2006-01-01

Measurements of interface trap density, effective generation lifetime (GL) and effective surface generation velocity have been performed using different methods on selected MOS structures prepared on nitrogen-doped Czochralski-grown (NCz) silicon. The application of the positron annihilation technique using a pulsed low energy positron system (PLEPS) focused on the detection of nitrogen-related defects in NCz silicon in the near surface region. In the case of p-type Cz silicon, all the results could be used for the testing of homogeneity. In n-type Cz silicon, positron annihilation was found insensitive to nitrogen doping

Influence of boron concentration on growth characteristic and electro-catalytic performance of boron-doped diamond electrodes prepared by direct current plasma chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Yujie; Lv Jiangwei; Liu Junfeng; Gao Na; Peng Hongyan; Chen Yuqiang

2011-01-01

A series of boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were prepared by direct current plasma chemical vapor deposition (DC-PCVD) with different compositions of CH 4 /H 2 /B(OCH 3 ) 3 gas mixture. A maximum growth rate of 0.65 mg cm -2 h -1 was obtained with CH 4 /H 2 /B(OCH 3 ) 3 radio of 4/190/10 and this growth condition was also a turning point for discharge plasma stability which arose from the addition of B(OCH 3 ) 3 that changed electron energy distribution and influenced the plasma reaction. The surface coating structure and electro-catalytic performance of the BDD electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Hall test, and electrochemical measurement and electro-catalytic oxidation in phenol solution. It is suggested that the boron doping level and the thermal stress in the films are the main factors affecting the electro-catalytic characteristics of the electrodes. Low boron doping level with CH 4 /H 2 /B(OCH 3 ) 3 ratio of 4/199/1 decreased the films electrical conductivity and its electro-catalytic activity. When the carrier concentration in the films reached around 10 20 cm -3 with CH 4 /H 2 /B(OCH 3 ) 3 ratio over a range of 4/195/5-4/185/15, the thermal stress in the films was the key reason that influenced the electro-catalytic activity of the electrodes for its effect on diamond lattice expansion. Therefore, the BDD electrode with modest CH 4 /H 2 /B(OCH 3 ) 3 ratio of 4/190/10 possessed the best phenol removal efficiency.

Microstructure and wear behaviour of silicon doped Cr-N nanocomposite coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bao Mingdong, E-mail: bmingd@yahoo.com.c [School of mechanical engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315016 (China); Yu Lei; Xu Xuebo [School of mechanical engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315016 (China); He Jiawen [State Key Lab. for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an, 710049 (China); Sun Hailin [Teer Coatings Ltd., Berry Hill Industrial Estate, Droitwich Worcestershire WR9 9AS (United Kingdom); Zhejiang Huijin-Teer Coatings Technolgy Co., Ltd., Lin' an 311305 (China); Teer, D.G. [Teer Coatings Ltd., Berry Hill Industrial Estate, Droitwich Worcestershire WR9 9AS (United Kingdom)

2009-07-01

Hard Cr-N and silicon doped Cr-Si-N nanocomposite coatings were deposited using closed unbalanced magnetron sputtering ion plating system. Coatings doped with various Si contents were synthesized by changing the power applied on Si targets. Composition of the films was analyzed using glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES). Microstructure and properties of the coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nano-indentation. The harnesses and the elastic modulus of Cr-Si-N coatings gradually increased with rising of silicon content and exhibited a maximum at silicon content of 4.1 at.% and 5.5 at.%. The maximum hardness and elastic modulus of the Cr-Si-N nanocomposite coatings were approximately 30 GPa and 352 GPa, respectively. Further increase in the silicon content resulted in a decrease in the hardness and the elastic modulus of the coatings. Results from XRD analyses of CrN coatings indicated that strongly preferred orientations of (111) were detected. The diffraction patterns of Cr-Si-N coatings showed a clear (220) with weak (200) and (311) preferred orientations, but the peak of CrN (111) was decreased with the increase of Si concentration. The XRD data of single-phase Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} was free of peak. The peaks of CrN (111) and (220) were shifted slightly and broadened with the increase of silicon content. SEM observations of the sections of Cr-Si-N coatings with different silicon concentrations showed a typical columnar structure. It was evident from TEM observation that nanocomposite Cr-Si-N coatings exhibited nano-scale grain size. Friction coefficient and specific wear rate (SWR) of silicon doped Cr-N coatings from pin-on-disk test were significantly lower in comparison to that of CrN coatings.

Sharp boron spikes in silicon grown at reduced and atmospheric pressure by fast-gas-switching CVD

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, A.T.; Roksnoer, P.J.; Maes, J.W.F.M.; Vriezema, C.J.; IJzendoorn, van L.J.; Zalm, P.C.

1990-01-01

Boron doping spikes in Si were grown by fast-gas-switching CVD at 800 and 850°C using Si2H6 and B2H6 in 0.03, 0.1 and 1 atm H2 as the carrier gas. The B2H6 doping gas was added for 2 s by two methods, namely during growth or as a flush while the Si2H6 flow was interrupted. High-resolution SIMS

Influence of dopants, particularly carbon, on β-rhombohedral boron

Science.gov (United States)

Werheit, H.; Flachbart, K.; Pristáš, G.; Lotnyk, D.; Filipov, V.; Kuhlmann, U.; Shitsevalova, N.; Lundström, T.

2017-09-01

Due to the high affinity of carbon to boron, the preparation of carbon-free boron is problematic. Even high-purity (6 N) β-rhombohedral boron contains 30-60 ppm of C. Hence, carbon affects the boron physical properties published so far more or less significantly. We studied well-defined carbon-doped boron samples based on pure starting material carefully annealed with up to about 1% C, thus assuring homogeneity. We present and discuss their electrical conductivity, optical absorption, luminescence and phonon spectra. Earlier attempts of other authors to determine the conductivity of C-doped boron are revised. Our results allow estimating the effects of oxygen and iron doping on the electrical conductivity using results taken from literature. Discontinuities at low T impair the electronic properties.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of polycrystalline boron doped diamond layers with hydrogen and oxygen terminated surface

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vlčková Živcová, Zuzana; Petrák, Václav; Frank, Otakar; Kavan, Ladislav

2015-01-01

Roč. 55, MAY 2015 (2015), s. 70-76 ISSN 0925-9635 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-31783S Institutional support: RVO:61388955 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : Boron doped diamond * Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy * Aqueous electrolyte solution Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 2.125, year: 2015

Direct Electroplating on Highly Doped Patterned Silicon Wafers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vargas Llona, Laura Dolores; Jansen, Henricus V.; Elwenspoek, Michael Curt

Nickel thin films have been electrodeposited directly on highly doped silicon wafers after removal of the native oxide layer. These substrates conduct sufficiently well to allow deposition using a periferical electrical contact on the wafer. Films 2 μm thick were deposited using a nickel sulfamate

Influence of the formation- and passivation rate of boron-oxygen defects for mitigating carrier-induced degradation in silicon within a hydrogen-based model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallam, Brett; Abbott, Malcolm; Nampalli, Nitin; Hamer, Phill; Wenham, Stuart

2016-01-01

A three-state model is used to explore the influence of defect formation- and passivation rates of carrier-induced degradation related to boron-oxygen complexes in boron-doped p-type silicon solar cells within a hydrogen-based model. The model highlights that the inability to effectively mitigate carrier-induced degradation at elevated temperatures in previous studies is due to the limited availability of defects for hydrogen passivation, rather than being limited by the defect passivation rate. An acceleration of the defect formation rate is also observed to increase both the effectiveness and speed of carrier-induced degradation mitigation, whereas increases in the passivation rate do not lead to a substantial acceleration of the hydrogen passivation process. For high-throughput mitigation of such carrier-induced degradation on finished solar cell devices, two key factors were found to be required, high-injection conditions (such as by using high intensity illumination) to enable an acceleration of defect formation whilst simultaneously enabling a rapid passivation of the formed defects, and a high temperature to accelerate both defect formation and defect passivation whilst still ensuring an effective mitigation of carrier-induced degradation

Electrochemical oxidation of biological pretreated and membrane separated landfill leachate concentrates on boron doped diamond anode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Bo, E-mail: 357436235@qq.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Yu, Zhiming, E-mail: zhiming@csu.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Wei, Qiuping, E-mail: qiupwei@csu.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Long, HangYu, E-mail: 55686385@qq.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Xie, Youneng, E-mail: 1187272844@qq.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Wang, Yijia, E-mail: 503630433@qq.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

2016-07-30

Highlights: • High quality boron-doped diamond film electrodes were synthesized on Nb substrates. • Electrochemical oxidation on boron-doped diamond anode is an effective method for treating landfill leachate concentrates. • Optimal operating conditions for electrochemical oxidation of landfill leachate concentrates is determined. • 87.5% COD removal and 74.06% NH{sub 3}−N removal were achieved after 6 h treatment. - Abstract: In the present study, the high quality boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes with excellent electrochemical properties were deposited on niobium (Nb) substrates by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method. The electrochemical oxidation of landfill leachate concentrates from disc tube reverse osmosis (DTRO) process over a BDD anode was investigated. The effects of varying operating parameters, such as current density, initial pH, flow velocity and cathode material on degradation efficiency were also evaluated following changes in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonium nitrogen (NH{sub 3}−N). The instantaneous current efficiency (ICE) was used to appraise different operating conditions. As a result, the best conditions obtained were as follows, current density 50 mA cm{sup −2}, pH 5.16, flow velocity 6 L h{sup −1}. Under these conditions, 87.5% COD and 74.06% NH{sub 3}−N removal were achieved after 6 h treatment, with specific energy consumption of 223.2 kWh m{sup −3}. In short, these results indicated that the electrochemical oxidation with BDD/Nb anode is an effective method for the treatment of landfill leachate concentrates.

Increased radiation resistance in lithium-counterdoped silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Weinberg, I.; Swartz, C. K.; Mehta, S.

1984-01-01

Lithium-counterdoped n(+)p silicon solar cells are found to exhibit significantly increased radiation resistance to 1-MeV electron irradiation when compared to boron-doped n(+)p silicon solar cells. In addition to improved radiation resistance, considerable damage recovery by annealing is observed in the counterdoped cells at T less than or equal to 100 C. Deep level transient spectroscopy measurements are used to identify the defect whose removal results in the low-temperature aneal. It is suggested that the increased radiation resistance of the counterdoped cells is primarily due to interaction of the lithium with interstitial oxygen.

Polycrystalline boron-doped diamond electrodes for electrocatalytic and electrosynthetic applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivandini, Tribidasari A; Einaga, Yasuaki

2017-01-24

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes are recognized as being superior to other electrode materials due to their outstanding chemical and dimensional stability, their exceptionally low background current, the extremely wide potential window for water electrolysis that they have, and their excellent biocompatibility. However, whereas these properties have been utilized in the rapid development of electroanalytical applications, very few studies have been done in relation to their applications in electrocatalysis or electrosynthesis. In this report, following on from reports of the electrosynthesis of various products through anodic and cathodic reactions using BDD electrodes, the potential use of these electrodes in electrosynthesis is discussed.

On the influence of extrinsic point defects on irradiation-induced point-defect distributions in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanhellemont, J.; Romano-Rodriguez, A.

1994-01-01

A semi-quantitative model describing the influence of interfaces and stress fields on {113}-defect generation in silicon during 1-MeV electron irradiation, is further developed to take into account also the role of extrinsic point defects. It is shown that the observed distribution of {113}-defects in high-flux electron-irradiated silicon and its dependence on irradiation temperature and dopant concentration can be understood by taking into account not only the influence of the surfaces and interfaces as sinks for intrinsic point defects but also the thermal stability of the bulk sinks for intrinsic point defects. In heavily doped silicon the bulk sinks are related with pairing reactions of the dopant atoms with the generated intrinsic point defects or related with enhanced recombination of vacancies and self-interstitials at extrinsic point defects. The obtained theoretical results are correlated with published experimental data on boron-and phosphorus-doped silicon and are illustrated with observations obtained by irradiating cross-section transmission electron microscopy samples of wafer with highly doped surface layers. (orig.)

Dielectric properties of DNA oligonucleotides on the surface of silicon nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagraev, N. T., E-mail: bagraev@mail.ioffe.ru [St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (Russian Federation); Chernev, A. L. [Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg Academic University—Nanotechnology Research and Education Center (Russian Federation); Klyachkin, L. E. [St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (Russian Federation); Malyarenko, A. M. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical–Technical Institute (Russian Federation); Emel’yanov, A. K.; Dubina, M. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg Academic University—Nanotechnology Research and Education Center (Russian Federation)

2016-10-15

Planar silicon nanostructures that are formed as a very narrow silicon quantum well confined by δ barriers heavily doped with boron are used to study the dielectric properties of DNA oligonucleotides deposited onto the surface of the nanostructures. The capacitance characteristics of the silicon nanostructures with oligonucleotides deposited onto their surface are determined by recording the local tunneling current–voltage characteristics by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. The results show the possibility of identifying the local dielectric properties of DNA oligonucleotide segments consisting of repeating G–C pairs. These properties apparently give grounds to correlate the segments with polymer molecules exhibiting the properties of multiferroics.

