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Sample records for ge nanocrystals doped

Fabrication of Ge nanocrystals doped silica-on-silicon waveguides and observation of their strong quantum confinement effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan; Rottwitt, Karsten

2009-01-01

Germanium (Ge) nanocrystals embedded in silica matrix is an interesting material for new optoelectronic devices. In this paper, standard silica-on-silicon waveguides with a core doped by Ge nanocrystals were fabricated using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition and reactive ion etching...
Fabrication of multilayered Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiOxGeNy films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Fei; Green, Martin A.; Conibeer, Gavin; Cho, Eun-Chel; Huang Yidan; Perez-Wurfl, Ivan; Flynn, Chris

2008-01-01

Multilayered Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiO x GeN y films have been fabricated on Si substrate by a (Ge + SiO 2 )/SiO x GeN y superlattice approach, using a rf magnetron sputtering technique with a Ge + SiO 2 composite target and subsequent thermal annealing in N 2 ambient at 750 deg. C for 30 min. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement indicated the formation of Ge nanocrystals with an average size estimated to be 5.4 nm. Raman scattering spectra showed a peak of the Ge-Ge vibrational mode downward shifted to 299.4 cm -1 , which was caused by quantum confinement of phonons in the Ge nanocrystals. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that Ge nanocrystals were confined in (Ge + SiO 2 ) layers. This superlattice approach significantly improved both the size uniformity of Ge nanocrystals and their uniformity of spacing on the 'Z' growth direction
Synthesis and Doping of Silicon Nanocrystals for Versatile Nanocrystal Inks

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Nicolaas Johannes

atmospheric pressures necessitates high plasma densities to reach temperatures required for crystallization of nanoparticles. Using experimentally determined plasma properties from the literature, the model estimates the nanoparticle temperature that is achieved during synthesis at atmospheric pressures. It was found that temperatures well above those required for crystallization can be achieved. Now that the synthesis of nanocrystals is understood, the second half of this thesis will focus on doping of the nanocrystals. The doping of semiconductor nanocrystals, which is vital for the optimization of nanocrystal-based devices, remains a challenge. Gas phase plasma approaches have been very successful in incorporating dopant atoms into nanocrystals by simply adding a dopant precursor during synthesis. However, little is known about the electronic activation of these dopants. This was investigated with field-effect transistor measurements using doped silicon nanocrystal films. It was found that, analogous to bulk silicon, boron and phosphorous electronically dope silicon nanocrystals. However, the dopant activation efficiency remains low as a result of self-purification of the dopants to the nanocrystal surface. Next the plasmonic properties of heavily doped silicon nanocrystals was explored. While the synthesis method was identical, the plasmonic behavior of phosphorus-doped and boron-doped nanocrystals was found the be significantly different. Phosphorus-doped nanocrystals exhibit a plasmon resonance immediately after synthesis, while boron-doped nanocrystals require a post-synthesis annealing or oxidation treatment. This is a result of the difference in dopant location. Phosphorus is more likely to be incorporated into the core of the nanocrystal, while the majority of boron is placed on the surface of the nanocrystal. The oxidized boron-doped particles exhibit stable plasmonic properties, and therefore this allows for the production of air-stable silicon-based plasmonic
Self organized formation of Ge nanocrystals in multilayers

OpenAIRE

Zschintzsch-Dias, Manuel

2012-01-01

The aim of this work is to create a process which allows the tailored growth of Ge nanocrystals for use in photovoltic applications. The multilayer systems used here provide a reliable method to control the Ge nanocrystal size after phase separation. In this thesis, the deposition of GeOx/SiO2 and Ge:SiOx~ 2/SiO2 multilayers via reactive dc magnetron sputtering and the self-ordered Ge nanocrystal formation within the GeOx and Ge:SiOx~ 2 sublayers during subsequent annealing is investigated...
Phase transitions and doping in semiconductor nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Ayaskanta

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals are a promising technological material because their size-dependent optical and electronic properties can be exploited for a diverse range of applications such as light-emitting diodes, bio-labels, transistors, and solar cells. For many of these applications, electrical current needs to be transported through the devices. However, while their solution processability makes these colloidal nanocrystals attractive candidates for device applications, the bulky surfactants that render these nanocrystals dispersible in common solvents block electrical current. Thus, in order to realize the full potential of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals in the next-generation of solid-state devices, methods must be devised to make conductive films from these nanocrystals. One way to achieve this would be to add minute amounts of foreign impurity atoms (dopants) to increase their conductivity. Electronic doping in nanocrystals is still very much in its infancy with limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern the doping process. This thesis introduces an innovative synthesis of doped nanocrystals and aims at expanding the fundamental understanding of charge transport in these doped nanocrystal films. The list of semiconductor nanocrystals that can be doped is large, and if one combines that with available dopants, an even larger set of materials with interesting properties and applications can be generated. In addition to doping, another promising route to increase conductivity in nanocrystal films is to use nanocrystals with high ionic conductivities. This thesis also examines this possibility by studying new phases of mixed ionic and electronic conductors at the nanoscale. Such a versatile approach may open new pathways for interesting fundamental research, and also lay the foundation for the creation of novel materials with important applications. In addition to their size-dependence, the intentional incorporation of
Doping effect in Si nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dongke; Xu, Jun; Zhang, Pei; Jiang, Yicheng; Chen, Kunji

2018-06-01

Intentional doping in semiconductors is a fundamental issue since it can control the conduction type and ability as well as modify the optical and electronic properties. To realize effective doping is the basis for developing semiconductor devices. However, by reducing the size of a semiconductor, like Si, to the nanometer scale, the doping effects become complicated due to the coupling between the quantum confinement effect and the surfaces and/or interfaces effect. In particular, by introducing phosphorus or boron impurities as dopants into material containing Si nanocrystals with a dot size of less than 10 nm, it exhibits different behaviors and influences on the physical properties from its bulk counterpart. Understanding the doping effects in Si nanocrystals is currently a challenge in order to further improve the performance of the next generation of nano-electronic and photonic devices. In this review, we present an overview of the latest theoretical studies and experimental results on dopant distributions and their effects on the electronic and optical properties of Si nanocrystals. In particular, the advanced characterization techniques on dopant distribution, the carrier transport process as well as the linear and nonlinear optical properties of doped Si nanocrystals, are systematically summarized.
Plasmonic Properties of Silicon Nanocrystals Doped with Boron and Phosphorus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Nicolaas J; Schramke, Katelyn S; Kortshagen, Uwe R

2015-08-12

Degenerately doped silicon nanocrystals are appealing plasmonic materials due to silicon's low cost and low toxicity. While surface plasmonic resonances of boron-doped and phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals were recently observed, there currently is poor understanding of the effect of surface conditions on their plasmonic behavior. Here, we demonstrate that phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals exhibit a plasmon resonance immediately after their synthesis but may lose their plasmonic response with oxidation. In contrast, boron-doped nanocrystals initially do not exhibit plasmonic response but become plasmonically active through postsynthesis oxidation or annealing. We interpret these results in terms of substitutional doping being the dominant doping mechanism for phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals, with oxidation-induced defects trapping free electrons. The behavior of boron-doped silicon nanocrystals is more consistent with a strong contribution of surface doping. Importantly, boron-doped silicon nanocrystals exhibit air-stable plasmonic behavior over periods of more than a year.
Luminescence in colloidal Mn2+-doped semiconductor nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaulac, Remi; Archer, Paul I.; Gamelin, Daniel R.

2008-01-01

Recent advances in nanocrystal doping chemistries have substantially broadened the variety of photophysical properties that can be observed in colloidal Mn 2+ -doped semiconductor nanocrystals. A brief overview is provided, focusing on Mn 2+ -doped II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals prepared by direct chemical synthesis and capped with coordinating surface ligands. These Mn 2+ -doped semiconductor nanocrystals are organized into three major groups according to the location of various Mn 2+ -related excited states relative to the energy gap of the host semiconductor nanocrystals. The positioning of these excited states gives rise to three distinct relaxation scenarios following photoexcitation. A brief outlook on future research directions is provided. - Graphical abstract: Mn 2+ -doped semiconductor nanocrystals are organized into three major groups according to the location of various Mn 2+ -related excited states relative to the energy gap of the host semiconductor nanocrystals. The positioning of these excited states gives rise to three distinct relaxation scenarios following photoexcitation
Coupling between Ge-nanocrystals and defects in SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skov Jensen, J.; Franzo, G.; Leervad Petersen, T.P.; Pereira, R.; Chevallier, J.; Christian Petersen, M.; Bech Nielsen, B.; Nylandsted Larsen, A.

2006-01-01

Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) at around 600 nm from magnetron-sputtered SiO 2 films co-doped with Ge is reported. The PL signal is observed in pure SiO 2 , however, its intensity increases significantly in the presence of Ge-nanocrystals (Ge-nc). The PL intensity has been optimized by varying the temperature of heat treatment, type of gas during heat treatment, concentration of Ge in the SiO 2 films, and gas pressure during deposition. Maximum intensity occurs when Ge-nc of around 3.5 nm are present in large concentration in SiO 2 layers deposited at fairly high gas pressure. Based on time resolved PL, and PL measurements after α-particle irradiation or H passivation, we attribute the origin of the PL to a defect in SiO 2 (probably an O deficiency) that is excited through an energy transfer from Ge-nc. There is no direct PL from the Ge-nc; however, there is a strong coupling between excitons created in the Ge-nc and the SiO 2 defect
Superheating and supercooling of Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Q; Sharp, I D; Yuan, C W; Yi, D O; Liao, C Y; Glaeser, A M; Minor, A M; Beeman, J W; Ridgway, M C; Kluth, P; Iii, J W Ager; Chrzan, D C; Haller, E E

2007-01-01

Free-standing nanocrystals exhibit a size-dependant thermodynamic melting point reduction relative to the bulk melting point that is governed by the surface free energy. The presence of an encapsulating matrix, however, alters the interface free energy of nanocrystals and their thermodynamic melting point can either increase or decrease relative to bulk. Furthermore, kinetic contributions can significantly alter the melting behaviours of embedded nanoscale materials. To study the effect of an encapsulating matrix on the melting behaviour of nanocrystals, we performed in situ electron diffraction measurements on Ge nanocrystals embedded in a silicon dioxide matrix. Ge nanocrystals were formed by multi-energy ion implantation into a 500 nm thick silica thin film on a silicon substrate followed by thermal annealing at 900 deg. C for 1 h. We present results demonstrating that Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiO 2 exhibit a 470 K melting/solidification hysteresis that is approximately symmetric about the bulk melting point. This unique behaviour, which is thought to be impossible for bulk materials, is well described using a classical thermodynamic model that predicts both kinetic supercooling and kinetic superheating. The presence of the silica matrix suppresses surface pre-melting of nanocrystals. Therefore, heterogeneous nucleation of both the liquid phase and the solid phase are required during the heating and cooling cycle. The magnitude of melting hysteresis is governed primarily by the value of the liquid Ge/solid Ge interface free energy, whereas the relative values of the solid Ge/matrix and liquid Ge/matrix interface free energies govern the position of the hysteresis loop in absolute temperature
Pulsed ion-beam induced nucleation and growth of Ge nanocrystals on SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepina, N. P.; Dvurechenskii, A. V.; Armbrister, V. A.; Kesler, V. G.; Novikov, P. L.; Gutakovskii, A. K.; Kirienko, V. V.; Smagina, Zh. V.; Groetzschel, R.

2007-01-01

Pulsed low-energy (200 eV) ion-beam induced nucleation during Ge deposition on thin SiO 2 film was used to form dense homogeneous arrays of Ge nanocrystals. The ion-beam action is shown to stimulate the nucleation of Ge nanocrystals when being applied after thin Ge layer deposition. Temperature and flux variation was used to optimize the nanocrystal size and array density required for memory device. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation shows that ion impacts open an additional channel of atom displacement from a nanocrystal onto SiO 2 surface. This results both in a decrease in the average nanocrystal size and in an increase in nanocrystal density
Ge nanocrystals formed by furnace annealing of Ge(x)[SiO2](1-x) films: structure and optical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Volodin, V. A.; Cherkov, A. G.; Antonenko, A. Kh; Stoffel, M.; Rinnert, H.; Vergnat, M.

2017-07-01

Ge(x)[SiO2](1-x) (0.1 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.4) films were deposited onto Si(0 0 1) or fused quartz substrates using co-evaporation of both Ge and SiO2 in high vacuum. Germanium nanocrystals were synthesized in the SiO2 matrix by furnace annealing of Ge x [SiO2](1-x) films with x ⩾ 0.2. According to electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy data, the average size of the nanocrystals depends weakly on the annealing temperature (700, 800, or 900 °C) and on the Ge concentration in the films. Neither amorphous Ge clusters nor Ge nanocrystals were observed in as-deposited and annealed Ge0.1[SiO2]0.9 films. Infrared absorption spectroscopy measurements show that the studied films do not contain a noticeable amount of GeO x clusters. After annealing at 900 °C intermixing of germanium and silicon atoms was still negligible thus preventing the formation of GeSi nanocrystals. For annealed samples, we report the observation of infrared photoluminescence at low temperatures, which can be explained by exciton recombination in Ge nanocrystals. Moreover, we report strong photoluminescence in the visible range at room temperature, which is certainly due to Ge-related defect-induced radiative transitions.
Comparative study of the luminescence of structures with Ge nanocrystals formed by dry and wet oxidation of SiGe films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RodrIguez, A; Ortiz, M I; Sangrador, J; RodrIguez, T; Avella, M; Prieto, A C; Torres, A; Jimenez, J; Kling, A; Ballesteros, C

2007-01-01

The luminescence emission of structures containing Ge nanocrystals embedded in a dielectric matrix obtained by dry and wet oxidation of polycrystalline SiGe layers has been studied as a function of the oxidation time and initial SiGe layer thickness. A clear relationship between the intensity of the luminescence, the structure of the sample, the formation of Ge nanocrystals and the oxidation process parameters that allows us to select the appropriate process conditions to get the most efficient emission has been established. The evolution of the composition and thickness of the growing oxides and the remaining SiGe layer during the oxidation processes has been characterized using Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. For dry oxidation, the luminescence appears suddenly, regardless of the initial SiGe layer thickness, when all the Si of the SiGe has been oxidized and the remaining layer of the segregated Ge starts to be oxidized forming Ge nanocrystals. Luminescence is observed as long as Ge nanocrystals are present. For wet oxidation, the luminescence appears from the first stages of the oxidation, and is related to the formation of Ge-rich nanoclusters trapped in the mixed (Si and Ge) growing oxide. A sharp increase of the luminescence intensity for long oxidation times is also observed, due to the formation of Ge nanocrystals by the oxidation of the layer of segregated Ge. For both processes the luminescence is quenched when the oxidation time is long enough to cause the full oxidation of the Ge nanocrystals. The intensity of the luminescence in the dry oxidized samples is about ten times higher than in the wet oxidized ones for equal initial thickness of the SiGe layer
Characterization of Ge-nanocrystal films with photoelectron spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bostedt, C.; Buuren, T. van; Willey, T.M.; Nelson, A.J.; Franco, N.; Moeller, T.; Terminello, L.J.

2003-01-01

The Ge 3d core-levels of germanium nanocrystal films have been investigated by means of photoelectron spectroscopy. The experiments indicate bulk-like coordinated atoms in the nanocrystals and suggest structured disorder on the nanoparticle surface. The results underline the importance of the surface on the overall electronic structure of this class of nanostructured materials
Synthesis, spectroscopy and simulation of doped nanocrystals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Suyver, Jan Frederik

2003-01-01

This thesis deals with the properties of semiconductor nanocrystals (ZnS or ZnSe) in the size range (diameter) of 2 nm to 10 nm. The nanocrystals under investigation are doped with the transition metal ions manganese or copper. The goal is to study photoluminescence and electroluminescence from
Hydrothermal synthesis of tungsten doped tin dioxide nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Cailong; Li, Yufeng; Chen, Yiwen; Lin, Jing

2018-01-01

Tungsten doped tin dioxide (WTO) nanocrystals were synthesized through a one-step hydrothermal method. The structure, composition and morphology of WTO nanocrystals were characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, zeta potential analysis and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Results show that the as-prepared WTO nanocrystals were rutile-type structure with the size near 13 nm. Compared with the undoped tin dioxide nanocrystals, the WTO nanocrystals possessed better dispersity in ethanol phase and formed transparent sol.
Formation Mechanism of Ge Nanocrystals Embedded in SiO2 Studied by Fluorescence X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Wensheng; Li Zhongrui; Sun Zhihu; Wei Shiqiang; Kolobov, A. V.

2007-01-01

The formation mechanism of Ge nanocrystals for Ge (60 mol%) embedded in a SiO2 matrix grown on Si(001) and quartz-glass substrates was studied by fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). It was found that the formation of Ge nanocrystals strongly depends on the properties of the substrate materials. In the as-prepared samples, Ge atoms exist in amorphous Ge and GeO2 phases. At the annealing temperature of 1073 K, on the quartz-glass substrate, Ge nanocrystals are only formed predominantly from the amorphous Ge phase in the as-prepared sample. However, on the Si(100) substrate the Ge nanocrystals are generated partly from amorphous Ge, and partly from GeO2 phases through the permutation reaction with Si substrate. Quantitative analysis revealed that about 10% of GeO2 in as-prepared sample permutated with Si in the wafer and formed Ge nanocrystals
Nano-electron beam induced current and hole charge dynamics through uncapped Ge nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marchand, A.; El Hdiy, A.; Troyon, M. [Laboratoire de Recherche en Nanosciences, Bat. 6, case no 15, UFR Sciences, Universite de Reims Champagne Ardenne, 51687 Reims Cedex 2 (France); Amiard, G.; Ronda, A.; Berbezier, I. [IM2NP, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques, Campus de Saint Jerome - Case 142, Avenue Escadrille Normandie Niemen, 13397 Marseille Cedex 20 (France)

2012-04-16

Dynamics of hole storage in spherical Ge nanocrystals (NCs) formed by a two step dewetting/nucleation process on an oxide layer grown on an n-doped <001> silicon substrate is studied using a nano-electron beam induced current technique. Carrier generation is produced by an electron beam irradiation. The generated current is collected by an atomic force microscope--tip in contact mode at a fixed position away from the beam spot of about 0.5 {mu}m. This distance represents the effective diffusion length of holes. The time constants of holes charging are determined and the effect of the NC size is underlined.
Enhanced formation of Ge nanocrystals in Ge : SiO2 layers by swift heavy ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonova, I V; Volodin, V A; Marin, D M; Skuratov, V A; Smagulova, S A; Janse van Vuuren, A; Neethling, J; Jedrzejewski, J; Balberg, I

2012-01-01

In this paper we report the ability of swift heavy Xe ions with an energy of 480 MeV and a fluence of 10 12 cm -2 to enhance the formation of Ge nanocrystals within SiO 2 layers with variable Ge contents. These Ge-SiO 2 films were fabricated by the co-sputtering of Ge and quartz sources which followed various annealing procedures. In particular, we found that the irradiation of the Ge : SiO 2 films with subsequent annealing at 500 °C leads to the formation of a high concentration of nanocrystals (NCs) with a size of 2-5 nm, whereas without irradiation only amorphous inclusions were observed. This effect, as evidenced by Raman spectra, is enhanced by pre-irradiation at 550 °C and post-irradiation annealing at 600 °C, which also leads to the observation of room temperature visible photoluminescence. (paper)
Zero-reabsorption doped-nanocrystal luminescent solar concentrators.

Science.gov (United States)

Erickson, Christian S; Bradshaw, Liam R; McDowall, Stephen; Gilbertson, John D; Gamelin, Daniel R; Patrick, David L

2014-04-22

Optical concentration can lower the cost of solar energy conversion by reducing photovoltaic cell area and increasing photovoltaic efficiency. Luminescent solar concentrators offer an attractive approach to combined spectral and spatial concentration of both specular and diffuse light without tracking, but they have been plagued by luminophore self-absorption losses when employed on practical size scales. Here, we introduce doped semiconductor nanocrystals as a new class of phosphors for use in luminescent solar concentrators. In proof-of-concept experiments, visibly transparent, ultraviolet-selective luminescent solar concentrators have been prepared using colloidal Mn(2+)-doped ZnSe nanocrystals that show no luminescence reabsorption. Optical quantum efficiencies of 37% are measured, yielding a maximum projected energy concentration of ∼6× and flux gain for a-Si photovoltaics of 15.6 in the large-area limit, for the first time bounded not by luminophore self-absorption but by the transparency of the waveguide itself. Future directions in the use of colloidal doped nanocrystals as robust, processable spectrum-shifting phosphors for luminescent solar concentration on the large scales required for practical application of this technology are discussed.

Simultaneous phase and size control of upconversion nanocrystals through lanthanide doping

KAUST Repository

Wang, Feng

2010-02-25

Doping is a widely applied technological process in materials science that involves incorporating atoms or ions of appropriate elements into host lattices to yield hybrid materials with desirable properties and functions. For nanocrystalline materials, doping is of fundamental importance in stabilizing a specific crystallographic phase, modifying electronic properties, modulating magnetism as well as tuning emission properties. Here we describe a material system in which doping influences the growth process to give simultaneous control over the crystallographic phase, size and optical emission properties of the resulting nanocrystals. We show that NaYF 4 nanocrystals can be rationally tuned in size (down to ten nanometres), phase (cubic or hexagonal) and upconversion emission colour (green to blue) through use of trivalent lanthanide dopant ions introduced at precisely defined concentrations. We use first-principles calculations to confirm that the influence of lanthanide doping on crystal phase and size arises from a strong dependence on the size and dipole polarizability of the substitutional dopant ion. Our results suggest that the doping-induced structural and size transition, demonstrated here in NaYF 4 upconversion nanocrystals, could be extended to other lanthanide-doped nanocrystal systems for applications ranging from luminescent biological labels to volumetric three-dimensional displays. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
Assembly of Ge nanocrystals on SiO2 via a stress-induced dewetting process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutter, E; Sutter, P

2006-01-01

We use epitaxial Ge islands on silicon-on-insulator (001) to initiate and drive the dewetting of the ultrathin ( 2 layer and transforms the Ge islands into oxide-supported, electrically isolated, Ge-rich nanocrystals. We investigate the process of dewetting and demonstrate that it can be used for the controlled assembly of nanocrystals-from isolated single ones to dense arrays
Multicolour synthesis in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals through cation exchange in water

KAUST Repository

Han, Sanyang

2016-10-04

Meeting the high demand for lanthanide-doped luminescent nanocrystals across a broad range of fields hinges upon the development of a robust synthetic protocol that provides rapid, just-in-time nanocrystal preparation. However, to date, almost all lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials have relied on direct synthesis requiring stringent controls over crystal nucleation and growth at elevated temperatures. Here we demonstrate the use of a cation exchange strategy for expeditiously accessing large classes of such nanocrystals. By combining the process of cation exchange with energy migration, the luminescence properties of the nanocrystals can be easily tuned while preserving the size, morphology and crystal phase of the initial nanocrystal template. This post-synthesis strategy enables us to achieve upconversion luminescence in Ce3+ and Mn2+-activated hexagonal-phased nanocrystals, opening a gateway towards applications ranging from chemical sensing to anti-counterfeiting.
Tuning the morphology, stability and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanocrystal colloids by tungsten doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Haiping; Liao, Jianhua; Yuan, Shuai; Zhao, Yin; Zhang, Meihong; Wang, Zhuyi; Shi, Liyi

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids were prepared by hydrothermal methods. • The properties of TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids can be tuned by tungsten doping. • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids show higher stability and dispersity. • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids show higher photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: The effects of tungsten doping on the morphology, stability and photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids were investigated. The nanostructure, chemical state of Ti, W, O, and the properties of tungsten doped TiO 2 samples were investigated carefully by TEM, XRD, XPS, UV–vis, PL and photocatalytic degradation experiments. And the structure–activity relationship was discussed according to the analysis and measurement results. The analysis results reveal that the morphology, zeta potential and photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanocrystals can be easily tuned by changing the tungsten doping concentration. The tungsten doped TiO 2 colloid combines the characters of high dispersity and high photocatalytic activity
Study of Si-Ge interdiffusion with phosphorus doping

KAUST Repository

Cai, Feiyang; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Zhang, Xixiang; Xia, Guangrui

2016-01-01

Si-Ge interdiffusion with phosphorus doping was investigated by both experiments and modeling. Ge/Si1-x Ge x/Ge multi-layer structures with 0.75Ge<1, a mid-1018 to low-1019 cm−3 P doping, and a dislocation density of 108 to 109 cm−2 range were studied. The P-doped sample shows an accelerated Si-Ge interdiffusivity, which is 2–8 times of that of the undoped sample. The doping dependence of the Si-Ge interdiffusion was modelled by a Fermi-enhancement factor. The results show that the Si-Ge interdiffusion coefficient is proportional to n2/n2i for the conditions studied, which indicates that the interdiffusion in a high Ge fraction range with n-type doping is dominated by V2− defects. The Fermi-enhancement factor was shown to have a relatively weak dependence on the temperature and the Ge fraction. The results are relevant to the structure and thermal processing condition design of n-type doped Ge/Si and Ge/SiGe based devices such as Ge/Si lasers.
Study of Si-Ge interdiffusion with phosphorus doping

KAUST Repository

Cai, Feiyang

2016-10-28

Si-Ge interdiffusion with phosphorus doping was investigated by both experiments and modeling. Ge/Si1-x Ge x/Ge multi-layer structures with 0.75Ge<1, a mid-1018 to low-1019 cm−3 P doping, and a dislocation density of 108 to 109 cm−2 range were studied. The P-doped sample shows an accelerated Si-Ge interdiffusivity, which is 2–8 times of that of the undoped sample. The doping dependence of the Si-Ge interdiffusion was modelled by a Fermi-enhancement factor. The results show that the Si-Ge interdiffusion coefficient is proportional to n2/n2i for the conditions studied, which indicates that the interdiffusion in a high Ge fraction range with n-type doping is dominated by V2− defects. The Fermi-enhancement factor was shown to have a relatively weak dependence on the temperature and the Ge fraction. The results are relevant to the structure and thermal processing condition design of n-type doped Ge/Si and Ge/SiGe based devices such as Ge/Si lasers.
Doped and codoped silicon nanocrystals: The role of surfaces and interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Marri, Ivan; Degoli, Elena; Ossicini, Stefano

2017-12-01

Si nanocrystals have been extensively studied because of their novel properties and their potential applications in electronic, optoelectronic, photovoltaic, thermoelectric and biological devices. These new properties are achieved through the combination of the quantum confinement of carriers and the strong influence of surface chemistry. As in the case of bulk Si the tuning of the electronic, optical and transport properties is related to the possibility of doping, in a controlled way, the nanocrystals. This is a big challenge since several studies have revealed that doping in Si nanocrystals differs from the one of the bulk. Theory and experiments have underlined that doping and codoping are influenced by a large number of parameters such as size, shape, passivation and chemical environment of the silicon nanocrystals. However, the connection between these parameters and dopant localization as well as the occurrence of self-purification effects are still not clear. In this review we summarize the latest progress in this fascinating research field considering free-standing and matrix-embedded Si nanocrystals both from the theoretical and experimental point of view, with special attention given to the results obtained by ab-initio calculations and to size-, surface- and interface-induced effects.
Cubic to tetragonal phase transition of Tm3+ doped nanocrystals in oxyfluoride glass ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yiming; Fu, Yuting; Shi, Yahui; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Yu, Hua; Zhao, Lijuan

2016-01-01

Tm 3+ ions doped β-PbF 2 nanocrystals in oxyfluoride glass ceramics with different doping concentrations and thermal temperatures are prepared by a traditional melt-quenching and thermal treatment method to investigate the structure and the phase transition of Tm 3+ doped nanocrystals. The structures are characterized by X-ray diffraction Rietveld analysis and confirmed with numerical simulation. The phase transitions are proved further by the emission spectra. Both of the doping concentration and thermal temperature can induce an O h to D 4h site symmetry distortion and a cubic to tetragonal phase transition. The luminescence of Tm 3+ doped nanocrystals at 800 nm was modulated by the phase transition of the surrounding crystal field
A dual-colored bio-marker made of doped ZnO nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Y L; Zeng, X T [Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, 638075 (Singapore); Fu, S; Kwek, L C [National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, 637616 (Singapore); Tok, A I Y; Boey, F C Y [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore); Lim, C S [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore)

2008-08-27

Bio-compatible ZnO nanocrystals doped with Co, Cu and Ni cations, surface capped with two types of aminosilanes and titania are synthesized by a soft chemical process. Due to the small particle size (2-5 nm), surface functional groups and the high photoluminescence emissions at the UV and blue-violet wavelength ranges, bio-imaging on human osteosarcoma (Mg-63) cells and histiocytic lymphoma U-937 monocyte cells showed blue emission at the nucleus and bright turquoise emission at the cytoplasm simultaneously. This is the first report on dual-color bio-images labeled by one semiconductor nanocrystal colloidal solution. Bright green emission was detected on mung bean seedlings labeled by all the synthesized ZnO nanocrystals. Cytotoxicity tests showed that the aminosilanes capped nanoparticles are non-toxic. Quantum yields of the nanocrystals varied from 79% to 95%. The results showed the potential of the pure ZnO and Co-doped ZnO nanocrystals for live imaging of both human cells and plant systems.
Dopant concentration dependent magnetism of Cu-doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anitha, B.; Khadar, M. Abdul, E-mail: mabdulkhadar@rediffmail.com [University of Kerala, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (India)

2016-06-15

Undoped and Cu-doped nanocrystals of TiO{sub 2} having the size range of 8–11 nm were synthesized by peroxide gel method. XRD analysis using Rietveld refinement confirmed anatase phase with a small percentage of rutile content for undoped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals while a pure anatase phase with preferential growth along [004] direction was observed for nanocrystals of Cu-doped TiO{sub 2}. Variation in the intensity ratios of the XRD peaks of the doped samples compared to that of the undoped sample offered an evidence for the substitutional incorporation of Cu ions in the TiO{sub 2} lattice. The preferential growth of the nanocrystals along the [004] direction was verified using HRTEM analysis. Cu doping extended the optical absorption edge of TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals to the visible spectral region and caused a blue shift and broadening of the E{sub g} (1) Raman active mode of anatase TiO{sub 2}. Undoped TiO{sub 2} sample showed a weak ferromagnetism superimposed on a diamagnetic background while Cu-doped TiO{sub 2} samples exhibited a weak ferromagnetism in the low-field region with a paramagnetic component in the high-field region. The magnetic moment exhibited by the doped samples is interpreted as the resultant of a weak ferromagnetic moment in the low-field region arising from the presence of defects near the surface of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles or from the interaction of the substituted Cu ions with the oxygen vacancies, and the paramagnetic contribution from the increased Cu dopant concentration near the surface of the particles arising from self-purification mechanism.
Paramagnetic behavior of Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals controlled by self-purification mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anitha, B. [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 (India); Khadar, M. Abdul, E-mail: mabdulkhadar@rediffmail.com [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 (India); Banerjee, Alok [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research (CSR), Khandwa Road, Indore 452 001 (India)

2016-07-15

Doping in nanocrystals is a challenging process because of the self- purification mechanism which tends to segregate out the dopants resulting in a greater dopant concentration near the surface than at the interior of nanocrystals. In the present work nanocrystals of TiO{sub 2} doped with different atom % of Co were synthesized by peroxide gel method. XRD analysis confirmed the tetragonal anatase structure and HRTEM images showed the rod-like morphology of the samples. Raman modes of anatase phase of TiO{sub 2} along with weak intensity peaks of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} for higher Co dopant concentrations were observed for the samples. EPR measurements revealed the presence of cobalt in +2 oxidation state in the TiO{sub 2} matrix. SQUID measurements indicated paramagnetic behavior of the Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals. The paramagnetic behavior is attributed to an increased concentration of Co{sup 2+} ions and an increased presence of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} phase near the surface of the TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals due to self-purification mechanism. - Graphical abstract: Variation of the intensity ratios of XRD peaks as a function of atomic ratio of Co. Inset: variation of structure factor for (101) reflection as a function of atomic ratio of Co. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals were synthesized by peroxide gel method. • HRTEM images showed Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals to be rod-like. • EPR spectra showed +2 oxidation states for Co in the samples. • Co doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals showed paramagnetic behavior.
Growth Mechanism and Surface Structure of Ge Nanocrystals Prepared by Thermal Annealing of Cosputtered GeSiO Ternary Precursor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Ge nanocrystals (Ge-ncs embedded in a SiO2 superlattice structure were prepared by magnetron cosputtering and postdeposition annealing. The formation of spherical nanocrystals was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and their growth process was studied by a combination of spectroscopic techniques. The crystallinity volume fraction of Ge component was found to increase with crystallite size, but its overall low values indicated a coexistence of crystalline and noncrystalline phases. A reduction of Ge-O species was observed in the superlattice during thermal annealing, accompanied by a transition from oxygen-deficient silicon oxide to silicon dioxide. A growth mechanism involving phase separation of Ge suboxides (GeOx was then proposed to explain these findings and supplement the existing growth models for Ge-ncs in SiO2 films. Further analysis of the bonding structure of Ge atoms suggested that Ge-ncs are likely to have a core-shell structure with an amorphous-like surface layer, which is composed of GeSiO ternary complex. The surface layer thickness was extracted to be a few angstroms and equivalent to several atomic layer thicknesses.
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
Growth and relaxation processes in Ge nanocrystals on free-standing Si(001) nanopillars.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlowski, G; Zaumseil, P; Schubert, M A; Yamamoto, Y; Bauer, J; Schülli, T U; Tillack, B; Schroeder, T

2012-03-23

We study the growth and relaxation processes of Ge crystals selectively grown by chemical vapour deposition on free-standing 90 nm wide Si(001) nanopillars. Epi-Ge with thickness ranging from 4 to 80 nm was characterized by synchrotron based x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. We found that the strain in Ge nanostructures is plastically released by nucleation of misfit dislocations, leading to degrees of relaxation ranging from 50 to 100%. The growth of Ge nanocrystals follows the equilibrium crystal shape terminated by low surface energy (001) and {113} facets. Although the volumes of Ge nanocrystals are homogeneous, their shape is not uniform and the crystal quality is limited by volume defects on {111} planes. This is not the case for the Ge/Si nanostructures subjected to thermal treatment. Here, improved structure quality together with high levels of uniformity of the size and shape is observed.
Structure and Spatial Distribution of Ge Nanocrystals Subjected to Fast Neutron Irradiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander N. Ionov

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The influence of fast neutron irradiation on the structure and spatial distribution of Ge nanocrystals (NC embedded in an amorphous SiO2 matrix has been studied. The investigation was conducted by means of laser Raman Scattering (RS, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. The irradiation of Ge- NC samples by a high dose of fast neutrons lead to a partial destruction of the nanocrystals. Full reconstruction of crystallinity was achieved after annealing the radiation damage at 8000C, which resulted in full restoration of the RS spectrum. HR-TEM images show, however, that the spatial distributions of Ge-NC changed as a result of irradiation and annealing. A sharp decrease in NC distribution towards the SiO2 surface has been observed. This was accompanied by XPS detection of Ge oxides and elemental Ge within both the surface and subsurface region.
Enhanced B doping in CVD-grown GeSn:B using B δ-doping layers

Science.gov (United States)

Kohen, David; Vohra, Anurag; Loo, Roger; Vandervorst, Wilfried; Bhargava, Nupur; Margetis, Joe; Tolle, John

2018-02-01

Highly doped GeSn material is interesting for both electronic and optical applications. GeSn:B is a candidate for source-drain material in future Ge pMOS device because Sn adds compressive strain with respect to pure Ge, and therefore can boost the Ge channel performances. A high B concentration is required to obtain low contact resistivity between the source-drain material and the metal contact. To achieve high performance, it is therefore highly desirable to maximize both the Sn content and the B concentration. However, it has been shown than CVD-grown GeSn:B shows a trade-off between the Sn incorporation and the B concentration (increasing B doping reduces Sn incorporation). Furthermore, the highest B concentration of CVD-grown GeSn:B process reported in the literature has been limited to below 1 × 1020 cm-3. Here, we demonstrate a CVD process where B δ-doping layers are inserted in the GeSn layer. We studied the influence of the thickness between each δ-doping layers and the δ-doping layers process conditions on the crystalline quality and the doping density of the GeSn:B layers. For the same Sn content, the δ-doping process results in a 4-times higher B doping than the co-flow process. In addition, a B doping concentration of 2 × 1021 cm-3 with an active concentration of 5 × 1020 cm-3 is achieved.
Controlled synthesis of bright and compatible lanthanide-doped upconverting nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Bruce E.; Ostrowski, Alexis D.; Chan, Emory M.; Gargas, Daniel J.; Katz, Elan M.; Schuck, P. James; Milliron, Delia J.

2017-01-31

Certain nanocrystals possess exceptional optical properties that may make them valuable probes for biological imaging, but rendering these nanoparticles biocompatible requires that they be small enough not to perturb cellular systems. This invention describes a phosphorescent upconverting sub-10 nm nanoparticle comprising a lanthanide-doped hexagonal .beta.-phase NaYF.sub.4 nanocrystal and methods for making the same.
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
Ge nitride formation in N-doped amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, M.-C.; Lee, Y. M.; Kim, H.-D.; Kim, M. G.; Shin, H. J.; Kim, K. H.; Song, S. A.; Jeong, H. S.; Ko, C. H.; Han, M.

2007-01-01

The chemical state of N in N-doped amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (a-GST) samples with 0-14.3 N at. % doping concentrations was investigated by high-resolution x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HRXPS) and Ge K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). HRXPS showed negligible change in the Te 4d and Sb 4d core-level spectra. In the Ge 3d core-level spectra, a Ge nitride (GeN x ) peak developed at the binding energy of 30.2 eV and increased in intensity as the N-doping concentration increased. Generation of GeN x was confirmed by the Ge K-edge absorption spectra. These results indicate that the N atoms bonded with the Ge atoms to form GeN x , rather than bonding with the Te or Sb atoms. It has been suggested that the formation of Ge nitride results in increased resistance and phase-change temperature
Photoluminescence studies of Li-doped Si nanocrystals

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klimešová, Eva; Vacík, Jiří; Holý, V.; Pelant, Ivan

2013-01-01

Roč. 3, č. 14 (2013), s. 1-7 ISSN 1847-9804 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 ; RVO:61389005 Keywords : Si nanocrystals * photoluminescence * doping * Li-ion batteries Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.949, year: 2013

Anodic Titania Nanotube Arrays Sensitized with Mn- or Co-Doped CdS Nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, York R.; Gakhar, Ruchi; Merwin, Augustus; Mohanty, Swomitra K.; Chidambaram, Dev; Misra, Mano

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Mn or Co doped CdS where synthesized and deposited onto TiO 2 nanotubular arrays. • Synthesis and deposition were achieved simultaneously using SILAR method. • Various characterization techniques demonstrate lattice incorporation of dopant. • Photoelectrochemical performance was analyzed using AM 1.5 irradiation. • Dopants increases depletion width of CdS and increase photoelectrochemical responses. - Abstract: The use of doped luminescent nanocrystals or quantum dots have mainly been explored for imaging applications; however, recently they have gained interest in solar energy conversion applications due to long electron lifetimes, tunable band gaps and emission by compositional control. In this study, we have examined the application of Mn or Co doped CdS nanocrystals as a sensitizing layer over titania nanotubular arrays synthesized via electrochemical anodization in photoelectrochemical applications. The doped and undoped CdS nanocrystals were simultaneously synthesized and deposited onto the titania surface by adoption of a successive ion layer adsorption-reaction (SILAR) method. Various characterization methods indicate lattice incorporation of the dopant within CdS. The addition of dopants to CdS was found to improve the photoelectrochemical performance by increasing the depletion width of the CdS nanocrystals and reducing recombination losses of charge carriers
Self-Assembled Monolayers of CdSe Nanocrystals on Doped GaAs Substrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marx, E.; Ginger, D.S.; Walzer, Karsten

2002-01-01

This letter reports the self-assembly and analysis of CdSe nanocrystal monolayers on both p- and a-doped GaAs substrates. The self-assembly was performed using a 1,6-hexanedithiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to link CdSe nanocrystals to GaAs substrates. Attenuated total reflection Fourier tran...
Stress evolution of Ge nanocrystals in dielectric matrices

Science.gov (United States)

Bahariqushchi, Rahim; Raciti, Rosario; Emre Kasapoğlu, Ahmet; Gür, Emre; Sezen, Meltem; Kalay, Eren; Mirabella, Salvatore; Aydinli, A.

2018-05-01

Germanium nanocrystals (Ge NCs) embedded in single and multilayer silicon oxide and silicon nitride matrices have been synthesized using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition followed by conventional furnace annealing or rapid thermal processing in N2 ambient. Compositions of the films were determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The formation of NCs under suitable process conditions was observed with high resolution transmission electron microscope micrographs and Raman spectroscopy. Stress measurements were done using Raman shifts of the Ge optical phonon line at 300.7 cm-1. The effect of the embedding matrix and annealing methods on Ge NC formation were investigated. In addition to Ge NCs in single layer samples, the stress on Ge NCs in multilayer samples was also analyzed. Multilayers of Ge NCs in a silicon nitride matrix separated by dielectric buffer layers to control the size and density of NCs were fabricated. Multilayers consisted of SiN y :Ge ultrathin films sandwiched between either SiO2 or Si3N4 by the proper choice of buffer material. We demonstrated that it is possible to tune the stress state of Ge NCs from compressive to tensile, a desirable property for optoelectronic applications. We also observed that there is a correlation between the stress and the crystallization threshold in which the compressive stress enhances the crystallization, while the tensile stress suppresses the process.
Formation of the distributed NiSiGe nanocrystals nonvolatile memory formed by rapidly annealing in N2 and O2 ambient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Chih-Wei; Chang, Ting-Chang; Tu, Chun-Hao; Chiang, Cheng-Neng; Lin, Chao-Cheng; Chen, Min-Chen; Chang, Chun-Yen; Sze, Simon M.; Tseng, Tseung-Yuen

2010-01-01

In this work, electrical characteristics of the Ge-incorporated Nickel silicide (NiSiGe) nanocrystals memory device formed by the rapidly thermal annealing in N 2 and O 2 ambient have been studied. The trapping layer was deposited by co-sputtering the NiSi 2 and Ge, simultaneously. Transmission electron microscope results indicate that the NiSiGe nanocrystals were formed obviously in both the samples. The memory devices show obvious charge-storage ability under capacitance-voltage measurement. However, it is found that the NiSiGe nanocrystals device formed by annealing in N 2 ambient has smaller memory window and better retention characteristics than in O 2 ambient. Then, related material analyses were used to confirm that the oxidized Ge elements affect the charge-storage sites and the electrical performance of the NCs memory.
Size effect on the SHG properties of Cu-doped CdI2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miah, M. Idrish

2009-01-01

Because the optically induced second harmonic generation (SHG) is prevented by symmetry in a centrosymmetric material, one needs to form noncentrosymmetric processes in order to observe the SHG. However, one of the efficient ways to enhance the noncentrosymmetricity of a material is to dope it with an appropriate impurity and amount. We grow Cu-doped CdI 2 layered nanocrystal structures from the mixture of CdI 2 and CuI using the standard Bridgman-Stockbarger method and investigate the nano-confined effects by studying the second-order optical effect via the measurements of SHG. The second-order susceptibility for the nanocrystals is calculated and the values at liquid helium temperature range from 0.38 to 0.83 pm V -1 for the thicknesses of 10-0.8 nm respectively. The size dependence demonstrates the nano-sized quantum-confined effect with a clear increase in the SHG with decreasing the thickness of the nanocrystal or crystal temperature. Since the local electron-phonon anharmonicity is described by third-order rank tensors in disordered systems, the SHG is very similar to that one introduced for the third-order optical susceptibility. It has been confirmed by observing the large photoluminescent yield of the pure crystals. The Raman scattering spectra taken for thin nanocrystals confirm the phonon modes originating from interlayer phonons crucially responsible for the observed effects. The obtained results show that the Cu-doped CdI 2 layered nanocrystals are promising materials for applications in optoelectronic nano-devices.
Neutron transmutation doped Ge bolometers

Science.gov (United States)

Haller, E. E.; Kreysa, E.; Palaio, N. P.; Richards, P. L.; Rodder, M.

1983-01-01

Some conclusions reached are as follow. Neutron Transmutation Doping (NTD) of high quality Ge single crystals provides perfect control of doping concentration and uniformity. The resistivity can be tailored to any given bolometer operating temperature down to 0.1 K and probably lower. The excellent uniformity is advantaged for detector array development.
Colloidal infrared reflective and transparent conductive aluminum-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Buonsanti, Raffaella; Milliron, Delia J

2015-02-24

The present invention provides a method of preparing aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanocrystals. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes (1) injecting a precursor mixture of a zinc precursor, an aluminum precursor, an amine, and a fatty acid in a solution of a vicinal diol in a non-coordinating solvent, thereby resulting in a reaction mixture, (2) precipitating the nanocrystals from the reaction mixture, thereby resulting in a final precipitate, and (3) dissolving the final precipitate in an apolar solvent. The present invention also provides a dispersion. In an exemplary embodiment, the dispersion includes (1) nanocrystals that are well separated from each other, where the nanocrystals are coated with surfactants and (2) an apolar solvent where the nanocrystals are suspended in the apolar solvent. The present invention also provides a film. In an exemplary embodiment, the film includes (1) a substrate and (2) nanocrystals that are evenly distributed on the substrate.
Photoluminescence of phosphorus atomic layer doped Ge grown on Si

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Yuji; Nien, Li-Wei; Capellini, Giovanni; Virgilio, Michele; Costina, Ioan; Schubert, Markus Andreas; Seifert, Winfried; Srinivasan, Ashwyn; Loo, Roger; Scappucci, Giordano; Sabbagh, Diego; Hesse, Anne; Murota, Junichi; Schroeder, Thomas; Tillack, Bernd

2017-10-01

Improvement of the photoluminescence (PL) of Phosphorus (P) doped Ge by P atomic layer doping (ALD) is investigated. Fifty P delta layers of 8 × 1013 cm-2 separated by 4 nm Ge spacer are selectively deposited at 300 °C on a 700 nm thick P-doped Ge buffer layer of 1.4 × 1019 cm-3 on SiO2 structured Si (100) substrate. A high P concentration region of 1.6 × 1020 cm-3 with abrupt P delta profiles is formed by the P-ALD process. Compared to the P-doped Ge buffer layer, a reduced PL intensity is observed, which might be caused by a higher density of point defects in the P delta doped Ge layer. The peak position is shifted by ˜0.1 eV towards lower energy, indicating an increased active carrier concentration in the P-delta doped Ge layer. By introducing annealing at 400 °C to 500 °C after each Ge spacer deposition, P desorption and diffusion is observed resulting in relatively uniform P profiles of ˜2 × 1019 cm-3. Increased PL intensity and red shift of the PL peak are observed due to improved crystallinity and higher active P concentration.
Soluble Supercapacitors: Large and Reversible Charge Storage in Colloidal Iron-Doped ZnO Nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Brozek, Carl K; Zhou, Dongming; Liu, Hongbin; Li, Xiaosong; Kittilstved, Kevin R; Gamelin, Daniel R

2018-05-09

Colloidal ZnO semiconductor nanocrystals have previously been shown to accumulate multiple delocalized conduction-band electrons under chemical, electrochemical, or photochemical reducing conditions, leading to emergent semimetallic characteristics such as quantum plasmon resonances and raising prospects for application in multielectron redox transformations. Here, we demonstrate a dramatic enhancement in the capacitance of colloidal ZnO nanocrystals through aliovalent Fe 3+ -doping. Very high areal and volumetric capacitances (33 μF cm -2 , 233 F cm -3 ) are achieved in Zn 0.99 Fe 0.01 O nanocrystals that rival those of the best supercapacitors used in commercial energy-storage devices. The redox properties of these nanocrystals are probed by potentiometric titration and optical spectroscopy. These data indicate an equilibrium between electron localization by Fe 3+ dopants and electron delocalization within the ZnO conduction band, allowing facile reversible charge storage and removal. As "soluble supercapacitors", colloidal iron-doped ZnO nanocrystals constitute a promising class of solution-processable electronic materials with large charge-storage capacity attractive for future energy-storage applications.
Effects of phosphorus doping on structural and optical properties of silicon nanocrystals in a SiO2 matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, X.J.; Cho, E.-C.; Scardera, G.; Bellet-Amalric, E.; Bellet, D.; Shen, Y.S.; Huang, S.; Huang, Y.D.; Conibeer, G.; Green, M.A.

2009-01-01

Promise of Si nanocrystals highly depends on tailoring their behaviour through doping. Phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals embedded in a silicon dioxide matrix have been realized by a co-sputtering process. The effects of phosphorus-doping on the properties of Si nanocrystals are investigated. Phosphorus diffuses from P-P and/or P-Si to P-O upon high temperature annealing. The dominant X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy P 2p signal attributable to Si-P and/or P-P (130 eV) at 1100 o C indicates that the phosphorus may exist inside Si nanocrystals. It is found that existence of phosphorus enhances phase separation of silicon rich oxide and thereby Si crystallization. In addition, phosphorus has a considerable effect on the optical absorption and photoluminescence properties as a function of annealing temperature.
Single and couple doping ZnO nanocrystals characterized by positron techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Pasang, Tenzin; Namratha, Keerthiraj; Guagliardo, Paul; Byrappa, Kullaiah; Ranganathaiah, Chikkakuntappa; Samarin, S.; Williams, J. F.

2015-04-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals have been synthesized using a mild hydrothermal process using low temperatures and pressures with the advantages of free growth catalyst, low cost and alternative technology. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectroscopic methods have been used to investigate the roles of single- and co-dopants and native defects of the ZnO nanocrystals controlled by the synthesis process. It is shown that single Ag1+ and Pd2+ dopants occupy interstitial sites of the ZnO lattice and single Ru3+ doping replaces Zn vacancies substitutionally with a significant effect on the CDB momentum ratio curves when compared using ZnO as the reference spectrum. The co-doping of the ZnO lattice with (Sn4+ + Co2+) shows similar CDB ratios as Ru3+ single-doping. Also co-doping with (Ag1+ + Pd2+) or (Ag1+ + W6+) shows significant decreases in the band gap energy up to about 12.6% compared to single doping. The momentum ratio curves, referenced to undoped ZnO, indicate dopants in interstitial and substitutional sites. The presence of transition metal ions interstitially will trap electrons which resist the recombination of electrons and in turn affect the conductivity of the material.
Single and couple doping ZnO nanocrystals characterized by positron techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasang, Tenzin; Namratha, Keerthiraj; Byrappa, Kullaiah; Guagliardo, Paul; Ranganathaiah, Chikkakuntappa; Samarin, S; Williams, J F

2015-01-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals have been synthesized using a mild hydrothermal process using low temperatures and pressures with the advantages of free growth catalyst, low cost and alternative technology. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectroscopic methods have been used to investigate the roles of single- and co-dopants and native defects of the ZnO nanocrystals controlled by the synthesis process. It is shown that single Ag 1+ and Pd 2+ dopants occupy interstitial sites of the ZnO lattice and single Ru 3+ doping replaces Zn vacancies substitutionally with a significant effect on the CDB momentum ratio curves when compared using ZnO as the reference spectrum. The co-doping of the ZnO lattice with (Sn 4+ + Co 2+ ) shows similar CDB ratios as Ru 3+ single-doping. Also co-doping with (Ag 1+ + Pd 2+ ) or (Ag 1+ + W 6+ ) shows significant decreases in the band gap energy up to about 12.6% compared to single doping. The momentum ratio curves, referenced to undoped ZnO, indicate dopants in interstitial and substitutional sites. The presence of transition metal ions interstitially will trap electrons which resist the recombination of electrons and in turn affect the conductivity of the material. (paper)
Photo-sensitive Ge nanocrystal based films controlled by substrate deposition temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Stavarache, Ionel; Maraloiu, Valentin Adrian; Negrila, Catalin; Prepelita, Petronela; Gruia, Ion; Iordache, Gheorghe

2017-10-01

Lowering the temperature of crystallization by deposition of thin films on a heated substrate represents the easiest way to find new means to develop and improve new working devices based on nanocrystals embedded in thin films. The improvements are strongly related with the increasing of operation speed, substantially decreasing the energy consumption and reducing unit fabrication costs of the respective semiconductor devices. This approach avoids major problems, such as those related to diffusion or difficulties in controlling nanocrystallites size, which appear during thermal treatments at high temperatures after deposition. This article reports on a significant progress given by structuring Ge nanocrystals (Ge-NCs) embedded in silicon dioxide (SiO2) thin films by heating the substrate at 400 °C during co-deposition of Ge and SiO2 by magnetron sputtering. As a proof-of-concept, a Si/Ge-NCs:SiO2 photo-sensitive structure was fabricated thereof and characterized. The structure shows superior performance on broad operation bandwidth from visible to near-infrared, as strong rectification properties in dark, significant current rise in the inversion mode when illuminated, high responsivity, high photo-detectivity of 1014 Jones, quick response and significant conversion efficiency with peak value reaching 850% at -1 V and about 1000 nm. This simple preparation approach brings an important contribution to the effort of structuring Ge nanocrystallites in SiO2 thin films at a lower temperature for the purpose of using these materials for devices in optoelectronics, solar cells and electronics on flexible substrates.
Mg doping induced high structural quality of sol–gel ZnO nanocrystals: Application in photocatalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abed, Chayma; Bouzidi, Chaker [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia); Elhouichet, Habib, E-mail: Habib.elhouichet@fst.rnu.tn [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis 2092 (Tunisia); Gelloz, Bernard [Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, 2-24-16 Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603 (Japan); Ferid, Mokhtar [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • ZnO nancrystals doped with Mg were prepared from sol–gel method. • Structural and optical properties of ZnO:Mg nanocrystals were investigated. • Good crystalline quality of ZnO nanocrystals was reported after Mg doping. • Good photocatalytic activity of Mg doped ZnO nanocrystals was demonstrated under sun light illumination. - Abstract: Undoped and Mg doped ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) ZnO:x%Mg (x = 1, 2, 3, and 5) were synthesized using sol–gel method. The structural and optical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectivity, and photoluminescence (PL). XRD analysis demonstrates that all prepared samples present pure hexagonal wurtzite structure without any Mg related phases. The NCs size varies from 26.82 nm to 42.96 nm with Mg concentrations; it presents an optimal value for 2% of Mg. The Raman spectra are dominated by the E{sub 2high} mode. For highly Mg doping (5%), the occurrence of silent B{sub 1(low)} mode suggested that the Mg ions do substitute at Zn sites in the ZnO lattice The band gap energy was estimated from both Tauc and Urbach methods and found to be 3.39 eV for ZnO:2%Mg. The PL spectra exhibit two emission bands in the UV and visible range. Their evolution with Mg doping reveals the reduction of defect density in ZnO at low Mg doping by filling Zn vacancies. In addition, it was found that further Mg doping, above 2%, improves the photocatalytic activity of ZnO NCs for photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under sunlight irradiation. The efficient electron–hole separation is the main factor responsible for the enhancement of photocatalytic performance of Mg doped ZnO NCs. Through this work, we show that by varying the Mg contents in ZnO, this material can be a potential candidate for both optoelectronic and photocatalytic applications.
Synthesis of compositionally controllable Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals with tunable band gaps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Qingshuang, E-mail: lqs671@163.com [Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry (China)

2016-06-15

In this work, we show that compositionally controlled Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals can be successfully synthesized by the hot-injection method through careful tuning the Ge/(Sn+Ge) precursor ratio. The band gaps of the resultant nanocrystals are demonstrated to be linearly tuned from 1.45 to 2.33 eV by adjusting the composition parameter x of the Ge/(Sn+Ge) ratio from 0.0 to 1.0. The crystalline structures of the resultant NCs have been studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), select area electron diffraction (SAED), and Raman spectroscopy. A ligand exchange procedure is further performed to replace the native ligands on the surface of the NCs with sulfur ions. The photoresponsive behavior indicates the potential use of as-prepared Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals in solar energy conversion systems. The synthesis of compositionally controlled Cu{sub 2}(Sn{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x})S{sub 3} nanocrystals reported herein provides a way for probing the effect of Ge inclusion in the Cu-Sn-S system thin films.
Radiation resistance of GeO2-doped silica core optical fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, Shuichi; Nakahara, Motohiro; Omori, Yasuharu

1985-01-01

Effects of hlogen addition to silica glass on the loss in optical fibers are examined by using halogen-free, chlorine-containing and fluorine-containing GeO 2 -doped silica core optical fibers. Measurements are made for dependence of induced loss in these optical fibers on various factors such as wavelength and total dose of gamma radiation as well as GeO 2 content. Ultraviolet absorption spectra are also observed. In addition, effects of halogens added to pure silica fibers are considered on the basis of Raman spectra of three different optical fibers (pure, F-doped, and F- and GeO 2 -codoped silica core). Thus, it is concluded that (1) addition of halogens (F and Cl) serves to decrease GeO defects and Ge(3) defects in GeO 2 -doped silica optical fibers ; (2) addition of halogens suppresses the increase in loss in GeO 2 -doped silica optical fibers induced by gamma radiation ; and (3) there are close relations between the increase in loss induced by gamma radiation and defects originally existing in the fibers. Effects of halogens added to GeO 2 -doped and pure silica optical fibers can be explained on the basis of the latter relations. (Nogami, K.)
Microstructural and photoluminescence properties of sol–gel derived Tb3+ doped ZnO nanocrystals

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kabongo, GL

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Un-doped and Tb(Sup3+) doped ZnO nanocrystals with different concentrations of Tb(Sup3+) were synthesized by a sol–gel method and their photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated. The successful incorporation of Tb(sup3+) ions...
Size effect on the SHG properties of Cu-doped CdI{sub 2} nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miah, M. Idrish, E-mail: m.miah@griffith.edu.au [Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111 (Australia); School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111 (Australia); Department of Physics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331 (Bangladesh)

2009-12-15

Because the optically induced second harmonic generation (SHG) is prevented by symmetry in a centrosymmetric material, one needs to form noncentrosymmetric processes in order to observe the SHG. However, one of the efficient ways to enhance the noncentrosymmetricity of a material is to dope it with an appropriate impurity and amount. We grow Cu-doped CdI{sub 2} layered nanocrystal structures from the mixture of CdI{sub 2} and CuI using the standard Bridgman-Stockbarger method and investigate the nano-confined effects by studying the second-order optical effect via the measurements of SHG. The second-order susceptibility for the nanocrystals is calculated and the values at liquid helium temperature range from 0.38 to 0.83 pm V{sup -1} for the thicknesses of 10-0.8 nm respectively. The size dependence demonstrates the nano-sized quantum-confined effect with a clear increase in the SHG with decreasing the thickness of the nanocrystal or crystal temperature. Since the local electron-phonon anharmonicity is described by third-order rank tensors in disordered systems, the SHG is very similar to that one introduced for the third-order optical susceptibility. It has been confirmed by observing the large photoluminescent yield of the pure crystals. The Raman scattering spectra taken for thin nanocrystals confirm the phonon modes originating from interlayer phonons crucially responsible for the observed effects. The obtained results show that the Cu-doped CdI{sub 2} layered nanocrystals are promising materials for applications in optoelectronic nano-devices.
Thermoelectric Performance of Na-Doped GeSe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shaabani, Laaya; Aminorroaya-Yamini, Sima; Byrnes, Jacob; Akbar Nezhad, Ali; Blake, Graeme R

2017-01-01

Recently, hole-doped GeSe materials have been predicted to exhibit extraordinary thermoelectric performance owing largely to extremely low thermal conductivity. However, experimental research on the thermoelectric properties of GeSe has received less attention. Here, we have synthesized
Aqueous-phase synthesis and color-tuning of core/shell/shell inorganic nanocrystals consisting of ZnSe, (Cu, Mn)-doped ZnS, and ZnS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Jongwan; Yoon, Sujin [Department of Chemistry and Research Institute for Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Felix Sunjoo, E-mail: fskim@cau.ac.kr [School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 156-756 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Nakjoong, E-mail: kimnj@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry and Research Institute for Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-25

We report synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals based on ZnSe core, (Cu,Mn)-doped ZnS inner-shell, and ZnS outer-shell by using an eco-friendly method and their optical properties. Synthesis of core/shell/shell nanocrystals was performed by using a one-pot/three-step colloidal method with 3-mercaptopropionic acid as a stabilizer in aqueous phase at low temperature. A double-shell structure was employed with inner-shell as a host for doping and outer-shell as a passivation layer for covering surface defects. Copper and manganese were introduced as single- or co-dopants during inner-shell formation, providing an effective means to control the emission color of the nanocrystals. The synthesized nanocrystals showed fluorescent emission ranging from blue to green, to white, and to orange, adjusted by doping components, amounts, and ratios. The photoluminescence quantum yields of the core/doped-shell/shell nanocrystals approached 36%. - Highlights: • ZnSe/ZnS:(Cu,Ms)/ZnS core/(doped)shell/shell nanocrystals were synthesized in an aqueous phase. • Emission color of nanocrystals was controlled from blue to white to orange by adjusting the atomic ratio of Cu and Mn co-dopants. • Photoluminescence quantum yields of the colloidal nanocrystals approached 36%.

Mn-doped Ge self-assembled quantum dots via dewetting of thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aouassa, Mansour, E-mail: mansour.aouassa@yahoo.fr [LMON, Faculté des Sciences de Monastir, Avenue de l’environnement Monastir 5019 (Tunisia); Jadli, Imen [LMON, Faculté des Sciences de Monastir, Avenue de l’environnement Monastir 5019 (Tunisia); Bandyopadhyay, Anup [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A& M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Kim, Sung Kyu [Center for Nanomaterials and Chemical Reactions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Yuseong-daero 1689-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Karaman, Ibrahim [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A& M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Lee, Jeong Yong [Center for Nanomaterials and Chemical Reactions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Yuseong-daero 1689-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-01

Highlights: • We report the new fabrication approach for producing a self- assembled Mn dpoed Ge quantum dots (QDs) on SiO{sub 2} thin film with a Curie temperature above room temperature. These magnetic QDs are crystalline, monodisperse and have a well-defined shape and a controlled size. The investigation opens new routes for elaboration of self-assembled magnetic nanocrystals - Abstract: In this study, we demonstrate an original elaboration route for producing a Mn-doped Ge self-assembled quantum dots on SiO{sub 2} thin layer for MOS structure. These magnetic quantum dots are elaborated using dewetting phenomenon at solid state by Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) annealing at high temperature of an amorphous Ge:Mn (Mn: 40%) nanolayer deposed at very low temperature by high-precision Solid Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy on SiO{sub 2} thin film. The size of quantum dots is controlled with nanometer scale precision by varying the nominal thickness of amorphous film initially deposed. The magnetic properties of the quantum-dots layer have been investigated by superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine the nanostructure of these materials. Obtained results indicate that GeMn QDs are crystalline, monodisperse and exhibit a ferromagnetic behavior with a Curie temperature (TC) above room temperature. They could be integrated into spintronic technology.
In-situ Ga doping of fully strained Ge1-xSnx heteroepitaxial layers grown on Ge(001) substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimura, Y.; Takeuchi, S.; Nakatsuka, O.; Vincent, B.; Gencarelli, F.; Clarysse, T.; Vandervorst, W.; Caymax, M.; Loo, R.; Jensen, A.; Petersen, D.H.; Zaima, S.

2012-01-01

We have investigated the Ga and Sn content dependence of the crystallinity and electrical properties of Ga-doped Ge 1-x Sn x layers that are heteroepitaxially grown on Ge(001) substrates. The doping of Ga to levels as high as the solubility limit of Ga at the growth temperature leads to the introduction of dislocations, due to the increase in the strain of the Ge 1-x Sn x layers. We achieved the growth of a fully strained Ge 0.922 Sn 0.078 layer on Ge with a Ga concentration of 5.5 × 10 19 /cm 3 without any dislocations and stacking faults. The resistivity of the Ga-doped Ge 1-x Sn x layer decreased as the Sn content was increased. This decrease was due to an increase in the carrier concentration, with an increase in the activation level of Ga atoms in the Ge 1-x Sn x epitaxial layers being induced by the introduction of Sn. As a result, we found that the resistivity for the Ge 0.950 Sn 0.050 layer annealed at 600°C for 1 min is 3.6 times less than that of the Ga-doped Ge/Ge sample. - Highlights: ► Heavy Ga-doping into fully strained GeSn layers without the introduction of dislocations ► The uniform Ga depth profile allowed the introduction of Sn ► The decrease in resistivity with an increase in the activation level of Ga was caused by the introduction of Sn
Size limit on the phosphorous doped silicon nanocrystals for dopant activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, P., E-mail: pengyuan.yang@surrey.ac.uk [Surrey Ion Beam Centre, Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH (United Kingdom); Gwilliam, R.M. [Surrey Ion Beam Centre, Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH (United Kingdom); Crowe, I.F.; Papachristodoulou, N.; Halsall, M.P. [Photon Science Institute, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Alan Turing Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Hylton, N.P. [Blackett Laboratory, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Hulko, O.; Knights, A.P. [Department of Engineering Physics and the Centre for Emerging Device Technologies, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Ontario (Canada); Shah, M.; Kenyon, A.J. [Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom)

2013-07-15

We studied the photoluminescence spectra of silicon nanocrystals doped with and without phosphorus as a function of isothermal annealing time. Silicon nanocrystals were prepared by the implantation of 80 keV Si{sup +} into a 500 nm SiO{sub 2} film to an areal density of 8 × 10{sup 16} at/cm{sup 2}. Half of the samples were co-implanted with P{sup +} at 80 keV to 5 × 10{sup 15} at/cm{sup 2}. The photoluminescence of the annealed samples were photo-excited at wavelength of 405 nm. For short anneal times, when the nanocrystal size distribution has a relatively small mean diameter, formation in the presence of phosphorus yields an increase in the luminescence intensity and a blue shift in the emission peak compared with intrinsic nanocrystals. As the mean size increases with annealing time, this enhancement rapidly diminishes and the peak energy shifts to the red. Our results indicate the donor electron generation depends strongly on the nanocrystal size. We also found a critical limit above which it allows dopant activation.
Temperature-induced assembly of semiconductor nanocrystals into fractal architectures and thermoelectric power properties in Au/Ge bilayer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Quanbao; Wang Jian; Jiao Zheng [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Wu Minghong, E-mail: mhwu@staff.shu.edu.cn [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Shek, Chan-Hung; Lawrence Wu, C.M.; Lai, Joseph K.L. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong (Hong Kong); Chen Zhiwen, E-mail: cnzwchen@yahoo.com.cn [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong (Hong Kong)

2011-08-15

Highlights: > Ge fractal architectures were achieved by temperature-induced assembly. > The appearance of fractal architectures influences the thermoelectric power. > But it has little effect on the resistivity. > The values of the superlocalization exponent were within 1.22 {<=} {xi} {<=} 1.29. > It was higher than expected for two-dimension fractal system. - Abstract: Fractal architectures of semiconductor nanocrystals were successfully achieved by temperature-induced assembly of semiconductor nanocrystals in gold/germanium (Au/Ge) bilayer films. New assessment strategies of fractal architectures are of fundamental importance in the development of micro/nano-devices. Temperature-dependent properties including resistivity and thermoelectric power (TEP) of Au/Ge bilayer films with self-similar fractal patterns were investigated in detail. Experimental results indicated that the microstructure of Au film plays an important role in the characteristics of Au/Ge bilayer films after annealing and the crystallization processes of amorphous Ge accompany by fractal formation of Ge nanocrystals via temperature-induced assembly. The appearance of fractal architectures has significantly influence on the TEP but little effect on the resistivity of the annealed bilayer film. By analysis of the data, we found that the values of superlocalization exponent are within 1.22 {<=} {xi} {<=} 1.29, which are higher than expected for two-dimension fractal systems. The results provided possible evidence for the superlocalization on fractal architectures in Au/Ge bilayer films. The TEP measurements are considered a more effective method than the conductivity for investigating superlocalization in a percolating system.
Room-temperature ferromagnetic Cr-doped Ge/GeOx core–shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Katkar, Amar S.; Gupta, Shobhnath P.; Motin Seikh, Md; Chen, Lih-Juann; Walke, Pravin S.

2018-06-01

The Cr-doped tunable thickness core–shell Ge/GeOx nanowires (NWs) were synthesized and characterized using x-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and magnetization studies. The shell thickness increases with the increase in synthesis temperature. The presence of metallic Cr and Cr3+ in core–shell structure was confirmed from XPS study. The magnetic property is highly sensitive to the core–shell thickness and intriguing room temperature ferromagnetism is realized only in core–shell NWs. The magnetization decreases with an increase in shell thickness and practically ceases to exist when there is no core. These NWs show remarkably high Curie temperature (TC > 300 K) with the dominating values of its magnetic remanence (MR) and coercivity (HC) compared to germanium dilute magnetic semiconductor nanomaterials. We believe that our finding on these Cr-doped Ge/GeOX core–shell NWs has the potential to be used as a hard magnet for future spintronic devices, owing to their higher characteristic values of ferromagnetic ordering.
Structural and optical characterization of Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals elaborated by ion implantation in SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonafos, C.; Garrido, B.; Lopez, M.; Romano-Rodriguez, A.; Gonzalez-Varona, O.; Perez-Rodriguez, A.; Morante, J.R.; Rodriguez, R.

1999-01-01

Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals have been formed in SiO 2 layers by ion implantation and thermal annealing. The structural analysis of the processed samples has been performed mainly by Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The data show the precipitation of ZnS nanocrystals self-organized into two layers parallel to the free surface. First results of the optical analysis of samples co-implanted with Mn show the presence of a yellow-green photoluminescence depending on the Mn concentration and the size of the nanocrystals, suggesting the doping with Mn of some precipitates
Antimony segregation in Ge and formation of n-type selectively doped Ge films in molecular beam epitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yurasov, D. V., E-mail: Inquisitor@ipm.sci-nnov.ru; Antonov, A. V.; Drozdov, M. N.; Schmagin, V. B.; Novikov, A. V. [Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, GSP-105, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod, 23 Prospekt Gagarina, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Spirin, K. E. [Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, GSP-105, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation)

2015-10-14

Antimony segregation in Ge(001) films grown by molecular beam epitaxy was studied. A quantitative dependence of the Sb segregation ratio in Ge on growth temperature was revealed experimentally and modeled theoretically taking into account both the terrace-mediated and step-edge-mediated segregation mechanisms. A nearly 5-orders-of-magnitude increase in the Sb segregation ratio in a relatively small temperature range of 180–350 °C was obtained, which allowed to form Ge:Sb doped layers with abrupt boundaries and high crystalline quality using the temperature switching method that was proposed earlier for Si-based structures. This technique was employed for fabrication of different kinds of n-type Ge structures which can be useful for practical applications like heavily doped n{sup +}-Ge films or δ-doped layers. Estimation of the doping profiles sharpness yielded the values of 2–5 nm per decade for the concentration gradient at the leading edge and 2–3 nm for the full-width-half-maximum of the Ge:Sb δ-layers. Electrical characterization of grown Ge:Sb structures revealed nearly full electrical activation of Sb atoms and the two-dimensional nature of charge carrier transport in δ-layers.
Ex situ n+ doping of GeSn alloys via non-equilibrium processing

Science.gov (United States)

Prucnal, S.; Berencén, Y.; Wang, M.; Rebohle, L.; Böttger, R.; Fischer, I. A.; Augel, L.; Oehme, M.; Schulze, J.; Voelskow, M.; Helm, M.; Skorupa, W.; Zhou, S.

