Dynamical theory and experiments on GaAs nanowire growth for photovoltaic applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogstrup, Peter

process is described in terms of a dynamic liquid-solid growth system which continuously seeks to lower the excess Gibbs free energy originating from the adatoms and gas states. Nucleation statistics and the nucleation limited growth at the topfacet which force the solid-liquid growth system far from......The geometry of nanowire solar cells provides many potential advantages compared to planar solar cells, such as reduced reflection, built-in light concentration due to absorption resonances, improved band gap tuning for multi-junction devices and an increased defect tolerance. Moreover, the use...... of nanowires reduces the quantity of material necessary to approach the limits of light to electric power conversion efficiency, allowing for substantial cost reductions if they are grown on a cheap substrate. However, it is far from straightforward to achieve optimum design of bottom up grown nanowire solar...

Investigation and comparison of GaN nanowire nucleation and growth by the catalyst-assisted and self-induced approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheze, Caroline

2010-03-04

This work focuses on the nucleation and growth mechanisms of GaN nanowires (NWs) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The two main novelties of this study are the intensive employment of in-situ techniques and the direct comparison of selfinduced and catalyst-induced NWs. On silicon substrates, GaN NWs form in MBE without the use of any external catalyst seed. On sapphire, in contrast, NWs grow under identical conditions only in the presence of Ni seeds. NW nucleation was studied in situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) in correlation with line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS). The latter technique allows to monitor the incorporated amount of Ga. For the catalyst-assisted approach, three nucleation stages were identified: first incorporation of Ga into the Ni seeds, second transformation of the seed crystal structure due to Ga accumulation, and last GaN growth under the seeds. The crystalline structure of the seeds during the first two stages is in accord with the Ni-Ga binary phase diagram and evidenced that only Ga incorporates into the Ni particles. GaN forms only after the Ga concentration is larger than the one of Ni. The observation of diffraction patterns generated by the Ni-Ga seed particles during the whole nucleation evidences the solid state of the seeds. Moreover, the QMS study showed that it is not Ga incorporation into Ni but GaN nucleation itself that limits the growth processes. For the self-induced NWs, QMS and RHEED investigations indicate very similar nucleation processes on Si(001) and Si(111) and two nucleation stages were identified. Transmission electron microscopy on samples grown on Si(001) revealed that the first stage is characterized by the competition between the nucleation of crystalline Si{sub x}N{sub y} and GaN. During this stage, the Si surface strongly roughens by the formation of pits and Si mounds. At the same time, very few GaN islands nucleate. During the second stage, the amorphization of the Si

Solution Grown Se/Te Nanowires: Nucleation, Evolution, and The Role of Triganol Te seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shan Xudong

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract We have studied the nucleation and growth of Se–Te nanowires (NWs, with different morphologies, grown by a chemical solution process. Through systematic characterization of the Se–Te NW morphology as a function of the Te nanocrystallines (NCs precursor, the relative ratio between Se and Te, and the growth time, a number of significant insights into Se–Te NW growth by chemical solution processes have been developed. Specifically, we have found that: (i the growth of Se–Te NWs can be initiated from either long or short triganol Te nanorods, (ii the frequency of proximal interactions between nanorod tips and the competition between Se and Te at the end of short Te nanorods results in V-shaped structures of Se–Te NWs, the ratio between Se and Te having great effect on the morphology of Se–Te NWs, (iii by using long Te nanorods as seeds, Se–Te NWs with straight morphology were obtained. Many of these findings on Se–Te NW growth can be further generalized and provide very useful information for the rational synthesis of group VI based semiconductor NW compounds.

Is the molecular statics method suitable for the study of nanomaterials? A study case of nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, I-L; Chen, Y-C

2007-01-01

Both molecular statics and molecular dynamics methods were employed to study the mechanical properties of copper nanowires. The size effect on both elastic and plastic properties of square cross-sectional nanowire was examined and compared systematically using two molecular approaches. It was found consistently from both molecular methods that the elastic and plastic properties of nanowires depend on the lateral size of nanowires. As the lateral size of nanowires decreases, the values of Young's modulus decrease and dislocation nucleation stresses increase. However, it was shown that the dislocation nucleation stress would be significantly influenced by the axial periodic length of the nanowire model using the molecular statics method while molecular dynamics simulations at two distinct temperatures (0.01 and 300 K) did not show the same dependence. It was concluded that molecular statics as an energy minimization numerical scheme is quite insensitive to the instability of atomic structure especially without thermal fluctuation and might not be a suitable tool for studying the behaviour of nanomaterials beyond the elastic limit

Superheating of Ag nanowires studied by molecular dynamics simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan Wenshi; Ling Guangkong; Hong Lin; Li Hong; Liang Minghe

2008-01-01

The melting process of Ag nanowires was studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at the atomic level. It is indicated that the Ag nanowires with Ni coating can be superheated depending on their radius and size. Also, in this paper the mechanism of superheating was analyzed and ascribed to the epitaxial Ag/Ni interface suppressing the nucleation and growth of melt. For the analysis, a thermodynamic model was constructed to describe the superheating mechanism of the Ni-coated Ag nanowires by considering the Ag/Ni interface free energy. We showed that the nucleation and growth of the Ag melt phase are both suppressed by the low energy Ag/Ni interfaces in Ni-coated Ag wires and the suppression of melt growth is crucial and plays a major role in the process of melting. The thermodynamic analysis gave a quantitative relation of superheating with the Ag wire radius and the contact angle of melting. The superheating decreased with Ag wire radius and also depended on the Ag/Ni interfacial condition. The results of the thermodynamic model were consistent with those of the MD simulations

Structural and electronic properties of InN nanowire network grown by vapor-liquid-solid method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. K. Barick

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Growth of InN nanowires have been carried out on quartz substrates at different temperatures by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS technique using different thicknesses of Au catalyst layer. It has been found that a narrow window of Au layer thickness and growth temperature leads to multi-nucleation, in which each site acts as the origin of several nanowires. In this multi-nucleation regime, several tens of micrometer long wires with diameter as small as 20 nm are found to grow along [ 11 2 ̄ 0 ] direction (a-plane to form a dense network. Structural and electronic properties of these wires are studied. As grown nanowires show degenerate n-type behavior. Furthermore, x-ray photoemission study reveals an accumulation of electrons on the surface of these nanowires. Interestingly, the wire network shows persistence of photoconductivity for several hours after switching off the photoexcitation.

Flow boiling heat transfer on nanowire-coated surfaces with highly wetting liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Sangwoo; Choi, Geehong; Kim, Beom Seok; Cho, Hyung Hee

2014-01-01

Owing to the recent advances in nanotechnology, one significant progress in energy technology is increased cooling ability. It has recently been shown that nanowires can improve pool boiling heat transfer due to the unique features such as enhanced wetting and enlarged nucleation sites. Applying such nanowires on a flow boiling, which is another major class of boiling phenomenon that is associated with forced convection, is yet immature and scarce despite its importance in various applications such as liquid cooling of energy, electronics and refrigeration systems. Here, we investigate flow boiling heat transfer on surfaces that are coated with SiNWs (silicon nanowires). Also, we use highly-wetting dielectric liquid, FC-72, as a working fluid. An interesting wetting behavior is observed where the presence of SiNWs reduces wetting and wicking that in turn leads to significant decrease of CHF (critical heat flux) compared to the plain surface, which opposes the current consensus. Also, the effects of nanowire length and Reynolds number on the boiling heat transfer are shown to be highly nonmonotonic. We attempt to explain such an unusual behavior on the basis of wetting, nucleation and forced convection, and we show that such factors are highly coupled in a way that lead to unusual behavior. - Highlights: • Observation of suppressed wettability in the presence of surface roughness (nanowires). • Significant reduction of critical heat flux in the presence of nanowires. • Nonmonotonic behavior of heat transfer coefficient vs. nanowire length and Reynolds number

Growth of Ag-seeded III-V Nanowires and TEM Characterization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindberg, Anna Helmi Caroline

appropriate, the density and the vertical yield were obtained. The crystal structures for the grown nanowires have been investigated with TEM.We have also performed additional growths to further understand exactly how the nanowire growth proceeds as well as to understand the limitations of using Ag as a seed......This thesis deals with growth and characterization of GaAs and InAs nanowires. Today Au nanoparticle-seeding together with self-catalyzing are the dominating techniques to grow III-V nanowires with molecular beam epitaxy. In this thesis we instead investigate the possibility to use Ag as seed...... particle for growth of GaAs and InAs nanowires. The aim with the experiments performed has been to conclude whether Ag can be used to nucleate and grow nanowires on III-V substrates with molecular beam epitaxy. To investigate this we have performed growths of GaAs nanowires on GaAs(111)B and GaAs(100...

Synthesis of Au nanotubes with SiOx nanowires as sacrificial templates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, M.Y.; Chang, Y.C.; Chen, L.J.

2006-01-01

Gold nanotubes with SiO x nanowires as sacrificial templates have been synthesized. SiO x nanowires were functionalized by 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane that generates a charged surface. The attachment of negatively charged Au nanoparticles was followed. The coverage of Au nanoparticles was initially less than 30%. Further coverage was achieved by the reduction of gold hydroxide to grow the continuous nanoshell on Au nanoparticles, which serve as nucleation sites. The final coverage of Au nanoshells on SiO x nanowires depends strongly on the relative amount of SiO x nanowires in gold hydroxide solution. Both transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope images revealed the formation of Au nanotubes with the removal of SiO x nanowires by etching in a dilute HF solution

Synthesis of SERS active Au nanowires in different noncoordinating solvents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou Xiaomiao; Zhang Xiaoling, E-mail: zhangxl@bit.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, School of Science (China); Fang Yan, E-mail: fangyan@mail.cnu.edu.cn [Beijing Key Laboratory for Nano-Photonics and Nano-Structure (NPNS), Capital Normal University (China); Chen Shutang; Li Na; Zhou Qi [Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, School of Science (China)

2011-06-15

Au nanowires with length up to micrometers were synthesized through a simple and one-pot solution growth method. HAuCl{sub 4} was reduced in a micellar structure formed by 1-octadecylamine and oleic acid in hexane, heptane, toluene and chloroform, respectively. As the non-polarity of noncoordinating solvents can affect the nucleation and growth rates of Au nanostructures, Au nanowires with different diameters could be obtained by changing the noncoordinating solvents in the synthetic process. The influences of the solvents on the morphology of Au nanowires were systematically studied. When using hexane as reaction solvent, the product turned to be high portion of Au nanowires with more uniform size than the others. Furthermore, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum of 2-thionaphthol was obtained on the Au nanowire-modified substrate, indicating that the as-synthesized Au nanowires have potential for highly sensitive optical detection application.

Growth Mechanism of Nanowires: Binary and Ternary Chalcogenides

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, N. B.; Coriell, S. R.; Su, Ching-Hua; Hopkins, R. H.; Arnold, B.; Choa, Fow-Sen; Cullum, Brian

2016-01-01

Semiconductor nanowires exhibit very exciting optical and electrical properties including high transparency and a several order of magnitude better photocurrent than thin film and bulk materials. We present here the mechanism of nanowire growth from the melt-liquid-vapor medium. We describe preliminary results of binary and ternary selenide materials in light of recent theories. Experiments were performed with lead selenide and thallium arsenic selenide systems which are multifunctional material and have been used for detectors, acousto-optical, nonlinear and radiation detection applications. We observed that small units of nanocubes and elongated nanoparticles arrange and rearrange at moderate melt undercooling to form the building block of a nanowire. Since we avoided the catalyst, we observed self-nucleation and uncontrolled growth of wires from different places. Growth of lead selenide nanowires was performed by physical vapor transport method and thallium arsenic selenide nanowire by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method. In some cases very long wires (>mm) are formed. To achieve this goal experiments were performed to create situation where nanowires grew on the surface of solid thallium arsenic selenide itself.