Comparison of the influence of boron and aluminium doping on the material properties of electrochemically deposited ZnO films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calnan, Sonya [Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Riedel, Wiebke; Gledhill, Sophie [Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Stannowski, Bernd [Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Lux-Steiner, Martha Ch. [Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Schlatmann, Rutger [Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Fachbereich 1 Ingenieurwissenschaften I, University of Applied Science (HTW) Berlin, Wilhelminenhofstraße 75 A, 12459 Berlin (Germany)

2015-11-02

The effect of varying the boron and aluminium content of the starting electrolyte for extrinsically doped ZnO films grown on SnO{sub 2}:F substrates by electrochemical deposition was investigated. The ZnO:B film surface was characterized by grains with mainly hexagonal faces exposed while the exposed faces of the ZnO:Al grains were rectangular. Whereas a B{sup 3+}/Zn{sup 2+} ratio of up to 10 at.% in the electrolyte had no significant effect on the crystalline structure of the ZnO films, an Al{sup 3+}/Zn{sup 2+} ratio above 0.25 at.% increased the disorder in the crystalline structure. All the boron doped films exhibit a strong E{sub 2}-high Raman mode related to wurtzite ZnO structure but this peak was much weaker for ZnO:Al and diminished with increasing Al incorporation in the films. Exposing the films to ultra-violet light reduced their effective sheet resistance from values beyond measurement range to values between 40 and 5000 kΩ/sq for film thicknesses of 200–550 nm. Inspection of the optical spectra near the bandgap edge and the plasma edge in the mid infrared range, showed that the Al-doping resulted in a higher carrier concentration ~ 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} than B-doping. X-ray electron spectroscopy showed that the dopant efficiency was limited by the absence of dopant atoms near the surface of all the ZnO:B films and of the lightly doped ZnO:Al and, by the formation of aluminium oxide at the surface of the more highly doped ZnO:Al films. - Highlights: • Crystalline ZnO grown by electrochemical deposition. • Comparison of influence of H{sub 3}BO{sub 3} and Al(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} as dopant sources. • Different ZnO crystalline orientation for Al and boron doping. • Film surface chemical composition suppressed electrical conductivity.

High-rate and ultralong cycle-life LiFePO{sub 4} nanocrystals coated by boron-doped carbon as positive electrode for lithium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Jinpeng, E-mail: goldminer@sina.com; Wang, Youlan

2016-12-30

Highlights: • B-doped carbon decorated LiFePO{sub 4} has been fabricated for the first time. • The LiFePO{sub 4}@B-CdisplaysimprovedbatteryperformancecomparedtoLiFePO{sub 4}@C. • The LiFePO{sub 4}@B-C is good candidate for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. - Abstract: An evolutionary modification approach, boron-doped carbon coating, has been used to improve the electrochemical performances of positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, and demonstrates apparent and significant modification effects. In this study, the boron-doped carbon coating is firstly adopted and used to decorate the performance of LiFePO{sub 4}. The obtained composite exhibits a unique core-shell structure with an average diameter of 140 nm and a 4 nm thick boron-doped carbon shell that uniformly encapsulates the core. Owing to the boron element which could induce high amount of defects in the carbon, the electronic conductivity of LiFePO{sub 4} is greatly ameliorated. Thus, the boron-doped composite shows superior rate capability and cycle stability than the undoped sample. For instance, the reversible specific capacity of LiFePO{sub 4}@B{sub 0.4}-C can reach 164.1 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.1C, which is approximately 96.5% of the theoretical capacity (170 mAh g{sup −1}). Even at high rate of 10C, it still shows a high specific capacity of 126.8 mAh g{sup −1} and can be maintained at 124.5 mAh g{sup −1} after 100 cycles with capacity retention ratio of about 98.2%. This outstanding Li-storage property enable the present design strategy to open up the possibility of fabricating the LiFePO{sub 4}@B-C composite for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Enhanced light emission in photonic crystal nanocavities with Erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makarova, Maria; Sih, Vanessa; Vuckovic, Jelena; Warga, Joe; Li Rui; Dal Negro, Luca

2008-01-01

Photonic crystal nanocavities are fabricated in silicon membranes covered by thermally annealed silicon-rich nitride films with Erbium-doped silicon nanocrystals. Silicon nitride films were deposited by sputtering on top of silicon on insulator wafers. The nanocavities were carefully designed in order to enhance emission from the nanocrystal sensitized Erbium at the 1540 nm wavelength. Experimentally measured quality factors of ∼6000 were found to be consistent theoretical predictions. The Purcell factor of 1.4 was estimated from the observed 20-fold enhancement of Erbium luminescence

Rod-like polyaniline supported on three-dimensional boron and nitrogen-co-doped graphene frameworks for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Kexuan; Gao, Jialu; Fan, Jinchen; Mo, Yao; Xu, Qunjie; Min, Yulin

2017-12-01

In this work, novel three-dimensional (3D) boron and nitrogen-co-doped three-dimensional (3D) graphene frameworks (BN-GFs) supporting rod-like polyaniline (PANI) are facilely prepared and used as electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors. The results demonstrated that BN-GFs with tuned electronic structure can not only provide a large surface area for rod-like PANI to anchor but also effectively facilitate the ion transfer and charge storage in the electrode. The PANI/BN-GF composite with wrinkled boron and nitrogen-co-doped graphene sheets interconnected by rod-like PANI exhibits excellent capacitive properties with a maximum specific capacitance of 596 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g. Notably, they also show excellent cycling stability with more than 81% capacitance retention after 5000 charge-discharge cycles.

Boron-doped Diamond Electrodes: Electrochemical, Atomic Force Microscopy and Raman Study towards Corrosion-modifications at Nanoscale

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kavan, Ladislav; Vlčková Živcová, Zuzana; Petrák, Václav; Frank, Otakar; Janda, Pavel; Tarábková, Hana; Nesladek, M.; Mortet, Vincent

2015-01-01

Roč. 179, OCT 2015 (2015), s. 626-636 ISSN 0013-4686 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-31783S Institutional support: RVO:61388955 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : Raman spectroelectrochemistry * atomic force microscopy * boron doped diamond Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 4.803, year: 2015

Fabrication and characterization of n-type zinc oxide/p-type boron doped diamond heterojunction

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Marton, M.; Mikolášek, M.; Bruncko, J.; Novotný, I.; Ižák, Tibor; Vojs, M.; Kozak, Halyna; Varga, Marián; Artemenko, Anna; Kromka, Alexander

2015-01-01

Roč. 66, č. 5 (2015), s. 277-281 ISSN 1335-3632 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108; GA MŠk(CZ) 7AMB14SK024 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : boron doped diamond * zinc oxide * Raman spectroscopy * bipolar heterostructure * wide-bandgap Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.407, year: 2015

A buffer-layer/a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) window-layer optimization for thin film amorphous silicon based solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jinjoo; Dao, Vinh Ai [College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Chonghoon [Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hyeongsik [College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Minbum; Jung, Junhee [Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Doyoung [School of Electricity and Electronics, Ulsan College West Campus, Ulsan 680-749 (Korea, Republic of); Yi, Junsin, E-mail: yi@yurim.skku.ac.kr [College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-11-01

Amorphous silicon based (a-Si:H-based) solar cells with a buffer-layer/boron doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide (a-SiO{sub x}:H(p)) window-layer were fabricated and investigated. In the first part, in order to reduce the Schottky barrier height at the fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO)/a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) window-layer heterointerface, we have used buffer-layer/a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) for the window-layer, in which boron doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H(p)) or boron doped microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H(p)) is introduced as a buffer layer between the a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) and FTO of the a-Si:H-based solar cells. The a-Si:H-based solar cell using a μc-Si:H(p) buffer-layer shows the highest efficiency compared to the optimized bufferless, and a-Si:H(p) buffer-layer in the a-Si:H-based solar cells. This highest performance was attributed not only to the lower absorption of the μc-Si:H(p) buffer-layer but also to the lower Schottky barrier height at the FTO/window-layer interface. Then, we present the dependence of the built-in potential (V{sub bi}) and blue response of the devices on the inversion of activation energy (ξ) of the a-SiO{sub x}:H(p), in the μc-Si:H(p)/a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) window-layer. The enhancement of both V{sub bi} and blue response is observed, by increasing the value of ξ. The improvement of V{sub bi} and blue response can be ascribed to the enlargement of the optical gap of a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) films in the μc-Si:H(p)/a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) window-layer. Finally, the conversion efficiency was increased by 22.0%, by employing μc-Si:H(p) as a buffer-layer and raising the ξ of the a-SiO{sub x}:H(p), compared to the optimized bufferless case, with a 10 nm-thick a-SiO{sub x}:H(p) window-layer. - Highlights: • Low Schottky barrier height benefits fill factor, and open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}). • High band gap is beneficial for short-circuit current density (J{sub sc}). • Boron doped microcrystalline silicon is a suitable buffer-layer for

FTIR and electrical characterization of a-Si:H layers deposited by PECVD at different boron ratios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orduna-Diaz, A., E-mail: abdu@susu.inaoep.mx [Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica, Luis Enrique Erro No. 1, Tonantzintla, Puebla 72840 (Mexico); Trevino-Palacios, C.G. [Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica, Luis Enrique Erro No. 1, Tonantzintla, Puebla 72840 (Mexico); Rojas-Lopez, M.; Delgado-Macuil, R.; Gayou, V.L. [Centro de Investigacion en Biotecnologia Aplicada (CIBA), IPN, Tlaxcala, Tlax. 72197 (Mexico); Torres-Jacome, A. [Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica, Luis Enrique Erro No. 1, Tonantzintla, Puebla 72840 (Mexico)

2010-10-25

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) has found applications in flat panel displays, photovoltaic solar cell and recently has been employed in boron doped microbolometer array. We have performed electrical and structural characterizations of a-Si:H layers prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method at 540 K on glass substrates at different diborane (B{sub 2}H{sub 6}) flow ratios (500, 250, 150 and 50 sccm). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements obtained by specular reflectance sampling mode, show Si-Si, B-O, Si-H, and Si-O vibrational modes (611, 1300, 2100 and 1100 cm{sup -1} respectively) with different strengths which are associated to hydrogen and boron content. The current-voltage curves show that at 250 sccm flow of boron the material shows the lowest resistivity, but for the 150 sccm boron flow it is obtained the highest temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR).

Relaxation of the Shallow Acceptor Center Magnetic Moment in a Highly Doped Silicon

CERN Document Server

Mamedov, T N; Herlach, D; Gorelkin, V N; Gritsaj, K I; Duginov, V N; Kormann, O; Major, J V; Stoikov, A V; Zimmermann, U

2001-01-01

Results on the temperature dependence of the residual polarization of negative muons in crystalline silicon with germanium, boron and phosphorus impurities are presented. The measurements were carried out in a magnetic field of 0.1 T transverse to the direction of the muon spin in the temperature range 4.2-300 K. It is found that in a silicon sample with a high concentration of germanium impurity (9\\cdot 10^{19} cm^{-3}), as in the samples of n- and p-type silicon with impurity concentrations up to \\sim 10^{17} cm^{-3}, the relaxation rate \

Effect of Boron Doping on High-Resolution X-Ray Diffraction Metrology

Science.gov (United States)

Faheem, M.; Zhang, Y.; Dai, X.

2018-03-01

The effect of boron (B) doping on high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HXRD) metrology has been investigated. Twelve samples of Si1-xGex films were epitaxially grown on Si (100) substrates with different thicknesses, germanium (Ge) concentrations and with/without B dopants. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and HXRD were employed for measurements of B doping, Ge concentration, strain, and thickness of the layers. The SIMS results show the absence of B in two samples while the rest of the samples have B doping in the range of 8.40 × 1018-8.7 × 1020 atoms/cm3 with Ge concentration of 13.3-55.2 at.%. The HXRD measurements indicate the layers thickness of 7.07-108.13 nm along with Ge concentration of 12.82-49.09 at.%. The difference in the Ge concentration measured by SIMS and HXRD was found to deend on B doping. For the undoped samples, the difference is 0.5 at.% and increases with B doping but with no linear proportionality. The difference in the Ge concentration was 7.11 at.% for the highly B-doped (8.7 × 1020 atoms/cm3) sample. The B doping influences the Si1-xGex structure, causing a change in the lattice parameter and producing tensile strains shifting Si1-xGex peaks towards Si (100) substrate peaks in the HXRD diffraction patterns. As a result, Vegard's law is no longer effective and makes a high impact on the HXRD measurement. The comparison between symmetric (004) and asymmetric (+113, +224) reciprocal space mappings (RSM) showed a slight difference in Ge concentration between the undoped and lower B-doped samples. However, there is a change of 0.21 at.% observed for the highly doped Si1-xGex samples. RSM's (+113) demonstrate the small SiGe peak broadening as B doping increases, which indicates a minor crystal distortion.

Increased charge storage capacity of titanium nitride electrodes by deposition of boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meijs, Suzan; McDonald, Matthew; Sørensen, Søren

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of depositing a thin layer of boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (B-NCD) on titanium nitride (TiN) coated electrodes and the effect this has on charge injection properties. The charge storage capacity increased by applying the B-NCD film...