2018-06-01

Full integration of Ge-based alloys like GeSn with complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor technology would require the fabrication of p- and n-type doped regions for both planar and tri-dimensional device architectures which is challenging using in situ doping techniques. In this work, we report on the influence of ex situ doping on the structural, electrical and optical properties of GeSn alloys. n-type doping is realized by P implantation into GeSn alloy layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) followed by flash lamp annealing. We show that effective carrier concentration of up to 1 × 1019 cm‑3 can be achieved without affecting the Sn distribution. Sn segregation at the surface accompanied with an Sn diffusion towards the crystalline/amorphous GeSn interface is found at P fluences higher than 3 × 1015 cm‑2 and electron concentration of about 4 × 1019 cm‑3. The optical and structural properties of ion-implanted GeSn layers are comparable with the in situ doped MBE grown layers.
Atomistic simulation of the thermal conductivity in amorphous SiO2 matrix/Ge nanocrystal composites

Science.gov (United States)

Kuryliuk, Vasyl V.; Korotchenkov, Oleg A.

2017-04-01

We use nonequilibrium molecular dynamics computer simulations with the Tersoff potential aiming to provide a comprehensive picture of the thermal conductivity of amorphous SiO2 (a-SiO2) matrix with embedded Ge nanocrystals (nc-Ge). The modelling predicts the a-SiO2 matrix thermal conductivity in a temperature range of 50 fair agreement with experiment at around room temperature. It is worth noticing that the predicted room-temperature thermal conductivity in a-SiO2 is in very good agreement with the experimental result, which is in marked contrast with the thermal conductivity calculated employing the widely used van Beest-Kramer-van Santen (BKS) potential. We show that the thermal conductivity of composite nc-Ge/a-SiO2 systems decreases steadily with increasing the volume fraction of Ge inclusions, indicative of enhanced interface scattering of phonons imposed by embedded Ge nanocrystals. We also observe that increasing the volume fractions above a certain threshold value results in a progressively increased thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite, which can be explained by increasing volume fraction of a better thermally conducting Ge. Finally, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations with the Tersoff potential are promising for computing the thermal conductivity of nanocomposites based on amorphous SiO2 and can be readily scaled to more complex composite structures with embedded nanoparticles, which thus help design nanocomposites with desired thermal properties.
Flat Ge-doped optical fibres for food irradiation dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noor, N. Mohd; Jusoh, M. A. [Department of Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Razis, A. F. Abdull [Food Safety Research Centre, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Laboratory of UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Alawiah, A. [Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Multimedia University, 75450 Malacca (Malaysia); Bradley, D. A. [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Department of Physics, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2015-04-24

Exposing food to radiation can improve hygiene quality, germination control, retard sprouting, and enhance physical attributes of the food product. To provide for food safety, radiation dosimetry in irradiated food is required. Herein, fabricated germanium doped (Ge-doped) optical fibres have been used. The fibres have been irradiated using a gamma source irradiator, doses in the range 1 kGy to 10 kGy being delivered. Using Ge-doped optical fibres of variable size, type and dopant concentration, study has been made of linearity, reproducibility, and fading. The thermoluminescence (TL) yield of the fibres were obtained and compared. The fibres exhibit a linear dose response over the investigated range of doses, with mean reproducibility to within 2.69 % to 8.77 %, exceeding the dose range of all commercial dosimeters used in evaluating high doses for the food irradiation industry. TL fading of the Ge-doped flat fibres has been found to be < 13%.
Flat Ge-doped optical fibres for food irradiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noor, N. Mohd; Jusoh, M. A.; Razis, A. F. Abdull; Alawiah, A.; Bradley, D. A.

2015-01-01

Exposing food to radiation can improve hygiene quality, germination control, retard sprouting, and enhance physical attributes of the food product. To provide for food safety, radiation dosimetry in irradiated food is required. Herein, fabricated germanium doped (Ge-doped) optical fibres have been used. The fibres have been irradiated using a gamma source irradiator, doses in the range 1 kGy to 10 kGy being delivered. Using Ge-doped optical fibres of variable size, type and dopant concentration, study has been made of linearity, reproducibility, and fading. The thermoluminescence (TL) yield of the fibres were obtained and compared. The fibres exhibit a linear dose response over the investigated range of doses, with mean reproducibility to within 2.69 % to 8.77 %, exceeding the dose range of all commercial dosimeters used in evaluating high doses for the food irradiation industry. TL fading of the Ge-doped flat fibres has been found to be < 13%
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
Ultra-smooth epitaxial Ge grown on Si(001) utilizing a thin C-doped Ge buffer layer

KAUST Repository

Mantey, J.; Hsu, W.; James, J.; Onyegam, E. U.; Guchhait, S.; Banerjee, S. K.

2013-01-01

Here, we present work on epitaxial Ge films grown on a thin buffer layer of C doped Ge (Ge:C). The growth rate of Ge:C is found to slow over time and is thus unsuitable for thick (>20 nm) layers. We demonstrate Ge films from 10 nm to >150 nm
Chemically tailoring the dopant emission in manganese-doped CsPbCl{sub 3} perovskite nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das Adhikari, Samrat; Dutta, Sumit K.; Dutta, Anirban; Guria, Amit K.; Pradhan, Narayan [Department of Materials Science, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata (India)

2017-07-17

Doping in perovskite nanocrystals adopts different mechanistic approach in comparison to widely established doping in chalcogenide quantum dots. The fast formation of perovskites makes the dopant insertions more competitive and challenging. Introducing alkylamine hydrochloride (RNH{sub 3}Cl) as a promoting reagent, precise controlled doping of Mn{sup II} in CsPbCl{sub 3} perovskite nanocrystals is reported. Simply, by changing the amount of RNH{sub 3}Cl, the Mn incorporation and subsequent tuning in the excitonic as well as Mn d-d emission intensities are tailored. Investigations suggested that RNH{sub 3}Cl acted as the chlorinating source, controlled the size, and also helps in increasing the number of particles. This provided more opportunity for Mn ions to take part in reaction and occupied the appropriate lattice positions. Carrying out several reactions with varying reaction parameters, the doping conditions are optimized and the role of the promoting reagent for both doped and undoped systems are compared. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Structural and optical characterization of Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals elaborated by ion implantation in SiO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonafos, C. E-mail: bonafos@el.ub.es; Garrido, B.; Lopez, M.; Romano-Rodriguez, A.; Gonzalez-Varona, O.; Perez-Rodriguez, A.; Morante, J.R.; Rodriguez, R

1999-01-01

Mn doped ZnS nanocrystals have been formed in SiO{sub 2} layers by ion implantation and thermal annealing. The structural analysis of the processed samples has been performed mainly by Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The data show the precipitation of ZnS nanocrystals self-organized into two layers parallel to the free surface. First results of the optical analysis of samples co-implanted with Mn show the presence of a yellow-green photoluminescence depending on the Mn concentration and the size of the nanocrystals, suggesting the doping with Mn of some precipitates.
Colloidal Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals: Facile low temperature synthesis, characterization and properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singhal, A. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)], E-mail: ansing@barc.gov.in; Achary, S.N.; Tyagi, A.K. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Manna, P.K.; Yusuf, S.M. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2008-09-25

Colloidal Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals, Zn{sub 1-x}Fe{sub x}O (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.07 and 0.1) have been prepared by thermal decomposition of metal precursors at 200 deg. C with hexadecylamine (HDA) as solvent and surfactant. The nanocrystals so prepared can be easily dispersed in non-polar solvents like chloroform and toluene. The nanocrystals have been structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Magnetization measurements on a representative sample, Zn{sub 0.95}Fe{sub 0.05}O using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) reveal that the nanocrystals exhibit a weak ferromagnetic behavior at 300 K. This observation is further confirmed by the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of Zn{sub 0.95}Fe{sub 0.05}O nanocrystals, which shows a distinct ferromagnetic resonance signal at room temperature.
Impacts of doping on epitaxial germanium thin film quality and Si-Ge interdiffusion

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Guangnan

2018-04-03

Ge-on-Si structures with three different dopants (P, As and B) and those without intentional doping were grown, annealed and characterized by several different material characterization methods. All samples have a smooth surface (roughness < 1.5 nm), and the Ge films are almost entirely relaxed. B doped Ge films have threading dislocations above 1 × 10 cm, while P and As doping can reduce the threading dislocation density to be less than 10 cm without annealing. The interdiffusion of Si and Ge of different films have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. A quantitative model of Si-Ge interdiffusion under extrinsic conditions across the full x range was established including the dislocationmediated diffusion. The Kirkendall effect has been observed. The results are of technical significance for the structure, doping, and process design of Ge-on-Si based devices, especially for photonic applications.
Impacts of doping on epitaxial germanium thin film quality and Si-Ge interdiffusion

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Guangnan; Lee, Kwang Hong; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Xixiang; Tan, Chuan Seng; Xia, Guangrui

2018-01-01

Ge-on-Si structures with three different dopants (P, As and B) and those without intentional doping were grown, annealed and characterized by several different material characterization methods. All samples have a smooth surface (roughness < 1.5 nm), and the Ge films are almost entirely relaxed. B doped Ge films have threading dislocations above 1 × 10 cm, while P and As doping can reduce the threading dislocation density to be less than 10 cm without annealing. The interdiffusion of Si and Ge of different films have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. A quantitative model of Si-Ge interdiffusion under extrinsic conditions across the full x range was established including the dislocationmediated diffusion. The Kirkendall effect has been observed. The results are of technical significance for the structure, doping, and process design of Ge-on-Si based devices, especially for photonic applications.
Spectroscopic properties of Er3+ and Yb3+ co-doped glass ceramics containing SrF2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiao Xvsheng; Fan Xianping; Wang Minquan; Zhang Xianghua

2009-01-01

The spectroscopic properties of Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped 50SiO 2 -10Al 2 O 3 -20ZnF 2 -20SrF 2 glass and glass ceramic containing SrF 2 nanocrystals were investigated. The formation of SrF 2 nanocrystals in the glass ceramic was confirmed by XRD. The oscillator strengths for several transitions of the Er 3+ ions in the glass ceramic have been obtained and the Judd-Ofelt parameters were then determined. The XRD result and Judd-Ofelt parameters suggested that Er 3+ and Yb 3+ ions had efficiently enriched in the SrF 2 nanocrystals in the glass ceramic. The lifetime of excited states has been used to reveal the surroundings of luminescent Er 3+ and Yb 3+ and energy transfer (ET) mechanism between Er 3+ and Yb 3+ . Much stronger upconversion luminescence and longer lifetime of the Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped glass ceramic were observed in comparison with the Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped glass, which could be ascribed to more efficient ET from Yb 3+ to Er 3+ due to the enrichment of Yb 3+ and Er 3+ and the shortening of the distance between lanthanide ions in the precipitated SrF 2 nanocrystals.
Charge trapping of Ge-nanocrystals embedded in TaZrOx dielectric films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehninger, D.; Seidel, P.; Geyer, M.; Schneider, F.; Heitmann, J.; Klemm, V.; Rafaja, D.; Borany, J. von

2015-01-01

Ge-nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized in amorphous TaZrO x by thermal annealing of co-sputtered Ge-TaZrO x layers. Formation of spherical shaped Ge-NCs with small variation of size, areal density, and depth distribution was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The charge storage characteristics of the Ge-NCs were investigated by capacitance-voltage and constant-capacity measurements using metal-insulator-semiconductor structures. Samples with Ge-NCs exhibit a maximum memory window of 5 V by sweeping the bias voltage from −7 V to 7 V and back. Below this maximum, the width of the memory window can be controlled by the bias voltage. The fitted slope of the memory window versus bias voltage characteristics is very close to 1 for samples with one layer Ge-NCs. A second layer Ge-NCs does not result in a second flat stair in the memory window characteristics. Constant-capacity measurements indicate charge storage in trapping centers at the interfaces between the Ge-NCs and the surrounding materials (amorphous matrix/tunneling oxide). Charge loss occurs by thermal detrapping and subsequent band-to-band tunneling. Reference samples without Ge-NCs do not show any memory window

Observation of spin-selective tunneling in SiGe nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsaros, G; Golovach, V N; Spathis, P; Ares, N; Stoffel, M; Fournel, F; Schmidt, O G; Glazman, L I; De Franceschi, S

2011-12-09

Spin-selective tunneling of holes in SiGe nanocrystals contacted by normal-metal leads is reported. The spin selectivity arises from an interplay of the orbital effect of the magnetic field with the strong spin-orbit interaction present in the valence band of the semiconductor. We demonstrate both experimentally and theoretically that spin-selective tunneling in semiconductor nanostructures can be achieved without the use of ferromagnetic contacts. The reported effect, which relies on mixing the light and heavy holes, should be observable in a broad class of quantum-dot systems formed in semiconductors with a degenerate valence band.
Synthesis and characterization of transition-metal-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals for spintronics

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuefeng

Spintronics (spin transport electr onics), in which both spin and charge of carriers are utilized for information processing, is believed to challenge the current microelectronics and to become the next-generation electronics. Nanostructured spintronic materials and their synthetic methodologies are of paramount importance for manufacturing future nanoscale spintronic devices. This thesis aims at studying synthesis, characterization, and magnetism of transition-metal-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals---a diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS)---for potential applications in future nano-spintronics. A simple bottom-up-based synthetic strategy named a solvothermal technique is introduced as the primary synthetic approach and its crystal growth mechanism is scrutinized. N-type cobalt-doped ZnO-based DMS nanocrystals are employed as a model system, and characterized by a broad spectrum of advanced microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. It is found that the self-orientation growth mechanism, imperfect oriented attachment, is intimately correlated with the high-temperature ferromagnetism via defects. The influence of processing on the magnetic properties, such as compositional variations, reaction conditions, and post-growth treatment, is also studied. In this way, an in-depth understanding of processing-structure-property interrelationships and origins of magnetism in DMS nanocrystals are obtained in light of the theoretical framework of a spin-split impurity band model. In addition, a nanoscale spinodal decomposition phase model is also briefly discussed. Following the similar synthetic route, copper- and manganese-doped ZnO nanocrystals have been synthesized and characterized. They both show high-temperature ferromagnetism in line with the aforementioned theoretical model(s). Moreover, they display interesting exchange biasing phenomena at low temperatures, revealing the complexity of magnetic phases therein. The crystal growth strategy demonstrated in this work
Improved electrochromical properties of sol-gel WO3 thin films by doping gold nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naseri, N.; Azimirad, R.; Akhavan, O.; Moshfegh, A.Z.

2010-01-01

In this investigation, the effect of gold nanocrystals on the electrochromical properties of sol-gel Au doped WO 3 thin films has been studied. The Au-WO 3 thin films were dip-coated on both glass and indium tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates with various gold concentrations of 0, 3.2 and 6.4 mol%. Optical properties of the samples were studied by UV-visible spectrophotometry in a range of 300-1100 nm. The optical density spectra of the films showed the formation of gold nanoparticles in the films. The optical bandgap energy of Au-WO 3 films decreased with increasing the Au concentration. Crystalline structure of the doped films was investigated by X-ray diffractometry, which indicated formation of gold nanocrystals in amorphous WO 3 thin films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to study the surface chemical composition of the samples. XPS analysis indicated the presence of gold in metallic state and the formation of stoichiometric WO 3 . The electrochromic properties of the Au-WO 3 samples were also characterized using lithium-based electrolyte. It was found that doping of Au nanocrystals in WO 3 thin films improved the coloration time of the layer. In addition, it was shown that variation of Au concentration led to color change in the colored state of the Au-WO 3 thin films.
Effects of Ge- and Sb-doping and annealing on the tunable bandgaps of SnS films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, Hsuan-Tai; Chiang, Ming-Hung; Huang, Chen-Hao [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Lin, Wen-Tai, E-mail: wtlin@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Fu, Yaw-Shyan [Department of Greenergy, National University of Tainan, Tainan 700, Taiwan (China); Guo, Tzung-Fang [Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

2015-06-01

SnS, Ge- and Sb-doped SnS films with single orthorhombic SnS phase were fabricated via solvothermal routes and subsequent spin-coating, respectively. The substitution solubilities of Ge and Sb in SnS are about 6 and 5 at.%, respectively. The bandgaps of Ge- and Sb-doped SnS films can be tuned in the ranges of 1.25–1.35 and 1.30–1.39 eV, respectively. The possible mechanisms for the tunable bandgaps of Ge- and Sb-doped SnS films are discussed. For the Ge- and Sb-doped SnS films subjected to annealing at 200–350 °C in N{sub 2}, the bandgaps of 200 °C-annealed films remain unchanged, while those of 300 °C- and 350 °C-annealed films decrease with the annealing temperature because of the evaporation of Ge and Sb respectively. - Highlights: • Ge- and Sb-doped SnS films were fabricated via spin-coating. • The solubilities of Ge and Sb in SnS are about 6 and 5 at.%, respectively. • The bandgaps of SnS films can be tuned by Ge and Sb doping respectively. • Annealing above 300 °C reduces the bandgaps of Ge- and Sb-doped SnS films.
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
Characterization of Ge-doped optical fibres for MV radiotherapy dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noor, Noramaliza M.; Hussein, M.; Kadni, T.; Bradley, D.A.; Nisbet, A.

2014-01-01

Ge-doped optical fibres offer promising thermoluminescence (TL) properties together with small physical size and modest cost. Their use as dosimeters for postal radiotherapy dose audits of megavoltage photon beams has been investigated. Key dosimetric characteristics including reproducibility, linearity, dose rate, temperature and angular dependence have been established. A methodology of measuring absorbed dose under reference conditions was developed. The Ge-doped optical fibres offer linearity between TL yield and dose, with a reproducibility of better than 5%, following repeated measurements (n=5) for doses from 5 cGy to 1000 cGy. The fibres also offer dose rate, angular and temperature independence, while an energy-dependent response of 7% was found over the energy range 6 MV to 15 MV (TPR 20,10 of 0.660, 0.723 and 0.774 for 6, 10 and 15 MV respectively). The audit methodology has been developed with an expanded uncertainty of 4.22% at 95% confidence interval for the photon beams studied. - Highlights: • We investigate dosimetric characteristics of commercial Ge-doped optical fibres. • We develop audit methodology for measuring absorbed dose under reference conditions. • Ge-doped optical fibres offer promising thermoluminescence (TL) properties. • Audit methodology has been developed with an expanded uncertainty of 4.22%
Thermoelectric properties of Cu/Ag doped type-III Ba24Ge100 clathrates

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Jiefei; Su, Xianli; Yan, Yonggao; Liu, Wei; Zhang, Zhengkai; She, Xiaoyu; Uher, Ctirad; Tang, Xinfeng

2017-09-01

Type-III Ba24Ge100 clathrates possess low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity at room temperature and, as such, have a great potential as thermoelectric materials for power generation. However, the Seebeck coefficient is very low due to the intrinsically high carrier concentration. In this paper, a series of Ba24CuxGe100-x and Ba24AgyGe100-y specimens were prepared by vacuum melting combined with the subsequent spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. Doping Cu or Ag on the Ge site not only suppresses the concentration of electrons but it also decreases the thermal conductivity. In addition, the carrier mobility and the Seebeck coefficient increase due to the decrease in the carrier concentration. Thus, the power factor is greatly improved, leading to an improvement in the dimensionless figure of merit ZT. Cu-doped Ba24Cu6Ge94 reaches the maximum ZT value of about 0.17 at 873 K, while Ag-doped Ba24Ag6Ge94 attains the dimensionless figure of merit ZT of 0.31 at 873 K, more than 2 times higher value compared to un-doped Ba24Ge100.
Synthesis and characterization of rare-earth-doped calcium tungstate nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Suneeta, P.; Rajesh, Ch.; Ramana, M. V.

2018-02-01

In this paper, we report synthesis and characterization of rare-earth-ion-doped calcium tungstate (CaWO4) nanocrystals (NCs). Rare-earth ions, such as gadolinium (Gd), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), samarium (Sm) and holmium (Ho), were successfully doped in the CaWO4 NCs by changing the synthesis conditions. The adopted synthesis route was found to be fast and eco-friendly. Structural characterizations, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and compositional analysis, were performed using energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) on as-synthesized NCs. The results indicate the size of the NCs ranging between 47 to 68nm and incorporation of rare-earth ions in CaWO4 NCs.
Ultranarrow and widely tunable Mn2+-Induced photoluminescence from single Mn-doped nanocrystals of ZnS-CdS alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazarika, Abhijit; Layek, Arunasish; De, Suman; Nag, Angshuman; Debnath, Saikat; Mahadevan, Priya; Chowdhury, Arindam; Sarma, D D

2013-06-28

Extensively studied Mn-doped semiconductor nanocrystals have invariably exhibited photoluminescence over a narrow energy window of width ≤150 meV in the orange-red region and a surprisingly large spectral width (≥180 meV), contrary to its presumed atomic-like origin. Carrying out emission measurements on individual single nanocrystals and supported by ab initio calculations, we show that Mn PL emission, in fact, can (i) vary over a much wider range (∼370 meV) covering the deep green--deep red region and (ii) exhibit widths substantially lower (∼60-75 meV) than reported so far, opening newer application possibilities and requiring a fundamental shift in our perception of the emission from Mn-doped semiconductor nanocrystals.
Atomic scale insight into the amorphous structure of Cu doped GeTe phase-change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Linchuan; Sa, Baisheng; Zhou, Jian; Sun, Zhimei; Song, Zhitang

2014-01-01

GeTe shows promising application as a recording material for phase-change nonvolatile memory due to its fast crystallization speed and extraordinary amorphous stability. To further improve the performance of GeTe, various transition metals, such as copper, have been doped in GeTe in recent works. However, the effect of the doped transition metals on the stability of amorphous GeTe is not known. Here, we shed light on this problem for the system of Cu doped GeTe by means of ab initio molecular dynamics calculations. Our results show that the doped Cu atoms tend to agglomerate in amorphous GeTe. Further, base on analyzing the pair correlation functions, coordination numbers and bond angle distributions, remarkable changes in the local structure of amorphous GeTe induced by Cu are obviously seen. The present work may provide some clues for understanding the effect of early transition metals on the local structure of amorphous phase-change compounds, and hence should be helpful for optimizing the structure and performance of phase-change materials by doping transition metals.
Visible light induced electron transfer process over nitrogen doped TiO2 nanocrystals prepared by oxidation of titanium nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Zhongbiao; Dong Fan; Zhao Weirong; Guo Sen

2008-01-01

Nitrogen doped TiO 2 nanocrystals with anatase and rutile mixed phases were prepared by incomplete oxidation of titanium nitride at different temperatures. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), core level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (CL XPS), valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VB XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS), and visible light excited photoluminescence (PL). The photocatalytic activity was evaluated for photocatalytic degradation of toluene in gas phase under visible light irradiation. The visible light absorption and photoactivities of these nitrogen doped TiO 2 nanocrystals can be clearly attributed to the change of the additional electronic (N - ) states above the valence band of TiO 2 modified by N dopant as revealed by the VB XPS and visible light induced PL. A band gap structure model was established to explain the electron transfer process over nitrogen doped TiO 2 nanocrystals under visible light irradiation, which was consistent with the previous theoretical and experimental results. This model can also be applied to understand visible light induced photocatalysis over other nonmetal doped TiO 2
Optical Amplification at 1525 nm in BaYF5: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+ Nanocrystals Doped SU-8 Polymer Waveguide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pengcheng Zhao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrated optical amplification in BaYF5: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+ (BYF nanocrystals doped polymer waveguide. BYF nanocrystals with an average size of ∼13 nm were synthesized by a high-boiling solvent process. Intense 1.53 μm fluorescence was obtained in the nanocrystals under excitation at 980 nm. An optical polymer waveguide was fabricated by using BYF nanocrystals doped SU-8 polymer as the core material. A relative optical gain of ∼10.4 dB at 1525 nm was achieved in a 1.1 cm long waveguide for an input signal power of ∼0.09 mW and a pump power of ∼212 mW.
Laser annealed in-situ P-doped Ge for on-chip laser source applications (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, Ashwyn; Pantouvaki, Marianna; Shimura, Yosuke; Porret, Clement; Van Deun, Rik; Loo, Roger; Van Thourhout, Dries; Van Campenhout, Joris

2016-05-01

Realization of a monolithically integrated on-chip laser source remains the holy-grail of Silicon Photonics. Germanium (Ge) is a promising semiconductor for lasing applications when highly doped with Phosphorous (P) and or alloyed with Sn [1, 2]. P doping makes Ge a pseudo-direct band gap material and the emitted wavelengths are compatible with fiber-optic communication applications. However, in-situ P doping with Ge2H6 precursor allows a maximum active P concentration of 6×1019 cm-3 [3]. Even with such active P levels, n++ Ge is still an indirect band gap material and could result in very high threshold current densities. In this work, we demonstrate P-doped Ge layers with active n-type doping beyond 1020 cm-3, grown using Ge2H6 and PH3 and subsequently laser annealed, targeting power-efficient on-chip laser sources. The use of Ge2H6 precursors during the growth of P-doped Ge increases the active P concentration level to a record fully activated concentration of 1.3×1020 cm-3 when laser annealed with a fluence of 1.2 J/cm2. The material stack consisted of 200 nm thick P-doped Ge grown on an annealed 1 µm Ge buffer on Si. Ge:P epitaxy was performed with PH3 and Ge2H6 at 320oC. Low temperature growth enable Ge:P epitaxy far from thermodynamic equilibrium, resulting in an enhanced incorporation of P atoms [3]. At such high active P concentration, the n++ Ge layer is expected to be a pseudo-direct band gap material. The photoluminescence (PL) intensities for layers with highest active P concentration show an enhancement of 18× when compared to undoped Ge grown on Si as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The layers were optically pumped with a 640 nm laser and an incident intensity of 410 mW/cm2. The PL was measured with a NIR spectrometer with a Hamamatsu R5509-72 NIR photomultiplier tube detector whose detectivity drops at 1620 nm. Due to high active P concentration, we expect band gap narrowing phenomena to push the PL peak to wavelengths beyond the detection limit
Electronic structure of O-doped SiGe calculated by DFT + U method

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zong-Yan; Yang, Wen; Yang, Pei-Zhi

2016-12-01

To more in depth understand the doping effects of oxygen on SiGe alloys, both the micro-structure and properties of O-doped SiGe (including: bulk, (001) surface, and (110) surface) are calculated by DFT + U method in the present work. The calculated results are as follows. (i) The (110) surface is the main exposing surface of SiGe, in which O impurity prefers to occupy the surface vacancy sites. (ii) For O interstitial doping on SiGe (110) surface, the existences of energy states caused by O doping in the band gap not only enhance the infrared light absorption, but also improve the behaviors of photo-generated carriers. (iii) The finding about decreased surface work function of O-doped SiGe (110) surface can confirm previous experimental observations. (iv) In all cases, O doing mainly induces the electronic structures near the band gap to vary, but is not directly involved in these variations. Therefore, these findings in the present work not only can provide further explanation and analysis for the corresponding underlying mechanism for some of the experimental findings reported in the literature, but also conduce to the development of μc-SiGe-based solar cells in the future. Project supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province, China (Grant No. 2015FB123), the 18th Yunnan Province Young Academic and Technical Leaders Reserve Talent Project, China (Grant No. 2015HB015), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U1037604).
Charge storage characteristics and tunneling mechanism of amorphous Ge-doped HfO{sub x} films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, X.Y.; Zhang, S.Y.; Zhang, T.; Wang, R.X.; Li, L.T.; Zhang, Y. [Southwest University, School of Physical Science and Technology, Chongqing (China); Dai, J.Y. [The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong (China)

2016-09-15

Amorphous Ge-doped HfO{sub x} films have been deposited on p-Si(100) substrates by means of RF magnetron sputtering. Microstructural investigations reveal the partial oxidation of doped Ge atoms in the amorphous HfO{sub x} matrix and the existence of HfSiO{sub x} interfacial layer. Capacitance-voltage hysteresis of the Ag-/Ge-doped HfO{sub x}/Si/Ag memory capacitor exhibits a memory window of 3.15 V which can maintain for >5 x 10{sup 4} cycles. Current-voltage characteristics reveal that Poole-Frenkel tunneling is responsible for electron transport in the Ge-doped HfO{sub x} film. (orig.)
Undoped and in-situ B doped GeSn epitaxial growth on Ge by atmospheric pressure-chemical vapor deposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vincent, B.; Gencarelli, F.; Bender, H.

2011-01-01

In this letter, we propose an atmospheric pressure-chemical vapor deposition technique to grow metastable GeSn epitaxial layers on Ge. We report the growth of defect free fully strained undoped and in-situ B doped GeSn layers on Ge substrates with Sit contents up to 8%. Those metastable layers stay...
Preparation and structural, optical, magnetic, and electrical characterization of Mn{sup 2+}/Co{sup 2+}/Cu{sup 2+} doped hematite nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srikrishna Ramya, S.I., E-mail: ramyaskr@gmail.com; Mahadevan, C.K.

2014-03-15

Pure and Mn{sup 2+} / Co{sup 2+} / Cu{sup 2+} doped (1 and 2 at.%) spherical hematite (α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3})nanocrystals have been synthesized by a simple solvothermal method using a domestic microwave oven. XRD measurements confirm that all the seven nanocrystals prepared consist of nanocrystalline hematite phase without any other phases. The energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared spectral analyses confirm the phase purity of the nanocrystals prepared. TEM analysis shows the average particle sizes within the range 33–51 nm. Optical absorption measurements indicate that all the three dopants enhance the optical transmittance and reflectance. A red shift is observed in the bandgap energy values estimated from optical absorption and reflectance spectra. Results of magnetic measurements made at room temperature using a vibrating sample magnetometer indicate significant changes in the magnetic properties (coercivity, retentivity and saturationmagnetization) due to doping. Results of magnetic measurements indicate significant changes in the magnetic properties. Results of AC electrical measurements made at various temperatures in the range 40–130 °C and frequencies in the range 100 Hz –1 MHz indicate low dielectric constants and AC electrical conductivities and consequently show the occurrence of nanoconfined states. -- Graphical abstract: The indexed X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of all the seven nanocrystals indicate the rhombohedral structure of hematite (JCPDS card No.13-0534). No impurity phase like oxides of Mn or Co or Cu was detected above equipment limit. The average crystallite (grain) sizes estimated using the Scherrer's formula. Highlights: • Pure and Mn/Co/Cu-doped hematite nanocrystals have been prepared. • The method adopted for the preparation is simple, economical and scalable. • Prepared nanocrystals are spherical in shape with good crystallinity and phase purity. • Mn/Co/Cu-doping enhances the optical
Enhanced photoluminescence of Si nanocrystals-doped cellulose nanofibers by plasmonic light scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugimoto, Hiroshi [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Zhang, Ran [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, 15 Saint Mary' s Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446 (United States); Reinhard, Björn M. [Department of Chemistry and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Fujii, Minoru [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Perotto, Giovanni; Marelli, Benedetto; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G. [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Physics, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155 (United States); Dal Negro, Luca, E-mail: dalnegro@bu.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, 15 Saint Mary' s Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446 (United States)

2015-07-27

We report the development of bio-compatible cellulose nanofibers doped with light emitting silicon nanocrystals and Au nanoparticles via facile electrospinning. By performing photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy as a function of excitation wavelength, we demonstrate plasmon-enhanced PL by a factor of 2.2 with negligible non-radiative quenching due to plasmon-enhanced scattering of excitation light from Au nanoparticles to silicon nanocrystals inside the nanofibers. These findings provide an alternative approach for the development of plasmon-enhanced active systems integrated within the compact nanofiber geometry. Furthermore, bio-compatible light-emitting nanofibers prepared by a cost-effective solution-based processing are very promising platforms for biophotonic applications such as fluorescence sensing and imaging.
Efficient sensitization of Ln{sup 3+}-doped NaYF{sub 4} nanocrystals with organic ligands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gauthier, N. [INAC, CEA, Laboratoire de Reconnaissance Ionique et Chimie de Coordination, Service de Chimie Inorganique et Biologique (UMR E-3 CEA/UJF) (France); Raccurt, O. [CEA, Laboratoire de Chimie et de Securite des NanoMateriaux (DTNM/LITEN/DRT) (France); Imbert, D., E-mail: daniel.imbert@cea.fr; Mazzanti, M. [INAC, CEA, Laboratoire de Reconnaissance Ionique et Chimie de Coordination, Service de Chimie Inorganique et Biologique (UMR E-3 CEA/UJF) (France)

2013-06-15

Ligand-capped lanthanide-doped fluoride nanocrystals have been prepared and fully characterized. Organic ligands can be used to promote efficient sensitization of lanthanide luminescence in the fluoride matrix up to a 330-fold enhancement in intensity, and to provide sizeable quantum yields of luminescence. The variation of luminescence efficiency in the capped nanocrystal series can be straightforwardly correlated to the energy of the measured ligand triplet states. The intense luminescence emission of most of the systems renders them very attractive for optical applications.
Electron irradiation response on Ge and Al-doped SiO 2 optical fibres

Science.gov (United States)

Yaakob, N. H.; Wagiran, H.; Hossain, I.; Ramli, A. T.; Bradley, D. A.; Hashim, S.; Ali, H.

2011-05-01

This paper describes the thermoluminescence response, sensitivity, stability and reproducibility of SiO 2 optical fibres with various electron energies and doses. The TL materials that comprise Al- and Ge-doped silica fibres were used in this experiment. The TL results are compared with those of the commercially available TLD-100. The doped SiO 2 optical fibres and TLD-100 are placed in a solid phantom and irradiated with 6, 9 and 12 MeV electron beams at doses ranging from 0.2 to 4.0 Gy using the LINAC at Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. It was found that the commercially available Al- and Ge-doped optical fibres have a linear dose-TL signal relationship. The intensity of TL response of Ge-doped fibre is markedly greater than that of the Al-doped fibre.

Electron irradiation response on Ge and Al-doped SiO2 optical fibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaakob, N.H.; Wagiran, H.; Hossain, I.; Ramli, A.T.; Bradley, D.A; Hashim, S.; Ali, H.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the thermoluminescence response, sensitivity, stability and reproducibility of SiO 2 optical fibres with various electron energies and doses. The TL materials that comprise Al- and Ge-doped silica fibres were used in this experiment. The TL results are compared with those of the commercially available TLD-100. The doped SiO 2 optical fibres and TLD-100 are placed in a solid phantom and irradiated with 6, 9 and 12 MeV electron beams at doses ranging from 0.2 to 4.0 Gy using the LINAC at Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. It was found that the commercially available Al- and Ge-doped optical fibres have a linear dose-TL signal relationship. The intensity of TL response of Ge-doped fibre is markedly greater than that of the Al-doped fibre.
Eu-doped ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded low-loss glass-ceramic waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Subhabrata; N, Shivakiran Bhaktha B.

2016-03-01

We report on the sol-gel fabrication, using a dip-coating technique, of low-loss Eu-doped 70SiO2 -(30-x) HfO2-xZnO (x = 2, 5, 7 and 10 mol%) ternary glass-ceramic planar waveguides. Transmission electron microscopy and grazing incident x-ray diffraction experiments confirm the controlled growth of hybrid nanocrystals with an average size of 3 nm-25 nm, composed of ZnO encapsulated by a thin layer of nanocrystalline HfO2, with an increase of ZnO concentration from x = 2 mol% to 10 mol% in the SiO2-HfO2 composite matrix. The effect of crystallization on the local environment of Eu ions, doped in the ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded glass-ceramic matrix, is studied using photoluminescence spectra, wherein an intense mixed-valence state (divalent as well as trivalent) emission of Eu ions is observed. The existence of Eu2+ and Eu3+ in the SiO2-HfO2-ZnO ternary matrix is confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Importantly, the Eu{}2+,3+-doped ternary waveguides exhibit low propagation losses (0.3 ± 0.2 dB cm-1 at 632.8 nm) and optical transparency in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which makes ZnO-HfO2 nanocrystal-embedded SiO2-HfO2-ZnO waveguides a viable candidate for the development of on-chip, active, integrated optical devices.
Photoluminescence properties of Co-doped ZnO nanocrystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lommens, P.; Smet, P.F.; De Mello Donega, C.

2006-01-01

We performed photoluminescence experiments on colloidal, Co -doped ZnO nanocrystals in order to study the electronic properties of Co in a ZnO host. Room temperature measurements showed, next to the ZnO exciton and trap emission, an additional emission related to the Co dopant. The spectral...... position and width of this emission does not depend on particle size or Co concentration. At 8 K, a series of ZnO bulk phonon replicas appear on the Co-emission band. We conclude that Co ions are strongly localized in the ZnO host, making the formation of a Co d-band unlikely. Magnetic measurements...
Reduced-pressure chemical vapor deposition of boron-doped Si and Ge layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogumilowicz, Y.; Hartmann, J.M.

2014-01-01

We have studied the in-situ boron (B) doping of germanium (Ge) and silicon (Si) in Reduced Pressure-Chemical Vapor Deposition. Three growth temperatures have been investigated for the B-doping of Ge: 400, 600 and 750 °C at a constant growth pressure of 13300 Pa (i.e. 100 Torr). The B concentration in the Ge:B epilayer increases linearly with the diborane concentration in the gaseous phase. Single-crystalline Ge:B layers with B concentrations in-between 9 ∙ 10 17 and 1 ∙ 10 20 cm −3 were achieved. For the in-situ B doping of Si at 850 °C, two dichlorosilane mass flow ratios (MFR) have been assessed: F[SiH 2 Cl 2 ]/F[H 2 ] = 0.0025 and F[SiH 2 Cl 2 ]/F[H 2 ] = 0.0113 at a growth pressure of 2660 Pa (i.e. 20 Torr). Linear boron incorporation with the diborane concentration in the gas phase has been observed and doping levels in-between 3.5 ∙ 10 17 and 1 ∙ 10 20 cm −3 were achieved. We almost kept the same ratio of B versus Si atoms in the gas phase and in the Si epilayer. By contrast, roughly half of the B atoms present in the gas phase were incorporated in the Ge:B layers irrespective of the growth temperature. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) allowed us to extract from the angular position of the Ge:B layer diffraction peak the substitutional B concentration. Values close to the B concentrations obtained by 4-probe resistivity measurements were obtained. Ge:B layers were smooth (< 1 m root mean square roughness associated with 20 × 20 μm 2 Atomic Force Microscopy images). Only for high F[B 2 H 6 ]/F[GeH 4 ] MFR (3.2 10 −3 ) did the Ge:B layers became rough; they were however still mono-crystalline (XRD). Above this MFR value, Ge:B layers became polycrystalline. - Highlights: • Boron doping of germanium and silicon in Reduced Pressure-Chemical Vapor Deposition • Linear boron incorporation in Ge:B and Si:B with the diborane flow • Single-crystal Ge:B layers with B concentrations in-between 9 ∙ 10 17 and 1 ∙ 10 20 cm −3 • Single-crystal Si
Low temperature synthesis and electrical characterization of germanium doped Ti-based nanocrystals for nonvolatile memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Li-Wei; Chang, Chun-Yen; Chang, Ting-Chang; Tu, Chun-Hao; Wang, Pai-Syuan; Lin, Chao-Cheng; Chen, Min-Chen; Huang, Hui-Chun; Gan, Der-Shin; Ho, New-Jin; Chen, Shih-Ching; Chen, Shih-Cheng

2011-01-01

Chemical and electrical characteristics of Ti-based nanocrystals containing germanium, fabricated by annealing the co-sputtered thin film with titanium silicide and germanium targets, were demonstrated for low temperature applications of nonvolatile memory. Formation and composition characteristics of nanocrystals (NCs) at various annealing temperatures were examined by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photon-emission spectroscopy, respectively. It was observed that the addition of germanium (Ge) significantly reduces the proposed thermal budget necessary for Ti-based NC formation due to the rise of morphological instability and agglomeration properties during annealing. NC structures formed after annealing at 500 °C, and separated well at 600 °C annealing. However, it was also observed that significant thermal desorption of Ge atoms occurs at 600 °C due to the sublimation of formatted GeO phase and results in a serious decrease of memory window. Therefore, an approach to effectively restrain Ge thermal desorption is proposed by encapsulating the Ti-based trapping layer with a thick silicon oxide layer before 600 °C annealing. The electrical characteristics of data retention in the sample with the 600 °C annealing exhibited better performance than the 500 °C-annealed sample, a result associated with the better separation and better crystallization of the NC structures.
Defect controlled room temperature ferromagnetism in Co-doped barium titanate nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, Sugata; Kolen'ko, Yury V; Watanabe, Tomoaki; Yoshimura, Masahiro; Itoh, Mitsuru; Kovnir, Kirill A; Lebedev, Oleg I; Turner, Stuart; Erni, Rolf; Tendeloo, Gustaaf Van; Chakraborty, Tanushree

2012-01-01

Defect mediated high temperature ferromagnetism in oxide nanocrystallites is the central feature of this work. Here, we report the development of room temperature ferromagnetism in nanosized Co-doped barium titanate particles with a size of around 14 nm, synthesized by a solvothermal drying method. A combination of x-ray diffraction with state-of-the-art electron microscopy techniques confirms the intrinsic doping of Co into BaTiO 3 . The development of the room temperature ferromagnetism was tracked down to the different donor defects, namely hydroxyl groups at the oxygen site and oxygen vacancies and their relative concentrations at the surface and the core of the nanocrystal, which could be controlled by post-synthesis drying and thermal treatments.
Ge{sup 4+} doped TiO{sub 2} for stoichiometric degradation of warfare agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stengl, Vaclav, E-mail: stengl@iic.cas.cz [Department of Solid State Chemistry, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR v.v.i., 250 68 Rez (Czech Republic); Grygar, Tomas Matys [Department of Solid State Chemistry, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR v.v.i., 250 68 Rez (Czech Republic); Oplustil, Frantisek; Nemec, Tomas [Military Technical Institute of Protection Brno, Veslarska 230, 628 00 Brno (Czech Republic)

2012-08-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We prepared nanodisperse Ge{sup 4+} doped titania by a novel synthesis method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Synthesis does not involve organic solvents, organometallics nor thermal processes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The prepared materials are efficient in removal of chemical warfare agents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ge{sup 4+} doping improves rate of removal of soman and agent VX by TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Germanium doped TiO{sub 2} was prepared by homogeneous hydrolysis of aqueous solutions of GeCl{sub 4} and TiOSO{sub 4} with urea. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, EDS analysis, specific surface area (BET) and porosity determination (BJH). Ge{sup 4+} doping increases surface area and content of amorphous phase in prepared samples. These oxides were used in an experimental evaluation of their reactivity with chemical warfare agent, sulphur mustard, soman and agent VX. Ge{sup 4+} doping worsens sulphur mustard degradation and improves soman and agent VX degradation. The best degree of removal (degradation), 100% of soman, 99% of agent VX and 95% of sulphur mustard, is achieved with sample with 2 wt.% of germanium.
Charge trapping of Ge-nanocrystals embedded in TaZrO{sub x} dielectric films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lehninger, D., E-mail: David.Lehninger@physik.tu-freiberg.de; Seidel, P.; Geyer, M.; Schneider, F.; Heitmann, J. [Institute of Applied Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, D-09596 Freiberg (Germany); Klemm, V.; Rafaja, D. [Institute of Materials Science, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, D-09596 Freiberg (Germany); Borany, J. von [Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01314 Dresden (Germany)

2015-01-12

Ge-nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized in amorphous TaZrO{sub x} by thermal annealing of co-sputtered Ge-TaZrO{sub x} layers. Formation of spherical shaped Ge-NCs with small variation of size, areal density, and depth distribution was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The charge storage characteristics of the Ge-NCs were investigated by capacitance-voltage and constant-capacity measurements using metal-insulator-semiconductor structures. Samples with Ge-NCs exhibit a maximum memory window of 5 V by sweeping the bias voltage from −7 V to 7 V and back. Below this maximum, the width of the memory window can be controlled by the bias voltage. The fitted slope of the memory window versus bias voltage characteristics is very close to 1 for samples with one layer Ge-NCs. A second layer Ge-NCs does not result in a second flat stair in the memory window characteristics. Constant-capacity measurements indicate charge storage in trapping centers at the interfaces between the Ge-NCs and the surrounding materials (amorphous matrix/tunneling oxide). Charge loss occurs by thermal detrapping and subsequent band-to-band tunneling. Reference samples without Ge-NCs do not show any memory window.
Evolution of microstructural defects of TiO2 nanocrystals by Zr4+ or/and Ge4+ doping lead to high disinfection efficiency for CWAs

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Zhong; Zhong, Jin-Yi; Chai, Na-Na; He, Xin; Zang, Jian-Zheng; Xu, Hui; Han, Xiao-Yuan; Zhang, Peng

2017-06-01

Zr4+, Ge4+ doped and co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by a 'one-pot' homogeneous precipitation method. The photocatalytic reaction kinetics of DMMP and the disinfection efficiency of HD, GD and VX on the samples were investigated. By means of a variety of characterization methods, especially the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, the changes in structure and property of TiO2 across doping were studied. The results show that the reasonable engineering design of novel photocatalysts in the field of CWAs decontamination can be realized by adjusting the bulk-to-surface defects ratio, except for crystal structure, specific surface area, pore size distribution and light utilization.
Structural and optical characterization of self-assembled Ge nanocrystal layers grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saeed, S.; Buters, F.; Dohnalova, K.; Wosinski, L.; Gregorkiewicz, T.

2014-01-01

We present a structural and optical study of solid-state dispersions of Ge nanocrystals prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Structural analysis shows the presence of nanocrystalline germanium inclusions embedded in an amorphous matrix of Si-rich SiO2. Optical characterization
Effects of (Al,Ge) double doping on the thermoelectric properties of higher manganese silicides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xi; Salta, Daniel; Zhang, Libin [Materials Science and Engineering Program, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Weathers, Annie [Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Zhou, Jianshi; Goodenough, John B.; Shi, Li [Materials Science and Engineering Program, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2013-11-07

Experiments and analysis have been carried out to investigate the effects of Al and (Al,Ge) doping on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline higher manganese silicide (HMS) samples, which were prepared by solid-state reaction, ball milling, and followed by spark plasma sintering. It has been found that Al doping effectively increases the hole concentration, which leads to an increase in the electrical conductivity and power factor. By introducing the second dopant Ge into Al-doped HMS, the electrical conductivity is increased, and the Seebeck coefficient is decreased as a result of further increased hole concentration. The peak power factor is found to occur at a hole concentration between 1.8 × 10{sup 21} and 2.2 × 10{sup 21} cm{sup −3} measured at room temperature. The (Al,Ge)-doped HMS samples show lower power factors owing to their higher hole concentrations. The mobility of Mn(Al{sub 0.0035}Ge{sub y}Si{sub 0.9965-y}){sub 1.8} with y = 0.035 varies approximately as T{sup −3/2} above 200 K, suggesting acoustic phonon scattering is the dominant scattering mechanism. The thermal conductivity of HMS does not change appreciably by Al or (Al,Ge) doping. The maximum ZT of (Al,Ge)-doped HMS is 0.57 at 823 K, which is similar to the highest value found in the Al-doped HMS samples. The ZT values were reduced in the Mn(Al{sub 0.0035}Ge{sub y}Si{sub 0.9965-y}){sub 1.8} samples with high Ge concentration of y = 0.025 and 0.035, because of reduced power factor. In addition, a two-band model was employed to show that the hole contribution to the thermal conductivity dominates the bipolar and electron contributions for all samples from 300 to 823 K and accounts for about 12% of the total thermal conductivity at about 800 K.
Effects of (Al,Ge) double doping on the thermoelectric properties of higher manganese silicides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xi; Salta, Daniel; Zhang, Libin; Weathers, Annie; Zhou, Jianshi; Goodenough, John B.; Shi, Li

2013-01-01

Experiments and analysis have been carried out to investigate the effects of Al and (Al,Ge) doping on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline higher manganese silicide (HMS) samples, which were prepared by solid-state reaction, ball milling, and followed by spark plasma sintering. It has been found that Al doping effectively increases the hole concentration, which leads to an increase in the electrical conductivity and power factor. By introducing the second dopant Ge into Al-doped HMS, the electrical conductivity is increased, and the Seebeck coefficient is decreased as a result of further increased hole concentration. The peak power factor is found to occur at a hole concentration between 1.8 × 10 21 and 2.2 × 10 21 cm −3 measured at room temperature. The (Al,Ge)-doped HMS samples show lower power factors owing to their higher hole concentrations. The mobility of Mn(Al 0.0035 Ge y Si 0.9965-y ) 1.8 with y = 0.035 varies approximately as T −3/2 above 200 K, suggesting acoustic phonon scattering is the dominant scattering mechanism. The thermal conductivity of HMS does not change appreciably by Al or (Al,Ge) doping. The maximum ZT of (Al,Ge)-doped HMS is 0.57 at 823 K, which is similar to the highest value found in the Al-doped HMS samples. The ZT values were reduced in the Mn(Al 0.0035 Ge y Si 0.9965-y ) 1.8 samples with high Ge concentration of y = 0.025 and 0.035, because of reduced power factor. In addition, a two-band model was employed to show that the hole contribution to the thermal conductivity dominates the bipolar and electron contributions for all samples from 300 to 823 K and accounts for about 12% of the total thermal conductivity at about 800 K
Oxidation-resistant Ge-doped silicide coating on Cr-Cr2Nb alloys by pack cementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Yirong

1997-01-01

The halide-activated pack cementation process was modified to produce a Ge-doped silicide diffusion coating on Cr-Cr 2 Nb alloys in a single processing step. The morphology and composition of the coating depended both on the pack composition and processing schedule and also on the composition and microstructure of the substrate. Higher Ge content in the pack suppressed the formation of CrSi 2 and reduced the growth kinetics of the coating. Ge was not homogeneously distributed in the coatings. Under cyclic and isothermal oxidation conditions, the Ge-doped silicide coating protected the Cr-Nb alloys from significant oxidation and from pesting by the formation of a Ge-doped silica film. (orig.)
Ferromagnetism in Fe-doped ZnO Nanocrystals: Experimental and Theoretical investigations

OpenAIRE

Karmakar, Debjani; Mandal, S. K.; Kadam, R. M.; Paulose, P. L.; Rajarajan, A. K.; Nath, T. K.; Das, A. K.; Dasgupta, I.; Das, G. P.

2007-01-01

Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals are successfully synthesized and structurally characterized by using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Magnetization measurements on the same system reveal a ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition temperature > 450 K with a low-temperature transition from ferromagnetic to spin-glass state due to canting of the disordered surface spins in the nanoparticle system. Local magnetic probes like EPR and Mossbauer indicate the presence of Fe in both v...
Stress-Induced Crystallization of Ge-Doped Sb Phase-Change Thin Films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eising, Gert; Pauza, Andrew; Kooi, Bart J.

The large effects of moderate stresses on the crystal growth rate in Ge-doped Sb phase-change thin films are demonstrated using direct optical imaging. For Ge6Sb94 and Ge7Sb93 phase-change films, a large increase in crystallization temperature is found when using a polycarbonate substrate instead of
Electron irradiation response on Ge and Al-doped SiO{sub 2} optical fibres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yaakob, N.H.; Wagiran, H. [Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim (Malaysia); Hossain, I., E-mail: imamhossain@utm.m [Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim (Malaysia); Ramli, A.T. [Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim (Malaysia); Bradley, D.A [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Hashim, S. [Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim (Malaysia); Ali, H. [Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Darul Takzim (Malaysia)

2011-05-01

This paper describes the thermoluminescence response, sensitivity, stability and reproducibility of SiO{sub 2} optical fibres with various electron energies and doses. The TL materials that comprise Al- and Ge-doped silica fibres were used in this experiment. The TL results are compared with those of the commercially available TLD-100. The doped SiO{sub 2} optical fibres and TLD-100 are placed in a solid phantom and irradiated with 6, 9 and 12 MeV electron beams at doses ranging from 0.2 to 4.0 Gy using the LINAC at Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. It was found that the commercially available Al- and Ge-doped optical fibres have a linear dose-TL signal relationship. The intensity of TL response of Ge-doped fibre is markedly greater than that of the Al-doped fibre.
Ultra-smooth epitaxial Ge grown on Si(001) utilizing a thin C-doped Ge buffer layer

KAUST Repository

Mantey, J.

2013-01-01

Here, we present work on epitaxial Ge films grown on a thin buffer layer of C doped Ge (Ge:C). The growth rate of Ge:C is found to slow over time and is thus unsuitable for thick (>20 nm) layers. We demonstrate Ge films from 10 nm to >150 nm are possible by growing pure Ge on a thin Ge:C buffer. It is shown that this stack yields exceedingly low roughness levels (comparable to bulk Si wafers) and contains fewer defects and higher Hall mobility compared to traditional heteroepitaxial Ge. The addition of C at the interface helps reduce strain by its smaller atomic radius and its ability to pin defects within the thin buffer layer that do not thread to the top Ge layer. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.
Phosphorus doping of Si nanocrystals: Interface defects and charge compensation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stegner, A.R.; Pereira, R.N.; Klein, K.; Wiggers, H.; Brandt, M.S.; Stutzmann, M.

2007-01-01

Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), Fourier-transform infrared absorption (FTIR) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD), we have investigated the doping of silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) and the interaction between intrinsic defects and dopants. Si-ncs were produced in a low-pressure microwave plasma reactor using silane as precursor gas. Phosphorus doping was achieved by addition of phosphine to the precursor gas. The low temperature EPR spectra of all P-doped samples display a line at g=1.998, which is the fingerprint of substitutional P in crystalline silicon for [P]>10 18 cm -3 . In addition, the characteristic hyperfine signature of P in Si is also observed for samples with nominal P doping levels below 10 19 cm -3 . Two more features are observed in our EPR spectra: a broad band located at g=2.0056, due to isotropic Si dangling bonds (Si-dbs), and an axially symmetric powder pattern (g perpendicular =2.0087,g parallel =2.0020) arising from Si-dbs at the interface between the crystalline Si core and a native oxide shell. The formation of this oxide layer and the presence of different H-termination configurations are revealed by FTIR spectroscopy. The density of Si-dbs is reduced in P-doped samples, indicating a sizable compensation of the doping by Si-dbs. This compensation effect was verified by H desorption, which enhances the density of Si-dbs, in combination with TPD and FTIR
Doping Lanthanide into Perovskite Nanocrystals: Highly Improved and Expanded Optical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Gencai; Bai, Xue; Yang, Dongwen; Chen, Xu; Jing, Pengtao; Qu, Songnan; Zhang, Lijun; Zhou, Donglei; Zhu, Jinyang; Xu, Wen; Dong, Biao; Song, Hongwei

2017-12-13

Cesium lead halide (CsPbX 3 ) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have demonstrated extremely excellent optical properties and great application potentials in various optoelectronic devices. However, because of the anion exchange, it is difficult to achieve white-light and multicolor emission for practical applications. Herein, we present the successful doping of various lanthanide ions (Ce 3+ , Sm 3+ , Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ , Dy 3+ , Er 3+ , and Yb 3+ ) into the lattices of CsPbCl 3 perovskite NCs through a modified hot-injection method. For the lanthanide ions doped perovskite NCs, high photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and stable and widely tunable multicolor emissions spanning from visible to near-infrared (NIR) regions are successfully obtained. This work indicates that the doped perovskite NCs will inherit most of the unique optical properties of lanthanide ions and deliver them to the perovskite NC host, thus endowing the family of perovskite materials with excellent optical, electric, or magnetic properties.
Synthesis and characterization of surfactant assisted Mn2+ doped ZnO nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Shanmugam

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We report the synthesis and characterization of Mn doped ZnO nanocrystals, both in the free standing and PVP capped particle forms. The nanocrystals size could be controlled by capping them with polyvinylpyrollidone and was estimated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The chemical compositions of the products were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy measurements reveal that the capping of ZnO leads to blue shift due to quantum confinement effect. The morphology of the particles was evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM. Both the Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA curves of the ZnO show no further weight loss and thermal effect at a temperature above 510 °C.

Ge nanocrystals embedded in ultrathin Si3N4 multilayers with SiO2 barriers

Science.gov (United States)

Bahariqushchi, R.; Gundogdu, Sinan; Aydinli, A.

2017-04-01

Multilayers of germanium nanocrystals (NCs) embedded in thin films of silicon nitride matrix separated with SiO2 barriers have been fabricated using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). SiGeN/SiO2 alternating bilayers have been grown on quartz and Si substrates followed by post annealing in Ar ambient from 600 to 900 °C. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) as well as Raman spectroscopy show good crystallinity of Ge confined to SiGeN layers in samples annealed at 900 °C. Strong compressive stress for SiGeN/SiO2 structures were observed through Raman spectroscopy. Size, as well as NC-NC distance were controlled along the growth direction for multilayer samples by varying the thickness of bilayers. Visible photoluminescence (PL) at 2.3 and 3.1 eV with NC size dependent intensity is observed and possible origin of PL is discussed.
Semiconductor nanocrystals formed in SiO2 by ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, J.G.; White, C.W.; Budai, J.D.; Withrow, S.P.; Chen, Y.

1994-11-01

Nanocrystals of group IV (Si, Ge and SiGe), III-V (GaAs), and II-VI (CdSe) semiconductor materials have been fabricated inside SiO 2 by ion implantation and subsequent thermal annealing. The microstructure of these nanocrystalline semiconductor materials has been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanocrystals form in near-spherical shape with random crystal orientations in amorphous SiO 2 . Extensive studies on the nanocrystal size distributions have been carried out for the Ge nanocrystals by changing the implantation doses and the annealing temperatures. Remarkable roughening of the nanocrystals occurs when the annealing temperature is raised over the melting temperature of the implanted semiconductor material. Strong red photoluminescence peaked around 1.67 eV has been achieved in samples with Si nanocrystals in SiO 2
Enhanced coercivity in Co-doped α-Fe2O3 cubic nanocrystal assemblies prepared via a magnetic field-assisted hydrothermal synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kinjal Gandha

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Ferromagnetic Co-doped α-Fe2O3 cubic shaped nanocrystal assemblies (NAs with a high coercivity of 5.5 kOe have been synthesized via a magnetic field (2 kOe assisted hydrothermal process. The X-ray diffraction pattern and Raman spectra of α-Fe2O3 and Co-doped α-Fe2O3 NAs confirms the formation of single-phase α-Fe2O3 with a rhombohedral crystal structure. Electron microscopy analysis depict that the Co-doped α-Fe2O3 NAs synthesized under the influence of the magnetic field are consist of aggregated nanocrystals (∼30 nm and of average assembly size 2 μm. In contrast to the NAs synthesized with no magnetic field, the average NAs size and coercivity of the Co-doped α-Fe2O3 NAs prepared with magnetic field is increased by 1 μm and 1.4 kOe, respectively. The enhanced coercivity could be related to the well-known spin–orbit coupling strength of Co2+ cations and the redistribution of the cations. The size increment indicates that the small ferromagnetic nanocrystals assemble into cubic NAs with increased size in the magnetic field that also lead to the enhanced coercivity.
SiGe layer thickness effect on the structural and optical properties of well-organized SiGe/SiO2 multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, E. M. F.; Toudert, J.; Rolo, A. G.; Parisini, A.; Leitão, J. P.; Correia, M. R.; Franco, N.; Alves, E.; Chahboun, A.; Martín-Sánchez, J.; Serna, R.; Gomes, M. J. M.

2017-08-01

In this work, we report on the production of regular (SiGe/SiO2)20 multilayer structures by conventional RF-magnetron sputtering, at 350 °C. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, raman spectroscopy, and x-ray reflectometry measurements revealed that annealing at a temperature of 1000 °C leads to the formation of SiGe nanocrystals between SiO2 thin layers with good multilayer stability. Reducing the nominal SiGe layer thickness (t SiGe) from 3.5-2 nm results in a transition from continuous SiGe crystalline layer (t SiGe ˜ 3.5 nm) to layers consisting of isolated nanocrystals (t SiGe ˜ 2 nm). Namely, in the latter case, the presence of SiGe nanocrystals ˜3-8 nm in size, is observed. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was applied to determine the evolution of the onset in the effective optical absorption, as well as the dielectric function, in SiGe multilayers as a function of the SiGe thickness. A clear blue-shift in the optical absorption is observed for t SiGe ˜ 2 nm multilayer, as a consequence of the presence of isolated nanocrystals. Furthermore, the observed near infrared values of n = 2.8 and k = 1.5 are lower than those of bulk SiGe compounds, suggesting the presence of electronic confinement effects in the nanocrystals. The low temperature (70 K) photoluminescence measurements performed on annealed SiGe/SiO2 nanostructures show an emission band located between 0.7-0.9 eV associated with the development of interface states between the formed nanocrystals and surrounding amorphous matrix.
Positron annihilation studies of vacancy-type defects and room temperature ferromagnetism in chemically synthesized Li-doped ZnO nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, S.; Khan, Gobinda Gopal; Mandal, K.; Thapa, Samudrajit; Nambissan, P.M.G.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Evidence of zinc vacancy-induced intrinsic ferromagnetism in Li-doped ZnO. • Modification of defects and properties through alkali metal substitution. • Study of defect-modification using positron annihilation spectroscopy. • New way to prepare ZnO-based magnetic semiconductor for spintronic applications. -- Abstract: In this article, we have investigated the effects of Li incorporation on the lattice defects and room-temperature d 0 ferromagnetic behaviour in ZnO nanocrystals by correlating X-ray photoelectron, photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopic study in details. It is found that at low doping level ( 1+ is an effective substituent of Zn site, but it prefers to occupy the interstitial positions when Li-doping exceeds 7 at.% resulting in lattice expansion and increase of particle sizes. The pristine ZnO nanocrystals exhibit ferromagnetic behaviour which is further enhanced significantly after few percentage of Li-doping in ZnO. The magnitude of both saturation magnetizations (M S ) as well as the Curie temperature (T C ) are found to increase considerably up to Li concentration of 10 at.% and then started to decrease on further Li-doping. The gradual enhancement of Zn vacancy (V Zn ) defects in ZnO nanocrystals due to Li substitution as confirmed from photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements might be responsible to induce paramagnetic moments within ZnO host. The ferromagnetic exchange interaction between the localised moments of V Zn defects can be mediated though the holes arising due to Li-substitutional (Li Zn ) acceptor defects within ZnO. Hence, Li doping in ZnO favours in stabilizing considerable V Zn defects and thus helps to sustain long-range high-T C ferromagnetism in ZnO which can be a promising material in future spintronics
Positron annihilation studies of vacancy-type defects and room temperature ferromagnetism in chemically synthesized Li-doped ZnO nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghosh, S., E-mail: sghoshphysics@gmail.com [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700098 (India); Khan, Gobinda Gopal [Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Calcutta, Technology Campus, Block JD2, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700098 (India); Mandal, K. [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700098 (India); Thapa, Samudrajit; Nambissan, P.M.G. [Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Calcutta, Technology Campus, Block JD2, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700098 (India); Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Sector 1, Block AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064 (India)

2014-03-25

Highlights: • Evidence of zinc vacancy-induced intrinsic ferromagnetism in Li-doped ZnO. • Modification of defects and properties through alkali metal substitution. • Study of defect-modification using positron annihilation spectroscopy. • New way to prepare ZnO-based magnetic semiconductor for spintronic applications. -- Abstract: In this article, we have investigated the effects of Li incorporation on the lattice defects and room-temperature d{sup 0} ferromagnetic behaviour in ZnO nanocrystals by correlating X-ray photoelectron, photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopic study in details. It is found that at low doping level (<7 at.%), Li{sup 1+} is an effective substituent of Zn site, but it prefers to occupy the interstitial positions when Li-doping exceeds 7 at.% resulting in lattice expansion and increase of particle sizes. The pristine ZnO nanocrystals exhibit ferromagnetic behaviour which is further enhanced significantly after few percentage of Li-doping in ZnO. The magnitude of both saturation magnetizations (M{sub S}) as well as the Curie temperature (T{sub C}) are found to increase considerably up to Li concentration of 10 at.% and then started to decrease on further Li-doping. The gradual enhancement of Zn vacancy (V{sub Zn}) defects in ZnO nanocrystals due to Li substitution as confirmed from photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements might be responsible to induce paramagnetic moments within ZnO host. The ferromagnetic exchange interaction between the localised moments of V{sub Zn} defects can be mediated though the holes arising due to Li-substitutional (Li{sub Zn}) acceptor defects within ZnO. Hence, Li doping in ZnO favours in stabilizing considerable V{sub Zn} defects and thus helps to sustain long-range high-T{sub C} ferromagnetism in ZnO which can be a promising material in future spintronics.
Thermoluminescence characteristics of Ge-doped optical fibers with different dimensions for radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begum, Mahfuza; Rahman, A.K.M. Mizanur; Abdul-Rashid, H.A.; Yusoff, Z.; Begum, Mahbuba; Mat-Sharif, K.A.; Amin, Y.M.; Bradley, D.A.

2015-01-01

Important thermoluminescence (TL) properties of five (5) different core sizes Ge-doped optical fibers have been studied to develop new TL material with better response. These are drawn from same preform applying different speed and tension during drawing phase to produce Ge-doped optical fibers with five (5) different core sizes. The results of the investigations are also compared with most commonly used standard TLD-100 chips (LiF:Mg,Ti) and commercial multimode Ge-doped optical fiber (Yangtze Optical Fiber, China). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and EDX analysis of the fibers are also performed to map Ge distribution across the deposited region. Standard Gamma radiation source in Secondary Standard Dosimetry Lab (SSDL) was used for irradiation covering dose range from 1 Gy to 10 Gy. The essential dosimetric parameters that have been studied are TL linearity, reproducibility and fading. Prior to irradiation all samples ∼0.5 cm length are annealed at temperature of 400 °C for 1 h period to standardize their sensitivities and background. Standard TLD-100 chips are also annealed for 1 h at 400 °C and subsequently 2 h at 100 °C to yield the highest sensitivity. TL responses of these fibers show linearity over a wide gamma radiation dose that is an important property for radiation dosimetry. Among all fibers used in this study, 100 μm core diameter fiber provides highest response that is 2.6 times than that of smallest core (20 μm core) optical fiber. These fiber-samples demonstrate better response than commercial multi-mode optical fiber and also provide low degree of fading about 20% over a period of fifteen days for gamma radiation. Effective atomic number (Z eff ) is found in the range (13.25–13.69) which is higher than soft tissue (7.5) however within the range of human-bone (11.6–13.8). All the fibers can also be re-used several times as a detector after annealing. TL properties of the Ge-doped optical fibers indicate promising applications in
Capacitance-voltage characteristics of MOS capacitors with Ge nanocrystals embedded in ZrO2 gate material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hye-Ryoung; Choi, Samjong; Cho, Kyoungah; Kim, Sangsig

2007-01-01

Capacitance versus voltage (C-V) curves of Ge-nanocrystals (NCs)-embedded metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors are characterized in this work. Ge NCs were formed in 20-nm thick ZrO 2 gate layers by ion implantation and subsequent annealing procedures. The formation of the Ge NCs in the ZrO 2 gate layers was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The C-V curves obtained from a representative MOS capacitor embedded with the Ge NCs exhibit a 3 V memory window as bias voltage varied from 9 to - 9 V and then back to the initial positive voltage, whereas MOS capacitors without Ge NCs show negligible memory windows at the same voltage range. This indicates the presence of charge storages in the Ge NCs. The counterclockwise hysteresis observed from the C-V curves implies that electrons are trapped in Ge NCs presented inside the ZrO 2 gate layer. And our experimental results obtained from capacitance versus time measurements show good retention characteristics of Ge-NCs-embedded MOS capacitors with ZrO 2 gate material for the application of NFGM
Pulsed ion-beam assisted deposition of Ge nanocrystals on SiO2 for non-volatile memory device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepina, N.P.; Dvurechenskii, A.V.; Armbrister, V.A.; Kirienko, V.V.; Novikov, P.L.; Kesler, V.G.; Gutakovskii, A.K.; Smagina, Z.V.; Spesivtzev, E.V.

2008-01-01

A floating gate memory structure, utilizing Ge nanocrystals (NCs) deposited on tunnel SiO 2 , have been fabricated using pulsed low energy ion-beam induced molecular-beam deposition (MBD) in ultra-high vacuum. The ion-beam action is shown to stimulate the nucleation of Ge NCs when being applied after thin Ge layer deposition. Growth conditions for independent change of NCs size and array density were established allowing to optimize the structure parameters required for memory device. Activation energy E = 0.25 eV was determined from the temperature dependence of NCs array density. Monte Carlo simulation has shown that the process, determining NCs array density, is the surface diffusion. Embedding of the crystalline Ge dots into silicon oxide was carried out by selective oxidation of Si(100)/SiO 2 /Ge(NCs)/poly-Si structure. MOS-capacitor obtained after oxidation showed a hysteresis in its C-V curves attributed to charge retention in the Ge dots
Size Dependence of Doping by a Vacancy Formation Reaction in Copper Sulfide Nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elimelech, Orian [The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904 Israel; Liu, Jing [Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY 11794 USA; Plonka, Anna M. [Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY 11794 USA; Frenkel, Anatoly I. [Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY 11794 USA; Banin, Uri [The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904 Israel

2017-07-19

Doping of nanocrystals (NCs) is a key, yet underexplored, approach for tuning of the electronic properties of semiconductors. An important route for doping of NCs is by vacancy formation. The size and concentration dependence of doping was studied in copper(I) sulfide (Cu2S) NCs through a redox reaction with iodine molecules (I2), which formed vacancies accompanied by a localized surface plasmon response. X-ray spectroscopy and diffraction reveal transformation from Cu2S to Cu-depleted phases, along with CuI formation. Greater reaction efficiency was observed for larger NCs. This behavior is attributed to interplay of the vacancy formation energy, which decreases for smaller sized NCs, and the growth of CuI on the NC surface, which is favored on well-defined facets of larger NCs. This doping process allows tuning of the plasmonic properties of a semiconductor across a wide range of plasmonic frequencies by varying the size of NCs and the concentration of iodine. Controlled vacancy doping of NCs may be used to tune and tailor semiconductors for use in optoelectronic applications.
Optical properties and thermal stability of germanium oxide (GeO2) nanocrystals with α-quartz structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramana, C.V.; Carbajal-Franco, G.; Vemuri, R.S.; Troitskaia, I.B.; Gromilov, S.A.; Atuchin, V.V.