A general perspective on the magnetization reversal in cylindrical soft magnetic nanowires with dominant shape anisotropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuncser, A. [National Institute of Materials Physics, PO Box MG-7, 077125 Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, PO Box MG-11, 077125 Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); Antohe, S. [University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, PO Box MG-11, 077125 Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); Kuncser, V., E-mail: kuncser@infim.ro [National Institute of Materials Physics, PO Box MG-7, 077125 Bucharest-Magurele (Romania)

2017-02-01

Peculiarities of the magnetization reversal process in cylindrical Ni-Cu soft magnetic nanowires with dominant shape anisotropy are analyzed via both static and time dependent micromagnetic simulations. A reversible process involving a coherent-like spin rotation is always observed for magnetic fields applied perpendicularly to the easy axis whereas nucleation of domain walls is introduced for fields applied along the easy axis. Simple criteria for making distinction between a Stoner-Wohlfarth type rotation and a nucleation mechanism in systems with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy are discussed. Superposed reversal mechanisms can be in action for magnetic fields applied at arbitrary angles with respect to the easy axis within the condition of an enough strong axial component required by the nucleation. The dynamics of the domain wall, involving two different stages (nucleation and propagation), is discussed with respect to initial computing conditions and orientations of the magnetic field. A nucleation time of about 3 ns and corkscrew domain walls propagating with a constant velocity of about 150 m/s are obtained in case of Ni-Cu alloy (Ni rich side) NWs with diameters of 40 nm and high aspect ratio. - Highlights: • The formation and the dynamics of the domain walls in magnetic nanowires have been studied by micromagnetic simulations. • Simple criteria for making distinction between Stoner-Wohlfarth type and nucleation mechanisms in nanowires were discussed. • Corkscrew domain walls or quasi-coherent spin rotation may be induced depending on the field orientation. • The nucleation time was estimated at 3 ns and the wall velocity at 150 m/s. • A simple way for tuning the wall velocity in such systems was mentioned.

PREFACE: Synthesis and integration of nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Samuelson, L.

2006-06-01

The field of semiconductor nanowires has attracted much attention in recent years, from the areas of basic materials science, advanced characterization and technology, as well as from the perspective of the applications of nanowires. Research on large-sized whiskers and wires had already begun in the 1960s with the pioneering work of Wagner, as well as by other researchers. It was, however, in the early 1990s that Kenji Hiruma at Hitachi Central Research Laboratories in Japan first succeeded in developing methods for the growth of nanowires with dimensions on the scale of 10-100 nm, thereby initiating the field of growth and applications of nanowires, with a strong emphasis on epitaxial nucleation of nanowires on a single-crystalline substrate. Starting from the mid-1990s, the field developed very rapidly with the number of papers on the subject growing from ten per year to several thousand papers on the subject published annually today, although with a rather generous definition of the concept of nanowires. With this rapid development we have seen many new and different approaches to the growth of nanowires, technological advances leading to a more well-controlled formation of nanowires, new innovative methods for the characterization of structures, as well as a wealth of approaches towards the use of nanowires in electronics, photonics and sensor applications. This issue contains contributions from many different laboratories, each adding significant detail to the development of the field of research. The contributions cover issues such as basic growth, advanced characterization and technology, and application of nanowires. I would like to acknowledge the shared responsibilities for this special issue of Nanotechnology on the synthesis and integration of nanowires with my co-Editors, S Tong Lee and M Sunkara, as well as the highly professional support from Dr Nina Couzin, Dr Ian Forbes and the Nanotechnology team from the Institute of Physics Publishing.

Zn-dopant dependent defect evolution in GaN nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bing; Liu, Baodan; Wang, Yujia; Zhuang, Hao; Liu, Qingyun; Yuan, Fang; Jiang, Xin

2015-10-01

Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure with good crystallinity. Several kinds of twin boundaries, including (101&cmb.macr;3), (101&cmb.macr;1) and (202&cmb.macr;1), as well as Type I stacking faults (...ABABC&cmb.b.line;BCB...), are observed in the nanowires. The increasing Zn doping level (GaN nanowires. At high Zn doping level (3-5 at%), meta-stable cubic zinc blende (ZB) domains are generated in the WZ GaN nanowires. The WZ/ZB phase boundary (...ABABAC&cmb.b.line;BA...) can be identified as Type II stacking faults. The density of stacking faults (both Type I and Type II) increases with increasing the Zn doping levels, which in turn leads to a rough-surface morphology in the GaN nanowires. First-principles calculations reveal that Zn doping will reduce the formation energy of both Type I and Type II stacking faults, favoring their nucleation in GaN nanowires. An understanding of the effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution provides an important method to control the microstructure and the electrical properties of p-type GaN nanowires.Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure with good crystallinity. Several kinds of twin boundaries, including (101&cmb.macr;3), (101&cmb.macr;1) and (202&cmb.macr;1), as well as Type I stacking faults (...ABABC&cmb.b.line;BCB...), are observed in the nanowires. The increasing Zn doping level (GaN nanowires. At high Zn doping level (3-5 at%), meta

Gibbs–Thomson Effect in Planar Nanowires: Orientation and Doping Modulated Growth

KAUST Repository

Shen, Youde; Chen, Renjie; Yu, Xuechao; Wang, Qijie; Jungjohann, Katherine L.; Dayeh, Shadi A.; Wu, Tao

2016-01-01

Epitaxy-enabled bottom-up synthesis of self-assembled planar nanowires via the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism is an emerging and promising approach toward large-scale direct integration of nanowire-based devices without postgrowth alignment. Here, by examining large assemblies of indium tin oxide nanowires on yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate, we demonstrate for the first time that the growth dynamics of planar nanowires follows a modified version of the Gibbs-Thomson mechanism, which has been known for the past decades to govern the correlations between thermodynamic supersaturation, growth speed, and nanowire morphology. Furthermore, the substrate orientation strongly influences the growth characteristics of epitaxial planar nanowires as opposed to impact at only the initial nucleation stage in the growth of vertical nanowires. The rich nanowire morphology can be described by a surface-energy-dependent growth model within the Gibbs-Thomson framework, which is further modulated by the tin doping concentration. Our experiments also reveal that the cutoff nanowire diameter depends on the substrate orientation and decreases with increasing tin doping concentration. These results enable a deeper understanding and control over the growth of planar nanowires, and the insights will help advance the fabrication of self-assembled nanowire devices. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

Gibbs–Thomson Effect in Planar Nanowires: Orientation and Doping Modulated Growth

KAUST Repository

Shen, Youde

2016-06-02

Epitaxy-enabled bottom-up synthesis of self-assembled planar nanowires via the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism is an emerging and promising approach toward large-scale direct integration of nanowire-based devices without postgrowth alignment. Here, by examining large assemblies of indium tin oxide nanowires on yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate, we demonstrate for the first time that the growth dynamics of planar nanowires follows a modified version of the Gibbs-Thomson mechanism, which has been known for the past decades to govern the correlations between thermodynamic supersaturation, growth speed, and nanowire morphology. Furthermore, the substrate orientation strongly influences the growth characteristics of epitaxial planar nanowires as opposed to impact at only the initial nucleation stage in the growth of vertical nanowires. The rich nanowire morphology can be described by a surface-energy-dependent growth model within the Gibbs-Thomson framework, which is further modulated by the tin doping concentration. Our experiments also reveal that the cutoff nanowire diameter depends on the substrate orientation and decreases with increasing tin doping concentration. These results enable a deeper understanding and control over the growth of planar nanowires, and the insights will help advance the fabrication of self-assembled nanowire devices. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

Growth Mechanism of Nanowires: Ternary Chalcogenides

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, N. B.; Coriell, S. R.; Hopkins, R. H.; Su, Ching Hua; Arnold, B.; Choa, Fow-Sen; Cullum, Brian

2016-01-01

In the past two decades there has been a large rise in the investment and expectations for nanotechnology use. Almost every area of research has projected improvements in sensors, or even a promise for the emergence of some novel device technologies. For these applications major focuses of research are in the areas of nanoparticles and graphene. Although there are some near term applications with nanowires in photodetectors and other low light detectors, there are few papers on the growth mechanism and fabrication of nanowire-based devices. Semiconductor nanowires exhibit very favorable and promising optical properties, including high transparency and a several order of magnitude better photocurrent than thin film and bulk materials. We present here an overview of the mechanism of nanowire growth from the melt, and some preliminary results for the thallium arsenic selenide material system. Thallium arsenic selenide (TAS) is a multifunctional material combining excellent acousto-optical, nonlinear and radiation detection properties. We observed that small units of (TAS) nanocubes arrange and rearrange at moderate melt undercooling to form the building block of a nanowire. In some cases very long wires (less than mm) are formed. Since we avoided the catalyst, we observed self-nucleation and uncontrolled growth of wires from different places.

Understanding the vapor-liquid-solid growth and composition of ternary III-V nanowires and nanowire heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Dubrovskii, V. G.

2017-11-01

Based on the recent achievements in vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) synthesis, characterization and modeling of ternary III-V nanowires and axial heterostructures within such nanowires, we try to understand the major trends in their compositional evolution from a general theoretical perspective. Clearly, the VLS growth of ternary materials is much more complex than in standard vapor-solid epitaxy techniques, and even maintaining the necessary control over the composition of steady-state ternary nanowires is far from straightforward. On the other hand, VLS nanowires offer otherwise unattainable material combinations without introducing structural defects and hence are very promising for next-generation optoelectronic devices, in particular those integrated with a silicon electronic platform. In this review, we consider two main problems. First, we show how and by means of which parameters the steady-state composition of Au-catalyzed or self-catalyzed ternary III-V nanowires can be tuned to a desired value and why it is generally different from the vapor composition. Second, we present some experimental data and modeling results for the interfacial abruptness across axial nanowire heterostructures, both in Au-catalyzed and self-catalyzed VLS growth methods. Refined modeling allows us to formulate some general growth recipes for suppressing the unwanted reservoir effect in the droplet and sharpening the nanowire heterojunctions. We consider and refine two approaches developed to date, namely the regular crystallization model for a liquid alloy with a critical size of only one III-V pair at high supersaturations or classical binary nucleation theory with a macroscopic critical nucleus at modest supersaturations.

Three-Dimensional Superhydrophobic Nanowire Networks for Enhancing Condensation Heat Transfer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Ronggui [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Wen, Rongfu [University of Colorado; Xu, Shanshan [University of Colorado; Ma, Xuehu [Dalian University of Technology; Lee, Yung-Cheng [University of Colorado

2017-12-18

Spontaneous droplet jumping on nanostructured surfaces can potentially enhance condensation heat transfer by accelerating droplet removal. However, uncontrolled nucleation in the micro-defects of nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces could lead to the formation of large pinned droplets, which greatly degrades the performance. Here, we experimentally demonstrate for the first time stable and efficient jumping droplet condensation on a superhydrophobic surface with three-dimensional (3D) copper nanowire networks. Due to the formation of interconnections among nanowires, the micro-defects are eliminated while the spacing between nanowires is reduced, which results in the formation of highly mobile droplets. By preventing flooding on 3D nanowire networks, we experimentally demonstrate a 100% higher heat flux compared with that on the state-of-the-art hydrophobic surface over a wide range of subcooling (up to 28 K). The remarkable water repellency of 3D nanowire networks can be applied to a broad range of water-harvesting and phase-change heat transfer applications.

Growth mechanism of silver nanowires synthesized by polyvinylpyrrolidone-assisted polyol reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Yan; Jiang Peng; Song Li; Liu Lifeng; Yan Xiaoqin; Zhou Zhenping; Liu Dongfang; Wang Jianxiong; Yuan Huajun; Zhang Zengxing; Zhao Xiaowei; Dou Xinyuan; Zhou Weiya; Wang Gang; Xie Sishen

2005-01-01

Silver (Ag) nanowires with a pentagonal cross section have been synthesized by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted polyol reduction in the presence of Pt nanoparticle seeds. The UV-visible absorption spectra and scanning electron microscopy have been used to trace the growth process of the Ag nanowires. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigation further shows that the PVP molecules are adsorbed on the surface of the Ag nanowires through Ag : O coordination. Comparing with the growth process of Ag nanoparticles, a possible growth mechanism of the Ag nanowires has been proposed. It is implied that the PVP molecules are used as both a protecting agent and a structure-directing agent for the growth of Ag nanowires. It is concluded that the five-fold twinning Ag nanoparticles are formed through heterogenous nucleation after the introduction of Pt nanoparticle seeds and then grow anisotropically along the (110) direction, while the growth along (100) is relatively depressed

Electrodeposition of CdSe coatings on ZnO nanowire arrays for extremely thin absorber solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Majidi, Hasti [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Baxter, Jason B., E-mail: jbaxter@drexel.ed [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States)

2011-02-15

We report on electrodeposition of CdSe coatings onto ZnO nanowire arrays and determine the effect of processing conditions on material properties such as morphology and microstructure. CdSe-coated ZnO nanowire arrays have potential use in extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells, where CdSe absorbs visible light and injects photoexcited electrons into the ZnO nanowires. We show that room-temperature electrodeposition enables growth of CdSe coatings that are highly crystalline, uniform, and conformal with precise control over thickness and microstructure. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show nanocrystalline CdSe in both hexagonal and cubic phases with grain size {approx}5 nm. Coating morphology depends on electrodeposition current density. Uniform and conformal coatings were achieved using moderate current densities of {approx}2 mA cm{sup -2} for nanowires with roughness factor of {approx}10, while lower current densities resulted in sparse nucleation and growth of larger, isolated islands. Electrodeposition charge density controls the thickness of the CdSe coating, which was exploited to investigate the evolution of the morphology at early stages of nucleation and growth. UV-vis transmission spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical solar cell measurements demonstrate that CdSe effectively sensitizes ZnO nanowires to visible light.