Porous silicon used as an oxide diffusion mask to produce a periodic micro doped n{sup ++}/n regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dimassi, Wissem; Jafel, Hayet; Lajnef, Mohamed; Ali Kanzari, M.; Bouaicha, Mongi; Bessais, Brahim; Ezzaouia, Hatem [Laboratoire de Photovoltaique, Centre de Recherche et des Technologies de l' Energie, PB: 95, Hammam Lif 2050 (Tunisia)

2011-06-15

The realization of screen-printed contacts on silicon solar cells requires highly doped regions under the fingers and lowly doped and thin ones between them. In this work, we present a low-cost approach to fabricate selective emitter (n{sup ++}/n doped silicon regions), using oxidized porous silicon (ox-PS) as a mask. Micro-periodic fingers were opened on the porous silicon layer using a micro groove machining process. Optimized phosphorous diffusion through the micro grooved ox-PS let us obtain n{sup ++} doped regions in opened zones and n doped large regions underneath the ox-PS layer. The dark I-V characteristics of the obtained device and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy investigations of the PS layer show the possibility to use PS as a dielectric layer. The Light Beam Induced Current (LBIC) mapping of the realized device, confirm the presence of a micro periodic n{sup ++}/n type structure. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Tuning dissociation using isoelectronically doped graphene and hexagonal boron nitride: Water and other small molecules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Hamdani, Yasmine S. [Thomas Young Centre and London Centre for Nanotechnology, 17–19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH (United Kingdom); Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ (United Kingdom); Alfè, Dario [Thomas Young Centre and London Centre for Nanotechnology, 17–19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH (United Kingdom); Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Lilienfeld, O. Anatole von [Institute of Physical Chemistry and National Center for Computational Design and Discovery of Novel Materials (MARVEL), Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland); Michaelides, Angelos, E-mail: angelos.michaelides@ucl.ac.uk [Thomas Young Centre and London Centre for Nanotechnology, 17–19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH (United Kingdom); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

2016-04-21

Novel uses for 2-dimensional materials like graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) are being frequently discovered especially for membrane and catalysis applications. Still however, a great deal remains to be understood about the interaction of environmentally and industrially relevant molecules such as water with these materials. Taking inspiration from advances in hybridising graphene and h-BN, we explore using density functional theory, the dissociation of water, hydrogen, methane, and methanol on graphene, h-BN, and their isoelectronic doped counterparts: BN doped graphene and C doped h-BN. We find that doped surfaces are considerably more reactive than their pristine counterparts and by comparing the reactivity of several small molecules, we develop a general framework for dissociative adsorption. From this a particularly attractive consequence of isoelectronic doping emerges: substrates can be doped to enhance their reactivity specifically towards either polar or non-polar adsorbates. As such, these substrates are potentially viable candidates for selective catalysts and membranes, with the implication that a range of tuneable materials can be designed.

A new computer-aided simulation model for polycrystalline silicon film resistors

Science.gov (United States)

Ching-Yuan Wu; Weng-Dah Ken

1983-07-01

A general transport theory for the I-V characteristics of a polycrystalline film resistor has been derived by including the effects of carrier degeneracy, majority-carrier thermionic-diffusion across the space charge regions produced by carrier trapping in the grain boundaries, and quantum mechanical tunneling through the grain boundaries. Based on the derived transport theory, a new conduction model for the electrical resistivity of polycrystalline film resitors has been developed by incorporating the effects of carrier trapping and dopant segregation in the grain boundaries. Moreover, an empirical formula for the coefficient of the dopant-segregation effects has been proposed, which enables us to predict the dependence of the electrical resistivity of phosphorus-and arsenic-doped polycrystalline silicon films on thermal annealing temperature. Phosphorus-doped polycrystalline silicon resistors have been fabricated by using ion-implantation with doses ranged from 1.6 × 10 11 to 5 × 10 15/cm 2. The dependence of the electrical resistivity on doping concentration and temperature have been measured and shown to be in good agreement with the results of computer simulations. In addition, computer simulations for boron-and arsenic-doped polycrystalline silicon resistors have also been performed and shown to be consistent with the experimental results published by previous authors.

Participation of oxygen and carbon in formation of oxidation-induced stacking faults in monocrystalline silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Иван Федорович Червоный

2015-11-01

Full Text Available It is experimentally established, that density of oxidation-induced stacking faults (OISF in the boron doped monocrystalline silicon plates, that above, than it is more relation of oxygen atoms concentration to carbon atoms concentration in them.On research results of geometry of OISF rings in the different sections of single-crystal geometry of areas is reconstructed with their different closeness. At adjustment of the growing modes of single-crystals of silicon the increase of output of suitable product is observed

Theoretical exploration of structural, electro-optical and magnetic properties of gallium-doped silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad; Moradian, Rostam; Shahrokhi, Masoud

2014-09-01

The effects of gallium doping on the structural, electro-optical and magnetic properties of (8,0) silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) are investigated by using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found from the calculation of the formation energies that gallium substitution for silicon atom is preferred. Our results show that gallium substitution at either single carbon or silicon atom site in SiCNT could induce spontaneous magnetization. The optical studies based on dielectric function indicate that new transition peaks and a blue shift are observed after gallium doping.

Preparation of calcium-doped boron nitride by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anzai, Atsushi; Fuchigami, Masayo; Yamanaka, Shoji; Inumaru, Kei

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ca-doped boron nitride was prepared by pulsed laser deposition. ► The films do not have long range order structure in terms of XRD. ► But the films had short-range order structure of h-BN sheets. ► Ca-free films had the same optical band gap as crystalline bulk h-BN (5.8 eV.) ► Ca-doping brought about decreases of the optical band gap by ca. 0.4 eV. -- Abstract: Calcium-doped BN thin films Ca x BN y (x = 0.05–0.1, y = 0.7–0.9) were grown on α-Al 2 O 3 (0 0 1) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using h-BN and Ca 3 N 2 disks as the targets under nitrogen radical irradiation. Infrared ATR spectra demonstrated the formation of short range ordered structure of BN hexagonal sheets, while X-ray diffraction gave no peak indicating the absence of long-range order structure in the films. It was notable that Ca-doped film had 5.45–5.55 eV of optical band gap, while the band gap of Ca-free films was 5.80–5.85 eV. This change in the band gap is ascribed to interaction of Ca with the BN sheets; first principle calculations on h-BN structure indicated that variation of inter-plane distance between the BN layers did not affect the band gap. This study highlights that PLD could prepare BN having short-range structure of h-BN sheets and being doped with electropositive cation which varies the optical band gap of the films.

Tuning the optical response in carbon doped boron nitride nanodots

KAUST Repository

Mokkath, Junais Habeeb

2014-09-04

Time dependent density functional theory and the hybrid B3LYP functional are used to investigate the structural and optical properties of pristine and carbon doped hexagonal boron nitride nanodots. In agreement with recent experiments, the embedded carbon atoms are found to favor nucleation. Our results demonstrate that carbon clusters of different shapes promote an early onset of absorption by generating in-gap states. The nanodots are interesting for opto-electronics due to their tunable optical response in a wide energy window. We identify cluster sizes and shapes with optimal conversion efficiency for solar radiation and a wide absorption range form infrared to ultraviolet. This journal is

Isothermal annealing of silicon implanted with 50 keV 10B ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weidner, B.; Zaschke, G.

1974-01-01

Isothermal annealing characteristics of silicon implanted with boron were measured and compared with calculated results. Implantation was performed with 50 keV 10 B ions in the dose range of 7.5 x 10 12 cm -2 to 2.0 x 10 15 cm -2 . Annealing temperatures ranged from 700 to 900 0 C. Maximum annealing time was 10 4 minutes. Annealing time strongly increases with increasing dose and decreasing temperature. Assuming that there is only one activation energy the isothermal annealing curves of constant dose and different temperatures were combined to a reduced annealing curve and the reduced isothermal annealing curve calculated. Starting from first order kinetics, considering the doping profile of boron in silicon and assuming a depth-dependent decay constant the experimentally determined annealing curves could be easily described over the total dose and time range

Doping chloro boron subnaphthalocyanines and chloro boron subphthalocyanine in simple OLED architectures yields warm white incandescent-like emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Plint, Trevor G.; Lessard, Benoît H.; Bender, Timothy P.

2018-01-01

We have incorporated chloro boron subphthalocyanine (Cl-BsubPc) and chloro boron subnapthalocyanines (Cl-ClnBsubNcs) into organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) that enabled an overall warm white emission with CIE coordinates close to that of a 60 W incandescent lightbulb. More specifically, we have shown that Cl-BsubPc and Cl-ClnBsubNcs can be used as dopant emitters in a simple host-dopant architecture, and we have compared the use of NPB and Alq3 as potential hosts for these materials. When doped into Alq3, Cl-BsubPc shows a strong orange emission, and Cl-ClnBsubNcs shows a moderately strong red emission. We have further demonstrated that Cl-BsubPc and Cl-ClnBsubNcs can be co-doped into the same layer giving combined orange and red emission peaks. A "cascade" energy transfer mechanism of sequential absorption and re-emission is proposed. Device performance characteristics such as luminance, current efficiency, photoluminescence efficiency, and external quantum efficiency are tabulated. Additionally, in view of ongoing research into white emitting OLEDs for indoor lighting purposes, the Colour Rendering Index (CRI), R9 values, and CIE co-ordinates for these devices are also discussed. We conclude from this study that the BsubNc chromophore has potential application as a red dopant in OLEDs including for indoor lighting. Additionally, given the scope for axial and peripheral derivatization of the BsubNc motif, we believe that this chromophore has many unexplored molecular design handles that will affect its ultimate performance and application in OLEDs and other opto-electronic devices.

Radiation damage and defect behavior in proton irradiated lithium-counterdoped n+p silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Stupica, John; Goradia, Chandra; Swartz, Clifford K.; Weinberg, Irving

1987-01-01

Two lithium-counterdoped n+p silicon solar cells with different lithium concentrations were irradiated by 10-MeV protons. Cell performance was measured as a function of fluence, and it was found that the cell with the highest concentration of lithium had the highest radiation resistance. Deep level transient spectroscopy which showed two deep level defects that were lithium related. Relating the defect energy levels obtained from this study with those from earlier work using 1-MeV electron irradiation shows no correlation of the defect energy levels. There is one marked similarity: the absence of the boron-interstitial-oxygen-interstitial defect. This consistency strengthens the belief that lithium interacts with oxygen to prevent the formation of the boron interstitial-oxygen interstitial defect. The results indicate that, in general, addition of lithium in small amounts to the p-base of a boron doped silicon solar cell such that the base remains p-type, tends to increase the radiation resistance of the cell.

Passivated emitters in silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, R.R.; Gruenbaum, P.E.; Sinton, R.A.; Swanson, R.M.

1990-01-01

In high-efficiency silicon solar cells with low metal contact coverage fractions and high bulk lifetimes, cell performance is often dominated by recombination in the oxide-passivated diffusions on the cell surface. Measurements of the emitter saturation current density, J o , of oxide-passivated, boron and phosphorus diffusions are presented, and from these measurements, the dependence of surface recombination velocity on dopant concentration was extracted. The lowest observed values of J o which are stable under UV light are given for both boron- and phosphorus-doped, oxide-passivated diffusions, for both textured and untextured surfaces. Contour plots which incorporate the above data have been applied to two types of backside-contact solar cells with large area (37.5 cm 2 ) and one-sun efficiencies up to 22.7%

Current enhancement in crystalline silicon photovoltaic by low-cost nickel silicide back contact

KAUST Repository

Bahabry, R. R.; Gumus, A.; Kutbee, A. T.; Wehbe, N.; Ahmed, S. M.; Ghoneim, M. T.; Lee, K. -T.; Rogers, J. A.; Hussain, M. M.

2016-01-01

We report short circuit current (Jsc) enhancement in crystalline silicon (C-Si) photovoltaic (PV) using low-cost Ohmic contact engineering by integration of Nickel mono-silicide (NiSi) for back contact metallization as an alternative to the status quo of using expensive screen printed silver (Ag). We show 2.6 mA/cm2 enhancement in the short circuit current (Jsc) and 1.2 % increment in the efficiency by improving the current collection due to the low specific contact resistance of the NiSi on the heavily Boron (B) doped Silicon (Si) interface.

Current enhancement in crystalline silicon photovoltaic by low-cost nickel silicide back contact

KAUST Repository

Bahabry, R. R.

2016-11-30

We report short circuit current (Jsc) enhancement in crystalline silicon (C-Si) photovoltaic (PV) using low-cost Ohmic contact engineering by integration of Nickel mono-silicide (NiSi) for back contact metallization as an alternative to the status quo of using expensive screen printed silver (Ag). We show 2.6 mA/cm2 enhancement in the short circuit current (Jsc) and 1.2 % increment in the efficiency by improving the current collection due to the low specific contact resistance of the NiSi on the heavily Boron (B) doped Silicon (Si) interface.

Electrochemical doping of mesoporous silicon with Er: the effect of the current intensity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mula, Guido, E-mail: guido.mula@unica.it [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042 Cagliari (Italy); Pinna, Elisa [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042 Cagliari (Italy); Falqui, Andrea [Nanochemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova (Italy); Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042 Cagliari (Italy); Ruffilli, Roberta [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042 Cagliari (Italy); Palmas, Simonetta; Mascia, Michele [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica Chimica e dei Materiali, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Piazza d’Armi, 09126 Cagliari (Italy)

2014-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A multidisciplinary approach on porous Si electrochemical Er doping is proposed. • The phenomena taking place at the large developed surface of porous silicon are studied. • Electrochemical, optical and structural characterizations are used. • The early stages of doping are studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. • The dependence of the final amount of Er deposited on the current intensity and not only on the transferred charge is shown. - Abstract: There is an ongoing intense research for cost-effective Er-doped Si-based light-emitting devices at the 1.5 μm wavelength. The efficient electrochemical Er-doping of porous silicon for this purpose requires a good understanding of the phenomena involved, since those taking place at the pores inner surface control the doping process. However, almost no attention has been given, to date, to the relevant effects of the current intensity onto the doping results. In this work, the effect of the current intensity on the doping process is explored by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, optical reflectivity and energy dispersive spectrometry via scanning electron microscopy. The combined analysis of all results strongly suggests that the formation of a gel-like Er ethanolate, unaffected by changes in the sample thickness, occurs from the very first stages of the doping process. Moreover, while for constant current doping processes we show that, under any given doping condition, the doping level is proportional to the transferred charge, we demonstrate that performing the doping process using different current intensities may lead to dramatically different results.