2010-01-01

Germanium dioxide (GeO 2 ) crystals were prepared by a chemical precipitation method at a relatively low-temperature (100 o C). The grown crystals were characterized by studying their microstructure, optical properties and thermal stability. The results indicate that the grown GeO 2 crystals exhibit α-quartz type crystal structure. The lattice parameters obtained from XRD were a = 4.987(4) A and c = 5.652(5) A. Electron microscopy analysis indicates a high structural quality of GeO 2 crystals grown using the present approach. Optical absorption measurements indicate a direct bandgap of 5.72 eV without any additional bands arising from localized or defect states. Thermogravimetric measurements indicate the temperature stability of the grown GeO 2 nanocrystals. Microscopic analysis coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of the GeO 2 crystals with α-quartz type crystal structure indicates their stability in chemical composition up to a temperature of 400 deg. C. The surface morphology of GeO 2 crystals, however, found to be changing with the increase in temperature.
Enhancing optical gains in Si nanocrystals via hydrogenation and cerium ion doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Dong-Chen; Li, Yan-Li; Song, Sheng-Chi; Guo, Wen-Ping; Lu, Ming; Chen, Jia-Rong

2014-01-01

We report optical gain enhancements in Si nanocrystals (Si-NCs) via hydrogenation and Ce 3+ ion doping. Variable stripe length technique was used to obtain gains. At 0.3 W/cm 2 pumping power density of pulsed laser, net gains were observed together with gain enhancements after hydrogenation and/or Ce 3+ ion doping; gains after loss corrections were between 89.52 and 341.95 cm −1 ; and the photoluminescence (PL) lifetime was found to decrease with the increasing gain enhancement. At 0.04 W/cm 2 power density, however, no net gain was found and the PL lifetime increased with the increasing PL enhancement. The results were discussed according to stimulated and spontaneous excitation and de-excitation mechanisms of Si-NCs.
Elevated transition temperature in Ge doped VO2 thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Krammer, Anna; Magrez, Arnaud; Vitale, Wolfgang A.; Mocny, Piotr; Jeanneret, Patrick; Guibert, Edouard; Whitlow, Harry J.; Ionescu, Adrian M.; Schüler, Andreas

2017-07-01

Thermochromic GexV1-xO2+y thin films have been deposited on Si (100) substrates by means of reactive magnetron sputtering. The films were then characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), four-point probe electrical resistivity measurements, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. From the temperature dependent resistivity measurements, the effect of Ge doping on the semiconductor-to-metal phase transition in vanadium oxide thin films was investigated. The transition temperature was shown to increase significantly upon Ge doping (˜95 °C), while the hysteresis width and resistivity contrast gradually decreased. The precise Ge concentration and the film thickness have been determined by RBS. The crystallinity of phase-pure VO2 monoclinic films was confirmed by XRD. These findings make the use of vanadium dioxide thin films in solar and electronic device applications—where higher critical temperatures than 68 °C of pristine VO2 are needed—a viable and promising solution.
Synthesis and room-temperature ferromagnetic properties of single-crystalline Co-doped SnO2 nanocrystals via a high magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Yongbin; Tang Yongjun; Li Chuanjun; Cao Guanghui; Ren Weili; Xu Hui; Ren Zhongming

2009-01-01

The magnetic field-assisted approach has been used in the synthesis of Co-doped SnO 2 diluted magnetic semiconductor nanocrystals. By annealing under the condition with or without magnetic field, 1D growth of the nanostructures can be induced, and the magnetic properties of the obtained nanocrystals are improved. Various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV-visible spectrometry (UV-vis), Raman spectrometry and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) have been used to characterize the obtained products. The results show that the magnetic field holds important effects on the crystal growth of the Co-doped SnO 2 nanostructures, and improvement of magnetic properties. The intrinsic reasons are discussed.
Study of Sn and Mg doping effects on TiO2/Ge stack structure by combinatorial synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Nagata, Takahiro; Suzuki, Yoshihisa; Yamashita, Yoshiyuki; Ogura, Atsushi; Chikyow, Toyohiro

2018-04-01

The effects of Sn and Mg doping of a TiO2 film on a Ge substrate were investigated to improve leakage current properties and Ge diffusion into the TiO2 film. For systematic analysis, dopant-composition-spread TiO2 samples with dopant concentrations of up to 20.0 at. % were fabricated by RF sputtering and a combinatorial method. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the instability of Mg doping of TiO2 at dopant concentrations above 10.5 at. %. Both Sn and Mg dopants reduced Ge diffusion into TiO2. Sn doping enhanced the crystallization of the rutile phase, which is a high-dielectric-constant phase, although the Mg-doped TiO2 film indicated an amorphous structure. Sn-doping indicated systematic leakage current reduction with increasing dopant concentration. Doping at Sn concentrations higher than 16.8 at. % improved the leakage properties (˜10-7 A/cm2 at -3.0 V) and capacitance-voltage properties of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) operation. The Sn doping of TiO2 may be useful for interface control and as a dielectric material for Ge-based MIS capacitors.
Microscopic theory of cation exchange in CdSe nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Florian D; Spiegel, Leo L; Norris, David J; Erwin, Steven C

2014-10-10

Although poorly understood, cation-exchange reactions are increasingly used to dope or transform colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots). We use density-functional theory and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to develop a microscopic theory that explains structural, optical, and electronic changes observed experimentally in Ag-cation-exchanged CdSe nanocrystals. We find that Coulomb interactions, both between ionized impurities and with the polarized nanocrystal surface, play a key role in cation exchange. Our theory also resolves several experimental puzzles related to photoluminescence and electrical behavior in CdSe nanocrystals doped with Ag.
Inhibitive formation of nanocavities by introduction of Si atoms in Ge nanocrystals produced by ion implantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, R. S.; Shang, L.; Liu, X. H.; Zhang, Y. J. [The Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Wang, Y. Q., E-mail: yqwang@qdu.edu.cn, E-mail: barba@emt.inrs.ca [The Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); College of Physics Science, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Ross, G. G.; Barba, D., E-mail: yqwang@qdu.edu.cn, E-mail: barba@emt.inrs.ca [INRS-Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes Québec J3X 1S2 (Canada)

2014-05-28

Germanium nanocrystals (Ge-nc) were successfully synthesized by co-implantation of Si and Ge ions into a SiO{sub 2} film thermally grown on (100) Si substrate and fused silica (pure SiO{sub 2}), respectively, followed by subsequent annealing at 1150 °C for 1 h. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examinations show that nanocavities only exist in the fused silica sample but not in the SiO{sub 2} film on a Si substrate. From the analysis of the high-resolution TEM images and electron energy-loss spectroscopy spectra, it is revealed that the absence of nanocavities in the SiO{sub 2} film/Si substrate is attributed to the presence of Si atoms inside the formed Ge-nc. Because the energy of Si-Ge bonds (301 kJ·mol{sup −1}) are greater than that of Ge-Ge bonds (264 kJ·mol{sup −1}), the introduction of the Si-Ge bonds inside the Ge-nc can inhibit the diffusion of Ge from the Ge-nc during the annealing process. However, for the fused silica sample, no crystalline Si-Ge bonds are detected within the Ge-nc, where strong Ge outdiffusion effects produce a great number of nanocavities. Our results can shed light on the formation mechanism of nanocavities and provide a good way to avoid nanocavities during the process of ion implantation.
The thermoluminescence response of Ge-doped flat fibre for proton beam measurements: A preliminary study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, M F; Fadzil, M S Ahmad; Noor, N Mohd; Abdul Rahman, W N Wan; Tominaga, T; Geso, M; Akasaka, H; Bradley, D A

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the thermoluminescence (TL) response of fabricated 2.3 mol% and 6.0 mol% germanium (Ge) doped flat optical fibres to proton irradiation. The fundamental dosimetric characteristics of the fibres have been investigated including dose linearity, reproducibility and fading. The thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were used as a reference dosimeter to allow the relative response of the fibres. The results show that Ge-doped flat fibres offer excellent dose linearity over the dose range from 1 Gy up to 10 Gy with correlation of determination (R 2 ) of 0.99. The fibres also demonstrated good reproducibility within the standard deviation (SD) of 0.86% to 6.41%. After 96 days post-irradiation, TLD-100 chips gave rise to the least loss in TL signal at around 18% followed by fabricated 2.3 mol% Ge-doped flat fibres about 24%. This preliminary study has demonstrated that the proposed fabricated Ge-doped flat fibre offers a promising potential for use in proton beam measurements. (paper)
Plasmonic doped semiconductor nanocrystals: Properties, fabrication, applications and perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Kriegel, Ilka; Scotognella, Francesco; Manna, Liberato

2017-02-01

Degenerately doped semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are of recent interest to the NC community due to their tunable localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) in the near infrared (NIR). The high level of doping in such materials with carrier densities in the range of 1021cm-3 leads to degeneracy of the doping levels and intense plasmonic absorption in the NIR. The lower carrier density in degenerately doped semiconductor NCs compared to noble metals enables LSPR tuning over a wide spectral range, since even a minor change of the carrier density strongly affects the spectral position of the LSPR. Two classes of degenerate semiconductors are most relevant in this respect: impurity doped semiconductors, such as metal oxides, and vacancy doped semiconductors, such as copper chalcogenides. In the latter it is the density of copper vacancies that controls the carrier concentration, while in the former the introduction of impurity atoms adds carriers to the system. LSPR tuning in vacancy doped semiconductor NCs such as copper chalcogenides occurs by chemically controlling the copper vacancy density. This goes in hand with complex structural modifications of the copper chalcogenide crystal lattice. In contrast the LSPR of degenerately doped metal oxide NCs is modified by varying the doping concentration or by the choice of host and dopant atoms, but also through the addition of capacitive charge carriers to the conduction band of the metal oxide upon post-synthetic treatments, such as by electrochemical- or photodoping. The NIR LSPRs and the option of their spectral fine-tuning make accessible important new features, such as the controlled coupling of the LSPR to other physical signatures or the enhancement of optical signals in the NIR, sensing application by LSPR tracking, energy production from the NIR plasmon resonance or bio-medical applications in the biological window. In this review we highlight the recent advances in the synthesis of various different plasmonic
The composition dependence of magnetic, electronic and optical properties of Mn-doped SixGe1-x nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Jianglin; Lan, Mu; Zhang, Xi; Xiang, Gang

2017-07-01

Mn-doped SixGe1-x nanowires (NWs) with different Ge concentrations have been studied by first-principles calculations. It is found that the spin dependent energy bands of the NWs show rich variations both in bandgap width and type (from indirect to direct) as the Ge concentration changes. The Mn-doped SixGe1-x NWs exhibit half-metallic characteristics for all Ge concentrations, and the ground states of the NWs are found to be ferromagnetic (FM). The net magnetization mapping and spin density of states calculations reveal that Mn 3d electrons have a strong hybridization effect with nearest Ge 4p electrons, which results in the Ge’s nontrivial contribution to the magnetic moment of the NWs. Further magnon dispersion studies show that the magnetic order stability of the NWs is influenced by Ge concentrations. Finally, the dependence of the optical properties of the magnetic NWs on the Ge concentration is demonstrated. Our results suggest that Mn-doped SixGe1-x NWs may be useful in spintronic and optoelectronic devices.

Simulation of hole-mobility in doped relaxed and strained Ge layers

Science.gov (United States)

Watling, Jeremy R.; Riddet, Craig; Chan, Morgan Kah H.; Asenov, Asen

2010-11-01

As silicon based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) are reaching the limits of their performance with scaling, alternative channel materials are being considered to maintain performance in future complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology generations. Thus there is renewed interest in employing Ge as a channel material in p-MOSFETs, due to the significant improvement in hole mobility as compared to Si. Here we employ full-band Monte Carlo to study hole transport properties in Ge. We present mobility and velocity-field characteristics for different transport directions in p-doped relaxed and strained Ge layers. The simulations are based on a method for over-coming the potentially large dynamic range of scattering rates, which results from the long-range nature of the unscreened Coulombic interaction. Our model for ionized impurity scattering includes the affects of dynamic Lindhard screening, coupled with phase-shift, and multi-ion corrections along with plasmon scattering. We show that all these effects play a role in determining the hole carrier transport in doped Ge layers and cannot be neglected.
Photo-sensitive Ge nanocrystal based films controlled by substrate deposition temperature

KAUST Repository

Stavarache, Ionel

2017-07-21

Lowering the temperature of crystallization by deposition of thin films on a heated substrate represents the easiest way to find new means to develop and improve new working devices based on nanocrystals embedded in thin films. The improvements are strongly related with the increasing of operation speed, substantially decreasing the energy consumption and reducing unit fabrication costs of the respective semiconductor devices. This approach avoids major problems, such as those related to diffusion or difficulties in controlling of nanocrystallites size, which appear during thermal treatments at high temperatures after deposition. It is reported here the significant progress introduced by synthesis procedure to the in-situ structuring of Ge nanocrystallites in SiO₂ thin films by heating the substrate at low temperature, 400 °C during co-deposition of Ge and SiO₂ by magnetron sputtering. As a proof-of-concept, a Si/Ge-NCs:SiO₂ photo-sensitive structure was fabricated thereof and characterized. The structure shows superior performance on broad operation bandwidth from visible to near-infrared, as strong rectification properties in dark, significant current rise in the inversion mode when illuminated, high responsivity, high photo-detectivity of 10¹⁴ Jones, quick response and significant conversion efficiency of 850 %. This simple preparation approach brings an important contribution to the efort of structuring Ge nanocrystallites in SiO₂ thin films at a lower temperature for the purpose of using these materials for devices in optoelectronics, solar cells and electronics on flexible substrates.
Pulsed ion-beam assisted deposition of Ge nanocrystals on SiO{sub 2} for non-volatile memory device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stepina, N.P. [Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Lavrenteva 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)], E-mail: nstepina@mail.ru; Dvurechenskii, A.V.; Armbrister, V.A.; Kirienko, V.V.; Novikov, P.L.; Kesler, V.G.; Gutakovskii, A.K.; Smagina, Z.V.; Spesivtzev, E.V. [Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Lavrenteva 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

2008-11-03

A floating gate memory structure, utilizing Ge nanocrystals (NCs) deposited on tunnel SiO{sub 2}, have been fabricated using pulsed low energy ion-beam induced molecular-beam deposition (MBD) in ultra-high vacuum. The ion-beam action is shown to stimulate the nucleation of Ge NCs when being applied after thin Ge layer deposition. Growth conditions for independent change of NCs size and array density were established allowing to optimize the structure parameters required for memory device. Activation energy E = 0.25 eV was determined from the temperature dependence of NCs array density. Monte Carlo simulation has shown that the process, determining NCs array density, is the surface diffusion. Embedding of the crystalline Ge dots into silicon oxide was carried out by selective oxidation of Si(100)/SiO{sub 2} /Ge(NCs)/poly-Si structure. MOS-capacitor obtained after oxidation showed a hysteresis in its C-V curves attributed to charge retention in the Ge dots.
Semiconductor nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marstein Erik Stensrud

2003-07-01

This thesis presents a study of two material systems containing semiconductor nanocrystals, namely porous silicon (PSi) films and germanium (Ge) nanocrystals embedded in silicon dioxide (SiO2) films. The PSi films were made by anodic etching of silicon (Si) substrates in an electrolyte containing hydrofluoric acid. The PSi films were doped with erbium (Er) using two different doping methods. electrochemical doping and doping by immersing the PSi films in a solution containing Er. The resulting Er concentration profiles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEN1) combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS). The main subject of the work on PSi presented in this thesis was investigating and comparing these two doping methods. Ge nanocrystals were made by implanting Ge ions into Si02 films that were subsequently annealed. However. nanocrystal formation occurred only for certain sets of processing parameters. The dependence of the microstructure of the Ge implanted Si02 films on the processing parameters were therefore investigated. A range of methods were employed for these investigations, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with EDS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The observed structures, ranging from Ge nanocrystals to voids with diameters of several tens of nanometers and Ge rich Si02 films without any nanocrystals is described. A model explaining the void formation is also presented. For certain sets of processing parameters. An accumulation of Ge at the Si-Si02 interface was observed. The effect of this accumulation on the electrical properties of MOS structures made from Ge implanted SiO2 films was investigated using CV-measurements. (Author)
PECVD Tekniği ile Büyütülmüş İnce Filmlerde Oluşan Ge ve SiGe Nanokristallerin Geçirgen Elektron Mikroskobu (TEM) ,Raman ve Fotoışıma Spektroskopisi Teknikleri ile İncelenmesi

OpenAIRE

Şahin, Bünyamin; Ağan, Sedat

2009-01-01

We report an experimental study, optical properties of Ge and SiGe nanocrystals in SiOx structures are investigated by using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Raman and Photlüminescence Spectroscopy techniques. Ge nanocrystals in silicon oxide thin films have been grown with different annealing time by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) technique. The aim of our work is to determine size and size distiributions Ge, SiGe nanocrystals in SiOx martix due to annealing process...
Zinc-doping enhanced cadmium sulfide electrochemiluminescence behavior based on Au-Cu alloy nanocrystals quenching for insulin detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wenjuan; Wang, Chao; Li, Xiaojian; Khan, Malik Saddam; Sun, Xu; Ma, Hongmin; Fan, Dawei; Wei, Qin

2017-11-15

Novel and sensitive sandwich-type electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was fabricated for insulin detection. Au-ZnCd 14 S combined nitrogen doping mesoporous carbons (Au-ZnCd 14 S/NH 2 -NMCs) acted as sensing platform and Au-Cu alloy nanocrystals were employed as labels to quench the ECL of Au-ZnCd 14 S/NH 2 -NMCs. Zinc-doping promoted the ECL behavior of CdS nanocrystals, with the best ECL emission obtained when the molar ratio of Zn/Cd was 1:14. Simultaneously, the modification of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and combination with NH 2 -NMC further enhanced the ECL emission of ZnCd 14 S due to its excellent conductivity and large specific surface area, which is desirable for the immunosensor construction. Au-Cu alloy nanocrystals were employed in the ECL system of ZnCd 14 S/K 2 S 2 O 8 triggering ECL quenching effects. The ECL spectra of ZnCd 14 S, acting as the energy donor, exhibited well overlaps with the absorption band of Au-Cu alloy nanocrystals which acted as the energy acceptor, leading to an effective ECL resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET). On the basis of the ECL quenching effects, a sensitive ECL immunosensor for insulin detection was successfully constructed with a linear response range of insulin concentration from 0.1pg/mL to 30ng/mL and the limit of detection was calculated to be 0.03pg/mL (S/N = 3). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Binding SnO2 nanocrystals in nitrogen-doped graphene sheets as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiaosi; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

2013-04-18

Hybrid anode materials for Li-ion batteries are fabricated by binding SnO2 nanocrystals (NCs) in nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) sheets by means of an in situ hydrazine monohydrate vapor reduction method. The SnO2NCs in the obtained SnO2NC@N-RGO hybrid material exhibit exceptionally high specific capacity and high rate capability. Bonds formed between graphene and SnO2 nanocrystals limit the aggregation of in situ formed Sn nanoparticles, leading to a stable hybrid anode material with long cycle life. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
A first-principles study of the electronic and structural properties of Sb and F doped SnO2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Minjung; Scott Bobbitt, N.; Marom, Noa; Chelikowsky, James R.

2015-01-01

We examine the electronic properties of Sb and F doped SnO 2 nanocrystals up to 2.4 nm in diameter. A real-space pseudopotential implementation of density functional theory is employed within the local density approximation. We calculate electron binding energies and dopant formation energies as function of nanocrystal size, dopant concentration, and dopant species. Structural changes for different dopant species are also investigated. Our study should provide useful information for the design of transparent conducting oxides at the nanoscale
The upconversion luminescence and magnetism in Yb3+/Ho3+ co-doped LaF3 nanocrystals for potential bimodal imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Syamchand, Sasidharanpillai S.; George, Sony

2016-12-01

Biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles with multifunctional properties can serve as potential nanoprobes for multimodal imaging. Herein, we report an upconversion nanocrystal based on lanthanum fluoride which is developed to address the imaging modalities, upconversion luminescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lanthanide ions (Yb3+ and Ho3+) doped LaF3 nanocrystals (LaF3 Yb3+/Ho3+) are fabricated through a rapid microwave-assisted synthesis. The hexagonal phase LaF3 nanocrystals exhibit nearly spherical morphology with average diameter of 9.8 nm. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis estimated the doping concentration of Yb3+ and Ho3+ as 3.99 and 0.41%, respectively. The nanocrystals show upconversion luminescence when irradiated with near-infrared (NIR) photons of wavelength 980 nm. The emission spectrum consists of bands centred at 542, 645 and 658 nm. The stronger green emission at 542 nm and the weak red emissions at 645 and 658 nm are assigned to 5S2 → 5I8 and 5F5 → 5I8 transitions of Ho3+, respectively. The pump power dependence of luminescence intensity confirmed the two-photon upconversion process. The nanocrystals exhibit paramagnetism due to the presence of lanthanide ion dopant Ho3+ and the magnetization is 19.81 emu/g at room temperature. The nanocrystals exhibit a longitudinal relaxivity ( r 1) of 0.12 s-1 mM-1 and transverse relaxivity ( r 2) of 28.18 s-1 mM-1, which makes the system suitable for developing T2 MRI contrast agents based on holmium. The LaF3 Yb3+/Ho3+ nanocrystals are surface modified by PEGylation to improve biocompatibility and enhance further functionalisation. The PEGylated nanocrystals are found to be non-toxic up to 50 μg/mL for 48 h of incubation, which is confirmed by the MTT assay as well as morphological studies in HeLa cells. The upconversion luminescence and magnetism together with biocompatibility enables the adaptability of the present system as a nanoprobe for potential
Magnetism in Mn-nanowires and -clusters as δ-doped layers in group IV semiconductors (Si, Ge)

Science.gov (United States)

Simov, K. R.; Glans, P.-A.; Jenkins, C. A.; Liberati, M.; Reinke, P.

2018-01-01

Mn doping of group-IV semiconductors (Si/Ge) is achieved by embedding nanostructured Mn-layers in group-IV matrix. The Mn-nanostructures are monoatomic Mn-wires or Mn-clusters and capped with an amorphous Si or Ge layer. The precise fabrication of δ-doped Mn-layers is combined with element-specific detection of the magnetic signature with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The largest moment (2.5 μB/Mn) is measured for Mn-wires with ionic bonding character and a-Ge overlayer cap; a-Si capping reduces the moment due to variations of bonding in agreement with theoretical predictions. The moments in δ-doped layers dominated by clusters is quenched with an antiferromagnetic component from Mn-Mn bonding.
Effect of nitrogen doping on the thermal conductivity of GeTe thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fallica, Roberto; Longo, Massimo; Wiemer, Claudia [Laboratorio MDM, IMM-CNR, Agrate Brianza (Italy); Varesi, Enrico; Fumagalli, Luca; Spadoni, Simona [Micron Semiconductor Italia, Agrate Brianza (Italy)

2013-12-15

The 3{omega} method was employed to determine the effect of nitrogen doping (5 at.%) on the thermal conductivity of sputtered thin films of stoichiometric GeTe (a material of interest for phase change memories). It was found that nitrogen doping has a detrimental effect on the thermal conductivity of GeTe in both phases, but less markedly in the amorphous (-25%) than in the crystalline one (-40%). On the opposite, no effect could be detected on the measured thermal boundary resistance between these films and SiO{sub 2}, within the experimental error. Our results agree with those obtained by molecular dynamic simulation of amorphous GeTe. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)
Synthesis and characterization of Ho{sup 3+}-doped strontium titanate downconversion nanocrystals and its application in dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Y.Y. [Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Liaoning Provincial College Key Laboratory of New Materials and Material Modification, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Hao, H.S., E-mail: beike1952@163.com [Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Liaoning Provincial College Key Laboratory of New Materials and Material Modification, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Qin, L. [National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Wang, H.L.; Nie, M.Q.; Hu, Z.Q.; Gao, W.Y.; Liu, G.S. [Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China); Liaoning Provincial College Key Laboratory of New Materials and Material Modification, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China)

2015-02-15

Highlights: • A new downconversion (DC) nanocrystal (SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+}) was synthesized. • The effect of SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} as a photoanode in DSSCs was investigated. • SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} absorb ultraviolet light and downconvert it to visible light. • DC SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} as a photoanode achieve the higher photoelectric conversion efficiency. - Abstract: Ho{sup 3+}-doped strontium titanate (SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+}) downconversion (DC) nanocrystals are synthesized by the solid state interaction of titanium dioxide, strontium nitrate, holmium oxide and sodium chloride and then used as a photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to investigate the effect of DC nanocrystals in DSSCs. Differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller analysis confirmed the formation of cubic structured SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals with diameters of 40-400 nm, pore size of ∼45 nm, sintering temperature of 950 °C. The photofluorescence and UV-Vis absorption spectra of the SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals revealed strong emission intensity and visible light absorption when doped content of holmium oxide was between 1 wt% and 3 wt%. Compared with the pure SrTiO{sub 3} photoanode, SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} DC photoanode showed a greater photovoltaic efficiency. The photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of the DSSCs with a SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} photoanode doped with 1 wt% holmium oxide was 59% higher than that with a pure SrTiO{sub 3} photoanode. This phenomenon could be explained by SrTiO{sub 3}:Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals’ ability to absorb ultraviolet light and downconvert it to visible light, which extends spectral response range of DSSC to the ultraviolet region and increased the short-circuit current density (Jsc) of DSSCs.
Controlled agglomeration of Tb-doped Y2O3 nanocrystals studied by x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray excited luminescence, and photoluminescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soo, Y.L.; Huang, S.W.; Kao, Y.H.; Chhabra, V.; Kulkarni, B.; Veliadis, J.V.; Bhargava, R.N.

1999-01-01

Local environment surrounding Y atoms in Y 2 O 3 :Tb nanocrystals under various heat treatment conditions has been investigated by using the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique. X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) with the incident x-ray energy near Y K edge and Tb L edges has also been measured to investigate the mechanisms of x-ray-to-visible down conversion in these doped nanoparticles. The observed changes in EXAFS, XEL, and photoluminescent data can be explained on the basis of increased average size of the nanoparticles as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy studies. Our results thus demonstrate that the doped nanoparticles can agglomerate to a controllable degree by varying the heat treatment temperature. At higher temperatures, the local environment surrounding Y atoms in the nanoparticles is found to become similar to that in bulk Y 2 O 3 while the XEL output still shows the characteristics of nanocrystals. These results indicate that appropriate heat treatment can afford an effective means to control the intensity and signal-to-background ratio of green luminescence output of these doped nanocrystal phosphors, potentially useful for some device applications. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics
In-situ Ga doping of fully strained Ge1-xSnx heteroepitaxial layers grown on Ge(001) substrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shimura, Y.; Takeuchi, S.; Nakatsuka, O.

2012-01-01

to the introduction of dislocations, due to the increase in the strain of the Ge1-xSnx layers. We achieved the growth of a fully strained Ge0.922Sn0.078 layer on Ge with a Ga concentration of 5.5×1019 /cm3 without any dislocations and stacking faults. The resistivity of the Ga-doped Ge1-xSnx layer decreased as the Sn...... content was increased. This decrease was due to an increase in the carrier concentration, with an increase in the activation level of Ga atoms in the Ge1-xSnx epitaxial layers being induced by the introduction of Sn. As a result, we found that the resistivity for the Ge0.950Sn0.050 layer annealed at 600°C...
Influence of dopant segregation on the work function and electrical properties of Ge-doped in comparison to Sn-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoyer, Karoline L.; Hubmann, Andreas H.; Klein, Andreas [Surface Science Division, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (Germany)

2017-02-15

Ge-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering are studied using photoelectron spectroscopy and Hall effect measurements. Carrier conductivities of up to 8.35 x 10{sup 3} S cm{sup -1} and carrier mobilities of up to 57 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1}s{sup -1} are observed. The surface Ge concentration is enhanced by a factor of 2-3 compared to the concentration in the interior of the films. The surface Ge concentration increases with more oxidizing deposition conditions, in opposite to what has been reported for Sn-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Ge-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} films exhibit higher work functions as compared to Sn-doped films, in particular at oxidizing conditions. This is attributed to the formation of a GeO{sub 2} surface phase. While segregation of Sn reduces the carrier mobility due to grain boundary scattering, Ge segregation does not show such an effect. The differences are attributed to the different oxidation states of the segregated dopants, in agreement with the observed dependence of segregation on oxygen activity. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Real space pseudopotential calculations for size trends in Ga- and Al-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals with wurtzite and zincblende structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bobbitt, N. Scott; Kim, Minjung [Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Sai, Na [Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Marom, Noa [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118 (United States); Chelikowsky, James R. [Center for Computational Materials, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Departments of Physics and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2014-09-07

Zinc oxide is often used as a popular inexpensive transparent conducting oxide. Here, we employ density functional theory and local density approximation to examine the effects of quantum confinement in doped nanocrystals of this material. Specifically, we examine the addition of Ga and Al dopants to ZnO nanocrystals on the order of 1.0 nm. We find that the inclusion of these dopants is energetically less favorable in smaller particles and that the electron binding energy, which is associated with the dopant activation, decreases with the nanocrystal size. We find that the introduction of impurities does not alter significantly the Kohn-Sham eigenspectrum for small nanocrystals of ZnO. The added electron occupies the lowest existing state, i.e., no new bound state is introduced in the gap. We verify this assertion with hybrid functional calculations.
Real space pseudopotential calculations for size trends in Ga- and Al-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals with wurtzite and zincblende structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobbitt, N. Scott; Kim, Minjung; Sai, Na; Marom, Noa; Chelikowsky, James R.

2014-01-01

Zinc oxide is often used as a popular inexpensive transparent conducting oxide. Here, we employ density functional theory and local density approximation to examine the effects of quantum confinement in doped nanocrystals of this material. Specifically, we examine the addition of Ga and Al dopants to ZnO nanocrystals on the order of 1.0 nm. We find that the inclusion of these dopants is energetically less favorable in smaller particles and that the electron binding energy, which is associated with the dopant activation, decreases with the nanocrystal size. We find that the introduction of impurities does not alter significantly the Kohn-Sham eigenspectrum for small nanocrystals of ZnO. The added electron occupies the lowest existing state, i.e., no new bound state is introduced in the gap. We verify this assertion with hybrid functional calculations
A first-principles study of the electronic and structural properties of Sb and F doped SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Minjung; Scott Bobbitt, N. [Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Marom, Noa [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 (United States); Chelikowsky, James R. [Center for Computational Materials, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Departments of Physics and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2015-01-28

We examine the electronic properties of Sb and F doped SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals up to 2.4 nm in diameter. A real-space pseudopotential implementation of density functional theory is employed within the local density approximation. We calculate electron binding energies and dopant formation energies as function of nanocrystal size, dopant concentration, and dopant species. Structural changes for different dopant species are also investigated. Our study should provide useful information for the design of transparent conducting oxides at the nanoscale.
Nanocrystal in Er3+-doped SiO2-ZrO2 Planar Waveguide with Yb3+ Sensitizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Razaki, N. Iznie; Jais, U. Sarah; Abd-Rahman, M. Kamil; Bhaktha, S. N. B.; Chiasera, A.; Ferrari, M.

2010-01-01

Higher doping of Er 3+ in glass ceramic waveguides would cause concentration and pair-induced quenching which lead to inhomogeneous line-width of luminescence spectrum thus reduce output intensity. Concentration quenching can be overcome by introducing ZrO 2 in the glass matrix while co-doping with Yb 3+ which acts as sensitizer would improve the excitation efficiency of Er 3+ . In this study, SiO 2 -ZrO 2 planar waveguides having composition in mol percent of 70SiO 2 -30ZrO 2 doped with Er 3+ and co-doped with Yb 3+ , were prepared via sol-gel route. Narrower and shaper peaks of PL and XRD shows the formation of nanocrystals. Intensity is increase with addition amount of Yb 3+ shows sensitizing effect on Er 3+ .
Magnetism in Mn-nanowires and -clusters as δ-doped layers in group IV semiconductors (Si, Ge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. R. Simov

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Mn doping of group-IV semiconductors (Si/Ge is achieved by embedding nanostructured Mn-layers in group-IV matrix. The Mn-nanostructures are monoatomic Mn-wires or Mn-clusters and capped with an amorphous Si or Ge layer. The precise fabrication of δ-doped Mn-layers is combined with element-specific detection of the magnetic signature with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The largest moment (2.5 μB/Mn is measured for Mn-wires with ionic bonding character and a-Ge overlayer cap; a-Si capping reduces the moment due to variations of bonding in agreement with theoretical predictions. The moments in δ-doped layers dominated by clusters is quenched with an antiferromagnetic component from Mn–Mn bonding.

Crystallization behavior of Ge-doped eutectic Sb70Te30 films in optical disks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khulbe, Pramod K.; Hurst, Terril; Mansuripur, Masud; Horie, Michikazu

2002-01-01

We report laser-induced crystallization behavior of binary Sb-Te and ternary Ge-doped eutectic Sb70Te30 thin film samples in a typical quadrilayer stack as used in phase-change optical disk data storage. Several experiments have been conducted on a two-laser static tester in which one laser operating in pulse mode writes crystalline marks on amorphous film or amorphous marks on crystalline film, while the second laser operating at low-power cw mode simultaneously monitors the progress of the crystalline or amorphous mark formation in real time in terms of the reflectivity variation. The results of this study show that the crystallization kinetics of this class of film is strongly growth dominant, which is significantly different from the crystallization kinetics of stochiometric Ge-Sb-Te compositions. In Sb-Te and Ge-doped eutectic Sb70Te30 thin-film samples, the crystallization behavior of the two forms of amorphous states, namely, as-deposited amorphous state and melt-quenched amorphous state, remains approximately same. We have also presented experiments showing the effect of the variation of the Sb/Te ratio and Ge doping on the crystallization behavior of these films
The metallization of Ge-doped plastics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huser, G.; Recoules, V.; Salin, G.; Galmiche, D.; Ozaki, N.; Miyanishi, K.; Kodama, R.; Sano, T.; Sakawa, Y.

2013-01-01

Ge-doped plastics are used in inertial fusion targets. Doped plastics are complex mixtures and the validation of their properties in a broad range of thermodynamic conditions requires an experimental validation. The metallization of plastics appears when shock waves generated by power lasers create pressures around 10 6 bar and temperatures around 10.000 K. The shock front propagating in the plastic becomes reflective. We have performed experiments to test the mathematical models describing the compressibility of such materials. We have compared the Thomas-Fermi model that is implemented in the QEOS formalism (Quotidian Equation of State) with 2 other models: the Sommerfeld metal model and a model that allows the closure of the semi-conducting gap. It appears that the Thomas-Fermi model predicts satisfactorily the compressibility of a mixture compressed at a few 10 6 bars, but over-estimates the average ionisation by a factor up to 10 which leads to an over-estimation of the metallization step
Defect properties of Sn- and Ge-doped ZnTe: suitability for intermediate-band solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Mauricio A.

2018-01-01

We investigate the electronic structure and defect properties of Sn- and Ge- doped ZnTe by first-principles calculations within the DFT+GW formalism. We find that ({{{Sn}}}{{Zn}}) and ({{{Ge}}}{{Zn}}) introduce isolated energy levels deep in the band gap of ZnTe, derived from Sn-5s and Ge-4s states, respectively. Moreover, the incorporation of Sn and Ge on the Zn site is favored in p-type ZnTe, in both Zn-rich and Te-rich environments. The optical absorption spectra obtained by solving the Bethe-Salpeter equation reveals that sub-bandgap absorptance is greatly enhanced due to the formation of the intermediate band. Our results suggest that Sn- and Ge-doped ZnTe would be a suitable material for the development of intermediate-band solar cells, which have the potential to achieve efficiencies beyond the single-junction limit.
Phosphorus atomic layer doping in SiGe using reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Yuji; Heinemann, Bernd; Murota, Junichi; Tillack, Bernd

2014-01-01

Phosphorus (P) atomic layer doping in SiGe is investigated at temperatures between 100 °C to 600 °C using a single wafer reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition system. SiGe(100) surface is exposed to PH 3 at different PH 3 partial pressures by interrupting SiGe growth. The impact of the SiGe buffer/cap growth condition (total pressure/SiGe deposition precursors) on P adsorption, incorporation, and segregation are investigated. In the case of SiH 4 -GeH 4 -H 2 gas system, steeper P spikes due to lower segregation are observed by SiGe cap deposition at atmospheric (ATM) pressure compared with reduced pressure (RP). The steepness of P spike of ∼ 5.7 nm/dec is obtained for ATM pressure without reducing deposition temperature. This result may be due to the shift of equilibrium of P adsorption/desorption to desorption direction by higher H 2 pressure. Using Si 2 H 6 -GeH 4 -H 2 gas system for SiGe cap deposition in RP, lowering the SiGe growth temperature is possible, resulting in higher P incorporation and steeper P profile due to reduced desorption and segregation. In the case of Si 2 H 6 -GeH 4 -H 2 gas system, the P dose could be simulated assuming a Langmuir-type kinetics model. Incorporated P shows high electrical activity, indicating P is adsorbed mostly in lattice position. - Highlights: • Phosphorus (P) atomic layer doping in SiGe (100) is investigated using CVD. • P adsorption is suppressed by the hydrogen termination of Ge surface. • By SiGe cap deposition at atmospheric pressure, P segregation was suppressed. • By using Si 2 H 6 -based SiGe cap, P segregation was also suppressed. • The P adsorption process is self-limited and follows Langmuir-type kinetics model
Influence of reductant and germanium concentration on the growth and stress development of germanium nanocrystals in silicon oxide matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chew, H G; Zheng, F; Choi, W K; Chim, W K; Foo, Y L; Fitzgerald, E A

2007-01-01

Germanium (Ge) nanocrystals have been synthesized by annealing co-sputtered SiO 2 -Ge samples in N 2 or forming gas (90% N 2 +10% H 2 ) at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1000 deg. C. We concluded that the annealing ambient, temperature and Ge concentration have a significant influence on the formation and evolution of the nanocrystals. We showed that a careful selective etching of the annealed samples in hydrofluoric acid solution enabled the embedded Ge nanocrystals to be liberated from the SiO 2 matrix. From the Raman results of the as-grown and the liberated nanocrystals, we established that the nanocrystals generally experienced compressive stress in the oxide matrix and the evolution of these stress states was intimately linked to the distribution, density, size and quality of the Ge nanocrystals
Characterization of epitaxial GaAs MOS capacitors using atomic layer-deposited TiO2/Al2O3 gate stack: study of Ge auto-doping and p-type Zn doping.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalapati, Goutam Kumar; Shun Wong, Terence Kin; Li, Yang; Chia, Ching Kean; Das, Anindita; Mahata, Chandreswar; Gao, Han; Chattopadhyay, Sanatan; Kumar, Manippady Krishna; Seng, Hwee Leng; Maiti, Chinmay Kumar; Chi, Dong Zhi

2012-02-02

Electrical and physical properties of a metal-oxide-semiconductor [MOS] structure using atomic layer-deposited high-k dielectrics (TiO2/Al2O3) and epitaxial GaAs [epi-GaAs] grown on Ge(100) substrates have been investigated. The epi-GaAs, either undoped or Zn-doped, was grown using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition method at 620°C to 650°C. The diffusion of Ge atoms into epi-GaAs resulted in auto-doping, and therefore, an n-MOS behavior was observed for undoped and Zn-doped epi-GaAs with the doping concentration up to approximately 1017 cm-3. This is attributed to the diffusion of a significant amount of Ge atoms from the Ge substrate as confirmed by the simulation using SILVACO software and also from the secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses. The Zn-doped epi-GaAs with a doping concentration of approximately 1018 cm-3 converts the epi-GaAs layer into p-type since the Zn doping is relatively higher than the out-diffused Ge concentration. The capacitance-voltage characteristics show similar frequency dispersion and leakage current for n-type and p-type epi-GaAs layers with very low hysteresis voltage (approximately 10 mV).PACS: 81.15.Gh.
Exceptional cracking behavior in H-implanted Si/B-doped Si0.70Ge0.30/Si heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Da; Wang, Dadi; Chang, Yongwei; Li, Ya; Ding, Rui; Li, Jiurong; Chen, Xiao; Wang, Gang; Guo, Qinglei

2018-01-01

The cracking behavior in H-implanted Si/B-doped Si0.70Ge0.30/Si structures after thermal annealing was investigated. The crack formation position is found to closely correlate with the thickness of the buried Si0.70Ge0.30 layer. For H-implanted Si containing a buried 3-nm-thick B-doped Si0.70Ge0.30 layer, localized continuous cracking occurs at the interfaces on both sides of the Si0.70Ge0.30 interlayer. Once the thickness of the buried Si0.70Ge0.30 layer increases to 15 and 70 nm, however, a continuous sharp crack is individually observed along the interface between the Si substrate and the B-doped Si0.70Ge0.30 interlayer. We attribute this exceptional cracking behavior to the existence of shear stress on both sides of the buried Si0.70Ge0.30 layer and the subsequent trapping of hydrogen, which leads to a crack in a well-controlled manner. This work may pave the way for high-quality Si or SiGe membrane transfer in a feasible manner, thus expediting its potential applications to ultrathin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) or silicon-germanium-on-insulator (SGOI) production.
Ambient temperature aqueous synthesis of ultrasmall copper doped ceria nanocrystals for the water gas shift and carbon monoxide oxidation reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Curran, Christopher D. [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA; Lu, Li [Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA; Kiely, Christopher J. [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering; McIntosh, Steven [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Lehigh University; Bethlehem; USA

2018-01-01

Ultra-small Cu_xCe_1-xO_2-δnanocrystals were prepared through a room temperature, aqueous synthesis method, achieving high copper doping and low water gas shift activation energy.
Photoluminescence of highly compensated GaAs doped with high concentration of Ge

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Masaru; Watanabe, Akira; Suezawa, Masashi

1999-12-01

We have studied the photoluminescence (PL) properties of Ge-doped GaAs crystals to confirm the validity of a theory developed by Shklovskii and Efros to explain the donor-acceptor pair (DAP) recombination in potential fluctuation. GaAs crystals doped with Ge of various concentrations were grown by a liquid-encapsulated Czochralski method. They were homogenized by annealing at 1200°C for 20 h under the optimum As vapor pressure. Both quasi-continuous and time-resolved PL spectra were measured at 4.2 K. The quasi-continuous PL spectra showed that the peak position shifted to lower energy as the Ge concentration increased, which was consistent with the Shklovskii and Efros's theory. Under very strong excitation in time-resolved measurements, the exciton peak appeared within short periods after excitation and then the peak shifted to that of DAP recombination. This clearly showed that the potential fluctuation disappeared under strong excitation and then recovered as the recombination proceeded.
Design of a novel dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system composited of Ag{sub 2}O modified Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Mengyan; Liu, Hui, E-mail: liuhui@sust.edu.cn; Liu, Tingting; Qin, Yangxiao

2017-02-15

A novel dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system composited of Ag{sub 2}O nanocrystals modified Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets were successfully fabricated. In which, the Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets have been firstly prepared by a simple hydrothermal method, subsequently the as-prepared products were modified with Ag{sub 2}O nanocrystals through a sonochemical depositing process in order to build a novel dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system. The samples were carefully characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis DRS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The photocatalytic activity toward degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution under stimulated solar light was investigated. The experimental results showed this new dual Z-scheme photocatalytic system possess an enhanced photocatalytic degradation activity compared to that similar surface heterojunction photocatalysts composed of Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with individual exposed (001) and (101) facets. This novel photocatalytic system presents a high charge-separation efficiency and strong redox ability. This study will help us to better understand the photocatalytic mechanism of semiconductor photocatalysts with exposed different facets, and provide a new insight into the design and fabrication of advanced photocatalytic materials. - Highlights: •A novel dual Z-scheme system was built by Ag{sub 2}O and facet exposed TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals. •The individual TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals exposed (001) and (101) facets respectively. •Ag{sub 2}O coupled with Ti{sup 3+} self doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals through a sonochemical process. •The as-prepared sample possesses a super photocatalytic activity.
Structural and optical properties of Na doped ZnO nanocrystals: Application to solar photocatalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabib, Asma; Bouslama, Wiem [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Sieber, Brigitte; Addad, Ahmed [UMET, UMR, CNRS 8207, Université Lille 1, 59665 Villeneuve d’Ascq Cédex (France); Elhouichet, Habib, E-mail: habib.elhouichet@fst.rnu.tn [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, University of Tunis, ElManar 2092 (Tunisia); Férid, Mokhtar [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Boukherroub, Rabah [Institut d’Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN), UMR, CNRS, 8520 Avenue Pointcarré, BP 60069, 59652 Villeneuve d’Ascq (France)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Na doped ZnO nanocrystals were prepared via sol–gel method. • A substitution of Zn{sup 2+} by Na{sup +} was demonstrated. • Low Na concentration induces higher photocatalytic activity under solar irradiation. • Oxygen vacancies guided the processes of charge separation. - Abstract: Na doped ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) were successfully produced by sol–gel process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM (HRTEM), Raman scattering, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL). XRD analysis indicated that all the prepared samples present pure hexagonal wurtzite structure without any Na related phases. The lattice distortion, calculated using Williamson hall equation, induces stress and a reduction of NCs size from 71.4 to 24.5 nm. TEM images showed NCs with hexagonal shape and a rather uniform size distribution. The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns confirmed the high crystal quality along the 〈101〉 direction and is consistent with the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO. The Raman spectra are dominated by E{sub 2}{sup high} mode of ZnO. High Na doping shows the occurrence of anomalous local vibrational Raman modes close to 270 and 513 cm{sup −1} that are related to intrinsic host lattice defects and distortion, respectively. Optical band gap was found to vary with Na content. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicate the presence of a high density of defects in ZnO NCs which are mainly oxygen vacancies. Finally, the obtained NCs were used as a photocatalyst to degrade Rhodamine B (RhB) in solution, under solar irradiation. Na doping enhances the photocatalytic activity of ZnO NCs till an optimum concentration of 0.5% where a full degradation was observed after 120 min of sun light irradiation. Furthermore, this sample presents a good cycling stability and reusability. Based on scavangers test, it was found that both superoxide and
Thermoluminescence of Ge- and Al-doped SiO2 optical fibers subjected to 0.2-4.0 Gy external photon radiotherapeutic dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hossain, I.; Wagiran, H.; Yaakob, N.H.

2013-01-01

In this work, we studied the thermoluminescence response of Ge- and Al-doped optical fibers, its linearity, energy dependence, and sensitivity. The Ge-doped optical fibers demonstrate useful TL properties and represent an excellent candidate for use in TL dosimetry of ionizing radiation. The TL response increases monotonically over a wide photon dose range, from 0.2 Gy to 4.0 Gy. The TL results for these fibers have been compared with similar TL data for phosphor TLD-100. Commercially available Al- and Ge-doped optical fibers have both been found to yield a linear dose-TL signal relationship, although the Al-doped fiber provides only 5 % of the sensitivity of the Ge-doped fibers. The TL characteristics of Ge-doped optical fiber, plus its small size (125 μm diameter), high flexibility, ease of handling, and low cost compared with other TL materials, make this commercial optical fiber a very promising TL material for use in medicine, industry, reactor operation, and a variety of other areas. (author)
Light Scattering Spectroscopies of Semiconductor Nanocrystals (Quantum Dots)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Peter Y; Gardner, Grat; Nozaki, Shinji; Berbezier, Isabelle

2006-01-01

We review the study of nanocrystals or quantum dots using inelastic light scattering spectroscopies. In particular recent calculations of the phonon density of states and low frequency Raman spectra in Ge nanocrystals are presented for comparison with experimental results
Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon Membranes with Co/CoP Janus-Type Nanocrystals as Hydrogen Evolution Electrode in Both Acidic and Alkaline Environments

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hong; Min, Shixiong; Wang, Qiang; Li, Debao; Casillas, Gilberto; Ma, Chun; Li, Yangyang; Liu, Zhixiong; Li, Lain-Jong; Yuan, Jiayin; Antonietti, Markus; Wu, Tao

2017-01-01

reaction (HER). Benefited from multiple structural merits, such as a high degree of graphitization, three-dimensionally interconnected micro/meso/macropores, uniform nitrogen doping, well-dispersed Co/CoP nanocrystals, as well as the confinement effect
Plasmon-enhanced energy transfer for improved upconversion of infrared radiation in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qi; Mundoor, Haridas; Ribot, Josep; Singh, Vivek; Smalyukh, Ivan; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-03-01

Upconversion of infrared radiation into visible light has been investigated for applications in biological imaging and photovoltaics. However, low conversion efficiency due to small absorption cross-section for infrared light (Yb3+) , and slow rate of energy transfer (to Er3+ states) has prevented application of upconversion photoluminescence (UPL) for diffuse sunlight or imaging tissue samples. Here, we utilize resonant surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) waves to enhance UPL in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals. Our analysis indicates that SPP waves not only enhance the electromagnetic field, and hence weak Purcell effect, but also increases the rate of resonant energy transfer from Yb3+ to Er3+ ions by 6 fold. While we do observe strong metal mediated quenching (14 fold) of green fluorescence on flat metal surfaces, the nanostructured metal is resonant in the infrared, and hence enhances the nanocrystal UPL. This strong columbic effect on energy transfer can have important implications for other fluorescent and excitonic systems too.
Plasmon-enhanced energy transfer for improved upconversion of infrared radiation in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qi-C; Mundoor, Haridas; Ribot, Josep C; Singh, Vivek; Smalyukh, Ivan I; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-01-08

Upconversion of infrared radiation into visible light has been investigated for applications in photovoltaics and biological imaging. However, low conversion efficiency due to small absorption cross-section for infrared light (Yb(3+)), and slow rate of energy transfer (to Er(3+) states) has prevented application of upconversion photoluminescence (UPL) for diffuse sunlight or imaging tissue samples. Here, we utilize resonant surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) waves to enhance UPL in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals. Our analysis indicates that SPP waves not only enhance the electromagnetic field, and hence weak Purcell effect, but also increase the rate of resonant energy transfer from Yb(3+) to Er(3+) ions by 6 fold. While we do observe strong metal mediated quenching (14-fold) of green fluorescence on flat metal surfaces, the nanostructured metal is resonant in the infrared and hence enhances the nanocrystal UPL. This strong Coulombic effect on energy transfer can have important implications for other fluorescent and excitonic systems too.
Silicon nanocrystal films for electronic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lechner, Robert W.

2009-02-06

Whether nanoparticles of silicon are really suited for such applications, whether layers fabricated from this exhibit semiconducting properties, whether they can be doped, and whether for instance via the doping the conductivity can be tuned, was studied in the present thesis. Starting material for this were on the one hand spherical silicon nanocrystals with a sharp size distribution and mean diameters in the range from 4-50 nm. Furthermore silicon particle were available, which are with 50-500 nm distinctly larger and exhibit a broad distribution of the mean size and a polycrystalline fine structure with strongly bifurcated external morphology. The small conductivities and tje low mobility values of the charge carriers in the layers of silicon nanocrystals suggest to apply suited thermal after-treatment procedures. So was found that the aluminium-induced layer exchange (ALILE) also can be transferred to the porous layers of nanocrystals. With the deuteron passivation a method was available to change the charge-carrier concentration in the polycrystalline layers. Additionally to ALILE laser crystallization as alternative after-treatment procedure of the nanocrystal layers was studied.
Formation and characterization of varied size germanium nanocrystals by electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan; Ou, Yiyu; Liu, Chuan

2011-01-01

Germanium nanocrystals are being extensively examined. Their unique optical properties (brought about by the quantum confinement effect) could potentially be applied in wide areas of nonlinear optics, light emission and solid state memory etc. In this paper, Ge nanocrystals embedded in a SiO2...... matrix were formed by complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible technology, e.g. plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition and annealing. Different sizes of the Ge nanocrystals were prepared and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy with respect to their size, distribution...... and crystallization. The samples of different size Ge nanocrystals embedded in the SiO2 matrix were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence. Interplayed size and strain effect of Ge nanocystals was demonstrated by Raman spectroscopy after excluding the thermal effect with proper excitation laser...
Pr3 + -doped GeSx-based glasses for fiber amplifiers at 1.3 µm

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, D. R.; Faber, A. J.; de Waal, H.

1995-03-01

The photoluminescence properties of Pr3+ -doped GeS x -based glasses are studied and compared with those of other sulfide and fluoride glasses. The possibility of highly pump-power-efficient fiber amplifiers based on these GeSx-containing glasses in the telecommunications window at 1.3 mu m is discussed.
Elucidation of the enhanced ferromagnetic origin in Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals embedded into a SiO₂ matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sejoon; Lee, Youngmin; Kim, Deukyoung [Dongguk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2013-01-01

The origin of the enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped ZnO (ZnO:Mn) nanocrystals is investigated. ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, which were fabricated by using a laser irradiation method with a 248-nm KrF excimer laser, exhibited two-times increase in the spontaneous magnetization (∼0.4 emu/cm³ at 300 K) compared to the ZnO:Mn thin film (∼0.2 emu/cm³ at 300 K). The increased exchange integral of J₁/k{sub B} = 51.6 K in ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, in comparison with the ZnO:Mn thin film (J₁/k{sub B} = 46.9 K), is indicative of the enhanced ferromagnetic exchange interaction. This is attributed to the large number of acceptor defects in the SiO₂-capped ZnO:Mn nanocrystals. Namely, the holes bound to the acceptor defects form microscopic bound-magnetic-polarons with Mn ions; hence, long-range ferromagnetic coupling is enhanced. The results suggest that ferromagnetism in ZnO-based dilute magnetic semiconductors can be controlled by modulating the density of native point defects, which can be chemically and thermodynamically modified during the material synthesis or preparation.

Effect of thermal annealing on the structure and magnetism of Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by solid state reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong; Chen, Z. Q.; Wang, D. D.; Gong, J.; Cao, C. Y.; Tang, Z.; Huang, L. R.

2010-11-01

High purity Fe 2O 3/ZnO nanocomposites were annealed in air at different temperatures between 100 and 1200 °C to get Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals. The structure and grain size of the Fe 2O 3/ZnO nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction 2θ scans. Annealing induces an increase of the grain size from 25 to 195 nm and appearance of franklinite phase of ZnFe 2O 4. Positron annihilation measurements reveal large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the Fe 2O 3/ZnO nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature. After annealing at temperatures higher than 1000 °C, the number of vacancies decreases to the lower detection limit of positrons. Room temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals using physical properties measurement system. The ferromagnetism remains after annealing up to 1000 °C, suggesting that it is not related with the interfacial defects.
Effect of thermal annealing on the structure and magnetism of Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by solid state reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Dong; Chen, Z.Q.; Wang, D.D.; Gong, J.; Cao, C.Y.; Tang, Z.; Huang, L.R.

2010-01-01

High purity Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO nanocomposites were annealed in air at different temperatures between 100 and 1200 o C to get Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals. The structure and grain size of the Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction 2θ scans. Annealing induces an increase of the grain size from 25 to 195 nm and appearance of franklinite phase of ZnFe 2 O 4 . Positron annihilation measurements reveal large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature. After annealing at temperatures higher than 1000 o C, the number of vacancies decreases to the lower detection limit of positrons. Room temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals using physical properties measurement system. The ferromagnetism remains after annealing up to 1000 o C, suggesting that it is not related with the interfacial defects.
Cu-Doping Effects in CdI(2) Nanocrystals: The Role of Cu-Agglomerates.

Science.gov (United States)

Miah, M Idrish

2008-11-22

Cu-doping effects in CdI(2) nanocrystals are studied experimentally. We use the photostimulated second harmonic generation (PSSHG) as a tool to investigate the effects. It is found that the PSSHG increases with increasing Cu content up to 0.6% and then decreases due to the formation of the Cu-agglomerates. The PSSHG for the crystal with Cu content higher than 1% reduces to that for the undoped CdI(2) crystal. The results suggest that a crucial role of the Cu-metallic agglomerates is involved in the processes as responsible for the observed effects.
Cu-Doping Effects in CdI2Nanocrystals: The Role of Cu-Agglomerates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miah M

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Cu-doping effects in CdI2nanocrystals are studied experimentally. We use the photostimulated second harmonic generation (PSSHG as a tool to investigate the effects. It is found that the PSSHG increases with increasing Cu content up to 0.6% and then decreases due to the formation of the Cu-agglomerates. The PSSHG for the crystal with Cu content higher than 1% reduces to that for the undoped CdI2crystal. The results suggest that a crucial role of the Cu-metallic agglomerates is involved in the processes as responsible for the observed effects.
Pr3+-doped GeSx-based glasses for fiber amplifiers at 1.3 mm

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Simons, D.R.; Faber, A.J.; Waal, de H.

1995-01-01

The luminescence of Pr3+-doped GeSx-based glasses were studied and compared with those of other sulfide and fluoride glasses. The possibility of highly pump-power-efficient fiber amplifiers based on these GeSx-contg. glasses in the telecommunications window at 1.3 mm is discussed. [on SciFinder (R)
Luminescence and energy transfer mechanism in Eu{sup 3+}/Tb{sup 3+}-co-doped ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystal rods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahemen, I., E-mail: ahemior@gmail.com; Dejene, F. B. [University of the Free State-QwaQwa Campus, Department of Physics (South Africa)

2017-01-15

Nanocrystal rods of Eu{sup 3+}/Tb{sup 3+}-co-doped ZrO{sub 2} were synthesized using a simple chemical precipitation technique. Both ions were successfully doped into the Zr{sup 4+} ion site in a mixed structure containing both monoclinic and tetragonal phases. The Eu{sup 3+} or Tb{sup 3+} singly doped zirconia produced red and green luminescence which are characteristics of Eu{sup 3+} and Tb{sup 3+} ions, respectively. The co-doped zirconia samples produced blue emission from defect states transitions in the host ZrO{sub 2}, red and green luminescence from dopant ions giving cool to warm white light emissions. The phosphors were efficiently excited by ultraviolet and near-ultraviolet/blue radiations giving white and red light, respectively. The decay lifetime was found to increase with increasing donor ion concentration contrary to conventional observations reported by previous researchers. Weak quadrupole–quatdrupole multipolar process was responsible for energy transfer from Tb{sup 3+} (donor) ion to Eu{sup 3+} ion. No energy back-transfer from Eu{sup 3+} to Tb{sup 3+} ion was observed from the excitation spectra. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence shows the presence of defects at low temperature, but these defects vanished at room temperature and beyond. The Eu{sup 3+}/Tb{sup 3+}-co-doped ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystal rod is a potential phosphor for white light application using UV as an excitation source. Thermoluminescence measurements show that the inclusion of Tb{sup 3+} ion increases trap depths in the host zirconia.
Enhanced Electrical Activation in In-Implanted Si0.35Ge0.65 by C Co-Doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Ruixing; Kremer, Felipe; Sprouster, David J.; Mirzaei, Sahar; Decoster, Stefan

2016-01-01

In this report, we have achieved a significant increase in the electrically active dopant fraction in Indium (In)-implanted Si 0.35 Ge 0.65 , by co-doping with the isovalent element Carbon (C). Electrical measurements have been correlated with X-ray absorption spectroscopy to determine the electrical properties and the In atom lattice location. With C+In co-doping, the solid solubility of In in Si 0.35 Ge 0.65 was at least tripled from between 0.02 and 0.06 at% to between 0.2 and 0.6 at% as a result of C–In pair formation, which suppressed In metal precipitation. A dramatic improvement of electrical properties was thus attained in the co-doped samples.
Structural and electrical properties of Ge-on-Si(0 0 1) layers with ultra heavy n-type doping grown by MBE

Science.gov (United States)

Yurasov, D. V.; Antonov, A. V.; Drozdov, M. N.; Yunin, P. A.; Andreev, B. A.; Bushuykin, P. A.; Baydakova, N. A.; Novikov, A. V.

2018-06-01

In this paper we report about the formation of ultra heavy doped n-Ge layers on Si(0 0 1) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy and their characterization by different independent techniques. Combined study of structural and electrical properties of fabricated layers using secondary ion mass spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Hall effect and reflection measurements was carried out and it has revealed the achievable charge carrier densities exceeding 1020 cm-3 without deterioration of crystalline quality of such doped layers. It was also shown that X-ray analysis can be used as a fast, reliable and non-destructive method for evaluation of the electrically active Sb concentration in heavy doped Ge layers. The appropriate set of doping density allowed to adjust the plasmonic resonance position in Ge:Sb layers in a rather wide range reaching the wavelength of 3.6 μm for the highest doping concentration. Room temperature photoluminescence confirmed the high crystalline quality of such doped layers. Our results indicated the attainability of high electron concentration in Ge:Sb layers grown on Si substrates without crystalline quality deterioration which may find potential applications in the fields of Si-based photonics and mid-IR plasmonics.
Syntheses of optically efficient (La{sub 1-x-y}Ce{sub x}Tb{sub y})F{sub 3} nanocrystals via a hydrothermal method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Qiang [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); You Yumin; Ludescher, Richard D. [Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (United States); Ju Yiguang, E-mail: yju@princeton.ed [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

2010-06-15

Optically efficient cerium and terbium doped lanthanide fluoride (La{sub 1-x-y}Ce{sub x}Tb{sub y})F{sub 3} nanocrystals with different doping concentrations have been synthesized by a hydrothermal route in the presence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA). The results showed that the formation of nanocrystals with different morphologies depends on terbium ion Tb{sup 3+} doping concentration, but independent of cerium ion Ce{sup 3+} doping concentration. With increase in Tb{sup 3+} doping concentration, the morphologies of nanocrystals evolved from a spherical shape to a plated-like one. In addition, both the photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) and the fluorescence lifetime of nanocrystals increased with the increase in Ce{sup 3+} doping concentration in cerium and terbium co-doped system. The PL QY reached up to 55%, and the lifetime up to 7.3 ms. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, photoluminescence (PL) and infrared (IR) spectroscopies were employed to characterize the properties of nanocrystals. The growth mechanism of nanocrystals with different morphologies and optical properties of nanocrystals with different doping concentrations were investigated.
Elucidation of the enhanced ferromagnetic origin in Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals embedded into a SiO2 matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sejoon; Lee, Youngmin; Kim, Deukyoung

2013-01-01

The origin of the enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped ZnO (ZnO:Mn) nanocrystals is investigated. ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, which were fabricated by using a laser irradiation method with a 248-nm KrF excimer laser, exhibited two-times increase in the spontaneous magnetization (∼0.4 emu/cm 3 at 300 K) compared to the ZnO:Mn thin film (∼0.2 emu/cm 3 at 300 K). The increased exchange integral of J 1 /k B = 51.6 K in ZnO:Mn nanocrystals, in comparison with the ZnO:Mn thin film (J 1 /k B = 46.9 K), is indicative of the enhanced ferromagnetic exchange interaction. This is attributed to the large number of acceptor defects in the SiO 2 -capped ZnO:Mn nanocrystals. Namely, the holes bound to the acceptor defects form microscopic bound-magnetic-polarons with Mn ions; hence, long-range ferromagnetic coupling is enhanced. The results suggest that ferromagnetism in ZnO-based dilute magnetic semiconductors can be controlled by modulating the density of native point defects, which can be chemically and thermodynamically modified during the material synthesis or preparation.
Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of zinc molybdate nanocrystals and molybdate-doped epoxy/PDMS nanocomposite coatings for Mg alloy protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Eduok, Ubong; Szpunar, Jerzy

2018-06-01

Zinc molybdate (ZM) is a safer anticorrosive additive for cooling systems when compared with chromates and lead salts, due to its insolubility in aqueous media. For most molybdate pigments, their molybdate anion (MoO 4 -2 ) acts as an anionic inhibitor and its passivation capacity is comparable with chromate anion (CrO 4 -2 ). To alleviate the environmental concerns involving chromates-based industrial protective coatings, we have proposed new alternative in this work. We have synthesized ZM nanocrystals via ultrasound-assisted process and encapsulated them within an epoxy/PDMS coating towards corrosion protection. The surface morphology and mechanical properties of these ZM doped epoxy/PDMS nanocomposite coatings is exhaustively discussed to show the effect of ZM content on protective properties. The presence of ZM nanocrystals significantly contributed to the corrosion barrier performance of the coating while the amount of ZM nanocrystals needed to prepare an epoxy coating with optimum barrier performance was established. Beyond 2 wt% ZM concentration, the siloxane-structured epoxy coating network became saturated with ZM pigments. This further broadened inherent pores channels, leading to the percolation of corrosion chloride ions through the coating. SEM evidence has revealed proof of surface delamination on ZM3 coating. A model mechanism of corrosion resistance has been proposed for ZM doped epoxy/PDMS nanocomposite coatings from exhaustive surface morphological investigations and evidence. This coating matrix may have emerging applications in cooling systems as anticorrosive surface paints as well as create an avenue for environmental corrosion remediation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Nonequilibrium-Plasma-Synthesized ZnO Nanocrystals with Plasmon Resonance Tunable via Al Doping and Quantum Confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Benjamin L; Ganguly, Shreyashi; Held, Jacob T; Kramer, Nicolaas J; Mkhoyan, K Andre; Aydil, Eray S; Kortshagen, Uwe R

2015-12-09

Metal oxide semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) tunable within the infrared (IR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum by vacancy or impurity doping. Although a variety of these NCs have been produced using colloidal synthesis methods, incorporation and activation of dopants in the liquid phase has often been challenging. Herein, using Al-doped ZnO (AZO) NCs as an example, we demonstrate the potential of nonthermal plasma synthesis as an alternative strategy for the production of doped metal oxide NCs. Exploiting unique, thoroughly nonequilibrium synthesis conditions, we obtain NCs in which dopants are not segregated to the NC surfaces and local doping levels are high near the NC centers. Thus, we achieve overall doping levels as high as 2 × 10(20) cm(-3) in NCs with diameters ranging from 12.6 to 3.6 nm, and for the first time experimentally demonstrate a clear quantum confinement blue shift of the LSPR energy in vacancy- and impurity-doped semiconductor NCs. We propose that doping of central cores and heavy doping of small NCs are achievable via nonthermal plasma synthesis, because chemical potential differences between dopant and host atoms-which hinder dopant incorporation in colloidal synthesis-are irrelevant when NC nucleation and growth proceed via irreversible interactions among highly reactive gas-phase ions and radicals and ligand-free NC surfaces. We explore how the distinctive nucleation and growth kinetics occurring in the plasma influences dopant distribution and activation, defect structure, and impurity phase formation.
Magnetic and electrical transport properties of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn magnetic semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, H.L.; Lin, H.T.; Wu, Y.H.; Liu, T.; Zhao, Z.L.; Han, G.C.; Chong, T.C.

2006-01-01

We report on the growth and characterization of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn diluted magnetic semiconductor thin films on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates. The fabricated samples exhibit different magnetic behaviors, depending on the Mn doping concentration. The Curie temperature was found to be dependent on both the Mn doping concentration and spacing between the doping layers. A sharp drop in magnetization and rise in resistivity are observed at low temperature in samples with high Mn doping concentrations, which is also accompanied by a negative thermal remanent magnetization (TRM) in the higher temperature range. The temperature at which the magnetization starts to drop and the negative TRM appears show a correlation with the Mn doping concentration. The experimental results are discussed based on the formation of ferromagnetic regions at high temperature and antiferromagnetic coupling between these regions at low temperature
Engineering Interfacial Charge Transfer in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals by Heterovalent Doping.

Science.gov (United States)

Begum, Raihana; Parida, Manas R; Abdelhady, Ahmed L; Murali, Banavoth; Alyami, Noktan M; Ahmed, Ghada H; Hedhili, Mohamed Nejib; Bakr, Osman M; Mohammed, Omar F

2017-01-18

Since compelling device efficiencies of perovskite solar cells have been achieved, investigative efforts have turned to understand other key challenges in these systems, such as engineering interfacial energy-level alignment and charge transfer (CT). However, these types of studies on perovskite thin-film devices are impeded by the morphological and compositional heterogeneity of the films and their ill-defined surfaces. Here, we use well-defined ligand-protected perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) as model systems to elucidate the role of heterovalent doping on charge-carrier dynamics and energy level alignment at the interface of perovskite NCs with molecular acceptors. More specifically, we develop an in situ doping approach for colloidal CsPbBr 3 perovskite NCs with heterovalent Bi 3+ ions by hot injection to precisely tune their band structure and excited-state dynamics. This synthetic method allowed us to map the impact of doping on CT from the NCs to different molecular acceptors. Using time-resolved spectroscopy with broadband capability, we clearly demonstrate that CT at the interface of NCs can be tuned and promoted by metal ion doping. We found that doping increases the energy difference between states of the molecular acceptor and the donor moieties, subsequently facilitating the interfacial CT process. This work highlights the key variable components not only for promoting interfacial CT in perovskites, but also for establishing a higher degree of precision and control over the surface and the interface of perovskite molecular acceptors.
Engineering Interfacial Charge Transfer in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals by Heterovalent Doping

KAUST Repository

Begum, Raihana

2016-12-17

Since compelling device efficiencies of perovskite solar cells have been achieved, investigative efforts have turned to understand other key challenges in these systems, such as engineering interfacial energy-level alignment and charge transfer (CT). However, these types of studies on perovskite thin-film devices are impeded by the morphological and compositional heterogeneity of the films and their ill-defined surfaces. Here, we use well-defined ligand-protected perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) as model systems to elucidate the role of heterovalent doping on charge-carrier dynamics and energy level alignment at the interface of perovskite NCs with molecular acceptors. More specifically, we develop an in situ doping approach for colloidal CsPbBr3 perovskite NCs with heterovalent Bi3+ ions by hot injection to precisely tune their band structure and excited-state dynamics. This synthetic method allowed us to map the impact of doping on CT from the NCs to different molecular acceptors. Using time-resolved spectroscopy with broadband capability, we clearly demonstrate that CT at the interface of NCs can be tuned and promoted by metal ion doping. We found that doping increases the energy difference between states of the molecular acceptor and the donor moieties, subsequently facilitating the interfacial CT process. This work highlights the key variable components not only for promoting interfacial CT in perovskites, but also for establishing a higher degree of precision and control over the surface and the interface of perovskite molecular acceptors.
Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon Membranes with Co/CoP Janus-Type Nanocrystals as Hydrogen Evolution Electrode in Both Acidic and Alkaline Environments

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hong

2017-03-31

Self-supported electrocatalysts being generated and employed directly as electrodes for energy conversion has been intensively pursued in the fields of materials chemistry and energy. Herein, we report a synthetic strategy to prepare freestanding hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped nanoporous graphitic carbon membranes functionalized with Janus-type Co/CoP nanocrystals (termed as HNDCM-Co/CoP), which were successfully applied as a highly efficient, binder-free electrode in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Benefited from multiple structural merits, such as a high degree of graphitization, three-dimensionally interconnected micro/meso/macropores, uniform nitrogen doping, well-dispersed Co/CoP nanocrystals, as well as the confinement effect of the thin carbon layer on the nanocrystals, HNDCM-Co/CoP exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity and long-term operation stability for HER under both acidic and alkaline conditions. As a proof-of-concept of practical usage, a 5.6 cm × 4 cm × 60 μm macroscopic piece of HNDCM-Co/CoP was prepared in our laboratory. Driven by a solar cell, electroreduction of water in alkaline conditions (pH 14) was performed, and H was produced at a rate of 16 mL/min, demonstrating its potential as real-life energy conversion systems.
Effect of thermal annealing on the structure and magnetism of Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by solid state reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Dong [Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory, Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Chen, Z.Q., E-mail: chenzq@whu.edu.c [Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory, Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Wang, D.D.; Gong, J. [Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory, Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Cao, C.Y.; Tang, Z. [Department of Electronic and Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241 (China); Huang, L.R. [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, College of Opto-electronics Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2010-11-15

High purity Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZnO nanocomposites were annealed in air at different temperatures between 100 and 1200 {sup o}C to get Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals. The structure and grain size of the Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZnO nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction 2{theta} scans. Annealing induces an increase of the grain size from 25 to 195 nm and appearance of franklinite phase of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}. Positron annihilation measurements reveal large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZnO nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature. After annealing at temperatures higher than 1000 {sup o}C, the number of vacancies decreases to the lower detection limit of positrons. Room temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in Fe-doped ZnO nanocrystals using physical properties measurement system. The ferromagnetism remains after annealing up to 1000 {sup o}C, suggesting that it is not related with the interfacial defects.
Study of novel junctionless Ge n-Tunneling Field-Effect Transistors with lightly doped drain (LDD) region

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiangyu; Hu, Huiyong; Wang, Bin; Wang, Meng; Han, Genquan; Cui, Shimin; Zhang, Heming

2017-02-01

In this paper, a novel junctionless Ge n-Tunneling Field-Effect Transistors (TFET) structure is proposed. The simulation results show that Ion = 5.5 × 10-5A/μm is achieved. The junctionless device structure enhances Ion effectively and increases the region where significant BTBT occurs, comparing with the normal Ge-nTEFT. The impact of the lightly doped drain (LDD) region is investigated. A comparison of Ion and Ioff of the junctionless Ge n-TFET with different channel doping concentration ND and LDD doping concentration NLDD is studied. Ioff is reduced 1 order of magnitude with the optimized ND and NLDD are 1 × 1018cm-3 and 1 × 1017 cm-3, respectively. To reduce the gate induced drain leakage (GIDL) current, the impact of the sloped gate oxide structure is also studied. By employing the sloped gate oxide structure, the below 60 mV/decade subthreshold swing S = 46.2 mV/decade is achieved at Ion = 4.05 × 10-5A/μm and Ion/Ioff = 5.7 × 106.
Solution synthesis of germanium nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Gerung, Henry [Albuquerque, NM; Boyle, Timothy J [Kensington, MD; Bunge, Scott D [Cuyahoga Falls, OH

2009-09-22

A method for providing a route for the synthesis of a Ge(0) nanometer-sized material from. A Ge(II) precursor is dissolved in a ligand heated to a temperature, generally between approximately 100.degree. C. and 400.degree. C., sufficient to thermally reduce the Ge(II) to Ge(0), where the ligand is a compound that can bond to the surface of the germanium nanomaterials to subsequently prevent agglomeration of the nanomaterials. The ligand encapsulates the surface of the Ge(0) material to prevent agglomeration. The resulting solution is cooled for handling, with the cooling characteristics useful in controlling the size and size distribution of the Ge(0) materials. The characteristics of the Ge(II) precursor determine whether the Ge(0) materials that result will be nanocrystals or nanowires.
Local order origin of thermal stability enhancement in amorphous Ag doping GeTe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, L.; Li, Y.; Yu, N. N.; Zhong, Y. P.; Miao, X. S., E-mail: miaoxs@mail.hust.edu.cn [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074 (China); School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2015-01-19

We demonstrate the impacts of Ag doping on the local atomic structure of amorphous GeTe phase-change material. The variations of phonon vibrational modes, boding nature, and atomic structure are shown by Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ab initio calculation. Combining the experiments and simulations, we observe that the number of Ge atoms in octahedral site decreases and that in tetrahedral site increases. This modification in local order of GeTe originating from the low valence element will affect the crystallization behavior of amorphous GeTe, which is verified by differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscope results. This work not only gives the analysis on the structural change of GeTe with Ag dopants but also provides a method to enhance the thermal stability of amorphous phase-change materials for memory and brain-inspired computing applications.