Electrodeposition of CdSe coatings on ZnO nanowire arrays for extremely thin absorber solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majidi, Hasti; Baxter, Jason B.

2011-01-01

We report on electrodeposition of CdSe coatings onto ZnO nanowire arrays and determine the effect of processing conditions on material properties such as morphology and microstructure. CdSe-coated ZnO nanowire arrays have potential use in extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells, where CdSe absorbs visible light and injects photoexcited electrons into the ZnO nanowires. We show that room-temperature electrodeposition enables growth of CdSe coatings that are highly crystalline, uniform, and conformal with precise control over thickness and microstructure. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show nanocrystalline CdSe in both hexagonal and cubic phases with grain size ∼5 nm. Coating morphology depends on electrodeposition current density. Uniform and conformal coatings were achieved using moderate current densities of ∼2 mA cm -2 for nanowires with roughness factor of ∼10, while lower current densities resulted in sparse nucleation and growth of larger, isolated islands. Electrodeposition charge density controls the thickness of the CdSe coating, which was exploited to investigate the evolution of the morphology at early stages of nucleation and growth. UV-vis transmission spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical solar cell measurements demonstrate that CdSe effectively sensitizes ZnO nanowires to visible light.

Oriented epitaxial TiO2 nanowires for water splitting

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Wenting; Cortez, Pablo; Wuhrer, Richard; Macartney, Sam; Bozhilov, Krassimir N.; Liu, Rong; Sheppard, Leigh R.; Kisailus, David

2017-06-01

Highly oriented epitaxial rutile titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanowire arrays have been hydrothermally grown on polycrystalline TiO2 templates with their orientation dependent on the underlying TiO2 grain. Both the diameter and areal density of the nanowires were tuned by controlling the precursor concentration, and the template surface energy and roughness. Nanowire tip sharpness was influenced by precursor solubility and diffusivity. A new secondary ion mass spectrometer technique has been developed to install additional nucleation sites in single crystal TiO2 templates and the effect on nanowire growth was probed. Using the acquired TiO2 nanowire synthesis knowhow, an assortment of nanowire arrays were installed upon the surface of undoped TiO2 photo-electrodes and assessed for their photo-electrochemical water splitting performance. The key result obtained was that the presence of short and dispersed nanowire arrays significantly improved the photocurrent when the illumination intensity was increased from 100 to 200 mW cm-2. This is attributed to the alignment of the homoepitaxially grown nanowires to the [001] direction, which provides the fastest charge transport in TiO2 and an improved pathway for photo-holes to find water molecules and undertake oxidation. This result lays a foundation for achieving efficient water splitting under conditions of concentrated solar illumination.

Conducting polymer nanowire arrays for high performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kai; Wu, Haiping; Meng, Yuena; Wei, Zhixiang

2014-01-15

This Review provides a brief summary of the most recent research developments in the fabrication and application of one-dimensional ordered conducting polymers nanostructure (especially nanowire arrays) and their composites as electrodes for supercapacitors. By controlling the nucleation and growth process of polymerization, aligned conducting polymer nanowire arrays and their composites with nano-carbon materials can be prepared by employing in situ chemical polymerization or electrochemical polymerization without a template. This kind of nanostructure (such as polypyrrole and polyaniline nanowire arrays) possesses high capacitance, superior rate capability ascribed to large electrochemical surface, and an optimal ion diffusion path in the ordered nanowire structure, which is proved to be an ideal electrode material for high performance supercapacitors. Furthermore, flexible, micro-scale, threadlike, and multifunctional supercapacitors are introduced based on conducting polyaniline nanowire arrays and their composites. These prototypes of supercapacitors utilize the high flexibility, good processability, and large capacitance of conducting polymers, which efficiently extend the usage of supercapacitors in various situations, and even for a complicated integration system of different electronic devices. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

In Situ Study of Noncatalytic Metal Oxide Nanowire Growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rackauskas, Simas; Jiang, Hua; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal

2014-01-01

a catalyst is still widely disputed and unclear. Here, we show that the nanowire growth during metal oxidation is limited by a nucleation of a new layer. On the basis of in situ transmission electron microscope investigations we found that the growth occurs layer by layer at the lowest specific surface...

WO3 Nanowires on Graphene Sheets as Negative Electrode for Supercapacitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available WO3 nanowires directly grown on graphene sheets have been fabricated by using a seed-mediated hydrothermal method. The morphologies and electrochemical performance of WO3 films prepared by different process were studied. The results show that the precoated nanoseeds and graphene sheets on graphite electrode provide more reactive centers for the nucleation and formation of uniform WO3 nanowires. The WO3 nanowires electrode exhibits a high area specific capacitance of 800 mF cm−2 over negative potential range from −1.0 V to 0 V versus SCE in 1 M Li2SO4 solution. A high performance electrochemical supercapacitor assembled with WO3 nanowires as negative electrode and PANI/MnO2 as positive electrodes over voltage range of 1.6 V displays a high volumetric capacitance of 2.5 F cm−3, which indicate great potential applications of WO3 nanowires on graphene sheets as negative electrode for energy storage devices.

Atomistic simulations of the yielding of gold nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diao Jiankuai; Gall, Ken; Dunn, Martin L.; Zimmerman, Jonathan A.

2006-01-01

We performed atomistic simulations to study the effect of free surfaces on the yielding of gold nanowires. Tensile surface stresses on the surfaces of the nanowires cause them to contract along the length with respect to the bulk face-centered cubic lattice and induce compressive stress in the interior. When the cross-sectional area of a nanowire is less than 2.45 nm x 2.45 nm, the wire yields under its surface stresses. Under external forces and surface stresses, nanowires yield via the nucleation and propagation of the {1 1 1} partial dislocations. The magnitudes of the tensile and compressive yield stress of nanowires increase and decrease, respectively, with a decrease of the wire width. The magnitude of the tensile yield stress is much larger than that of the compressive yield stress for small nanowires, while for small nanowires, tensile and compressive yield stresses have similar magnitudes. The critical resolved shear stress (RSS) by external forces depends on wire width, orientation and loading condition (tension vs. compression). However, the critical RSS in the interior of the nanowires, which is exerted by both the external force and the surface-stress-induced compressive stress, does not change significantly with wire width for same orientation and same loading condition, and can thus serve as a 'local' criterion. This local criterion is invoked to explain the observed size dependence of yield behavior and tensile/compressive yield stress asymmetry, considering surface stress effects and different slip systems active in tensile and compressive yielding

Molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs nanowires and their sustainability for optoelectronic applications. Comparing Au- and self-assisted growth methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Breuer, Steffen

2011-09-28

In this work the synthesis of GaAs nanowires by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using the vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism is investigated. A comparison between Au- and self-assisted VLS growth is at the centre of this thesis. While the Au-assisted method is established as a versatile tool for nanowire growth, the recently developed self-assisted variation results from the exchange of Au by Ga droplets and thus eliminates any possibility of Au incorporation. By both methods, we achieve nanowires with epitaxial alignment to the Si(111) substrates. Caused by differences during nanowire nucleation, a parasitic planar layer grows between the nanowires by the Au-assisted method, but can be avoided by the self-assisted method. Au-assisted nanowires grow predominantly in the metastable wurtzite crystal structure, while their self-assisted counterparts have the zincblende structure. All GaAs nanowires are fully relaxed and the strain arising from the lattice mismatch between GaAs and Si of 4.1 % is accommodated by misfit dislocations at the interface. Self-assisted GaAs nanowires are generally found to have vertical and non-polar side facets, while tilted and polar nanofacets were described for Au-assisted GaAs nanowires. We employ VLS nucleation theory to understand the effect of the droplet material on the lateral facets. Optoelectronic applications require long minority carrier lifetimes at room temperature. We fabricate GaAs/(Al,Ga)As core-shell nanowires and analyse them by transient photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results are 2.5 ns for the self-assisted nanowires as well as 9 ps for the Au-assisted nanowires. By temperature-dependent PL measurements we find a characteristic activation energy of 77 meV that is present only in the Au-assisted nanowires. We conclude that most likely Au is incorporated from the droplets into the GaAs nanowires and acts as a deep, non-radiative recombination centre.

Microwave-controlled ultrafast synthesis of uniform silver nanocubes and nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Tian; Fan, Jun-Bing; Cui, Jing; Liu, Jin-Hua; Xu, Xiao-Bo; Zhu, Ming-Qiang

2011-01-01

Synthesis of well-defined silver nanostructure in terms of size and shape has been strongly motivated by the requirements to their size- and shape-dependent optical properties which achieve their practical applications ranging from biosensing to catalysis and optics. In this Letter, an ultrafast synthetic process for the well-defined Ag nanocubes and nanowires have been developed, which simply involve the microwave-mediated polyol reduction of silver nitrate in ethylene glycol by adding different amount sodium sulfide (Na2S) into the solution. The possible growth and evolution process of the Ag nanocubes and nanowires involves the microwave ultrafast nucleation and growth followed by oxidative etching of Ag nanocrystals.

Liquid-phase synthesis of Ni nanowire/cellulose hybrid structure

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmah Shamsuri, Siti; Shiomi, Shohei; Matsubara, Eiichiro

2018-02-01

One-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials (nanowires or nanofibers) are superior to conventional zero-dimensional (0D) nanomaterials (nanoparticles). 1D nanomaterials offer not only the benefits of 0D nanomaterials, such as a large surface area and numerous active sites, but also the capability to prepare macroscopic free-standing and flexible structures owing to their formability to form a sheet. For practical applications, it is essential to develop a simple and easy method of synthesizing 1D nanomaterials. In the present work, a nickel nanowire/cellulose hybrid structure is successfully fabricated via a single-batch liquid-phase reduction method under a magnetic field. The product is not a simple 1D or two-dimensional (2D) structure, but an intricately entangled and interconnected three-dimensional (3D) structure. Fine nickel nanowires are grown from nickel nanoparticles that are heterogeneously nucleated on the surface of a cellulose fiber by using its chemical properties that attract nickel ions.

Ni/CdS bifunctional Ti@TiO2 core-shell nanowire electrode for high-performance nonenzymatic glucose sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Chunyan; Huo, Huanhuan; Han, Xu; Xu, Cailing; Li, Hulin

2014-01-07

In this work, a Ni/CdS bifunctional Ti@TiO2 core-shell nanowire electrode with excellent electrochemical sensing property was successfully constructed through a hydrothermal and electrodeposition method. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to confirm the synthesis and characterize the morphology of the as-prepared samples. The results revealed that the CdS layer between Ni and TiO2 plays an important role in the uniform nucleation and the following growth of highly dispersive Ni nanoparticle on the Ti@TiO2 core-shell nanowire surface. The bifunctional nanostructured electrode was applied to construct an electrochemical nonenzymatic sensor for the reliable detection of glucose. Under optimized conditions, this nonenzymatic glucose sensor displayed a high sensitivity up to 1136.67 μA mM(-1) cm(-2), a wider liner range of 0.005-12 mM, and a lower detection limit of 0.35 μM for glucose oxidation. The high dispersity of Ni nanoparticles, combined with the anti-poisoning faculty against the intermediate derived from the self-cleaning ability of CdS under the photoexcitation, was considered to be responsible for these enhanced electrochemical performances. Importantly, favorable reproducibility and long-term performance were also obtained thanks to the robust frameworks. All these results indicate this novel electrode is a promising candidate for nonenzymatic glucose sensing.