Influence of the doping level on the porosity of silicon nanowires prepared by metal-assisted chemical etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geyer, Nadine; Wollschläger, Nicole; Tonkikh, Alexander; Berger, Andreas; Werner, Peter; Fuhrmann, Bodo; Leipner, Hartmut S; Jungmann, Marco; Krause-Rehberg, Reinhard

2015-01-01

A systematic method to control the porosity of silicon nanowires is presented. This method is based on metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) and takes advantage of an HF/H_2O_2 etching solution and a silver catalyst in the form of a thin patterned film deposited on a doped silicon wafer. It is found that the porosity of the etched nanowires can be controlled by the doping level of the wafer. For low doping concentrations, the wires are primarily crystalline and surrounded by only a very thin layer of porous silicon (pSi) layer, while for highly doped silicon, they are porous in their entire volume. We performed a series of controlled experiments to conclude that there exists a well-defined critical doping concentration separating the crystalline and porous regimes. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy investigations showed that the pSi has also a crystalline morphology on a length scale smaller than the pore size, determined from positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy to be mesoscopic. Based on the experimental evidence, we devise a theoretical model of the pSi formation during MACE and apply it for better control of the nanowire morphology. (paper)

CMOS-compatible method for doping of buried vertical polysilicon structures by solid phase diffusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turkulets, Yury [Micron Semiconductor Israel Ltd., Qiryat Gat 82109 (Israel); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501 (Israel); Silber, Amir; Ripp, Alexander; Sokolovsky, Mark [Micron Semiconductor Israel Ltd., Qiryat Gat 82109 (Israel); Shalish, Ilan, E-mail: shalish@bgu.ac.il [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501 (Israel)

2016-03-28

Polysilicon receives attention nowadays as a means to incorporate 3D-structured photonic devices into silicon processes. However, doping of buried layers of a typical 3D structure has been a challenge. We present a method for doping of buried polysilicon layers by solid phase diffusion. Using an underlying silicon oxide layer as a dopant source facilitates diffusion of dopants into the bottom side of the polysilicon layer. The polysilicon is grown on top of the oxide layer, after the latter has been doped by ion implantation. Post-growth heat treatment drives in the dopant from the oxide into the polysilicon. To model the process, we studied the diffusion of the two most common silicon dopants, boron (B) and phosphorus (P), using secondary ion mass spectroscopy profiles. Our results show that shallow concentration profiles can be achieved in a buried polysilicon layer using the proposed technique. We present a quantitative 3D model for the diffusion of B and P in polysilicon, which turns the proposed method into an engineerable technique.

Three-dimensional nitrogen and boron co-doped graphene for high-performance all-solid-state supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Zhong-Shuai; Chen, Long; Sun, Yi; Muellen, Klaus [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Winter, Andreas; Turchanin, Andrey [Universitaet Bielefeld, Fakultaet fuer Physik, Physik Supramolekularer Systeme und Oberflaechen, Universitaetsstr. 25D, 33615 Bielefeld (Germany); Feng, Xinliang [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz (Germany); School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai (China)

2012-09-25

A simplified prototype device of high-performance all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSs) based on 3D nitrogen and boron co-doped monolithic graphene aerogels (BN-GAs) is demonstrated for the first time. The resulting ASSSs show high specific capacitance, good rate capability, and enhanced energy density or power density. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Neutron Transmutation Doping of Silicon at Research Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-05-01

This publication details the processes and history of neutron transmutation doping of silicon, particularly its commercial pathway, followed by the requirements for a technologically modern and economically viable production scheme and the current trends in the global market for semiconductor products. It should serve as guidelines on the technical requirements, involved processes and required quality standards for the transmission of sound practices and advice for research reactor managers and operators planning commercial scale production of silicon. Furthermore, a detailed and specific database of most of the world's research reactor facilities in this domain is included, featuring their characteristics for irradiation capabilities, associated production capacities and processing.

Photodegradation of aniline by goethite doped with boron under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Guanglong; Liao, Shuijiao; Zhu, Duanwei; Liu, Linghua; Cheng, Dongsheng; Zhou, Huaidong

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Goethite modified by boron was prepared by sol-gel method in presence of boron acid at the low temperature. → B-goethite has slight red shift in the band gap transition beside their stronger light absorption compared with pristine goethite. → The results showed that semiconductor photocatalytic reaction mechanism should exist in the process of aniline degradation with goethite and B-goethite as photocatalyst. -- Abstract: In the present study, goethite and goethite doped with boron (B-goethite) were employed to detect the presence or absence of semiconductor photocatalytic reaction mechanism in the reaction systems. B-goethite was prepared by sol-gel method in presence of boron acid in order to improve its photocatalystic efficiency under the ultraviolet and visible light irradiation. The optical properties of goethite and B-goethite were characterized by ultraviolet and visible absorption spectra and the result indicated that B-goethite has slight red shift in the band gap transition beside their stronger light absorption compared with pristine goethite. Degradation of aniline was investigated in presence of goethite and B-goethite in aqueous solution. It was found that the B-goethite photocatalyst exhibited enhanced ultraviolet and visible light photocatalytic activity in degradation of aniline compared with the pristine goethite. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of B-goethite was discussed.

Thermoelectric Properties of High-Doped Silicon from Room Temperature to 900 K

Science.gov (United States)

Stranz, A.; Kähler, J.; Waag, A.; Peiner, E.

2013-07-01

Silicon is investigated as a low-cost, Earth-abundant thermoelectric material for high-temperature applications up to 900 K. For the calculation of module design the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical as well as thermal properties of silicon in the high-temperature range are of great importance. In this study, we evaluate the thermoelectric properties of low-, medium-, and high-doped silicon from room temperature to 900 K. In so doing, the Seebeck coefficient, the electrical and thermal conductivities, as well as the resulting figure of merit ZT of silicon are determined.

Opening the band gap of graphene through silicon doping for the improved performance of graphene/GaAs heterojunction solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, S J; Lin, S S; Li, X Q; Liu, X Y; Wu, H A; Xu, W L; Wang, P; Wu, Z Q; Zhong, H K; Xu, Z J

2016-01-07

Graphene has attracted increasing interest due to its remarkable properties. However, the zero band gap of monolayered graphene limits it's further electronic and optoelectronic applications. Herein, we have synthesized monolayered silicon-doped graphene (SiG) with large surface area using a chemical vapor deposition method. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements demonstrate that the silicon atoms are doped into graphene lattice at a doping level of 2.7-4.5 at%. Electrical measurements based on a field effect transistor indicate that the band gap of graphene has been opened via silicon doping without a clear degradation in carrier mobility, and the work function of SiG, deduced from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, was 0.13-0.25 eV larger than that of graphene. Moreover, when compared with the graphene/GaAs heterostructure, SiG/GaAs exhibits an enhanced performance. The performance of 3.4% silicon doped SiG/GaAs solar cell has been improved by 33.7% on average, which was attributed to the increased barrier height and improved interface quality. Our results suggest that silicon doping can effectively engineer the band gap of monolayered graphene and SiG has great potential in optoelectronic device applications.

Boron doped diamond synthesized from detonation nanodiamond in a C-O-H fluid at high pressure and high temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Shakhov, Fedor M.; Abyzov, Andrey M.; Takai, Kazuyuki

2017-12-01

Boron doped diamond (BDD) was synthesized under high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) of 7 GPa, 1230 °C in a short time of 10 s from a powder mixtures of detonation nanodiamond (DND), pentaerythritol C5H8(OH)4 and amorphous boron. SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy indicated that BDD nano- and micro-crystals have formed by consolidation of DND particles (4 nm in size). XRD showed the enlargement of crystallites size to 6-80 nm and the increase in diamond lattice parameter by 0.02-0.07% without appearance of any microstrains. Raman spectroscopy was used to estimate the content of boron atoms embedded in the diamond lattice. It was found that the Raman diamond peak shifts significantly from 1332 cm-1 to 1290 cm-1 without appearance of any non-diamond carbon. The correlation between Raman peak position, its width, and boron content in diamond is proposed. Hydrogenated diamond carbon in significant amount was detected by IR spectroscopy and XPS. Due to the doping with boron content of about 0.1 at%, the electrical conductivity of the diamond achieved approximately 0.2 Ω-1 cm-1. Reaction mechanism of diamond growth (models of recrystallization and oriented attachment) is discussed, including the initial stages of pentaerythritol pyrolysis and thermal desorption of functional groups from the surface of DND particles with the generation of supercritical fluid of low-molecular substances (H2O, CH4, CO, CO2, etc.), as well as byproducts formation (B2O3, B4C).

Specific features of doping with antimony during the ion-beam crystallization of silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pashchenko, A. S., E-mail: as.pashchenko@gmail.com; Chebotarev, S. N.; Lunin, L. S. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Southern Scientific Center (Russian Federation); Irkha, V. A. [Special Engineering and Technology Department “Inversiya” Ltd. (Russian Federation)

2016-04-15

A method of doping during the growth of thin films by ion-beam crystallization is proposed. By the example of Si and Sb, the possibility of controllably doping semiconductors during the ion-beam crystallization process is shown. A calibrated temperature dependence of the antimony vapor flow rate in the range from 150 to 400°C is obtained. It is established that, an increase in the evaporator temperature above 200°C brings about the accumulation of impurities in the layer growth direction. Silicon layers doped with antimony to a concentration of 10{sup 18} cm{sup –3} are grown. It is shown that, as the evaporator temperature is increased, the efficiency of the activation of antimony in silicon nonlinearly decreases from ~10{sup 0} to ~10{sup –3}.

Impurity engineering for germanium-doped Czochralski silicon wafer used for ultra large scale integrated circuit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Jiahe; Yang, Deren [State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China)

2009-07-01

Internal gettering (IG) technology has been challenged by both the reduction of thermal budget during device fabrication and the enlargement of wafer diameter. Improving the properties of Czochralski (Cz) silicon wafers by intentional impurity doping, the so-called 'impurity engineering (IE)', is defined. Germanium has been found to be one of the important impurities for improving the internal gettering effect in Cz silicon wafer. In this paper, the investigations on IE involved with the conventional furnace anneal based denudation processing for germanium-doped Cz silicon wafer are reviewed. Meanwhile, the potential mechanisms of germanium effects for the IE of Cz silicon wafer are also interpreted based on the experimental facts. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Defects in boron ion implanted silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, W.K.

1975-05-01

The crystal defects formed after post-implantation annealing of B-ion-implanted Si irradiated at 100 keV to a moderate dose (2 x 10 14 /cm 2 ) were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Contrast analysis and annealing kinetics show at least two different kinds of linear rod-like defects along broken bracket 110 broken bracket directions. One kind either shrinks steadily remaining on broken bracket 110 broken bracket at high temperatures (greater than 850 0 C), or transforms into a perfect dislocation loop which rotates toward broken bracket 112 broken bracket perpendicular to its Burgers vector. The other kind shrinks steadily at moderate temperatures (approximately 800 0 C). The activation energy for shrinkage of the latter (3.5 +- 0.1 eV) is the same as that for B diffusion in Si, suggesting that this linear defect is a boron precipitate. There also exist a large number of perfect dislocation loops with Burgers vector a/2broken bracket 110 broken bracket. The depth distribution of all these defects was determined by stereomicroscopy. The B precipitates lying parallel to the foil surfaces are shown to be at a depth of about 3500 +- 600 A. The loops are also at the same depth, but with a broader spread, +-1100 A. Si samples containing B and samples containing no B (P-doped) were irradiated in the 650-kV electron microscope. Irradiation at 620 0 C resulted in the growth of very long linear defects in the B-doped samples but not in the others, suggesting that at 620 0 C Si interstitials produced by the electron beam replace substitutional B some of which precipitates in the form of long rods along broken bracket 110 broken bracket. (DLC)

Optical and electrical properties of boron doped diamond thin conductive films deposited on fused silica glass substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ficek, M.; Sobaszek, M.; Gnyba, M. [Department of Metrology and Optoelectronics, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12G. Narutowicza St., 80-233 Gdansk (Poland); Ryl, J. [Department of Electrochemistry, Corrosion and Material Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza St., 80-233 Gdansk (Poland); Gołuński, Ł. [Department of Metrology and Optoelectronics, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12G. Narutowicza St., 80-233 Gdansk (Poland); Smietana, M.; Jasiński, J. [Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics, Warsaw University of Technology, 75 Koszykowa St., 00-662 Warsaw (Poland); Caban, P. [Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, 133 Wolczynska St., 01-919 Warsaw (Poland); Bogdanowicz, R., E-mail: rbogdan@eti.pg.gda.pl [Department of Metrology and Optoelectronics, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12G. Narutowicza St., 80-233 Gdansk (Poland); Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • Growth of 60% of transmittance diamond films with resistivity as low as 48 Ω cm. • Two step seeding process of fused silica: plasma hydrogenation and wet seeding. • Nanodiamond seeding density of 2 × 10{sup 10} cm{sup −2} at fused silica substrates. • High refractive index (2.4 @550 nm) was achieved for BDD films deposited at 500 °C. - Abstract: This paper presents boron-doped diamond (BDD) film as a conductive coating for optical and electronic purposes. Seeding and growth processes of thin diamond films on fused silica have been investigated. Growth processes of thin diamond films on fused silica were investigated at various boron doping level and methane admixture. Two step pre-treatment procedure of fused silica substrate was applied to achieve high seeding density. First, the substrates undergo the hydrogen plasma treatment then spin-coating seeding using a dispersion consisting of detonation nanodiamond in dimethyl sulfoxide with polyvinyl alcohol was applied. Such an approach results in seeding density of 2 × 10{sup 10} cm{sup −2}. The scanning electron microscopy images showed homogenous, continuous and polycrystalline surface morphology with minimal grain size of 200 nm for highly boron doped films. The sp{sup 3}/sp{sup 2} ratio was calculated using Raman spectra deconvolution method. A high refractive index (range of 2.0–2.4 @550 nm) was achieved for BDD films deposited at 500 °C. The values of extinction coefficient were below 0.1 at λ = 550 nm, indicating low absorption of the film. The fabricated BDD thin films displayed resistivity below 48 Ohm cm and transmittance over 60% in the visible wavelength range.