The influence of oxygen and nitrogen doping on GeSbTe phase-change optical recording media properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dimitrov, D.; Shieh, H.-P.D

2004-03-15

Nitrogen and oxygen doped and co-doped GeSbTe (GST) films for phase-change optical recording are investigated. It is found that the crystallization temperature increased as well as the crystalline microstructure refined by doping. The carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) and erasability of phase-change optical disks are improved being up to 52 and 35 dB, respectively, by using an appropriate nitrogen doping or co-doping concentration in the recording layer. Optical disks with co-doped recording layer are found to be superior in the recording characteristics then the single doped recording layer disks.
Charge transport in metal oxide nanocrystal-based materials

Science.gov (United States)

Runnerstrom, Evan Lars

There is probably no class of materials more varied, more widely used, or more ubiquitous than metal oxides. Depending on their composition, metal oxides can exhibit almost any number of properties. Of particular interest are the ways in which charge is transported in metal oxides: devices such as displays, touch screens, and smart windows rely on the ability of certain metal oxides to conduct electricity while maintaining visible transparency. Smart windows, fuel cells, and other electrochemical devices additionally rely on efficient transport of ionic charge in and around metal oxides. Colloidal synthesis has enabled metal oxide nanocrystals to emerge as a relatively new but highly tunable class of materials. Certain metal oxide nanocrystals, particularly highly doped metal oxides, have been enjoying rapid development in the last decade. As in myriad other materials systems, structure dictates the properties of metal oxide nanocrystals, but a full understanding of how nanocrystal synthesis, the processing of nanocrystal-based materials, and the structure of nanocrystals relate to the resulting properties of nanocrystal-based materials is still nascent. Gaining a fundamental understanding of and control over these structure-property relationships is crucial to developing a holistic understanding of metal oxide nanocrystals. The unique ability to tune metal oxide nanocrystals by changing composition through the introduction of dopants or by changing size and shape affords a way to study the interplay between structure, processing, and properties. This overall goal of this work is to chemically synthesize colloidal metal oxide nanocrystals, process them into useful materials, characterize charge transport in materials based on colloidal metal oxide nanocrystals, and develop ways to manipulate charge transport. In particular, this dissertation characterizes how the charge transport properties of metal oxide nanocrystal-based materials depend on their processing and
Upconversion and pump saturation mechanisms in Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Y2Ti2O7 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Fengxiao; Song, Feng; Zhang, Gong; Han, Yingdong; Li, Qiong; Tian, Jianguo; Ming, Chengguo

2014-01-01

The Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanocrystals were synthesized by the sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscopy, and photoluminescence spectra were measured to verify the Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanocrystalline produced in the sample annealed at 800 °C. The anomalous slopes of the fitted line in the log-log plots for upconversion emissions and the pump-saturation effect of near-infrared emission were observed in the nanocrystalline samples. A theoretical model of practical Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped system based on the rate equations were put forward and explained the experimental phenomena well
First-principles calculation on oxygen ion migration in alkaline-earth doped La2GeO5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thuy Linh, Tran Phan; Sakaue, Mamoru; Aspera, Susan Meñez; Alaydrus, Musa; Wungu, Triati Dewi Kencana; Hoang Linh, Nguyen; Kasai, Hideaki; Mohri, Takahiro; Ishihara, Tatsumi

2014-01-01

By using first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory, we investigated the doping effects of alkaline-earth metals (Ba, Sr and Ca) in monoclinic lanthanum germanate La 2 GeO 5 on its oxygen ion conduction. Although the lattice parameters of the doped systems changed due to the ionic radii mismatch, the crystal structures remained monoclinic. The contribution of each atomic orbital to electronic densities of states was evaluated from the partial densities of states and partial charge densities. It was confirmed that the materials behaved as ionic crystals comprising of cations of La and dopants and anions of oxygen and covalently formed GeO 4 . The doping effect on the activation barrier for oxygen hopping to the most stable oxygen vacancy site was investigated by the climbing-image nudged elastic band method. By tracing the charge density change during the hopping, it was confirmed that the oxygen motion is governed by covalent interactions. The obtained activation barriers showed excellent quantitative agreements with an experiment for the Ca- and Sr-doped systems in low temperatures as well as the qualitative trend, including the Ba-doped system. (paper)
A large enhancement of photoinduced second harmonic generation in CdI2--Cu layered nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Miah, M Idrish

2009-02-12

Photoinduced second harmonic generation (PISHG) in undoped as well as in various Cu-doped (0.05-1.2% Cu) CdI2 nanocrystals was measured at liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT). It was found that the PISHG increases with increasing Cu doping up to approximately 0.6% and then decreases almost to that for the undoped CdI2 for doping higher than approximately 1%. The values of the second-order susceptibility ranged from 0.50 to 0.67 pm V(-1) for the Cu-doped nanocrystals with a thickness of 0.5 nm. The Cu-doping dependence shown in a parabolic fashion suggests a crucial role of the Cu agglomerates in the observed effects. The PISHG in crystals with various nanosizes was also measured at LNT. The size dependence demonstrated the quantum-confined effect with a maximum PISHG for 0.5 nm and with a clear increase in the PISHG with decreasing thickness of the nanocrystal. The Raman scattering spectra at different pumping powers were taken for thin nanocrystals, and the phonon modes originating from interlayer phonons were observed in the spectra. The results were discussed within a model of photoinduced electron-phonon anharmonicity.
The upconversion luminescence and magnetism in Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+} co-doped LaF{sub 3} nanocrystals for potential bimodal imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syamchand, Sasidharanpillai S., E-mail: syamchand.ss@gmail.com; George, Sony, E-mail: emailtosony@gmail.com [University of Kerala, Department of Chemistry (India)

2016-12-15

Biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles with multifunctional properties can serve as potential nanoprobes for multimodal imaging. Herein, we report an upconversion nanocrystal based on lanthanum fluoride which is developed to address the imaging modalities, upconversion luminescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lanthanide ions (Yb{sup 3+} and Ho{sup 3+}) doped LaF{sub 3} nanocrystals (LaF{sub 3} Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+}) are fabricated through a rapid microwave-assisted synthesis. The hexagonal phase LaF{sub 3} nanocrystals exhibit nearly spherical morphology with average diameter of 9.8 nm. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis estimated the doping concentration of Yb{sup 3+} and Ho{sup 3+} as 3.99 and 0.41%, respectively. The nanocrystals show upconversion luminescence when irradiated with near-infrared (NIR) photons of wavelength 980 nm. The emission spectrum consists of bands centred at 542, 645 and 658 nm. The stronger green emission at 542 nm and the weak red emissions at 645 and 658 nm are assigned to {sup 5}S{sub 2} → {sup 5}I{sub 8} and {sup 5}F{sub 5} → {sup 5}I{sub 8} transitions of Ho{sup 3+}, respectively. The pump power dependence of luminescence intensity confirmed the two-photon upconversion process. The nanocrystals exhibit paramagnetism due to the presence of lanthanide ion dopant Ho{sup 3+} and the magnetization is 19.81 emu/g at room temperature. The nanocrystals exhibit a longitudinal relaxivity (r{sub 1}) of 0.12 s{sup −1} mM{sup −1} and transverse relaxivity (r{sub 2}) of 28.18 s{sup −1} mM{sup −1}, which makes the system suitable for developing T2 MRI contrast agents based on holmium. The LaF{sub 3} Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals are surface modified by PEGylation to improve biocompatibility and enhance further functionalisation. The PEGylated nanocrystals are found to be non-toxic up to 50 μg/mL for 48 h of incubation, which is confirmed by the MTT assay as well as
Phase change behaviors of Zn-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Guoxiang; Nie Qiuhua; Shen Xiang; Fu Jing; Xu Tiefeng; Dai Shixun; Wang, R. P.; Wu Liangcai

2012-01-01

Zn-doped Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 phase-change materials have been investigated for phase change memory applications. Zn 15.16 (Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 ) 84.84 phase change film exhibits a higher crystallization temperature (∼258 °C), wider band gap (∼0.78 eV), better data retention of 10 years at 167.5 °C, higher crystalline resistance, and faster crystallization speed compared with the conventional Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 . The proper Zn atom added into Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 serves as a center for suppression of the face-centered-cubic (fcc) phase to hexagonal close-packed (hcp) phase transition, and fcc phase has high thermal stability partially due to the bond recombination among Zn, Sb, and Te atoms.
Formation and relaxation processes of photoinduced defects in a Ge-doped SiO2 glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, M.; Saito, K.; Ikushima, A.J.

2002-01-01

The defect centers induced by ArF laser irradiation in Ge-doped SiO 2 have been investigated by the electron-spin resonance method. In order to observe formation and relaxation processes of the defects, step annealing has been carried out after the irradiation at 77 K. The thermally induced decay of the self-trapped hole (STH) and formation of the so-called Ge(2) centers have been observed with increasing temperature. The result suggests that the holes are transferred from the STH to the Ge(2)
Ab initio study on the effect of structural relaxation on the electronic and optical properties of P-doped Si nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pi, Xiaodong; Ni, Zhenyi; Yang, Deren; Delerue, Christophe

2014-01-01

In contrast to the conventional doping of bulk silicon (Si), the doping of Si nanocrystals (NCs) that are often smaller than 5 nm in diameter may lead to serious structural changes. Since the electronic and optical properties of Si NCs are intimately associated with their structures, it is critical to understand how doping impacts the structures of Si NCs. By means of ab initio calculation we now compare 1.4 nm phosphorus (P)-doped Si NCs without structural relaxation and those with structural relaxation. Structural changes induced by structural relaxation are manifested by the stretching and compressing of bonds and apparent variations in bond angles. With the increase of the concentration of P structural changes induced by structural relaxation become more serious. It is found that structural relaxation makes differences in the energy-level schemes of P-doped Si NCs. Structural relaxation also causes the binding energy of an electron in a P-doped Si NC to more significantly increase as the concentration of P increases. With the increase of the concentration of P structural relaxation leads to more pronounced changes in the optical absorption of P-doped Si NCs
Facile fabrication and electrochemical behaviors of Mn:ZnS nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Ruishi; Li, Yuanli; Liu, Haifeng; Guo, Baogang

2016-01-01

Here, we demonstrate the rational design and synthesis of Mn:ZnS nanocrystals with adjustable doping concentrations utilizing a facile, cost effective, and environmentally benign chemical protocol. These nanostructures were investigated as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Compared with pristine ZnS nanocrystals, the Mn:ZnS nanocrystals exhibit significantly improved electrochemical performances in terms of specific capacity and cycling performance. The Mn:ZnS nanocrystal sample with doping concentration of 1 at% displays second discharge capacity of 789.9 mA h g"−"1 at a current density of 24 mA g"−"1, about 2.39 times higher than that of the pure ZnS nanocrystal. Furthermore, the Mn:ZnS nanocrystal electrodes represent much better capacity retention than that of the undoped one. The greatly improved electrochemical performances of the Mn:ZnS nanocrystal samples could be attributed to the following factors. The large specific surface area can significantly enhance structural integrity by acting as mechanical buffer, effectively alleviating the volume changes generated during the lithiation/delithiation process. The incorporation of Mn into the lattice of ZnS improves charge transfer kinetics and results in a faster Li"+ diffusion rate during the charge–discharge process. It is of great significance to incorporate guest metal ions into nanostructured materials to display especial electrochemical characteristics triggering an effective approach to improve the electrochemical properties.
Facile fabrication and electrochemical behaviors of Mn:ZnS nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Ruishi [Analytical and Testing Center, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010 (China); Li, Yuanli, E-mail: yuanlyl@foxmail.com [Department of Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010 (China); Liu, Haifeng; Guo, Baogang [Analytical and Testing Center, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010 (China)

2016-07-05

Here, we demonstrate the rational design and synthesis of Mn:ZnS nanocrystals with adjustable doping concentrations utilizing a facile, cost effective, and environmentally benign chemical protocol. These nanostructures were investigated as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Compared with pristine ZnS nanocrystals, the Mn:ZnS nanocrystals exhibit significantly improved electrochemical performances in terms of specific capacity and cycling performance. The Mn:ZnS nanocrystal sample with doping concentration of 1 at% displays second discharge capacity of 789.9 mA h g{sup −1} at a current density of 24 mA g{sup −1}, about 2.39 times higher than that of the pure ZnS nanocrystal. Furthermore, the Mn:ZnS nanocrystal electrodes represent much better capacity retention than that of the undoped one. The greatly improved electrochemical performances of the Mn:ZnS nanocrystal samples could be attributed to the following factors. The large specific surface area can significantly enhance structural integrity by acting as mechanical buffer, effectively alleviating the volume changes generated during the lithiation/delithiation process. The incorporation of Mn into the lattice of ZnS improves charge transfer kinetics and results in a faster Li{sup +} diffusion rate during the charge–discharge process. It is of great significance to incorporate guest metal ions into nanostructured materials to display especial electrochemical characteristics triggering an effective approach to improve the electrochemical properties.
First-principles study on the gas sensing property of the Ge, As, and Br doped PtSe2

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jing; Yang, Gui; Tian, Junlong; Ma, Dongwei; Wang, Yuanxu

2018-03-01

Based on first-principles calculations, the adsorption behaviors of H2, O2, CO, CO2, NH3, NO, and NO2 molecules on the Ge-, As- and Br-doped PtSe2 monolayers are theoretically investigated. The results indicate that it is viable for the dopant atoms to be filled into the Se vacancies under Pt-rich conditions. Ge and As act as p-type dopants, while Br acts as n-type dopant. For the adsorption of molecules, the geometrical structures, adsorption energies, charge transfers and the electronic and magnetic properties of the most stable configurations are presented and discussed. It is found that the Ge-doped PtSe2 monolayers exhibit greatly enhanced sensitivity toward O2, CO, NH3, NO and NO2 molecules and the As-doped PtSe2 monolayers are more sensitive toward O2, NH3, NO and NO2 molecules than the pristine ones. This is evident from large adsorption energies, charge transfers, and obvious changes of the electronic states due to the molecule adsorption. However, Br doping cannot enhance the sensing sensitivity of the PtSe2 monolayer. The possible reason is that when substituting for the Se atom, the doped Br with more 4p electrons and less empty orbitals are already chemically saturated by the two of the three neighboring Pt atoms, and thus lose the ability of charge exchange with the adsorbed molecules. On the contrary, the Ge and As as p-type dopants have sizable empty 4p orbitals near the Fermi level to exchange the electrons with the adsorbed molecules, and thus form strong bonds with them.
Mass production and photoelectric performances of P and Al Co-doped ZnO nanocrystals under different cooling post-processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Ya-Juan; Lu, Yi; Liu, Jin-Ku; Yang, Xiao-Hong

2015-01-01

The phosphorus and aluminum co-doped in zinc oxide (ZnO) called PAZO nano-crystals (NCs) have been mass synthesized by a combustion method, which shows a preferable photocatalytic capability and conductive ability. This article focuses on the properties of PAZO NCs experienced by three cooling-down aftertreatments, which were the normalizing, quenching and annealing process, respectively. The influences of different cooling processes on the photocatalytic and conductive performances are discussed in details. From the research, we found the quenched-PAZO NCs showed the most unappealing photocatalysis and conductivity, because excessive defects as the recombination center of electron–hole pairs were generated in the quenching process. - Graphical abstract: This research focuses on the PAZO NCs experienced by different cooling-down aftertreatments, which were the normalizing, quenching and annealing process, respectively. The quenched-PAZO NCs had the most unappealing photocatalysis and conductivity, because of generating excessive defects as the recombination center of electron–hole pairs in the quenching process. - Highlights: • We presented a method to mass synthesize co-doped P and Al in ZnO nanocrystals. • The PAZO NCs have novel photoelectric performances. • The cooling post-process influence on the photoelectric properties was studied. • The excessive defects decline the photocatalytic and conductive activities
Influence of the crystallization process on the luminescence of multilayers of SiGe nanocrystals embedded in SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avella, M.; Prieto, A.C.; Jimenez, J.; Rodriguez, A.; Sangrador, J.; Rodriguez, T.; Ortiz, M.I.; Ballesteros, C.

2008-01-01

Multilayers of SiGe nanocrystals embedded in an oxide matrix have been fabricated by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition of SiGe and SiO 2 onto Si wafers (in a single run at 390 deg. C and 50 mTorr, using GeH 4 , Si 2 H 6 and O 2 ) followed by a rapid thermal annealing treatment to crystallize the SiGe nanoparticles. The main emission band is located at 400 nm in both cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence experiments at 80 K and also at room temperature. The annealing conditions (temperatures ranging from 700 to 1000 deg. C and for times of 30 and 60 s) have been investigated in samples with different diameter of the nanoparticles (from ∼3 to ≥5 nm) and oxide interlayer thickness (15 and 35 nm) in order to establish a correlation between the crystallization of the nanoparticles, the degradation of their composition by Ge diffusion and the intensity of the luminescence emission band. Structures with small nanoparticles (3-4.5 nm) separated by thick oxide barriers (∼35 nm) annealed at 900 deg. C for 60 s yield the maximum intensity of the luminescence. An additional treatment at 450 deg. C in forming gas for dangling-bond passivation increases the intensity of the luminescence band by 25-30%
Thermoluminescence characteristics of different dimensions of Ge-doped optical fibers in radiation dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Begum, M.; Mizanur R, A. K. M.; Abdul R, H. A.; Yusoff, Z. [Multimedia University, Faculty of Engineering, 63100 Cyberjaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan (Malaysia); Begum, M. [Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, E-12/A, Agargaon, Sher-e-Blanga Nagar Dhaka-1207 (Bangladesh); Mat-Sharif, K. A. [Lingkaran Teknokrat Timur, Telekom Research and Development, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan (Malaysia); Amin, Y. M. [University of Malaya, Faculty of Science, Depatment of Physics, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Bradley, D. A., E-mail: go2munmun@yahoo.com [University of Surrey, Department of Physics, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)

2014-08-15

Important thermoluminescence (Tl) properties of five (5) different core sizes Ge doped optical fibers have been studied to develop new Tl material with better response. These are drawn from same preform applying different speed and tension during drawing phase. The results of the investigations are also compared with most commonly used standard TLD-100 chips (LiF:Mg,Ti) and commercial multimode Ge doped optical fiber (Yangtze Optical Fiber, China). Scanning Electron Microscope (Sem) and EDX analysis of the fibers are also performed to map Ge distribution across the deposited region. Standard Gamma radiation source in SSDL (Secondary Standard Dosimetry Lab) was used for irradiation covering dose range from 1 Gy to 10 Gy. The essential dosimetric parameters that have been studied are Tl linearity, reproducibility and fading. Prior to irradiation all samples ∼0.5 cm length are annealed at temperature of 400 grades C for 1 hour period to standardize their sensitivities and background. Standard TLD-100 chips are also annealed for 1 hour at 400 grades C and subsequently 2 hours at 100 grades C to yield the highest sensitivity. Tl responses of these fibers show linearity over a wide gamma radiation dose that is an important property for radiation dosimetry. Among all fibers used in this study, 100 μm core diameter fiber provides highest response that is 2.6 times than that of smallest core (20 μm core) optical fiber. These fiber-samples demonstrate better response than commercial multi-mode optical fiber and also provide low degree of fading about 20% over a period of fifteen days for gamma radiation. Effective atomic number (Z{sub eff}) is found in the range (13.25 to 13.69) that is higher than soft tissue (7.5) however within the range of human-bone (11.6-13.8). All the fibers can also be re-used several times as a detector after annealing. Tl properties of the Ge-doped optical fibers indicate promising applications in ionizing radiation dosimetry. (author)
Thermoluminescence characteristics of different dimensions of Ge-doped optical fibers in radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begum, M.; Mizanur R, A. K. M.; Abdul R, H. A.; Yusoff, Z.; Begum, M.; Mat-Sharif, K. A.; Amin, Y. M.; Bradley, D. A.

2014-08-01

Important thermoluminescence (Tl) properties of five (5) different core sizes Ge doped optical fibers have been studied to develop new Tl material with better response. These are drawn from same preform applying different speed and tension during drawing phase. The results of the investigations are also compared with most commonly used standard TLD-100 chips (LiF:Mg,Ti) and commercial multimode Ge doped optical fiber (Yangtze Optical Fiber, China). Scanning Electron Microscope (Sem) and EDX analysis of the fibers are also performed to map Ge distribution across the deposited region. Standard Gamma radiation source in SSDL (Secondary Standard Dosimetry Lab) was used for irradiation covering dose range from 1 Gy to 10 Gy. The essential dosimetric parameters that have been studied are Tl linearity, reproducibility and fading. Prior to irradiation all samples ∼0.5 cm length are annealed at temperature of 400 grades C for 1 hour period to standardize their sensitivities and background. Standard TLD-100 chips are also annealed for 1 hour at 400 grades C and subsequently 2 hours at 100 grades C to yield the highest sensitivity. Tl responses of these fibers show linearity over a wide gamma radiation dose that is an important property for radiation dosimetry. Among all fibers used in this study, 100 μm core diameter fiber provides highest response that is 2.6 times than that of smallest core (20 μm core) optical fiber. These fiber-samples demonstrate better response than commercial multi-mode optical fiber and also provide low degree of fading about 20% over a period of fifteen days for gamma radiation. Effective atomic number (Z eff ) is found in the range (13.25 to 13.69) that is higher than soft tissue (7.5) however within the range of human-bone (11.6-13.8). All the fibers can also be re-used several times as a detector after annealing. Tl properties of the Ge-doped optical fibers indicate promising applications in ionizing radiation dosimetry. (author)
Theoretical and experimental investigations of the properties of Ge2Sb2Te5 and indium-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change material

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Gurinder; Kaura, Aman; Mukul, Monika; Singh, Janpreet; Tripathi, S. K.

2014-06-01

We have carried out comprehensive computational and experimental study on the face-centered cubic Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) and indium (In)-doped GST phase change materials. Structural calculations, total density of states and crystal orbital Hamilton population have been calculated using first-principle calculation. 5 at.% doping of In weakens the Ge-Te, Sb-Te and Te-Te bond lengths. In element substitutes Sb to form In-Te-like structure in the GST system. In-Te has a weaker bond strength compared with the Sb-Te bond. However, both GST and doped alloy remain in rock salt structure. It is more favorable to replace Sb with In than with any other atomic position. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has been carried out on thin film of In-doped GST phase change materials. XRD graph reveals that In-doped phase change materials have rock salt structure with the formation of In2Te3 crystallites in the material. Temperature dependence of impedance spectra has been calculated for thin films of GST and doped material. Thickness of the as-deposited films is calculated from Swanepoel method. Absorption coefficient (α) has been calculated for amorphous and crystalline thin films of the alloys. The optical gap (indirect band gap) energy of the amorphous and crystalline thin films has also been calculated by the equation α hν = β (hν - E_{{g }} )2 . Optical contrast (C) of pure and doped phase change materials have also been calculated. Sufficient optical contrast has been found for pure and doped phase change materials.
Theoretical and experimental investigations of the properties of Ge2Sb2Te5 and indium-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Gurinder; Kaura, Aman; Mukul, Monika; Singh, Janpreet; Tripathi, S.K.

2014-01-01

We have carried out comprehensive computational and experimental study on the face-centered cubic Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) and indium (In)-doped GST phase change materials. Structural calculations, total density of states and crystal orbital Hamilton population have been calculated using first-principle calculation. 5 at.% doping of In weakens the Ge-Te, Sb-Te and Te-Te bond lengths. In element substitutes Sb to form In-Te-like structure in the GST system. In-Te has a weaker bond strength compared with the Sb-Te bond. However, both GST and doped alloy remain in rock salt structure. It is more favorable to replace Sb with In than with any other atomic position. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has been carried out on thin film of In-doped GST phase change materials. XRD graph reveals that In-doped phase change materials have rock salt structure with the formation of In 2 Te 3 crystallites in the material. Temperature dependence of impedance spectra has been calculated for thin films of GST and doped material. Thickness of the as-deposited films is calculated from Swanepoel method. Absorption coefficient (α) has been calculated for amorphous and crystalline thin films of the alloys. The optical gap (indirect band gap) energy of the amorphous and crystalline thin films has also been calculated by the equation αhν = β(hν - E g ) 2 . Optical contrast (C) of pure and doped phase change materials have also been calculated. Sufficient optical contrast has been found for pure and doped phase change materials. (orig.)
Structural and magnetic Properties of Mn, Co, Ni doped ZnO ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It is abundant, cost effective, non-toxic and also it is used in many bio-medical applications. ... The XRD of Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals shows hexagonal structure. ... The TM doped ZnO nanocrystals shows weak ferromagnetic properties at ...
Influence of La doping and synthesis method on the properties of CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mansour, S.F. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig (Egypt); Hemeda, O.M. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta (Egypt); El-Dek, S.I., E-mail: didi5550000@gmail.com [Materials Science and Nanotechnology Department, Faculty of Post Graduate Studies for Advanced Sciences (PSAS), Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef (Egypt); Salem, B.I. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta (Egypt)

2016-12-15

Nanocrystals of La doped CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} were synthesized using three different techniques: flash autocombustion, citrate–nitrate and the standard ceramic technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the obtained nanocrystals. All samples were crystallized in a spinel structure with cubic symmetry. The decrease in the lattice constant was endorsed to the large difference in ionic radii of both La{sup +3} (1.216 Å) and Fe (0.65 Å) in 6-f coordination. The citrate method displayed superior M{sub s} values amongst all techniques. The coercivity was found to exhibit largest values for the citrate method and then the flash while smallest values are associated with ceramic technique. - Highlights: • CoLa{sub x}Fe{sub 2−x}O{sub 4} nanocrystals crystallized in spinel cubic structure using 3 techniques. • The decrease in the lattice constant is due to the difference in ionic radius of La{sup +3} and Fe{sup 3+}. • The citrate method exhibit largest values of M{sub s} amongst all techniques. • Coercivity exhibits largest values for citrate and then flash, smallest for ceramic technique.

Thermokinetic behaviour of Ag-doped (GeS2)50(Sb2S3)50 glasses.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Svoboda, R.; Fraenkl, M.; Frumarová, Božena; Wágner, T.; Málek, J.

2016-01-01

Roč. 449, 1 October (2016), s. 12-19 ISSN 0022-3093 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : DSC * Ag doping * Ge-Sb-S glass Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.124, year: 2016
Hydrostatic pressure effect on the magnetocaloric behavior of Ga-doped MnNiGe magnetic equiatomic alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutta, P; Das, D; Chatterjee, S; Pramanick, S; Majumdar, S

2016-01-01

The magnetocaloric properties of a new class of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys of nominal composition MnNiGe 0.928 Ga 0.072 have been investigated in ambient conditions as well as in the presence of external hydrostatic pressure. Both inverse (6.35 Jkg −1 K −1 for 0 − 50 kOe around 160 K) and conventional (−4.54 Jkg −1 K −1 for 0–50 kOe around 210 K) magnetocaloric effects (MCEs) have been observed around the structural and magnetic transitions respectively. The sample can be thought of as being derived from the parent MnNiGe alloy, where Ga was doped at the expense of the Ge atom. Ga doping at Ge sites brings down the martensitic transition temperature to below room temperature and induces ferromagnetism by affecting the lattice volume of the alloy. However, below the first-order martensitic transition the alloy loses its ferromagnetism. Application of external hydrostatic pressure results in a revival of ferromagnetic interactions in the martensitic phase of the alloy and a considerable increase in the refrigeration capacity around the conventional MCE region. (paper)
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of CdSe nanocrystals covalently bound to GaAs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walzer, K.; Marx, E.; Greenham, N.C.

2003-01-01

We present scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) measurements of CdSe nanocrystals covalently attached to doped GaAs substrates using monolayers of 1,6-hexanedithiol. STM measurements showed the formation of stable, densely packed, homogeneous monolayers...... of nanocrystals. STS measurements showed rectifying behaviour, with high currents at the opposite sample bias to that previously observed for CdSe nanocrystals adsorbed on Si substrates. We explain the rectifying behaviour by considering the interaction between the electronic states of the nanocrystals...
Elaboration and characterization of a KCl single crystal doped with nanocrystals of a Sb2O3 semiconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouhdjer, L.; Addala, S.; Halimi, O.; Boudine, B.; Sebais, M.; Chala, A.

2013-01-01

Undoped and doped KCl single crystals have been successfully elaborated via the Czochralski (Cz) method. The effects of dopant Sb 2 O 3 nanocrystals on structural and optical properties were investigated by a number of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis, UV-visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectrophotometers. An XRD pattern of KCl:Sb 2 O 3 reveals that the Sb 2 O 3 nanocrystals are in the well-crystalline orthorhombic phase. The broadening of diffraction peaks indicated the presence of a Sb 2 O 3 semiconductor in the nanometer size regime. The shift of absorption and PL peaks is observed near 334 nm and 360 nm respectively due to the quantum confinement effect in Sb 2 O 3 nanocrystals. Particle sizes calculated from XRD studies agree fairly well with those estimated from optical studies. An SEM image of the surface KCl:Sb 2 O 3 single crystal shows large quasi-spherical of Sb 2 O 3 crystallites scattered on the surface. The elemental analysis from EDAX demonstrates that the KCl:Sb 2 O 3 single crystal is slightly rich in oxygen and a source of excessive quantities of oxygen is discussed. (semiconductor materials)
Evolution of microstructural defects with strain effects in germanium nanocrystals synthesized at different annealing temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Minghuan; Cai, Rongsheng; Zhang, Yujuan; Wang, Chao [The Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, No. 308, Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, No. 308, Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Wang, Yiqian, E-mail: yqwang@qdu.edu.cn [The Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, No. 308, Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); College of Physics Science, Qingdao University, No. 308, Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Ross, Guy G.; Barba, David [INRS-EMT, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3X 1S2 (Canada)

2014-07-01

Ge nanocrystals (Ge-ncs) were produced by implantation of {sup 74}Ge{sup +} into a SiO{sub 2} film on (100) Si, followed by high-temperature annealing from 700 °C to 1100 °C. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies show that the average size of Ge-ncs increases with the annealing temperature. High-resolution TEM (HRTEM) investigations reveal the presence of planar and linear defects in the formed Ge-ncs, whose relative concentrations are determined at each annealing temperature. The relative concentration of planar defects is almost independent of the annealing temperature up to 1000 °C. However, from 1000 °C to 1100 °C, its concentration decreases dramatically. For the linear defects, their concentration varies considerably with the annealing temperatures. In addition, by measuring the interplanar spacing of Ge-ncs from the HRTEM images, a strong correlation is found between the dislocation percentage and the stress field intensity. Our results provide fundamental insights regarding both the presence of microstructural defects and the origin of the residual stress field within Ge-ncs, which can shed light on the fabrication of Ge-ncs with quantified crystallinity and appropriate size for the advanced Ge-nc devices. - Highlights: • Growth of Ge nanocrystals at different annealing temperatures was investigated. • Strain field has great effects on the formation of dislocations. • Different mechanisms are proposed to explain growth regimes of Ge nanocrystals.
Light-emitting diodes based on nontoxic zinc-alloyed silver-indium-sulfide (AIZS) nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Bhaumik, Saikat; Guchhait, Asim; Pal, Amlan J.

2014-04-01

We report solution-processed growth of zinc-alloyed silver-indium-sulfide (AIZS) nanocrystals followed by fabrication and characterization of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on such nanostructures. While growing the low dimensional crystals, we vary the ratio between the silver and zinc contents that in turn tunes the bandgap and correspondingly their photoluminescence (PL) emission. We also dope the AIZS nanocrystals with manganese, so that their PL emission, which appears due to a radiative transition between the d-states of the dopants, becomes invariant in energy when the diameter of the quantum dots or the dopant concentration in the nanostructures varies. The LEDs fabricated with such undoped and manganese-doped AIZS nanocrystals emit electroluminescence (EL) that matches the PL spectrum of the respective nanomaterial. The results demonstrate examples of quantum dot LEDs (QDLEDs) based on nontoxic AIZS nanocrystals.
Fundamental aspects of nucleation and growth in the solution-phase synthesis of germanium nanocrystals

KAUST Repository

Codoluto, Stephen C.; Baumgardner, William J.; Hanrath, Tobias

2010-01-01

Colloidal Ge nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized via the solution phase reduction of germanium(ii) iodide. We report a systematic investigation of the nanocrystal nucleation and growth as a function of synthesis conditions including the nature
Controllable synthesis and upconversion emission of ultrasmall near-monodisperse lanthanide-doped Sr2LaF7 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, Yifu; Ma, Mo; Gong, Lunjun; Xu, Changfu; Ren, Guozhong; Yang, Qibin

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Apropos NaOH content facilitates the growth of pure phase Sr 2 LaF 7 NCs. • Yb 3+ doping is favorable to the formation of Sr 2 LaF 7 NCs with uniform size. • Ultrasmall near-monodispersed Sr 2 LaF 7 NCs(sub-10 nm) were synthesized for the first time. • Intense multicolor upconversion can be obtained by properly lanthanide doping. - Abstract: Fluorite phase Sr 2 LaF 7 nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized via solvothermal method using oleic acid as capping ligands. The effects of preparing conditions on the phase structure, crystal size, morphology, and upconversion (UC) emission properties of the products were studied. The results reveal that just apropos NaOH content facilitates the growth of near-monodispersed pure phase Sr 2 LaF 7 NCs, and Yb 3+ doping is favorable to the formation of pure Sr 2 LaF 7 phase with more uniform size distribution. The average crystalline size of the products can be controlled less than 10 nm. Following appropriate lanthanide ions doping, the NCs show intense blue, yellow, and white-color UC emission under the excitation of a 980 nm laser. The energy transfer UC mechanisms for the fluorescent intensity were also investigated
Azobenzene mesogens mediated preparation of SnS nanocrystals encapsulated with in-situ N-doped carbon and their enhanced electrochemical performance for lithium ion batteries application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Meng; Zhou Yang; Chen Dongzhong; Duan Junfei

2016-01-01

In this work, azobenzene mesogen-containing tin thiolates have been synthesized, which possess ordered lamellar structures persistent to higher temperature and serve as liquid crystalline precursors. Based on the preorganized tin thiolate precursors, SnS nanocrystals encapsulated with in-situ N-doped carbon layer have been achieved through a simple solventless pyrolysis process with the azobenzene mesogenic thiolate precursor served as Sn, S, N, and C sources simultaneously. Thus prepared nanocomposite materials as anode of lithium ion batteries present a large specific capacity of 604.6 mAh·g −1 at a current density of 100 mA·g −1 , keeping a high capacity retention up to 96% after 80 cycles, and display high rate capability due to the synergistic effect of well-dispersed SnS nanocrystals and N-doped carbon layer. Such encouraging results shed a light on the controlled preparation of advanced nanocomposites based on liquid crystalline metallomesogen precursors and may boost their novel intriguing applications. (special topic)
Increased electronic coupling in silicon nanocrystal networks doped with F4-TCNQ.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Alexandra; Oberg, Sven; Rayson, Mark J; Briddon, Patrick R

2013-02-01

The modification of the electronic structure of silicon nanocrystals using an organic dopant, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ), is investigated using first-principles calculations. It is shown that physisorbed F4-TCNQ molecules have the effect of oxidizing the nanocrystal, attracting the charge density towards the F4-TCNQ-nanocrystal interface, and decreasing the excitation energy of the system. In periodic F4-TCNQ/nanocrystal superlattices, F4-TCNQ is suggested to enhance exciton separation, and in the presence of free holes, to serve as a bridge for electron/hole transfer between adjacent nanocrystals.
Luminescent properties of Eu{sup 3+}-doped glass ceramics containing BaCl{sub 2} nanocrystals under NUV excitation for White LED

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Han; Mo, Zhaojun, E-mail: mzjmzj163@163.com; Zhang, Xiaosong; Yuan, Linlin; Yan, Ming; Li, Lan, E-mail: lilan@tjut.edu.cn

2016-07-15

Eu{sup 3+} doped fluorozirconate glass ceramics containing BaCl{sub 2} nanocrystals were successfully fabricated by melt quenching method, and their structural and luminous properties were investigated. The existence of BaCl{sub 2} nanocrystals in the glass ceramics plays an important role on the improvement of luminescent properties. The emission intensity in glass ceramics was remarkably enhanced, which attributes to the phonon energy decrease by Eu{sup 3+} ions into BaCl{sub 2} nanocrystals. Meanwhile, the extended average fluorescence decay lifetime from 4.60 ms to 5.42 ms and the decreased Red/Orange ratio and spark splitting of {sup 7}F{sub 1} energy level also confirmed this view. Additionally, the excitation spectra showed that glass ceramics could be effectively excited by NUV light. The CIE chromaticity coordinates of glass ceramics (GC320) were calculated as (0.611, 0.371), which was close to the NTSC standard values for red (0.67, 0.33). The results suggested that the glass ceramics may be used as potential red phosphors under UV light excitation for white light-emitting diodes.
Enhanced persistent red luminescence in Mn2+-doped (Mg,Zn)GeO3 by electron trap and conduction band engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Katayama, Yumiko; Kayumi, Tomohiro; Ueda, Jumpei; Tanabe, Setsuhisa

2018-05-01

The effect of Zn substitution on the persistent luminescence properties of MgGeO3:Mn2+-Ln3+ (Ln = Eu and Yb) red phosphors was investigated. The intensity of the persistent luminescence of the Eu3+ co-doped phosphors increased with increasing Zn content, whereas that of the Yb3+ co-doped samples decreased. For both series of lanthanide co-doped samples, the thermoluminescence (TL) glow peak shifted to the lower temperature side with increasing Zn content. These persistent luminescence properties were well explained in terms of lowering of the bottom of the conduction band relative to the ground state of the divalent lanthanide ions. Especially, in Eu3+ co-doped system, TL peak shifted from 520 K to 318 K by 50% Zn substitution. The persistent radiance of the (Mg0.5 Zn0.5)GeO3: Mn2+-Eu3+ sample at 1 h after ceasing UV light was 46 times stronger than that of MgGeO3:Mn2+-Eu3+, and 11 times stronger than that of ZnGa2O4: Cr3+ standard deep red persistent phosphor.
Synthesis and characterization of MgO nanocrystals for biosensing applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hongji [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Li, Mingji, E-mail: limingji@163.com [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communication Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Qiu, Guojun [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Li, Cuiping; Qu, Changqing; Yang, Baohe [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communication Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China)

2015-05-25

Highlights: • MgO nanocrystals were prepared using DC arc plasma jet CVD method. • The growth time does not exceed 10 min in process of the synthesis. • The samples were found to consist of cubic MgO nanobelts and nanosheets. • Nanocrystals contain contacts, rough edges, vacancies, and doping defects. • The samples exhibited excellent electrochemical biosensing properties. - Abstract: MgO nanocrystals were prepared using a simple direct current arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition method. Magnesium nitrate was used as source material and Mo film was used as a substrate and catalyst. The high-temperature plasma produced ensured rapid synthesis of the MgO nanocrystals. The as-prepared nanocrystals were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, and photoluminescence measurements. The as-synthesized samples were found to consist of cubic MgO nanobelts and nanosheets with large surface areas and low coordination oxide ions, and contained numerous contacts, rough edges, vacancies, and doping defects. The nanostructures exhibited excellent electrochemical sensing properties with high-sensing sensitivity toward ascorbic acid. Their high electrocatalytic activity was attributed to the effect of defects and the surface electron transfer ability of the one-dimensional MgO nanobelts.
Structural and optical characterization of self-assembled Ge nanocrystal layers grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Saeed, Saba; Buters, Frank; Dohnalova, Katerina; Wosinski, Lech; Gregorkiewicz, Tom

2014-10-10

We present a structural and optical study of solid-state dispersions of Ge nanocrystals prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Structural analysis shows the presence of nanocrystalline germanium inclusions embedded in an amorphous matrix of Si-rich SiO(2).Optical characterization reveals two prominent emission bands centered around 2.6 eV and 3.4 eV, and tunable by excitation energy. In addition, the lower energy band shows an excitation power-dependent blue shift of up to 0.3 eV. Decay dynamics of the observed emission contains fast (nanosecond) and slow (microseconds) components, indicating contributions of several relaxation channels. Based on these material characteristics, a possible microscopic origin of the individual emission bands is discussed.
The computational study of adsorption of carbon monoxide on pristine and Ge-doped (6,0 zigzag models of BNNTs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahdi Rezaei Sameti

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is studying the effects of Ge-doped on CO adsorption on the outer and inner surfaces of (6, 0 zigzag model of boron nitride nanotube (BNNTs by using DFT theory. For this purpose, eight models of CO adsorption on the surfaces of BNNTs are considered. At first step, all structures were optimized at B3LYP and 6-31G (d standard base set and then the electronic structure, adsorption energy, HOMO - LUMO orbitals, gap energy, quantum molecular descriptors, and NQR parameters were determined. The bond lengths neighborhood sites of Ge-doped of BNNTs at all models were increased and the bond angles decreased. The small ad-sorption energy value and large interaction distance show that the adsorption of CO on BNNTs is weakly physical adsorption due to weak Van der Waals interaction. Our calculated results show that the adsorption of CO on the surface of undoped models is more favorable than Ge-doped models. The NQR parameters of the first layer in all the models are larger than those other layers.
Raman Spectroscopy of SiO{sub 2}–Na{sub 2}O–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}–B{sub 2}O{sub 3} glass doped with Nd{sup 3+} and CdS nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serqueira, E.O.; Dantas, N.O. [Laboratório de Novos Materiais Isolantes e Semicondutores (LNMIS), Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG 38400-902 (Brazil); Anjos, V. [Grupo de Espectroscopia de Materiais, Departamento de Física, ICE – UFJF, Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036-330 (Brazil); Bell, M.J.V., E-mail: mjvbell@yahoo.com.br [Grupo de Espectroscopia de Materiais, Departamento de Física, ICE – UFJF, Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036-330 (Brazil)

2014-01-05

Highlights: • The formation of CdS nanocrystals in the glassy host is shown by Raman measurements. • Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} modifies the growth of CdS nanocrystals in the SNAB glass. • Nd{sup 3+} ions are not incorporated inside the semiconductor nanocrystals. -- Abstract: We report the Raman spectroscopic characterization of a SNAB glass system doped with neodymium and CdS nanocrystals and fabricated by the fusion process. Raman spectra revealed CdS nanocrystals in the glass host and bands associated with Si–O vibrational modes with five structural configurations, boroxol modes of B{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Al–O and Cd–S vibrational modes. Additionally, Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} modifies the growth of CdS nanocrystals in the SNAB glass and Nd{sup 3+} ions are not incorporated inside the semiconductor nanocrystals.
Insights into the microstructural and physical properties of colloidal Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Ruishi, E-mail: rxie@foxmail.com [Analytical and Testing Center, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); Li, Yuanli [Department of Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); Jiang, Linhai; Zhang, Xingquan [Analytical and Testing Center, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China)

2014-10-30

Highlights: • We present a facile and environmentally friendly protocol to fabricate Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals. • The microstructural and physical properties of Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals were systematically investigated. • The current synthesis is dramatically simple and highly reproducible, it will facilitate the commercial scale synthesis of highly luminescent water-soluble nanocrystals with surface functionality in the near future. - Abstract: Here, we present a facile and environmentally friendly synthetic protocol to fabricate highly luminescent and water-soluble Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals in aqueous solution at low temperature. The microstructure and various physical properties (e.g., crystal structure, interplanar spacing, lattice parameter, crystalline size, lattice microstrain, intrinsic stress, X-ray density, specific surface area, dislocation density, porosity, agglomeration number) of the Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction. The particle size and morphology of the Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals were determined by transmission electron microscopy. The optical properties (e.g., absorption and photoluminescence) of the fabricated nanocrystals were explored using ultraviolet–visible absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopies, respectively. The surface functionalization of the Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals by mercaptoacetic acid ligand was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. To confirm the elementary composition of the obtained nanocrystals, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was performed. To further shed light upon elemental distribution of the resulting nanocrystals, elemental mapping measurements were conducted. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms were also elucidated. As a consequence, the current investigation not only provides a deep insight into exploring the physical properties of doped nanocrystals, but also demonstrates a useful synthetic strategy for producing water-soluble and highly fluorescent doped
Evolution of magnetostructural transition and magnetocaloric effect with Al doping in MnCoGe1-xAlx compounds

KAUST Repository

Bao, Lifu; Hu, Fengxia; Wu, Rongrong; Wang, Jianping; Chen, Liming; Sun, Jirong; Shen, Baogen; Li, Lain-Jong; Zhang, Bei; Zhang, Xixiang

2014-01-01

The effect of Al doping in MnCoGe1-xAlx compounds has been investigated. The substitution of Al for Ge enhances Mn-Mn covalent bonding by shortening the distance of nearest Mn atom layers, and thus stabilizes the hexagonal structure. As a result, first-order magnetostructural transition between ferromagnetic martensite and paramagnetic austenite takes place for the optimized compositions (x = 0.01, 0.02). Accompanied with the magnetostructural transition, large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is observed. More doping of Al(x = 0.03, 0.04) leads to the separation of magnetic and structural transitions and remarkable reduction of MCE. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Evolution of magnetostructural transition and magnetocaloric effect with Al doping in MnCoGe1-xAlx compounds

KAUST Repository

Bao, Lifu

2014-01-03

The effect of Al doping in MnCoGe1-xAlx compounds has been investigated. The substitution of Al for Ge enhances Mn-Mn covalent bonding by shortening the distance of nearest Mn atom layers, and thus stabilizes the hexagonal structure. As a result, first-order magnetostructural transition between ferromagnetic martensite and paramagnetic austenite takes place for the optimized compositions (x = 0.01, 0.02). Accompanied with the magnetostructural transition, large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is observed. More doping of Al(x = 0.03, 0.04) leads to the separation of magnetic and structural transitions and remarkable reduction of MCE. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Characterization of Ge Doping on Sb_2Te_3 for High-Speed Phase Change Memory Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Yue-Qin; Xie Hua-Qing; Zhang Zhong-Hua; Song San-Nian; Song Zhi-Tang; Shen Lan-Lan; Li Le; Wu Liang-Cai; Liu Bo

2015-01-01

The phase change material of Ge-doped Sb_2Te_3 is shown to have higher crystallization temperature and better thermal stability compared with pure Sb_2Te_3. Ge_0_._1_1Sb_2Te_3 alloys are considered to be a potential candidate for phase change random access memories, as proved by a higher crystallization temperature, a better data retention ability, and a faster switching speed in comparison with those of Ge_2Sb_2Te_5. In addition, Ge_0_._1_1Sb_2Te_3 presents extremely rapid reverse switching speed (10 ns), and up to 10"5 programming cycles are obtained with stable set and reset resistances. (paper)

Evidence of ferromagnetism in Zn1-xMxO (M = Ni,Cu) nanocrystals for spintronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perales-Perez, O; Parra-Palomino, A; Singhal, R; Voyles, P M; Zhu, Y; Jia, W; Tomar, M S

2007-01-01

We present the conditions for room-temperature synthesis of bare, Ni-and Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals in ethanol and their characterization. The formation of a ZnO host structure was delayed when dopant ions co-existed in the starting solutions. After ageing in mother liquors, well-crystallized doped nanocrystals were produced. Monodispersity of the nanocrystals (5-8 nm) was shown by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements also confirmed the nanocrystalline nature and the continuous growth of the crystals when aged at room temperature. Room-temperature SQUID measurements showed weak but noticeable ferromagnetism, which was dependent on synthesis conditions
Annealing temperature effect on structure and electrical properties of films formed of Ge nanoparticles in SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stavarache, Ionel; Lepadatu, Ana-Maria; Stoica, Toma; Ciurea, Magdalena Lidia

2013-01-01

Ge–SiO 2 films with high Ge/Si atomic ratio of about 1.86 were obtained by co-sputtering of Ge and SiO 2 targets and subsequently annealed at different temperatures between 600 and 1000 °C in a conventional furnace in order to show how the annealing process influences the film morphology concerning the Ge nanocrystal and/or amorphous nanoparticle formation and to study their electrical behaviour. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging, Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductance measurements were performed in order to find out the annealing effect on the film surface morphology, as well as the Ge nanoparticle formation in correlation with the hopping conductivity of the films. AFM images show that the films annealed at 600 and 700 °C present a granular surface with particle height of about 15 nm, while those annealed at higher temperatures have smoother surface. The Raman investigations evidence Ge nanocrystals (including small ones) coexisting with amorphous Ge in the films annealed at 600 °C and show that almost all Ge is crystallized in the films annealed at 700 °C. The annealing at 800 °C disadvantages the Ge nanocrystal formation due to the strong Ge diffusion. This transition in Ge nanocrystals formation process by annealing temperature increase from 700 to 800 °C revealed by AFM and Raman spectroscopy measurements corresponds to a change in the electrical transport mechanism. Thus, in the 700 °C annealed films, the current depends on temperature according to a T −1/2 law which is typical for a tunnelling mechanism between neighbour Ge nanocrystals. In the 800 °C annealed films, the current–temperature characteristic has a T −1/4 dependence showing a hopping mechanism within an electronic band of localized states related to diffused Ge in SiO 2 .
Effect of strain, substrate surface and growth rate on B-doping in selectively grown SiGe layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghandi, R.; Kolahdouz, M.; Hallstedt, J.; Wise, R.; Wejtmans, Hans; Radamson, H.H.

2008-01-01

In this work, the role of strain and growth rate on boron incorporation in selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of B-doped Si 1-x Ge x (x = 0.15-0.25) layers in recessed or unprocessed (elevated) openings for source/drain applications in CMOS has been studied. A focus has been made on the strain distribution and B incorporation in SEG of SiGe layers
Effect of strain, substrate surface and growth rate on B-doping in selectively grown SiGe layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghandi, R. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden)], E-mail: ghandi@kth.se; Kolahdouz, M.; Hallstedt, J. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden); Wise, R.; Wejtmans, Hans [Texas Instrument, 13121 TI Boulevard, Dallas, Tx 75243 (United States); Radamson, H.H. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden)

2008-11-03

In this work, the role of strain and growth rate on boron incorporation in selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of B-doped Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} (x = 0.15-0.25) layers in recessed or unprocessed (elevated) openings for source/drain applications in CMOS has been studied. A focus has been made on the strain distribution and B incorporation in SEG of SiGe layers.
Establishment of Ge-doped optical fibres as thermoluminescence dosimeters for brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Issa, Fatma; Abdul Rahman, A.T.; Hugtenburg, Richard P.; Bradley, David A.; Nisbet, Andrew

2012-01-01

This study aims to establish the sensitive, ∼120 μm high spatial resolution, high dynamic range Ge-doped optical fibres as thermoluminescence (TL) dosimeters for brachytherapy dose distribution. This requires investigation to accommodate sensitivity of detection, both for the possibility of short range dose deposition from beta components as well as gamma/x-mediated dose. In-air measurements are made at distances close to radionuclide sources, evaluating the fall off in dose along the transverse axis of 133 Ba and 60 Co radioactive sources, at distances from 2 mm up to 20 mm from their midpoints. Measurements have been compared with Monte Carlo code DOSRZnrc simulations for photon-mediated dose only, agreement being obtained to within 3% and 1% for the 133 Ba and 60 Co sources, respectively. As such, in both cases it is determined that as intended, beta dose has been filtered out by source encapsulation. - Highlights: ► We seek to establish Ge-doped optical fibres as TLDs for brachytherapy. ► Dose was evaluated along the central axis of 133 Ba and 60 Co, at 2 mm–20 mm. ► We verify values using DOSRZnrc Monte Carlo code simulations. ► Good agreement is between dose measurements and calculation to within 3% and 1%. ► Methodology is to be used in obtaining doses around 125 I and 192 Ir sources.
Enzyme-free electrochemical immunosensor configured with Au-Pd nanocrystals and N-doped graphene sheets for sensitive detection of AFP.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lifang; Li, Songjun; He, Jing; Tian, Guihong; Wei, Qin; Li, He

2013-11-15

A novel electrochemical immunosensor capable of enzyme-free detection of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is reported. This immunosensor was fabricated in a sandwich-like format where catalytic Au-Pd nanocrystals and highly conductive N-doped graphene sheets were incorporated. The significant catalysis by Au-Pd nanocrystals toward hydrogen peroxide, along with the increased electron transfer by graphene sheets, caused signal generation and increased sensitivity, which enables the enzyme-free detection of AFP. With a low detection limit at 0.005 ng mL(-1), this novel immunosensor worked well over the broad linear range of 0.05-30 ng mL(-1). Unlike previously reported enzyme-based electrochemical immunosensors, which often involve the complicated steps for enzyme loading and necessary treatments to keep the activity of enzyme, this novel immunosensor is simple in nature and employed catalytic Au-Pd nanoparticles and highly conductive graphene, which thus enables reliable and sensitive detection for clinic usage. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Local structural environments of Ge doped in eutectic Sb-Te film before and after crystallization

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Sang Yeol; Cheong, Byung-ki; Choi, Yong Gyu

2018-06-01

Electrical phase change device using the Ge-doped eutectic Sb-Te (e.g., Ge1Sb8Te2) film is known to exhibit improved energy efficiency thanks to lowered threshold voltage as well as decreased power consumption for the reset operation, as compared with Ge2Sb2Te5 film. Ge K-edge EXAFS analysis is employed in this study in an effort to elucidate such merits of Ge1Sb8Te2 film in connection with its local atomic arrangements. It is then verified that a Ge atom is four-fold coordinated in its nearest-neighboring shell both in the as-deposited and in the annealed films. It needs to be highlighted that approximately two Sb atoms constitute the Ge tetrahedral units in its amorphous state; however, after being crystallized, heteropolar Ge-Sb bonds hardly exist in this Ge1Sb8Te2 film. It has been known that crystallization temperature and activation energy for crystallization of this Ge1Sb8Te2 composition are greater than those of Ge2Sb2Te5 composition. In addition, these two phase change materials exhibit distinctly different crystallization mechanisms, i.e., nucleation-dominant for Ge2Sb2Te5 film but growth-dominant for Ge1Sb8Te2 film. These discrepancies in the crystallization-related properties are delineated in terms of the local structural changes verified from the present EXAFS analysis.
Multicolor upconversion emission of dispersed ultrasmall cubic Sr2LuF7 nanocrystals synthesized by a solvothermal process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, Lunjun; Ma, Mo; Xu, Changfu; Li, Xujun; Wang, Suiping; Lin, Jianguo; Yang, Qibin

2013-01-01

Lanthanide (Ln 3+ ) doped Sr 2 LuF 7 (Ln 3+ =Er 3+ /Tm 3+ /Yb 3+ ) nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized via a solvothermal process using oleate as stabilizing agent. The as-synthesized NCs with a mean diameter of sub-20 nm can be well dispersed in cyclohexane and show a pure cubic phase structure with space group Fm3 ¯ m. Following appropriate lanthanide ion doping, the NCs show intense red, green, blue and white-color upconversion emission (UC) under the excitation of a 980 nm laser. Predominant near-infrared UC can also be obtained in the Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ doped Sr 2 LuF 7 NCs. The energy transfer UC mechanisms for the fluorescent intensity were also investigated. The desirable property of the ultrasmall dispersed NCs makes them promising materials for the applications in miniaturized solid-state light sources, multicolor three-dimensional display devices and fluorescent labels for biomedical imaging. - Highlights: ► Cubic-structure (Fm3 ¯ m) Sr 2 LuF 7 nanocrystals were synthesized for the first time. ► Nanocrystals (sub-20 nm) with cubic or spherical shape can be well dispersed. ► By doping properly, the nanocrystals show intense multicolor upconversion. ► Predominant near-infrared upconversion can be obtained in Sr 2 LuF 7 nanocrystals. ► Upconversion mechanism for the fluorescent intensity is mainly energy transfer.
One-pot size-controlled growth of graphene-encapsulated germanium nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Eun-Kyung; Kang, Seog-Gyun; Jung, Su-Ho; Son, Seok-Kyun; Nam, Woo Hyun; Kim, Tae-Hoon; Choi, Byong Lyong; Whang, Dongmok

2018-05-01

To realize graphene-encapsulated semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), an additional graphene coating process, which causes shape destruction and chemical contamination, has so far been inevitable. We report herein one-pot growth of uniform graphene-germanium core-shell nanocrystals (Ge@G NCs) in gram scale by the addition of methane as a carbon source during the thermal pyrolysis of germane. The methane plays a critical role in the growth of the graphene shell, as well as in the determination of the nucleation density and diameter of the NCs, similar to a surfactant in the liquid-phase growth of monodisperse NCs. By adjusting the gas ratio of precursors, a mixture of germane and methane, we can control the size of the Ge@G NCs in the range of ∼5-180 nm. The Ge@G NCs were characterized by various microscopic and spectroscopic tools, which indicated that the Ge core is single crystalline, and is completely covered by the graphene shell. We further investigated the merits of the graphene shell, which can enhance the electrical conductivity of nanocrystalline materials.
Material parameters from frequency dispersion simulation of floating gate memory with Ge nanocrystals in HfO2

Science.gov (United States)

Palade, C.; Lepadatu, A. M.; Slav, A.; Lazanu, S.; Teodorescu, V. S.; Stoica, T.; Ciurea, M. L.

2018-01-01

Trilayer memory capacitors with Ge nanocrystals (NCs) floating gate in HfO2 were obtained by magnetron sputtering deposition on p-type Si substrate followed by rapid thermal annealing at relatively low temperature of 600 °C. The frequency dispersion of capacitance and resistance was measured in accumulation regime of Al/HfO2 gate oxide/Ge NCs in HfO2 floating gate/HfO2 tunnel oxide/SiOx/p-Si/Al memory capacitors. For simulation of the frequency dispersion a complex circuit model was used considering an equivalent parallel RC circuit for each layer of the trilayer structure. A series resistance due to metallic contacts and Si substrate was necessary to be included in the model. A very good fit to the experimental data was obtained and the parameters of each layer in the memory capacitor, i.e. capacitances and resistances were determined and in turn the intrinsic material parameters, i.e. dielectric constants and resistivities of layers were evaluated. The results are very important for the study and optimization of the hysteresis behaviour of floating gate memories based on NCs embedded in oxide.
Ce3+-Doping to Modulate Photoluminescence Kinetics for Efficient CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals Based Light-Emitting Diodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Ji-Song; Ge, Jing; Han, Bo-Ning; Wang, Kun-Hua; Yao, Hong-Bin; Yu, Hao-Lei; Li, Jian-Hai; Zhu, Bai-Sheng; Song, Ji-Zhong; Chen, Chen; Zhang, Qun; Zeng, Hai-Bo; Luo, Yi; Yu, Shu-Hong

2018-03-14

Inorganic perovskite CsPbBr 3 nanocrystals (NCs) are emerging, highly attractive light emitters with high color purity and good thermal stability for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Their high photo/electroluminescence efficiencies are very important for fabricating efficient LEDs. Here, we propose a novel strategy to enhance the photo/electroluminescence efficiency of CsPbBr 3 NCs through doping of heterovalent Ce 3+ ions via a facile hot-injection method. The Ce 3+ cation was chosen as the dopant for CsPbBr 3 NCs by virtue of its similar ion radius and formation of higher energy level of conduction band with bromine in comparison with the Pb 2+ cation to maintain the integrity of perovskite structure without introducing additional trap states. It was found that by increasing the doping amount of Ce 3+ in CsPbBr 3 NCs to 2.88% (atomic percentage of Ce compared to Pb) the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of CsPbBr 3 NCs reached up to 89%, a factor of 2 increase in comparison with the native, undoped ones. The ultrafast transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy revealed that Ce 3+ -doping can significantly modulate the PL kinetics to enhance the PL efficiency of doped CsPbBr 3 NCs. As a result, the LED device fabricated by adopting Ce 3+ -doped CsPbBr 3 NCs as the emitting layers exhibited a pronounced improvement of electroluminescence with external quantum efficiency (EQE) from 1.6 to 4.4% via Ce 3+ -doping.
Effect of grain boundary on electrical characteristics in B- and P-doped polycrystalline Si1-x-yGe xC y film deposited by ultraclean LPCVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shim, Hyunyoung; Sakuraba, Masao; Murota, Junichi

2006-01-01

The effect of grain boundary on electrical characteristics in B- and P-doped polycrystalline (poly) Si 1-x -y Ge x C y films was investigated. Poly-Si 1-x -y Ge x C y films were deposited on thermally oxidized Si(100) at 500-650 deg. C in a SiH 4 -GeH 4 -SiH 3 CH 3 -H 2 gas mixture by an ultraclean hot-wall low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. B and P were doped into the films by ion implantation and diffusion by heat-treatment. The electrical properties are characterized by grain size, width of disordered region near grain boundaries, carrier trap density and the amount of impurity segregation at grain boundaries. In the B-doped poly-Si 1-x -y Ge x C y films heat-treated at 900 deg. C, the increase of carrier concentration n poly and the decrease of resistivity ρ poly with Ge addition are caused by the narrowing of the width of disordered regions, i.e., crystallization of disordered regions induced by Ge atoms. The decrease of n poly and the increase of ρ poly with C addition are explained by the suppression of crystallization of disordered region due to C atom segregation at grain boundaries. In the P-doped poly-Si 1-x -y Ge x C y films, it is found that n poly and ρ poly are influenced by P atom segregation at grain boundaries due to lowering solid solubility of P in grain by the existence of Ge
Tunable Visible Emission of Ag-Doped CdZnS Alloy Quantum Dots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sethi Ruchi

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Highly luminescent Ag-ion-doped Cd1−xZnxS (0 ≤ x ≤ 1 alloy nanocrystals were successfully synthesized by a novel wet chemical precipitation method. Influence of dopant concentration and the Zn/Cd stoichiometric variations in doped alloy nanocrystals have been investigated. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM to investigate the size and structure of the as prepared nanocrystals. A shift in LO phonon modes from micro-Raman investigations and the elemental analysis from the energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX confirms the stoichiometry of the final product. The average crystallite size was found increasing from 1.0 to 1.4 nm with gradual increase in Ag doping. It was observed that photoluminescence (PL intensity corresponding to Ag impurity (570 nm, relative to the other two bands 480 and 520 nm that originates due to native defects, enhanced and showed slight red shift with increasing silver doping. In addition, decrease in the band gap energy of the doped nanocrystals indicates that the introduction of dopant ion in the host material influence the particle size of the nanocrystals. The composition dependent bandgap engineering in CdZnS:Ag was achieved to attain the deliberate color tunability and demonstrated successfully, which are potentially important for white light generation.
Pr{sup 3+}-doped GeS{sub {ital x}}-based glasses for fiber amplifiers at 1.3 {mu}m

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simons, D.R.; Faber, A.J.; de Waal, H. [Glass Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 595, 5600 AN Eindhoven (Netherlands)

1995-03-01

The photoluminescence properties of Pr{sup 3+}-doped GeS{sub {ital x}}-based glasses are studied and compared with those of other sulfide and fluoride glasses. The possibility of highly pump-power-efficient fiber amplifiers based on these GeS{sub {ital x}}-containing glasses in the telecommunications window at 1.3 {mu}m is discussed.
Luminescence in Mn-doped CdS nanocrystals

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Wintec

and the Mn d levels occur at two different energies, allowed us to study the PL lifetime decay behaviour of both kinds of .... seen from the XRD analysis, the size of the nanocrystals .... levels couple to the CdS electronic states and the excited.
Evolution of E-centers during the annealing of Sb-doped Si0.8Ge0.2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kilpeläinen, S.; Tuomisto, F.; Slotte, J.

2011-01-01

Evolution of the chemical surroundings of vacancy complexes in Sb-doped ([Sb] = 2 × 1018 and 2 × 1019 cm−3) Si0.8Ge0.2 was studied with positron annihilation spectroscopy in Doppler broadening mode. The study was performed by annealing the samples both isochronally and isothermally. Defect...... evolution was observed at the temperature range 450–650 K. Both treatments were shown to induce changes in the chemical surroundings of the E-centers via introduction of Ge near the defects. Moreover, Sb was found to hinder these changes by stabilizing the E-centers and thus preventing them from finding Ge....... The stable state reached after the anneals was found to differ from that measured from an as-grown sample. This difference was deemed to be the result of Ge gathering in small clusters during the annealing thus breaking the initially random Ge distribution....
Peculiarities of defect formation in InP single crystals doped with donor (S, Ge) and acceptor (Zn) impurities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikryukova, E.V.; Morozov, A.N.; Berkova, A.V.; Nashel'skij, A.Ya.; Yakobson, S.V.

1988-01-01

Peculiarities of dislocation and microdefect formation in InP monocrystals doped with donor (S,Ge) and acceptor (Zn) impurities are investigated by the metallography. Dependence of dislocation density on the concentration of alloying impurity is established. Microdefects leading to the appearance of 5 different types of etch figures are shown to be observed in doped InP monocrystals. The mechanism of microdefect formation is suggested
Establishment of Ge-doped optical fibres as thermoluminescence dosimeters for brachytherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Issa, Fatma, E-mail: f.issa@surrey.ac.uk [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Department of Radiotherapy, Tripoli Medical Centre (TMC), Tripoli (Libya); Abdul Rahman, A.T. [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); School of Physics and Material Studies, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia, Campus of Negeri Sembilan, 72000 Kuala Pilah (Malaysia); Hugtenburg, Richard P. [Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg UHB and School of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Bradley, David A. [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Department of Radiological Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11432 (Saudi Arabia); Nisbet, Andrew [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Department of Medical Physics, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, GU2 7XX (United Kingdom)

2012-07-15

This study aims to establish the sensitive, {approx}120 {mu}m high spatial resolution, high dynamic range Ge-doped optical fibres as thermoluminescence (TL) dosimeters for brachytherapy dose distribution. This requires investigation to accommodate sensitivity of detection, both for the possibility of short range dose deposition from beta components as well as gamma/x-mediated dose. In-air measurements are made at distances close to radionuclide sources, evaluating the fall off in dose along the transverse axis of {sup 133}Ba and {sup 60}Co radioactive sources, at distances from 2 mm up to 20 mm from their midpoints. Measurements have been compared with Monte Carlo code DOSRZnrc simulations for photon-mediated dose only, agreement being obtained to within 3% and 1% for the {sup 133}Ba and {sup 60}Co sources, respectively. As such, in both cases it is determined that as intended, beta dose has been filtered out by source encapsulation. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We seek to establish Ge-doped optical fibres as TLDs for brachytherapy. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dose was evaluated along the central axis of {sup 133}Ba and {sup 60}Co, at 2 mm-20 mm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We verify values using DOSRZnrc Monte Carlo code simulations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Good agreement is between dose measurements and calculation to within 3% and 1%. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Methodology is to be used in obtaining doses around {sup 125}I and {sup 192}Ir sources.
Thermal analyzes of phosphate glasses doped with Yb{sup 3+} and ZnTe nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freitas, A.M.; Bell, M.J.V. [Laboratório de Espectroscopia de Materiais, Departamento de Física, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Anjos, V., E-mail: virgilio@fisica.ufjf.br [Laboratório de Espectroscopia de Materiais, Departamento de Física, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Pinheiro, A.S.; Dantas, N.O. [Laboratório de Novos Materiais Isolantes e Semicondutores (LNMIS), Instituto de Física da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, CP 593, CEP 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil)

2016-01-15

This work studies the thermal properties of a glass matrix called PZABP doped with ZnTe and co-doped with Yb{sup 3+} with nominal composition 60P{sub 2}O{sub 5}, 15ZnO, 5Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, 10BaO, and 10 PbO (mol%). The presence of ZnTe results in the formation of nanocrystals which are evidenced by optical absorption, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering. Thermal lens and Volumetric Heat Capacity techniques were used to investigate thermal diffusivity (D), thermal conductivity (K) and optical path variation with temperature (ds/dT). The outcomes indicate high values for the thermal diffusivity and a relatively small thermal conductivity, i.e., around 2.6×10{sup −3} cm{sup 2}/s and 3.4×10{sup −3} W cm{sup −1} K{sup −1}, respectively. On the other hand, a low ds/dT value, 1.0×10{sup −6} K{sup −1}, was obtained as required for an active laser medium. Moreover, it has been observed that the matrix allows high concentration of dopants without compromising its thermal properties. As a result, PZABP glasses may be pointed out as a promising material to applications in high power photonics devices. - Highlights: • UV transparentglass matrix (PZABP) is used for Yb{sup 3+}doping. • Bulk like and quantum dots like crystals of ZnTe were grown. • Thermal properties point out PZABP as a material to high power photonics devices.
Crystallization characteristics of Mg-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 films for phase change memory applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Jing; Shen Xiang; Nie Qiuhua; Wang Guoxiang; Wu Liangcai; Dai Shixun; Xu Tiefeng; Wang, R.P.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Mg-doped Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) phase change films with higher resistance and better thermal stability have been proposed. ► The increase of Mg content result in an enhancement in crystallization temperature, activation energy and electrical resistance. ► The proper Mg addition in GST can lead to a one-step crystallization process from amorphous to faced-centered cubic (fcc) phase. ► The formation of covalent Mg-Sb and Mg-Te bonds contribute to the enhancement thermal stability in Mg-doped GST films. - Abstract: Mg-doped Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) films with different Mg doping concentrations have been prepared, and their crystallization behavior, structure and electrical properties have been systematically investigated for phase-change memory applications. The results show that the addition of Mg into GST films could result in an enhancement in crystallization temperature, activation energy and electrical resistance compared with the conventional GST films, indicating that a good amorphous thermal stability. On the other hand, the proper Mg concentration ranging from 13.6 to 31.1 at.% can lead to a one-step crystallization process from amorphous to faced-centered cubic (fcc) phase and suppress the formation of the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystalline phase. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) further confirm that the formation of covalent Mg-Sb and Mg-Te bonds contribute to the enhanced thermal stability in Mg-doped GST films.

Crystal structure of a Zn-doped derivative of the Li17Ge4 compound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacroix-Orio, L.; Tillard, M.; Belin, C.

2008-01-01

The compound Li 17-ε Zn ε Ge 4 has been obtained as a side product during the preparation of the intermetallic compound Li 8 Zn 2 Ge 3 from the elements. Its structure has been determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction intensities measured at 173 K. It crystallizes in the cubic system, F4-bar3m space group, a = 18.842(1) A, Z = 20. Its crystal structure is slightly different from those so far reported in the literature for the Zn-free phase Li 17 Ge 4 , particularly concerned are the positions and the site occupations of Li atoms. Most likely, these structural variations result from the presence of a small Zn concentration in the compound. The Zn doping atom has been found only at the specific Li 4d site (about 3 at.% Zn)
Visible Discrimination of Broadband Infrared Light by Dye-Enhanced Upconversion in Lanthanide-Doped Nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles G. Dupuy

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Optical upconversion of near infrared light to visible light is an attractive way to capture the optical energy or optical information contained in low-energy photons that is otherwise lost to the human eye or to certain photodetectors and solar cells. Until the recent application of broadband absorbing optical antennas, upconversion efficiency in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals was limited by the weak, narrow atomic absorption of a handful of sensitizer elements. In this work, we extend the role of the optical antenna to provide false-color, visible discrimination between bands of infrared radiation. By pairing different optical antenna dyes to specific nanoparticle compositions, unique visible emission is associated with different bands of infrared excitation. In one material set, the peak emission was increased 10-fold, and the width of the spectral response was increased more than 10-fold.
Structural and optical properties of a NaCl single crystal doped with CuO nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addala, S.; Bouhdjer, L.; Halimi, O.; Boudine, B.; Sebais, M.; Chala, A.; Bouhdjar, A.