Tungsten oxide nanowires grown on graphene oxide sheets as high-performance electrochromic material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Xueting; Sun, Shibin; Dong, Lihua; Hu, Xiong; Yin, Yansheng

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: Electrochromic mechanism of tungsten oxide nanowires-reduced graphene oxide composite. - Highlights: • A novel inorganic-nano-carbon hybrid composite was prepared. • The hybrid composite has sandwich-like structure. • The hybrid composite exhibited high-quality electrohcromic performance. - Abstract: In this work, we report the synthesis of a novel hybrid electrochromic composite through nucleation and growth of ultrathin tungsten oxide nanowires on graphene oxide sheets using a facile solvothermal route. The competition between the growth of tungsten oxide nanowires and the reduction of graphene oxide sheets leads to the formation of sandwich-structured tungsten oxide-reduced graphene oxide composite. Due to the strongly coupled effect between the ultrathin tungsten oxide nanowires and the reduced graphene oxide nanosheets, the novel electrochromic composite exhibited high-quality electrochromic performance with fast color-switching speed, good cyclic stability, and high coloration efficiency. The present tungsten oxide-reduced graphene oxide composite represents a new approach to prepare other inorganic-reduced graphene oxide hybrid materials for electrochemical applications

Silver chloride as a heterogeneous nucleant for the growth of silver nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuette, Waynie M; Buhro, William E

2013-05-28

Various additives are employed in the polyol synthesis of silver nanowires (Ag NWs), which are typically halide salts such as NaCl. A variety of mechanistic roles have been suggested for these additives. We now show that the early addition of NaCl in the polyol synthesis of Ag NWs from AgNO3 in ethylene glycol results in the rapid formation of AgCl nanocubes, which induce the heterogeneous nucleation of metallic Ag upon their surfaces. Ag NWs subsequently grow from these nucleation sites. The conclusions are supported by studies using ex situ generated AgCl nanocubes.

Control growth of silicon nanocolumns' epitaxy on silicon nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chong, Su Kong, E-mail: sukong1985@yahoo.com.my [University of Malaya, Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics (Malaysia); Dee, Chang Fu [Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN) (Malaysia); Yahya, Noorhana [Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Faculty of Science and Information Technology (Malaysia); Rahman, Saadah Abdul [University of Malaya, Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics (Malaysia)

2013-04-15

The epitaxial growth of Si nanocolumns on Si nanowires was studied using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition. A single-crystalline and surface oxide-free Si nanowire core (core radius {approx}21 {+-} 5 nm) induced by indium crystal seed was used as a substance for the vapor phase epitaxial growth. The growth process is initiated by sidewall facets, which then nucleate upon certain thickness to form Si islands and further grow to form nanocolumns. The Si nanocolumns with diameter of 10-20 nm and aspect ratio up to 10 can be epitaxially grown on the surface of nanowires. The results showed that the radial growth rate of the Si nanocolumns remains constant with the increase of deposition time. Meanwhile, the radial growth rates are controllable by manipulating the hydrogen to silane gas flow rate ratio. The optical antireflection properties of the Si nanocolumns' decorated SiNW arrays are discussed in the text.

Site-specific nucleation and controlled growth of a vertical tellurium nanowire array for high performance field emitters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Safdar, Muhammad; Zhan Xueying; Mirza, Misbah; Wang Zhenxing; Sun Lianfeng; He Jun; Niu Mutong; Zhang Jinping; Zhao Qing

2013-01-01

We report the controlled growth of highly ordered and well aligned one-dimensional tellurium nanostructure arrays via a one-step catalyst-free physical vapor deposition method. The density, size and fine structures of tellurium nanowires are systematically studied and optimized. Field emission measurement was performed to display notable dependence on nanostructure morphologies. The ordered nanowire array based field emitter has a turn-on field as low as 3.27 V μm −1 and a higher field enhancement factor of 3270. Our finding offers the possibility of controlling the growth of tellurium nanowire arrays and opens up new means for their potential applications in electronic devices and displays. (paper)

An atomistic study of the deformation behavior of tungsten nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Shuozhi [University of California, California NanoSystems Institute, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Su, Yanqing [University of California, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Chen, Dengke [Georgia Institute of Technology, GWW School of Mechanical Engineering, Atlanta, GA (United States); Li, Longlei [Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2017-12-15

Large-scale atomistic simulations are performed to study tensile and compressive left angle 112 right angle loading of single-crystalline nanowires in body-centered cubic tungsten (W). Effects of loading mode, wire cross-sectional shape, wire size, strain rate, and crystallographic orientations of the lateral surfaces are explored. Uniaxial deformation of a W bulk single crystal is also investigated for reference. Our results reveal a strong tension-compression asymmetry in both the stress-strain response and the deformation behavior due to different yielding/failure modes: while the nanowires fail by brittle fracture under tensile loading, they yield by nucleation of dislocations from the wire surface under compressive loading. It is found that (1) nanowires have a higher strength than the bulk single crystal; (2) with a cross-sectional size larger than 10 nm, there exists a weak dependence of strength on wire size; (3) when the wire size is equal to or smaller than 10 nm, nanowires buckle under compressive loading; (4) the cross-sectional shape, strain rate, and crystallographic orientations of the lateral surfaces affect the strength and the site of defect initiation but not the overall deformation behavior. (orig.)

Superplastic Creep of Metal Nanowires From Rate-Dependent Plasticity Transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Weiwei; Cao, Penghui; Park, Harold S

2018-04-30

Understanding the time-dependent mechanical behavior of nanomaterials such as nanowires is essential to predict their reliability in nanomechanical devices. This understanding is typically obtained using creep tests, which are the most fundamental loading mechanism by which the time-dependent deformation of materials is characterized. However, due to existing challenges facing both experimentalists and theorists, the time-dependent mechanical response of nanowires is not well-understood. Here, we use atomistic simulations that can access experimental time scales to examine the creep of single crystal FCC metal (Cu, Ag, Pt) nanowires. We report that both Cu and Ag nanowires show significantly increased ductility and superplasticity under low creep stresses, where the superplasticity is driven by a rate-dependent transition in defect nucleation from twinning to trailing partial dislocations at the micro or millisecond timescale. The transition in deformation mechanism also governs a corresponding transition in the stress-dependent creep time at the microsecond (Ag) and millisecond (Cu) timescales. Overall, this work demonstrates the necessity of accessing timescales that far exceed those seen in conventional atomistic modeling for accurate insights into the time-dependent mechanical behavior and properties of nanomaterials.

Alignment control and atomically-scaled heteroepitaxial interface study of GaN nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qingyun; Liu, Baodan; Yang, Wenjin; Yang, Bing; Zhang, Xinglai; Labbé, Christophe; Portier, Xavier; An, Vladimir; Jiang, Xin

2017-04-20

Well-aligned GaN nanowires are promising candidates for building high-performance optoelectronic nanodevices. In this work, we demonstrate the epitaxial growth of well-aligned GaN nanowires on a [0001]-oriented sapphire substrate in a simple catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition process and their alignment control. It is found that the ammonia flux plays a key role in dominating the initial nucleation of GaN nanocrystals and their orientation. Typically, significant improvement of the GaN nanowire alignment can be realized at a low NH 3 flow rate. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy studies further verified the preferential orientation of GaN nanowires along the [0001] direction. The growth mechanism of GaN nanowire arrays is also well studied based on cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) characterization and it is observed that GaN nanowires have good epitaxial growth on the sapphire substrate following the crystallographic relationship between (0001) GaN ∥(0001) sapphire and (101[combining macron]0) GaN ∥(112[combining macron]0) sapphire . Most importantly, periodic misfit dislocations are also experimentally observed in the interface region due to the large lattice mismatch between the GaN nanowire and the sapphire substrate, and the formation of such dislocations will favor the release of structural strain in GaN nanowires. HRTEM analysis also finds the existence of "type I" stacking faults and voids inside the GaN nanowires. Optical investigation suggests that the GaN nanowire arrays have strong emission in the UV range, suggesting their crystalline nature and chemical purity. The achievement of aligned GaN nanowires will further promote the wide applications of GaN nanostructures toward diverse high-performance optoelectronic nanodevices including nano-LEDs, photovoltaic cells, photodetectors etc.

Unveiling the Formation Pathway of Single Crystalline Porous Silicon Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Xing; Qu, Yongquan; Lin, Yung-Chen; Liao, Lei; Duan, Xiangfeng

2011-01-01

Porous silicon nanowire is emerging as an interesting material system due to its unique combination of structural, chemical, electronic, and optical properties. To fully understand their formation mechanism is of great importance for controlling the fundamental physical properties and enabling potential applications. Here we present a systematic study to elucidate the mechanism responsible for the formation of porous silicon nanowires in a two-step silver-assisted electroless chemical etching method. It is shown that silicon nanowire arrays with various porosities can be prepared by varying multiple experimental parameters such as the resistivity of the starting silicon wafer, the concentration of oxidant (H2O2) and the amount of silver catalyst. Our study shows a consistent trend that the porosity increases with the increasing wafer conductivity (dopant concentration) and oxidant (H2O2) concentration. We further demonstrate that silver ions, formed by the oxidation of silver, can diffuse upwards and re-nucleate on the sidewalls of nanowires to initiate new etching pathways to produce porous structure. The elucidation of this fundamental formation mechanism opens a rational pathway to the production of wafer-scale single crystalline porous silicon nanowires with tunable surface areas ranging from 370 m2·g−1 to 30 m2·g−1, and can enable exciting opportunities in catalysis, energy harvesting, conversion, storage, as well as biomedical imaging and therapy. PMID:21244020

Defect-Induced Nucleation and Epitaxy: A New Strategy toward the Rational Synthesis of WZ-GaN/3C-SiC Core-Shell Heterostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Baodan; Yang, Bing; Yuan, Fang; Liu, Qingyun; Shi, Dan; Jiang, Chunhai; Zhang, Jinsong; Staedler, Thorsten; Jiang, Xin

2015-12-09

In this work, we demonstrate a new strategy to create WZ-GaN/3C-SiC heterostructure nanowires, which feature controllable morphologies. The latter is realized by exploiting the stacking faults in 3C-SiC as preferential nucleation sites for the growth of WZ-GaN. Initially, cubic SiC nanowires with an average diameter of ∼100 nm, which display periodic stacking fault sections, are synthesized in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to serve as the core of the heterostructure. Subsequently, hexagonal wurtzite-type GaN shells with different shapes are grown on the surface of 3C-SiC wire core. In this context, it is possible to obtain two types of WZ-GaN/3C-SiC heterostructure nanowires by means of carefully controlling the corresponding CVD reactions. Here, the stacking faults, initially formed in 3C-SiC nanowires, play a key role in guiding the epitaxial growth of WZ-GaN as they represent surface areas of the 3C-SiC nanowires that feature a higher surface energy. A dedicated structural analysis of the interfacial region by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed that the disordering of the atom arrangements in the SiC defect area promotes a lattice-matching with respect to the WZ-GaN phase, which results in a preferential nucleation. All WZ-GaN crystal domains exhibit an epitaxial growth on 3C-SiC featuring a crystallographic relationship of [12̅10](WZ-GaN) //[011̅](3C-SiC), (0001)(WZ-GaN)//(111)(3C-SiC), and d(WZ-GaN(0001)) ≈ 2d(3C-SiC(111)). The approach to utilize structural defects of a nanowire core to induce a preferential nucleation of foreign shells generally opens up a number of opportunities for the epitaxial growth of a wide range of semiconductor nanostructures which are otherwise impossible to acquire. Consequently, this concept possesses tremendous potential for the applications of semiconductor heterostructures in various fields such as optics, electrics, electronics, and photocatalysis for energy harvesting

Fabrication of vertically aligned Pd nanowire array in AAO template by electrodeposition using neutral electrolyte

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yüzer Hayrettin

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract A vertically aligned Pd nanowire array was successfully fabricated on an Au/Ti substrate using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO template by a direct voltage electrodeposition method at room temperature using diluted neutral electrolyte. The fabrication of Pd nanowires was controlled by analyzing the current–time transient during electrodeposition using potentiostat. The AAO template and the Pd nanowires were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX methods and X-Ray diffraction (XRD. It was observed that the Pd nanowire array was standing freely on an Au-coated Ti substrate after removing the AAO template in a relatively large area of about 5 cm2, approximately 50 nm in diameter and 2.5 μm in length with a high aspect ratio. The nucleation rate and the number of atoms in the critical nucleus were determined from the analysis of current transients. Pd nuclei density was calculated as 3.55 × 108 cm−2. Usage of diluted neutral electrolyte enables slower growing of Pd nanowires owing to increase in the electrodeposition potential and thus obtained Pd nanowires have higher crystallinity with lower dislocations. In fact, this high crystallinity of Pd nanowires provides them positive effect for sensor performances especially.