Sequential Electrodeposition of Platinum-Ruthenium at Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes for Methanol Oxidation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ileana González-González

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Sequential electrodeposition of Pt and Ru on boron-doped diamond (BDD films, in 0.5 M H2SO4 by cyclic voltammetry, has been prepared. The potential cycling, in the aqueous solutions of the respective metals, was between 0.00 and 1.00 V versus Ag/AgCl. The catalyst composites, Pt and PtRu, deposited on BDD film substrates, were tested for methanol oxidation. The modified diamond surfaces were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy-X-ray fluorescence-energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. The scanning Auger electron spectroscopy mapping showed the ruthenium signal only in areas where platinum was electrodeposited. Ruthenium does not deposit on the oxidized diamond surface of the boron-doped diamond. Particles with 5–10% of ruthenium with respect to platinum exhibited better performance for methanol oxidation in terms of methanol oxidation peak current and chronoamperometric current stability. The electrogenerated •OH radicals on BDD may interact with Pt surface, participating in the methanol oxidation as shown in oxidation current and the shift in the peak position. The conductive diamond surface is a good candidate as the support for the platinum electrocatalyst, because it ensures catalytic activity, which compares with the used carbon, and higher stability under severe anodic and cathodic conditions.

Rate equation modelling of erbium luminescence dynamics in erbium-doped silicon-rich-silicon-oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shah, Miraj, E-mail: m.shah@ee.ucl.ac.uk [Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, UCL, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom); Wojdak, Maciej; Kenyon, Anthony J. [Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, UCL, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom); Halsall, Matthew P.; Li, Hang; Crowe, Iain F. [Photon Science Institute and School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Sackville St Building, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)

2012-12-15

Erbium doped silicon-rich silica offers broad band and very efficient excitation of erbium photoluminescence (PL) due to a sensitization effect attributed to silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc), which grow during thermal treatment. PL decay lifetime measurements of sensitised Er{sup 3+} ions are usually reported to be stretched or multi exponential, very different to those that are directly excited, which usually show a single exponential decay component. In this paper, we report on SiO{sub 2} thin films doped with Si-nc's and erbium. Time resolved PL measurements reveal two distinct 1.54 {mu}m Er decay components; a fast microsecond component, and a relatively long lifetime component (10 ms). We also study the structural properties of these samples through TEM measurements, and reveal the formation of Er clusters. We propose that these Er clusters are responsible for the fast {mu}s decay component, and we develop rate equation models that reproduce the experimental transient observations, and can explain some of the reported transient behaviour in previously published literature.

Fabrication and Characterization of N-Type Zinc Oxide/P-Type Boron Doped Diamond Heterojunction

Science.gov (United States)

Marton, Marián; Mikolášek, Miroslav; Bruncko, Jaroslav; Novotný, Ivan; Ižák, Tibor; Vojs, Marian; Kozak, Halyna; Varga, Marián; Artemenko, Anna; Kromka, Alexander

2015-09-01

Diamond and ZnO are very promising wide-bandgap materials for electronic, photovoltaic and sensor applications because of their excellent electrical, optical, physical and electrochemical properties and biocompatibility. In this contribution we show that the combination of these two materials opens up the potential for fabrication of bipolar heterojunctions. Semiconducting boron doped diamond (BDD) thin films were grown on Si and UV grade silica glass substrates by HFCVD method with various boron concentration in the gas mixture. Doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al, ZnO:Ge) thin layers were deposited by diode sputtering and pulsed lased deposition as the second semiconducting layer on the diamond films. The amount of dopants within the films was varied to obtain optimal semiconducting properties to form a bipolar p-n junction. Finally, different ZnO/BDD heterostructures were prepared and analyzed. Raman spectroscopy, SEM, Hall constant and I-V measurements were used to investigate the quality, structural and electrical properties of deposited heterostructures, respectively. I-V measurements of ZnO/BDD diodes show a rectifying ratio of 55 at ±4 V. We found that only very low dopant concentrations for both semiconducting materials enabled us to fabricate a functional p-n junction. Obtained results are promising for fabrication of optically transparent ZnO/BDD bipolar heterojunction.

Boron-doped zinc oxide thin films for large-area solar cells grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, X.L.; Xu, B.H.; Xue, J.M.; Zhao, Y.; Wei, C.C.; Sun, J.; Wang, Y.; Zhang, X.D.; Geng, X.H.

2007-01-01

Boron-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:B) films were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition using diethylzinc (DEZn), and H 2 O as reactant gases and diborane (B 2 H 6 ) as an n-type dopant gas. The structural, electrical and optical properties of ZnO films doped at different B 2 H 6 flow rates were investigated. X-ray diffraction spectra and scanning electron microscopy images indicate that boron-doping plays an important role on the microstructure of ZnO films, which induced textured morphology. With optimized conditions, low sheet resistance (∼ 30 Ω/□), high transparency (> 85% in the visible light and infrared range) and high mobility (17.8 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ) were obtained for 700-nm ZnO:B films deposited on 20 cm x 20 cm glass substrates at the temperature of 443 K. After long-term exposure in air, the ZnO:B films also showed a better electrical stability than the un-doped samples. With the application of ZnO:B/Al back contacts, the short circuit current density was effectively enhanced by about 3 mA/cm 2 for a small area a-Si:H cell and a high efficiency of 9.1% was obtained for a large-area (20 cm x 20 cm) a-Si solar module

Screening metal nanoparticles using boron-doped diamond microelectrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivandini, Tribidasari A., E-mail: ivandini.tri@sci.ui.ac.id; Rangkuti, Prasmita K. [Department of Chemistry, FMIPA, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI Depok (Indonesia); Einaga, Yasuaki [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University (Japan); JST ACCEL, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Yokohama 223-8522 (Japan)

2016-04-19

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) microelectrodes were used to observe the correlation between electrocatalytic currents caused by individual Pt nanoparticle (Pt-np) collisions at the electrode. The BDD microelectrodes, ∼20 µm diameter and ∼2 µm particle size, were fabricated at the surface of tungsten wires. Pt-np with a size of 1 to 5 nm with agglomerations up to 20 nm was used for observation. The electrolytic currents were observed via catalytic reaction of 15 mM hydrazine in 50 mM phosphate buffer solution at Pt-np at 0.4 V when it collides with the surface of the microelectrodes. The low current noise and wider potential window in the measurements using BDD microelectrode produced a better results, which represents a better correlation to the TEM result of the Pt-np, compared to when gold microelectrodes was used.

Screening metal nanoparticles using boron-doped diamond microelectrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivandini, Tribidasari A.; Rangkuti, Prasmita K.; Einaga, Yasuaki

2016-01-01

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) microelectrodes were used to observe the correlation between electrocatalytic currents caused by individual Pt nanoparticle (Pt-np) collisions at the electrode. The BDD microelectrodes, ∼20 µm diameter and ∼2 µm particle size, were fabricated at the surface of tungsten wires. Pt-np with a size of 1 to 5 nm with agglomerations up to 20 nm was used for observation. The electrolytic currents were observed via catalytic reaction of 15 mM hydrazine in 50 mM phosphate buffer solution at Pt-np at 0.4 V when it collides with the surface of the microelectrodes. The low current noise and wider potential window in the measurements using BDD microelectrode produced a better results, which represents a better correlation to the TEM result of the Pt-np, compared to when gold microelectrodes was used.

Impurity-defect complexes in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, L.H.; Fong, C.Y.; Nichols, C.S.

1991-01-01

The two most outstanding features observed for dopants in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H)-a shift in the Fermi level accompanied by an increase in the defect density and an absence of degenerate doping have previously been postulated to stem from the formation of substitutional dopant-dangling bond complexes. Using first-principles self-consistent pseudopotential calculations in conjunction with a supercell model for the amorphous network and the ability of network relaxation from the first-principles results. The authors have studied the electronic and structural properties of substitutional fourfold-coordinated phosphorus and boron at the second neighbor position to a dangling bond defect. This paper demonstrates that such impurity-defect complexes can account for the general features observed experimentally in doped a-Si:H

Precision calibration of the silicon doping level in gallium arsenide epitaxial layers

Science.gov (United States)

Mokhov, D. V.; Berezovskaya, T. N.; Kuzmenkov, A. G.; Maleev, N. A.; Timoshnev, S. N.; Ustinov, V. M.

2017-10-01

An approach to precision calibration of the silicon doping level in gallium arsenide epitaxial layers is discussed that is based on studying the dependence of the carrier density in the test GaAs layer on the silicon- source temperature using the Hall-effect and CV profiling techniques. The parameters are measured by standard or certified measuring techniques and approved measuring instruments. It is demonstrated that the use of CV profiling for controlling the carrier density in the test GaAs layer at the thorough optimization of the measuring procedure ensures the highest accuracy and reliability of doping level calibration in the epitaxial layers with a relative error of no larger than 2.5%.

Opening the band gap of graphene through silicon doping for the improved performance of graphene/GaAs heterojunction solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, S. J.; Lin, S. S.; Li, X. Q.; Liu, X. Y.; Wu, H. A.; Xu, W. L.; Wang, P.; Wu, Z. Q.; Zhong, H. K.; Xu, Z. J.

2015-12-01

Graphene has attracted increasing interest due to its remarkable properties. However, the zero band gap of monolayered graphene limits it's further electronic and optoelectronic applications. Herein, we have synthesized monolayered silicon-doped graphene (SiG) with large surface area using a chemical vapor deposition method. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements demonstrate that the silicon atoms are doped into graphene lattice at a doping level of 2.7-4.5 at%. Electrical measurements based on a field effect transistor indicate that the band gap of graphene has been opened via silicon doping without a clear degradation in carrier mobility, and the work function of SiG, deduced from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, was 0.13-0.25 eV larger than that of graphene. Moreover, when compared with the graphene/GaAs heterostructure, SiG/GaAs exhibits an enhanced performance. The performance of 3.4% silicon doped SiG/GaAs solar cell has been improved by 33.7% on average, which was attributed to the increased barrier height and improved interface quality. Our results suggest that silicon doping can effectively engineer the band gap of monolayered graphene and SiG has great potential in optoelectronic device applications.Graphene has attracted increasing interest due to its remarkable properties. However, the zero band gap of monolayered graphene limits it's further electronic and optoelectronic applications. Herein, we have synthesized monolayered silicon-doped graphene (SiG) with large surface area using a chemical vapor deposition method. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements demonstrate that the silicon atoms are doped into graphene lattice at a doping level of 2.7-4.5 at%. Electrical measurements based on a field effect transistor indicate that the band gap of graphene has been opened via silicon doping without a clear degradation in carrier mobility, and the work function of SiG, deduced from ultraviolet photoelectron

Study of the passivation mechanisms of boron doped diamond using the Amplitude Modulated Step Scan Fourier Transform Photocurrent Spectroscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kociniewski, T.; Remeš, Zdeněk; Mer, C.; Nesládek, Miloš; Habka, N.; Barjon, J.; Jomard, F.; Chevallier, J.; Omnès, F.; Tromson, D.; Bergonzo, P.

2009-01-01

Roč. 18, 5-8 (2009), s. 827-830 ISSN 0925-9635 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : AMFTPS * DBP * boron doped diamond * passivation Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.822, year: 2009

Neutron transmutation doping of silicon in the SAFARI-1 research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louw, P.A.; Robertson, D.G.; Strydom, W.J.