2013-01-01

A cupric oxide (CuO) nanocrystal-doped NaCl single crystal and a pure NaCl single crystal are grown by using the Czochralski (Cz) method. A number of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, optical absorption in the UV—visible range, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy are used to characterize the obtained NaCl and NaCl:CuO crystals. It is observed that the average radius of CuO crystallites in NaCl:CuO crystal is about 29.87 nm, as derived from the XRD data analysis. Moreover, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy results confirm the existence of the monoclinic CuO phase in NaCl crystal. UV—visible absorption measurements indicate that the band gap of the NaCl:CuO crystal is 434 nm (2.85 eV), and it shows a significant amount of blue-shift (ΔE g = 1 eV) in the band gap energy of CuO, which is due to the quantum confinement effect exerted by the CuO nanocrystals. The PL spectrum of the NaCl:CuO shows a broad emission band centred at around 438 nm, which is consistent with the absorption measurement. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)
Faceted titania nanocrystals doped with indium oxide nanoclusters as a superior candidate for sacrificial hydrogen evolution without any noble-metal cocatalyst under solar irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Amoli, Vipin; Sibi, Malayil Gopalan; Banerjee, Biplab; Anand, Mohit; Maurya, Abhayankar; Farooqui, Saleem Akhtar; Bhaumik, Asim; Sinha, Anil Kumar

2015-01-14

Development of unique nanoheterostructures consisting of indium oxide nanoclusters like species doped on the TiO2 nanocrystals surfaces with {101} and {001} exposed facets, resulted in unprecedented sacrificial hydrogen production (5.3 mmol h(-1) g(-1)) from water using methanol as a sacrificial agent, under visible light LED source and AM 1.5G solar simulator (10.3 mmol h(-1) g(-1)), which is the highest H2 production rate ever reported for titania based photocatalysts, without using any noble metal cocatalyst. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the nanostructures reveals the presence of Ti-O-In and In-O-In like species on the surface of nanostructures. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) elemental mapping and EDX spectroscopy techniques combined with transmission electron microscope evidenced the existence of nanoheterostructures. XPS, EELS, EDX, and HAADF-STEM tools collectively suggest the presence of indium oxide nanoclusters like species on the surface of TiO2 nanostructures. These indium oxide nanocluster doped TiO2 (In2O3/T{001}) single crystals with {101} and {001} exposed facets exhibited 1.3 times higher visible light photocatalytic H2 production than indium oxide nanocluster doped TiO2 nanocrystals with only {101}facets (In2O3/T{101}) exposed. The remarkable photocatalytic activity of the obtained nanoheterostructures is attributed to the combined synergetic effect of indium oxide nanoclusters interacting with the titania surface, enhanced visible light response, high crystallinity, and unique structural features.
High power, ultra-broadband supercontinuum source based on highly GeO2 doped silica fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jain, Deepak; Sidharthan, Raghuraman; Moselund, Peter M.

2017-01-01

We demonstrate a 74 mol % GeO2 doped fiber for mid-infrared supercontinuum generation. Experiments ensure a highest output power for a broadest spectrum from 700nm to 3200nm from this fiber, while being pumped by a broadband 4 stage Erbium fiber based MOPA. The effect of repetition rate of pump...
In vitro cytotoxicity effect and antibacterial performance of human lung epithelial cells A549 activity of Zinc oxide doped TiO2 nanocrystals: Investigation of bio-medical application by chemical method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaviyarasu, K.; Geetha, N.; Kanimozhi, K.; Maria Magdalane, C.; Sivaranjani, S.; Ayeshamariam, A.; Kennedy, J.; Maaza, M.

2017-01-01

We report the synthesis of high quality ZnO doped TiO 2 nanocrystals by chemical method at room temperature (RT), it can cause serious oxidative stress and DNA damage to human lung epithelial cells (A549) lines. Our aim in this study, to reduce the cytotoxicity effect of ZnO doped TiO 2 nanocrystals are widely in biological fields. Several studies have been performed to understand the influence of ZnO doped titanium dioxide (TiO 2 -NPs) on cell function; however the effects of nanoparticle against to exposure on the cell membrane have been duly addressed fascinatingly so far. However, In this interaction, which may alter cell metabolism and integrity, it is one of the importance to understand the modifications of the cell membrane, mechanisms of pulmonary A549 cell lines nanoparticles were uptake and the molecular pathway during the initial cell responses are still unclear and much more investigative efforts are need to properly characterize the ZnO doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles were reported successfully. In particular of the epithelial cells, upon particles are exposed human pulmonary epithelial cells (A549) to various concentrations of composition, structure and morphology of the nanocrystals were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD assessed the crystal structure of the nanocrystals which identified peaks associated with (002), (100) and (101) planes of hexagonal wurtzite-type ZnO with lattice constants of a = b = 3.249 Å and c = 5.219 Å. The IR results showed high purity of products and indicated that the nanocrystals are made up of Ti−O and Zn−O bonds. The Photoluminescence (PL) spectra are dominated by a strong narrow band edge emission tunable in the blue region of the visible spectra indicating a narrow size distribution of ZnO/TiO 2 nanocrystals which exhibits antibacterial activity over a broad range of bacterial species and in particular against Stre. Mut where it out competes
Addition of Mn to Ge quantum dot surfaces—interaction with the Ge QD {105} facet and the Ge(001) wetting layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nolph, C A; Kassim, J K; Floro, J A; Reinke, P

2013-01-01

The interaction of Mn with Ge quantum dots (QD), which are bounded by {105} facets, and the strained Ge wetting layer (WL), terminated by a (001) surface, is investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). These surfaces constitute the growth surfaces in the growth of Mn-doped QDs. Mn is deposited on the Ge QD and WL surface in sub-monolayer concentrations, and subsequently annealed up to a temperature of 400 ° C. The changes in bonding and surface topography are measured with STM during the annealing process. Mn forms flat islands on the Ge{105} facet, whose shape and position are guided by the rebonded step reconstruction of the facet. Voltage-dependent STM images reflect the Mn-island interaction with the empty and filled states of the Ge{105} reconstruction. Scanning tunneling spectra (STS) of the Ge{105} facet and as-deposited Mn-islands show a bandgap of 0.8 eV, and the Mn-island spectra are characterized by an additional empty state at about 1.4 eV. A statistical analysis of Mn-island shape and position on the QD yields a slight preference for edge positions, whereas the QD strain field does not impact Mn-island position. However, the formation of ultra-small Mn-clusters dominates on the Ge(001) WL, which is in contrast to Mn interaction with unstrained Ge(001) surfaces. Annealing to T 5 Ge 3 from a mass balance analysis. This reaction is accompanied by the disappearance of the original Mn-surface structures and de-wetting of Mn is complete. This study unravels the details of Mn–Ge interactions, and demonstrates the role of surface diffusion as a determinant in the growth of Mn-doped Ge materials. Surface doping of Ge-nanostructures at lower temperatures could provide a pathway to control magnetism in the Mn–Ge system. (paper)
Effects of surface functionalization of hydrophilic NaYF4 nanocrystals doped with Eu3+ on glutamate and GABA transport in brain synaptosomes

Science.gov (United States)

Sojka, Bartlomiej; Kociołek, Daria; Banski, Mateusz; Borisova, Tatiana; Pozdnyakova, Natalia; Pastukhov, Artem; Borysov, Arsenii; Dudarenko, Marina; Podhorodecki, Artur

2017-08-01

Specific rare earth doped nanocrystals (NCs), a recent class of nanoparticles with fluorescent features, have great bioanalytical potential. Neuroactive properties of NaYF4 nanocrystals doped with Eu3+ were assessed based on the analysis of their effects on glutamate- and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transport process in nerve terminals isolated from rat brain (synaptosomes). Two types of hydrophilic NCs were examined in this work: (i) coated by polyethylene glycol (PEG) and (ii) with OH groups at the surface. It was found that NaYF4:Eu3+-PEG and NaYF4:Eu3+-OH within the concentration range of 0.5-3.5 and 0.5-1.5 mg/ml, respectively, did not influence Na+-dependent transporter-dependent l-[14C]glutamate and [3H]GABA uptake and the ambient level of the neurotransmitters in the synaptosomes. An increase in NaYF4:Eu3+-PEG and NaYF4:Eu3+-OH concentrations up to 7.5 and 3.5 mg/ml, respectively, led to the (1) attenuation of the initial velocity of uptake of l-[14C]glutamate and [3H]GABA and (2) elevation of ambient neurotransmitters in the suspension of nerve terminals. In the mentioned concentrations, nanocrystals did not influence acidification of synaptic vesicles that was shown with pH-sensitive fluorescent dye acridine orange, however, decreased the potential of the plasma membrane of synaptosomes. In comparison with other nanoparticles studied with similar methodological approach, NCs start to exhibit their effects on neurotransmitter transport at concentrations several times higher than those shown for carbon dots, detonation nanodiamonds and an iron storage protein ferritin, whose activity can be registered at 0.08, 0.5 and 0.08 mg/ml, respectively. Therefore, NCs can be considered lesser neurotoxic as compared to above nanoparticles.
Effect of high temperature annealing on the thermoelectric properties of GaP doped SiGe

Science.gov (United States)

Vandersande, Jan W.; Wood, Charles; Draper, Susan

1987-01-01

Silicon-germanium alloys doped with GaP are used for thermoelectric energy conversion in the temperature range 300-1000 C. The conversion efficiency depends on Z = S-squared/rho lambda, a material's parameter (the figure of merit), where S is the Seebeck coefficient, rho is the electrical resistivity and lambda is the thermal conductivity. The annealing of several samples in the temperature range of 1100-1300 C resulted in the power factor P (= S-squared/rho) increasing with increased annealing temperature. This increase in P was due to a decrease in rho which was not completely offset by a drop in S-squared suggesting that other changes besides that in the carrier concentration took place. SEM and EDX analysis of the samples indicated the formation of a Ga-P-Ge rich phase as a result of the annealing. It is speculated that this phase is associated with the improved properties. Several reasons which could account for the improvement in the power factor of annealed GaP doped SiGe are given.
C and Si delta doping in Ge by CH_3SiH_3 using reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Yuji; Ueno, Naofumi; Sakuraba, Masao; Murota, Junichi; Mai, Andreas; Tillack, Bernd

2016-01-01

C and Si delta doping in Ge are investigated using a reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition system to establish atomic-order controlled processes. CH_3SiH_3 is exposed at 250 °C to 500 °C to a Ge on Si (100) substrate using H_2 or N_2 carrier gas followed by a Ge cap layer deposition. At 350 °C, C and Si are uniformly adsorbed on the Ge surface and the incorporated C and Si form steep delta profiles below detection limit of SIMS measurement. By using N_2 as carrier gas, the incorporated C and Si doses in Ge are saturated at one mono-layer below 350 °C. At this temperature range, the incorporated C and Si doses are nearly the same, indicating CH_3SiH_3 is adsorbed on the Ge surface without decomposing the C−Si bond. On the other hand, by using H_2 as carrier gas, lower incorporated C is observed in comparison to Si. CH_3SiH_3 injected with H_2 carrier gas is adsorbed on Ge without decomposing the C−Si bond and the adsorbed C is reduced by dissociation of the C−Si bond during temperature ramp up to 550 °C. The adsorbed C is maintained on the Ge surface in N_2 at 550 °C. - Highlights: • C and Si delta doping in Ge is investigated using RPCVD system by CH_3SiH_3 exposure. • Atomically flat C and Si delta layers are fabricated at 350 °C. • Incorporated C and Si doses are saturated at one mono-layer below 350 °C. • CH_3SiH_3 adsorption occurred without decomposing C−Si bond. • Adsorbed C is desorbed due to dissociation by hydrogen during postannealing at 550 °C.
Ultrafast crystallization and thermal stability of In-Ge doped eutectic Sb70Te30 phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee Meiling; Miao Xiangshui; Ting Leehou; Shi Luping

2008-01-01

Effect of In and Ge doping in the form of In 2 Ge 8 Sb 85 Te 5 on optical and thermal properties of eutectic Sb 70 Te 30 alloys was investigated. Crystalline structure of In 2 Ge 8 Sb 85 Te 5 phase change material consists of a mixture of phases. Thermal analysis shows higher crystallization temperature and activation energy for crystallization. Isothermal reflectivity-time measurement shows a growth-dominated crystallization mechanism. Ultrafast crystallization speed of 30 ns is realized upon irradiation by blue laser beam. The use of ultrafast and thermally stable In 2 Ge 8 Sb 85 Te 5 phase change material as mask layer in aperture-type super-resolution near-field phase change disk is realized to increase the carrier-to-noise ratio and thermal stability
Germanium content and base doping level influence on extrinsic base resistance and dynamic performances of SiGe:C heterojunction bipolar transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez-Garcia, E; Valdez-Monroy, L A; Rodriguez-Mendez, L M; Valdez-Perez, D; Galaz-Larios, M C; Enciso-Aguilar, M A; Zerounian, N; Aniel, F

2014-01-01

We describe a reliable technique to separate the different contributions to the apparent base resistance (R B = R Bx + X R Bi ) of silicon germanium carbon (SiGe:C) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). The extrinsic base resistance (R Bx ) is quantified using small-signal measurements. The base-collector junction distribution factor (X) and the intrinsic base resistance (R Bi ) are extracted from high frequency noise (MWN) measurements. This method is applied to five different SiGe:C HBTs varying in base doping level and germanium content. The results show that high doping levels improve high frequency noise performances while germanium gradient helps to maintain outstanding dynamic performances. This method could be used to elucidate the base technological configuration that ensures low noise together with remarkable dynamic performances in state-of-the-art SiGe:C HBTs. (paper)
In vitro cytotoxicity effect and antibacterial performance of human lung epithelial cells A549 activity of Zinc oxide doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals: Investigation of bio-medical application by chemical method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaviyarasu, K., E-mail: kaviyarasuloyolacollege@gmail.com [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences/Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa (UNISA), Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), Materials Research Group (MRG), i Themba LABS-National Research Foundation - NRF, 1 Old Faure Road, 7129, PO Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape Province (South Africa); Geetha, N. [Research and Development Center, Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore 641046 (India); Kanimozhi, K. [PG Research & Department of Chemistry, Auxilium College (Autonomous), Vellore (India); Maria Magdalane, C. [Department of Chemistry, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Tirunelveli 627002 (India); LIFE, Department of Chemistry, Loyola College (Autonomous), Chennai 600034 (India); Sivaranjani, S. [Research and Development Center, Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore 641046 (India); Department of Physics, SBM College of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul -624 005 (India); Ayeshamariam, A. [Research and Development Center, Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore 641046 (India); Department of Physics, Khadir Mohideen College, Adirampattinam 614601 (India); Kennedy, J. [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences/Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa (UNISA), Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); National Isotope Centre, GNS Science, PO Box 31312, Lower Hutt 5010 (New Zealand); Maaza, M. [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences/Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa (UNISA), Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), Materials Research Group (MRG), i Themba LABS-National Research Foundation - NRF, 1 Old Faure Road, 7129, PO Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape Province (South Africa)

2017-05-01

We report the synthesis of high quality ZnO doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals by chemical method at room temperature (RT), it can cause serious oxidative stress and DNA damage to human lung epithelial cells (A549) lines. Our aim in this study, to reduce the cytotoxicity effect of ZnO doped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals are widely in biological fields. Several studies have been performed to understand the influence of ZnO doped titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}-NPs) on cell function; however the effects of nanoparticle against to exposure on the cell membrane have been duly addressed fascinatingly so far. However, In this interaction, which may alter cell metabolism and integrity, it is one of the importance to understand the modifications of the cell membrane, mechanisms of pulmonary A549 cell lines nanoparticles were uptake and the molecular pathway during the initial cell responses are still unclear and much more investigative efforts are need to properly characterize the ZnO doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles were reported successfully. In particular of the epithelial cells, upon particles are exposed human pulmonary epithelial cells (A549) to various concentrations of composition, structure and morphology of the nanocrystals were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD assessed the crystal structure of the nanocrystals which identified peaks associated with (002), (100) and (101) planes of hexagonal wurtzite-type ZnO with lattice constants of a = b = 3.249 Å and c = 5.219 Å. The IR results showed high purity of products and indicated that the nanocrystals are made up of Ti−O and Zn−O bonds. The Photoluminescence (PL) spectra are dominated by a strong narrow band edge emission tunable in the blue region of the visible spectra indicating a narrow size distribution of ZnO/TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals which exhibits antibacterial activity over a broad range of bacterial species and in particular against Stre. Mut
Mesoporous carbon-coated LiFePO4 nanocrystals co-modified with graphene and Mg2+ doping as superior cathode materials for lithium ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bo; Xu, Binghui; Liu, Tiefeng; Liu, Peng; Guo, Chenfeng; Wang, Shuo; Wang, Qiuming; Xiong, Zhigang; Wang, Dianlong; Zhao, X S

2014-01-21

In this work, mesoporous carbon-coated LiFePO4 nanocrystals further co-modified with graphene and Mg(2+) doping (G/LFMP) were synthesized by a modified rheological phase method to improve the speed of lithium storage as well as cycling stability. The mesoporous structure of LiFePO4 nanocrystals was designed and realized by introducing the bead milling technique, which assisted in forming sucrose-pyrolytic carbon nanoparticles as the template for generating mesopores. For comparison purposes, samples modified only with graphene (G/LFP) or Mg(2+) doping (LFMP) as well as pure LiFePO4 (LFP) were also prepared and investigated. Microscopic observation and nitrogen sorption analysis have revealed the mesoporous morphologies of the as-prepared composites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement data demonstrated that the Mg-doped LiFePO4 is a single olivine-type phase and well crystallized with shortened Fe-O and P-O bonds and a lengthened Li-O bond, resulting in an enhanced Li(+) diffusion velocity. Electrochemical properties have also been investigated after assembling coin cells with the as-prepared composites as the cathode active materials. Remarkably, the G/LFMP composite has exhibited the best electrochemical properties, including fast lithium storage performance and excellent cycle stability. That is because the modification of graphene provided active sites for nuclei, restricted the in situ crystallite growth, increased the electronic conductivity and reduced the interface reaction current density, while, Mg(2+) doping improved the intrinsically electronic and ionic transfer properties of LFP crystals. Moreover, in the G/LFMP composite, the graphene component plays the role of "cushion" as it could quickly realize capacity response, buffering the impact to LFMP under the conditions of high-rate charging or discharging, which results in a pre-eminent rate capability and cycling stability.
Modifying the size and uniformity of upconversion Yb/Er:NaGdF4 nanocrystals through alkaline-earth doping.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Lei; Chen, Daqin; Huang, Ping; Xu, Ju; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Yuansheng

2013-11-21

NaGdF4 is regarded as an ideal upconversion (UC) host material for lanthanide (Ln(3+)) activators because of its unique crystal structure, high Ln(3+) solubility, low phonon energy and high photochemical stability, and Ln(3+)-doped NaGdF4 UC nanocrystals (NCs) have been widely investigated as bio-imaging and magnetic resonance imaging agents recently. To realize their practical applications, controlling the size and uniformity of the monodisperse Ln(3+)-doped NaGdF4 UC NCs is highly desired. Unlike the routine routes by finely adjusting the multiple experimental parameters, herein we provide a facile and straightforward strategy to modify the size and uniformity of NaGdF4 NCs via alkaline-earth doping for the first time. With the increase of alkaline-earth doping content, the size of NaGdF4 NCs increases gradually, while the size-uniformity is still retained. We attribute this "focusing" of size distribution to the diffusion controlled growth of NaGdF4 NCs induced by alkaline-earth doping. Importantly, adopting the Ca(2+)-doped Yb/Er:NaGdF4 NCs as cores, the complete Ca/Yb/Er:NaGdF4@NaYF4 core-shell particles with excellent size-uniformity can be easily achieved. However, when taking the Yb/Er:NaGdF4 NCs without Ca(2+) doping as cores, they could not be perfectly covered by NaYF4 shells, and the obtained products are non-uniform in size. As a result, the UC emission intensity of the complete core-shell NCs increases by about 30 times in comparison with that of the cores, owing to the effective surface passivation of the Ca(2+)-doped cores and therefore protection of Er(3+) in the cores from the non-radiative decay caused by surface defects, whereas the UC intensity of the incomplete core-shell NCs is enhanced by only 3 times.
Characterizations and thermal stability improvement of phase-change memory device containing Ce-doped GeSbTe films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Yu-Jen; Tsai, Min-Chuan; Wang, Chiung-Hsin; Hsieh, Tsung-Eong, E-mail: tehsieh@mail.nctu.edu.tw

2012-02-29

Phase-transition temperature of GeSbTe (GST) chalcogenide film was drastically increased from 159 to 236 Degree-Sign C by cerium (Ce) doping (up to 8.6 at.%) without altering the resistivity property of GST. Grain refinement via the solid-solution mechanism and the amplification of p-type semiconducting behavior in Ce-doped GST were observed. They were correlated with the enhancement of thermal stability and data retention property of GST as revealed by exothermal and isothermal analyses. Phase-change memory (PCM) device characterized at various temperatures revealed an effective thermal stability improvement on the threshold voltage of PCM device by Ce doping. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ce doping increased phase-change temperature of GST from 159 to 236 Degree-Sign C. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer No suppression of resistivity level in amorphous Ce-doped GST. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Resistance ratio of amorphous and crystalline Ce-doped GST was preserved at 10{sup 5}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer p-type semiconducting behavior of GST was enhanced by Ce-doping. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ce-doping improved the thermal stability of threshold voltage of GST PCM device.
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).
Photoluminescence studies on Cd(1-x)Zn(x)S:Mn2+ nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sethi, Ruchi; Kumar, Lokendra; Pandey, A C

2009-09-01

Highly monodispersed, undoped and doped with Mn2+, binary and ternary (CdS, ZnS, Cd(1-x)Zn(x)S) compound semiconductor nanocrystals have been synthesized by co-precipitation method using citric acid as a stabilizer. As prepared sample are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Small angle X-ray scattering, Transmission electron microscope, Optical absorption and Photoluminescence spectroscopy, for their optical and structural properties. X-ray diffraction, Small angle X-ray scattering and Transmission electron microscope results confirm the preparation of monodispersed nanocrystals. Photoluminescence studies show a significant blue shift in the wavelength with an increasing concentration of Zn in alloy nanocrystals.
Thermoluminescence response of Ge-, Al- and Nd- doped optical fibers by 6 MeV - electron and 6 MeV - photon irradiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hossain, I.; Moburak, A. A.; Saeed, M.A.; Wagiran, H.; Hida, N.; Yaakob, H.N.

2015-01-01

In this paper, we report the prediction of thermoluminescence responses of Neodymium-doped SiO 2 optical fibre with various dose ranges from 0.5 Gy to 4.0 Gy by 6 MeV - electron irradiations without requirement for experimental measurements. A technique has been developed to calculate prediction of 6 MeV - electron response of Neodymium-doped SiO 2 optical fibre by observing the measured TL response of 6 MV - photon and the ratio of known measured photon/electron yield ratio distribution for Ge-doped, Al-doped optical fibre and standard TLD 100 dosimeter. The samples were kept in gelatin capsule an irradiated with 6 MV - photon at the dose range from 0.5 Gy to 4.0 Gy. Siemens model Primus 3368 linear accelerator located at Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru has been used to deliver the photon beam to the samples. We found the average response ratio of 6 MV - photon and 6 MeV - electron in Ge-doped, Al-doped optical fibre and standard TLD-100 dosimeter are 0.83(3). Observing the measured value of 6 MV - photon irradiation this average ratio is useful to find the prediction of thermoluminescence responses by 6 MeV - electron irradiation of Neodymium-doped SiO 2 optical fibre by the requirement for experimental measurements with various dose ranges from 0.5 Gy to 4.0 Gy by 6 MV - photon irradiations.
Long afterglow properties of Eu2+/Mn2+ doped Zn2GeO4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, Minhua; Wang, Yinhai; Wang, Xiansheng; Zhao, Hui; Li, Hailing; Wang, Cheng

2014-01-01

Zn 2 GeO 4 :Eu 2+ 0.01 and Zn 2 GeO 4 :Mn 2+ 0.01 long afterglow phosphors were synthesized via a high temperature solid state reaction. X-ray diffraction (XRD), afterglow spectra, decay curves and thermoluminescence curves were utilized to characterize the samples. The X-ray diffraction phases indicate that the doping of small amount of transition metal ions or rare earth ions has no significant influence on the crystal structure of Zn 2 GeO 4 . According to the afterglow spectra, we found that the Zn 2 GeO 4 :Eu 2+ 0.01 exhibits a broad band emission with a peak at 474 nm, which could be ascribed to Eu 2+ transition between 4f 6 5d 1 and 4f 7 electron configurations. The Zn 2 GeO 4 :Mn 2+ 0.01 shows a narrow band emission peaking at 532 nm corresponding to the characteristic transition of Mn 2+ ( 4 T 1 → 6 A 1 ). The thermoluminescence (TL) curves above room temperature are employed for the discussion of the origin of the traps and the mechanism of the persistent luminescence. The results indicate that Zn 2 GeO 4 may be an excellent host material for the rare earth ions or transition metal ions long afterglows. -- Highlights: • Zn 2 GeO 4 :Eu 2+ 0.01 and Zn 2 GeO 4 :Mn 2+ 0.01 long afterglow phosphors were synthesized. • Found that these phosphors possess a persistent luminescence property. • The long afterglow spectra were measured. • Found that these phosphors possess a trap level by thermoluminescence

Barium halide nanocrystals in fluorozirconate based glass ceramics for scintillation application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selling, J.

2007-07-01

Europium (Eu)-activated barium halide nanocrystals in fluorozirconate based glass ceramics represent a promising class of Xray scintillators. The scintillation in these glass ceramics is mainly caused by the emission of divalent Eu incorporated in hexagonal BaCl{sub 2} nanocrystals which are formed in the glass matrix upon appropriate annealing. Experiments with cerium (Ce)-activated fluorozironate glass ceramics showed that Ce is an interesting alternative. In order to get a better understanding of the scintillation mechanism in Eu- or Ce-activated barium halide nanocrystals, an investigation of the processes in the corresponding bulk material is essential. The objective of this thesis is the investigation of undoped, Eu-, and Ce-doped barium halides by X-ray excited luminescence (XL), pulse height, and scintillation decay spectra. That will help to figure out which of these crystals has the most promising scintillation properties and would be the best nanoparticles for the glass ceramics. Furthermore, alternative dopants like samarium (Sm) and manganese (Mn) were also investigated. Besides the above-mentioned optical investigation electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Moessbauer measurements were carried out in order to complete the picture of Eu-doped barium halides. The EPR data of Eu-doped BaI{sub 2} is anticipated to yield more information about the crystal field and crystal structure that will help to understand the charge carrier process during the scintillation process. The main focus of the Moessbauer investigations was set on the Eu-doped fluorochlorozirconate glass ceramics. The results of this investigation should help to improve the glass ceramics. The Eu{sup 2+}/Eu{sup 3+} ratio in the glass ceramics should be determined and optimize favor of the Eu{sup 2+}. We also want to distinguish between Eu{sup 2+} in the glass matrix and Eu{sup 2+} in the nanocrystals. For a better understanding of Moessbauer spectroscopy on Eu also measurements on Eu in a
Barium halide nanocrystals in fluorozirconate based glass ceramics for scintillation application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selling, J.

2007-01-01

Europium (Eu)-activated barium halide nanocrystals in fluorozirconate based glass ceramics represent a promising class of Xray scintillators. The scintillation in these glass ceramics is mainly caused by the emission of divalent Eu incorporated in hexagonal BaCl 2 nanocrystals which are formed in the glass matrix upon appropriate annealing. Experiments with cerium (Ce)-activated fluorozironate glass ceramics showed that Ce is an interesting alternative. In order to get a better understanding of the scintillation mechanism in Eu- or Ce-activated barium halide nanocrystals, an investigation of the processes in the corresponding bulk material is essential. The objective of this thesis is the investigation of undoped, Eu-, and Ce-doped barium halides by X-ray excited luminescence (XL), pulse height, and scintillation decay spectra. That will help to figure out which of these crystals has the most promising scintillation properties and would be the best nanoparticles for the glass ceramics. Furthermore, alternative dopants like samarium (Sm) and manganese (Mn) were also investigated. Besides the above-mentioned optical investigation electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Moessbauer measurements were carried out in order to complete the picture of Eu-doped barium halides. The EPR data of Eu-doped BaI 2 is anticipated to yield more information about the crystal field and crystal structure that will help to understand the charge carrier process during the scintillation process. The main focus of the Moessbauer investigations was set on the Eu-doped fluorochlorozirconate glass ceramics. The results of this investigation should help to improve the glass ceramics. The Eu 2+ /Eu 3+ ratio in the glass ceramics should be determined and optimize favor of the Eu 2+ . We also want to distinguish between Eu 2+ in the glass matrix and Eu 2+ in the nanocrystals. For a better understanding of Moessbauer spectroscopy on Eu also measurements on Eu in a CaF 2 host lattice were carried
Memory characteristics and tunneling mechanism of Ag nanocrystal embedded HfAlOx films on Si83Ge17/Si substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, X.Y.; Zhou, G.D.; Li, J.; Chen, Y.; Wang, X.H.; Dai, J.Y.

2014-01-01

A nano-floating gate memory capacitor consisting of a stack of 3 nm-thick HfAlO x tunneling layer, self-organized Ag nanocrystals (NCs), and a 6 nm-thick HfAlO x control layer, has been fabricated on compressively strained p-type Si 83 Ge 17 /Si(100) substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The Ag-NCs with a size of 5–8 nm and a density of 5.7 × 10 12 /cm 2 are well dispersed in the amorphous HfAlO x matrix. Counterclockwise hysteresis capacitance–voltage curve with a memory window of ∼ 2 V, corresponding to a charge storage density of about 1.3 × 10 13 electrons/cm 2 , is observed in this memory capacitor. The accumulation capacitance of this memory capacitor has no obvious decrease during electrical stressing process within a period of 10 4 s, but the memory window gradually becomes narrower, and only 54% stored charges are retained in the Ag-NCs after 10 5 s stressing. Defect-enhanced Poole–Frenkel tunneling is found to be responsible for the degradation of memory properties. - Highlights: • Dispersed Ag nanocrystals act as memory nodes. • Realize a 2 V memory window • Illustrate the memory degradation process • Identify a defect-enhanced tunneling mechanism
Electrical characteristics of thermal CVD B-doped Si films on highly strained Si epitaxially grown on Ge(100) by plasma CVD without substrate heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugawara, Katsutoshi; Sakuraba, Masao; Murota, Junichi

2010-01-01

Using an 84% relaxed Ge(100) buffer layer formed on Si(100) by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD), influence of strain upon electrical characteristics of B-doped Si film epitaxially grown on the Ge buffer have been investigated. For the thinner B-doped Si film, surface strain amount is larger than that of the thicker film, for example, strain amount reaches 2.0% for the thickness of 2.2 nm. It is found that the hole mobility is enhanced by the introduction of strain to Si, and the maximum enhancement of about 3 is obtained. This value is higher than that of the usually reported mobility enhancement by strain using Si 1 -x Ge x buffer. Therefore, introduction of strain using relaxed Ge film formed by ECR plasma enhanced CVD is useful to improve future Si-based device performance.
Iron-doped nickel oxide nanocrystals as highly efficient electrocatalysts for alkaline water splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Fominykh, Ksenia; Chernev, Petko; Zaharieva, Ivelina; Sicklinger, Johannes; Stefanic, Goran; Döblinger, Markus; Müller, Alexander; Pokharel, Aneil; Böcklein, Sebastian; Scheu, Christina; Bein, Thomas; Fattakhova-Rohlfing, Dina

2015-05-26

Efficient electrochemical water splitting to hydrogen and oxygen is considered a promising technology to overcome our dependency on fossil fuels. Searching for novel catalytic materials for electrochemical oxygen generation is essential for improving the total efficiency of water splitting processes. We report the synthesis, structural characterization, and electrochemical performance in the oxygen evolution reaction of Fe-doped NiO nanocrystals. The facile solvothermal synthesis in tert-butanol leads to the formation of ultrasmall crystalline and highly dispersible FexNi1-xO nanoparticles with dopant concentrations of up to 20%. The increase in Fe content is accompanied by a decrease in particle size, resulting in nonagglomerated nanocrystals of 1.5-3.8 nm in size. The Fe content and composition of the nanoparticles are determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements, while Mössbauer and extended X-ray absorption fine structure analyses reveal a substitutional incorporation of Fe(III) into the NiO rock salt structure. The excellent dispersibility of the nanoparticles in ethanol allows for the preparation of homogeneous ca. 8 nm thin films with a smooth surface on various substrates. The turnover frequencies (TOF) of these films could be precisely calculated using a quartz crystal microbalance. Fe0.1Ni0.9O was found to have the highest electrocatalytic water oxidation activity in basic media with a TOF of 1.9 s(-1) at the overpotential of 300 mV. The current density of 10 mA cm(-2) is reached at an overpotential of 297 mV with a Tafel slope of 37 mV dec(-1). The extremely high catalytic activity, facile preparation, and low cost of the single crystalline FexNi1-xO nanoparticles make them very promising catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction.
XRD analysis of strained Ge-SiGe heterostructures on relaxed SiGe graded buffers grown by hybrid epitaxy on Si(0 0 1) substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franco, N.; Barradas, N.P.; Alves, E.; Vallera, A.M.; Morris, R.J.H.; Mironov, O.A.; Parker, E.H.C.

2005-01-01

Ge/Si 1-x Ge x inverted modulation doped heterostructures with Ge channel thickness of 16 and 20 nm were grown by a method of hybrid epitaxy followed by ex situ annealing at 650 deg. C for p-HMOS application. The thicker layers of the virtual substrate (6000 nm graded SiGe up to x = 0.6 and 1000 nm uniform composition with x = 0.6) were produced by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHV-CVD) while the thinner, Si(2 nm)-SiGe(20 nm)-Ge-SiGe(15 nm + 5 nm B-doped + 20 nm) active layers were grown by low temperature solid-source (LT-SS) MBE at T = 350 deg. C. As-grown and annealed samples were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Reciprocal space maps (RSMs) allowed us to determine non-destructively the precise composition (∼1%) and strain of the Ge channel, along with similar information regarding the other layers that made up the whole structure. Layer thickness was determined with complementary high-resolution Rutherford backscattering (RBS) experiments
The cross-plane thermoelectric properties of p-Ge/Si0.5Ge0.5 superlattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferre Llin, L.; Samarelli, A.; Weaver, J. M. R.; Dobson, P. S.; Paul, D. J.; Cecchi, S.; Chrastina, D.; Isella, G.; Etzelstorfer, T.; Stangl, J.; Müller Gubler, E.

2013-01-01

The electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficients, and thermal conductivities of a range of p-type Ge/Si 0.5 Ge 0.5 superlattices designed for thermoelectric generation and grown by low energy plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition have been measured using a range of microfabricated test structures. For samples with barriers around 0.5 nm in thickness, the measured Seebeck coefficients were comparable to bulk p-SiGe at similar doping levels suggesting the holes see the material as a random bulk alloy rather than a superlattice. The Seebeck coefficients for Ge quantum wells of 2.85 ± 0.85 nm increased up to 533 ± 25 μV/K as the doping was reduced. The thermal conductivities are between 4.5 to 6.0 Wm −1 K −1 which are lower than comparably doped bulk Si 0.3 Ge 0.7 but higher than undoped Si/Ge superlattices. The highest measured figure of merit ZT was 0.080 ± 0.011 obtained for the widest quantum well studied. Analysis suggests that interface roughness is presently limiting the performance and a reduction in the strain between the quantum wells and barriers has the potential to improve the thermoelectric performance
A Novel Method for Preparation of Zn-Doped CuInS2 Solar Cells and Their Photovoltaic Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng-Hsiung Peng

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, a novel method was proposed to synthesize high quality Zn-doped CuInS2 nanocrystals under high frequency magnetic field at ambient conditions. The magnetic Zn-doping gave superparamagnetic heating of the resulting nanocrystals via magnetic induction, causing an accelerating growth rate of the doped CuInS2 under ambient conditions faster than conventional autoclave synthesis. Shape evolution of the Zn-doped CuInS2 nanocrystals from initially spherical to pyramidal, to cubic, and finally to a bar geometry was detected as a function of time of exposure to magnetic induction. These colloidal solvents with different shaped nanocrystals were further used as “nanoink” to fabricate a simple thin film solar device; the best efficiency we obtained of these crystals was 1.01% with a 1.012 μm thickness absorber layer (bar geometry. The efficiency could be promoted to 1.44% after the absorber was thickened to 2.132 μm.
Defect mediated ferromagnetism in Ni-doped ZnO nanocrystals evidenced by positron annihilation spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhi-Yuan; Chen, Z. Q.; Zou, B.; Zhao, X. G.; Tang, Z.; Wang, S. J.

2012-10-01

NiO/ZnO nanocomposites with NiO content of 4 at. % and 20 at. % were annealed up to 1200 °C to get Ni doped ZnO nanocrystals. Raman scattering spectra illustrate a broad and strong band at 500-600cm-1 in all nanocomposites after annealing above 700 °C, which suggests incorporation of Ni in the ZnO lattice. However, x-ray diffraction measurements show that NiO phase can be still observed in all nanocomposites after annealing, which indicates that Ni is partially doped into the ZnO structure. Positron annihilation measurements reveal large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of all nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature up to 1000 °C. Room temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in the NiO/ZnO nanocomposites, which is stronger in the 20 at. % NiO/ZnO nanocomposites, and the magnetization decreases continuously with increasing annealing temperature. This indicates that the ferromagnetism at low annealing temperatures originates from the NiO nanograins, and they become antiferromanetic after subsequent higher temperature annealing which leads to the weakening of ferromagnetism. After annealing up to 1000 °C, the ferromagnetism in both the two samples becomes nearly invisible. The disappearance of ferromagnetism shows good coincidence with the recovery of vacancy defects in NiO/ZnO nanocomposites. It can be inferred that the ferromagnetism is mediated by vacancy defects which are distributed in the interface region.
Postsynthetic Doping of MnCl2 Molecules into Preformed CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals via a Halide Exchange-Driven Cation Exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Guangguang; Wang, Chunlei; Xu, Shuhong; Zong, Shenfei; Lu, Ju; Wang, Zhuyuan; Lu, Changgui; Cui, Yiping

2017-08-01

Unlike widely used postsynthetic halide exchange for CsPbX 3 (X is halide) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs), cation exchange of Pb is of a great challenge due to the rigid nature of the Pb cationic sublattice. Actually, cation exchange has more potential for rendering NCs with peculiar properties. Herein, a novel halide exchange-driven cation exchange (HEDCE) strategy is developed to prepare dually emitting Mn-doped CsPb(Cl/Br) 3 NCs via postsynthetic replacement of partial Pb in preformed perovskite NCs. The basic idea for HEDCE is that the partial cation exchange of Pb by Mn has a large probability to occur as a concomitant result for opening the rigid halide octahedron structure around Pb during halide exchange. Compared to traditional ionic exchange, HEDCE is featured by proceeding of halide exchange and cation exchange at the same time and lattice site. The time and space requirements make only MnCl 2 molecules (rather than mixture of Mn and Cl ions) capable of doping into perovskite NCs. This special molecular doping nature results in a series of unusual phenomenon, including long reaction time, core-shell structured mid states with triple emission bands, and dopant molecules composition-dependent doping process. As-prepared dual-emitting Mn-doped CsPb(Cl/Br) 3 NCs are available for ratiometric temperature sensing. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Aluminum‐Doped Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Nanocrystals with Stable Blue Photoluminescence Used for Display Backlight

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ming; Zhong, Guohua; Yin, Yongming; Miao, Jingsheng; Li, Ke; Wang, Chengqun; Xu, Xiuru; Shen, Clifton

2017-01-01

Abstract Bright and stable blue emitters with narrow full‐width at half‐maxima are particularly desirable for applications in television displays and related technologies. Here, this study shows that doping aluminum (Al3+) ion into CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (NCs) using AlBr3 can afford lead‐halide perovskites NCs with stable blue photoluminescence. First, theoretical and experimental analyses reveal that the extended band gap and quantum confinement effect of elongated shape give rise to the desirable blueshifted emission. Second, the aluminum ion incorporation path is rationalized qualitatively by invoking fundamental considerations about binding relations in AlBr3 and its dimer. Finally, the absence of anion‐exchange effect is corroborated when green CsPbBr3 and blue Al:CsPbBr3 NCs are mixed. Combinations of the above two NCs with red‐emitting CdSe@ZnS NCs result in UV‐pumped white light‐emitting diodes (LED) with an National Television System Committee (NTSC) value of 116% and ITU‐R Recommendation B.T. 2020 (Rec. 2020) of 87%. The color coordinates of the white LED are optimized at (0.32, 0.34) in CIE 1931. The results suggest that low‐cost, earth‐abundant, solution‐processable Al‐doped perovskite NCs can be promising candidate materials for blue down‐conversion layer in backlit displays. PMID:29201628
An investigation of the thermoluminescence of Ge-doped SiO2 optical fibres for application in interface radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Rahman, A.T.; Hugtenburg, R.P.; Abdul Sani, Siti Fairus; Alalawi, A.I.M.; Issa, Fatma; Thomas, R.; Barry, M.A.; Nisbet, A.; Bradley, D.A.

2012-01-01

We investigate the ability of high spatial resolution (∼ 120 μm) Ge-doped SiO 2 TL dosimeters to measure photoelectron dose enhancement resulting from the use of a moderate to high-Z target (an iodinated contrast media) irradiated by 90 kVp X-rays. We imagine its application in a novel radiation synovectomy technique, modelled by a phantom containing a reservoir of I 2 molecules at the interface of which the doped silica dosimeters are located. Measurements outside of the iodine photoelectron range are provided for using a stepped-design that allows insertion of the fibres within the phantom. Monte Carlo simulation (MCNPX) is used for verification. At the phantom medium I 2 -interface additional photoelectron generation is observed, ∼60% above that in the absence of the I 2 , simulations providing agreement to within 3%. Percentage depth doses measured away from the iodine contrast medium reservoir are bounded by published PDDs at 80 kVp and 100 kVp. - Highlights: ▶ Studies of dosimetric characteristic of commercially available doped silica optical fibres. ▶ Investigation of the potential of the dosimeter in dose enhancement measurement. ▶ Use of photoelectron dose enhancement as might be applied in radiation synovectomy. ▶ Measurement of the percentage depth dose recorded by Ge-doped silica optical fibres. ▶ The Monte Carlo simulation provides comparison against measured data.
Novel high resolution 125I brachytherapy source dosimetry using Ge-doped optical fibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Issa, Fatma; Hugtenburg, Richard P.; Nisbet, Andrew; Bradley, David A.

2013-01-01

The steep dose gradients close to brachytherapy sources limit the ability to obtain accurate measurements of dose. Here we use a novel high spatial resolution dosimeter to measure dose around a 125 I source and compare against simulations. Ge-doped optical fibres, used as thermoluminescent dosimeters, offer sub-mm spatial resolution, linear response from 10 cGy to >1 kGy and dose-rate independence. For a 125 I brachytherapy seed in a PMMA phantom, doses were obtained for source-dosimeter separations from 0.1 cm up to several cm, supported by EGSnrc/DOSRZznrc Monte Carlo simulations and treatment planning system data. The measurements agree with simulations to within 2.3%±0.3% along the transverse and perpendicular axes and within 3.0%±0.5% for measurements investigating anisotropy in angular dose distribution. Measured and Veriseed™ brachytherapy treatment planning system (TPS) values agreed to within 2.7%±0.5%. Ge-doped optical fibre dosimeters allow detailed dose mapping around brachytherapy sources, not least in situations of high dose gradient. - Highlights: • We evaluate fall-off in dose for distances from an 125 I source of 1 mm to 60 mm. • The TL of optical fibres accommodate high dose gradients and doses that reduce by a factor of 10 3 across the range of separations. • We verify measured values using DOSRZnrc Monte Carlo code simulations and the Variseed™ Treatment Planning System. • Measured radial and angular dose are obtained with ≤3% uncertainty
Linear and nonlinear optical properties of Sb-doped GeSe2 thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhen-Ying; Chen, Fen; Lu, Shun-Bin; Wang, Yong-Hui; Shen, Xiang; Dai, Shi-Xun; Nie, Qiu-Hua

2015-06-01

Sb-doped GeSe2 chalcogenide thin films are prepared by the magnetron co-sputtering method. The linear optical properties of as-deposited films are derived by analyzing transmission spectra. The refractive index rises and the optical band gap decreases from 2.08 eV to 1.41 eV with increasing the Sb content. X-ray photoelectron spectra further confirm the formation of a covalent Sb-Se bond. The third-order nonlinear optical properties of thin films are investigated under femtosecond laser excitation at 800 nm. The results show that the third-order nonlinear optical properties are enhanced with increasing the concentration of Sb. The nonlinear refraction indices of these thin films are measured to be on the order of 10-18 m2/W with a positive sign and the nonlinear absorption coefficients are obtained to be on the order of 10-10 m/W. These excellent properties indicate that Sb-doped Ge-Se films have a good prospect in the applications of nonlinear optical devices. Project supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2012CB722703), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61377061), the Young Leaders of Academic Climbing Project of the Education Department of Zhejiang Province, China (Grant No. pd2013092), the Program for Innovative Research Team of Ningbo City, China (Grant No. 2009B217), and the K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University, China.
Effects of substrate temperature on structural and electrical properties of SiO2-matrix boron-doped silicon nanocrystal thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Junjun; Zeng, Yuheng; Tan, Ruiqin; Wang, Weiyan; Yang, Ye; Dai, Ning; Song, Weijie

2013-01-01

In this work, silicon-rich SiO 2 (SRSO) thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures (T s ) and then annealed by rapid thermal annealing to form SiO 2 -matrix boron-doped silicon-nanocrystals (Si-NCs). The effects of T s on the micro-structure and electrical properties of the SiO 2 -matrix boron-doped Si-NC thin films were investigated using Raman spectroscopy and Hall measurements. Results showed that the crystalline fraction and dark conductivity of the SiO 2 -matrix boron-doped Si-NC thin films both increased significantly when the T s was increased from room temperature to 373 K. When the T s was further increased from 373 K to 676 K, the crystalline fraction of 1373 K-annealed thin films decreased from 52.2% to 38.1%, and the dark conductivity reduced from 8 × 10 −3 S/cm to 5.5 × 10 −5 S/cm. The changes in micro-structure and dark conductivity of the SiO 2 -matrix boron-doped Si-NC thin films were most possibly due to the different amount of Si-O 4 bond in the as-deposited SRSO thin films. Our work indicated that there was an optimal T s , which could significantly increase the crystallization and conductivity of Si-NC thin films. Also, it was illumined that the low-resistivity SiO 2 -matrix boron-doped Si-NC thin films can be achieved under the optimal substrate temperatures, T s .
Defect evolution and its impact on the ferromagnetism of Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals upon thermal treatment: A positron annihilation study

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhi-Yuan; Chen, Yuqian; Zhang, Q. K.; Qi, N.; Chen, Z. Q.; Wang, S. J.; Li, P. H.; Mascher, P.

2017-01-01

CuO/ZnO nanocomposites with 4 at. % CuO were annealed in air at various temperatures between 100 and 1200 °C to produce Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals. X-ray diffraction shows that a CuO phase can be observed in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites annealed at different temperatures, and the Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystals are identified to be of wurtzite structure. The main peak (101) appears at slightly lower diffraction angles with increasing annealing temperature from 400 up to 1200 °C, which confirms the successful doping of Cu into the ZnO lattice above 400 °C. Scanning electron microscopy indicates that most particles in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites are isolated when annealing at 100-400 °C, but these particles have a tendency to form clusters or aggregates as the annealing temperature increases from 700 to 1000 °C. Positron annihilation measurements reveal a large number of vacancy defects in the interface region of the nanocomposites, and they are gradually recovered with increasing annealing temperature up to 1000 °C. Room-temperature ferromagnetism can be observed in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites, and the magnetization decreases continuously with increasing annealing temperature. However, there may be several different origins of ferromagnetism in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites. At low annealing temperatures, the ferromagnetism originates from the CuO nanograins, and the ferromagnetism of CuO nanograins decreases with an increase in the grain size after subsequent higher temperature annealing, which leads to the weakening of ferromagnetism in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites. After annealing from 400 to 1000 °C, the ferromagnetism gradually vanishes. The ferromagnetism is probably induced by Cu substitution but is mediated by vacancy defects in the CuO/ZnO nanocomposites. The disappearance of ferromagnetism coincides well with the recovery of vacancy defects. It can be inferred that the ferromagnetism is mediated by vacancy defects that are distributed in the interface region.
Optical investigation of Tb3+-doped Y2O3 nanocrystals prepared by Pechini-type sol–gel process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Back, M.; Massari, A.; Boffelli, M.; Gonella, F.; Riello, P.; Cristofori, D.; Riccò, R.; Enrichi, F.

2012-01-01

We report an optical study of Tb 3+ -doped Y 2 O 3 nanocrystals synthesized by Pechini-type sol–gel method. The particles are investigated in terms of size and morphology by means of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis. It is shown how the simple Pechini method allows for the growth of monocrystalline nanoparticles with a volume-weighted average size of about 30 nm. The optical properties of Tb 3+ in the host lattice are studied in terms of PL, PLE, and lifetimes. Moreover, a correlation between the type of decay curves, the emission and excitation bands' shapes, and the site location of the emitting Tb 3+ in the host material Y 2 O 3 is proposed.
Second- and third-harmonic generation as a local probe for nanocrystal-doped polymer materials with a suppressed optical breakdown threshold

Science.gov (United States)

Konorov, S. O.; Fedotov, A. B.; Ivanov, A. A.; Alfimov, M. V.; Zabotnov, S. V.; Naumov, A. N.; Sidorov-Biryukov, D. A.; Podshivalov, A. A.; Petrov, A. N.; Fornarini, L.; Carpanese, M.; Ferrante, G.; Fantoni, R.; Zheltikov, A. M.

2003-09-01

Second- and third-harmonic generation processes are shown to allow the detection of absorptive agglomerates of nanocrystals in transparent materials and the visualization of optical breakdown in nanocomposite materials. Correlations between laser-induced breakdown and the behavior of the second- and third-harmonic signals produced in SiC/PMMA nanocomposite films are studied. The potential of second- and third-harmonic generation for the on-line visualization of laser breakdown in nanocomposite polymer materials is revealed, with the ablative material removal being monitored by the decay of the second- and third-harmonic signals. The second and third harmonics generated around the optical breakdown threshold by 75-fs pulses of 1.25-μm Cr:forsterite laser radiation are respectively more than two and four orders of magnitude more intense than the second and third harmonics produced under identical conditions by 40-ps pulses of a Nd:YAG laser. The breakdown threshold for PMMA films doped with 10-20-nm SiC nanocrystals forming absorptive agglomerates are demonstrated to be more than an order of magnitude lower than the breakdown threshold for crystalline SiC and about an order of magnitude lower than that for nondoped PMMA films.
Utilizing boron nitride sheets as thin supports for high resolution imaging of nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Yimin A; Kirkland, Angus I; Schaeffel, Franziska; Porfyrakis, Kyriakos; Young, Neil P; Briggs, G Andrew D; Warner, Jamie H, E-mail: Jamie.warner@materials.ox.ac.uk [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom)

2011-05-13

We demonstrate the use of thin BN sheets as supports for imaging nanocrystals using low voltage (80 kV) aberration-corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy. This provides an alternative to the previously utilized 2D crystal supports of graphene and graphene oxide. A simple chemical exfoliation method is applied to get few layer boron nitride (BN) sheets with micrometer-sized dimensions. This generic approach of using BN sheets as supports is shown by depositing Mn doped ZnSe nanocrystals directly onto the BN sheets and resolving the atomic structure from both the ZnSe nanocrystals and the BN support. Phase contrast images reveal moire patterns of interference between the beams diffracted by the nanocrystals and the BN substrate that are used to determine the relative orientation of the nanocrystals with respect to the BN sheets and interference lattice planes. Double diffraction is observed and has been analyzed.
Utilizing boron nitride sheets as thin supports for high resolution imaging of nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yimin A; Kirkland, Angus I; Schaeffel, Franziska; Porfyrakis, Kyriakos; Young, Neil P; Briggs, G Andrew D; Warner, Jamie H

2011-01-01

We demonstrate the use of thin BN sheets as supports for imaging nanocrystals using low voltage (80 kV) aberration-corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy. This provides an alternative to the previously utilized 2D crystal supports of graphene and graphene oxide. A simple chemical exfoliation method is applied to get few layer boron nitride (BN) sheets with micrometer-sized dimensions. This generic approach of using BN sheets as supports is shown by depositing Mn doped ZnSe nanocrystals directly onto the BN sheets and resolving the atomic structure from both the ZnSe nanocrystals and the BN support. Phase contrast images reveal moire patterns of interference between the beams diffracted by the nanocrystals and the BN substrate that are used to determine the relative orientation of the nanocrystals with respect to the BN sheets and interference lattice planes. Double diffraction is observed and has been analyzed.

GeP and (Ge1−xSnx)(P1−yGey) (x≈0.12, y≈0.05): Synthesis, structure, and properties of two-dimensional layered tetrel phosphides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kathleen; Synnestvedt, Sarah; Bellard, Maverick; Kovnir, Kirill

2015-01-01

GeP and Sn-doped GeP were synthesized from elements in bismuth and tin flux, respectively. The layered crystal structures of these compounds were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Both phosphides crystallize in a GaTe structure type in the monoclinic space group C2/m (No. 12) with GeP: a=15.1948(7) Å, b=3.6337(2) Å, c=9.1941(4) Å, β=101.239(2)°; Ge 0.93(3) P 0.95(1) Sn 0.12(3) : a=15.284(9) Å, b=3.622(2) Å, c=9.207(5) Å, β=101.79(1)°. The crystal structure of GeP consists of 2-dimensional GeP layers held together by weak electron lone pair interactions between the phosphorus atoms that confine the layer. Each layer is built of Ge–Ge dumbbells surrounded by a distorted antiprism of phosphorus atoms. Sn-doped GeP has a similar structural motif, but with a significant degree of disorder emphasized by the splitting of all atomic positions. Resistivity measurements together with quantum-chemical calculations reveal semiconducting behavior for the investigated phosphides. - Graphical abstract: Layered phosphides GeP and Sn-doped GeP were synthesized from elements in bismuth and tin flux, respectively. The crystal structure of GeP consists of 2-dimensional GeP layers held together by weak electron lone pair interactions between the phosphorus atoms that confine the layer. Sn-doped GeP has a similar structural motif with a significant degree of disorder emphasized by the splitting of all atomic positions. Resistivity measurements together with quantum-chemical calculations reveal semiconducting behavior for the investigated phosphides. - Highlights: • GeP crystallizes in a layered crystal structure. • Doping of Sn into GeP causes large structural distortions. • GeP is narrow bandgap semiconductor. • Sn-doped GeP exhibits an order of magnitude higher resistivity due to disorder
Structural, optical and photovoltaic properties of P3HT and Mn-doped CdS quantum dots based bulk hetrojunction hybrid layers

Science.gov (United States)

Jabeen, Uzma; Adhikari, Tham; Pathak, Dinesh; Shah, Syed Mujtaba; Nunzi, Jean-Michel

2018-04-01

Cadmium sulphide (CdS) and Mn-doped CdS nanocrystals were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The nanocrystals were characterized by Fluorescence, Fourier Transformed Infra-red Spectrometer (FTIR), UV-Visible, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM). A considerable blue shift of absorption band with respect to the cadmium sulphide was observed by the Mn concentration (0.5 M) in the doped sample with decreasing the size of nanocrystals. Other reason for this may be Mn doping. Subsequently the band gap was altered from 2.11 to 2.21 eV due to quantum confinement effect. Scanning electron microscope supplemented with EDAX was operated to find grain size and chemical composition of the synthesized nanomaterials. The PL spectrum of Mn-doped CdS nanocrystals displays three PL bands the first one, within the range of 500 nm and the second band at 537 nm, and the third one around 713 nm is labelled red band emission due to attributed to a 4T1→6A1 transition within the 3d shell of divalent manganese. XRD analysis showed that the material was in cubic crystalline state. A comparative study of surfaces of un-doped and metal doped CdS nanocrystals were investigated using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The synthesized nanomaterial in combination with polymer, poly (3-hexyl thiophene) was operated in the construction of photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic devices with CdS nanocrystals exhibited power conversion efficiency of 0.34% without annealing and 0.38% with annealing. However, the power conversion efficiency was enhanced by a factor of 0.35 without annealing and 0.42 with annealing with corporation of Mn impurity in CdS lattice. Atomic Force Microscopy was employed for morphology and packing behavior of blend of nanocrystals with organic polymer.
A novel red phosphor Mg2GeO4 doped with Eu3+ for PDP applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Hongmei; Shi Jianxin; Liang Hongbin; Gong Menglian

2006-01-01

A novel red emitting phosphor, Eu 3+ -doped Mg 2 GeO 4 , was prepared by the solid-state reaction. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of Mg 2 GeO 4 :Eu 3+ . Field-emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) observation indicated a narrow size-distribution of about 0.5-2 μm nm for the particles with spindle-like shape. Photoluminescence (PL) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation characteristics of the phosphor Mg 2 GeO 4 :Eu 3+ were studied. We have also studied the effect of preparation conditions such as temperature, heating time on the PL data. Photoluminescence measurements indicated that the phosphor exhibits bright red emission at about 609 nm under UV excitation. And the vacuum ultraviolet spectra present that the novel red phosphor Mg 2 GeO 4 :Eu 3+ shows strong absorption in the VUV region, which ensures the efficient absorption of the Xe plasma emission lines. The phosphor Mg 2 GeO 4 :Eu 3+ shows the strongest emission at 613 nm corresponding to the electric dipole 5 D - 7 F 2 transition of Eu 3+ excited at 147 nm. The optical properties study suggests that it is a potential candidate for plasma display panels (PDPs) application
A density functional theory investigation on amantadine drug interaction with pristine and B, Al, Si, Ga, Ge doped C60 fullerenes

Science.gov (United States)

Parlak, Cemal; Alver, Özgür

2017-06-01

Amantadine is a well-known drug for its treatment effect on Parkinson's disease and influenza infection or hepatitis. Heteroatom doped fullerenes have been extensively examined for their possible usage in sensor technology and medical applications as drug delivery vehicles. In this research, pristine and B, Al, Si, Ga, Ge doped C60 fullerenes and their interaction with amantadine drug molecule were investigated based on the density functional theory calculations. Findings suggest that doped C60 fullerenes might be used to detect the presence of amantadine and they might be used as drug delivery vehicles because of their moderately high adsorption energies with amantadine.
Effect of ion implantation energy for the synthesis of Ge nanocrystals in SiN films with HfO2/SiO2 stack tunnel dielectrics for memory application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gloux Florence

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ge nanocrystals (Ge-NCs embedded in SiN dielectrics with HfO2/SiO2 stack tunnel dielectrics were synthesized by utilizing low-energy (≤5 keV ion implantation method followed by conventional thermal annealing at 800°C, the key variable being Ge+ ion implantation energy. Two different energies (3 and 5 keV have been chosen for the evolution of Ge-NCs, which have been found to possess significant changes in structural and chemical properties of the Ge+-implanted dielectric films, and well reflected in the charge storage properties of the Al/SiN/Ge-NC + SiN/HfO2/SiO2/Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS memory structures. No Ge-NC was detected with a lower implantation energy of 3 keV at a dose of 1.5 × 1016 cm-2, whereas a well-defined 2D-array of nearly spherical and well-separated Ge-NCs within the SiN matrix was observed for the higher-energy-implanted (5 keV sample for the same implanted dose. The MIS memory structures implanted with 5 keV exhibits better charge storage and retention characteristics compared to the low-energy-implanted sample, indicating that the charge storage is predominantly in Ge-NCs in the memory capacitor. A significant memory window of 3.95 V has been observed under the low operating voltage of ± 6 V with good retention properties, indicating the feasibility of these stack structures for low operating voltage, non-volatile memory devices.
Effects of annealing gas and drain doping concentration on electrical properties of Ge-source/Si-channel heterojunction tunneling FETs

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Tae-Eon; Wakabayashi, Yuki; Nakane, Ryosho; Takenaka, Mitsuru; Takagi, Shinichi

2018-04-01

Improvement in the performance of Ge-source/Si-channel heterojunction tunneling FETs (TFETs) with high on-current/off-current (I on/I off) ratio and steep subthreshold swing (SS) is demonstrated. In this paper, we experimentally examine the effects of gas ambient [N2 and forming gas (4% H2/N2)] and a doping concentration in the drain regions on the electrical characteristics of Ge/Si heterojunction TFETs. The minimum SS (SSmin) of 70.9 mV/dec and the large I on/I off ratio of 1.4 × 107 are realized by postmetallization annealing in forming gas. Also, the steep SSmin and averaged SS (SSavr) values of 64.2 and 78.4 mV/dec, respectively, are obtained in low drain doping concentration. This improvement is attributable to the reduction in interface state density (D it) in the channel region and to the low leakage current in the drain region.
Synthesis of highly luminescent Mn:ZnSe/ZnS nanocrystals in aqueous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Zheng; Wu Ping; Zhong Xinhua; Yang Yongji

2010-01-01

High-quality water-dispersible Mn 2+ -doped ZnSe core/ZnS shell (Mn:ZnSe/ZnS) nanocrystals have been synthesized directly in aqueous media. Overcoating a high bandgap ZnS shell around the Mn:ZnSe cores can bring forward an efficient energy transfer from the ZnSe host nanocrystals to the dopant Mn. The quantum yields of the dopant Mn photoluminescence in the as-prepared water-soluble Mn:ZnSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals can be up to 35 ± 5%. The optical features and structure of the obtained Mn:ZnSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals have been characterized by UV-vis, PL spectroscopy, TEM, XRD and ICP elementary analysis. The influences of various experimental variables, including the Mn concentration, the Se/Zn molar ratio as well as the kind and amount of capping ligand used in the core production and shell deposition process, on the luminescent properties of the obtained Mn:ZnSe/ZnS nanocrystals have been systematically investigated.
Lanthanide-doped Na xScF 3+ x nanocrystals: Crystal structure evolution and multicolor tuning

KAUST Repository

Teng, Xue

2012-05-23

Rare-earth-based nanomaterials have recently drawn considerable attention because of their unique energy upconversion (UC) capabilities. However, studies of Sc 3+-based nanomaterials are still absent. Herein we report the synthesis and fine control of Na xScF 3+x nanocrystals by tuning of the ratio of oleic acid (OA, polar surfactant) to 1-octadecene (OD, nonpolar solvent). When the OA:OD ratio was increased from low (3:17) to high (3:7), the nanocrystals changed from pure monoclinic phase (Na 3ScF 6) to pure hexagonal phase (NaScF 4) via a transition stage at an intermediate OA:OD ratio (3:9) where a mixture of nanocrystals in monoclinic and hexagonal phases was obtained and the coexistence of the two phases inside individual nanocrystals was also observed. More significantly, because of the small radius of Sc 3+, Na xScF 3+x:Yb/Er nanocrystals show different UC emission from that of NaYF 4:Yb/Er nanocrystals, which broadens the applications of rare-earth-based nanomaterials ranging from optical communications to disease diagnosis. © 2012 American Chemical Society.
Ge interactions on HfO2 surfaces and kinetically driven patterning of Ge nanocrystals on HfO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanley, Scott K.; Joshi, Sachin V.; Banerjee, Sanjay K.; Ekerdt, John G.

2006-01-01

Germanium interactions are studied on HfO 2 surfaces, which are prepared through physical vapor deposition (PVD) and by atomic layer deposition. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature-programed desorption are used to follow the reactions of germanium on HfO 2 . Germanium chemical vapor deposition at 870 K on HfO 2 produces a GeO x adhesion layer, followed by growth of semiconducting Ge 0 . PVD of 0.7 ML Ge (accomplished by thermally cracking GeH 4 over a hot filament) also produces an initial GeO x layer, which is stable up to 800 K. PVD above 2.0 ML deposits semiconducting Ge 0 . Temperature programed desorption experiments of ∼1.0 ML Ge from HfO 2 at 400-1100 K show GeH 4 desorption below 600 K and GeO desorption above 850 K. These results are compared to Ge on SiO 2 where GeO desorption is seen at 550 K. Exploiting the different reactivity of Ge on HfO 2 and SiO 2 allows a kinetically driven patterning scheme for high-density Ge nanoparticle growth on HfO 2 surfaces that is demonstrated
Negative Thermal Expansion over a Wide Temperature Range in Fe-Doped MnNiGe Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Wenjun; Sun, Ying; Liu, Yufei; Shi, Kewen; Lu, Huiqing; Song, Ping; Wang, Lei; Han, Huimin; Yuan, Xiuliang; Wang, Cong

2018-01-01

Fe-doped MnNiGe alloys were successfully synthesized by solid-state reaction. Giant negative thermal expansion (NTE) behaviors with the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of -285.23 × 10 -6 K -1 (192-305 K) and -1167.09 × 10 -6 K -1 (246-305 K) have been obtained in Mn 0.90 Fe 0.10 NiGe and MnNi 0.90 Fe 0.10 Ge, respectively. Furthermore, these materials were combined with Cu in order to control the NTE properties. The results indicate that the absolute value of CTE gradually decreases with increasing Cu contents. In Mn 0.92 Fe 0.08 NiGe/ x %Cu, the CTE gradually changes from -64.92 × 10 -6 K -1 (125-274 K) to -4.73 × 10 -6 K -1 (173-229 K) with increasing value of x from 15 to 70. The magnetic measurements reveal that the NTE behaviors in this work are strongly correlated with the process of the magnetic phase transition and the introduction of Fe atoms could also change the spiral anti-ferromagnetic (s-AFM) state into ferromagnetic (FM) state at low temperature. Our study launches a new candidate for controlling thermal expansion properties of metal matrix materials which could have potential application in variable temperature environment.
C and Si delta doping in Ge by CH{sub 3}SiH{sub 3} using reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamamoto, Yuji, E-mail: yamamoto@ihp-microelectronics.com [IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany); Ueno, Naofumi; Sakuraba, Masao [Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics, Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, 2-1-1, Katahira, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Murota, Junichi [Micro System Integration Center, Tohoku University, 519-1176, Aramaki aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845 (Japan); Mai, Andreas [IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany); Tillack, Bernd [IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany); Technische Universität Berlin, HFT4, Einsteinufer 25, 10587 Berlin (Germany)

2016-03-01

C and Si delta doping in Ge are investigated using a reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition system to establish atomic-order controlled processes. CH{sub 3}SiH{sub 3} is exposed at 250 °C to 500 °C to a Ge on Si (100) substrate using H{sub 2} or N{sub 2} carrier gas followed by a Ge cap layer deposition. At 350 °C, C and Si are uniformly adsorbed on the Ge surface and the incorporated C and Si form steep delta profiles below detection limit of SIMS measurement. By using N{sub 2} as carrier gas, the incorporated C and Si doses in Ge are saturated at one mono-layer below 350 °C. At this temperature range, the incorporated C and Si doses are nearly the same, indicating CH{sub 3}SiH{sub 3} is adsorbed on the Ge surface without decomposing the C−Si bond. On the other hand, by using H{sub 2} as carrier gas, lower incorporated C is observed in comparison to Si. CH{sub 3}SiH{sub 3} injected with H{sub 2} carrier gas is adsorbed on Ge without decomposing the C−Si bond and the adsorbed C is reduced by dissociation of the C−Si bond during temperature ramp up to 550 °C. The adsorbed C is maintained on the Ge surface in N{sub 2} at 550 °C. - Highlights: • C and Si delta doping in Ge is investigated using RPCVD system by CH{sub 3}SiH{sub 3} exposure. • Atomically flat C and Si delta layers are fabricated at 350 °C. • Incorporated C and Si doses are saturated at one mono-layer below 350 °C. • CH{sub 3}SiH{sub 3} adsorption occurred without decomposing C−Si bond. • Adsorbed C is desorbed due to dissociation by hydrogen during postannealing at 550 °C.
Role of Eu"2"+ on the blue‐green photoluminescence of In_2O_3:Eu"2"+ nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devi, Konsam Reenabati; Meetei, Sanoujam Dhiren; Singh, Shougaijam Dorendrajit

2016-01-01

Blue‐green light emitting undoped and europium doped indium oxide nanocrystal were synthesized by simple precipitation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirmed the cubic phase of undoped and europium doped samples. Further, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) , energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR), photoluminescence (PL), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies were performed to characterise the samples. PL analysis of the samples is the core of the present research. It includes excitation, emission and CIE (Commission Internationale de l’e´ clairage) studies of the samples. On doping europium to In_2O_3 lattice, ln"3"+ site is substituted by Eu"2"+ thereby increasing the concentration of singly ionized oxygen vacancy and hence blue–green emission from the host is found to increase. Further, this increase in blue–green emission after doping may also be attributed to 4f → 5d transitions of Eu"2"+. However, the blue–green PL emission is found to decrease after an optimum dopant concentration (Eu"2"+ = 4%) due to luminescence and size quenching. CIE co-ordinates of the samples are calculated to know colour of light emitted from the samples. It suggests that this blue–green light emitting In_2O_3: Eu"2"+ nanocrystals may find application in lighting such as in generation of white light. - Highlight: • XRD and TEM study confirms the synthesis of cubic doped and europium doped nanocrystals. • EPR study reveals the doped europium is in + 2 oxidation state. • Enhance PL emission intensity of host material due to increase in singly ionized oxygen vacancy and 4f–5d transitions of Eu"2"+ • CIE co-ordinates suggest the blue–green colour of the samples.
Effects of small-angle mistilts on dopant visibility in ADF-STEM imaging of nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Held, Jacob T.; Duncan, Samuel; Mkhoyan, K. Andre, E-mail: mkhoyan@umn.edu

2017-06-15

Highlights: • ADF-STEM is powerful technique for 3D location of substitutionally doped atoms. • The effects of specimen mistilt on ADF-STEM imaging of doped atoms are evaluated. • Visibility changes over 0–30 mrad mistilts are large enough to preclude 3D dopant location. • Dopant visibility is a strong function of specimen mistilt and cannot be ignored. - Abstract: Quantitative ADF-STEM imaging paired with image simulations has proven to be a powerful technique for determining the three dimensional location of substitutionally doped atoms in thin films. Expansion of this technique to lightly-doped nanocrystals requires an understanding of the influence of specimen mistilt on dopant visibility due to the difficulty of accurate orientation determination in such systems as well as crystal movement under the beam. In this study, the effects of specimen mistilt on ADF-STEM imaging are evaluated using germanium-doped silicon nanocrystals as model systems. It is shown that dopant visibility is a strong function of specimen mistilt, and the accuracy of specimen orientation is an important factor in the analysis of three-dimensional dopant location, but the sensitivity to mistilt can be weakened by increasing the STEM probe convergence angle and optimizing ADF detector inner angle.
Volume-change-free GeTeN films for high-performance phase-change memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, You; Hosaka, Sumio; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Yang; Yu, Qi

2013-01-01

N-doping into GeTe is investigated with the aim of reducing the volume change upon crystallization, which usually induces a huge internal stress in phase-change memory devices. It is demonstrated that the thickness change upon crystallization of a N-doped GeTe (GeTeN) film is almost zero when N is doped in an appropriate amount. Cracks resulting from the stress caused by volume change disappear and the mean crystal size decreases by more than 50% upon N-doping into GeTe. It is thought that the volume-change-free behaviour is due to the formation of low-density nitride and grain refinement. (paper)
Ge nanoclusters in PECVD-deposited glass caused only by heat treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan; Rørdam, Troels Peter; Rottwitt, Karsten

2008-01-01

This paper reports the formation of Ge nanoclusters in a multi-layer structure consisting of alternating thin films of Ge-doped silica glass and SiGe, deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and post annealed at 1100 °C in N2 atmosphere. We studied the annealed samples...... embedded with Ge nanoclusters after annealing. These nanoclusters are crystalline and varied in size. There were no clusters in the Ge-doped glass layer. Raman spectra verified the existence of crystalline Ge clusters. The positional shift of the Ge vibrational peak with the change of the focus depth...
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.
Thermoelectric cross-plane properties on p- and n-Ge/Si{sub x}Ge{sub 1-x} superlattices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferre Llin, L.; Samarelli, A. [University of Glasgow, School of Engineering, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LT (United Kingdom); Cecchi, S.; Chrastina, D.; Isella, G. [L-NESS, Politecnico di Milano, Via Anzani 42, 22100 Como (Italy); Müller Gubler, E. [ETH, Electron Microscopy ETH Zurich, Wolgang-Pauli-Str. Ch-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Etzelstorfer, T.; Stangl, J. [Johannes Kepler Universität, Institute of Semiconductor and Solid State Physics, A-4040 Linz (Austria); Paul, D.J., E-mail: Douglas.Paul@glasgow.ac.uk [University of Glasgow, School of Engineering, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LT (United Kingdom)

2016-03-01

Silicon and germanium materials have demonstrated an increasing attraction for energy harvesting, due to their sustainability and integrability with complementary metal oxide semiconductor and micro-electro-mechanical-system technology. The thermoelectric efficiencies for these materials, however, are very poor at room temperature and so it is necessary to engineer them in order to compete with telluride based materials, which have demonstrated at room temperature the highest performances in literature [1]. Micro-fabricated devices consisting of mesa structures with integrated heaters, thermometers and Ohmic contacts were used to extract the cross-plane values of the Seebeck coefficient and the thermal conductivity from p- and n-Ge/Si{sub x}Ge{sub 1-x} superlattices. A second device consisting in a modified circular transfer line method structure was used to extract the electrical conductivity of the materials. A range of p-Ge/Si{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5} superlattices with different doping levels was investigated in detail to determine the role of the doping density in dictating the thermoelectric properties. A second set of n-Ge/Si{sub 0.3}Ge{sub 0.7} superlattices was fabricated to study the impact that quantum well thickness might have on the two thermoelectric figures of merit, and also to demonstrate a further reduction of the thermal conductivity by scattering phonons at different wavelengths. This technique has demonstrated to lower the thermal conductivity by a 25% by adding different barrier thicknesses per period. - Highlights: • Growth of epitaxial Ge/SiGe superlattices on Si substrates as energy harvesters • Study of cross-plane thermoelectric properties of Ge/SiGe superlattices at 300 K • Thermoelectric figures of merit studied as a function of doping density • Phonon scattering at different wavelengths to reduce thermal transport.
An investigation of the thermoluminescence of Ge-doped SiO{sub 2} optical fibres for application in interface radiation dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdul Rahman, A.T., E-mail: a.t.abdulrahman@surrey.ac.uk [Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford (United Kingdom); School of Physics and Material Studies, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (UiTM), Campus of Negeri Sembilan, 72000 Kuala Pilah (Malaysia); Hugtenburg, R.P. [Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg UHB and School of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Abdul Sani, Siti Fairus; Alalawi, A.I.M. [Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford (United Kingdom); Issa, Fatma [Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford (United Kingdom); Department of Radiotherapy, Tripoli Medical Centre (TMC), Tripoli (Libya); Thomas, R. [Radiation Dosimetry Team, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington (United Kingdom); Barry, M.A. [Department of Medical Physics, The Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH) NHS Trust, Guildford, GU2 7XX Surrey (United Kingdom); Nisbet, A. [Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford (United Kingdom); Department of Medical Physics, The Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH) NHS Trust, Guildford, GU2 7XX Surrey (United Kingdom); Bradley, D.A. [Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford (United Kingdom); Department of Radiological Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11432 (Saudi Arabia)

2012-07-15

We investigate the ability of high spatial resolution ({approx} 120 {mu}m) Ge-doped SiO{sub 2} TL dosimeters to measure photoelectron dose enhancement resulting from the use of a moderate to high-Z target (an iodinated contrast media) irradiated by 90 kVp X-rays. We imagine its application in a novel radiation synovectomy technique, modelled by a phantom containing a reservoir of I{sub 2} molecules at the interface of which the doped silica dosimeters are located. Measurements outside of the iodine photoelectron range are provided for using a stepped-design that allows insertion of the fibres within the phantom. Monte Carlo simulation (MCNPX) is used for verification. At the phantom medium I{sub 2}-interface additional photoelectron generation is observed, {approx}60% above that in the absence of the I{sub 2}, simulations providing agreement to within 3%. Percentage depth doses measured away from the iodine contrast medium reservoir are bounded by published PDDs at 80 kVp and 100 kVp. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Triangle Studies of dosimetric characteristic of commercially available doped silica optical fibres. Black-Right-Pointing-Triangle Investigation of the potential of the dosimeter in dose enhancement measurement. Black-Right-Pointing-Triangle Use of photoelectron dose enhancement as might be applied in radiation synovectomy. Black-Right-Pointing-Triangle Measurement of the percentage depth dose recorded by Ge-doped silica optical fibres. Black-Right-Pointing-Triangle The Monte Carlo simulation provides comparison against measured data.
Preparation and nonlinear optical properties of indium nanocrystals in sodium borosilicate glass by the sol–gel route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong, Jiasong; Xiang, Weidong; Zhao, Haijun; Chen, Zhaoping; Liang, Xiaojuan; Zhao, Wenguang; Chen, Guoxin

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: The sodium borosilicate glass doped with indium nanocrystals have been successfully prepared by sol–gel methods. And the indium nanocrystals in tetragonal crystal system have formed uniformly in the glass, and the average diameter of indium nanocrystals is about 30 nm. The third-order optical nonlinear refractive index γ, absorption coefficient β, and susceptibility χ (3) of the glass are determined to be −4.77 × 10 −16 m 2 /W, 2.67 × 10 −9 m/W, and 2.81 × 10 −10 esu, respectively. Highlights: ► Indium nanocrystals embedded in glass matrix have been prepared by sol–gel route. ► The crystal structure and composition are investigated by XRD and XPS. ► Size and distribution of indium nanocrystals is determined by TEM. ► The third-order optical nonlinearity is investigated by using Z-scan technique. -- Abstract: The sodium borosilicate glass doped with indium nanocrystals have been successfully prepared by sol–gel route. The thermal stability behavior of the stiff gel is investigated by thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal (DTA) analysis. The crystal structure of the glass is characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Particle composition is determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Size and distribution of the nanocrystals are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Results show that the indium nanocrystals in tetragonal crystal structure have formed in glass, and the average diameter is about 30 nm. Further, the glass is measured by Z-scan technique to investigate the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. The third-order NLO coefficient χ (3) of the glass is determined to be 2.81 × 10 −10 esu. The glass with large third-order NLO coefficient is promising materials for applications in optical devices.
Photon Irradiation Response on Ge and Al-Doped SiO2 Optical Fibres

Science.gov (United States)

Yaakob, Nor Haliza; Wagiran, Husin; Ramli, Ahmad Termizi; Ali, Hassan; Asni, Hazila

2010-07-01

Recently, research groups have reported a number of radiation effects on the applications of SiO2 optical fibres with possible use as dosimeter material because these optical fibre provide a good basis for medical radiation dosimetry. The objective of this study is to investigate the thermoluminescence response and fading characteristic for germanium and aluminium doped SiO2 optical fibres with photon irradiation. These optical fibres are placed in solid phantom and irradiated to 6 and 10 MV photon beam at dose ranging from 0.06 Gy to 0.24 Gy using Primus MLC 3339 linear accelerator at Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru. In fading studies, the TL measurements were continued up to 14 days period. The optical fibres will produce glow curves whereby the information is then analyzed. Al and Ge-doped optical fibres have a linear dose-TL signal relationship that is proportionality between the TL signal and the doses. Comparison for TL response between different linear accelerator showed a good agreement because these optical fibres also have a linear dose-TL signal relationship even using different equipments.