Room-temperature solution synthesis of Ag nanoparticle functionalized molybdenum oxide nanowires and their catalytic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Wenjun; Huang Huandi; Zhu Yanjun; Li Xiaoyun; Wang Xuebin; Li Chaorong; Chen Benyong; Wang Ge; Shi Zhan

2012-01-01

A simple chemical solution route for the synthesis of large-scale high-quality Ag nanoparticle functionalized molybdenum oxide nanowire at room temperature has been developed. In the synthesis, the protonated amine was intercalated into the molybdenum bronze layers to reduce the electrostatic force of the lamellar structures, and then the Ag nanoparticle functionalized long nanowires could be easily induced by a redox reaction between a molybdenum oxide–amine intermediate and Ag + at room temperature. The intercalation lamellar structures improved the nucleation and growth of the Ag nanoparticles, with the result that uniform Ag nanoparticles occurred on the surface of the MoO 3 nanowire. In this way Ag nanoparticles with average sizes of around 6 nm, and high-purity nanowires with mean diameter of around 50 nm and with typical lengths of several tens to hundreds of micrometers were produced. The heteronanostructured nanowires were intricately and inseparably connected to each other with hydrogen bonds and/or bridge oxygen atoms and packed together, forming a paper-like porous network film. The Ag–MoO 3 nanowire film performs a promoted catalytic property for the epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene, and the heteronanostructured nanowire film sensor shows excellent sensing performance to hydrogen and oxygen at room temperature. (paper)

Room-temperature solution synthesis of Ag nanoparticle functionalized molybdenum oxide nanowires and their catalytic applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Wenjun; Huang, Huandi; Zhu, Yanjun; Li, Xiaoyun; Wang, Xuebin; Li, Chaorong; Chen, Benyong; Wang, Ge; Shi, Zhan

2012-10-26

A simple chemical solution route for the synthesis of large-scale high-quality Ag nanoparticle functionalized molybdenum oxide nanowire at room temperature has been developed. In the synthesis, the protonated amine was intercalated into the molybdenum bronze layers to reduce the electrostatic force of the lamellar structures, and then the Ag nanoparticle functionalized long nanowires could be easily induced by a redox reaction between a molybdenum oxide-amine intermediate and Ag(+) at room temperature. The intercalation lamellar structures improved the nucleation and growth of the Ag nanoparticles, with the result that uniform Ag nanoparticles occurred on the surface of the MoO(3) nanowire. In this way Ag nanoparticles with average sizes of around 6 nm, and high-purity nanowires with mean diameter of around 50 nm and with typical lengths of several tens to hundreds of micrometers were produced. The heteronanostructured nanowires were intricately and inseparably connected to each other with hydrogen bonds and/or bridge oxygen atoms and packed together, forming a paper-like porous network film. The Ag-MoO(3) nanowire film performs a promoted catalytic property for the epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene, and the heteronanostructured nanowire film sensor shows excellent sensing performance to hydrogen and oxygen at room temperature.

Angular dependence of the magnetic properties of permalloy and nickel nanowires as a function of their diameters

Science.gov (United States)

Raviolo, Sofía; Tejo, Felipe; Bajales, Noelia; Escrig, Juan

2018-01-01

In this paper we have compared the angular dependence of the magnetic properties of permalloy (Ni80Fe20) and nickel nanowires by means of micromagnetic simulations. For each material we have chosen two diameters, 40 and 100 nm. Permalloy nanowires with smaller diameters (d = 40 nm) exhibit greater coercivity than nickel nanowires, regardless of the angle at which the external magnetic field is applied. In addition, both Py and Ni nanowires exhibit the same remanence values. However, the nanowires of larger diameters (d = 100 nm) exhibit a more complex behavior, noting that for small angles, nickel nanowires are those that now exhibit a greater coercivity in comparison to those of permalloy. The magnetization reversal modes vary as a function of the angle at which the external field is applied. When the field is applied parallel to the wire axis, it reverts through nucleation and propagation of domain walls, whereas when the field is applied perpendicular to the axis, it reverts by a pseudo-coherent rotation. These results may provide a guide to control the magnetic properties of nanowires for use in potential applications.

In Situ Study of Thermal Stability of Copper Oxide Nanowires at Anaerobic Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lihui Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Many metal oxides with promising electrochemical properties were developed recently. Before those metal oxides realize the use as an anode in lithium ion batteries, their thermal stability at anaerobic environment inside batteries should be clearly understood for safety. In this study, copper oxide nanowires were investigated as an example. Several kinds of in situ experiment methods including in situ optical microscopy, in situ Raman spectrum, and in situ transmission electron microscopy were adopted to fully investigate their thermal stability at anaerobic environment. Copper oxide nanowires begin to transform as copper(I oxide at about 250°C and finish at about 400°C. The phase transformation proceeds with a homogeneous nucleation.

Facile Conversion Synthesis of Densely-Formed Branched ZnO-Nanowire Arrays for Quantum-Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Woojin; Kang, Suji; Hwang, Taehyun; Kim, Kunsu; Woo, Hyungsub; Lee, Byungho; Kim, Jaewon; Kim, Jinhyun; Park, Byungwoo

2015-01-01

Highlights: •3-D hierarchically branched ZnO nanowires by a facile synthesis with seed nucleation. •Nanobranching enhances the efficiency by a factor of two compared with the bare QDSC. •Attributed to the increased sensitizer by ∼80% and decreased transmittance by ∼17%. •Optimized nanostructures correlate with the light-harvesting and carrier-collection efficiencies. -- Abstract: An effective way of synthesizing densely-formed branched ZnO-nanowire arrays was developed by a straightforward conversion reaction of ZnS into ZnO. Hierarchically structured ZnO nanowires are utilized for quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs), having resulted in the conversion-efficiency enhancement by a factor of two compared to the bare ZnO nanowires. This is attributed to the increased CdS-quantum-dot sensitizer by ∼80% and decreased diffused transmittance by ∼17%, induced by the densely-formed branched nanowires. The correlations between the branched nanostructures and photovoltaic performances are systematically investigated in terms of light absorption, charge-transfer resistance, and carrier lifetime. This facile and controllable branched nanowire synthesis is anticipated to be applicable to other semiconductor photoanodes for efficient light harvesting and charge collecting properties

Selective growth of silica nanowires using an Au catalyst for optical recognition of interleukin-10

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekhar, Praveen K; Ramgir, Niranjan S; Joshi, Rakesh K; Bhansali, Shekhar [Bio-MEMS and Microfabrication Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Avenue, ENB 118, Tampa, FL 33620 (United States)], E-mail: bhansali@eng.usf.edu

2008-06-18

The vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth procedure has been extended for the selective growth of silica nanowires on SiO{sub 2} layer by using Au as a catalyst. The nanowires were grown in an open tube furnace at 1100 deg. C for 60 min using Ar as a carrier gas. The average diameter of these bottom-up nucleated wires was found to be 200 nm. Transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates the amorphous nature of these nanoscale wires and suggests an Si-silica heterostructure. The localized silica nanowires have been used as an immunoassay template in the detection of interleukin-10 which is a lung cancer biomarker. Such a nanostructured platform offered a tenfold enhancement in the optical response, aiding the recognition of IL-10 in comparison to a bare silica substrate. The role of nanowires in the immunoassay was verified through the quenching behavior in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Two orders of reduction in PL intensity have been observed after completion of the immunoassay with significant quenching after executing every step of the protocol. The potential of this site-specific growth of silica nanowires on SiO{sub 2} as a multi-modal biosensing platform has been discussed.

Effect of diameter of metal nanowires on pool boiling heat transfer with FC-72

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar G., Udaya; S., Suresh; M. R., Thansekhar; Babu P., Dinesh

2017-11-01

Effect of varying diameter of metal nanowires on pool boiling heat transfer performance is presented in this study. Copper nanowires (CuNWs) of four different diameters (∼35 nm, ∼70 nm, ∼130 nm and ∼200 nm) were grown directly on copper specimen using template-based electrodeposition technique. Both critical heat flux (CHF) and boiling heat transfer coefficient (h) were found to be improved in surfaces with nanowires as compared to the bare copper surface. Moreover, both the parameters were found to increase with increasing diameter of the nanowires. The percentage increases observed in CHF for the samples with nanowires were 38.37%, 40.16%, 48.48% and 45.57% whereas the percentage increase in the heat transfer coefficient were 86.36%, 95.45%, 184.1% and 131.82% respectively as compared to the bare copper surface. Important reasons believed for this enhancement were improvement in micron scale cavity density and cavity size which arises as a result of the coagulation and grouping of nanowires during the drying process. In addition to this, superhydrophilic nature, capillary effect, and enhanced bubble dynamics parameters (bubble frequency, bubble departure diameter, and nucleation site density) were found to be the concurring mechanisms responsible for this enhancement in heat transfer performance. Qualitative bubble dynamics analysis was done for the surfaces involved and the visual observations are provided to support the results presented and discussed.

A new route to produce efficient surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates: gold-decorated CdSe nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Gobind; Chakraborty, Ritun; Gopalakrishnan, Anisha [Italian Institute of Technology, Nanostructure Division (Italy); Baranov, Dmitry [University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States); Di Fabrizio, Enzo [King Abdullah University Science and Technology (KAUST), PSE and BESE Divisions (Saudi Arabia); Krahne, Roman, E-mail: roman.krahne@iit.it [Italian Institute of Technology, Nanostructure Division (Italy)

2013-05-15

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a popular tool for the detection of extremely small quantities of target molecules. Au nanoparticles have been very successful in this respect due to local enhancement of the light intensity caused by their plasmon resonance. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles are biocompatible, and target substances can be easily attached to their surface. Here, we demonstrate that Au-decorated CdSe nanowires when employed as SERS substrates lead to an enhancement as large as 10{sup 5} with respect to the flat Au surfaces. In the case of hybrid metal-CdSe nanowires, the Au nucleates preferably on lattice defects at the lateral facets of the nanowires, which leads to a homogeneous distribution of Au nanoparticles on the nanowire, and to an efficient quenching of the nanowire luminescence. Moreover, the size of the Au nanoparticles can be well controlled via the AuCl{sub 3} concentration in the fabrication process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our SERS substrates with two target substances, namely, cresyl-violet and rhodamine-6G. Au-decorated nanowires can be easily fabricated in large quantities at low cost by wet-chemical synthesis. Furthermore, their deposition onto various substrates, as well as the functionalization of these wires with the target substances, is as straightforward as with the traditional markers.

Ultraviolet photosensors fabricated with Ag nanowires coated with ZnO nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Guan-Hung [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Hong, Franklin Chau-Nan, E-mail: hong@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); NCKU Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2014-11-03

We have developed a simple low temperature process to coat zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) on Ag nanowires (NWs) with well-controlled morphology. Triethanolamine (TEA) was employed to react with zinc acetate (Zn(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}) forming ZnO NPs. TEA was also found to enhance the nucleation and binding of ZnO NPs on the Ag nanowire surfaces facilitating a complete coverage of Ag nanowire surfaces with ZnO NPs. The effects of the process parameters including reaction time and reaction temperature were studied. The surfaces of 60 nm diameter Ag NWs could be completely covered with ZnO NPs with the final diameters of Ag-NWs@ZnO (core–shell NWs) turning into the range from 100 nm to 450 nm. The Ag-NWs@ZnO was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray mapping analysis, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectra. Finally, ultraviolet (UV) photosensors were fabricated using Ag-NWs@ZnO. They were found to improve photosensitivity with greatly enhanced fast response by reducing the recovery time by 2 orders, in comparison with the UV-sensors using single-crystalline ZnO NWs. - Highlights: • Solution process to coat ZnO nanoparticles on Ag nanowires has been developed. • Ultraviolet photosensing of ZnO nanoparticles coated on the Ag nanowires was found. • High defect concentration of ZnO nanoparticles enhanced the photosensing properties.