1994-01-01

The SAFARI-1 research reactor has operated with an exemplary safety record since commissioning in 1965. As part of a commercialisation effort a silicon irradiation facility (SILIRAD) has been installed in the poolside region of SAFARI-1 for Neutron Transmutation Doping (NTD) of silicon. Commissioning of the facility took place in the last quarter of 1992 with a series of trial irradiations which were performed in close collaboration with Wacker Chemitronic of Germany. A methodology for the determination of irradiation times necessary to achieve the target resistivities was verified on the basis of the results from the trial irradiations. All production activities are controlled by quality assurance procedures. To date some hundred and twelve silicon ingots (103 mm diameter) have been successfully irradiated on a commercial contract basis. The observed axial and radial variations in the resistivity profile of the ingots are very small compared to the profiles associated with conventionally doped silicon and small tolerances on target resistivities are attained. In this paper an overview of the design and characterisation of SILIRAD is given and the methods applied that ensure a quality product are described. Results obtained from trial and production irradiations are presented and the envisaged future modifications to SILIRAD discussed

Neutron transmutation doping of silicon in the safari-1 research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louw, P.A.; Robertson, D.G.; Strydom, W.J.

1994-01-01

The SAFARI-1 research reactor has operated with an exemplary safety record since commissioning in 1965. As part of a commercialisation effort a silicon irradiation facility (SILIRAD) has been installed in the poolside region of SAFARI-1 for Neutron Transmutation Doping (NTD) of silicon. Commissioning of the facility took place in the last quarter of 1992 with a series of trial irradiations which were performed in close collaboration the Wacker Chemitronic of Germany. A methodology for the determination of irradiation times necessary to achieve the target resistivities was verified on the basis of the results from the trial irradiations. All production activities are controlled by quality assurance procedures. To date some hundred and twelve silicon ingots (103 mm diameter) have been successfully irradiated on a commercial contract basis. The observed axial and radial variations in the resistivity profile of the ingots are very small compared to the profiles associated with conventionally doped silicon and small tolerances on target resistivities are attained. In this paper an overview of the design and characterisation of SILIRAD is given and the methods applied that ensure a quality product are described. Results obtained from trial and production irradiations are presented and the envisaged future modifications to SILIRAD discussed. 10 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs

Characteristics of surface mount low barrier silicon Schottky diodes with boron contamination in the substrate–epitaxial layer interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, Debdas; Hoag, David; Barter, Margaret

2012-01-01

Unusual negative resistance characteristics were observed in low barrier HMIC (Heterolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit) silicon Schottky diodes with HF (hydrofluoric acid)/IPA (isopropyl alcohol) vapor clean prior to epitaxial growth of silicon. SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy) analysis and the results of the buried layer structure confirmed boron contamination in the substrate/epitaxial layer interface. Consequently the structure turned into a thyristor like p-n-p-n device. A dramatic reduction of boron contamination was found in the wafers with H 2 0/HCl/HF dry only clean prior to growth, which provided positive resistance characteristics. Consequently the mean differential resistance at 10 mA was reduced to about 8.1 Ω. The lower series resistance (5.6–5.9 Ω) and near 1 ideality factor (1.03–1.06) of the Schottky devices indicated the good quality of the epitaxial layer. (paper)

Hot tensile behaviour in silicon-killed boron microalloyed steels

Science.gov (United States)

Chown, Lesley H.; Cornish, Lesley A.

2017-10-01

Low carbon steel for drawing and cold heading applications should have low strength, high ductility and low strain ageing rates. To achieve this, nitrogen must be removed from solid solution, which can be done by low additions of boron. A wire producer had been experiencing occasional problems with severe cracking on silicon-killed, boron steel billets during continuous casting, but the solution was not obvious. Samples from four billets, each from different casts, were removed for analysis and testing. The tested steel compositions were within the specification limits, with boron to nitrogen ratios of 0.40-1.19. Hot ductility testing was performed on a Gleeble 1500 using parameters approximating the capabilities of this particular billet caster. The steel specimens were subjected to in situ melting, then cooled at a rate of 2 C.s-1 to temperatures in the range 750-1250°C, where they were then pulled to failure at a strain rate of 8x10-4 s-1. In this work, it was found that both the boron to nitrogen ratio and the manganese to sulphur ratio influenced the hot ductility and hence the crack susceptibility. Excellent hot ductility was found for B:N ratios above 1.0, which confirmed that the B:N ratio should be above a stoichiometric value of 0.8 to remove all nitrogen from solid solution. TEM analysis showed that coarse BN precipitates nucleated on other precipitates, such as (Fe,Mn)S, which have relatively low melting points, and are detrimental to hot ductility. Low Mn:S ratios of 10 - 12 were shown to promote precipitation of FeS, so a Mn:S > 14 was recommended. A narrower billet surface temperature range for straightening was recommended to prevent transverse surface cracking. Additionally, analysis of industrial casting data showed that the scrap percentage due to transverse cracking increased significantly for Mn:S < 14. An exponential decay relationship between the manganese to sulphur ratio and the average scrap percentage due to transverse cracking was

Sensitivity of energy-packed compounds based on superfine and nanoporous silicon to pulsed electrical treatments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zegrya, G. G. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical–Technical Institute (Russian Federation); Savenkov, G. G. [Saint-Petersburg State Engineering Institute (Technical University) (Russian Federation); Morozov, V. A. [Saint-Petersburg State University (Russian Federation); Zegrya, A. G.; Ulin, N. V., E-mail: Ulin@mail.ioffe.ru; Ulin, V. P. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical–Technical Institute (Russian Federation); Lukin, A. A. [Saint-Petersburg State Engineering Institute (Technical University) (Russian Federation); Bragin, V. A.; Oskin, I. A. [AO Scientific Production Association Poisk (Russian Federation); Mikhailov, Yu. M. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics (Russian Federation)

2017-04-15

The sensitivity of an energy-packed compound based on nanoporous silicon and calcium perchlorate to a high-current electron beam is studied. The initiation of explosive transformations in a mixture of potassium picrate with a highly dispersed powder of boron-doped silicon by means of a high-voltage discharge is examined. It is shown that explosive transformation modes (combustion and explosion) appear in the energy-packed compound under study upon its treatment with an electron beam. A relationship is established between the explosive transformation modes and the density of the energy-packed compound and between the breakdown (initiation) voltage and the mass fraction of the silicon powder.

Porous silicon formation by hole injection from a back side p+/n junction for electrical insulation applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fèvre, A; Menard, S; Defforge, T; Gautier, G

2016-01-01

In this paper, we propose to study the formation of porous silicon (PS) in low doped (1 × 10 14 cm −3 ) n-type silicon through hole injection from a back side p + /n junction in the dark. This technique is investigated within the framework of electrical insulation. Three different types of junctions are investigated. The first one is an epitaxial n-type layer grown on p + doped silicon wafer. The two other junctions are carried out by boron diffusion leading to p + regions with junction depths of 20 and 115 μm. The resulting PS morphology is a double layer with a nucleation layer (NL) and macropores fully filled with mesoporous material. This result is unusual for low doped n-type silicon. Morphology variations are described depending on the junction formation process, the electrolyte composition, the anodization current density and duration. In order to validate the more interesting industrial potentialities of the p + /n injection technique, a comparison is achieved with back side illumination in terms of resulting morphology and experiments confirm comparable results. Electrical characterizations of the double layer, including NL and fully filled macropores, are then performed. To our knowledge, this is the first electrical investigation in low doped n type silicon with this morphology. Compared to the bulk silicon, the measured electrical resistivities are 6–7 orders of magnitude higher at 373 K. (paper)

Preparation and reactivity of carboxylic acid-terminated boron-doped diamond electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niedziolka-Joensson, Joanna; Boland, Susan; Leech, Donal; Boukherroub, Rabah; Szunerits, Sabine

2010-01-01

The paper reports on the formation of carboxy-terminated boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. The carboxylic acid termination was prepared in a controlled way by reacting photochemically oxidized BDD with succinic anhydride. The resulting interface was readily employed for the linking of an amine-terminated ligand such as an osmium complex bearing an amine terminal group. The interfaces were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Contact angle measurements were used to follow the changes in surface wetting properties due to surface functionalization. The chemical reactivity of the carboxyl-terminated BDD was investigated by covalent coupling of the acid groups to an amine-terminated osmium complex.

Porous silicon photonic devices using pulsed anodic etching of lightly doped silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escorcia-Garcia, J; Sarracino MartInez, O; Agarwal, V; Gracia-Jimenez, J M

2009-01-01

The fabrication of porous silicon photonic structures using lightly doped, p-type, silicon wafers (resistivity: 14-22 Ω cm) by pulsed anodic etching is reported. The optical properties have been found to be strongly dependent on the duty cycle and frequency of the applied current. All the interfaces of the single layered samples were digitally analysed by calculating the mean interface roughness (R m ). The interface roughness was found to be maximum for the sample with direct current. The use of a duty cycle above 50%, in a certain range of frequencies, is found to reduce the interface roughness. The optical properties of some microcavities and rugate filters are investigated from the optimized parameters of the duty cycle and frequency, using the current densities of 10, 90 and 150 mA cm -2 .

Dependence of boron cluster dissolution on the annealing ambient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radic, Ljubo; Lilak, Aaron D.; Law, Mark E.

2002-01-01

Boron is introduced into silicon via implantation to form p-type layers. This process creates damage in the crystal that upon annealing causes enhanced diffusion and clustering of the boron layer. Reactivation of the boron is not a well-understood process. In this letter we experimentally investigate the effect of the annealing ambient on boron reactivation kinetics. An oxidizing ambient which injects silicon interstitials is compared to an inert ambient. Contrary to published theory, an excess of interstitials does not accelerate the reactivation process

Radiation damage and defect behavior in ion-implanted, lithium counterdoped silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Weinberg, I.; Mehta, S.; Swartz, C. K.

1984-01-01

Boron doped silicon n+p solar cells were counterdoped with lithium by ion implantation and the resuitant n+p cells irradiated by 1 MeV electrons. The function of fluence and a Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) was studied to correlate defect behavior with cell performance. It was found that the lithium counterdoped cells exhibited significantly increased radiation resistance when compared to boron doped control cells. It is concluded that the annealing behavior is controlled by dissociation and recombination of defects. The DLTS studies show that counterdoping with lithium eliminates at least three deep level defects and results in three new defects. It is speculated that the increased radiation resistance of the counterdoped cells is due primarily to the interaction of lithium with oxygen, single vacanies and divacancies and that the lithium-oxygen interaction is the most effective in contributing to the increased radiation resistance.

White light emission from engineered silicon carbide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide indirect bandgap semiconductor. The light emission efficiency is low in nature. But this material has very unique physical properties like good thermal conductivity, high break down field etc in addition to its abundance. Therefore it is interesting to engineer its...... light emission property so that to take fully potential applications of this material. In this talk, two methods, i.e. doping SiC heavily by donor-acceptor pairs and making SiC porous are introduced to make light emission from SiC. By co-doping SiC with nitrogen and boron heavily, strong yellow emission...... is demonstrated. After optimizing the passivation conditions, strong blue-green emission from porous SiC is demonstrated as well. When combining the yellow emission from co-doped SiC and blue-green from porous SiC, a high color rendering index white light source is achieved....

Boron-doped, carbon-coated SnO2/graphene nanosheets for enhanced lithium storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuxin; Liu, Ping; Wu, Dongqing; Huang, Yanshan; Tang, Yanping; Su, Yuezeng; Zhang, Fan; Feng, Xinliang

2015-03-27

Heteroatom doping is an effective method to adjust the electrochemical behavior of carbonaceous materials. In this work, boron-doped, carbon-coated SnO2 /graphene hybrids (BCTGs) were fabricated by hydrothermal carbonization of sucrose in the presence of SnO2/graphene nanosheets and phenylboronic acid or boric acid as dopant source and subsequent thermal treatment. Owing to their unique 2D core-shell architecture and B-doped carbon shells, BCTGs have enhanced conductivity and extra active sites for lithium storage. With phenylboronic acid as B source, the resulting hybrid shows outstanding electrochemical performance as the anode in lithium-ion batteries with a highly stable capacity of 1165 mA h g(-1) at 0.1 A g(-1) after 360 cycles and an excellent rate capability of 600 mA h g(-1) at 3.2 A g(-1), and thus outperforms most of the previously reported SnO2-based anode materials. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of titania with unique surface indium and boron species

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yanlong; Wang, Enjun; Yuan, Jixiang; Cao, Yaan

2013-05-01

Indium and boron co-doped TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared by a sol-gel method. The structure and properties of photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, XPS, UV-vis DRS and PL techniques. It is found that boron is mainly doped into the lattice of TiO2 in interstitial mode, while indium is present as unique chemical species of O-In-Clx (x = 1 or 2) on the surface. Compared with pure TiO2, the narrowness of band gap of TiO2 doped with indium and boron is due to the mixed valence band formed by B2p of interstitial doped B ions hybridized with lattice O2p. And the surface state energy levels of O-In-Clx (x = 1 or 2) and B2O3 species were located at about 0.4 and 0.3 eV below the conduction band respectively, which could lead to significant absorption in the visible-light region and facilitated the effectually separation of photogenerated carriers. Therefore, indium and boron co-doped TiO2 showed the much higher photocatalytic activities than pure TiO2, boron doped TiO2 (TiO2-B) and indium doped TiO2 (TiO2-In) under visible and UV light irradiation.