Structural and compositional evolution of carbon-doped Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} film under different annealing conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Ki-Hong; Kyoung, Yong-Koo; Yun, Dong-Jin [AS group, CAS center, SAIT, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Yongin 446-712 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Sang-Jun, E-mail: sangjun5545.choi@samsung.com [Device Architecture Lab, Semiconductor R and D center, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Yongin 446-712 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-12-02

Changes in the microstructural and electrical properties of carbon-doped Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} during thermal annealing under N{sub 2} and air atmospheres are investigated. The occurrence of compositional and structural changes was found to depend on the annealing conditions, and in particular, on the out-diffusion of germanium atoms. The thick oxidation layer generated during air annealing prevented germanium out-diffusion, leading to structural changes but no compositional changes. In contrast, germanium out-diffusion occurred during annealing under N{sub 2}, leading to compositional changes but preventing structural changes. - Highlights: • We investigate the stability of 10% carbon-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 alloys. • The compositional and structural changes depend on the annealing conditions. • Germanium out-diffusion occurs during N2 annealing, leading to compositional changes. • The oxidation layer generated during air annealing prevents germanium out-diffusion.
Negative Thermal Expansion over a Wide Temperature Range in Fe-Doped MnNiGe Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjun Zhao

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Fe-doped MnNiGe alloys were successfully synthesized by solid-state reaction. Giant negative thermal expansion (NTE behaviors with the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE of −285.23 × 10−6 K−1 (192–305 K and −1167.09 × 10−6 K−1 (246–305 K have been obtained in Mn0.90Fe0.10NiGe and MnNi0.90Fe0.10Ge, respectively. Furthermore, these materials were combined with Cu in order to control the NTE properties. The results indicate that the absolute value of CTE gradually decreases with increasing Cu contents. In Mn0.92Fe0.08NiGe/x%Cu, the CTE gradually changes from −64.92 × 10−6 K−1 (125–274 K to −4.73 × 10−6 K−1 (173–229 K with increasing value of x from 15 to 70. The magnetic measurements reveal that the NTE behaviors in this work are strongly correlated with the process of the magnetic phase transition and the introduction of Fe atoms could also change the spiral anti-ferromagnetic (s-AFM state into ferromagnetic (FM state at low temperature. Our study launches a new candidate for controlling thermal expansion properties of metal matrix materials which could have potential application in variable temperature environment.
Vertically grown Ge nanowire Schottky diodes on Si and Ge substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Nishant; Tracy, Clarence J.; Cho, Jeong-Hyun; Picraux, S. T.; Hathwar, Raghuraj; Goodnick, Stephen M.

2015-07-01

The processing and performance of Schottky diodes formed from arrays of vertical Ge nanowires (NWs) grown on Ge and Si substrates are reported. The goal of this work is to investigate CMOS compatible processes for integrating NWs as components of vertically scaled integrated circuits, and elucidate transport in vertical Schottky NWs. Vertical phosphorus (P) doped Ge NWs were grown using vapor-liquid-solid epitaxy, and nickel (Ni)-Ge Schottky contacts were made to the tops of the NWs. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were measured for variable ranges of NW diameters and numbers of nanowires in the arrays, and the I-V characteristics were fit using modified thermionic emission theory to extract the barrier height and ideality factor. As grown NWs did not show rectifying behavior due to the presence of heavy P side-wall doping during growth, resulting in a tunnel contact. After sidewall etching using a dilute peroxide solution, rectifying behavior was obtained. Schottky barrier heights of 0.3-0.4 V and ideality factors close to 2 were extracted using thermionic emission theory, although the model does not give an accurate fit across the whole bias range. Attempts to account for enhanced side-wall conduction due to non-uniform P doping profile during growth through a simple shunt resistance improve the fit, but are still insufficient to provide a good fit. Full three-dimensional numerical modeling using Silvaco Atlas indicates that at least part of this effect is due to the presence of fixed charge and acceptor like traps on the NW surface, which leads to effectively high ideality factors.
Dislocation-free Ge Nano-crystals via Pattern Independent Selective Ge Heteroepitaxy on Si Nano-Tip Wafers.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Gang; Capellini, Giovanni; Schubert, Markus Andreas; Niermann, Tore; Zaumseil, Peter; Katzer, Jens; Krause, Hans-Michael; Skibitzki, Oliver; Lehmann, Michael; Xie, Ya-Hong; von Känel, Hans; Schroeder, Thomas

2016-03-04

The integration of dislocation-free Ge nano-islands was realized via selective molecular beam epitaxy on Si nano-tip patterned substrates. The Si-tip wafers feature a rectangular array of nanometer sized Si tips with (001) facet exposed among a SiO2 matrix. These wafers were fabricated by complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible nanotechnology. Calculations based on nucleation theory predict that the selective growth occurs close to thermodynamic equilibrium, where condensation of Ge adatoms on SiO2 is disfavored due to the extremely short re-evaporation time and diffusion length. The growth selectivity is ensured by the desorption-limited growth regime leading to the observed pattern independence, i.e. the absence of loading effect commonly encountered in chemical vapor deposition. The growth condition of high temperature and low deposition rate is responsible for the observed high crystalline quality of the Ge islands which is also associated with negligible Si-Ge intermixing owing to geometric hindrance by the Si nano-tip approach. Single island as well as area-averaged characterization methods demonstrate that Ge islands are dislocation-free and heteroepitaxial strain is fully relaxed. Such well-ordered high quality Ge islands present a step towards the achievement of materials suitable for optical applications.
Dopant concentration and thermoluminescence (TL) properties of tailor-made Ge-doped SiO2 fibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahaimi, Nurul Arina; Ooi Abdullah, Mohd Haris Ridzuan; Zin, Hafiz; Abdul Rahman, Ahmad Lutfi; Hashim, Suhairul; Saripan, Mohd Iqbal; Paul, Mukul Chandra; Bradley, D.A.; Abdul Rahman, Ahmad Taufek

2014-01-01

Study focuses on characterisation of diverse concentrations of Ge-doped SiO 2 fibre as a potential thermoluminescence (TL) system for radiotherapy dosimetry. Irradiations were made using a linear accelerator providing 6 MV and 10 MV photon beams. Investigation has been done on various doped core diameter Ge-doped SiO 2 glass fibres such as commercial telecommunication fibres of 8 µm and 9 µm (CorActive High Tech, Canada), tailor-made fibres of 23 and 50 µm produced by the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute Kolkata, and tailor-made fibres of 11 µm produced by the University of Malaya Photonics Research Centre. The fibres have been characterised for TL sensitivity, reproducibility, dose- and energy-dependence. The area under the TL glow curve increases with increasing core diameter. For repeat irradiations at a fixed dose the dosimeter produces a flat response better than 4% (1SD) of the mean of the TL distribution. Minimal TL signal fading was found, less than 0.5% per day post irradiation. Linearity of TL has been observed with a correlation coefficient (r 2 ) of better than 0.980 (at 95% confidence level). For particular dopant concentrations, the least square fits show the change in TL yield, in counts per second per unit mass, obtained from 50 µm core diameter fibres irradiated at 6 MV of photon to be 8 times greater than that of 8 µm core diameter fibre. With respect to energy response, the TL yield at 10 MV decreases by∼5% compared to that at 6 MV, primarily due to the lower mass energy absorption coefficient at higher photon energy. These early results indicate that selectively screened fibres can be developed into a promising TL system, offering high spatial resolution capability and, with this, verification of complex radiotherapy dose distributions. - Highlights: • We examined the TL glow curve intensity for various diameter sizes of germanium doped silica glass fibre. • TL sensitivity increased with the increase of fibre core
Preparation, characterization of Sb-doped ZnO nanocrystals and their excellent solar light driven photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nasser, Ramzi; Othmen, Walid Ben Haj [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar 2092 (Tunisia); Elhouichet, Habib, E-mail: habib.elhouichet@fst.rnu.tn [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar 2092 (Tunisia); Férid, Mokhtar [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, B.P. 95 Hammam-Lif, 2050 (Tunisia)

2017-01-30

Highlights: • Sb-ZnO was obtained by modified sol-gel method using citric acid as stabilizing agent. • Sb incorporated both in lattice and interstitial sites. • The formation of (Sb{sub Zn}–2 V{sub Zn}) acceptor level was revealed by photoluminescence studies. • Optimum Sb content to show higher photocatalytic activity was found to be 3%. - Abstract: In the present study, undoped and antimony (Sb) doped ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) were prepared by a simple and economical sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the purity of the obtained phase and its high crystallinity. Raman analysis confirms the hexagonal Wurtzite ZnO structure. According to the diffuse reflectance results, the band gap was found to decrease up to 3% of Sb doping (ZSb3 sample). The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements reveal that Sb ions occupied both Zn and interstitials sites. The successful substitution of antimony in ZnO lattice suggests the formation of the complex (Sb{sub Zn}–2 V{sub Zn}) acceptor level above the valence band. Particularly for ZSb3 sample, the UV photoluminescence (PL) band presents an obvious red-shift attributed to the formation of this complex. Rhodamine B (RhB) was used to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Sb-doped ZnO NCs under sunlight irradiation. It was found that oxygen vacancies play a major role in the photocatalytic process by trapping the excited electrons and inhibiting the radiative recombination. During the photocatalytic mechanism, the Sb doping, expressed through the apparition of the (Sb{sub Zn}–2 V{sub Zn}) correspondent acceptor level, enhances the sunlight absorption within the ZnO band gap, which stimulates the generation of hydroxyl radicals and promotes the photocatalytics reaction rates. Such important contribution of the hydroxyl radicals was confirmed experimentally when using ethanol as scavenger in the photocatalytic reaction. The photodegradation
Optical properties of Er{sup 3+}-doped strontium barium niobate nanocrystals obtained by thermal treatment in glass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haro-Gonzalez, P. [Dep. of Fisica Fundamental Experimental, Electronica y Sistemas, Universidad de La Laguna Avda Astrofisico Franscisco Sanchez, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain)], E-mail: patharo@ull.es; Lahoz, F. [Dep. of Fisica Fundamental Experimental, Electronica y Sistemas, Universidad de La Laguna Avda Astrofisico Franscisco Sanchez, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain); Gonzalez-Platas, J. [Dep. of Fisica Fundamental II, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain); Caceres, J.M. [Dep. of Edafologia y Geologia, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain); Gonzalez-Perez, S. [Dep. of Fisica Fundamental Experimental, Electronica y Sistemas, Universidad de La Laguna Avda Astrofisico Franscisco Sanchez, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain); Marrero-Lopez, D. [Dep. of Quimica Inorganica, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain); Capuj, N. [Dep. of Fisica Basica, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain); Martin, I.R. [Dep. of Fisica Fundamental Experimental, Electronica y Sistemas, Universidad de La Laguna Avda Astrofisico Franscisco Sanchez, 38206 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife (Spain)

2008-05-15

Measurements of the optical properties of Er{sup 3+} ions in strontium barium niobate glass and glass ceramics have been carried out. The glasses have been fabricated using a melt-quenching method, and the glass ceramic samples have been obtained from the glass precursor by a thermal treatment. The ceramic samples formed by a glassy phase, and a crystalline phase contains nanocrystals of Sr{sub 1-x}Ba{sub x}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} (SBN) doped with Er{sup 3+} ions with a mean size of {approx}50 nm, as confirmed with XRD. Green up-conversion emission has been obtained under excitation at 800 nm, and the temporal evolution of this emission has been reported with the purpose of determining the involved up-conversion mechanism. These optical measures have confirmed that the Er{sup 3+} ions have been incorporated into the SBN matrix, after a thermal treatment, which produced an increment of the up-conversion efficiency.
Gamma-ray irradiation resistance of silver doped GeS2–Ga2S3–AgI chalcohalide glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, W.; Baccaro, S.; Cemmi, A.; Ren, J.; Zhang, Z.; Zhou, Y.; Yang, Y.; Chen, G.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The γ-ray irradiation resistance of Ag doped chalcohalide glasses (GeS 2 –Ga 2 S 3 –AgI) has been investigated. • The introduction of silver ions plays a specific role in the modification of the gamma-ray irradiation resistance of glasses. • The sulfur exerts an important effect on the photo-sensitivity of chalcogenide glasses. - Abstract: In the present work, series of silver doped Ge–Ga–S–AgI chalcohalide glasses have been prepared and their optical transmission spectra are compared before and after γ-ray irradiation at different doses. The differential transmission spectra of the irradiated samples with and without Ag doping have been compared to characterize the γ-ray irradiation induced red-shift of electronic absorption and formation of color centers. Ag doping plays an important role in increasing γ-ray irradiation resistance of the chalcohalide glasses due to its specific effect on the valence band and the network structure of glasses
Sol–gel glass-ceramics comprising rare-earth doped SnO2 and LaF3 nanocrystals: an efficient simultaneous UV and IR to visible converter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanes, A. C.; Castillo, J. del; Méndez-Ramos, J.; Rodríguez, V. D.

2011-01-01

We report a novel class of nanostructured glass-ceramics comprising two co-existing rare-earth doped nanocrystalline phases, SnO 2 semiconductor nanocrystal (quantum dot), and LaF 3 , presenting sizes at around 4.6 and 9.8 nm, respectively, embedded into a silica glass matrix for an efficient simultaneous UV and IR to visible photon conversion. On one hand, the wide and strong UV absorption by SnO 2 quantum dot and subsequent efficient energy transfer to Eu 3+ and, on the other hand, the also very efficient IR to visible up-conversion with the pair Yb 3+ –Er 3+ partitioned into low phonon LaF 3 nanocrystalline environment, yield to visible emissions with application in improving the spectral response of photovoltaic solar cells.Graphical AbstractWe report a novel class of nanostructured glass-ceramics comprising two co-existing rare-earth doped nanocrystalline phases, SnO 2 semiconductor nanocrystal (quantum dot) and LaF 3 , presenting sizes at around 4.6 and 9.8 nm, respectively, embedded into a silica glass matrix for an efficient simultaneous UV and IR to visible photon conversion. On one hand, the wide and strong UV absorption by SnO 2 quantum dot and subsequent efficient energy transfer to Eu 3+ and, on the other hand, the also very efficient IR to visible up-conversion with the pair Yb 3+ –Er 3+ partitioned into low phonon LaF 3 nanocrystalline environment, yield to visible emissions with application in improving the spectral response of photovoltaic solar cells.
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.
Ionizing Radiation Detectors Based on Ge-Doped Optical Fibers Inserted in Resonant Cavities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saverio Avino

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The measurement of ionizing radiation (IR is a crucial issue in different areas of interest, from environmental safety and industrial monitoring to aerospace and medicine. Optical fiber sensors have recently proven good candidates as radiation dosimeters. Here we investigate the effect of IR on germanosilicate optical fibers. A piece of Ge-doped fiber enclosed between two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs is irradiated with gamma radiation generated by a 6 MV medical linear accelerator. With respect to other FBG-based IR dosimeters, here the sensor is only the bare fiber without any special internal structure. A near infrared laser is frequency locked to the cavity modes for high resolution measurement of radiation induced effects on the fiber optical parameters. In particular, we observe a variation of the fiber thermo-optic response with the radiation dose delivered, as expected from the interaction with Ge defect centers, and demonstrate a detection limit of 360 mGy. This method can have an impact in those contexts where low radiation doses have to be measured both in small volumes or over large areas, such as radiation therapy and radiation protection, while bare optical fibers are cheap and disposable.
Structure and Stability of GeAun, n = 1-10 clusters: A Density Functional Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Priyanka,; Dharamvir, Keya; Sharma, Hitesh

2011-01-01

The structures of Germanium doped gold clusters GeAu n (n = 1-10) have been investigated using ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). We have obtained ground state geometries of GeAu n clusters and have it compared with Silicon doped gold clusters and pure gold clusters. The ground state geometries of the GeAu n clusters show patterns similar to silicon doped gold clusters except for n = 5, 6 and 9. The introduction of germanium atom increases the binding energy of gold clusters. The binding energy per atom of germanium doped cluster is smaller than the corresponding silicon doped gold cluster. The HUMO-LOMO gap for Au n Ge clusters have been found to vary between 0.46 eV-2.09 eV. The mullikan charge analysis indicates that charge of order of 0.1e always transfers from germanium atom to gold atom.
Electrical and Plasmonic Properties of Ligand-Free Sn(4+) -Doped In2 O3 (ITO) Nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Jagadeeswararao, Metikoti; Pal, Somnath; Nag, Angshuman; Sarma, D D

2016-03-03

Sn(4+) -doped In2 O3 (ITO) is a benchmark transparent conducting oxide material. We prepared ligand-free but colloidal ITO (8 nm, 10 % Sn(4+) ) nanocrystals (NCs) by using a post-synthesis surface-modification reaction. (CH3 )3 OBF4 removes the native oleylamine ligand from NC surfaces to give ligand-free, positively charged NCs that form a colloidal dispersion in polar solvents. Both oleylamine-capped and ligand-free ITO NCs exhibit intense absorption peaks, due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) at around λ=1950 nm. Compared with oleylamine-capped NCs, the electrical resistivity of ligand-free ITO NCs is lower by an order of magnitude (≈35 mΩ cm(-1) ). Resistivity over a wide range of temperatures can be consistently described as a composite of metallic ITO grains embedded in an insulating matrix by using a simple equivalent circuit, which provides an insight into the conduction mechanism in these systems. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Enhanced Emission of Quantum System in Si-Ge Nanolayer Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Zhong-Mei; Huang, Wei-Qi; Dong, Tai-Ge; Wang, Gang; Wu, Xue-Ke

2016-12-01

It is very interesting that the enhanced peaks near 1150 and 1550 nm are observed in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra in the quantum system of Si-Ge nanolayer structure, which have the emission characteristics of a three-level system with quantum dots (QDs) pumping and emission of quasi-direct-gap band, in our experiment. In the preparing process of Si-Ge nanolayer structure by using a pulsed laser deposition method, it is discovered that the nanocrystals of Si and Ge grow in the (100) and (111) directions after annealing or electron beam irradiation. The enhanced PL peaks with multi-longitudinal-mode are measured at room temperature in the super-lattice of Si-Ge nanolayer quantum system on SOI.
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.
Photoluminescence, reddish orange long persistent luminescence and photostimulated luminescence properties of praseodymium doped CdGeO3 phosphor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Yahong; Hu, Yihua; Chen, Li; Fu, Yinrong; Mu, Zhongfei; Wang, Tao; Lin, Jun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A novel phosphor CdGeO 3 :Pr 3+ was synthesized successfully. • The persistent luminescence properties of CdGeO 3 :Pr 3+ were studied. • The photostimulated luminescence properties of CdGeO 3 :Pr 3+ were investigated. • The persistent and photostimulated luminescence mechanisms were discussed in detail. - Abstract: Praseodymium doped CdGeO 3 phosphors were prepared successfully by a conventional high temperature solid-state reaction method. It showed reddish orange long persistent luminescence (LPL) after the short UV-irradiation. The reddish orange photostimulated luminescence (PSL) was also observed upon near infrared stimulation at 980 nm after per-exposure into UV light. The origin of LPL and PSL was identified with the emission from Pr 3+ ions with the aid of traps in host lattice. The optimal concentration of Pr 3+ ions for the brightest photoluminescence (PL) emission and the best LPL characteristic were experimentally to be about 3% and 0.5 mol%, respectively. The trapping and de-trapping processes of charge carriers between shallower and deep traps were illustrated. A model was proposed on the basis of experimental results to study the mechanisms of LPL and PSL
First-principles study of bandgap tuning in Ge1-xPbxSe

Science.gov (United States)

Lohani, Himanshu

2018-03-01

Narrow bandgap and its tuning are important aspects of materials for their technological applications. In this context group IV-VI semiconductors are one of the interesting candidates. In this paper, we explore the possibility of bandgap tuning in one of the family member of this family GeSe by using isoelectronic Pb doping. Our study is first-principles based electronic structure calculations of Ge1-xPbxSe. This study reveals that the Ge-p and Se-p states are strongly hybridized in GeSe and shows a gap in the DOS at Ef in GeSe. This gap reduces systematically with simultaneous enhancement of the states in the near Ef region as a function of Pb doping. This leads tuning of the indirect bandgap in GeSe via Pb doping. The results of the indirect bandgap decrement are consistent with the experimental findings. We propose a mechanism where the electrostatic effect of dopant Pb cation could be responsible for these changes in the electronic structure of GeSe.
The effect of intentional potassium co-doping on the luminescent properties of Yb3+ and Tm3+ doped α-NaYF4 core and core–shell nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misiak, Małgorzata; Stręk, Wiesław; Arabasz, Sebastian; Bednarkiewicz, Artur

2016-01-01

Simple and effective ways to circumvent limited luminescence efficiency of up-converting nanoparticles (UCNPs) are sought. One of the methods relays on distorting the crystallographic structure of host material by co-doping the nanocrystals with optically inactive co-dopants. Here we study the influence of K + doping and surface passivation on the up-converting properties of the α-NaYF 4 nanocrystals co-doped with 20% Yb 3+ and 0.1 or 2% Tm 3+ . The intentionally chosen concentrations of K + ions, which were meant to replaced sodium ions were fixed to 0, 5, 10, 20 to 30%. Potassium ions modified the spectroscopic properties of both core and core–shell NPs, but the differences were noticed between samples doped with 0.1% Tm 3+ and 2% Tm 3+ ions. Replacement of sodium by potassium ions decreased up-conversion luminescence intensity as well as shortened thulium excited states lifetimes in the samples doped with 0.1% Tm 3+ , while the opposite behavior was found in the samples co-doped with higher 2% thulium concentration. - Highlights: • We studied the influence of K + doping on luminescent properties of α-NaYF 4 :YbTm. • The 0.1 and 2% Tm doped core and core–shell samples were investigated. • K + -doping influence on UC properties was different in low and highly Tm doped NPs. • The explanations of the observed variations were proposed.
Cr-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 for ultra-long data retention phase change memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qing; Xia, Yangyang; Zheng, Yonghui; Zhang, Qi; Liu, Bo; Song, Sannian; Cheng, Yan; Song, Zhitang; Feng, Songlin; Huo, Ruru

2015-01-01

Phase change memory is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation non-volatile memory. Its storage medium, phase change material, has attracted continuous exploration. Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) is the most popular phase change material, but its thermal stability needs to be improved when used in some fields at high temperature (more than 120 °C). In this paper, we doped Cr atoms into GST and obtained Cr 10 (Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 ) 90 (labeled as Cr-GST) with high thermal stability. For Cr-GST film, the sheet resistance ratio between amorphous and crystalline states is high up to 3 orders of magnitude. The crystalline Cr-GST film inherits the phase structure of GST, with metastable face-centered cubic phase and/or stable hexagonal phase. The doped Cr atoms not only bond with other atoms but also help to improve the anti-oxidation property of Cr-GST. As for the amorphous thermal stability, the calculated temperature for 10-year-data-retention of Cr-GST film, based on the Arrhenius equation, is about 180 °C. The threshold current and threshold voltage of a cell based on Cr-GST are about 6 μA and 2.7 V. The cell could be operated by suitable voltages for more than 40 000 cycles. Thus, Cr-GST is proved to be a promising phase change material with ultra-long data retention
Enhanced photovoltaic performance of a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell using a Nb-doped TiO2 electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Lei; You, Ting; Deng, Wei-Qiao

2013-01-01

In this work Nb-doped anatase TiO 2 nanocrystals are used as the photoanode of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. A solar cell with CdS/CdSe quantum dots co-sensitized 2.5 mol% Nb-doped anatase TiO 2 nanocrystals can achieve a photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 3.3%, which is almost twice as high as the 1.7% obtained by a cell based on undoped TiO 2 nanocrystals. The incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency can reach as high as 91%, which is a record for all quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. Detailed analysis shows that such an enhancement is due to improved lifetime and diffusion length of electrons in the solar cell. (paper)

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell using a Nb-doped TiO2 electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lei; You, Ting; Deng, Wei-Qiao

2013-10-18

In this work Nb-doped anatase TiO2 nanocrystals are used as the photoanode of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. A solar cell with CdS/CdSe quantum dots co-sensitized 2.5 mol% Nb-doped anatase TiO2 nanocrystals can achieve a photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 3.3%, which is almost twice as high as the 1.7% obtained by a cell based on undoped TiO2 nanocrystals. The incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency can reach as high as 91%, which is a record for all quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. Detailed analysis shows that such an enhancement is due to improved lifetime and diffusion length of electrons in the solar cell.
Electrical properties of phosphorene systems doped with fourth-period elements

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ke; Wang, Hai; Zhang, Min; Liu, Yan; Zhao, Wei

2018-05-01

In this work, we use a first-principles calculation to investigate the structure, binding energies, and electrical properties of monolayer phosphorene systems doped with fourth-period main group elements at a doping concentration of 6.25%. The calculation results reveal that, although large deformations exist, all doped systems are stable and non-spin polarized. In addition, the Ca, Se, and Br atoms are electron acceptors in the doped systems, whereas the Ga, Ge and As atoms are donors. Thus, there is an ionic bonding character between the dopants and neighboring phosphorus atoms in the Ca-, Ga-, Ge-, As-, Se-, and Br-doped systems. From band structures, we find that the K-, Ga-, As-, and Br-doped systems present semiconducting states with indirect gaps, whereas the Ca-, Ge-, and Se-doped systems have metallic states. We conclude that the metallicity of a phosphorene system doped with main-group elements depends on the number of valence electrons of the dopant. This investigation provides directions for manipulating the electrical properties of phosphorene by substitutional doping, which would broaden its possible applications in optoelectronics.
Optical waveguide based on amorphous Er{sup 3+}-doped Ga-Ge-Sb-S(Se) pulsed laser deposited thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nazabal, V., E-mail: virginie.nazabal@univ-rennes1.f [Sciences Chimiques de Rennes (SCR), UMR CNRS 6226, Equipe Verres et Ceramiques, Universite de Rennes 1, Rennes (France); Nemec, P. [Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry and Research Center, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Legions Sq. 565, 53210, Pardubice (Czech Republic); Jurdyc, A.M [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Materiaux Luminescents (LPCML), UMR CNRS 5620, Universite Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, Villeurbanne (France); Zhang, S.; Charpentier, F. [Sciences Chimiques de Rennes (SCR), UMR CNRS 6226, Equipe Verres et Ceramiques, Universite de Rennes 1, Rennes (France); Lhermite, H. [IETR-Microelectronique, UMR CNRS 6251, Universite de Rennes 1, 35042 Rennes (France); Charrier, J. [FOTON, UMR 6082-ENSSAT, UMR CNRS 6251, Universite de Rennes 1, 35042 Rennes (France); Guin, J.P. [LARMAUR, UMR CNRS 6251, Universite de Rennes 1, 35042 Rennes (France); Moreac, A. [Institut de Physique de Rennes, UMR CNRS 6251, Universite de Rennes 1, 35042 Rennes (France); Frumar, M. [Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry and Research Center, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Legions Sq. 565, 53210, Pardubice (Czech Republic); Adam, J.-L. [Sciences Chimiques de Rennes (SCR), UMR CNRS 6226, Equipe Verres et Ceramiques, Universite de Rennes 1, Rennes (France)

2010-06-30

Amorphous chalcogenide films play a motivating role in the development of integrated planar optical circuits due to their potential functionality in near infrared (IR) and mid-IR spectral regions. More specifically, the photoluminescence of rare earth ions in amorphous chalcogenide films can be used in laser and amplifier devices in the IR spectral domain. The aim of the present investigation was to optimize the deposition conditions for the fabrication of undoped and Er{sup 3+} doped sulphide and selenide thin films with nominal composition Ga{sub 5}Ge{sub 20}Sb{sub 10}S(Se){sub 65} or Ga{sub 5}Ge{sub 23}Sb{sub 5}S{sub 67} by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The study of compositional, morphological and structural characteristics of the layers was realized by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy analyses, respectively. Some optical properties (transmittance, index of refraction, optical band gap, etc.) of prepared chalcogenide films and optical losses were investigated as well. The clear identification of near-IR photoluminescence of Er{sup 3+} ions was obtained for both selenide and sulphide films. The decay of the {sup 4}I{sub 13/2} {yields} {sup 4}I{sub 15/2} transition at 1.54 {mu}m in Er{sup 3+} doped Ga{sub 5}Ge{sub 20}Sb{sub 10}S{sub 65} PLD sulphide films was studied to assess the effects of film thickness, rare earth concentration and multilayer PLD deposition on their spectroscopic properties.
Erbium and Al2O3 nanocrystals-doped silica optical fibers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kašík, Ivan; Podrazký, Ondřej; Mrázek, Jan; Cajzl, Jakub; Aubrecht, Ivo; Proboštová, Jana; Peterka, Pavel; Honzátko, Pavel; Dhar, A.

2014-01-01

Roč. 62, č. 4 (2014), s. 641-646 ISSN 0239-7528 Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) M100761202 Institutional support: RVO:67985882 Keywords : optical fibers * nanocrystals * luminescence Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 0.914, year: 2014
Optical investigation of Tb{sup 3+}-doped Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocrystals prepared by Pechini-type sol-gel process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Back, M., E-mail: m.back@hotmail.it; Massari, A.; Boffelli, M.; Gonella, F.; Riello, P.; Cristofori, D. [Universita Ca' Foscari di Venezia and INSTM, Dipartimento di Scienze Molecolari e Nanosistemi (Italy); Ricco, R.; Enrichi, F., E-mail: enrichi@civen.org [CIVEN (Coordinamento Interuniversitario Veneto per le Nanotecnologie) (Italy)

2012-03-15

We report an optical study of Tb{sup 3+}-doped Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocrystals synthesized by Pechini-type sol-gel method. The particles are investigated in terms of size and morphology by means of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis. It is shown how the simple Pechini method allows for the growth of monocrystalline nanoparticles with a volume-weighted average size of about 30 nm. The optical properties of Tb{sup 3+} in the host lattice are studied in terms of PL, PLE, and lifetimes. Moreover, a correlation between the type of decay curves, the emission and excitation bands' shapes, and the site location of the emitting Tb{sup 3+} in the host material Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} is proposed.
Complex quantum transport in a modulation doped strained Ge quantum well heterostructure with a high mobility 2D hole gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morrison, C., E-mail: c.morrison.2@warwick.ac.uk; Casteleiro, C.; Leadley, D. R.; Myronov, M. [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

2016-09-05

The complex quantum transport of a strained Ge quantum well (QW) modulation doped heterostructure with two types of mobile carriers has been observed. The two dimensional hole gas (2DHG) in the Ge QW exhibits an exceptionally high mobility of 780 000 cm{sup 2}/Vs at temperatures below 10 K. Through analysis of Shubnikov de-Haas oscillations in the magnetoresistance of this 2DHG below 2 K, the hole effective mass is found to be 0.065 m{sub 0}. Anomalous conductance peaks are observed at higher fields which deviate from standard Shubnikov de-Haas and quantum Hall effect behaviour due to conduction via multiple carrier types. Despite this complex behaviour, analysis using a transport model with two conductive channels explains this behaviour and allows key physical parameters such as the carrier effective mass, transport, and quantum lifetimes and conductivity of the electrically active layers to be extracted. This finding is important for electronic device applications, since inclusion of highly doped interlayers which are electrically active, for enhancement of, for example, room temperature carrier mobility, does not prevent analysis of quantum transport in a QW.
Complex quantum transport in a modulation doped strained Ge quantum well heterostructure with a high mobility 2D hole gas

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, C.; Casteleiro, C.; Leadley, D. R.; Myronov, M.

2016-09-01

The complex quantum transport of a strained Ge quantum well (QW) modulation doped heterostructure with two types of mobile carriers has been observed. The two dimensional hole gas (2DHG) in the Ge QW exhibits an exceptionally high mobility of 780 000 cm2/Vs at temperatures below 10 K. Through analysis of Shubnikov de-Haas oscillations in the magnetoresistance of this 2DHG below 2 K, the hole effective mass is found to be 0.065 m0. Anomalous conductance peaks are observed at higher fields which deviate from standard Shubnikov de-Haas and quantum Hall effect behaviour due to conduction via multiple carrier types. Despite this complex behaviour, analysis using a transport model with two conductive channels explains this behaviour and allows key physical parameters such as the carrier effective mass, transport, and quantum lifetimes and conductivity of the electrically active layers to be extracted. This finding is important for electronic device applications, since inclusion of highly doped interlayers which are electrically active, for enhancement of, for example, room temperature carrier mobility, does not prevent analysis of quantum transport in a QW.
Crystal growth and optical properties of CdS-doped lead silicate glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hao; Liu Qiming; Zhao Xiujian

2007-01-01

The crystal growth and optical properties of CdS microcrystallite-doped lead silicate glass is investigated in this paper. The existence of CdS nanocrystals was confirmed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results reveal that a two-stage heat-treat procedure can produce a better size distribution of CdS nanocrystals than a one-stage heat-treat procedure in glasses. The second harmonic generation (SHG) from the base glass and CdS microcrystallite doped glasses was observed, and the effects of the heat treatments and the thermal poling temperature on the crystallization of CdS and second-order harmonic (SH) intensity were discussed, respectively. It is indicated that samples doped with CdS microcrystallite showed larger SH intensity than that of the base glass. Use of a higher thermal poling temperature than the glass transformation temperature does not result in a good SH intensity in glasses
Low-Temperature Processed Ga-Doped ZnO Coatings from Colloidal Inks

KAUST Repository

Della Gaspera, Enrico

2013-03-06

We present a new colloidal synthesis of gallium-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals that are transparent in the visible and absorb in the near-infrared. Thermal decomposition of zinc stearate and gallium nitrate after hot injection of the precursors in a mixture of organic amines leads to nanocrystals with tunable properties according to gallium amount. Substitutional Ga3+ ions trigger a plasmonic resonance in the infrared region resulting from an increase in the free electrons concentration. These nanocrystals can be deposited by spin coating, drop casting, and spray coating resulting in homogeneous and high-quality thin films. The optical transmission of the Ga-ZnO nanoparticle assemblies in the visible is greater than 90%, and at the same time, the near-infrared absorption of the nanocrystals is maintained in the films as well. Several strategies to improve the films electrical and optical properties have been presented, such as UV treatments to remove the organic compounds responsible for the observed interparticle resistance and reducing atmosphere treatments on both colloidal solutions and thin films to increase the free carriers concentration, enhancing electrical conductivity and infrared absorption. The electrical resistance of the nanoparticle assemblies is about 30 kΩ/sq for the as-deposited, UV-exposed films, and it drops down to 300 Ω/sq after annealing in forming gas at 450 °C, comparable with state of the art tin-doped indium oxide coatings deposited from nanocrystal inks. © 2013 American Chemical Society.
The nitrogen doping effect on the properties of Ge-In-Sb-Te phase-change recording media investigated by blue-light laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeh, T.-T.; Hsieh, T.-E.; Shieh, H.-P.D.

2005-01-01

This work investigates the thermal, optical and recrystallization properties as well as the microstructure of nitrogen-doped Ge-In-Sb-Te (GIST) phase-change material when irradiated by blue-light laser. The experimental results showed that nitrogen doping at the condition of N 2 /Ar sputtering gas flow ratio equals to 3% might enhance the recrystallization speed of GIST recording layer up to 1.5 times. However, the disk failed when too much nitrogen (N 2 /Ar ≥ 5.0%) was introduced. The data obtained by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and ellipsometry revealed changes of thermal and optical properties due to the nitrogen doping in GIST. When appropriate amount of nitrogen was added, the activation energy (E a ) of amorphous-crystalline phase transition of GIST decreased and the optical constants of amorphous and crystalline phases (except the k value of amorphous phase) gradually reduced with the increase of wavelength in the range of 600-750 nm. Modulation simulation based on the reflectively of doped GIST layers obtained from static test indicated that appropriate nitrogen doping benefited the signal characteristics of optical disks. Transmission electron microscopy observed numerous tiny precipitates uniformly distributed in the doped GIST layers. These were believed to be nitride particles generated by nitrogen doping that might offer the preferential sites for amorphous-crystalline phase transition so that the recrystallization speed was accelerated
Growth of hexagonal NaGdF{sub 4} nanocrystals based on cubic Ln{sup 3+}: CaF{sub 2} precursors and the multi-color upconversion emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lei, Lei; Chen, Daqin, E-mail: dqchen@fjirsm.ac.cn; Yu, Yunlong; Zhang, Rui; Ling, Hang; Xu, Ju; Huang, Feng; Wang, Yuansheng, E-mail: yswang@fjirsm.ac.cn

2014-04-05

Graphical abstract: We reported a novel hetero-valence cation exchange route to synthesize Ln: NaGdF4 upconversion nanocrystals for the first time. -- Highlights: • The Ln3+: NaGdF4 nanocrystals were synthesized based on the Ln3+: CaF2 precursors. • The microstructures of nanocrystals were characterized. • The multi-color upconversion emissions were easily realized. -- Abstract: Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanomaterials have attracted great attention recently for their potential applications in the fields of bio-label, three-dimensional display, solar cell and so on. In this article, we report a new strategy to prepare hexagonal Ln{sup 3+}:NaGdF{sub 4} upconversion nanocrystals. Unlike the routine way of synthesizing NaGdF{sub 4} nanocrystals through nucleation and growth, the formation of hexagonal NaGdF{sub 4} nanocrystals herein is realized based on the Ln{sup 3+}-doped cubic CaF{sub 2} precursors, following a hetero-valence cation exchange process between Gd{sup 3+}/Na{sup +} and Ca{sup 2+}. Evidently, Ln{sup 3+} dopants in the CaF{sub 2} precursors are retained in the finally formed hexagonal NaGdF{sub 4} nanocrystals and, subsequently, multi-color upconversion emissions are easily realized by simply adjusting the Ln{sup 3+} dopant species and contents in the CaF{sub 2} precursors. This novel hetero-valence cation exchange route may open up a new pathway to synthesize nanomaterials that cannot be fabricated directly.
Spectroscopic properties and energy transfer analysis of Tm3+-doped BaF2-Ga2O3-GeO2-La2O3 glass.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Shenglei; Yang, Zhongmin; Xu, Shanhui

2010-05-01

This paper reports on the spectroscopic properties and energy transfer analysis of Tm(3+)-doped BaF(2)-Ga(2)O(3)-GeO(2)-La(2)O(3) glasses with different Tm(2)O(3) doping concentrations (0.2, 0.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 3.5, 4.0 wt%). Mid-IR fluorescence intensities in the range of 1,300 nm-2,200 nm have been measured when excited under an 808 nm LD for all the samples with the same pump power. Energy level structure and Judd-Ofelt parameters have been calculated based on the absorption spectra of Tm(3+), cross-relaxation rates and multi-phonon relaxation rates have been estimated with different Tm(2)O(3) doping concentrations. The maximum fluorescence intensity at around 1.8 mum has been obtained in Tm(2)O(3)-3 wt% sample and the maximum value of calculated stimulated emission cross-section of Tm(3+) in this sample is about 0.48 x 10(-20) cm(2) at 1,793 nm, and there is not any crystallization peak in the DSC curve of this sample, which indicate the potential utility of Tm(3+)-doped BaF(2)-Ga(2)O(3)-GeO(2)- La(2)O(3) glass for 2.0-microm optical fiber laser.
Nanocrystals in the glass and centers of localization of free charge carriers in the thick-film resistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdurakhmanov, G.

2012-01-01

Conduction mechanism of doped silicate glass (DSG) based on existence of nanocrystals in the glass is proposed. These nanocrystals act as localization centers of free charge carriers. Random distribution of the nanocrystal's sizes and distances between them leads to charge transport by variable length hopping. It is shown that dopant atoms generate the narrow impurity subband of 0.03 eV in width. This subband joins close to the glass valence band top or slightly (less than 0.01 eV) separated from the last. What is why the hopping mechanism coexists with thermal activation one and at low temperatures (T -n ), 0.25 800 K) structure transitions of nanocrystals take place and conductivity of DSG decreases sharply. Beyond of the minimum of conductivity (above 1000 K) energy gap is formed between the impurity subband and the valence band top of glass, so DSG behaves like a typical semiconductor. (author)
Research Update: Strain and composition effects on ferromagnetism of Mn0.05Ge0.95 quantum dots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liming Wang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Mn0.05Ge0.95 quantum dots (QDs samples were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si substrates and 15-nm-thick fully strained Si0.8Ge0.2 virtual substrates, respectively. The QDs samples grown on the Si0.8Ge0.2 virtual substrates show a significant ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature of 227 K, while the QDs samples grown on the Si substrates are non-ferromagnetic. Microstructures of the QDs samples were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction. Interdependence between microstructure and ferromagnetism of Mn-doped Ge QDs was investigated. For the QDs sample grown on the strained Si0.8Ge0.2 virtual substrate, although the ferromagnetic phase Mn5Ge3 clusters were found to be formed in small dome-shaped dots, the significant ferromagnetism observed in that sample is attributed to ferromagnetic phase Mn-doped large dome-shaped Ge QDs, rather than to the ferromagnetic phase Mn5Ge3 clusters. The fully strained Si0.8Ge0.2 virtual substrates would result in a residual strain into the QDs and an increase in Ge composition in the QDs. Both consequences favor the formations of ferromagnetic phase Mn-doped Ge QDs from points of view of quantum confinement effect as well as Mn doping at substitutional sites.
Aqueous phase synthesis of upconversion nanocrystals through layer-by-layer epitaxial growth for in vivo X-ray computed tomography

KAUST Repository

Li, Feifei; Li, Chunguang; Liu, Jianhua; Liu, Xiaomin; Zhao, Lan; Bai, Tianyu; Yuan, Qinghai; Kong, Xianggui; Han, Yu; Shi, Zhan; Feng, Shouhua

2013-01-01

Lanthanide-doped core-shell upconversion nanocrystals (UCNCs) have tremendous potential for applications in many fields, especially in bio-imaging and medical therapy. As core-shell UCNCs are mostly synthesized in organic solvents, tedious organic
Plasmon-induced carrier polarization in semiconductor nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Penghui; Tan, Yi; Fang, Hanbing; Hegde, Manu; Radovanovic, Pavle V.

2018-06-01

Spintronics1 and valleytronics2 are emerging quantum electronic technologies that rely on using electron spin and multiple extrema of the band structure (valleys), respectively, as additional degrees of freedom. There are also collective properties of electrons in semiconductor nanostructures that potentially could be exploited in multifunctional quantum devices. Specifically, plasmonic semiconductor nanocrystals3-10 offer an opportunity for interface-free coupling between a plasmon and an exciton. However, plasmon-exciton coupling in single-phase semiconductor nanocrystals remains challenging because confined plasmon oscillations are generally not resonant with excitonic transitions. Here, we demonstrate a robust electron polarization in degenerately doped In2O3 nanocrystals, enabled by non-resonant coupling of cyclotron magnetoplasmonic modes11 with the exciton at the Fermi level. Using magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, we show that intrinsic plasmon-exciton coupling allows for the indirect excitation of the magnetoplasmonic modes, and subsequent Zeeman splitting of the excitonic states. Splitting of the band states and selective carrier polarization can be manipulated further by spin-orbit coupling. Our results effectively open up the field of plasmontronics, which involves the phenomena that arise from intrinsic plasmon-exciton and plasmon-spin interactions. Furthermore, the dynamic control of carrier polarization is readily achieved at room temperature, which allows us to harness the magnetoplasmonic mode as a new degree of freedom in practical photonic, optoelectronic and quantum-information processing devices.
The effect of charge carrier and doping site on thermoelectric properties of Mg2Sn0.75Ge0.25

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saparamadu, Udara; Mao, Jun; Dahal, Keshab; Zhang, Hao; Tian, Fei; Song, Shaowei; Liu, Weishu; Ren, Zhifeng

2017-01-01

Mg 2 Sn 0.75 Ge 0.25 has been recently demonstrated to be a promising thermoelectric material for power generation in the temperature range from room temperature to 723 K because of the high power factor of ∼54 μW cm −1 K −2 upon Sb doping to the Sn site. The enhanced density of states effective mass and weak electron scattering from the alloying effect are believed to be the main reasons for the high power factor (PF) and hence high figure of merit (ZT). In this study, it is shown that the right choice of carrier donor also plays an important role in obtaining high power factor. The effect of carrier donors Y and La at Mg-site and Bi and P at Sn-site in Mg 2 Sn 0.75 Ge 0.25 is systematically investigated. It is found that charge donors at the Sn-site are much more effective than at the Mg-site in enhancing PF and ZT. Bi doped Mg 2 Sn 0.73 Bi 0.02 Ge 0.25 shows a peak ZT of ∼1.4 at 673 K, a peak PF of ∼54 μW cm −1 K −2 at 577 K, which resulted in an engineering figure of merit (ZT) eng of ∼0.76 and (PF) eng of ∼2.05 W m −1 K −1 for cold side fixed at 323 K and hot side at 723 K.
Synthesis, Characterization and Properties of CeO2-doped TiO2 Composite Nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oman ZUAS

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Pure TiO2 and CeO2-doped TiO2 (3 % CeO2-97 %TiO2 composite nanocrystals were synthesized via co-precipitation method and characterized using TGA, XRD, FTIR, DR-UV-vis and TEM. The XRD data revealed that the phase structure of the synthesized samples was mainly in pure anatase having crystallite size in the range of 7 nm – 11 nm. Spherical shapes with moderate aggregation of the crystal particles were observed under the TEM observation. The presence of the CeO2 at TiO2 site has not only affected morphologically but also induced the electronic property of the TiO2 by lowering the band gap energy from 3.29 eV (Eg-Ti to 3.15 eV (Eg-CeTi. Performance evaluation of the synthesized samples showed that both samples have a strong adsorption capacity toward Congo red (CR dye in aqueous solution at room temperature experiment, where the capacity of the CeTi was higher than the Ti sample. Based on DR-UV data, the synthesized samples obtained in this study may also become promising catalysts for photo-assisted removal of synthetic dye in aqueous solution. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.19.4.2732
Visualizing Current Flow at the Mesoscale in Disordered Assemblies of Touching Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Qinyi; Guest, Jeffrey R. [Center; Thimsen, Elijah

2017-07-12

The transport of electrons through assemblies of nanocrystals is important to performance in optoelectronic applications for these materials. Previous work has primarily focused on single nanocrystals or transitions between pairs of nanocrystals. There is a gap in knowledge of how large numbers of nanocrystals in an assembly behave collectively, and how this collective behavior manifests at the mesoscale. In this work, the variable range hopping (VRH) transport of electrons in disordered assemblies of touching, heavily doped ZnO nanocrystals was visualized at the mesoscale as a function of temperature both theoretically, using the model of Skinner, Chen and Shklovskii (SCS), and experimentally, with conductive atomic force microscopy on ultrathin films only a few particle layers thick. Agreement was obtained between the model and experiments, with a few notable exceptions. The SCS model predicts that a single network within the nanocrystal assembly, comprised of sites connected by small resistances, dominates conduction - namely the optimum band from variable range hopping theory. However, our experiments revealed that in addition to the optimum band, there are subnetworks that appear as additional peaks in the resistance histogram of conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) maps. Furthermore, the connections of these subnetworks to the optimum band change in time, such that some subnetworks become connected to the optimum band while others become disconnected and isolated from the optimum band; this observation appears to be an experimental manifestation of the ‘blinking’ phenomenon in our images of mesoscale transport.
Transient and temperature-dependent phenomena in Ge:Be and Ge:Zn far infrared photoconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haegel, N.M.

1985-11-01

An experimental study of the transient and temperature-dependent behavior of Ge:Be and Ge:Zn photoconductors has been performed under the low background photon flux conditions (p dot approx. = 10 8 photons/second) typical of astronomy and astrophysics applications. The responsivity of Ge:Be and Ge:Zn detectors is strongly temperature-dependent in closely compensated material, and the effect of compensation on free carrier lifetime in Ge:Be has been measured using the photo-Hall effect technique. Closely compensated material has been obtained by controlling the concentration of novel hydrogen-related shallow acceptor complexes, A(Be,H) and A(Zn,H), which exist in doped crystals grown under a H 2 atmosphere. A review of selection criteria for multilevel materials for optimum photoconductor performance is included. 55 refs., 47 figs

Room Temperature Direct Band Gap Emission from Ge p-i-n Heterojunction Photodiodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Kasper

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Room temperature direct band gap emission is observed for Si-substrate-based Ge p-i-n heterojunction photodiode structures operated under forward bias. Comparisons of electroluminescence with photoluminescence spectra allow separating emission from intrinsic Ge (0.8 eV and highly doped Ge (0.73 eV. Electroluminescence stems from carrier injection into the intrinsic layer, whereas photoluminescence originates from the highly n-doped top layer because the exciting visible laser wavelength is strongly absorbed in Ge. High doping levels led to an apparent band gap narrowing from carrier-impurity interaction. The emission shifts to higher wavelengths with increasing current level which is explained by device heating. The heterostructure layer sequence and the light emitting device are similar to earlier presented photodetectors. This is an important aspect for monolithic integration of silicon microelectronics and silicon photonics.
Co3O4 nanocrystals with exposed low-surface-energy planes anchored on chemically integrated graphitic carbon nitride-modified nitrogen-doped graphene: A high-performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenyao; Fu, Yongsheng; Wang, Xin

2018-05-01

A facile strategy to synthesize a composite composed of cubic Co3O4 nanocrystals anchored on chemically integrated g-C3N4-modified N-graphene (CN-NG) as an advanced anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries is reported. It is found that the morphology of the Co3O4 nanocrystals contains blunt-edge nanocubes with well-demarcated boundaries and numerous exposed low-index (1 1 1) crystallographic facets. These planes can be directly involved in the electrochemical reactions, providing rapid Li-ion transport channels for charging and discharging and thus enhancing the round-trip diffusion efficiency. On the other hand, the CN-NG support displays unusual textural features, such as superior structural stability, accessible active sites, and good electrical conductivity. The experimental results reveal that the chemical and electronic coupling of graphitic carbon nitride and nitrogen-doped graphene synergistically facilitate the anchoring of Co3O4 nanocrystals and prevents their migration. The resulting Co3O4/CN-NG composite exhibits a high specific reversible capacity of up to 1096 mAh g-1 with excellent cycling stability and rate capability. We believe that such a hybrid carbon support could open a new path for applications in electrocatalysis, sensors, supercapacitors, etc., in the near future.
Unveiling the chemical and morphological features of Sb:SnO2 nanocrystals by the combined use of HRTEM and Ab Initio surface energy calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroppa, Daniel G.; Montoro, Luciano A.; Ramirez, Antonio J.; Beltran, Armando; Andres, Juan; Conti, Tiago G.; Silva, Rafael O. da; Longo, Elson; Leite, Edson R.

2009-01-01

Modeling of nanocrystals supported by advanced morphological and chemical characterization is a unique tool for the development of reliable nanostructured devices, which depends on the ability to synthesize and characterize material on the atomic scale. Among the most significant challenges in nanostructural characterization is the evaluation of crystal growth mechanisms and their dependence on the shape of nanoparticles and the distribution of doping elements. This work presents a new strategy to characterize nanocrystals, applied here to antimony-doped tin oxide (Sb-SnO 2 ) (ATO) by the combined use of experimental and simulated high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images and surface energy ab initio calculations. The results show that the Wulff construction can not only describe the shape of nanocrystals as a function of surface energy distribution but also retrieve quantitative information on dopant distribution by the dimensional analysis of nanoparticle shapes. In addition, a novel three-dimensional evaluation of an oriented attachment growth mechanism is provided in the proposed methodology. This procedure is a useful approach for faceted nanocrystal shape modeling and indirect quantitative evaluation of dopant spatial distribution, which are difficult to evaluate by other techniques. (author)
Theoretical insights into the minority carrier lifetime of doped Si—A computational study

Science.gov (United States)

Iyakutti, K.; Lavanya, R.; Rajeswarapalanichamy, R.; Mathan Kumar, E.; Kawazoe, Y.

2018-04-01

Using density functional theory, we have analyzed the ways and means of improving the minority carrier lifetime (MCL) by calculating the band structure dependent quantities contributing to the MCL. We have computationally modeled silicon doped with different elements like B, C, N, O, P, Ti, Fe, Ga, Ge, As, In, Sn, Sb, and Pt and looked at the effect of doping on MCL. In co-doping, the systems Si-B-Ga, Si-B-Ge, Si-B-2Ge, Si-B-Pt, Si-Ga-Ge, Si-Ga-2Ge, and Si-Ga-Pt are investigated. From our calculation, it is found that by doping and co-doping of Si with suitable elements having "s" and "p" electrons, there is a decrease in the recombination activity. The predicted effective minority carrier lifetime indicates the possibility of significant improvements. Based on the above studies, it is now maybe possible, with suitable choice of dopant and co-dopant material, to arrive at part of a standard production process for solar grade Si material.
Enhanced electrochemiluminescence quenching of CdS:Mn nanocrystals by CdTe QDs-doped silica nanoparticles for ultrasensitive detection of thrombin

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Yun; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

2011-07-01

This work reports an aptasensor for ultrasensitive detection of thrombin based on remarkably efficient energy-transfer induced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) quenching from CdS:Mn nanocrystals (NCs) film to CdTe QDs-doped silica nanoparticles (CdTe/SiO2 NPs). CdTe/SiO2 NPs were synthesized via the Stöber method and showed black bodies' strong absorption in a wide spectral range without excitonic emission, which made them excellent ECL quenchers. Within the effective distance of energy scavenging, the ECL quenching efficiency was dependent on the number of CdTe QDs doped into the silica NPs. Using ca. 200 CdTe QDs doped silica NPs on average of 40 nm in diameter as ECL quenching labels, attomolar detection of thrombin was successfully realized. The protein detection involves a competition binding event, based on thrombin replacing CdTe/SiO2 NPs labeled probing DNA which is hybridized with capturing aptamer immobilized on a CdS:Mn NCs film modified glassy carbon electrode surface by specific aptamer-protein affinity interactions. It results in the displacement of ECL quenching labels from CdS:Mn NCs film and concomitant ECL signal recovery. Owing to the high-content CdTe QDs in silica NP, the increment of ECL intensity (ΔIECL) and the concentration of thrombin showed a double logarithmic linear correlation in the range of 5.0 aM~5.0 fM with a detection limit of 1aM. And, the aptasensor hardly responded to antibody, bovine serum albumin (BSA), haemoglobin (Hb) and lysozyme, showing good detection selectivity for thrombin. This long-distance energy scavenging could have a promising application perspective in the detection of biological recognition events on a molecular level.This work reports an aptasensor for ultrasensitive detection of thrombin based on remarkably efficient energy-transfer induced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) quenching from CdS:Mn nanocrystals (NCs) film to CdTe QDs-doped silica nanoparticles (CdTe/SiO2 NPs). CdTe/SiO2 NPs were synthesized via
Optimal process parameters for phosphorus spin-on-doping of germanium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boldrini, Virginia [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); INFN-LNL, Viale dell’Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy); Carturan, Sara Maria, E-mail: sara.carturan@lnl.infn.it [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); INFN-LNL, Viale dell’Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy); Maggioni, Gianluigi; Napolitani, Enrico [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); INFN-LNL, Viale dell’Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy); Napoli, Daniel Ricardo [INFN-LNL, Viale dell’Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy); Camattari, Riccardo [INFN Sezione di Ferrara, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122, Ferrara (Italy); De Salvador, Davide [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); INFN-LNL, Viale dell’Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy)

2017-01-15

Highlights: • Optimized protocol for the application of phosphorus spin-on-doping to Ge surface. • Homogeneous n-type Ge layers, fully electrically active, are obtained. • Crucial parameters for SOD curing are relative humidity, time and temperature. • Characterization of Ge loss from the surface into the SOD film by diffusion. • Spike annealing in standard tube chamber furnace are performed. - Abstract: The fabrication of homogeneously doped germanium layers characterized by total electrical activation is currently a hot topic in many fields, such as microelectronics, photovoltaics, optics and radiation detectors. Phosphorus spin-on-doping technique has been implemented on Ge wafers, by developing a protocol for the curing process and subsequent diffusion annealing for optimal doping. Parameters such as relative humidity and curing time turned out to affect the surface morphology, the degree of reticulation reached by the dopant source and the amount of dopant available for diffusion. After spike annealing in a conventional furnace, diffusion profiles and electrical properties have been measured. Ge loss from the surface during high-temperature annealing, due to diffusion into the source film, has been observed and quantified.
Influences of Er3+ content on structure and upconversion emission of oxyfluoride glass ceramics containing CaF2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Daqin; Wang Yuansheng; Yu Yunlong; Ma En; Bao Feng; Hu Zhongjian; Cheng Yao

2006-01-01

Transparent 45SiO 2 -25Al 2 O 3 -5CaO-10NaF-15CaF 2 glass ceramics doped with different content of erbium ion (Er 3+ ) were prepared. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses evidenced the spherical CaF 2 nanocrystals homogeneously embedded among the glassy matrix. With increasing of Er 3+ content, the size of CaF 2 nanocrystals decreased while the number density increased. The crystallization kinetics studies revealed that CaF 2 crystallization was a diffusion-controlled growth process from small dimensions with decreasing nucleation rate. Er 3+ could act as nucleating agent to lower down crystallization temperature, while some of them may stay at the crystal surfaces to retard the growth of crystal. Intense red and weak green upconversion emissions were recorded for glass ceramics and their intensities increased with the increasing of Er 3+ content under 980 nm excitation. However, the concentration quenching effect appeared when Er 3+ doping reached 2 mol%. These results could be attributed to the change of ligand field of Er 3+ ions due to the incorporation of Er 3+ ions into precipitated fluoride nanocrystals
Up conversion luminescence of Yb3+–Er3+ codoped CeO2 nanocrystals with imaging applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Jung-Hyun; Bass, Michael; Babu, Suresh; Dowding, Janet M.; Self, William T.; Seal, Sudipta

2012-01-01

The effects of Yb 3+ doping on up conversion in Yb 3+ –Er 3+ co-doped cerium oxide nanocrystals are reported. Green emission around 545 and 560 nm attributed to the 2 H 11/2 , 4 S 3/2 → 4 I 15/2 transitions and red emission around 660 and 680 nm due to 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 transitions under 975 nm excitation were studied at room temperature. Both green and red emission intensities increase as the Yb 3+ concentration increases from 0%. Emission strength starts to decrease after the Yb 3+ concentration exceeds a critical amount. The green emission strength peaks around 1% Yb 3+ concentration while the red emission strength peaks around 4%. An explanation of competition between different decay mechanisms is presented to account for the luminescence dependence on Yb 3+ concentration. Also, the application of up converting nanoparticles in biomedical imaging is demonstrated. - Highlights: ► Up conversion in Yb 3+ –Er 3+ co-doped cerium oxide nanocrystals. ► Different decay mechanisms determine luminescence efficiency. ► Up converting nanoparticles in biomedical imaging is demonstrated.
A high-sensitivity fiber-optic evanescent wave sensor with a three-layer structure composed of Canada balsam doped with GeO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Nianbing; Zhao, Mingfu; Zhong, Lianchao; Liao, Qiang; Zhu, Xun; Luo, Binbin; Li, Yishan

2016-11-15

In this paper, we present a high-sensitivity polymer fiber-optic evanescent wave (FOEW) sensor with a three-layer structure that includes bottom, inter-, and surface layers in the sensing region. The bottom layer and inter-layer are POFs composed of standard cladding and the core of the plastic optical fiber, and the surface layer is made of dilute Canada balsam in xylene doped with GeO2. We examine the morphology of the doped GeO2, the refractive index and composition of the surface layer and the surface luminous properties of the sensing region. We investigate the effects of the content and morphology of the GeO2 particles on the sensitivity of the FOEW sensors by using glucose solutions. In addition, we examine the response of sensors incubated with staphylococcal protein A plus mouse IgG isotype to goat anti-mouse IgG solutions. Results indicate very good sensitivity of the three-layer FOEW sensor, which showed a 3.91-fold improvement in the detection of the target antibody relative to a conventional sensor with a core-cladding structure, and the novel sensor showed a lower limit of detection of 0.2ng/l and a response time around 320s. The application of this high-sensitivity FOEW sensor can be extended to biodefense, disease diagnosis, biomedical and biochemical analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Germanene nanoribbon tunneling field effect transistor (GeNR-TFET) with a 10 nm channel length: analog performance, doping and temperature effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayani, Amir Hossein; Vali, Mehran; Dideban, Daryoosh; Moezi, Negin

2016-01-01

In this paper, a scheme of the germanene nanoribbon tunneling field effect transistor (GeNR-TFET) is proposed. The characteristics and analog performance of the device were theoretically investigated by exploiting the electrical properties of a germanene nanoribbon and applying the doping concentration in the source and drain regions at 300 K and 4 K temperatures. The device parameters were obtained using a non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) method within the tight binding (TB) Hamiltonian. The TB Hamiltonian was extracted from the density functional theory (DFT) through the Wannier function. We find that by increasing the doping concentration the I on current increases which leads to an improvement of the I on /I off ratio to 10 5 . Moreover, decreasing the temperature from 300 K to 4 K causes the I off to become ten times smaller. We find that the device output characteristic displays a negative differential conductance with a good peak-to-valley ratio which is improved by increasing the doping concentration. The analog performance of the device is also investigated in the subthreshold regime of operation by varying the doping concentration. It is observed that by increasing the device doping concentration, the analog figures of merit can be improved. (paper)
Hydrothermal synthesis, characterization and up/down-conversion luminescence of barium rare earth fluoride nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Li-Ping; Zhang, Qiang; Yan, Bing

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: Lanthanide ions doped bare earth rare earth fluoride nanocrystals are synthesized by hydrothermal technology and characterized. The down/up-conversion luminescence of them are discussed. - Highlights: • Mixed hydrothermal system H 2 O–OA (EDA)–O-A(LO-A) is used for synthesis. • Barium rare earth fluoride nanocrystals are synthesized comprehensively. • Luminescence for down-conversion and up-conversion are obtained for these systems. - Abstract: Mixed hydrothermal system H 2 O–OA (EDA)–O-A(LO-A) is developed to synthesize barium rare earth fluorides nanocrystals (OA = oleylamine, EDA = ethylenediamine, O-A = oleic acid and LO-A = linoleic acid). They are presented as BaREF 5 (RE = Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Y, Tm, Lu) and Ba 2 REF 7 (RE = La, Sm, Ho, Er, Yb). The influence of reaction parameters (rare earth species, hydrothermal system and temperature) is checked on the phase and shape evolution of the fluoride nanocrystals. It is found that reaction time and temperature of these nanocrystals using EDA (180 °C, 6 h) is lower than those of them using OA (220 °C, 10 h). The photoluminescence properties of these fluorides activated by some rare earth ions (Nd 3+ , Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ ) are studied, and especially up-conversion luminescence of the four fluoride nanocrystal systems (Ba 2 LaF 7 :Yb, Tm(Er), Ba 2 REF 7 :Yb, Tm(Er) (RE = Gd, Y, Lu)) is observed
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
A first-principles study of group IV and VI atoms doped blue phosphorene

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Ruimin; Chen, Zheng; Gou, Manman; Zhang, Yixin

2018-02-01

Using first-principles calculations, we have systematically investigated the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of blue phosphorene doped by group IV and VI atoms, including C, Si, Ge, Sn, O, S, Se and Te. All the doped systems are energetically stable. Only C, Si, Ge and O-substituted systems show the characteristics of spin polarization and the magnetic moments are all 1.0 μB. Moreover, we found that C, Si, Ge and O doped systems are indirect bandgap semiconductors, while Sn, S, Se and Te doped systems present metallic property. These results show that blue phosphorene can be used prospectively in optoelectronic and spintronic devices.
Influence of the dopant concentration on structural, optical and photovoltaic properties of Cu-doped ZnS nanocrystals based bulk heterojunction hybrid solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jabeen, Uzma; Adhikari, Tham; Shah, Syed Mujtaba; Pathak, Dinesh; Wagner, Tomas; Nunzi, Jean-Michel

2017-06-01

Zinc sulphide (ZnS) and Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized by the wet chemical method. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible, fluorescence, fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Scanning electron microscopy supplemented with EDAX was employed to observe the morphology and chemical composition of the un-doped and doped samples. A significant blue shift of the absorption band with respect to the un-doped zinc sulphide was sighted by increasing the Cu concentration in the doped sample with decreasing the size of nanoparticles. Consequently, the band gap was tuned from 3.13 to 3.49 eV due to quantum confinement. The green emission arises from the recombination between the shallow donor level (sulfur vacancy) and the t2 level of Cu2+. However, the fluorescence emission spectrum of the undoped ZnS nanoparticles was deconvoluted into two bands, which are centered at 419 and 468 nm. XRD analysis showed that the nanomaterials were in cubic crystalline state. XRD peaks show that there were no massive crystalline distortions in the crystal lattice when the Cu concentration (0.05-0.1 M) was increased in the ZnS lattice. However, in the case of Cu-doped samples (0.15-0.2 M), the XRD pattern showed an additional peak at 37° due to incomplete substitution occurring during the experimental reaction step. A comparative study of surfaces of undoped and Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The synthesized nanomaterial in combination with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was used in the fabrication of solar cells. The devices with ZnS nanoparticles showed an efficiency of 0.31%. The overall power conversion efficiency of the solar cells at 0.1 M Cu content in doped ZnS nanoparticles was found to be 1.6 times higher than the
Greener process to synthesize water-soluble Mn.sup.2+-doped CdSSe(ZnS) core(shell) nanocrystals for ratiometric temperature sensing, nanocrystals, and methods implementing nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Haw; Hsia, Chih-Hao

2017-07-04

Novel Mn.sup.2+-doped quantum dots are provided. These Mn.sup.2+-doped quantum dots exhibit excellent temperature sensitivity in both organic solvents and water-based solutions. Methods of preparing the Mn.sup.2+-doped quantum dots are provided. The Mn.sup.2+-doped quantum dots may be prepared via a stepwise procedure using air-stable and inexpensive chemicals. The use of air-stable chemicals can significantly reduce the cost of synthesis, chemical storage, and the risk associated with handling flammable chemicals. Methods of temperature sensing using Mn.sup.2+-doped quantum dots are provided. The stepwise procedure provides the ability to tune the temperature-sensing properties to satisfy specific needs for temperature sensing applications. Water solubility may be achieved by passivating the Mn.sup.2+-doped quantum dots, allowing the Mn.sup.2+-doped quantum dots to probe the fluctuations of local temperature in biological environments.
Correlation between SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals and optical properties of Eu{sup 3+} ions in SiO{sub 2} matrix: Relation of crystallinity, composition, and photoluminescence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thanh, Bui Quang [International Training Institute for Materials Science (ITIMS), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Ha, Ngo Ngoc, E-mail: hann@itims.edu.vn [International Training Institute for Materials Science (ITIMS), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Khiem, Tran Ngoc, E-mail: khiem@itims.edu.vn [International Training Institute for Materials Science (ITIMS), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Chien, Nguyen Duc [International Training Institute for Materials Science (ITIMS), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); School of Engineering Physics (SEP), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

2015-07-15

We report characteristics and optical properties of Eu{sup 3+}-doped SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals dispersed in SiO{sub 2} matrix. Samples are prepared by the sol–gel method. Crystallinity of SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals is examined by X-ray diffraction experiments. At annealing temperatures from 900 to 1200 °C, we observe the formation of single tetragonal rutile structure of SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals. Average sizes of SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals within 3–7 nm are estimated by Debye–Scherrer equation. Intense photoluminescent spectra of Eu{sup 3+} ions consist of a series of resolved emission bands within 570–645 nm, which are varied with different sample-preparation conditions. We show the efficient excitation process of Eu{sup 3+} ions through SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals in the materials. Microscopic structure of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles and optical properties of Eu{sup 3+} ions are also presented and discussed. - Highlights: • Thin layers of Eu{sup 3+} doped SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals dispersed in SiO{sub 2} were prepared by sol-gel method and spin-coating process. • Formation of single-phase tetragonal rutile structure of SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals and highly efficient optical excitation of the Eu{sup 3+} dopants were exhibited. • Relations of the crystallinity and composition of SnO{sub 2} and optical properties of Eu{sup 3+} dopants were comprehensively investigated and presented. • Allocations of major optically-active Eu{sup 3+} ions in the materials were deduced from their emission bands.
Enhanced electrochemiluminescence quenching of CdS:Mn nanocrystals by CdTe QDs-doped silica nanoparticles for ultrasensitive detection of thrombin.