Ordered ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowire arrays prepared by seed-layer-assisted electrochemical deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Yu-Min; Pan, Chih-Huang; Wang, Sheng-Chang; Huang, Jow-Lay

2011-01-01

An Al-doped ZnO (AZO) seed layer is prepared on the back side of a porous alumina membrane (PAM) substrate by spin coating followed by annealing in a vacuum at 400 °C. Zinc oxide in ordered arrays mediated by a high aspect ratio and an ordered pore array of AZO/PAM is synthesized. The ZnO nanowire array is prepared via a 3-electrode electrochemical deposition process using ZnSO 4 and H 2 O 2 solutions at a potential of − 1 V (versus saturated calomel electrode) and temperatures of 65 and 80 °C. The microstructure and chemical composition of the AZO seed layer and ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowire arrays are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Results indicate that the ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowire arrays were assembled in the nanochannel of the porous alumina template with diameters of 110–140 nm. The crystallinity of the ZnO nanowires depends on the AZO seed layer during the annealing process. The nucleation and growth process of ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowires are interpreted by the seed-layer-assisted growth mechanism.

Single-crystal apatite nanowires sheathed in graphitic shells: synthesis, characterization, and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Namjo; Cha, Misun; Park, Yun Chang; Lee, Kyung Mee; Lee, Jae Hyup; Park, Byong Chon; Lee, Junghoon

2013-07-23

Vertically aligned one-dimensional hybrid structures, which are composed of apatite and graphitic structures, can be beneficial for orthopedic applications. However, they are difficult to generate using the current method. Here, we report the first synthesis of a single-crystal apatite nanowire encapsulated in graphitic shells by a one-step chemical vapor deposition. Incipient nucleation of apatite and its subsequent transformation to an oriented crystal are directed by derived gaseous phosphorine. Longitudinal growth of the oriented apatite crystal is achieved by a vapor-solid growth mechanism, whereas lateral growth is suppressed by the graphitic layers formed through arrangement of the derived aromatic hydrocarbon molecules. We show that this unusual combination of the apatite crystal and the graphitic shells can lead to an excellent osteogenic differentiation and bony fusion through a programmed smart behavior. For instance, the graphitic shells are degraded after the initial cell growth promoted by the graphitic nanostructures, and the cells continue proliferation on the bare apatite nanowires. Furthermore, a bending experiment indicates that such core-shell nanowires exhibited a superior bending stiffness compared to single-crystal apatite nanowires without graphitic shells. The results suggest a new strategy and direction for bone grafting materials with a highly controllable morphology and material conditions that can best stimulate bone cell differentiation and growth.

A Hierarchical Phosphorus Nanobarbed Nanowire Hybrid: Its Structure and Electrochemical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Dan; Li, Beibei; Zhang, Jinying; Li, Xin; Xiao, Dingbin; Fu, Chengcheng; Zhang, Lihui; Li, Zhihui; Li, Jun; Cao, Daxian; Niu, Chunming

2017-06-14

Nanostructured phosphorus-carbon composites are promising materials for Li-ion and Na-ion battery anodes. A hierarchical phosphorus hybrid, SiC@graphene@P, has been synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition of phosphorus on the surfaces of barbed nanowires, where the barbs are vertically grown graphene nanosheets and the cores are SiC nanowires. A temperature-gradient vaporization-condensation method has been used to remove the unhybridized phosphorus particles formed by homogeneous nucleation. The vertically grown barb shaped graphene nanosheets and a high concentration of edge carbon atoms induced a fibrous red phosphorus (f-RP) growth with its {001} planes in parallel to {002} planes of nanographene sheets and led to a strong interpenetrated interface interaction between phosphorus and the surfaces of graphene nanosheets. This hybridization has been demonstrated to significantly enhance the electrochemical performances of phosphorus.

Quantitative and simultaneous analysis of the polarity of polycrystalline ZnO seed layers and related nanowires grown by wet chemical deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Guillemin, Sophie; Parize, Romain; Carabetta, Joseph; Cantelli, Valentina; Albertini, David; Gautier, Brice; Brémond, Georges; Fong, Dillon D.; Renevier, Hubert; Consonni, Vincent

2017-03-01

The polarity in ZnO nanowires is an important issue since it strongly affects surface configuration and reactivity, nucleation and growth, electro-optical properties, and nanoscale-engineering device performances. However, measuring statistically the polarity of ZnO nanowire arrays grown by chemical bath deposition and elucidating its correlation with the polarity of the underneath polycrystalline ZnO seed layer grown by the sol-gel process represents a major difficulty. To address that issue, we combine resonant x-ray diffraction (XRD) at Zn K-edge using synchrotron radiation with piezoelectric force microscopy and polarity-sensitive chemical etching to statistically investigate the polarity of more than 107 nano-objects both on the macroscopic and local microscopic scales, respectively. By using high temperature annealing under an argon atmosphere, it is shown that the compact, highly c-axis oriented ZnO seed layer is more than 92% Zn-polar and that only a few small O-polar ZnO grains with an amount less than 8% are formed. Correlatively, the resulting ZnO nanowires are also found to be Zn-polar, indicating that their polarity is transferred from the c-axis oriented ZnO grains acting as nucleation sites in the seed layer. These findings pave the way for the development of new strategies to form unipolar ZnO nanowire arrays as a requirement for a number of nanoscale-engineering devices like piezoelectric nanogenerators. They also highlight the great advantage of resonant XRD as a macroscopic, non-destructive method to simultaneously and statistically measure the polarity of ZnO nanowire arrays and of the underneath ZnO seed layer.

A new route to produce efficient surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates: Gold-decorated CdSe nanowires

KAUST Repository

Das, Gobind

2013-04-13

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a popular tool for the detection of extremely small quantities of target molecules. Au nanoparticles have been very successful in this respect due to local enhancement of the light intensity caused by their plasmon resonance. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles are biocompatible, and target substances can be easily attached to their surface. Here, we demonstrate that Au-decorated CdSe nanowires when employed as SERS substrates lead to an enhancement as large as 105 with respect to the flat Au surfaces. In the case of hybrid metal-CdSe nanowires, the Au nucleates preferably on lattice defects at the lateral facets of the nanowires, which leads to a homogeneous distribution of Au nanoparticles on the nanowire, and to an efficient quenching of the nanowire luminescence. Moreover, the size of the Au nanoparticles can be well controlled via the AuCl3 concentration in the fabrication process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our SERS substrates with two target substances, namely, cresyl-violet and rhodamine-6G. Au-decorated nanowires can be easily fabricated in large quantities at low cost by wet-chemical synthesis. Furthermore, their deposition onto various substrates, as well as the functionalization of these wires with the target substances, is as straightforward as with the traditional markers. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

A new route to produce efficient surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates: Gold-decorated CdSe nanowires

KAUST Repository

Das, Gobind; Chakraborty, Ritun; Gopalakrishnan, Anisha; Baranov, Dmitry; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Krahne, Roman

2013-01-01

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a popular tool for the detection of extremely small quantities of target molecules. Au nanoparticles have been very successful in this respect due to local enhancement of the light intensity caused by their plasmon resonance. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles are biocompatible, and target substances can be easily attached to their surface. Here, we demonstrate that Au-decorated CdSe nanowires when employed as SERS substrates lead to an enhancement as large as 105 with respect to the flat Au surfaces. In the case of hybrid metal-CdSe nanowires, the Au nucleates preferably on lattice defects at the lateral facets of the nanowires, which leads to a homogeneous distribution of Au nanoparticles on the nanowire, and to an efficient quenching of the nanowire luminescence. Moreover, the size of the Au nanoparticles can be well controlled via the AuCl3 concentration in the fabrication process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our SERS substrates with two target substances, namely, cresyl-violet and rhodamine-6G. Au-decorated nanowires can be easily fabricated in large quantities at low cost by wet-chemical synthesis. Furthermore, their deposition onto various substrates, as well as the functionalization of these wires with the target substances, is as straightforward as with the traditional markers. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Electrodeposition of ZnO nano-wires lattices with a controlled morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elias, J.; Tena-Zaera, R.; Katty, A.; Levy-Clement, C.

2006-01-01

In this work, it is shown that the electrodeposition is a changeable low cost method which allows, according to the synthesis conditions, to obtain not only plane thin layers of ZnO but different nano-structures too. In a first part, are presented the formation conditions of a compact thin layer of nanocrystalline ZnO electrodeposited on a conducing glass substrate. This layer plays a buffer layer role for the deposition of a lattice of ZnO nano-wires. The step of nano-wires nucleation is not only determined by the electrochemical parameters but by the properties of the buffer layer too as the grain sizes and its thickness. In this context, the use of an electrodeposition method in two steps allows to control the nano-wires length and diameter and their density. The morphology and the structural and optical properties of these nano-structures have been analyzed by different techniques as the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, the X-ray diffraction and the optical spectroscopy. These studies show that ZnO nano-structures are formed of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires, presenting a great developed surface and a great optical transparency in the visible. These properties make ZnO a good material for the development of nano-structured photovoltaic cells as the extremely thin absorber cells (PV ETA) or those with dye (DSSC) which are generally prepared with porous polycrystalline TiO 2 . Its replacement by a lattice of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires allows to reduce considerably the number of grain boundaries and in consequence to improve the transport of the electrons. The results are then promising for the PV ETA cells with ZnO nano-wires. (O.M.)

Magnetic properties of {alpha}-Fe and Fe{sub 3}C nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lutz, M U; Weissker, U; Wolny, F; Mueller, C; Loeffler, M; Muehl, T; Leonhardt, A; Buechner, B; Klingeler, R, E-mail: m.lutz@ifw-dresden.d [Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstrasse 20, 01069 Dresden (Germany)

2010-01-01

The magnetic properties of single domain {alpha}-Fe and Fe{sub 3}C nanowires encapsulated within Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWNT) are investigated with a Magnetic Force Microscope (MFM). The wires are formed during the Chemical Vapour Deposition growth process, partially filling the hollow center of the MWNTs. The wires have a diameter variation of 10-60nm and can be several {mu}m long. The phase and crystal orientation of the filling relative to the long tube axis are probed by Transmission Electron Microscopy. The remanent magnetization states of the wires are investigated by MFM imaging. The {alpha}-Fe wires show shape dominated magnetization along the tube axis, whereas the FesC wires show a perpendicular magnetization imposed by magneto-crystalline anisotropy. Switching fields of {alpha}-Fe nanowires are determined by the application of an in-situ magnetic field, revealing a tip triggered magnetization reversal by localized nucleation.

High Strain Rate Tensile Testing of Silver Nanowires: Rate-Dependent Brittle-to-Ductile Transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandramoorthy, Rajaprakash; Gao, Wei; Bernal, Rodrigo; Espinosa, Horacio

2016-01-13

The characterization of nanomaterials under high strain rates is critical to understand their suitability for dynamic applications such as nanoresonators and nanoswitches. It is also of great theoretical importance to explore nanomechanics with dynamic and rate effects. Here, we report in situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) tensile testing of bicrystalline silver nanowires at strain rates up to 2/s, which is 2 orders of magnitude higher than previously reported in the literature. The experiments are enabled by a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) with fast response time. It was identified that the nanowire plastic deformation has a small activation volume (ductile failure mode transition was observed at a threshold strain rate of 0.2/s. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that along the nanowire, dislocation density and spatial distribution of plastic regions increase with increasing strain rate. Furthermore, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations show that deformation mechanisms such as grain boundary migration and dislocation interactions are responsible for such ductility. Finally, the MD and experimental results were interpreted using dislocation nucleation theory. The predicted yield stress values are in agreement with the experimental results for strain rates above 0.2/s when ductility is pronounced. At low strain rates, random imperfections on the nanowire surface trigger localized plasticity, leading to a brittle-like failure.