Batch fabrication of mesoporous boron-doped nickel oxide nanoflowers for electrochemical capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jing-He; Yu, Qingtao; Li, Yamin; Mao, Liqun; Ma, Ding

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A new facile liquid-phase method has been employed for synthesis boron-doped NiO nanoflowers. • The specific surface area of NiO is as high as 200 m 2 g −1 . • NiO nanoflowers exhibit a high specific capacitance of ∼1309 F g −1 at a charge and discharge current density of 3 A g −1 . • NiO nanoflowers have excellent cycling ability and even after 2500 cycles there is no significant reduction in specific capacitance. - Abstract: Boron-doped nickel oxide (B-NiO) nanoflowers are prepared by simple thermal decomposition of nickel hydroxide. B-NiO is porous sphere with a diameter of about 400 nm. B-NiO nanoflowers are composed of approximately 30 nm nanoplates and the thickness of the nanosheets is approximately 3 nm. The specific surface area of the material is as high as 200 m 2 g −1 and the pore size distribution curves of B-NiO has three typical peaks in the range of mesoporous (5 nm, 13 nm and 18 nm). As an electrode for supercapacitors, the crystalline B-NiO nanoflowers have favorable characteristics, for instance, a specific capacitance of 1309 F g −1 at a current density of 3 A g −1 and no significant reduction in Coulombic efficiency after 2500 cycles at 37.5 A g −1 . This remarkable electrochemical performance will make B-NiO nanoflowers a promising electrode material for high performance supercapacitors

Thermoelectric properties of β-boron and some boron compounds. Final report, August 1981-September 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slack, G.A.; Rosolowski, J.H.; Miller, M.L.; Huseby, I.C.

1984-12-01

The thermoelectric properties, that is the Seebeck coefficient, and electrical and thermal conductivity, of doped β-boron have been measured from 300 to 1600 K. Most of the useful doping elements are transition metals and occupy interstitial sites in the lattice. The highest figure of merit so far achieved at 1000 K is ZT = 0.11 for P-type, polycrystalline, hot-pressed β-boron doped with copper. Higher values may be achievable once a better P-type dopant is found. Some experiments on B 68 Y, α-B 12 Al, B 4 C, and B 6 Si are described. Transition metals appear to be effective dopants for B 68 Y and B 4 C

Effect of reaction conditions on methyl red degradation mediated by boron and nitrogen doped TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galenda, A.; Crociani, L.; Habra, N. El; Favaro, M.; Natile, M.M.; Rossetto, G.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Boron and/or nitrogen-doped TiO 2 for photocatalytic wastewater treatment. • Methyl red degradation/mineralisation as a function of pH, acids and dopants. • Adsorption time influence on photocatalytic process. • Recovery of worn-out catalyst. - Abstract: Nowadays the employment of renewable and sustainable energy sources, and solar light as main option, becomes an urgent need. Photocatalytic processes received great attention in wastewater treatment due to their cheapness, environmental compatibility and optimal performances. Despite the general low selectivity of the photocatalysts, an accurate optimisation of the operational parameters needs to be carried out in order to maximise the process yield. Because of this reason, the present contribution aims to deepen either the knowledge in boron and/or nitrogen doped TiO 2 -based systems and their employment in methyl red removal from aqueous solutions. The samples were obtained by coprecipitation and characterised by XRD, SEM, BET specific surface area, UV–vis and XPS techniques. The catalytic activity was for the first time carefully evaluated with respect to methyl red photodegradation in different conditions as a function of working pH, counter-ions and pre-adsorption time. An ad-hoc study was performed on the importance of the pre-adsorption of the dye, suggesting that an extended adsorption is useless for the catalyst photoactivity, while a partial coverage is preferable. The photocatalytic tests demonstrate the positive influence of boron doping in photo-activated reactions and the great importance of the operational parameters with respect to the simple methyl red bleaching rather than the overall pollutant mineralisation. It is proved, indeed, that different working pH, acidifying means and substrate pre-adsorption time can enhance or limit the catalyst performances with respect to the complete pollutant degradation rather than its partial breakage

A Monte Carlo simulation study of boron profiles as-implanted into LPCVD NiDoS polycrystalline thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Boukezzata, M.; Ait-Kaki, A.; Temple-Boyer, P.; Scheid, E.

2003-03-01

This work presents a Monte Carlo simulation study of boron profiles obtained from as-implanted ions into thin films nitrogen doped silicon (NiDoS) thin films. These films are performed by LPCVD technique from Si2H6 and NH3 gas sources, four values deliberately chosen, of the ratio NH3/Si2H6 to obtain samples, differently in situ nitrogen-doped. Taking into account the effect of the codoping case, and the structure specificity of these films, an accurate Monte Carlo model based on binary collisions in a multi-atomic target was performed. Nitrogen atoms present in the target is shown to affect the boron profiles and confirms clearly a reduction penetration effect which becomes more significant at high nitrogen concentrations. Whereas, the fine-grained polysilicon structure, and thus the presence of grains (G) and grain boundaries (GB), is known to enhance the opposite phenomenon by assuming an effective role played by GB's in the scattering calculation process of the incident ions. This role is represented by the change in direction of the incident ion after interaction with GB without corresponding loss in its energy. The results obtained show an enhancement of the stopping parameter when nitrogen concentration increases, while the GB interaction remains very important. This behavior is due to a great number of GB's interactions with boron atoms which gave low deflection angles. So that, the average positions described by the sequences of trajectories took place farther than what expected with channeling effect in crystal silicon materials.

Mid-IR optical properties of silicon doped InP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Panah, Mohammad Esmail Aryaee; Han, Li; Norrman, Kion

2017-01-01

of growth conditions on the optical and electrical properties of silicon doped InP (InP:Si) in the wavelength range from 3 to 40 μm was studied. The carrier concentration of up to 3.9 × 1019 cm-3 is achieved by optimizing the growth conditions. The dielectric function, effective mass of electrons and plasma...

Boron Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Films for Biosensing Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Petrák

2011-01-01

Full Text Available With the rise of antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria there is an increased demand for monitoring the functionality of bacteria membranes, the disruption of which can be induced by peptide-lipid interactions. In this work we attempt to construct and disrupt supported lipid membranes (SLB on boron doped nanocrystalline diamond (B-NCD. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS was used to study in situ changes related to lipid membrane formation and disruption by peptide-induced interactions. The observed impedance changes were minimal for oxidized B-NCD samples, but were still detectable in the low frequency part of the spectra. The sensitivity for the detection of membrane formation and disruption was significantly higher for hydrogenated B-NCD surfaces. Data modeling indicates large changes in the electrical charge when an electrical double layer is formed at the B-NCD/SLB interface, governed by ion absorption. By contrast, for oxidized B-NCD surfaces, these changes are negligible indicating little or no change in the surface band bending profile.

Adsorption of HCN molecules on Ni, Pd and Pt-doped (7, 0) boron nitride nanotube: a DFT study

Science.gov (United States)

Habibi-Yangjeh, Aziz; Basharnavaz, Hadi

2018-05-01

We studied affinity of pure and Ni, Pd and Pt-doped (7, 0) boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) to toxic HCN molecules using density functional theory calculations. The results indicated that the pure (7, 0) BNNTs can weakly adsorb HCN molecules with adsorption energy of -0.2474 eV. Upon adsorption of HCN molecules on this nanotube, the band gap energy was decreased from 3.320 to 2.960 eV. The more negative adsorption energy between these transition metal-doped (7, 0) BNNTs and HCN molecules indicated that doping of (7, 0) BNNTs with Ni, Pd and Pt elements can significantly improve the affinity of BNNTs toward this gas. Additionally, it was found that the interaction energy between HCN molecules and Pt-doped BNNTs is more negative than those of the Ni and Pd-doped BNNTs. These observations suggested that the Pt-doped (7, 0) BNNTs are strongly sensitive to HCN molecules and therefore it may be used in gas sensor devices for detecting this toxic gas.

Effect of doping on the modification of polycrystalline silicon by spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts

Science.gov (United States)

Girard, A.; Coulon, N.; Cardinaud, C.; Mohammed-Brahim, T.; Geneste, F.

2014-09-01

The chemical modification of doped polycrystalline silicon materials (N+, N++ and P++) and silicon (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) used as references is investigated by spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts. The effectiveness of the grafting process on all polySi surfaces is shown by AFM and XPS analyses. The effect of substrate doping on the efficiency of the electrografting process is compared by using the thicknesses of the deposited organic films. For a better accuracy, two methods are used to estimate the thicknesses: XPS and the coupling of a O2 plasma etching with AFM measurement. Structural characteristics of the poly-Si films were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction to find a correlation between the structure of the material and its reactivity. Different parameters that could have an impact on the efficiency of the grafting procedure are discussed. The observed differences between differently doped silicon surfaces is rather limited, this is in agreement with the radical character of the reacting species.

LiBSi2: a tetrahedral semiconductor framework from boron and silicon atoms bearing lithium atoms in the channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeilinger, Michael; van Wüllen, Leo; Benson, Daryn; Kranak, Verina F; Konar, Sumit; Fässler, Thomas F; Häussermann, Ulrich

2013-06-03

Silicon swallows up boron: The novel open tetrahedral framework structure (OTF) of the Zintl phase LiBSi2 was made by applying high pressure to a mixture of LiB and elemental silicon. The compound represents a new topology in the B-Si net (called tum), which hosts Li atoms in the channels (see picture). LiBSi2 is the first example where B and Si atoms form an ordered common framework structure with B engaged exclusively in heteronuclear B-Si contacts.

Mapping boron in silicon solar cells using electron energy-loss spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

in the energies of plasmon peaks in the low loss region [5]. We use these approaches to characterize both a thick n-p junction and the 10-nm-thick p-doped layer of a working solar cell. [1] U. Kroll, C. Bucher, S. Benagli, I. Schönbächler, J. Meier, A. Shah, J. Ballutaud, A. Howling, Ch. Hollenstein, A. Büchel, M......Amorphous silicon solar cells typically consist of stacked layers deposited on plastic or metallic substrates making sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) difficult. The amorphous silicon layer - the active part of the solar cell - is sandwiched between 10-nm-thick n- and p...... resolution using TEM is highly challenging [3]. Recently, scanning TEM (STEM) combined with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and spherical aberration-correction has allowed the direct detection of dopant concentration of 10^20cm-3 in 65-nm-wide silicon devices [4]. Here, we prepare TEM samples...

Facile Synthesis of Boron-doped Graphene Nanosheets with Hierarchical Microstructure at Atmosphere Pressure for Metal-free Electrochemical Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeh, Min-Hsin; Li, Yan-Sheng; Chen, Guan-Lin; Lin, Lu-Yin; Li, Ta-Jen; Chuang, Hui-Min; Hsieh, Cheng-Yu; Lo, Shen-Chuan; Chiang, Wei-Hung; Ho, Kuo-Chuan

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted -- Highlights: • B-doped graphene nanosheets (BGNs) were used as a catalyst for sensing H 2 O 2 . • BGNs were synthesized by an atmospheric-pressure carbothermal reaction. • BGNs with hierarchical microstructure provide more electron transport pathways. • B atoms act as the active sites by transferring charges to neighboring C atoms. • Electrocatalytic ability of BGNs was characterized by a rotating disk electrode. -- Abstract: Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is an essential mediator for most of the oxidative biological reactions in enzyme-based biosensor systems, such as glucose oxidase, cholesterol oxidase, and alcohol oxidase. Synthesis of new catalysts to detect the concentration of H 2 O 2 more precisely is indispensable for enzyme-based electrochemical biosensors. In this study, boron-doped graphene nanosheets (BGNs) with 2.2 atomic percentage (at%) boron doping level and a hierarchical microstructure were synthesized by an atmospheric-pressure carbothermal reaction as a noble-metal free catalyst for sensing H 2 O 2 . The isolated boron atoms on the BGNs surface act as the electrocatalytic sites by transferring charges to neighbor carbon atoms, and the hierarchical microstructure provides multidimensional electron transport pathways for charge transfer and therefore enhances the electrocatalytic ability. BGNs possess a higher reduction current in the cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurement than that of pristine graphene nanosheets (GNs) over the detection range of 0.0 to 10.0 mM at −0.4 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The BGNs modified electrochemical sensor shows a linear range from 1.0 to 20.0 mM of H 2 O 2 with a sensitivity of 266.7 ± 3.8 μA mM −1 cm −2 and limit of detection (LOD) of 3.8 μM at a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3. The beneficial hierarchical microstructure and the synergetic effects arising from doping boron in GNs accomplish the better performance of the BGNs modified electrochemical sensor

Hydrogenation of gold-related levels in silicon by electrolytic doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearton, S.J.; Hansen, W.L.; Haller, E.E.; Kahn, J.M.

1984-01-01

The deep gold-related donor and acceptor levels in silicon have been neutralized to several μm depth by introducing atomic hydrogen using an electrolytic method. Using phosphoric or sulfuric acid as the electrolyte, it is possible to dope the crystalline silicon with hydrogen at elevated temperatures (200--280 0 C) allowing direct comparison with other means of introduction, such as hydrogen plasma exposure. We find the electrolytic method is not as efficient as plasma treatment for the same conditions, possibly due to oxide formation during the immersion in the acid

Pure and carbon-doped boron phosphide (6,0) zigzag nanotube: A computational NMR study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arshadi, S., E-mail: sattar_arshadi@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University, 19395-4697, I.R. of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bekhradnia, A.R., E-mail: abekhradnia@gmail.com [Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg (Sweden); Alipour, F.; Abedini, S. [Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University, 19395-4697, I.R. of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-11-15

Calculations were performed for investigation of the properties of the electronic structure of Carbon- Doped Boron Phosphide Nanotube (CDBPNT). Pristine and three models of C-doped structures of (6,0) zigzag BPNT were studied at density functional theory (DFT) in combination with 6-311G* basis set using Gaussian package of program. The calculated parameters reveal that various {sup 11}B and {sup 31}P nuclei are divided into some layers with equivalent electrostatic properties. The electronic structure properties are highly influenced by replacement of {sup 11}B and {sup 31}P atoms by {sup 12}C atoms in pristine model. Furthermore, the HOMO−LUMO gap energy for suggested doped models (I), (II) and (III) were lower than pure BPNT pristine systems. The dipole moment values of models (II) and (III) were decreased to 1.788 and 1.789, respectively while the dipole moments of model (I) were enhanced to 4.373, in compare to pure pristine one (2.586). The magnitude of changes in Chemical Shielding (CS) tensor parameters revealed that the electron density at the site of {sup 31}P was higher than that at the site of {sup 11}B due to carbon doping.