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Yun; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

2011-07-01

This work reports an aptasensor for ultrasensitive detection of thrombin based on remarkably efficient energy-transfer induced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) quenching from CdS:Mn nanocrystals (NCs) film to CdTe QDs-doped silica nanoparticles (CdTe/SiO(2) NPs). CdTe/SiO(2) NPs were synthesized via the Stöber method and showed black bodies' strong absorption in a wide spectral range without excitonic emission, which made them excellent ECL quenchers. Within the effective distance of energy scavenging, the ECL quenching efficiency was dependent on the number of CdTe QDs doped into the silica NPs. Using ca. 200 CdTe QDs doped silica NPs on average of 40 nm in diameter as ECL quenching labels, attomolar detection of thrombin was successfully realized. The protein detection involves a competition binding event, based on thrombin replacing CdTe/SiO(2) NPs labeled probing DNA which is hybridized with capturing aptamer immobilized on a CdS:Mn NCs film modified glassy carbon electrode surface by specific aptamer-protein affinity interactions. It results in the displacement of ECL quenching labels from CdS:Mn NCs film and concomitant ECL signal recovery. Owing to the high-content CdTe QDs in silica NP, the increment of ECL intensity (ΔI(ECL)) and the concentration of thrombin showed a double logarithmic linear correlation in the range of 5.0 aM∼5.0 fM with a detection limit of 1aM. And, the aptasensor hardly responded to antibody, bovine serum albumin (BSA), haemoglobin (Hb) and lysozyme, showing good detection selectivity for thrombin. This long-distance energy scavenging could have a promising application perspective in the detection of biological recognition events on a molecular level.
The structural defects and UV-VIS spectral characterization of TiO2 particles doped in the lattice with Cr3+ cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z.L.; Cui, Z.L.; Zhang, Z.K.

2005-01-01

Titania nanoparticles doped with Cr 3+ (2% relative to molar quantity of titania) were prepared and examined by EDS, HRTEM, XRD, and UV-VIS analysis. HRTEM images showed the detailed atomic arrays and vacancy defects of the doped Titania nanocrystals and revealed that the implanted Cr element existed in titania mainly as Cr 3+ ions which located at the lattice positions of Ti 4+ ions. Compared with pure titania, the UV-VIS spectra of the Cr 3+ doped titania show significantly increased absorbance in visible light region. This indicated that the presence of the Cr 3+ ions affected the lattice structure of titania nanocrystals and plays an reformative role in spectral feature of titania
Spectroscopic investigations of nanostructured LiNbO3 doped with Eu3+

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hreniak, D.; Speghini, A.; Bettinelli, M.; Strek, W.

2006-01-01

Structural and optical properties of the sol-gel derived nanocrystalline lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ) powders doped with Eu 3+ ions have been studied. In particular, the influence of the sizes of nanoparticles controlled by temperature on the structural and luminescence properties has been investigated. Emission bands corresponding to 5 D emission became more resolved with increasing nanocrystal size and changed to a typical Eu 3+ :LiNbO 3 single crystal spectrum for nanocrystals having an average size of more than 40 nm. Nonlinear optical properties of nanostructured LiNbO 3 have been confirmed by simple observation of second harmonic generation effect (SHG). The possibility of using nanostructured LiNbO 3 doped with rare-earth ions as self-doubling elements in integrated optoelectronic devices has been discussed
From Large-Scale Synthesis to Lighting Device Applications of Ternary I-III-VI Semiconductor Nanocrystals: Inspiring Greener Material Emitters.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bingkun; Pradhan, Narayan; Zhong, Haizheng

2018-01-18

Quantum dots with fabulous size-dependent and color-tunable emissions remained as one of the most exciting inventories in nanomaterials for the last 3 decades. Even though a large number of such dot nanocrystals were developed, CdSe still remained as unbeatable and highly trusted lighting nanocrystals. Beyond these, the ternary I-III-VI family of nanocrystals emerged as the most widely accepted greener materials with efficient emissions tunable in visible as well as NIR spectral windows. These bring the high possibility of their implementation as lighting materials acceptable to the community and also to the environment. Keeping these in mind, in this Perspective, the latest developments of ternary I-III-VI nanocrystals from their large-scale synthesis to device applications are presented. Incorporating ZnS, tuning the composition, mixing with other nanocrystals, and doping with Mn ions, light-emitting devices of single color as well as for generating white light emissions are also discussed. In addition, the future prospects of these materials in lighting applications are also proposed.

Vacancy-induced brittle to ductile transition of W-M co-doped Al3Ti (M=Si, Ge, Sn and Pb).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Mingke; Wu, Ping; Li, Qiulin; Xu, Ben

2017-10-25

We investigated the effect of vacancy formation on brittle (D0 22 ) to ductile (L1 2 -like) transition in Al 3 Ti using DFT calculations. The well-known pseudogap on the density of states of Al 3 Ti migrates towards its Fermi level from far above, via a W - M co-doping strategy, where M is Si, Ge, Sn or Pb respectively. In particular, by a W - M co-doping the underline electronic structure of the pseudogap approaches an octahedral (L1 2 : t 2g , e g ) from the tetragonal (D0 22 : e g , b 2g , a 1g , b 1g ) crystal field. Our calculations demonstrated that (1) a W-doping is responsible for the close up of the energy gap between a 1g and b 1g so that they tend to merge into an e g symmetry, and (2) all M-doping lead to a narrower gap between e g and b 2g (moving towards a t 2g symmetry). Thus, a brittle to ductile transition in Al 3 Ti is possible by adopting this W - M co-doping strategy. We further recommend the use of W-Pb co-doped Al 3 Ti to replace the less anodic Al electrode in Al-battery, due to its improved ductility and high Al diffusivity. Finally this study opens a new field in physics to tailor mechanical properties by manipulating electron energy level(s) towards higher symmetry via vacancy optimization.
Nanocrystal quantum dots

CERN Document Server

Klimov, Victor I

2010-01-01

""Soft"" Chemical Synthesis and Manipulation of Semiconductor Nanocrystals, J.A. Hollingsworth and V.I. Klimov Electronic Structure in Semiconductor Nanocrystals: Optical Experiment, D.J. NorrisFine Structure and Polarization Properties of Band-Edge Excitons in Semiconductor Nanocrystals, A.L. EfrosIntraband Spectroscopy and Dynamics of Colloidal Semiconductor Quantum Dots, P. Guyot-Sionnest, M. Shim, and C. WangMultiexciton Phenomena in Semiconductor Nanocrystals, V.I. KlimovOptical Dynamics in Single Semiconductor Quantum Do
Optical Spectroscopy and Visible Upconversion Studies of YVO4:Er3+ Nanocrystals Synthesized by a Hydrothermal Process

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sun, Y.; Liu, H.; Wang, X.; Kong, X.; Zhang, H.

2006-01-01

Abstract: Strong visible emissions of Er3+ resulting from two-photon absorption and energy transfer from the host YVO4 were observed in nanocrystalline Er3+-doped YVO4, which was prepared by a hydrothermal method using a citrate-yttrium-vanadate complex as the precursor. The nanocrystals were
Crystallization and memory programming characteristics of Ge-doped SbTe materials of varying Sb : Te ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Jeung-hyun; Lee, Hyun Seok; Lee, Suyoun; Lee, Taek Sung; Kim, Won Mok; Wu Zhe; Cheong, Byung-ki; Kim, Seul Cham; Oh, Kyu Hwan

2009-01-01

A phase change memory (PCM) utilizes resistivity changes accompanying fast transitions from an amorphous to a crystalline phase (SET) and vice versa (RESET). An investigation was made on the SET characteristics of PCM cells with Ge-doped SbTe (Ge-ST) materials of two different Sb : Te ratios (4.53 and 2.08). For the material of higher Sb : Te (4.53), a SET operation was completed within several tens of nanoseconds via nucleation-free crystallization whereas the material of lower Sb : Te (2.08) rendered a slower SET operation requiring several hundred nanoseconds for a nucleation-mediated crystallization. From measurements of nucleation and growth kinetics via laser-induced crystallization, the observed SET characteristics of the former case were found to derive from a growth time about 10 3 times shorter than the nucleation time and those of the latter from a much shorter nucleation time as well as a longer growth time than in the former case. The measured nucleation kinetics of the lower Sb : Te (2.08) material is unexpected from the existing data, which has led us to advance an interesting finding that there occurs a trend-reversing change in the nucleation kinetics of the Ge-ST materials around the eutectic composition (Sb : Te ∼2.6); nucleation is accelerated with the increase in the Sb : Te ratio above Sb : Te of 2.6, but with a decrease in the Sb : Te ratio below it.
High-pressure effect in spectroscopic and structural properties of Sm{sup 3+} doped GeO{sub 2}-PbO glass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rovani, Pablo Roberto; Herrera, Alvaro; Azevedo, Gustavo de Medeiros; Balzaretti, Naira Maria, E-mail: rovani.pr@gmail.com [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: The effect of densification under high pressure (7.7 GPa) on spectroscopic and structural properties of Ge{sub 2}O-PbO glass doped with Sm{sup 3+} ion were investigated. Raman spectroscopy and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) were used to investigate the effect of high pressure on the structural properties. The spectroscopic properties were investigated through the absorption and luminescence spectra recorded at room temperature The splitting in the VIS-NIR fluorescence bands increased after densification. Judd-Ofelt (J-O) theory was applied to evaluate phenomenological JO intensity parameters Ω (λ = 2, 4 and 6). The effect of high pressure on the transition probabilities (A{sub R}), radiative lifetimes (t{sub R}), branching ratio (b{sub R}) and stimulated emission cross-section s(l{sub p}) was also investigated. The results obtained from EXAFS indicated changes around the vicinity of Sm{sup 3+} ion which would explain the quenching in emission intensities in the visible range. A novel band related to the transition {sup 4}G{sub 5/2} to {sup 6}F{sub 11/2} was observed in the Sm{sup 3+} doped GeO{sub 2}-PbO. The obtained results may be useful for compact light sources, optical devices in the visible region and optoelectronic devices. (author)
Effects of dopants on the amorphous-to-fcc transition in Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Privitera, S. [R and D Department, Micro, Power, Analog (MPA) Group, STMicroelectronics, MP8, Stradale Primosole 50, 95121 Catania (Italy)]. E-mail: stefania.privitera@st.com; Rimini, E. [Istituto di Microelettronica e Microsistemi (IMM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Stradale Primosole 50, 95121 Catania (Italy); Bongiorno, C. [Istituto di Microelettronica e Microsistemi (IMM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Stradale Primosole 50, 95121 Catania (Italy); Pirovano, A. [FTM, Advanced R and D, NVMTD, STMicroelectronics, Via Olivetti 2, 20041, Agrate Brianza (Italy); Bez, R. [FTM, Advanced R and D, NVMTD, STMicroelectronics, Via Olivetti 2, 20041, Agrate Brianza (Italy)

2007-04-15

The amorphous-to-crystal transition has been studied through in situ resistance measurements in Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} thin films doped by ion implantation with nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine at different concentrations. Enhancement of the thermal stability has been observed in O and N amorphous doped Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}. Larger effects have been found in the case of nitrogen doping. On the contrary, doping with Fluorine produced a decrease in the crystallization temperature. The electrical properties have been related to the structural phase change through in situ transmission electron microscopy analysis. The comparison between undoped and doped Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} shows that the introduction of oxygen or nitrogen modifies in a different way the kinetics of the amorphous-to-fcc transition and gives new insight on the effects of doping with light elements in GeSbTe alloys.
Low-Temperature Processed Ga-Doped ZnO Coatings from Colloidal Inks

KAUST Repository

Della Gaspera, Enrico; Bersani, Marco; Cittadini, Michela; Guglielmi, Massimo; Pagani, Diego; Noriega, Rodrigo; Mehra, Saahil; Salleo, Alberto; Martucci, Alessandro

2013-01-01

We present a new colloidal synthesis of gallium-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals that are transparent in the visible and absorb in the near-infrared. Thermal decomposition of zinc stearate and gallium nitrate after hot injection of the precursors in a
Electron transport within transparent assemblies of tin-doped indium oxide colloidal nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Grisolia, J.; Decorde, N.; Gauvin, M.; Sangeetha, N. M.; Viallet, B.; Ressier, L.

2015-08-01

Stripe-like compact assemblies of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) are fabricated by stop-and-go convective self-assembly (CSA). Systematic evaluation of the electron transport mechanisms in these systems is carried out by varying the length of carboxylate ligands protecting the NCs: butanoate (C4), octanoate (C8) and oleate (C18). The interparticle edge-to-edge distance L0, along with a number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain of the coating ligand, are deduced from small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements and exhibit a linear relationship with a slope of 0.11 nm per carbon pair unit. Temperature-dependent resistance characteristics are analyzed using several electron transport models: Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping (ES-VRH), inelastic cotunneling (IC), regular island array and percolation. The analysis indicated that the first two models (ES-VRH and IC) fail to explain the observed behavior, and that only simple activated transport takes place in these systems under the experimental conditions studied (T = 300 K to 77 K). Related transport parameters were then extracted using the regular island array and percolation models. The effective tunneling decay constant βeff of the ligands and the Coulomb charging energy EC are found to be around 5.5 nm-1 and 25 meV, respectively, irrespective of ligand lengths. The theoretical tunneling decay constant β calculated using the percolation model is in the range 9 nm-1. Electromechanical tests on the ITO nanoparticle assemblies indicate that their sensitivities are as high as ˜30 and remain the same regardless of ligand lengths, which is in agreement with the constant effective βeff extracted from regular island array and percolation models.
First-principles study of nitrogen doping in cubic and amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5

Science.gov (United States)

Caravati, S.; Colleoni, D.; Mazzarello, R.; Kühne, T. D.; Krack, M.; Bernasconi, M.; Parrinello, M.

2011-07-01

We investigated the structural, electronic and vibrational properties of amorphous and cubic Ge2Sb2Te5 doped with N at 4.2 at.% by means of large scale ab initio simulations. Nitrogen can be incorporated in molecular form in both the crystalline and amorphous phases at a moderate energy cost. In contrast, insertion of N in the atomic form is very energetically costly in the crystalline phase, though it is still possible in the amorphous phase. These results support the suggestion that N segregates at the grain boundaries during the crystallization of the amorphous phase, resulting in a reduction in size of the crystalline grains and an increased crystallization temperature.
Growth and evolution of nickel germanide nanostructures on Ge(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grzela, T; Capellini, G; Schubert, M A; Schroeder, T; Koczorowski, W; Czajka, R; Curson, N J; Heidmann, I; Schmidt, Th; Falta, J

2015-01-01

Nickel germanide is deemed an excellent material system for low resistance contact formation for future Ge device modules integrated into mainstream, Si-based integrated circuit technologies. In this study, we present a multi-technique experimental study on the formation processes of nickel germanides on Ge(001). We demonstrate that room temperature deposition of ∼1 nm of Ni on Ge(001) is realized in the Volmer–Weber growth mode. Subsequent thermal annealing results first in the formation of a continuous Ni_xGe_y wetting layer featuring well-defined terrace morphology. Upon increasing the annealing temperature to 300 °C, we observed the onset of a de-wetting process, characterized by the appearance of voids on the Ni_xGe_y terraces. Annealing above 300 °C enhances this de-wetting process and the surface evolves gradually towards the formation of well-ordered, rectangular Ni_xGe_y 3D nanostructures. Annealing up to 500 °C induces an Ostwald ripening phenomenon, with smaller nanoislands disappearing and larger ones increasing their size. Subsequent annealing to higher temperatures drives the Ni-germanide diffusion into the bulk and the consequent formation of highly ordered, {111} faceted Ni-Ge nanocrystals featuring an epitaxial relationship with the substrate Ni-Ge (101); (010) || Ge(001); (110). (paper)
Ge-on-insulator tunneling FET with abrupt source junction formed by utilizing snowplow effect of NiGe

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumura, Ryo; Katoh, Takumi; Takaguchi, Ryotaro; Takenaka, Mitsuru; Takagi, Shinichi

2018-04-01

Tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs) attract much attention for use in realizing next-generation low-power processors. In particular, Ge-on-insulator (GOI) TFETs are expected to realize low power operation with a high on-current/off-current (I on/I off) ratio, owing to their narrow bandgap. Here, to improve the performance of GOI-TFETs, a source junction with a high doping concentration and an abrupt impurity profile is essential. In this study, a snowplow effect of NiGe combined with low-energy BF2 + implantation has been investigated to realize an abrupt p+/n Ge junction for GOI n-channel TFETs. By optimizing the Ni thickness to form NiGe (thickness: 4 nm), an abrupt junction with a B profile abruptness of ˜5 nm/dec has been realized with a high doping concentration of around 1021 cm-3. The operation of GOI n-TFETs with this source junction having the abrupt B profile has been demonstrated, and the improvement of TFET properties such as the I on/I off ratio from 311 to 743 and the subthreshold slope from 368 to 239 mV/dec has been observed. This junction formation technology is attractive for enhancing the TFET performance.
Effect of high-temperature annealing on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of GaP doped SiGe. M.S. Thesis

Science.gov (United States)

Draper, Susan L.

1987-01-01

Annealing of GaP doped SiGe will significantly alter the thermoelectric properties of the material resulting in increased performance as measured by the figure of merit Z and the power factor P. The microstructures and corresponding thermoelectric properties after annealing in the 1100 to 1300 C temperature range have been examined to correlate performance improvement with annealing history. The figure of merit and power factor were both improved by homogenizing the material and limiting the amount of cross-doping. Annealing at 1215 C for 100 hr resulted in the best combination of thermoelectric properties with a resultant figure of merit exceeding 1x10 to the -3 deg C to the -1 and a power factor of 44 microW/cm/deg C sq for the temperature range of interest for space power: 400 to 1000 C.
Unusual broadening of the NIR luminescence of Er{sup 3+}-doped Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanocrystals embedded in silica host: Preparation and their structural and spectroscopic study for photonics applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aquino, Felipe Thomaz; Pereira, Rafael R. [Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil); Ferrari, Jefferson Luis [Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil); Grupo de Pesquisa em Química de Materiais – (GPQM), Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Dom Bosco, Praça Dom Helvécio, 74, 36301-160 São João Del Rei, MG (Brazil); Ribeiro, Sidney José Lima [Laboratório de Materiais Fotônicos, Instituto de Química, UNESP, Caixa Postal 355, 14801-970 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Ferrier, Alban; Goldner, Philippe [Chimie-Paristech, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, CNRS-UMR 7574, UPMC Univ Paris 06, 11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); and others

2014-10-15

This paper reports on the preparation of novel sol-gel erbium-doped SiO{sub 2}-based nanocomposites embedded with Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanocrystals fabricated using a bottom-up method and describes their structural, morphological, and luminescence characterization. To prepare the glass ceramics, we synthesized xerogels containing Si/Nb molar ratios of 90:10 up to 50:50 at room temperature, followed by annealing at 900, 1000, or 1100 °C for 10 h. We identified crystallization accompanying host densification in all the nanocomposites with orthorhombic (T-phase) or monoclinic (M-phase) Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanocrystals dispersed in the amorphous SiO{sub 2} phase, depending on the niobium content and annealing temperature. A high-intensity broadband emission in the near-infrared region assigned to the {sup 4}I{sub 13/2} → {sup 4}I{sub 15/2} transition of the Er{sup 3+} ions was registered for all the nanocomposites. The shape and the bandwidth changed with the Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} crystalline phase, with values achieving up to 81 nm. Er{sup 3+} ions were located mainly in Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}-rich regions, and the complex structure of the different Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} polymorphs accounted for the broadening in the emission spectra. The materials containing the T-phase, displayed higher luminescence intensity, longer {sup 4}I{sub 13/2} lifetime and broader bandwidth. In conclusion, these nanostructured materials are potential candidates for photonic applications like optical amplifiers and WDM devices operating in the S, C, and L telecommunication bands. - Highlights: • Rare earth doped Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanocrystals prepared from a bottom-up approach. • Unusual broadband NIR emission in glass ceramic system. • Structural features tuning the luminescence properties. • Potential as optical amplifiers and WDM devices. • Photonic devices operating in the S, C, and L telecommunication.
Influence of Ti addition on the room temperature ferromagnetism of tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) nanocrystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakthiraj, K.; Balachandrakumar, K., E-mail: dkbaldr@gmail.com

2015-12-01

Nano-crystalline Sn{sub 1−x}Ti{sub x}O{sub 2} (x=0.00, 0.02, 0.05 and 0.07) particles were synthesized by the sol–gel method without any surfactant and dispersant material. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern shows the formation of the tetragonal rutile phase structure for the undoped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticle and Ti doping does not alter the structure of undoped tin oxide. Due to quantum confinement effect, a larger optical band gap for as-synthesized materials was found. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) result demonstrates the undoped and 2% Ti doped SnO{sub 2} samples exhibit perfect room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) but 5% and 7% of Ti doped samples show a weak ferromagnetism with diamagnetic contribution. The ferromagnetic property of the material was initiated with the help of oxygen vacancy. The amount of oxygen vacancy present in the samples were identified from the photoluminescence spectra and the value of oxygen vacancy decreased with increasing Ti concentration. - Highlights: • Pure Ti doped and undoped SnO{sub 2} nanocrystal were prepared using sol–gel method. • Oxygen vacancy induced RTFM was observed in SnO{sub 2} nanostructures. • Higher amount of ferromagnetism was detected in pristine SnO{sub 2} nanocrystal. • Ferromagnetic property was decreased with increasing Ti concentration. • Redshift of energy band gap was noted with increasing Ti content.
Heteroepitaxial Ge-on-Si by DC magnetron sputtering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Steglich

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The growth of Ge on Si(100 by DC Magnetron Sputtering at various temperatures is studied by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Smooth heteroepitaxial Ge films are prepared at relatively low temperatures of 380°C. Typical Stransky-Krastanov growth is observed at 410°C. At lower temperatures (320°C, films are essentially amorphous with isolated nanocrystallites at the Si-Ge interface. A minor oxygen contamination at the interface, developing after ex-situ oxide removal, is not seen to hinder epitaxy. Compensation of dislocation-induced acceptors in Ge by sputtering from n-doped targets is proposed.
Highly transparent and conductive Sn/F and Al co-doped ZnO thin films prepared by sol–gel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Zhanchang; Luo, Junming; Tian, Xinlong; Wu, Shoukun; Chen, Chun; Deng, Jianfeng; Xiao, Chumin; Hu, Guanghui; Wei, Zhigang

2014-01-01

Highlights: • F/Sn and Al co-doped ZnO thin films were synthesized by sol–gel method. • The co-doped nanocrystals exhibit good crystal quality. • The origin of the photoluminescence emissions was discussed. • The films showed high transmittance and low resistivity. -- Abstract: Al doped ZnO, Al–Sn co-doped ZnO and Al–F co-doped ZnO nanocrystals were successfully synthesized onto glass substrates by the sol–gel method. The structure and morphology of the films are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results indicated that all the films were polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and exhibited a c-axis preferred orientation. The electrical and optical properties were also investigated by 4-point probe device and Uv–vis spectroscopy, room temperature photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectrum (Raman), respectively. The PL and Raman results suggested that the co-doped films with a very low defect concentration and exhibit a better crystallinity than AZO thin films. The XPS study confirmed the incorporation of Al, Sn and F ions in the ZnO lattice
Approaches to contactless optical thermometer in the NIR spectral range based on Nd{sup 3+} doped crystalline nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaldvee, K.; Nefedova, A.V. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi st. 1, Tartu 50411 (Estonia); Fedorenko, S.G. [Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Vanetsev, A.S. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi st. 1, Tartu 50411 (Estonia); Prokhorov General Physics Institute RAS, Vavilov st. 38, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Orlovskaya, E.O. [Prokhorov General Physics Institute RAS, Vavilov st. 38, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Puust, L.; Pärs, M.; Sildos, I. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi st. 1, Tartu 50411 (Estonia); Ryabova, A.V. [Prokhorov General Physics Institute RAS, Vavilov st. 38, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); National Research Nuclear University Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Kashirskoe Highway, 31, Moscow 115409 (Russian Federation); Orlovskii, Yu.V., E-mail: orlovski@Lst.gpi.ru [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi st. 1, Tartu 50411 (Estonia); Prokhorov General Physics Institute RAS, Vavilov st. 38, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation)

2017-03-15

The fluorescence kinetics and spectral intensity ratio (FIR) methods for contactless optical temperature measurement in the NIR spectral range with Nd{sup 3+} doped YAG micro- and YPO{sub 4} nanocrystals are considered and the problems are revealed. The requirements for good temperature RE doped crystalline nanoparticles sensor are formulated.
Electronic states and phonon properties of Ge{sub x}Si{sub 1−x} nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, P.Q. [Department of Applied Physics, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816 (China); National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Liu, L.Z. [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Yang, Y.M. [Department of Physics, Southern University, Nanjing 210096 (China); Wu, X.L., E-mail: hkxlwu@nju.edu.cn [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Department of Physics, NingBo University, NingBo 3153001 (China)

2015-07-15

Ge{sub x}Si{sub 1−x} nanostructures that can be manipulated through size reduction, geometry variation, and alloying, are considered as one of the key developments for next generation technologies, due to their easy processing, unique properties, and compatibility with the existent silicon-based microelectronic industry. In this review, we have thoroughly discussed the major advances in electronic structures and phonon properties of Ge{sub x}Si{sub 1−x} nanocrystals (NCs). Experimental and theoretical characterization related to several main factors, for example, size, composition, strain, temperature, and interface and surface were presented with special emphasis in low-frequency Raman scattering. Current difficulties in explaining the Raman spectra are the assignment of the low-frequency modes because of the complexity of the environment around the NCs, thus different theoretical models are introduced in detail to deal with different properties of Ge{sub x}Si{sub 1−x} alloy NCs including Lamb’s theory, complex-frequency (CF) model, core–shell matrix (CMS) model and spatial coherence effect model. - Highlights: • Major advances in electronic structures and phonon properties of Ge{sub x}Si{sub 1−x} nanocrystals are discussed thoroughly. • Experimental and theoretical characterization related to size, composition, strain, temperature, and interface/surface are elucidated. • Low-frequency Raman spectra are specially described based on spatial coherence effect model.
A zero density change phase change memory material: GeTe-O structural characteristics upon crystallisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xilin; Dong, Weiling; Zhang, Hao; Simpson, Robert E

2015-06-11

Oxygen-doped germanium telluride phase change materials are proposed for high temperature applications. Up to 8 at.% oxygen is readily incorporated into GeTe, causing an increased crystallisation temperature and activation energy. The rhombohedral structure of the GeTe crystal is preserved in the oxygen doped films. For higher oxygen concentrations the material is found to phase separate into GeO2 and TeO2, which inhibits the technologically useful abrupt change in properties. Increasing the oxygen content in GeTe-O reduces the difference in film thickness and mass density between the amorphous and crystalline states. For oxygen concentrations between 5 and 6 at.%, the amorphous material and the crystalline material have the same density. Above 6 at.% O doping, crystallisation exhibits an anomalous density change, where the volume of the crystalline state is larger than that of the amorphous. The high thermal stability and zero-density change characteristic of Oxygen-incorporated GeTe, is recommended for efficient and low stress phase change memory devices that may operate at elevated temperatures.
Silver environment and covalent network rearrangement in GeS3–Ag glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rátkai, L; Jóvári, P; Kaban, I; Wágner, T; Kolář, J; Valková, S; Voleská, Iva; Beuneu, B

2013-01-01

The structure of Ag-doped GeS 3 glasses (0, 15, 20, 25 at.% Ag) was investigated by diffraction techniques and extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements. Structural models were obtained by fitting the experimental datasets simultaneously by the reverse Monte Carlo simulation technique. It is observed that Ge has mostly S neighbours in GeS 3 , but Ge–Ge bonds appear already at 15% Ag content. Sulfur has ∼2 S/Ge neighbours over the whole concentration range, while the S–Ag coordination number increases with increasing Ag content. Ag–Ag pairs can already be found at 15% Ag. The Ag–S mean coordination number changes from 2.17 ± 0.2 to 2.86 ± 0.2 between 15% and 25% Ag content. Unlike the As–S network in AsS 2 –25Ag glass, the Ge–S network is not fragmented upon Ag-doping of GeS 3 glass. (paper)

First principles study of the ground state properties of Si, Ga, and Ge doped Fe50Al50

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Carlos Ariel Samudio; dos Santos, Antonio Vanderlei

2018-06-01

The first principles calculation of the structural, electronic and associated properties of the Fe50Al50 alloy (B2 phase) doped by s-p elements (Im = Si, Ga, and Ge) are performed as a function of the atomic concentration on the basis of the Full Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method as implemented in the WIEN2k code. The Al substitution by Im (Si and Ge) atoms (principally at a concentration of 6.25 at%) induces a pronounced redistribution of the electronic charge leading to a strong Fe-Im interaction with covalent bonding character. At the same time, decrease the lattice volume (V) while increase the bulk modulus (B). For the alloys containing Ga, the Fe-Ga interaction is also observed but the V and B of the alloy are very near to that of pure Fe-Al alloy. The magnetic moment and hyperfine parameters observed at the lattice sites of studied alloys also show variations, they increase or decrease in relation to that in Fe50Al50 according to the Im that substitutes Al.
Cr-doped Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} for ultra-long data retention phase change memory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Qing; Xia, Yangyang; Zheng, Yonghui; Zhang, Qi [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Nanofabrication Technology for Memory, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Liu, Bo, E-mail: liubo@mail.sim.ac.cn; Song, Sannian; Cheng, Yan; Song, Zhitang; Feng, Songlin [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Nanofabrication Technology for Memory, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Huo, Ruru [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Nanofabrication Technology for Memory, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 200031 (China)

2015-11-30

Phase change memory is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation non-volatile memory. Its storage medium, phase change material, has attracted continuous exploration. Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (GST) is the most popular phase change material, but its thermal stability needs to be improved when used in some fields at high temperature (more than 120 °C). In this paper, we doped Cr atoms into GST and obtained Cr{sub 10}(Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}){sub 90} (labeled as Cr-GST) with high thermal stability. For Cr-GST film, the sheet resistance ratio between amorphous and crystalline states is high up to 3 orders of magnitude. The crystalline Cr-GST film inherits the phase structure of GST, with metastable face-centered cubic phase and/or stable hexagonal phase. The doped Cr atoms not only bond with other atoms but also help to improve the anti-oxidation property of Cr-GST. As for the amorphous thermal stability, the calculated temperature for 10-year-data-retention of Cr-GST film, based on the Arrhenius equation, is about 180 °C. The threshold current and threshold voltage of a cell based on Cr-GST are about 6 μA and 2.7 V. The cell could be operated by suitable voltages for more than 40 000 cycles. Thus, Cr-GST is proved to be a promising phase change material with ultra-long data retention.
Ge-on-Si : Single-Crystal Selective Epitaxial Growth in a CVD Reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sammak, A.; De Boer, W.B.; Nanver, L.K.

2012-01-01

A standard Si/SiGe ASM CVD reactor that was recently modified for merging GaAs and Si epitaxial growth in one system is utilized to achieve intrinsic and doped epitaxial Ge-on-Si with low threading dislocation and defect densities. For this purpose, the system is equipped with 2% diluted GeH4 as the
Development of high responsivity Ge:Ga photoconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haegel, N.M.; Hueschen, M.R.; Haller, E.E.

1984-06-01

Czochralski-grown gallium-doped germanium (Ge:Ga) single crystal samples with a compensation of 10 -4 have been modified by the indiffusion of Cu to produce photoconductors which provide NEPs comparable to current optimum Ge:Ga detectors, but exhibit responsivities a factor of 5 to 6 times higher when tested at a background photon flux of 10 8 photons/sec at lambda=93 μm. The introduction of Cu, a triple acceptor in Ge which acts as a neutral scattering center, reduces carrier mobility and extends the breakdown field significantly in this ultra-low compensation material
Three-dimensional fabrication and characterisation of core-shell nano-columns using electron beam patterning of Ge-doped SiO2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gontard, Lionel C.; Jinschek, Joerg R.; Ou, Haiyan

2012-01-01

electron tomography. The results show that transformations in insulators that have been subjected to intense irradiation using charged particles can be studied directly in three dimensions. The fabricated structures include core-shell nano-columns, sputtered regions, voids, and clusters. (C) 2012 American......A focused electron beam in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is used to create arrays of core-shell structures in a specimen of amorphous SiO2 doped with Ge. The same electron microscope is then used to measure the changes that occurred in the specimen in three dimensions using...
Nanocrystals Technology for Pharmaceutical Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Zhongyao; Lian, Yumei; Kamal, Zul; Ma, Xin; Chen, Jianjun; Zhou, Xinbo; Su, Jing; Qiu, Mingfeng

2018-05-17

Nanocrystals technology is a promising method for improving the dissolution rate and enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. In recent years, it has been developing rapidly and applied to drug research and engineering. Nanocrystal drugs can be formulated into various dosage forms. This review mainly focused on the nanocrystals technology and its application in pharmaceutical science. Firstly, different preparation methods of nanocrystal technology and the characterization of nanocrystal drugs are briefly described. Secondly, the application of nanocrystals technology in pharmaceutical science is mainly discussed followed by the introduction of sustained release formulations. Then, the scaling up process, marketed nanocrystal drug products and regulatory aspects about nanodrugs are summarized. Finally, the specific challenges and opportunities of nanocrystals technology for pharmaceutical science are summarized and discussed. This review will provide a comprehensive guide for scientists and engineers in the field of pharmaceutical science and biochemical engineering. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.
Advances in spectral conversion for photovoltaics: up-converting Er3+ doped YF3 nano-crystals in transparent glass ceramic

Science.gov (United States)

Marques-Hueso, Jose; Chen, Daqin; MacDougall, Sean K. W.; Wang, Yuansheng; Richards, Bryce S.

2011-09-01

Up- and down-conversion (UC, DC) constitute two singular routes to achieve improved energy harvesting of sunlight by changing its shape of the solar spectrum. To obtain a significant conversion rate two main challenges have to be overcome: i) the excited lanthanide ions have to emit efficiently, a target which has been better accomplished for DC materials; ii) the absorption in the lanthanide-based UC and DC layers has to be high to ensure a sizeable fraction of photons can be harvested. In this paper, we review such materials and their use as spectral converters for photovoltaics (PV), paying special attention to the UC and DC processes in lanthanide glasses in fluoride matrices. We discuss the challenges that need to be overcome in order to implement these materials in real PV devices. Finally, we will present the synthesis of erbium (Er3+) doped YF3 nano-crystals embedded in transparent glass ceramic (TGC) by melt quenching. This material presents a low phonon energy environment for the Er3+ ions due to the fluoride crystals, while the silica glass provides chemical and mechanical stability to the compound.
Aqueous phase synthesis of upconversion nanocrystals through layer-by-layer epitaxial growth for in vivo X-ray computed tomography

KAUST Repository

Li, Feifei

2013-05-21

Lanthanide-doped core-shell upconversion nanocrystals (UCNCs) have tremendous potential for applications in many fields, especially in bio-imaging and medical therapy. As core-shell UCNCs are mostly synthesized in organic solvents, tedious organic-aqueous phase transfer processes are usually needed for their use in bio-applications. Herein, we demonstrate the first example of one-step synthesis of highly luminescent core-shell UCNCs in the "aqueous" phase under mild conditions using innocuous reagents. A microwave-assisted approach allowed for layer-by-layer epitaxial growth of a hydrophilic NaGdF4 shell on NaYF4:Yb, Er cores. During this process, surface defects of the nanocrystals could be gradually passivated by the homogeneous shell deposition, resulting in obvious enhancement in the overall upconversion emission efficiency. In addition, the up-down conversion dual-mode luminescent NaYF4:Yb, Er@NaGdF4:Ce, Ln (Eu, Tb, Sm, Dy) nanocrystals were also synthesized to further validate the successful formation of the core-shell structure. More significantly, based on their superior solubility and stability in water solution, high upconversion efficiency and Gd-doped predominant X-ray absorption, the as-prepared NaYF4:Yb, Er@NaGdF4 core-shell UCNCs exhibited high contrast in in vitro cell imaging and in vivo X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging, demonstrating great potential as multiplexed luminescent biolabels and CT contrast agents.
Synthesis of nanocrystalline LaF3 doped silica glasses by hydrofluoric acid catalyzed sol–gel process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagayama, Shuhei; Kajihara, Koichi; Kanamura, Kiyoshi

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Silica glasses doped by LaF 3 nanocrystals are obtained by HF-catalyzed sol–gel method. ► The processing time (∼1 week) is much shorter than that of previous studies. ► The uptake of SiF groups in the glass matrix greatly reduces the SiOH concentration. ► Effects of sintering conditions and properties of Er 3+ -doped samples are presented. - Abstract: Silica glasses doped with LaF 3 nanocrystals were prepared by HF-catalyzed sol–gel method. HF was used both as fluorine source and as catalyst of the sol–gel reaction, making it possible to shorten the processing time with reducing the concentration of SiOH groups to ∼10 18 cm −3 . The resultant glasses are transparent at visible spectral range, and the optical loss at the ultraviolet absorption edge is dominated by the Rayleigh scattering from LaF 3 crystallites. The size of LaF 3 crystallites increases with an increase in the sintering temperature and time, and is smaller than ∼40 nm in samples showing good visible transparency. Green upconversion photoluminescence is observed in an Er 3+ -doped sample under excitation at 980 nm.
2-μm optical time domain reflectometry measurements from novel Al-, Ge-, CaAlSi- doped and standard single-mode fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Novelo, J. C.; Sanchez-Nieves, J. A.; Sierra-Calderon, A.; Sanchez-Lara, R.; Alvarez-Chavez, J. A.

2017-08-01

The development of novel Al-, Ge- doped and un-doped standard single mode fibers for future optical communication at 2μm requires the integration of, among other pieces of equipment, an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) technique for precise spectral attenuation characterization, including the well-known cut-back method. The integration of a state of the art OTDR at 2μm could provide valuable attenuation information from the aforementioned novel fibers. The proposed setup consists of a 1.7 mW, 1960nm pump source, a 30 dB gain Thulium doped fibre amplifier at 2μm, an 0.8mm focal length lens with a 0.5 NA, a 30 MHz acusto-optic modulator, a 3.1 focal length lens with a 0.68NA, an optical circulator at 2μm, an InGaAs photodetector for 1.2 nm-2.6 nm range, a voltage amplifier and an oscilloscope. The propagated pulse rate is 50 KHz, with 500 ns, 200 ns, 100 ns and 50 ns pulse widths. Attenuation versus novel fibers types for lengths ranging from 400- to 1000- meter samples were obtained using the proposed setup.
Water activated doping and transport in multilayered germanane crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, Justin R; Johnston-Halperin, Ezekiel; Chitara, Basant; Cultrara, Nicholas D; Arguilla, Maxx Q; Jiang, Shishi; Fan, Fan; Goldberger, Joshua E

2016-01-01

The synthesis of germanane (GeH) has opened the door for covalently functionalizable 2D materials in electronics. Herein, we demonstrate that GeH can be electronically doped by incorporating stoichiometric equivalents of phosphorus dopant atoms into the CaGe 2 precursor. The electronic properties of these doped materials show significant atmospheric sensitivity, and we observe a reduction in resistance by up to three orders of magnitude when doped samples are measured in water-containing atmospheres. This variation in resistance is a result of water activation of the phosphorus dopants. Transport measurements in different contact geometries show a significant anisotropy between in-plane and out-of-plane resistances, with a much larger out-of-plane resistance. These measurements along with finite element modeling results predict that the current distribution in top-contacted crystals is restricted to only the topmost, water activated crystal layers. Taken together, these results pave the way for future electronic and optoelectronic applications utilizing group IV graphane analogues. (paper)
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
Thermoluminescence study of aluminium oxide doped germanium prepared by combustion synthesis method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saharin Nurul Syazlin Binti

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The present paper reports the optimum concentration of germanium (Ge dopant in aluminium oxide (AhO3 samples prepared by combustion synthesis (CS method for thermoluminescence (TL studies. The samples were prepared at various Ge concentration i.e. 1 to 5% mol. The phase formation of un-doped and Ge-doped Al2O3 samples was determined using X-ray Diffraction (XRD. The sharp peaks present in the XRD pattern confirms the crystallinity of the samples. The samples were then exposed to 50 Gy Cobalt-60 sources (Gamma cell 220. TL glow curves were measured and recorded using a Harshaw Model 3500 TLD reader. Comparison of TL peaks were observed to obtain the best composition of Ge dopants. A simple glow curves TL peak at around 175̊C for all composition samples was observed. It was also found that the composition of aluminium oxide doped with 3.0% of germanium exhibits the highest thermoluminescence (TL intensity which is 349747.04 (a.u.
The Role of Dopant Ions on Charge Injection and Transport in Electrochemically Doped Quantum Dot Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Gudjonsdottir, Solrun; van der Stam, Ward; Kirkwood, Nicholas; Evers, Wiel H; Houtepen, Arjan J

2018-05-16

Control over the charge density is very important for implementation of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals into various optoelectronic applications. A promising approach to dope nanocrystal assemblies is charge injection by electrochemistry, in which the charge compensating electrolyte ions can be regarded as external dopant ions. To gain insight into the doping mechanism and the role of the external dopant ions, we investigate charge injection in ZnO nanocrystal assemblies for a large series of charge compensating electrolyte ions with spectroelectrochemical and electrochemical transistor measurements. We show that charge injection is limited by the diffusion of cations in the nanocrystal films as their diffusion coefficient are found to be ∼7 orders of magnitude lower than those of electrons. We further show that the rate of charge injection depends strongly on the cation size and cation concentration. Strikingly, the onset of electron injection varies up to 0.4 V, depending on the size of the electrolyte cation. For the small ions Li + and Na + the onset is at significantly less negative potentials. For larger ions (K + , quaternary ammonium ions) the onset is always at the same, more negative potential, suggesting that intercalation may take place for Li + and Na + . Finally, we show that the nature of the charge compensating cation does not affect the source-drain electronic conductivity and mobility, indicating that shallow donor levels from intercalating ions fully hybridize with the quantum confined energy levels and that the reorganization energy due to intercalating ions does not strongly affect electron transport in these nanocrystal assemblies.
The Role of Dopant Ions on Charge Injection and Transport in Electrochemically Doped Quantum Dot Films

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Control over the charge density is very important for implementation of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals into various optoelectronic applications. A promising approach to dope nanocrystal assemblies is charge injection by electrochemistry, in which the charge compensating electrolyte ions can be regarded as external dopant ions. To gain insight into the doping mechanism and the role of the external dopant ions, we investigate charge injection in ZnO nanocrystal assemblies for a large series of charge compensating electrolyte ions with spectroelectrochemical and electrochemical transistor measurements. We show that charge injection is limited by the diffusion of cations in the nanocrystal films as their diffusion coefficient are found to be ∼7 orders of magnitude lower than those of electrons. We further show that the rate of charge injection depends strongly on the cation size and cation concentration. Strikingly, the onset of electron injection varies up to 0.4 V, depending on the size of the electrolyte cation. For the small ions Li+ and Na+ the onset is at significantly less negative potentials. For larger ions (K+, quaternary ammonium ions) the onset is always at the same, more negative potential, suggesting that intercalation may take place for Li+ and Na+. Finally, we show that the nature of the charge compensating cation does not affect the source-drain electronic conductivity and mobility, indicating that shallow donor levels from intercalating ions fully hybridize with the quantum confined energy levels and that the reorganization energy due to intercalating ions does not strongly affect electron transport in these nanocrystal assemblies. PMID:29718666
High-performance flexible resistive memory devices based on Al2O3:GeOx composite

Science.gov (United States)

Behera, Bhagaban; Maity, Sarmistha; Katiyar, Ajit K.; Das, Samaresh

2018-05-01

In this study a resistive switching random access memory device using Al2O3:GeOx composite thin films on flexible substrate is presented. A bipolar switching characteristic was observed for the co-sputter deposited Al2O3:GeOx composite thin films. Al/Al2O3:GeOx/ITO/PET memory device shows excellent ON/OFF ratio (∼104) and endurance (>500 cycles). GeOx nanocrystals embedded in the Al2O3 matrix have been found to play a significant role in enhancing the switching characteristics by facilitating oxygen vacancy formation. Mechanical endurance was retained even after several bending. The conduction mechanism of the device was qualitatively discussed by considering Ohmic and SCLC conduction. This flexible device is a potential candidate for next-generation electronics device.
Solution-Processed Inorganic Thin Film Transistors Fabricated from Butylamine-Capped Indium-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pham, Hien Thu; Jeong, Hyundam [Chonnam National Univ., Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

2014-02-15

Indium-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals (IZO NCs), capped with stearic acid (SA) of different sizes, were synthesized using a hot injection method in a noncoordinating solvent 1-octadecene (ODE). The ligand exchange process was employed to modify the surface of IZO NCs by replacing the longer-chain ligand of stearic acid with the shorter-chain ligand of butylamine (BA). It should be noted that the ligand-exchange percentage was observed to be 75%. The change of particle size, morphology, and crystal structures were obtained using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction pattern results. In our study, the 5 nm and 10 nm IZO NCs capped with stearic acid (SA-IZO) were ligand-exchanged with butylamine (BA), and were then spin-coated on a thermal oxide (SiO{sub 2}) gate insulator to fabricate a thin film transistor (TFT) device. The films were then annealed at various temperatures: 350 .deg. C, 400 .deg. C, 500 .deg. C, and 600 .deg. C. All samples showed semiconducting behavior and exhibited n-channel TFT{sup -} Curing temperature dependent on mobility was observed. Interestingly, mobility decreases with the increasing size of NCs from 5 to 10 nm. Miller-Abrahams hopping formalism was employed to explain the hopping mechanism insight our IZO NC films. By focusing on the effect of size, different curing temperatures, electron coupling, tunneling rate, and inter-NC separation, we found that the decrease in electron mobility for larger NCs was due to smaller electronic coupling.
Growth and evolution of nickel germanide nanostructures on Ge(001).

Science.gov (United States)

Grzela, T; Capellini, G; Koczorowski, W; Schubert, M A; Czajka, R; Curson, N J; Heidmann, I; Schmidt, Th; Falta, J; Schroeder, T

2015-09-25

Nickel germanide is deemed an excellent material system for low resistance contact formation for future Ge device modules integrated into mainstream, Si-based integrated circuit technologies. In this study, we present a multi-technique experimental study on the formation processes of nickel germanides on Ge(001). We demonstrate that room temperature deposition of ∼1 nm of Ni on Ge(001) is realized in the Volmer-Weber growth mode. Subsequent thermal annealing results first in the formation of a continuous NixGey wetting layer featuring well-defined terrace morphology. Upon increasing the annealing temperature to 300 °C, we observed the onset of a de-wetting process, characterized by the appearance of voids on the NixGey terraces. Annealing above 300 °C enhances this de-wetting process and the surface evolves gradually towards the formation of well-ordered, rectangular NixGey 3D nanostructures. Annealing up to 500 °C induces an Ostwald ripening phenomenon, with smaller nanoislands disappearing and larger ones increasing their size. Subsequent annealing to higher temperatures drives the Ni-germanide diffusion into the bulk and the consequent formation of highly ordered, {111} faceted Ni-Ge nanocrystals featuring an epitaxial relationship with the substrate Ni-Ge (101); (010) || Ge(001); (110).
Origin and chemical composition of the amorphous material from the intergrain pores of self-assembled cubic ZnS:Mn nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Stefan, Mariana; Vlaicu, Ioana Dorina; Nistor, Leona Cristina; Ghica, Daniela; Nistor, Sergiu Vasile

2017-12-01

We have shown in previous investigations that the low temperature collective magnetism observed in mesoporous cubic ZnS:Mn nanocrystalline powders prepared by colloidal synthesis, with nominal doping concentrations above 0.2 at.%, is due to the formation of Mn2+ clusters with distributed antiferromagnetic coupling localized in an amorphous phase found between the cubic ZnS:Mn nanocrystals. Here we investigate the composition, origin and thermal annealing behavior of this amorphous phase in such a mesoporous ZnS:Mn sample doped with 5 at.% Mn nominal concentration. Correlated analytical transmission electron microscopy, multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy data show that the amorphous nanomaterial consists of unreacted precursor hydrated zinc and manganese acetates trapped inside the pores and on the surface of the cubic ZnS nanocrystals. The decomposition of the acetates under isochronal annealing up to 270 °C, where the mesoporous structure is still preserved, lead to changes in the nature and strength of the magnetic interactions between the aggregated Mn2+ ions. These results strongly suggest the possibility to modulate the magnetic properties of such transition metal ions doped II-VI mesoporous structures by varying the synthesis conditions and/or by post-synthesis thermochemical treatments.

Crystal phase transition in LixNa1-xGdF4 solid solution nanocrystals - Tuning of optical properties

KAUST Repository

Bański, Mateusz

2014-01-01

The influence of precursor composition on the crystallization of LixNa1-xGdF4 is investigated and discussed. Nanocrystals are prepared from the thermal decomposition of trifluoroacetates in the presence of trioctylphosphine oxide to provide control over particle size. A crystal phase transition from hexagonal to cubic and to tetragonal is observed by increasing lithium trifluoroacetate (Li-TFA) in the solution. Controlling the composition of LixNa1-xGdF4 nanocrystals results in modified crystal field symmetry and emission properties from doped europium (Eu3+) ions. We report that for lithium (Li+) substitution <15%, the hexagonal crystal field is preferred, while the Eu3+ emission is already tuned, whereas at higher Li+ substitution, a phase change takes place and the number of crystalline matrix defects increases which is reflected in the optical properties of Eu3+. From Eu3+ emission properties, the optimum Li+ content is determined to be ∼6.2% in the prepared LixNa1-xGdF4 nanocrystals.
Effect of B, N, Ge, Sn, K doping on electronic-transport properties of (5, 0) zigzag carbon nanotube

Science.gov (United States)

Kamalian, Monir; Seyed Jalili, Yousef; Abbasi, Afshin

2018-04-01

In this paper the effect of impurity on the electronic properties and quantum conductance of zigzag (5, 0) carbon nanotube have been studied by using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) combined with Non-Equilibrium Green’s Function (NEGF) formalism with TranSIESTA software. The effect of Boron (B), Nitrogen (N), Germanium (Ge), Tin (Sn) and Potassium (K) impurities on the CNT conduction behavior and physical characteristics, like density of states (DOS), band structure, transmission coefficients and quantum conductance was considered and discussed simultaneously. The current‑voltage (I‑V) curves of all the proposed models were studied for comparative study under low-bias conditions. The distinct changes in conductance reported as the positions, number and type of dopants was varied in central region of the CNT between two electrodes at different bias voltages. This suggested conductance enhancement mechanism for the charge transport in the doped CNT at different positions is important for the design of CNT based nanoelectronic devices. The results show that Germanium, Tin and Potassium dopant atoms has increased the conductance of the model manifold than other doping atoms furthermore 10 Boron and 10 Nitrogen dopant atoms showed the amazing property of Negative Differential Resistance (NDR).
Surface segregation of Ge during Si growth on Ge/Si(0 0 1) at low temperature observed by high-resolution RBS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, K.; Hosaka, N.; Hattori, T.; Kimura, K.

2002-01-01

The Si/Ge/Si(0 0 1) multilayer with about 1 ML Ge layer is fabricated by evaporating Si overlayer on a Ge/Si(0 0 1) surface at 20-300 deg. C. The depth profile of the Ge atoms is observed by high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy to investigate the possibility of Ge delta doping in Si. The observed profile of the Ge atoms spreads over several atomic layers even at 20 deg. C and a significant amount of Ge is located in the surface layer at higher temperatures. The results at 20-150 deg. C are well explained with two-layer model for surface segregation of the Ge atoms and the segregation rates are estimated. The activation energy for surface segregation of Ge atoms in amorphous Si is evaluated to be 0.035 eV, which is much smaller than the value reported for Si deposition at 500 deg. C. The small activation energy suggests that local heating during the Si deposition is dominant at low temperature
Increasing the thermoelectric power factor of Ge17Sb2Te20 by adjusting the Ge/Sb ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jared B.; Mather, Spencer P.; Page, Alexander; Uher, Ctirad; Morelli, Donald T.

2017-07-01

We have investigated the thermoelectric properties of Ge17Sb2Te20. This compound is a known phase change material with electronic properties that depend strongly on temperature. The thermoelectric properties of this compound can be tuned by altering the stoichiometry of Ge and Sb without the use of additional foreign elements during synthesis. This tuning results in a 26% increase in the thermoelectric power factor at 723 K. Based on a single parabolic band model we show that the pristine material is optimally doped, and thus, a reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity of pure Ge17Sb2Te20 should result in an enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit.
Properties of fluorine and tin co-doped ZnO thin films deposited by sol–gel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Zhanchang; Zhang, Pengwei; Tian, Xinlong; Cheng, Guo; Xie, Yinghao; Zhang, Huangchu; Zeng, Xiangfu; Xiao, Chumin; Hu, Guanghui; Wei, Zhigang

2013-01-01

Highlights: •F and Sn co-doped ZnO thin films were synthesized by sol–gel method. •The effects of different F doping concentrations were investigated. •The co-doped nanocrystals exhibit good crystal quality. •The origin of the photoluminescence emissions was discussed. •The films showed high transmittance and low resistivity. -- Abstract: Highly transparent and conducting fluorine (F) and tin (Sn) co-doped ZnO (FTZO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by the sol–gel processing. The structure and morphology of the films are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with various F doping concentrations. SEM images showed that the hexagonal ZnO crystals were well-arranged on the glass substrates and the HRTEM images indicated that the individual nanocrystals are highly oriented and exhibited a perfect lattice structure. Owing to its high carrier concentration and mobility, as well as good crystal quality, a minimum resistivity of 1 × 10 −3 Ω cm was obtained from the FTZO thin film with 3% F doping, and the average optical transmittance in the entire visible wavelength region was higher than 90%. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study confirmed the substitution of Zn 2+ by Sn ions and Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) observed for pure and FTZO thin films suggested the films exhibit a good crystallinity with a very low defect concentration
Optimizing colloidal nanocrystals for applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sytnyk, M.

2015-01-01

In the scientific literature colloidal nanocrystals are presented as promising materials for multiple applications, in areas covering optoelectronics, photovoltaics, spintronics, catalysis, and bio-medicine. On the marked are, however, only a very limited number of examples found, indeed implementing colloidal nanocrystals. Thus the scope of this thesis was to modify nanocrystals and to tune their properties to fulfill specific demands. While some modifications could be achieved by post synthetic treatments, one key problem of colloidal nanocrystals, hampering there widespread application is the toxicity of their constituents. To develop nanocrystals from non-toxic materials has been a major goal of this thesis as well. Roughly, the results in this thesis could be subdivided into three parts: (i) the development of ion exchange methods to tailor the properties of metallic and metal-oxide based nanocrystal heterostructures, (ii), the synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystals from non-toxic materials, and (iii) the characterization of the nanocrystals by measurements of their morphology, chemical composition, magnetic-, optical-, and electronic properties. In detail, the thesis is subdivided into an introductory chapter, 4 chapters reporting on scientific results, a chapter reporting the used methods, and the conclusions. The 4 chapters devoted to the scientific results correspond to manuscripts, which are either currently in preparation, or have been published in highly ranked scientific journals such as NanoLetters (chapter 2), ACS Nano (chapter 4), or JACS (chapter 5). Thus, these chapters provide also an extra introduction and conclusion section, as well as separate reference lists. Chapter 2 describes a cation exchange process which is used to tune and improve the magnetic properties of different iron-oxide based colloidal nanocrystal-heterostructures. The superparamagnetic blocking temperature, magnetic remanence, and coercivity is tuned by replacing Fe2+ by Co2
Beneficial defects: exploiting the intrinsic polishing-induced wafer roughness for the catalyst-free growth of Ge in-plane nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Persichetti, Luca; Sgarlata, Anna; Mori, Stefano; Notarianni, Marco; Cherubini, Valeria; Fanfoni, Massimo; Motta, Nunzio; Balzarotti, Adalberto

2014-01-01

We outline a metal-free fabrication route of in-plane Ge nanowires on Ge(001) substrates. By positively exploiting the polishing-induced defects of standard-quality commercial Ge(001) wafers, micrometer-length wires are grown by physical vapor deposition in ultra-high-vacuum environment. The shape of the wires can be tailored by the epitaxial strain induced by subsequent Si deposition, determining a progressive transformation of the wires in SiGe faceted quantum dots. This shape transition is described by finite element simulations of continuous elasticity and gives hints on the equilibrium shape of nanocrystals in the presence of tensile epitaxial strain. 81.07.Gf; 68.35.bg; 68.35.bj; 62.23.Eg.
Formation of nanostructures in Eu3+ doped glass-ceramics: an XAS study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellicer-Porres, J; Segura, A; Martínez-Criado, G; Rodríguez-Mendoza, U R; Lavín, V

2013-01-16

We describe the results of x-ray absorption experiments carried out to deduce structural and chemical information in Eu(3+) doped, transparent, oxyfluoride glass and nanostructured glass-ceramic samples. The spectra were measured at the Pb and Eu-L(III) edges. The Eu environment in the glass samples is observed to be similar to that of EuF(3). Complementary x-ray diffraction experiments show that thermal annealing creates β-PbF(2) type nanocrystals. X-ray absorption indicates that Eu ions act as seeds in the nanocrystal formation. There is evidence of interstitial fluorine atoms around Eu ions as well as Eu dimers. X-ray absorption at the Pb-L(III) edge shows that after the thermal treatment most lead atoms form a PbO amorphous phase and that only 10% of the lead atoms remain available to form β-PbF(2) type nanocrystals. Both x-ray diffraction and absorption point to a high Eu content in the nanocrystals. Our study suggests new approaches to the oxyfluoride glass-ceramic synthesis in order to further improve their properties.
Fabrication of prototypes of Ge(li) semiconductor detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, W.M.S.; Marti, G.V.; Rizzo, P.; Barros, S. de.

1987-01-01

The fabrication process of Ge(Li) semiconductor detector prototypes, from specific chemical treatments of doped monocrystal with receptor impurities (p + semicondutor) is presented. The detector characteristics, such as resulotion and operation tension are shown. (M.C.K.) [pt
Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by sonochemical method: Structural, photoluminescence, and magnetic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Othman, A.A., E-mail: aaelho@yahoo.com [Assiut University, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Assiut 71516 (Egypt); Osman, M.A. [Assiut University, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Assiut 71516 (Egypt); Ibrahim, E.M.M. [Sohag University, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Sohag 82524 (Egypt); Ali, Manar A.; Abd-Elrahim, A.G. [Assiut University, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Assiut 71516 (Egypt)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Mn-doped ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by the sonochemical method. • Structural, morphological, optical, photoluminescence and magnetic properties were investigated. • Mn-doped ZnO nanostructures reveal a blue shift of the optical band gap. • Photoluminescence spectra of Mn-doped ZnO nanostructures show quenching in the emission intensity. • Mn-doped ZnO nanostructures exhibit ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature. - Abstract: This work reports the synthesis of Mn-doped ZnO nanostructures using ice-bath assisted sonochemical technique. The impact of Mn-doping on structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic properties of ZnO nanostructures is studied. The morphological study shows that the lower doped samples possess mixtures of nanosheets and nanorods while the increase in Mn content leads to improvement of an anisotropic growth in a preferable orientation to form well-defined edge rods at Mn content of 0.04. UV–vis absorption spectra show that the exciton peak in the UV region is blue shifted due to Mn incorporation into the ZnO lattice. Doping ZnO with Mn ions leads to a reduction in the PL intensity due to a creation of more non-radiative recombination centers. The magnetic measurements show that the Mn-doped ZnO nanostructures exhibit ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature, as well as variation of the Mn content can significantly affect the ferromagnetic behavior of the samples.
Fluorescent cellulose nanocrystals via supramolecular assembly of terpyridine-modified cellulose nanocrystals and terpyridine-modified perylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, Mohammad L.; Moorefield, Charles M.; Elbatal, Hany S.; Newkome, George R.; Modarelli, David A.; Romano, Natalie C.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Surfaces of cellulose nanocrystals were modified with terpyridine ligands. ► Fluorescent nanocrystals could be obtained via self-assembly of terpyridine-modified perylene dye onto the terpyridine-modified cellulose nanocrystals. ► Further self-assembly of azide-functionalized terpyridine onto the fluorescent cellulose nanocrystals was possible to obtain nanocellulosic material with expected use in bioimaging. - Abstract: Due to their natural origin, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity, cellulose nanocrystals are promising candidates for applications in nanomedicine. Highly fluorescent nanocellulosic material was prepared via surface modification of cellulose nanocrystals with 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine side chains followed by supramolecular assembly of terpyridine-modified perylene dye onto the terpyridine-modified cellulose nanocrystals (CTP) via Ru III /Ru II reduction. The prepared terpyridine-modified cellulose-Ru II -terpyridine-modified perylene (CTP-Ru II -PeryTP) fluorescent nanocrystals were characterized using cross-polarized/magic angle spin 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS 13 C NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–visible, and fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition, further self-assembly of terpyridine units with azide functional groups onto CTP-Ru II -PeryTP was possible via repeating the Ru III /Ru II reduction protocol to prepare supramolecular fluorescent nanocrystals with azide functionality (CTP-Ru II -PeryTP-Ru II -AZTP). The prepared derivative may have potential application in bio-imaging since the terminal azide groups can be easily reacted with antigens via “Click” chemistry reaction.
Highly Emissive Divalent-Ion-Doped Colloidal CsPb1–xMxBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals through Cation Exchange

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Colloidal CsPbX3 (X = Br, Cl, and I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as promising phosphors and solar cell materials due to their remarkable optoelectronic properties. These properties can be tailored by not only controlling the size and shape of the NCs but also postsynthetic composition tuning through topotactic anion exchange. In contrast, property control by cation exchange is still underdeveloped for colloidal CsPbX3 NCs. Here, we present a method that allows partial cation exchange in colloidal CsPbBr3 NCs, whereby Pb2+ is exchanged for several isovalent cations, resulting in doped CsPb1–xMxBr3 NCs (M= Sn2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+; 0 50%), sharp absorption features, and narrow emission of the parent CsPbBr3 NCs. The blue-shift in the optical spectra is attributed to the lattice contraction that accompanies the Pb2+ for M2+ cation exchange and is observed to scale linearly with the lattice contraction. This work opens up new possibilities to engineer the properties of halide perovskite NCs, which to date are demonstrated to be the only known system where cation and anion exchange reactions can be sequentially combined while preserving the original NC shape, resulting in compositionally diverse perovskite NCs. PMID:28260380
Low-temperature photoluminescence in chalcogenide glasses doped with rare-earth ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kostka, Petr, E-mail: petr.kostka@irsm.cas.cz [Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics AS CR, V Holešovičkách 41, 182 09 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Zavadil, Jiří [Institute of Photonics and Electronics AS CR, Chaberská 57, 182 51 Praha 8, Kobylisy (Czech Republic); Iovu, Mihail S. [Institute of Applied Physics, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Str. Academiei 5, MD-28 Chisinau, Republic of Moldova (Moldova, Republic of); Ivanova, Zoya G. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Furniss, David; Seddon, Angela B. [Mid-Infrared Photonics Group, George Green Institute for Electromagnetics Research, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD (United Kingdom)

2015-11-05

Sulfide and oxysulfide bulk glasses Ga-La-S-O, Ge-Ga-S and Ge-Ga-As-S doped, or co-doped, with various rare-earth (RE{sup 3+}) ions are investigated for their room temperature transmission and low-temperature photoluminescence. Photoluminescence spectra are collected by using external excitation into the Urbach tail of the fundamental absorption edge of the host-glass. The low-temperature photoluminescence spectra are dominated by the broad-band luminescence of the host glass, with superimposed relatively sharp emission bands due to radiative transitions within 4f shells of RE{sup 3+} ions. In addition, the dips in the host-glass luminescence due to 4f-4f up-transitions of RE{sup 3+} ions are observed in the Ge-Ga-S and Ge-Ga-As-S systems. These superimposed narrow effects provide a direct experimental evidence of energy transfer between the host glass and respective RE{sup 3+} dopants. - Highlights: • An evidence of energy transfer from host-glass to doped-in RE ions is presented. • Energy transfer is manifested by dips in host-glass broad-band luminescence. • This channel of energy transfer is documented on selected RE doped sulfide glasses. • Photoluminescence spectra are dominated by broad band host-glass luminescence. • Presence of RE ions is manifested by superimposed narrow 4f-4f transitions.
Reddish-orange, neutral and warm white emissions in Eu3+, Dy3+ and Dy3+/Eu3+ doped CdO-GeO2-TeO2 glasses

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Carvajal, David A.; Meza-Rocha, A. N.; Caldiño, U.; Lozada-Morales, R.; Álvarez, E.; Zayas, Ma. E.

2016-11-01

Eu3+, Dy3+ and Dy3+/Eu3+ doped CdO-GeO2-TeO2 glasses were prepared using the melt-quenching process and analyzed by X-diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, excitation and emission spectra, and emission decay time profiles. The lack of X ray diffraction peaks revealed that all samples are amorphous. Vibrational modes associated with Tesbnd Osbnd Te and Gesbnd Osbnd Ge related bonds and molecular oxygen were detected by Raman spectroscopy. The luminescence characteristics were studied upon excitations that correspond with the emission of InGaN (370-420 nm) based LEDs. The Eu3+ singly doped glass displayed reddish-orange global emission, with x = 0.601 and y = 0.349 CIE1931 chromaticity coordinates, upon 393 nm excitation. Neutral emission with x = 0.373 and y = 0.412 CIE1931 chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4400 K, was achieved in the Dy3+ singly doped glass excited at 388 nm. The Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped glass exhibited warm, neutral and soft warm white emissions with CCT values of 3435, 4153 and 2740 K, under excitations at 382, 388 and 393 nm, respectively, depending mainly on the Dy3+ and Eu3+ relative excitation. The Dy3+ excitation bands observed in the Dy3+/Eu3+ glass by monitoring the 611 nm Eu3+ emission, suggest that Dy3+ → Eu3+ energy transfer takes place, despite the fact that the Dy3+ emission decays in the Dy3+ and Dy3+/Eu3+ doped glass, remain without changes. The shortening of Eu3+ decay in presence of Dy3+ was attributed to an Eu3+ → Dy3+ non-radiative energy transfer process, which according with the Inokuti-Hirayama model might be dominated through an electric quadrupole-quadrupole interaction, with efficiency and probability of 5.5% and 51.6 s-1, respectively.
Photoemission studies of semiconductor nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamad, K.S.; Roth, R.; Alivisatos, A.P.