Use of atomic force microscopy for imaging the initial stage of the nucleation of calcium phosphate in Langmuir-blodgett films of stearic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yuanjian; He Ping; Xu Xiudong; Li Jinghong

2004-01-01

The nucleation of calcium phosphate on the substrate of steatic acid Langmuir-blodgett film at the initial stage was investigated by atomic force microscopy. Nano-dots, nano-wires and nano-islands were observed in sequence for the first time, reflecting the nucleation of calcium phosphate and the molecular arrangement of carboxylic layer. The nucleation rates perpendicular and parallel to the carboxylic terminal group were estimated from the height and diameter of the calcium phosphate crystals, respectively. And this stage was distinct from the late explosive grown stage, in which the change of the morphology was not obvious. The approaches based on this discovery would lead to the development of new strategies in the controlled synthesis of inorganic nano-phases and the assembly of organized composite and ceramic materials

Molecular beam epitaxy of InN nanowires on Si

Science.gov (United States)

Golam Sarwar, A. T. M.; Carnevale, Santino D.; Kent, Thomas F.; Laskar, Masihhur R.; May, Brelon J.; Myers, Roberto C.

2015-10-01

We report on a systematic growth study of the nucleation process of InN nanowires on Si(1 1 1) substrates using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE). Samples are grown with various substrate temperatures and III/V ratios. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and photoluminescence are carried out to map out the variation in structural and optical properties versus growth conditions. Statistical averages of areal density, height, and radius are mapped as a function of substrate temperature and III/V ratio. Three different morphological phases are identified on the growth surface: InN, α-In and β-In. Based on SEM image analysis of samples grown at different conditions, the formation mechanism of these phases is proposed. Finally, the growth phase diagram of PAMBE grown InN on Si under N-rich condition is presented, and tapered versus non-tapered growth conditions are identified. It is found that high growth temperature and low III/V ratio plays a critical role in the growth of non-tapered InN nanowires.

Facile Five-Step Heteroepitaxial Growth of GaAs Nanowires on Silicon Substrates and the Twin Formation Mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Maoqing; Sheng, Chunyang; Ge, Mingyuan; Chi, Chun-Yung; Cong, Sen; Nakano, Aiichiro; Dapkus, P Daniel; Zhou, Chongwu

2016-02-23

Monolithic integration of III-V semiconductors with Si has been pursued for some time in the semiconductor industry. However, the mismatch of lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients represents a large technological challenge for the heteroepitaxial growth. Nanowires, due to their small lateral dimension, can relieve strain and mitigate dislocation formation to allow single-crystal III-V materials to be grown on Si. Here, we report a facile five-step heteroepitaxial growth of GaAs nanowires on Si using selective area growth (SAG) in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, and we further report an in-depth study on the twin formation mechanism. Rotational twin defects were observed in the nanowire structures and showed strong dependence on the growth condition and nanowire size. We adopt a model of faceted growth to demonstrate the formation of twins during growth, which is well supported by both a transmission electron microscopy study and simulation based on nucleation energetics. Our study has led to twin-free segments in the length up to 80 nm, a significant improvement compared to previous work using SAG. The achievements may open up opportunities for future functional III-V-on-Si heterostructure devices.

Mechanical behavior enhancement of ZnO nanowire by embedding different nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Vazinishayan

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, we employed commercial finite element modeling (FEM software package ABAQUS to analyze mechanical properties of ZnO nanowire before and after embedding with different kinds of nanowires, having different materials and cross-section models such as Au (circular, Ag (pentagonal and Si (rectangular using three point bending technique. The length and diameter of the ZnO nanowire were measured to be 12,280 nm and 103.2 nm, respectively. In addition, Au, Ag and Si nanowires were considered to have the length of 12,280 nm and the diameter of 27 nm. It was found that after embedding Si nanowire with rectangular cross-section into the ZnO nanowire, the distribution of Von Misses stresses criterion, displacement and strain were decreased than the other nanowires embedded. The highest stiffness, the elastic deformation and the high strength against brittle failure have been made by Si nanowire comparison to the Au and Ag nanowires, respectively. Keywords: Nanowires, Material effects, Mechanical properties, Brittle failure

Mechanical behavior enhancement of ZnO nanowire by embedding different nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Vazinishayan, Ali; Yang, Shuming; Lambada, Dasaradha Rao; Wang, Yiming

2018-06-01

In this work, we employed commercial finite element modeling (FEM) software package ABAQUS to analyze mechanical properties of ZnO nanowire before and after embedding with different kinds of nanowires, having different materials and cross-section models such as Au (circular), Ag (pentagonal) and Si (rectangular) using three point bending technique. The length and diameter of the ZnO nanowire were measured to be 12,280 nm and 103.2 nm, respectively. In addition, Au, Ag and Si nanowires were considered to have the length of 12,280 nm and the diameter of 27 nm. It was found that after embedding Si nanowire with rectangular cross-section into the ZnO nanowire, the distribution of Von Misses stresses criterion, displacement and strain were decreased than the other nanowires embedded. The highest stiffness, the elastic deformation and the high strength against brittle failure have been made by Si nanowire comparison to the Au and Ag nanowires, respectively.

Preferential nucleation, guiding, and blocking of self-propelled droplets by dislocations

Science.gov (United States)

Kanjanachuchai, Songphol; Wongpinij, Thipusa; Kijamnajsuk, Suphakan; Himwas, Chalermchai; Panyakeow, Somsak; Photongkam, Pat

2018-04-01

Lattice-mismatched layers of GaAs/InGaAs are grown on GaAs(001) using molecular beam epitaxy and subsequently heated in vacuum while the surface is imaged in situ using low-energy electron microscopy, in order to study (i) the nucleation of group-III droplets formed as a result of noncongruent sublimation and (ii) the dynamics of these self-propelled droplets as they navigate the surface. It is found that the interfacial misfit dislocation network not only influences the nucleation sites of droplets, but also exerts unusual steering power over their subsequent motion. Atypical droplet flow patterns including 90° and 180° turns are found. The directions of these dislocations-guided droplets are qualitatively explained in terms of in-plane and out-of-plane stress fields associated with the buried dislocations and the driving forces due to chemical potential and stress gradients typical of Marangoni flow. The findings would benefit processes and devices that employ droplets as catalysts or active structures such as droplet epitaxy of quantum nanostructures, vapor-liquid-solid growth of nanowires, or the fabrication of self-integrated circuits.

Synthesis of Oxidation-Resistant Cupronickel Nanowires for Transparent Conducting Nanowire Networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rathmall, Aaron [Duke University; Nguyen, Minh [Duke University; Wiley, Benjamin J [Duke University

2012-01-01

Nanowires of copper can be coated from liquids to create flexible, transparent conducting films that can potentially replace the dominant transparent conductor, indium tin oxide, in displays, solar cells, organic light-emitting diodes, and electrochromic windows. One issue with these nanowire films is that copper is prone to oxidation. It was hypothesized that the resistance to oxidation could be improved by coating copper nanowires with nickel. This work demonstrates a method for synthesizing copper nanowires with nickel shells as well as the properties of cupronickel nanowires in transparent conducting films. Time- and temperature-dependent sheet resistance measurements indicate that the sheet resistance of copper and silver nanowire films will double after 3 and 36 months at room temperature, respectively. In contrast, the sheet resistance of cupronickel nanowires containing 20 mol % nickel will double in about 400 years. Coating copper nanowires to a ratio of 2:1 Cu:Ni gave them a neutral gray color, making them more suitable for use in displays and electrochromic windows. These properties, and the fact that copper and nickel are 1000 times more abundant than indium or silver, make cupronickel nanowires a promising alternative for the sustainable, efficient production of transparent conductors.

Growth and properties of In(Ga)As nanowires on silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hertenberger, Simon

2012-01-01

In this thesis the integration of III-V semiconductor nanowires on silicon (Si) platform by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is investigated. All nanowires are grown without the use of foreign catalysts such as Au to achieve high purity material. First, InAs nanowires are grown in a self-assembled manner on SiO x -masked Si(111) where pinholes in the silicon oxide serve as nucleation spots for the nanowires. This leads to the growth of vertically aligned, (111)-oriented nanowires with hexagonal cross-section. Based on this simple process, the entire growth parameter window is investigated for InAs nanowires, revealing an extremely large growth temperature range from 380 C to 580 C and growth rates as large as 6 μ/h. Complex quantitative in-situ line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometry experiments during nanowire growth and post-growth thermal decomposition studies support these findings and indicate a very high thermal stability up to >540 C for InAs nanowires. Furthermore, the influence of the As/In ratio on the nanowire growth is studied revealing two distinct growth regimes, i.e., an In-rich regime for lower As fluxes and an As-rich regime for larger As fluxes, where the latter shows characteristic saturation of the nanowire aspect ratio. For the catalyst-free growth, detailed investigation of the growth mechanism is performed via a combination of in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and ex-situ scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM,TEM). An abrupt onset of nanowire growth is observed in RHEED intensity and in-plane lattice parameter evolution. Furthermore, completely droplet-free nanowires, continuous radial growth, constant vertical growth rate and growth interruption experiments suggest a vapor-solid growth mode for all investigated nanowire samples. Moreover, site-selective (positioned) growth of InAs nanowires on pre-patterned SiO 2 masked Si(111) substrates is demonstrated which is needed for ultimate control of nanowire

Growth and properties of In(Ga)As nanowires on silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hertenberger, Simon

2012-10-15

In this thesis the integration of III-V semiconductor nanowires on silicon (Si) platform by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is investigated. All nanowires are grown without the use of foreign catalysts such as Au to achieve high purity material. First, InAs nanowires are grown in a self-assembled manner on SiO{sub x}-masked Si(111) where pinholes in the silicon oxide serve as nucleation spots for the nanowires. This leads to the growth of vertically aligned, (111)-oriented nanowires with hexagonal cross-section. Based on this simple process, the entire growth parameter window is investigated for InAs nanowires, revealing an extremely large growth temperature range from 380 C to 580 C and growth rates as large as 6 μ/h. Complex quantitative in-situ line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometry experiments during nanowire growth and post-growth thermal decomposition studies support these findings and indicate a very high thermal stability up to >540 C for InAs nanowires. Furthermore, the influence of the As/In ratio on the nanowire growth is studied revealing two distinct growth regimes, i.e., an In-rich regime for lower As fluxes and an As-rich regime for larger As fluxes, where the latter shows characteristic saturation of the nanowire aspect ratio. For the catalyst-free growth, detailed investigation of the growth mechanism is performed via a combination of in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and ex-situ scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM,TEM). An abrupt onset of nanowire growth is observed in RHEED intensity and in-plane lattice parameter evolution. Furthermore, completely droplet-free nanowires, continuous radial growth, constant vertical growth rate and growth interruption experiments suggest a vapor-solid growth mode for all investigated nanowire samples. Moreover, site-selective (positioned) growth of InAs nanowires on pre-patterned SiO{sub 2} masked Si(111) substrates is demonstrated which is needed for ultimate control of

Nanowire Lasers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Couteau C.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available We review principles and trends in the use of semiconductor nanowires as gain media for stimulated emission and lasing. Semiconductor nanowires have recently been widely studied for use in integrated optoelectronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs, solar cells, and transistors. Intensive research has also been conducted in the use of nanowires for subwavelength laser systems that take advantage of their quasione- dimensional (1D nature, flexibility in material choice and combination, and intrinsic optoelectronic properties. First, we provide an overview on using quasi-1D nanowire systems to realize subwavelength lasers with efficient, directional, and low-threshold emission. We then describe the state of the art for nanowire lasers in terms of materials, geometry, andwavelength tunability.Next,we present the basics of lasing in semiconductor nanowires, define the key parameters for stimulated emission, and introduce the properties of nanowires. We then review advanced nanowire laser designs from the literature. Finally, we present interesting perspectives for low-threshold nanoscale light sources and optical interconnects. We intend to illustrate the potential of nanolasers inmany applications, such as nanophotonic devices that integrate electronics and photonics for next-generation optoelectronic devices. For instance, these building blocks for nanoscale photonics can be used for data storage and biomedical applications when coupled to on-chip characterization tools. These nanoscale monochromatic laser light sources promise breakthroughs in nanophotonics, as they can operate at room temperature, can potentially be electrically driven, and can yield a better understanding of intrinsic nanomaterial properties and surface-state effects in lowdimensional semiconductor systems.

A note on the nucleation with multiple steps: Parallel and series nucleation

OpenAIRE

Iwamatsu, Masao

2012-01-01

Parallel and series nucleation are the basic elements of the complex nucleation process when two saddle points exist on the free-energy landscape. It is pointed out that the nucleation rates follow formulas similar to those of parallel and series connection of resistors or conductors in an electric circuit. Necessary formulas to calculate individual nucleation rates at the saddle points and the total nucleation rate are summarized and the extension to the more complex nucleation process is su...