Tungsten silicide contacts to polycrystalline silicon and silicon-germanium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivasan, G.; Bain, M.F.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Baine, P.; Armstrong, B.M.; Gamble, H.S.; McNeill, D.W.

2004-01-01

Silicon-germanium alloy layers will be employed in the source-drain engineering of future MOS transistors. The use of this technology offers advantages in reducing series resistance and decreasing junction depth resulting in reduction in punch-through and SCE problems. The contact resistance of metal or metal silicides to the raised source-drain material is a serious issue at sub-micron dimensions and must be minimised. In this work, tungsten silicide produced by chemical vapour deposition has been investigated as a contact metallization scheme to both boron and phosphorus doped polycrystalline Si 1- x Ge x , with 0 ≤x ≤ 0.3. Cross bridge Kelvin resistor (CKBR) structures were fabricated incorporating CVD WSi 2 and polycrystalline SiGe. Tungsten silicide contacts to control polysilicon CKBR structures have been shown to be of high quality with specific contact resistance ρ c values 3 x 10 -7 ohm cm 2 and 6 x 10 -7 ohm cm 2 obtained to boron and phosphorus implanted samples respectively. The SiGe CKBR structures show that the inclusion of Ge yields a reduction in ρ c for both dopant types. The boron doped SiGe exhibits a reduction in ρ c from 3 x 10 -7 to 5 x 10 -8 ohm cm 2 as Ge fraction is increased from 0 to 0.3. The reduction in ρ c has been shown to be due to (i) the lowering of the tungsten silicide Schottky barrier height to p-type SiGe resulting from the energy band gap reduction, and (ii) increased activation of the implanted boron with increased Ge fraction. The phosphorus implanted samples show less sensitivity of ρ c to Ge fraction with a lowest value in this work of 3 x 10 -7 ohm cm 2 for a Ge fraction of 0.3. The reduction in specific contact resistance to the phosphorus implanted samples has been shown to be due to increased dopant activation alone

A DLTS study of hydrogen doped czochralski-grown silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jelinek, M. [Infineon Technologies Austria AG, 9500 Villach (Austria); Laven, J.G. [Infineon Technologies AG, 81726 Munich (Germany); Kirnstoetter, S. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz (Austria); Schustereder, W. [Infineon Technologies Austria AG, 9500 Villach (Austria); Schulze, H.-J. [Infineon Technologies AG, 81726 Munich (Germany); Rommel, M. [Fraunhofer Institute of Integrated Systems and Devices IISB, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Frey, L. [Fraunhofer Institute of Integrated Systems and Devices IISB, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Chair of Electron Devices, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen (Germany)

2015-12-15

In this study we examine proton implanted and subsequently annealed commercially available CZ wafers with the DLTS method. Depth-resolved spreading resistance measurements are shown, indicating an additional peak in the induced doping profile, not seen in the impurity-lean FZ reference samples. The additional peak lies about 10–15 μm deeper than the main peak near the projected range of the protons. A DLTS characterization in the depth of the additional peak indicates that it is most likely not caused by classical hydrogen-related donors known also from FZ silicon but by an additional donor complex whose formation is assisted by the presence of silicon self-interstitials.

APTES-Terminated ultrasmall and iron-doped silicon nanoparticles as X-Ray dose enhancer for radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Stefanie; Wegmann, Marc; Distel, Luitpold V R; Neuhuber, Winfried; Kryschi, Carola

2018-04-15

Silicon nanoparticles with sizes between were synthesized through wet-chemistry procedures using diverse phase transfer reagents. On the other hand, the preparation of iron-doped silicon nanoparticles was carried out using the precursor Na 4 Si 4 containing 5% Fe. Biocompatibility of all silicon nanoparticle samples was achieved by surface-stabilizing with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. These surface structures provided positive surface charges which facilitated electrostatic binding to the negatively charged biological membranes. The mode of interaction with membranes, being either incorporation or just attachment, was found to depend on the nanoparticle size. The smallest silicon nanoparticles (ca. 1.5 nm) were embedded in the mitochondrial membrane in MCF-7 cells. When interacting with X-rays these silicon nanoparticles were observed to enhance the superoxide formation upon depolarizing the mitochondrial membrane. X-ray irradiation of MCF-7 cells loaded with the larger silicon nanoparticles was shown to increase the intracellular singlet oxygen generation. The doping of the silicon nanoparticles with iron led to additional production of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton reaction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of doping on the modification of polycrystalline silicon by spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Girard, A.; Coulon, N. [UMR-CNRS 6164, Institut d’Electronique et de Télécommunications de Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes cedex (France); Cardinaud, C. [UMR-CNRS 6502, Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP32229, F-44322 Nantes cedex 3 (France); Mohammed-Brahim, T. [UMR-CNRS 6164, Institut d’Electronique et de Télécommunications de Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes cedex (France); Geneste, F., E-mail: Florence.Geneste@univ-rennes1.fr [UMR-CNRS 6226, Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes, Equipe MaCSE, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes cedex (France)

2014-09-30

Highlights: • Spontaneous grafting of aryl diazonium salts on polycrystalline silicon surfaces. • Effect of the nature and level of doping on the efficiency of the functionalization. • The grafting process was more efficient on PolySi substrates than on monosilicon. • Influence of the crystal structure and grain boundaries on the modification procedure. • Role of the reducing power of the substrate on the grafting procedure. - Abstract: The chemical modification of doped polycrystalline silicon materials (N+, N++ and P++) and silicon (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) used as references is investigated by spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts. The effectiveness of the grafting process on all polySi surfaces is shown by AFM and XPS analyses. The effect of substrate doping on the efficiency of the electrografting process is compared by using the thicknesses of the deposited organic films. For a better accuracy, two methods are used to estimate the thicknesses: XPS and the coupling of a O{sub 2} plasma etching with AFM measurement. Structural characteristics of the poly-Si films were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction to find a correlation between the structure of the material and its reactivity. Different parameters that could have an impact on the efficiency of the grafting procedure are discussed. The observed differences between differently doped silicon surfaces is rather limited, this is in agreement with the radical character of the reacting species.

Effect of doping on the modification of polycrystalline silicon by spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girard, A.; Coulon, N.; Cardinaud, C.; Mohammed-Brahim, T.; Geneste, F.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Spontaneous grafting of aryl diazonium salts on polycrystalline silicon surfaces. • Effect of the nature and level of doping on the efficiency of the functionalization. • The grafting process was more efficient on PolySi substrates than on monosilicon. • Influence of the crystal structure and grain boundaries on the modification procedure. • Role of the reducing power of the substrate on the grafting procedure. - Abstract: The chemical modification of doped polycrystalline silicon materials (N+, N++ and P++) and silicon (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) used as references is investigated by spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts. The effectiveness of the grafting process on all polySi surfaces is shown by AFM and XPS analyses. The effect of substrate doping on the efficiency of the electrografting process is compared by using the thicknesses of the deposited organic films. For a better accuracy, two methods are used to estimate the thicknesses: XPS and the coupling of a O 2 plasma etching with AFM measurement. Structural characteristics of the poly-Si films were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction to find a correlation between the structure of the material and its reactivity. Different parameters that could have an impact on the efficiency of the grafting procedure are discussed. The observed differences between differently doped silicon surfaces is rather limited, this is in agreement with the radical character of the reacting species

Polymeric Luminescent Compositions Doped with Beta-Diketonates Boron Difluoride as Material for Luminescent Solar Concentrator

Science.gov (United States)

Khrebtov, A. A.; Fedorenko, E. V.; Reutov, V. A.

2017-11-01

In this paper we investigated polymeric luminescent compositions based on polystyrene doped with beta diketonates boron difluoride. Transparent films with effective absorption in the ultraviolet and blue regions of the spectrum were obtained. Polymeric luminescent compositions based on the mixture of dyes allow expanding the absorption region and increase the radiation shift. A luminescent solar concentrator consisting of a glass plate coated with such film can be used for photovoltaic window application.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of titania with unique surface indium and boron species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Yanlong; Wang, Enjun; Yuan, Jixiang; Cao, Yaan

2013-01-01

Indium and boron co-doped TiO 2 photocatalysts were prepared by a sol–gel method. The structure and properties of photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, XPS, UV–vis DRS and PL techniques. It is found that boron is mainly doped into the lattice of TiO 2 in interstitial mode, while indium is present as unique chemical species of O–In–Cl x (x = 1 or 2) on the surface. Compared with pure TiO 2 , the narrowness of band gap of TiO 2 doped with indium and boron is due to the mixed valence band formed by B2p of interstitial doped B ions hybridized with lattice O2p. And the surface state energy levels of O–In–Cl x (x = 1 or 2) and B 2 O 3 species were located at about 0.4 and 0.3 eV below the conduction band respectively, which could lead to significant absorption in the visible-light region and facilitated the effectually separation of photogenerated carriers. Therefore, indium and boron co-doped TiO 2 showed the much higher photocatalytic activities than pure TiO 2 , boron doped TiO 2 (TiO 2 –B) and indium doped TiO 2 (TiO 2 –In) under visible and UV light irradiation.

Radiation damage and defect behavior in proton irradiated lithium-counterdoped n/sup +/p silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stupica, J.; Goradia, C.; Swartz, C.K.; Weinberg, I.

1987-01-01

Two lithium-counterdoped n/sup +/p silicon solar cells with different lithium concentrations were irradiated by 10 MeV protons. Cell performance was measured as a function of fluence, and it was found that the cell with the highest concentration of lithium had the higher radiation resistance. Deep level defects were studied using deep level transient spectroscopy which yielded two defects that were lithium related. Relating the defect energy levels obtained from this study under 10 MeV protons, with an earlier work using 1 MeV electron irradiations shows no correlation of the defect energy levels. There is one marked comparison though. The absence of the boron interstitial-oxygen interstitial defect. This consistency strengthens the belief that lithium interacts with oxygen to prevent the formation of the boron interstitial-oxygen interstitial defect. The present results indicate that, in general, addition of lithium in small amounts to the p-base of a boron doped silicon solar cell such that the base remains p-type, tends to increase the radiation resistance of the cell

Effect of the Channel Length on the Transport Characteristics of Transistors Based on Boron-Doped Graphene Ribbons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Marconcini

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Substitutional boron doping of devices based on graphene ribbons gives rise to a unipolar behavior, a mobility gap, and an increase of the I O N / I O F F ratio of the transistor. Here we study how this effect depends on the length of the doped channel. By means of self-consistent simulations based on a tight-binding description and a non-equilibrium Green’s function approach, we demonstrate a promising increase of the I O N / I O F F ratio with the length of the channel, as a consequence of the different transport regimes in the ON and OFF states. Therefore, the adoption of doped ribbons with longer aspect ratios could represent a significant step toward graphene-based transistors with an improved switching behavior.

Detection of DNA nucleotides on pretreated boron doped diamond electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garbellini, Gustavo S.; Uliana, Carolina V.; Yamanaka, Hideko [UNESP, Araraquara, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica

2011-07-01

The individual detection and equimolar mixture of DNA nucleotides guanosine monophosphate (GMP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), thymidine (TMP) and cytidine (CMP) 5'-monophosphate using square wave voltammetry was performed on boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes cathodically (Red-DDB) and anodically (Oxi-DDB) pretreated. The oxidation of individual DNA nucleotides was more sensitive on Oxi-BDD electrode. In a simultaneous detection of nucleotides, the responses of GMP, AMP, TMP and CMP were very adequate on both treated electrodes. Particularly, more sensitive and separate peaks for TMP and CMP on Oxi-BDD and Red-BDD electrodes, respectively, were observed after deconvolution procedure. The detection of nucleotides in aqueous solutions will certainly contribute for genotoxic evaluation of substances and hybridization reactions by immobilizing ss or ds-DNA on BDD surface. (author)

Suppression of photo-leakage current in amorphous silicon thin-film transistors by n-doped nanocrystalline silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Hung-Chien; Ho, King-Yuan; Hsu, Chih-Chieh; Yan, Jing-Yi; Ho, Jia-Chong

2011-01-01

The reduction of photo-leakage current of amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (a-Si TFTs) is investigated and is found to be successfully suppressed by the use of an n-doped nanocrystalline silicon layer (n+ nc-Si) as an ohmic contact layer. The shallow-level defects of n+ nc-Si can become trapping centres of photo-induced electrons as the a-Si TFT is operated under light illumination. A lower oxygen concentration during n+ nc-Si deposition can increase the creation of shallow-level defects and improve the contrast ratio of active matrix organic light-emitting diode panels.

Optical study of Erbium-doped-porous silicon based planar waveguides