1997-01-01

Semiconductor nanocrystals have been the focus of much attention in the last ten years due predominantly to their size dependent optical properties. Namely, the band gap of nanocrystals exhibits a shift to higher energy with decreasing size due to quantum confinement effects. Research in this field has employed primarily optical techniques to study nanocrystals, and in this respect this system has been investigated extensively. In addition, one is able to synthesize monodisperse, crystalline particles of CdS, CdSe, Si, InP, InAs, as well as CdS/HgS/CdS and CdSe/CdS composites. However, optical spectroscopies have proven ambiguous in determining the degree to which electronic excitations are interior or surface admixtures or giving a complete picture of the density of states. Photoemission is a useful technique for understanding the electronic structure of nanocrystals and the effects of quantum confinement, chemical environments of the nanocrystals, and surface coverages. Of particular interest to the authors is the surface composition and structure of these particles, for they have found that much of the behavior of nanocrystals is governed by their surface. Previously, the authors had performed x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) on CdSe nanocrystals. XPS has proven to be a powerful tool in that it allows one to determine the composition of the nanocrystal surface
Introduction of performance boosters like Ge as channel material for the future of CMOS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samia, Slimani, E-mail: slimani.samia@gmail.com [Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering Mouloud Mammeri University (UMMTO), BP 17 RP 15000, Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria); Laboratoire de Modélisation et Méthodes de calcul LMMC,20002 Saida (Algeria); Bouaza, Djellouli, E-mail: djelbou@hotmail.fr [University of Saida, Department of Electronic (Algeria); Laboratoire de Modélisation et Méthodes de calcul LMMC,20002 Saida (Algeria)

2016-06-10

High mobility materials are being considered to replace Si in the channel to achieve higher drive currents and switching speeds. Ge is one of new attractive channel materials that require CMOS scaling For future technology nodes and future high performance P-MOSFETS, we have studied a nanoscale SOI DG MOSFETs using quantum simulation approach on DG MOSFETs within the variation of Ge channel concentration and in the presence of source and drain doping by replacing Silicon in the channel by Ge using various dielectric constant. The use of high mobility channel (like Ge) to maximize the MOSFET IDsat and simultaneously circumvent the poor electrostatic control to suppress short-channel effects and enhance source injection velocity. The leakage current (I{sub off}) can be controlled by different gates oxide thickness more ever the required threshold voltage (V{sub TH}) can be achieved by keeping gate work function and altering the doping channel.
Nanocrystal Solar Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gur, Ilan [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2006-01-01

This dissertation presents the results of a research agenda aimed at improving integration and stability in nanocrystal-based solar cells through advances in active materials and device architectures. The introduction of 3-dimensional nanocrystals illustrates the potential for improving transport and percolation in hybrid solar cells and enables novel fabrication methods for optimizing integration in these systems. Fabricating cells by sequential deposition allows for solution-based assembly of hybrid composites with controlled and well-characterized dispersion and electrode contact. Hyperbranched nanocrystals emerge as a nearly ideal building block for hybrid cells, allowing the controlled morphologies targeted by templated approaches to be achieved in an easily fabricated solution-cast device. In addition to offering practical benefits to device processing, these approaches offer fundamental insight into the operation of hybrid solar cells, shedding light on key phenomena such as the roles of electrode-contact and percolation behavior in these cells. Finally, all-inorganic nanocrystal solar cells are presented as a wholly new cell concept, illustrating that donor-acceptor charge transfer and directed carrier diffusion can be utilized in a system with no organic components, and that nanocrystals may act as building blocks for efficient, stable, and low-cost thin-film solar cells.
First-principles study of nitrogen doping in cubic and amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caravati, S; Mazzarello, R; Kuehne, T D; Parrinello, M [Computational Science, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, USI Campus, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, CH-6900 Lugano (Switzerland); Colleoni, D; Bernasconi, M [Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Universita di Milano-Bicocca, Via R Cozzi 53, I-20125 Milano (Italy); Krack, M [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland)

2011-07-06

We investigated the structural, electronic and vibrational properties of amorphous and cubic Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} doped with N at 4.2 at.% by means of large scale ab initio simulations. Nitrogen can be incorporated in molecular form in both the crystalline and amorphous phases at a moderate energy cost. In contrast, insertion of N in the atomic form is very energetically costly in the crystalline phase, though it is still possible in the amorphous phase. These results support the suggestion that N segregates at the grain boundaries during the crystallization of the amorphous phase, resulting in a reduction in size of the crystalline grains and an increased crystallization temperature.
Sorting fluorescent nanocrystals with DNA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerion, Daniele; Parak, Wolfgang J.; Williams, Shara C.; Zanchet, Daniela; Micheel, Christine M.; Alivisatos, A. Paul

2001-12-10

Semiconductor nanocrystals with narrow and tunable fluorescence are covalently linked to oligonucleotides. These biocompounds retain the properties of both nanocrystals and DNA. Therefore, different sequences of DNA can be coded with nanocrystals and still preserve their ability to hybridize to their complements. We report the case where four different sequences of DNA are linked to four nanocrystal samples having different colors of emission in the range of 530-640 nm. When the DNA-nanocrystal conjugates are mixed together, it is possible to sort each type of nanoparticle using hybridization on a defined micrometer -size surface containing the complementary oligonucleotide. Detection of sorting requires only a single excitation source and an epifluorescence microscope. The possibility of directing fluorescent nanocrystals towards specific biological targets and detecting them, combined with their superior photo-stability compared to organic dyes, opens the way to improved biolabeling experiments, such as gene mapping on a nanometer scale or multicolor microarray analysis.
Thermoelectric Properties of Nanograined Si-Ge-Au Thin Films Grown by Molecular Beam Deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Nishino, Shunsuke; Ekino, Satoshi; Inukai, Manabu; Omprakash, Muthusamy; Adachi, Masahiro; Kiyama, Makoto; Yamamoto, Yoshiyuki; Takeuchi, Tsunehiro

2018-06-01

Conditions to achieve extremely large Seebeck coefficient and extremely small thermal conductivity in Si-Ge-Au thin films formed of nanosized grains precipitated in amorphous matrix have been investigated. We employed molecular beam deposition to prepare Si1- x Ge x Au y thin films on sapphire substrate. The deposited films were annealed under nitrogen gas atmosphere at 300°C to 500°C for 15 min to 30 min. Nanocrystals dispersed in amorphous matrix were clearly observed by transmission electron microscopy. We did not observe anomalously large Seebeck coefficient, but very low thermal conductivity of nearly 1.0 W K-1 m-1 was found at around 0.2 Si-Ge bulk material for which dimensionless figure of merit of ZT ≈ 1 was reported at high temperature.

Transitions of microstructure and photoluminescence properties of the Ge/ZnO multilayer films in certain annealing temperature region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Tianhang; Li Ziquan; Chen Jiankang; Shen Kai; Sun Kefei

2006-01-01

The Ge/ZnO multilayer films have been prepared by rf magnetron sputtering. The effects of annealing on the microstructure and photoluminescence properties of the multilayers have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry. The investigation of structural properties indicates that Zn 2 GeO 4 has been formed with (220) texture and Zn deficiency from Ge/ZnO multilayer films in the process of annealing. However, lower Zn/Ge ratio can be improved by annealing. The annealed multilayers show three main emission bands at 532, 700, and 761nm, which originate from the transition between oxygen vacancy (V o * ) and Zn vacancies (V Zn ), the radiative recombination of quantum-confined excitons (QCE) in Ge nanocrystals, and the optical transition in the GeO color centers, respectively. Finally, the fabrication of thin film Zn 2 GeO 4 from Ge/ZnO multilayer films by annealing at low temperature provides another approach to prepare the green-emitting oxide phosphor film:Zn 2 GeO 4 :Mn
Simultaneous aluminizing and chromizing of steels to form (Fe,Cr){sub 3}Al coatings and Ge-doped silicide coatings of Cr-Zr base alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, M.; He, Y.R.; Rapp, R.A. [Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

1997-12-01

A halide-activated cementation pack involving elemental Al and Cr powders has been used to achieve surface compositions of approximately Fe{sub 3}Al plus several percent Cr for low alloy steels (T11, T2 and T22) and medium carbon steel (1045 steel). A two-step treatment at 925 C and 1150 C yields the codeposition and diffusion of aluminum and chromium to form dense and uniform ferrite coatings of about 400 {micro}m thickness, while preventing the formation of a blocking chromium carbide at the substrate surfaces. Upon cyclic oxidation in air at 700 C, the coated steel exhibits a negligible 0.085 mg/cm{sup 2} weight gain for 1900 one-hour cycles. Virtually no attack was observed on coated steels tested at ABB in simulated boiler atmospheres at 500 C for 500 hours. But coatings with a surface composition of only 8 wt% Al and 6 wt% Cr suffered some sulfidation attack in simulated boiler atmospheres at temperatures higher than 500 C for 1000 hours. Two developmental Cr-Zr based Laves phase alloys (CN129-2 and CN117(Z)) were silicide/germanide coated. The cross-sections of the Ge-doped silicide coatings closely mimicked the microstructure of the substrate alloys. Cyclic oxidation in air at 1100 C showed that the Ge-doped silicide coating greatly improved the oxidation resistance of the Cr-Zr based alloys.
Hybrid nanocrystal/polymer solar cells based on tetrapod-shaped CdSexTe1-x nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Yi; Li Yunchao; Zhong Haizheng; Hou Jianhui; Ding Yuqin; Yang Chunhe; Li Yongfang

2006-01-01

A series of ternary tetrapodal nanocrystals of CdSe x Te 1-x with x = 0 (CdTe), 0.23, 0.53, 0.78, 1 (CdSe) were synthesized and used to fabricate hybrid nanocrystal/polymer solar cells. Herein, the nanocrystals acted as electron acceptors, and poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) was used as an electron donor. It was found that the open circuit voltage (V oc ), short-circuit current (J sc ) and power conversion efficiency (η) of the devices all increased with increasing Se content in the CdSe x Te 1-x nanocrystals under identical experimental conditions. The solar cell based on the blend of tetrapodal CdSe nanocrystals and MEH-PPV (9:1 w/w) showed the highest power conversion efficiency of 1.13% under AM 1.5, 80 mW cm -2 , and the maximum incident photon to converted current efficiency (IPCE) of the device reached 47% at 510 nm. The influence of nanocrystal composition on the photovoltaic properties of the hybrid solar cells was explained by the difference of the band level positions between MEH-PPV and the nanocrystals
Doped Sc2C(OH)2 MXene: new type s-pd band inversion topological insulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Balcı, Erdem; Akkuş, Ünal Özden; Berber, Savas

2018-04-18

The electronic structures of Si and Ge substitutionally doped Sc 2 C(OH) 2 MXene monolayers are investigated in density functional theory. The doped systems exhibit band inversion, and are found to be topological invariants in Z 2 theory. The inclusion of spin orbit coupling results in band gap openings. Our results point out that the Si and Ge doped Sc 2 C(OH) 2 MXene monolayers are topological insulators. The band inversion is observed to have a new mechanism that involves s and pd states.
Doped Sc2C(OH)2 MXene: new type s-pd band inversion topological insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Balcı, Erdem; Özden Akkuş, Ünal; Berber, Savas

2018-04-01

The electronic structures of Si and Ge substitutionally doped Sc2C(OH)2 MXene monolayers are investigated in density functional theory. The doped systems exhibit band inversion, and are found to be topological invariants in Z 2 theory. The inclusion of spin orbit coupling results in band gap openings. Our results point out that the Si and Ge doped Sc2C(OH)2 MXene monolayers are topological insulators. The band inversion is observed to have a new mechanism that involves s and pd states.
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
Biomolecular Assembly of Gold Nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Micheel, Christine Marya [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2005-05-20

Over the past ten years, methods have been developed to construct discrete nanostructures using nanocrystals and biomolecules. While these frequently consist of gold nanocrystals and DNA, semiconductor nanocrystals as well as antibodies and enzymes have also been used. One example of discrete nanostructures is dimers of gold nanocrystals linked together with complementary DNA. This type of nanostructure is also known as a nanocrystal molecule. Discrete nanostructures of this kind have a number of potential applications, from highly parallel self-assembly of electronics components and rapid read-out of DNA computations to biological imaging and a variety of bioassays. My research focused in three main areas. The first area, the refinement of electrophoresis as a purification and characterization method, included application of agarose gel electrophoresis to the purification of discrete gold nanocrystal/DNA conjugates and nanocrystal molecules, as well as development of a more detailed understanding of the hydrodynamic behavior of these materials in gels. The second area, the development of methods for quantitative analysis of transmission electron microscope data, used computer programs written to find pair correlations as well as higher order correlations. With these programs, it is possible to reliably locate and measure nanocrystal molecules in TEM images. The final area of research explored the use of DNA ligase in the formation of nanocrystal molecules. Synthesis of dimers of gold particles linked with a single strand of DNA possible through the use of DNA ligase opens the possibility for amplification of nanostructures in a manner similar to polymerase chain reaction. These three areas are discussed in the context of the work in the Alivisatos group, as well as the field as a whole.
Germanium doping of GaN by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition for polarization screening applications

KAUST Repository

Young, N.G.

2016-10-01

We demonstrate n-type doping of GaN with Ge by MOCVD at high concentrations that are necessary to fully screen the polarization fields in c-plane InGaN/GaN quantum wells. Hall measurements show linear Ge incorporation with dopant flow rate and carrier concentrations exceeding 1×10 cm. GaN:Ge layers exhibit excellent electron mobility, high conductivity, and contact resistivity comparable to the best unannealed contacts to Si-doped GaN. However, the surface morphology begins to degrade with Ge concentrations above 1×10 cm, resulting in severe step bunching and a network of plateaus and trenches, even in layers as thin as 10 nm.
Germanium doping of GaN by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition for polarization screening applications

KAUST Repository

Young, N.G.; Farrell, R.M.; Iza, M.; Nakamura, S.; DenBaars, S.P.; Weisbuch, C.; Speck, J.S.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate n-type doping of GaN with Ge by MOCVD at high concentrations that are necessary to fully screen the polarization fields in c-plane InGaN/GaN quantum wells. Hall measurements show linear Ge incorporation with dopant flow rate and carrier concentrations exceeding 1×10 cm. GaN:Ge layers exhibit excellent electron mobility, high conductivity, and contact resistivity comparable to the best unannealed contacts to Si-doped GaN. However, the surface morphology begins to degrade with Ge concentrations above 1×10 cm, resulting in severe step bunching and a network of plateaus and trenches, even in layers as thin as 10 nm.
Scandium doped Ge2Sb2Te5 for high-speed and low-power-consumption phase change memory

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yong; Zheng, Yonghui; Liu, Guangyu; Li, Tao; Guo, Tianqi; Cheng, Yan; Lv, Shilong; Song, Sannian; Ren, Kun; Song, Zhitang

2018-03-01

To bridge the gap of access time between memories and storage systems, the concept of storage class memory has been put forward based on emerging nonvolatile memory technologies. For all the nonvolatile memory candidates, the unpleasant tradeoff between operation speed and retention seems to be inevitable. To promote both the write speed and the retention of phase change memory (PCM), Sc doped Ge2Sb2Te5 (SGST) has been proposed as the storage medium. Octahedral Sc-Te motifs, acting as crystallization precursors to shorten the nucleation incubation period, are the possible reason for the high write speed of 6 ns in PCM cells, five-times faster than that of Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) cells. Meanwhile, an enhanced 10-year data retention of 119 °C has been achieved. Benefiting from both the increased crystalline resistance and the inhibited formation of the hexagonal phase, the SGST cell has a 77% reduction in power consumption compared to the GST cell. Adhesion of the SGST/SiO2 interface has been strengthened, attributed to the reduced stress by forming smaller grains during crystallization, guaranteeing the reliability of the device. These improvements have made the SGST material a promising candidate for PCM application.
Silver antimony Ohmic contacts to moderately doped n-type germanium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dumas, D. C. S.; Gallacher, K.; Millar, R.; Paul, D. J., E-mail: Douglas.Paul@glasgow.ac.uk [School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LT (United Kingdom); MacLaren, I. [SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); Myronov, M.; Leadley, D. R. [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

2014-04-21

A self doping contact consisting of a silver/antimony alloy that produces an Ohmic contact to moderately doped n-type germanium (doped to a factor of four above the metal-insulator transition) has been investigated. An evaporation of a mixed alloy of Ag/Sb (99%/1%) onto n-Ge (N{sub D}=1×10{sup 18} cm{sup −3}) annealed at 400 °C produces an Ohmic contact with a measured specific contact resistivity of (1.1±0.2)×10{sup −5} Ω-cm{sup 2}. It is proposed that the Ohmic behaviour arises from an increased doping concentration at the Ge surface due to the preferential evaporation of Sb confirmed by transmission electron microscope analysis. It is suggested that the doping concentration has increased to a level where field emission will be the dominate conduction mechanism. This was deduced from the low temperature electrical characterisation of the contact, which exhibits Ohmic behaviour down to a temperature of 6.5 K.
Intense 2.7 µm emission and structural origin in Er3+-doped bismuthate (Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3-Na2O) glass.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yanyan; Li, Ming; Hu, Lili; Zhang, Junjie

2012-01-15

The 2.7 μm emission properties in Er3+-doped bismuthate (Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3-Na2O) glass were investigated in the present Letter. An intense 2.7 μm emission in Er3+-doped bismuthate glass was observed. It is found that Er3+-doped bismuthate glass possesses high spontaneous transition probability A (65.26 s(-1)) and large 2.7 μm emission cross section σ(em) (9.53×10(-21) cm2) corresponding to the stimulated emission of Er3+:4I11/2→4I13/2 transition. The emission characteristic and energy transfer process upon excitation of a conventional 980 nm laser diode in bismuthate glass were analyzed. Additionally, the structure of bismuthate glass was analyzed by the Raman spectrum. The advantageous spectroscopic characteristics of Er3+ single-doped bismuthate glass together with the prominent thermal property indicate that bismuthate glass might become an attractive host for developing solid-state lasers around 2.7 μm.
Modulation of electronic transport properties in armchair phosphorene nanoribbons by doping and edge passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Caixia; Wang, Tianxing; Xia, Congxin; Liu, Yufang

2017-10-09

The electronic structures and transport properties of group IV atoms (C, Si, Ge)-doped armchair phosphorene nanoribbons (APNRs) are investigated using first-principles calculations, considering different edge passivation. The results show that the C, Si, Ge dopants can induce the transition occur from semiconductor to metal in the APNRs. The negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior in the doped APNR system is robust with respect to the doping concentration and edge passivation type. However, their current peak positions and peak-to-valley ratio (PVR) values are correlated with doping concentration and edge passivation type. In particular, for the C, Si-doped APNRs, the low bias NDR behavior with the PVR (10 5 -10 8 ) can be observed when doping concentration is low in the APNRs with the F and H edge passivation. These results may play an important role for the fabrication of future low power consumption nano-electronic devices.
Heavy Ion Current Transients in SiGe HBTs

Science.gov (United States)

Pellish, Jonathan A.; Reed, Robert A.; Vizkelethy, Gyorgy; McMorrow, Dale; Ferlet-Cavrois, Veronique; Baggio, Jacques; Paillet, Philipe; Duhanel, Olivier; Phillips, Stanley D.; Sutton, Akil K.;

2009-01-01

Time-resolved ion beam induced charge reveals heavy ion response of IBM 5AM SiGe HBT: a) Position correlation[ b) Unique response for different bias schemes; c) Similarities to TPA pulsed-laser data. Heavy ion broad-beam transients provide more realistic device response: a) Feedback using microbeam data; b) Overcome issues of LET and ion range with microbeam. Both micro- and broad-beam data sets yield valuable input for TCAD simulations. Uncover detailed mechanisms for SiGe HBTs and other devices fabricated on lightly-doped substrates.

Impurity doping: a novel strategy for controllable synthesis of functional lanthanide nanomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Daqin; Wang, Yuansheng

2013-06-07

Many technological nanomaterials are intentionally 'doped' by introducing appropriate amounts of foreign elements into hosts to impart electronic, magnetic and optical properties. In fact, impurity doping was recently found to have significant influence on nucleation and growth of many functional nanocrystals (NCs), and provide a fundamental approach to modify the crystallographic phase, size, morphology, and electronic configuration of nanomaterials. In this feature article, we provide an overview of the most recent progresses in doping-induced control of phase structures, sizes, shapes, as well as performances of functional nanomaterials for the first time. Two kinds of impurity doping strategies, including the homo-valence ion doping and hetero-valence ion doping, are discussed in detail. We lay emphases on impurity doping induced modifications of microstructures and optical properties of upconversion (UC) lanthanide (Ln(3+)) NCs, but do not limit to them. In addition, we also illustrate the control of Ln(3+) activator distribution in the core@shell architecture, which has recently provided scientists with new opportunities for designing and tuning the multi-color emissions of Ln(3+)-doped UC NCs. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of this novel impurity doping strategy are pointed out.
Excitonic pathway to photoinduced magnetism in colloidal nanocrystals with nonmagnetic dopants.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinchetti, Valerio; Di, Qiumei; Lorenzon, Monica; Camellini, Andrea; Fasoli, Mauro; Zavelani-Rossi, Margherita; Meinardi, Francesco; Zhang, Jiatao; Crooker, Scott A; Brovelli, Sergio

2018-02-01

Electronic doping of colloidal semiconductor nanostructures holds promise for future device concepts in optoelectronic and spin-based technologies. Ag + is an emerging electronic dopant in III-V and II-VI nanostructures, introducing intragap electronic states optically coupled to the host conduction band. With its full 4d shell Ag + is nonmagnetic, and the dopant-related luminescence is ascribed to decay of the conduction-band electron following transfer of the photoexcited hole to Ag + . This optical activation process and the associated modification of the electronic configuration of Ag + remain unclear. Here, we trace a comprehensive picture of the excitonic process in Ag-doped CdSe nanocrystals and demonstrate that, in contrast to expectations, capture of the photohole leads to conversion of Ag + to paramagnetic Ag 2+ . The process of exciton recombination is thus inextricably tied to photoinduced magnetism. Accordingly, we observe strong optically activated magnetism and diluted magnetic semiconductor behaviour, demonstrating that optically switchable magnetic nanomaterials can be obtained by exploiting excitonic processes involving nonmagnetic impurities.
Group-13 and group-15 doping of germanane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas D. Cultrara

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Germanane, a hydrogen-terminated graphane analogue of germanium has generated interest as a potential 2D electronic material. However, the incorporation and retention of extrinsic dopant atoms in the lattice, to tune the electronic properties, remains a significant challenge. Here, we show that the group-13 element Ga and the group-15 element As, can be successfully doped into a precursor CaGe2 phase, and remain intact in the lattice after the topotactic deintercalation, using HCl, to form GeH. After deintercalation, a maximum of 1.1% As and 2.3% Ga can be substituted into the germanium lattice. Electronic transport properties of single flakes show that incorporation of dopants leads to a reduction of resistance of more than three orders of magnitude in H2O-containing atmosphere after As doping. After doping with Ga, the reduction is more than six orders of magnitude, but with significant hysteretic behavior, indicative of water-activation of dopants on the surface. Only Ga-doped germanane remains activated under vacuum, and also exhibits minimal hysteretic behavior while the sheet resistance is reduced by more than four orders of magnitude. These Ga- and As-doped germanane materials start to oxidize after one to four days in ambient atmosphere. Overall, this work demonstrates that extrinsic doping with Ga is a viable pathway towards accessing stable electronic behavior in graphane analogues of germanium.
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.
Temperature profiles for laser-induced heating of nanocrystals embedded in glass matrices

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatnagar, Promod K.; Nagpal, Swati

2001-05-01

Quantum confined nanostructures are very important because of their application towards optoelectronic devices. Commercial colored glass filters, which have large semiconductor particles, are being used to manufacture nanocrystals by suitable heat treatments. The progress in this area has been hampered by high size dispersion of these dots in the glass matrix which leads to reduction in higher order susceptibility thereby reducing non-linearity. In the present paper attempt has been made to theoretically model the temperature profiles of a laser irradiated CdS doped Borosilicate sample. Laser being used has a beam diameter of 1.5 mm and energy for 10 nsec pulse is 10 mJ. Two different particle radii of 5 nm and 10 nm have been considered. It is found that larger particles reach higher temperatures for the same pulse characteristics. This is because smaller particles have larger surface to volume ratio and hence dissipates out heat faster to the surrounding. Hence bigger particles will reach dissolution temperature faster than smaller particle and particle beyond a certain size should dissolve in the glass matrix when a sample is heat treated by laser. This could lead to a reduction in size dispersion of the nanocrystals. Also photodarkening effect found in semiconductor doped glasses is a big handicap for practical application of these materials in fast optical switching and non-linear optical devices. Photodarkening effect has been established to be a photochemical effect and it is important to study the temperature profiles around a particle since it will effect the impurity migration.
Effects of time-temperature profiles on glow curves of germanium-doped optical fibre

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, S. E.; Alawiah, A.; Bradley, D. A.; Mohd Noor, N.

2017-08-01

The Germanium (Ge) doped silica optical fibres have demonstrated the great potential to be developed as a thermoluminescent (TL) dosimeter that can be used in various applications in radiotherapy, diagnostic radiology, UV dosimetry system and food irradiation industry. Different time-temperature profile (TTP) parameters of the TL reader have been employed by many researchers in various of TL studies. Nevertheless, none of those studies adequately addressed the effects of the reader's preheat temperature and heating rate on the kinetic parameters of the TL glow curve specifically, the Ge-doped silica optical fibres. This research addresses the issue of TTP parameters with special attention to the determination of the kinetic parameters of the glow curve. The glow curve responses were explored and the kinetic parameters were analyzed by the WinGCF software, to show the effect of the preheat temperature and heating rate of the reader on Ge-doped fibre irradiated with 18 Gy of 6 MV photons radiation. The effect of TTP parameters was discussed and compared against the commercial fibre and tailored made fibre of 6 mol% Ge-doped of flat and cylindrical shape. The deconvolution of glow peaks and the kinetic parameters were obtained by the WinGCF software. This enables to fit accurately (1.5%Ge-doped silica optical fibres.

Monolithically Integrated Ge-on-Si Active Photonics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jifeng Liu

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Monolithically integrated, active photonic devices on Si are key components in Si-based large-scale electronic-photonic integration for future generations of high-performance, low-power computation and communication systems. Ge has become an interesting candidate for active photonic devices in Si photonics due to its pseudo-direct gap behavior and compatibility with Si complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS processing. In this paper, we present a review of the recent progress in Ge-on-Si active photonics materials and devices for photon detection, modulation, and generation. We first discuss the band engineering of Ge using tensile strain, n-type doping, Sn alloying, and separate confinement of Γ vs. L electrons in quantum well (QW structures to transform the material towards a direct band gap semiconductor for enhancing optoelectronic properties. We then give a brief overview of epitaxial Ge-on-Si materials growth, followed by a summary of recent investigations towards low-temperature, direct growth of high crystallinity Ge and GeSn alloys on dielectric layers for 3D photonic integration. Finally, we review the most recent studies on waveguide-integrated Ge-on-Si photodetectors (PDs, electroabsorption modulators (EAMs, and laser diodes (LDs, and suggest possible future research directions for large-scale monolithic electronic-photonic integrated circuits on a Si platform.
Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts impregnated in N-doped graphene for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, acetaminophen and dopamine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xianlan [School of Science, Honghe University, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100 (China); Key Laboratory of Natural Pharmaceutical & Chemical Biology of Yunnan Province, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100 (China); Fujian Key Lab of Medical Instrument & Pharmaceutical Technology, Yishan Campus, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China); Zhang, Guowei; Shi, Ling; Pan, Shanqing [School of Science, Honghe University, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100 (China); Key Laboratory of Natural Pharmaceutical & Chemical Biology of Yunnan Province, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100 (China); Liu, Wei, E-mail: liuwei4728@126.com [School of Science, Honghe University, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100 (China); Key Laboratory of Natural Pharmaceutical & Chemical Biology of Yunnan Province, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100 (China); Pan, Hiabo [Fujian Key Lab of Medical Instrument & Pharmaceutical Technology, Yishan Campus, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China)

2016-08-01

The formation of nitrogen-doped (N-doped) graphene uses hydrothermal method with urea as reducing agent and nitrogen source. The surface elemental composition of the catalyst was analyzed through XPS, which showed a high content of a total N species (7.12 at.%), indicative of the effective N-doping, present in the form of pyridinic N, pyrrolic N and graphitic N groups. Moreover, Au nanoparticles deposited on ZnO nanocrystals surface, forming Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts, undergo a super-hydrophobic to super-hydrophilic conversion. Herein, we present Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts impregnated in N-doped graphene sheets through sonication technique of the Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene hybrid nanostructures. The as-prepared Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene hybrid nanostructure modified glassy carbon electrode (Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene/GCE) was first employed for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and acetaminophen (AC). The oxidation over-potentials of AA, DA and AC decreased dramatically, and their oxidation peak currents increased significantly at Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene/GCE compared to those obtained at the N-doped graphene/GCE and bare CCE. The peak separations between AA and DA, DA and AC, and AC and AA are large up to 195, 198 and 393 mV, respectively. The calibration curves for AA, DA and AC were obtained in the range of 30.00–13.00 × 10{sup 3}, 2.00–0.18 × 10{sup 3} and 5.00–3.10 × 10{sup 3} μM, respectively. The detection limits (S/N = 3) were 5.00, 0.40 and 0.80 μM for AA, DA and AC, respectively. - Graphical abstract: A novel Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene hybrid nanostructure was synthesized for the electrochemical evaluation of AA, DA and AC. The formation of N-doped graphene uses hydrothermal method with urea as reducing agent and nitrogen source. Moreover, Au nanoparticles deposited on ZnO nanocrystals surface, forming Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts, undergo a super-hydrophobic to superhydrophilic conversion. We present Au/ZnO hybrid
Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts impregnated in N-doped graphene for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, acetaminophen and dopamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xianlan; Zhang, Guowei; Shi, Ling; Pan, Shanqing; Liu, Wei; Pan, Hiabo

2016-01-01

The formation of nitrogen-doped (N-doped) graphene uses hydrothermal method with urea as reducing agent and nitrogen source. The surface elemental composition of the catalyst was analyzed through XPS, which showed a high content of a total N species (7.12 at.%), indicative of the effective N-doping, present in the form of pyridinic N, pyrrolic N and graphitic N groups. Moreover, Au nanoparticles deposited on ZnO nanocrystals surface, forming Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts, undergo a super-hydrophobic to super-hydrophilic conversion. Herein, we present Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts impregnated in N-doped graphene sheets through sonication technique of the Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene hybrid nanostructures. The as-prepared Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene hybrid nanostructure modified glassy carbon electrode (Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene/GCE) was first employed for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and acetaminophen (AC). The oxidation over-potentials of AA, DA and AC decreased dramatically, and their oxidation peak currents increased significantly at Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene/GCE compared to those obtained at the N-doped graphene/GCE and bare CCE. The peak separations between AA and DA, DA and AC, and AC and AA are large up to 195, 198 and 393 mV, respectively. The calibration curves for AA, DA and AC were obtained in the range of 30.00–13.00 × 10"3, 2.00–0.18 × 10"3 and 5.00–3.10 × 10"3 μM, respectively. The detection limits (S/N = 3) were 5.00, 0.40 and 0.80 μM for AA, DA and AC, respectively. - Graphical abstract: A novel Au/ZnO/N-doped graphene hybrid nanostructure was synthesized for the electrochemical evaluation of AA, DA and AC. The formation of N-doped graphene uses hydrothermal method with urea as reducing agent and nitrogen source. Moreover, Au nanoparticles deposited on ZnO nanocrystals surface, forming Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts, undergo a super-hydrophobic to superhydrophilic conversion. We present Au/ZnO hybrid nanocatalysts
Ge/Si (100) heterojunction photodiodes fabricated from material grown by low-energy plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmond, Johann; Isella, Giovanni; Chrastina, Daniel; Kaufmann, Rolf; Kaenel, Hans von

2008-01-01

We have fabricated a series of p-i-n Ge/Si heterojunction photodetectors with different thicknesses of the intrinsic Ge layer, different doping levels of the p and n layers and different diode diameters. Epitaxial Ge was deposited on Si(100) using low-energy plasma-enhanced CVD (LEPECVD) followed by cyclic annealing. Dark current values as low as 0.04 mA/cm 2 were achieved for 1 μm thick p-i-n photodiodes on lightly doped substrates at - 1 V bias, and external quantum efficiencies of 56% at 1.30 μm and 44% at 1.55 μm for 3 μm thick p + -i-n + photodiodes on highly doped substrates under 0.5 V reverse bias. For a 30 μm diameter diode a RC frequency of 21 GHz is obtained at a reverse bias of 1 V. With such characteristics, these diodes are attractive for telecommunication and optoelectronic applications
Amorphous and nanocrystalline fraction calculus for the Fe{sub 73.5}Si{sub 3.5}Ge{sub 10}Nb{sub 3}B{sub 9}Cu{sub 1} alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muraca, D. [Laboratorio de Solidos Amorfos, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Moya, J. [Laboratorio de Solidos Amorfos, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Carrera del Investigador, CONICET (Argentina); Cremaschi, V.J. [Laboratorio de Solidos Amorfos, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Carrera del Investigador, CONICET (Argentina)]. E-mail: vcremas@fi.uba.ar; Sirkin, H.R.M. [Laboratorio de Solidos Amorfos, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Carrera del Investigador, CONICET (Argentina)

2007-09-01

We studied the relationship between the saturation magnetization (M {sub S}) of the Fe{sub 73.5}Si{sub 3.5}Ge{sub 10}Nb{sub 3}B{sub 9}Cu{sub 1} alloy and its nanocrystalline structure. Amorphous ribbons obtained by the melt spinning technique were heat-treated for 1 h at different temperatures. The optimal treatment to obtain a homogeneous structure of Fe{sub 3}(Si,Ge) nanocrystals with a grain size of around 10 nm embedded in an amorphous matrix involved heating at 540 C for 1 h. We calculated the magnetic contribution of the nanocrystals to the heat treated alloy using a linear model and measured the M {sub S} of the Fe{sub 73.5}Si{sub 3.5}Ge{sub 10}Nb{sub 3}B{sub 9}Cu{sub 1} nanocrystalline and of an amorphous alloy of the same composition of the amorphous matrix: Fe{sub 58}Si{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 3.5}Cu{sub 3}Nb{sub 9}B{sub 26}. Using experimental data and theoretical calculations, we obtained the amorphous and crystalline fraction of the heat-treated ribbons.
Electrical and Optical Properties of GeSi−:H Thin Films Prepared by Thermal Evaporation Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. J. Al-Douri

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Thin a-GeSi1−:H films were grown successfully by fabrication of designated ingot followed by evaporation onto glass slides. A range of growth conditions, Ge contents, dopant concentration (Al and As, and substrate temperature, were employed. Stoichiometry of the thin films composition was confirmed using standard surface techniques. The structure of all films was amorphous. Film composition and deposition parameters were investigated for their bearing on film electrical and optical properties. More than one transport mechanism is indicated. It was observed that increasing substrate temperature, Ge contents, and dopant concentration lead to a decrease in the optical energy gap of those films. The role of the deposition conditions on values of the optical constants was determined. Accordingly, models of the density of states for the Ge0.5Si0.5:H thin films as pure, doped with 3.5% of Al (p-type and that doped with 3.5% As (n-type, were proposed.
Determination of the laterally homogeneous barrier height of palladium Schottky barrier diodes on n-Ge (111)

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Chawanda, A

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The authors have studied the experimental linear relationship between barrier heights and ideality factors for palladium (Pd) on bulk-grown (1 1 1) Sb-doped n-type germanium (Ge) metal-semiconductor structures with a doping density of about 2...
Lattice stability and formation energies of intrinsic defects in Mg2Si and Mg2Ge via first principles simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jund, Philippe; Viennois, Romain; Tédenac, Jean-Claude; Colinet, Catherine; Hug, Gilles; Fèvre, Mathieu

2013-01-01

We report an ab initio study of the semiconducting Mg 2 X (with X = Si, Ge) compounds and in particular we analyze the formation energies of the different point defects with the aim of understanding the intrinsic doping mechanisms. We find that the formation energy of Mg 2 Ge is 50% larger than that of Mg 2 Si, in agreement with the experimental tendency. From a study of the stability and the electronic properties of the most stable defects, taking into account the growth conditions, we show that the main cause of the n doping in these materials comes from interstitial magnesium defects. Conversely, since other defects acting like acceptors such as Mg vacancies or multivacancies are more stable in Mg 2 Ge than in Mg 2 Si, this explains why Mg 2 Ge can be of n or p type, in contrast to Mg 2 Si. The finding that the most stable defects are different in Mg 2 Si and Mg 2 Ge and depend on the growth conditions is important and must be taken into account in the search for the optimal doping to improve the thermoelectric properties of these materials.
Tunable band alignment in two-phase-coexistence Nb3O7F nanocrystals with enhanced light harvesting and photocatalytic performance

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhen; Huang, Fei; Feng, Xin; Yan, Aihua; Dong, Haiming; Hu, Miao; Li, Qi

2018-06-01

A two-phase-coexistence technique offers intriguing variables to maneuver novel and enhanced functionality in a single-component material. Most importantly, new band alignment and perfect interfaces between two phases can strongly affect local photoelectronic properties. However, previous efforts to achieve two-phase coexistence were mainly restricted to specific systems and methods. Here we demonstrate a phase-transition route to acquire two-phase-coexistence niobium oxyfluoride (Nb3O7F) nanocrystals for the first time. Based on key distinguishing features of the experimental results and theoretical analysis, the phase transition of Nb3O7F involves an organic/inorganic hybrid, heat treating, Al-doping, lattice deformation and structural rearrangement. The band gap can be effectively tuned from 3.03 eV to 2.84 eV, and the VBM can be tuned from 1.49 eV to 1.69 eV according to the phase proportion. Benefiting from uniform nanocrystal size, tunable band alignment and an optimized interfacial structure, the two-phase coexistence markedly enhances visible-light harvesting and the photocatalytic performance of Nb3O7F nanocrystals. The results not only demonstrate an opportunity to explore two-phase coexistence of novel nanocrystals, but also illustrate the role of two-phase coexistence in achieving enhanced photoelectronic properties.
Fine-tuning the Wall Thickness of Ordered Mesoporous Graphene by Exploiting Ligand Exchange of Colloidal Nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Dandan; Yan, Yancui; Wei, Jishi; Wang, Biwei; Li, Tongtao; Guo, Guannan; Yang, Dong; Xie, Songhai; Dong, Angang

2017-12-01

Because of their unique physical properties, three-dimensional (3D) graphene has attracted enormous attention over the past years. However, it is still a challenge to precisely control the layer thickness of 3D graphene. Here, we report a novel strategy to rationally adjust the wall thickness of ordered mesoporous graphene (OMG). By taking advantage of ligand exchange capability of colloidal Fe3O4 nanocrystals, we are able to fine-tune the wall thickness of OMG from 2 to 6 layers of graphene by tailoring the hydrocarbon ligands attached to the nanocrystal surface. When evaluated as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction upon S and N doping, the 4-layer OMG is found to show better catalytic performance compared with its 2- and 6-layer counterparts, which we attribute to the enhanced exposure of active sites resulting from its ultrathin wall thickness and high surface area.
Measuring the Valence of Nanocrystal Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Owen, Jonathan Scharle [Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)

2016-11-30

The goal of this project is to understand and control the interplay between nanocrystal stoichiometry, surface ligand binding and exchange, and the optoelectronic properties of semiconductor nanocrystals in solution and in thin solid films. We pursued three research directions with this goal in mind: 1) We characterized nanocrystal stoichiometry and its influence on the binding of L-type and X-type ligands, including the thermodynamics of binding and the kinetics of ligand exchange. 2) We developed a quantitative understanding of the relationship between surface ligand passivation and photoluminescence quantum yield. 3) We developed methods to replace the organic ligands on the nanocrystal with halide ligands and controllably deposit these nanocrystals into thin films, where electrical measurements were used to investigate the electrical transport and internanocrystal electronic coupling.
Optical characterization of Tm3+ doped Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3 glasses in absence and presence of BaF2

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Kexuan; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Shunbin; Guo, Yanyan; Zhou, Dechun; Yu, Fengxia

2016-01-01

In this paper, Two new Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3 glasses (one presence of BaF2) doped with 1mol% Tm2O3 were prepared by melt-quenching technique. Differential thermal analysis (DTA), the absorption, Raman, IR spectra and fluorescence spectra were measured. The Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters, emission cross section, absorption cross section, and gain coefficient of Tm3+ ions were comparatively investigated. After the BaF2 introduced, the glass showed a better thermal stability, lower phonon energy and weaker OH− absorption coefficient, meanwhile, a larger ~1.8 μm emission cross section σem (7.56 × 10−21 cm2) and a longer fluorescence lifetime τmea (2.25 ms) corresponding to the Tm3+: 4F3 → 3H6 transition were obtained, which is due to the addition of fluoride in glass could reduce the quenching rate of hydroxyls and raise the cross-relaxation (3H6 + 3H4 → 3F4 + 3F4) rate. Our results suggest that the Tm3+ doped Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3 glass with BaF2 might be potential to the application in efficient ~1.8 μm lasers system. PMID:27506152
Optical characterization of Tm(3+) doped Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3 glasses in absence and presence of BaF2.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Kexuan; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Shunbin; Guo, Yanyan; Zhou, Dechun; Yu, Fengxia

2016-08-10

In this paper, Two new Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3 glasses (one presence of BaF2) doped with 1mol% Tm2O3 were prepared by melt-quenching technique. Differential thermal analysis (DTA), the absorption, Raman, IR spectra and fluorescence spectra were measured. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, emission cross section, absorption cross section, and gain coefficient of Tm(3+) ions were comparatively investigated. After the BaF2 introduced, the glass showed a better thermal stability, lower phonon energy and weaker OH(-) absorption coefficient, meanwhile, a larger ~1.8 μm emission cross section σem (7.56 × 10(-21) cm(2)) and a longer fluorescence lifetime τmea (2.25 ms) corresponding to the Tm(3+): (4)F3 → (3)H6 transition were obtained, which is due to the addition of fluoride in glass could reduce the quenching rate of hydroxyls and raise the cross-relaxation ((3)H6 + (3)H4 → (3)F4 + (3)F4) rate. Our results suggest that the Tm(3+) doped Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3 glass with BaF2 might be potential to the application in efficient ~1.8 μm lasers system.
Reactivity of silicon and germanium doped CNTs toward aromatic sulfur compounds: A theoretical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galano, Annia; Francisco-Marquez, Misaela

2008-01-01

Adsorption processes of thiophene and benzothiophene on pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and on CNTs doped with Si or Ge, have been modeled with Density Functional. This is the first study on the chemical reactivity of such doped tubes. The calculated data suggest that the presence of silicon or germanium atoms in CNTs increases their reactivity toward thiophene, and benzothiophene. The adsorption of these species on pristine CNTs seems very unlikely to occur, while the addition products involving doped CNTs were found to be very stable, with respect to the isolated reactants, in terms of Gibbs free energy. Several of these adsorption processes were found to be significantly exergonic (ΔG < 0) in non-polar liquid phase. The results reported in this work suggest that Si and Ge defects on CNTs increase their reactivity toward unsaturated species, and could make them useful in the removal processes of aromatic sulfur compounds from oil-hydrocarbons. However, according to our results, CNTs doped with Si atoms are expected to be more efficient as aromatic sulfur compounds scavengers than those doped with Ge. These results also suggest that the presence of silicon and germanium atoms in the CNTs structures enhances their reactivity toward nucleophilic molecules, compared to pristine carbon nanotubes
Effect of silver nanoparticles on the dielectric properties of holmium doped silica glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rejikumar, P.R.; Jyothy, P.V.; Mathew, Siby; Thomas, Vinoy; Unnikrishnan, N.V.

2010-01-01

The effect of silver nanoparticle co-doping on the dielectric properties of holmium doped silica glasses was studied. Silver nanoparticles of size between 20 and 22 nm were produced by the sol-gel technique. One of the samples showed an icosahedral morphology of the nanocrystal formed, along with spherical morphology. It was found that the tuning of the dielectric constant values could be accomplished by co-doping. The sample, with 1 wt% of Ho, had low dielectric constant values within the range 100 Hz-3 MHz due to the formation of quasi-molecular structures of holmium. This effect was evaded to some extent with silver co-doping as a result of the interdispersion of holmium complexes. Also it was found that the co-doping produced a higher dielectric loss which was calculated from the tan δ-log f graph. The Cole-Cole parameters and the Jonscher power law parameters were also calculated and are presented.
Composite material including nanocrystals and methods of making

Science.gov (United States)

Bawendi, Moungi G.; Sundar, Vikram C.

2010-04-06

Temperature-sensing compositions can include an inorganic material, such as a semiconductor nanocrystal. The nanocrystal can be a dependable and accurate indicator of temperature. The intensity of emission of the nanocrystal varies with temperature and can be highly sensitive to surface temperature. The nanocrystals can be processed with a binder to form a matrix, which can be varied by altering the chemical nature of the surface of the nanocrystal. A nanocrystal with a compatibilizing outer layer can be incorporated into a coating formulation and retain its temperature sensitive emissive properties.
Ge-intercalated graphene: The origin of the p-type to n-type transition

KAUST Repository

Kaloni, Thaneshwor P.

2012-09-01

Recently huge interest has been focussed on Ge-intercalated graphene. In order to address the effect of Ge on the electronic structure, we study Ge-intercalated free-standing C 6 and C 8 bilayer graphene, bulk C 6Ge and C 8Ge, as well as Ge-intercalated graphene on a SiC(0001) substrate, by density functional theory. In the presence of SiC(0001), there are three ways to obtain n-type graphene: i) intercalation between C layers; ii) intercalation at the interface to the substrate in combination with Ge deposition on the surface; and iii) cluster intercalation. All other configurations under study result in p-type states irrespective of the Ge coverage. We explain the origin of the different doping states and establish the conditions under which a transition occurs. © Copyright EPLA, 2012.
Nanocrystal/sol-gel nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Petruska, Melissa A [Los Alamos, NM; Klimov, Victor L [Los Alamos, NM

2007-06-05

The present invention is directed to solid composites including colloidal nanocrystals within a sol-gel host or matrix and to processes of forming such solid composites. The present invention is further directed to alcohol soluble colloidal nanocrystals useful in formation of sol-gel based solid composites.
Z-Contrast STEM Imaging and EELS of CdSe Nanocrystals: Towards the Analysis of Individual Nanocrystal Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erwin, M.; Kadavanich, A.V.; Kippeny, T.; Pennycook, S.J.; Rosenthal, S.J.

1999-01-01

We have applied Atomic Number Contract Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (Z-Contrast STEM) and STEM/EELS (Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy) towards the study of colloidal CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals embedded in MEH-PPV polymer films. Unlike the case of conventional phase-contrast High Resolution TEM, Z-Contrast images are direct projections of the atomic structure. Hence they can be interpreted without the need for sophisticated image simulation and the image intensity is a direct measure of the thickness of a nanocrystal. Our thickness measurements are in agreement with the predicted faceted shape of these nanocrystals. Our unique 1.3A resolution STEM has successfully resolve3d the sublattice structure of these CdSe nanocrystals. In [010] projection (the polar axis in the image plane) we can distinguish Se atom columns from Cd columns. Consequently we can study the effects of lattice polarity on the nanocrystal morphology. Furthermore, since the STEM technique does not rely on diffraction, it is superbly suited to the study of non-periodic detail, such as the surface structure of the nanocrystals. EELS measurements on individual nanocrystals indicate a significant amount (equivalet to 0.5-1 surface monolayers) of oxygen on the nanocrystals, despite processing in an inert atmosphere. Spatially resolved measurements at 7A resolution suggest a surface oxide layer. However, the uncertainty in the measurement precludes definitive assignment at this time. The source of the oxygen is under investigation as well
Microscopic and macroscopic characterization of the charging effects in SiC/Si nanocrystals/SiC sandwiched structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Jie; Xu, Jun; Wang, Yuefei; Cao, Yunqing; Li, Wei; Yu, Linwei; Chen, Kunji

2014-01-01

Microscopic charge injection into the SiC/Si nanocrystals/SiC sandwiched structures through a biased conductive AFM tip is subsequently characterized by both electrostatic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The charge injection and retention characteristics are found to be affected by not only the band offset at the Si nanocrystals/SiC interface but also the doping type of the Si substrate. On the other hand, capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements investigate the macroscopic charging effect of the sandwiched structures with a thicker SiC capping layer, where the charges are injected from the Si substrates. The calculated macroscopic charging density is 3–4 times that of the microscopic one, and the possible reason is the underestimation of the microscopic charging density caused by the averaging effect and detection delay in the KPFM measurements. (paper)

Highly aqueous soluble CaF2:Ce/Tb nanocrystals: effect of surface functionalization on structural, optical band gap, and photoluminescence properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Ansari, Anees A; Parchur, Abdul K; Kumar, Brijesh; Rai, S B

2016-12-01

The design of nanostructured materials with highly stable water-dispersion and luminescence efficiency is an important concern in nanotechnology and nanomedicine. In this paper, we described the synthesis and distinct surface modification on the morphological structure and optical (optical absorption, band gap energy, excitation, emission, decay time, etc.) properties of highly crystalline water-dispersible CaF 2 :Ce/Tb nanocrystals (core-nanocrystals). The epitaxial growth of inert CaF 2 and silica shell, respectively, on their surface forming as CaF 2 :Ce/Tb@CaF 2 (core/shell) and CaF 2 :Ce/Tb@CaF 2 @SiO 2 (core/shell/SiO 2 ) nanoarchitecture. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope image shows that the nanocrystals were in irregular spherical phase, highly crystalline (~20 nm) with narrow size distribution. The core/shell nanocrystals confirm that the surface coating is responsible in the change of symmetrical nanostructure, which was determined from the band gap energy and luminescent properties. It was found that an inert inorganic shell formation effectively enhances the luminescence efficiency and silica shell makes the nanocrystals highly water-dispersible. In addition, Ce 3+ /Tb 3+ -co-doped CaF 2 nanocrystals show efficient energy transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ ion and strong green luminescence of Tb 3+ ion at 541 nm( 5 D 4 → 7 F 5 ). Luminescence decay curves of core and core/shell nanocrystals were fitted using mono and biexponential equations, and R 2 regression coefficient criteria were used to discriminate the goodness of the fitted model. The lifetime values for the core/shell nanocrystals are higher than core-nanocrystals. Considering the high stable water-dispersion and intensive luminescence emission in the visible region, these luminescent core/shell nanocrystals could be potential candidates for luminescent bio-imaging, optical bio-probe, displays, staining, and multianalyte optical sensing. A newly designed CaF 2 :Ce
One-pot noninjection synthesis of Cu-doped Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S nanocrystals with emission color tunable over entire visible spectrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenjin; Zhou, Xinggui; Zhong, Xinhua

2012-03-19

Unlike Mn doped quantum dots (d-dots), the emission color of Cu dopant in Cu d-dots is dependent on the nature, size, and composition of host nanocrystals (NCs). The tunable Cu dopant emission has been achieved via tuning the particle size of host NCs in previous reports. In this paper, for the first time we doped Cu impurity in Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S alloyed NCs and tuned the dopant emission in the whole visible spectrum via variation of the stoichiometric ratio of Zn/Cd precursors in the host Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S alloyed NCs. A facile noninjection and low cost approach for the synthesis of Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S d-dots was reported. The optical properties and structure of the obtained Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S d-dots have been characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The influences of various experimental variables, including Zn/Cd ratio, reaction temperature, and Cu dopant concentration, on the optical properties of Cu dopant emission have been systematically investigated. The as-prepared Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S d-dots did show PL emission but with quite low quantum yield (QY) (typically below 6%). With the deposition of ZnS shell around the Cu:Zn(x)Cd(1-x)S core NCs, the PL QY increased substantially with a maximum value of 65%. More importantly, the high PL QY can be preserved when the initial oil-soluble d-dots were transferred into aqueous media via ligand replacement by mercaptoundeconic acid. In addition, these d-dots have thermal stability up to 250 °C. © 2012 American Chemical Society
The effects of cerium doping on the size, morphology, and optical properties of α-hematite nanoparticles for ultraviolet filtration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardillo, Dean [Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong Innovation Campus, Squires Way, North Wollongong, NSW 2500 (Australia); Konstantinov, Konstantin, E-mail: konstan@uow.edu.au [Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong Innovation Campus, Squires Way, North Wollongong, NSW 2500 (Australia); Devers, Thierry [Centre de Recherche sur la Matière Divisée, Institut de Physique, site de Chartres, Université d’Orléans (France)

2013-11-15

Highlights: • Possible application of cerium-doped α-hematite as ultraviolet filter. • Nanoparticles obtained through co-precipitation technique using various cerium doping levels followed by annealing. • Comprehensive materials characterisation utilizing XRD, DSC/TGA, STEM, UV–vis spectroscopy. • Increasing cerium content reduces particle sizing and alters morphology. • Solubility of cerium in hematite seen between 5 and 10% doping, 10% cerium doping greatly enhances attenuation in ultraviolet region and increases optical bandgap. - Abstract: Metal oxide nanoparticles have potential use in energy storage, electrode materials, as catalysts and in the emerging field of nanomedicine. Being able to accurately tailor the desirable properties of these nanoceramic materials, such as particle size, morphology and optical bandgap (E{sub g}) is integral in the feasibility of their use. In this study we investigate the altering of both the structure and physical properties through the doping of hematite (α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanocrystals with cerium at a range of concentrations, synthesised using a one-pot co-precipitation method. This extremely simple synthesis followed by thermal treatment results in stable Fe{sub 2−x}Ce{sub x}O{sub y} nanoceramics resulting from the burning of any unreacted precursors and transformation of goethite-cerium doped nanoparticle intermediate. The inclusion of Ce into the crystal lattice of these α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles causes a significantly large reduction in mean crystalline size and alteration in particle morphology with increasing cerium content. Finally we report an increase optical semiconductor bandgap, along with a substantial increase in the ultraviolet attenuation found for a 10% Ce-doping concentration which shows the potential application of cerium-doped hematite nanocrystals to be used as a pigmented ultraviolet filter for cosmetic products.
Nanocrystal thin film fabrication methods and apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Kagan, Cherie R.; Kim, David K.; Choi, Ji-Hyuk; Lai, Yuming

2018-01-09

Nanocrystal thin film devices and methods for fabricating nanocrystal thin film devices are disclosed. The nanocrystal thin films are diffused with a dopant such as Indium, Potassium, Tin, etc. to reduce surface states. The thin film devices may be exposed to air during a portion of the fabrication. This enables fabrication of nanocrystal-based devices using a wider range of techniques such as photolithography and photolithographic patterning in an air environment.
Surface etching mechanism of carbon-doped Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} phase change material in fluorocarbon plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Lanlan [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Shanghai (China); Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Song, Sannian; Song, Zhitang; Li, Le; Guo, Tianqi; Cheng, Yan; Lv, Shilong; Wu, Liangcai; Liu, Bo; Feng, Songlin [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Shanghai (China)

2016-09-15

Recently, carbon-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 (CGST) phase change material has been widely researched for being highly promising material for future phase change memory application. In this paper, the reactive-ion etching of CGST film in CF{sub 4}/Ar plasma is studied. Compared with GST, the etch rate of CGST is relatively lower due to the existence of carbon which reduce the concentration of F or CF{sub x} reactive radicals. It was found that Argon plays an important role in defining the sidewall edge acuity. Compared with GST, more physical bombardment is required to obtain vertical sidewall of CGST. The effect of fluorocarbon gas on the damage of the etched CGST film was also investigated. A Ge- and Sb-deficient layer with tens of nanometers was observed by TEM combining with XPS analysis. The reaction between fluorocarbon plasma and CGST is mainly dominated by the diffusion and consumption of reactive fluorine radicals through the fluorocarbon layer into the CGST substrate material. The formation of damage layer is mainly caused by strong chemical reactivity, low volatility of reaction compounds and weak ion bombardment. (orig.)
Quantum efficiency of Yb{sup 3+}–ZnTe co-doped phosphate glass system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Falci, R.F.; Freitas, A.M.; Silva, G.H. [Laboratório de Espectroscopia de Materiais, Departamento de Física, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36036-330, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Pinheiro, A.S. [Centro Federal de EducaçãoTecnológica Celso Suckow da Fonseca (CEFET/RJ) - Campus Petrópolis, CEP 25620-003, Petrópolis - RJ (Brazil); Dantas, N.O. [Laboratório de Novos Materiais Isolantes e Semicondutores (LNMIS), Instituto de Física da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, CP 593, CEP 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Anjos, V., E-mail: virgilio@fisica.ufjf.br [Laboratório de Espectroscopia de Materiais, Departamento de Física, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36036-330, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Bell, M.J.V. [Laboratório de Espectroscopia de Materiais, Departamento de Física, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36036-330, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil)

2016-08-15

The present paper deals with optical properties of a highly transparent phosphate glass co-doped with Yb{sup 3+} and ZnTe nanocrystals. The presence of ZnTe nanocrystals is due to a sequential melting–nucleation procedure evidenced by optical absorption and Atomic Force Microscopy. From the perspective of compositional variation of the dopants, photoluminescence and lifetime measurements were performed. As a result, it was demonstrated that the ZnTe nanocrystals increase the Yb{sup 3+} emission by a factor up to five, when the pumping wavelength is resonant with the ZnTe absorption. It was also verified that the ZnTe nanocrystals inhibit the self-trapping of the rare earth luminescence. As a consequence, the quantum efficiency of the {sup 5}F{sub 7/2}→{sup 5}F{sub 5/2} transitions of the Yb{sup 3+} is considerably increased. Finally, we have found that the glass thermal diffusivity is not sensitive to temperature variations comprising the interval from room temperature to cryogenic temperatures. This can be an important property when considering this material to future applications in high-power photonic devices.
Brilliant blue, green and orange-red emission band on Tm{sup 3+}-, Tb{sup 3+}- and Eu{sup 3+}-doped ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romero, V H; De la Rosa, E; Lopez-Luke, T [Centro de Investigaciones en Optica, A.P. 1-948, Leon Gto., 37160 (Mexico); Salas, P [Centro de Fisica Aplicada y TecnologIa Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, A.P. 1-1010, Queretaro, Qro. 76000 (Mexico); Angeles-Chavez, C, E-mail: elder@cio.m [Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Programa de IngenierIa Molecular, A.P. 11-848, Mexico, D.F. 07730 (Mexico)

2010-11-24

Tm{sup 3+}-, Tb{sup 3+}- and Eu{sup 3+}-doped ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystals were prepared by a facile precipitation method with a hydrothermal process. Structural characterization showed a crystallite size ranging from 30 to 40 nm, and monoclinic and tetragonal zirconia phases were observed depending on the dopant concentration. The monoclinic phase was dominant for 0.5 mol% of Tb{sup 3+} and Eu{sup 3+}, and the tetragonal phase was 100% stabilized for 2 mol% of Tm{sup 3+} and Tb{sup 3+}. The structure of emission bands associated with Eu{sup 3+} confirms the substitution of Zr{sup 4+} located at C{sub 1} and D{sub 2h} symmetry sites for the monoclinic and tetragonal phases. The emission of three primary colours, red, green and blue, was obtained from Eu{sup 3+}, Tb{sup 3+} and Tm{sup 3+}, respectively, which makes this nanophosphor an excellent candidate for use in photonics applications. The emitted signal was analysed as a function of ion concentration and the optimum concentration was determined.
Hydrothermal synthesis and white light emission of cubic ZrO2:Eu3+ nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meetei, Sanoujam Dhiren; Singh, Shougaijam Dorendrajit

2014-01-01

Highlights: • White light emitting cubic ZrO 2 :Eu 3+ nanocrystal is synthesized by hydrothermal technique. • Eu 3+ is used to stabilize crystalline phase and to get red counterpart of the white light. • Defect emission and Eu 3+ emission combined to give white light. • The white light emitted from this nanocrystal resembles vertical daylight of the Sun. • Lifetime corresponding to red counterpart of the sample is far longer than conventional white light emitters. -- Abstract: Production of white light has been a promising area of luminescence studies. In this work, white light emitting nanocrystals of cubic zirconia doped with Eu 3+ are synthesized by hydrothermal technique. The dopant Eu 3+ is used to stabilize crystalline phase to cubic and at the same time to get red counterpart of the white light. The synthesis procedure is simple and precursor required no further annealing for crystallization. X-ray diffraction patterns show the crystalline phase of ZrO 2 :Eu 3+ to be cubic and it is confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. From transmission electron microscopy images, size of the crystals is found to be ∼5 nm. Photoluminescence emission spectrum of the sample, on monitoring excitation at O 2− –Eu 3+ charge transfer state shows broad peak due to O 2− of the zirconia and that of Eu 3+ emission. Commission Internationale de l’éclairage co-ordinate of this nanocrystal (0.32, 0.34) is closed to that of the ideal white light (0.33, 0.33). Correlated color temperature of the white light (5894 K) is within the range of vertical daylight. Lifetime (1.32 ms) corresponding to 5 D 0 energy level of the Eu 3+ is found to be far longer than conventional red counterparts of white light emitters. It suggests that the ZrO 2 :Eu 3+ nanocrystals synthesized by hydrothermal technique may find applications in simulating the vertical daylight of the Sun
Experimental evidence of zone-center optical phonon softening by accumulating holes in thin Ge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shoichi Kabuyanagi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We discuss the impact of free carriers on the zone-center optical phonon frequency in germanium (Ge. By taking advantage of the Ge-on-insulator structure, we measured the Raman spectroscopy by applying back-gate bias. Phonon softening by accumulating holes in Ge film was clearly observed. This fact strongly suggests that the phonon softening in heavily-doped Ge is mainly attributed to the free carrier effect rather than the dopant atom counterpart. Furthermore, we propose that the free carrier effect on phonon softening is simply understandable from the viewpoint of covalent bonding modification by free carriers.
Electronic displays using optically pumped luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Shimon [Pinole, CA; Schlamp, Michael C [Plainsboro, NJ; Alivisatos, A Paul [Oakland, CA

2011-09-27

A multicolor electronic display is based on an array of luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals. Nanocrystals which emit light of different colors are grouped into pixels. The nanocrystals are optically pumped to produce a multicolor display. Different sized nanocrystals are used to produce the different colors. A variety of pixel addressing systems can be used.
Reduced thermal conductivity due to scattering centers in p-type SiGe alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaty, J.S.; Rolfe, J.L.; Vandersande, J.; Fleurial. J.P.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that a theoretical model has been developed that predicts that the addition of ultra-fine, inert, phonon-scattering centers to SiGe thermoelectric material will reduce its thermal conductivity and improve its figure-of-merit. To investigate this prediction, ultra-fine particulates (20 Angstrom to 200 Angstrom) of boron nitride have been added to boron doped, p-type, 80/20 SiGe. All previous SiGe samples produced from ultra-fine SiGe powder without additions had lower thermal conductivities than standard SiGe, but high temperature (1525 K) heat treatment increased their thermal conductivity back to the value for standard SiGe. Transmission Electron Microscopy has been used to confirm the presence of occluded particulates and X-ray diffraction has been used to determine the composition to be BN
Fundamental aspects of nucleation and growth in the solution-phase synthesis of germanium nanocrystals

KAUST Repository

Codoluto, Stephen C.

2010-01-01

Colloidal Ge nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized via the solution phase reduction of germanium(ii) iodide. We report a systematic investigation of the nanocrystal nucleation and growth as a function of synthesis conditions including the nature of coordinating solvents, surface bound ligands, synthesis duration and temperature. NC synthesis in reaction environments with weakly bound phosphine surface ligand led to the coalescence of nascent particles leading to ensembles with broad lognormal particle diameter distributions. Synthesis in the presence of amine or alkene ligands mitigated particle coalescence. High-resolution transmission electron micrographs revealed that NCs grown in the presence of weak ligands had a high crystal defect density whereas NCs grown in amine solutions were predominantly defect-free. We applied infrared spectroscopy to study the NC surface chemistry and showed that alkene ligands project the NCs from surface oxidation. Photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements showed that alkene ligands passivate surface traps, as indicated by infrared fluorescence, conversely oxidized phosphine and amine passivated NCs did not fluoresce. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Germanium-doped gallium phosphide obtained by neutron irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Goldys, E. M.; Barczynska, J.; Godlewski, M.; Sienkiewicz, A.; Heijmink Liesert, B. J.

1993-08-01

Results of electrical, optical, electron spin resonance and optically detected magnetic resonance studies of thermal neutron irradiated and annealed at 800 °C n-type GaP are presented. Evidence is found to support the view that the main dopant introduced via transmutation of GaP, germanium, occupies cation sites and forms neutral donors. This confirms the possibility of neutron transmutation doping of GaP. Simultaneously, it is shown that germanium is absent at cation sites. Presence of other forms of Ge-related defects is deduced from luminescence and absorption data. Some of them are tentatively identified as VGa-GeGa acceptors leading to the self-compensation process. This observation means that the neutron transmutation as a doping method in application to GaP is not as efficient as for Si.
Multicolour synthesis in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals through cation exchange in water

KAUST Repository

Han, Sanyang; Qin, Xian; An, Zhongfu; Zhu, Yihan; Liang, Liangliang; Han, Yu; Huang, Wei; Liu, Xiaogang

2016-01-01

lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials have relied on direct synthesis requiring stringent controls over crystal nucleation and growth at elevated temperatures. Here we demonstrate the use of a cation exchange strategy for expeditiously accessing large
UV and air stability of high-efficiency photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jihua, E-mail: yangj@umn.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Liptak, Richard [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Department of Physics and Optical Engineering, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, 5500 Wabash Ave, Terre Haute, IN 47803 (United States); Rowe, David; Wu, Jeslin [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Casey, James; Witker, David [Dow Corning Corporation, 2200 W. Salzburg Road, Midland, MI 48686 (United States); Campbell, Stephen A. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Kortshagen, Uwe, E-mail: kortshagen@umn.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States)

2014-12-30

The effects of UV light and air exposure on the photoluminescent properties of nonthermal plasma-synthesized silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) were investigated. Si NCs with high-efficiency photoluminescence (PL) have been achieved via a post-synthesis hydrosilylation process. Photobleaching is observed within the first few hours of ultra-violet (UV) irradiation. Equilibrium is reached after ∼4 h of UV exposure wherein the Si NCs are able to retain 52% of the initially measured PL quantum yield (PLQY). UV-treated Si NCs showed recovery of PL with time. Gas-phase passivation of Si NCs by hydrogen afterglow injection improves PLQY and PL stability against UV and air exposure. Additionally, phosphorous doping can also improve UV stability of photoluminescent Si NCs.
Bright trions in direct-bandgap silicon nanocrystals revealed bylow-temperature single-nanocrystal spectroscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kůsová, Kateřina; Pelant, Ivan; Valenta, J.

2015-01-01

Roč. 4, Oct (2015), e336 ISSN 2047-7538 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108; GA ČR GPP204/12/P235 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : silicon nanocrystals * single-nanocrystal spectroscopy * luminescing trions Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 13.600, year: 2015
Pressurized polyol synthesis of Al-doped ZnO nanoclusters with high electrical conductivity and low near-infrared transmittance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Ho-Nyun; Shin, Chi-Ho [Surface Technology R& BD Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), Incheon 406-840 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Duck Kun [Department of Corporate Diagnosis, Small and Medium Business Corporation, Seoul 150-718 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Haekyoung [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Kyeongseok [Department of Chemical and Environmental Technology, Inha Technical College, Incheon 402-752 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyun-Jong, E-mail: hjkim23@kitech.re.kr [Surface Technology R& BD Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), Incheon 406-840 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-25

Highlights: • Low-temperature pressurized polyol method synthesized Al-doped ZnO nanoclusters. • Reaction time affected the doping efficiency, resistivity, and NIR transmittance. • The near-IR blocking efficiency of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoclusters reached 85%. • AZO nanocluster coatings could be used for heat reflectors or artificial glasses. - Abstract: In this study, a novel pressurized polyol method is proposed to synthesize aluminum-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoclusters without utilizing additional thermal treatment to avoid the merging of nanoclusters. The size of the AZO nanoclusters range from 100 to 150 nm with a resistivity of 204 Ω cm. The AZO nanoclusters primarily consist of approximately 10-nm nanocrystals that form a spherically clustered morphology. A two-stage growth model has been proposed based on the results of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images, nanocluster sizes, and X-ray diffraction patterns. The primary AZO nanocrystals first nucleate under pressurized conditions and then spontaneously aggregate into larger nanoclusters. Optically, the AZO nanoclusters exhibit a significant decrease in the near-infrared (NIR) transmittance compared to pure ZnO nanoparticles. The NIR blocking efficiency of AZO nanoclusters reached 85%. Moreover, the doping efficiency, resistivity, and NIR transmittance of AZO nanoclusters are influenced by the reaction time in the pressurized polyol solution. On the other hand, the reaction time has no effect on the particle size and crystallinity. An optically transparent coating for the AZO nanoclusters, which consisted of iso-propanol solvent and ultraviolet-curable acrylic binder, was also demonstrated.
Development Considerations for Nanocrystal Drug Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Mei-Ling; John, Mathew; Lee, Sau L; Tyner, Katherine M

2017-05-01

Nanocrystal technology has emerged as a valuable tool for facilitating the delivery of poorly water-soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and enhancing API bioavailability. To date, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received over 80 applications for drug products containing nanocrystals. These products can be delivered by different routes of administration and are used in a variety of therapeutic areas. To aid in identifying key developmental considerations for these products, a retrospective analysis was performed on the submissions received by the FDA to date. Over 60% of the submissions were for the oral route of administration. Based on the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), most nanocrystal drugs submitted to the FDA are class II compounds that possess low aqueous solubility and high intestinal permeability. Impact of food on drug bioavailability was reduced for most nanocrystal formulations as compared with their micronized counterparts. For all routes of administration, dose proportionality was observed for some, but not all, nanocrystal products. Particular emphasis in the development of nanocrystal products was placed on the in-process tests and controls at critical manufacturing steps (such as milling process), mitigation and control of process-related impurities, and the stability of APIs or polymorphic form (s) during manufacturing and upon storage. This emphasis resulted in identifying challenges to the development of these products including accurate determination of particle size (distribution) of drug substance and/or nanocrystal colloidal dispersion, identification of polymorphic form (s), and establishment of drug substance/product specifications.
Local structure and thermoelectric properties of Mg{sub 2}Si{sub 0.977−x}Ge{sub x}Bi{sub 0.023} (0.1 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.4)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farahi, Nader [Department of Chemistry and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 (Canada); Prabhudev, Sagar; Botton, Gianluigi A. [Materials Science and Engineering Department, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 (Canada); Zhao, Jianbao; Tse, John S. [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2 (Canada); Liu, Zhenxian [Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Salvador, James R. [General Motors Research & Development Center, Warren, MI 48090 (United States); Kleinke, Holger, E-mail: kleinke@uwaterloo.ca [Department of Chemistry and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 (Canada)

2015-09-25

Highlights: • Incorporating Ge into Bi-doped Mg{sub 2}Si decreases the thermal conductivity and enhances the thermoelectric performance. • Ge-rich domains, identified via TEM, contribute to these changes. • Interstitial sites are in part filled with Mg atoms, as revealed via TEM. • Doping with Bi is advantageous over doping with Sb, resulting in an increase of 48% of the thermoelectric figure of merit. • The highest figure-of-merit of these materials is zT{sub max} = 0.7 at 773 K, realized for Mg{sub 2}Si{sub 0.677}Ge{sub 0.3}Bi{sub 0.023}. - Abstract: We investigated the effect of germanium substitution for silicon in bismuth doped Mg{sub 2}Si. This alloying reduces the thermal conductivity from above 7 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1} to 2.7 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1} at around 300 K in part due to the added mass contrast. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed the presence of Ge-rich domains within the Mg{sub 2}(Si,Ge,Bi) particles, contributing to decreasing thermal conductivity with increasing Ge content up to 0.3 Ge per formula unit. The electrical conductivity also decreases with Ge alloying because of the increasing amount of scattering centers, while the Seebeck coefficient increased only very slightly. In total, the positive effect of Ge substitution on the thermoelectric properties of Bi doped Mg{sub 2}Si resulted in a figure of merit of 0.7 at 773 K for Mg{sub 2}Si{sub 0.677}Ge{sub 0.3}Bi{sub 0.023} sample. The optimum amount of Bi seems to be 0.023 per formula unit (0.77 at%), since lower Bi content resulted in electrical conductivity that is too low, and higher Bi content generated the Mg{sub 3}Bi{sub 2} intermetallic phase.
Simultaneous phase and size control of upconversion nanocrystals through lanthanide doping

KAUST Repository

Wang, Feng; Han, Yu; Lim, Chinseong; Lu, Yunhao; Wang, Juan; Xu, Jun; Chen, Hongyu; Zhang, Chun; Hong, Minghui; Liu, Xiaogang

2010-01-01

or hexagonal) and upconversion emission colour (green to blue) through use of trivalent lanthanide dopant ions introduced at precisely defined concentrations. We use first-principles calculations to confirm that the influence of lanthanide doping on crystal

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