Atomistic investigations on the mechanical properties and fracture mechanisms of indium phosphide nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Pial, Turash Haque; Rakib, Tawfiqur; Mojumder, Satyajit; Motalab, Mohammad; Akanda, M A Salam

2018-03-28

The mechanical properties of indium phosphide (InP) nanowires are an emerging issue due to the promising applications of these nanowires in nanoelectromechanical and microelectromechanical devices. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations of zincblende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) crystal structured InP nanowires (NWs) are presented under uniaxial tension at varying sizes and temperatures. It is observed that the tensile strengths of both types of NWs show inverse relationships with temperature, but are independent of the size of the nanowires. Moreover, applied load causes brittle fracture by nucleating cleavage on ZB and WZ NWs. When the tensile load is applied along the [001] direction, the direction of the cleavage planes of ZB NWs changes with temperature. It is found that the {111} planes are the cleavage planes at lower temperatures; on the other hand, the {110} cleavage planes are activated at elevated temperatures. In the case of WZ NWs, fracture of the material is observed to occur by cleaving along the (0001) plane irrespective of temperature when the tensile load is applied along the [0001] direction. Furthermore, the WZ NWs of InP show considerably higher strength than their ZB counterparts. Finally, the impact of strain rate on the failure behavior of InP NWs is also studied, and higher fracture strengths and strains at higher strain rates are found. With increasing strain rate, the number of cleavages also increases in the NWs. This paper also provides in-depth understanding of the failure behavior of InP NWs, which will aid the design of efficient InP NWs-based devices.

A note on the nucleation with multiple steps: parallel and series nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwamatsu, Masao

2012-01-28

Parallel and series nucleation are the basic elements of the complex nucleation process when two saddle points exist on the free-energy landscape. It is pointed out that the nucleation rates follow formulas similar to those of parallel and series connection of resistors or conductors in an electric circuit. Necessary formulas to calculate individual nucleation rates at the saddle points and the total nucleation rate are summarized, and the extension to the more complex nucleation process is suggested. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Influence factors of the inter-nanowire thermal contact resistance in the stacked nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Dongxu; Huang, Congliang; Zhong, Jinxin; Lin, Zizhen

2018-05-01

The inter-nanowire thermal contact resistance is important for tuning the thermal conductivity of a nanocomposite for thermoelectric applications. In this paper, the stacked copper nanowires are applied for studying the thermal contact resistance. The stacked copper nanowires are firstly made by the cold-pressing method, and then the nanowire stacks are treated by sintering treatment. With the effect of the volumetric fraction of nanowires in the stack and the influence of the sintering-temperature on the thermal contact resistance discussed, results show that: The thermal conductivity of the 150-nm copper nanowires can be enlarged almost 2 times with the volumetric fraction increased from 32 to 56% because of the enlarged contact-area and contact number of a copper nanowire. When the sintering temperature increases from 293 to 673 K, the thermal conductivity of the stacked 300-nm nanowires could be enlarged almost 2.5 times by the sintering treatment, because of the improved lattice property of the contact zone. In conclusion, application of a high volumetric fraction or/and a sintering-treatment are effectivity to tune the inter-nanowire thermal contact resistance, and thus to tailor the thermal conductivity of a nanowire network or stack.

InAs nanowire formation on InP(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parry, H. J.; Ashwin, M. J.; Jones, T. S.

2006-01-01

The heteroepitaxial growth of InAs on InP(001) by solid source molecular beam epitaxy has been studied for a range of different growth temperatures and annealing procedures. Atomic force microscopy images show that nanowires are formed for deposition in the temperature range of 400-480 deg. C, and also following high temperature annealing (480 deg. C) after deposition at 400 deg. C. The wires show preferential orientation along and often exhibit pronounced serpentine behavior due to the presence of kinks, an effect that is reduced at increasing growth temperature. The results suggest that the serpentine behavior is related to the degree of initial surface order. Kinks in the wires appear to act as nucleation centers for In adatoms migrating along the wires during annealing, leading to the coexistence of large three-dimensional islands

Magnetic anisotropy in rapidly quenched amorphous glass-coated nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Óvári, T.-A.; Rotărescu, C.; Atițoaie, A.; Corodeanu, S.; Lupu, N., E-mail: nicole@phys-iasi.ro; Chiriac, H.

2016-07-15

Results on the roles played by the magnetoelastic and magnetostatic anisotropy terms in the magnetic behavior of glass-coated magnetostrictive amorphous nanowires prepared by means of rapid solidification are reported. Their contributions have been analyzed both experimentally, through hysteresis loop measurements, and theoretically, using micromagnetic simulations. All the investigated samples exhibit a magnetically bistable behavior, characterized by a single-step magnetization reversal when the applied field reaches a critical threshold value, called switching field. The combined interpretation of the experimental and theoretical data allows one to understand the effect of the magnetoelastic term on the value of the switching field, on one hand, and the effect of the magnetostatic term on the nucleation mechanism on the other, both with an essential impact on the characteristics of the nanowires’ magnetic bistability. The results are crucial for understanding the basic magnetic properties of these novel rapidly solidified ultrathin magnetic wires, as well as for tailoring their properties according to the specific requirements of various sensing applications. - Highlights: • Glass-coated nanowires have been very recently prepared by rapid solidification. • Amorphous wires change their properties as their diameter reaches the nano range. • Here we report on their main anisotropy terms: magnetoelastic and shape. • The results are essential for tailoring their properties for future applications.

Vapour–to–liquid nucleation: Nucleation theorems for nonisothermal–nonideal case

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malila, J.; McGraw, R.; Napari, I.; Laaksonen, A.

2010-08-29

Homogeneous vapour-to-liquid nucleation, a basic process of aerosol formation, is often considered as a type example of nucleation phenomena, while most treatment of the subject introduce several simplifying assumptions (ideal gas phase, incompressible nucleus, isothermal kinetics, size-independent surface free energy...). During last decades, nucleation theorems have provided new insights into properties of critical nuclei facilitating direct comparison between laboratory experiments and molecular simulations. These theorems are, despite of their generality, often applied in forms where the aforementioned assumptions are made. Here we present forms of nucleation theorems that explicitly take into account these effects and allow direct estimation of their importance. Only assumptions are Arrhenius-type kinetics of nucleation process and exclusion carrier gas molecules from the critical nucleus.

Nucleation in the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegg, D A; Baker, M B

2009-01-01

Small particles play major roles in modulating radiative and hydrological fluxes in the atmosphere and thus they impact both climate (IPCC 2007) and weather. Most atmospheric particles outside clouds are created in situ through nucleation from gas phase precursors and most ice particles within clouds are formed by nucleation, usually from the liquid. Thus, the nucleation process is of great significance in the Earth's atmosphere. The theoretical examination of nucleation in the atmosphere has been based mostly on classical nucleation theory. While diagnostically very useful, the prognostic skill demonstrated by this approach has been marginal. Microscopic approaches such as molecular dynamics and density functional theory have also proven useful in elucidating various aspects of the process but are not yet sufficiently refined to offer a significant prognostic advantage to the classical approach, due primarily to the heteromolecular nature of atmospheric nucleation. An important aspect of the nucleation process in the atmosphere is that the degree of metastability of the parent phase for the nucleation is modulated by a number of atmospheric processes such as condensation onto pre-existing particles, updraft velocities that are the main driving force for supersaturation of water (a major factor in all atmospheric nucleation), and photochemical production rates of nucleation precursors. Hence, atmospheric nucleation is both temporally and spatially inhomogeneous

Nanowire Growth for Photovoltaics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Jeppe Vilstrup

Solar cells commercial success is based on an efficiency/cost calculation. Nanowire solar cells is one of the foremost candidates to implement third generation photo voltaics, which are both very efficient and cheap to produce. This thesis is about our progress towards commercial nanowire solar...... cells. Resonance effects between the light and nanowire causes an inherent concentration of the sunlight into the nanowires, and means that a sparse array of nanowires (less than 5% of the area) can absorb all the incoming light. The resonance effects, as well as a graded index of refraction, also traps...... the light. The concentration and light trapping means that single junction nanowire solar cells have a higher theoretical maximum efficiency than equivalent planar solar cells. We have demonstrated the built-in light concentration of nanowires, by growing, contacting and characterizing a solar cell...

Growth of Self-Catalyzed InP Nanowires by Metalorganic Chemical Vapour Deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv Xiao-Long; Zhang Xia; Yan Xin; Liu Xiao-Long; Cui Jian-Gong; Li Jun-Shuai; Huang Yong-Qing; Ren Xiao-Min

2012-01-01

The fabrication of self-catalyzed InP nanowires (NWs) is investigated under different growth conditions. Indium droplets induced by surface reconstruction act as nucleation sites for NW growth. Vertical standing NWs with uniform cross sections are obtained under optimized conditions. It is confirmed that the growth rate of NWs is strongly affected by the surface diffusion adatoms while contributions from the direct impingement of vapor species onto the In droplets can be negligible. The results indicate that the droplet acts as an adatom collector rather than a catalyst. Moreover, the diffusion flow rate of adatoms increases with time at the beginning of growth and stabilizes as the growth proceeds

Selective-area growth of GaN nanowires on SiO{sub 2}-masked Si (111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruse, J. E.; Doundoulakis, G. [Department of Physics, University of Crete, P. O. Box 2208, 71003 Heraklion (Greece); Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology–Hellas, N. Plastira 100, 70013 Heraklion (Greece); Lymperakis, L. [Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf (Germany); Eftychis, S.; Georgakilas, A., E-mail: alexandr@physics.uoc.gr [Department of Physics, University of Crete, P. O. Box 2208, 71003 Heraklion (Greece); Adikimenakis, A.; Tsagaraki, K.; Androulidaki, M.; Konstantinidis, G. [Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology–Hellas, N. Plastira 100, 70013 Heraklion (Greece); Olziersky, A.; Dimitrakis, P.; Ioannou-Sougleridis, V.; Normand, P. [Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR Demokritos, Patriarchou Grigoriou and Neapoleos 27, 15310 Aghia Paraskevi, Athens (Greece); Koukoula, T.; Kehagias, Th.; Komninou, Ph. [Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki (Greece)

2016-06-14

We analyze a method to selectively grow straight, vertical gallium nitride nanowires by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) at sites specified by a silicon oxide mask, which is thermally grown on silicon (111) substrates and patterned by electron-beam lithography and reactive-ion etching. The investigated method requires only one single molecular beam epitaxy MBE growth process, i.e., the SiO{sub 2} mask is formed on silicon instead of on a previously grown GaN or AlN buffer layer. We present a systematic and analytical study involving various mask patterns, characterization by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, as well as numerical simulations, to evaluate how the dimensions (window diameter and spacing) of the mask affect the distribution of the nanowires, their morphology, and alignment, as well as their photonic properties. Capabilities and limitations for this method of selective-area growth of nanowires have been identified. A window diameter less than 50 nm and a window spacing larger than 500 nm can provide single nanowire nucleation in nearly all mask windows. The results are consistent with a Ga diffusion length on the silicon dioxide surface in the order of approximately 1 μm.

Functionalised Silver Nanowire Structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrew, Piers; Ilie, Adelina

2007-01-01

Crystalline silver nanowires 60-100 nm in diameter and tens of micrometres in length have been fabricated using a low temperature, solution synthesis technique. We explore the potential of this method to produce functional nanowire structures using two different strategies to attach active molecules to the nanowires: adsorption and displacement. Initially, as-produced silver nanowires capped with a uniaxial-growth-inducing polymer layer were functionalised by solution adsorption of a semiconducting conjugated polymer to generate fluorescent nanowire structures. The influence of nanowire surface chemistry was investigated by displacing the capping polymer with an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer, followed by solution adsorption functionalisation. The success of molecular attachment was monitored by electron microscopy, absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy. We examined how the optical properties of such adsorbed molecules are affected by the metallic nanowires, and observed transfer of excitation energy between dye molecules mediated by surface plasmons propagating on the nanowires. Non-contact dynamic force microscopy measurements were used to map the work-function of individual wires, revealing inhomogeneity of the polymer surface coverage

Topological insulator nanowires and nanowire hetero-junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Haiming; Zhao, Lukas; Wade, Travis; Konczykowski, Marcin; Krusin-Elbaum, Lia

2014-03-01

The existing topological insulator materials (TIs) continue to present a number of challenges to complete understanding of the physics of topological spin-helical Dirac surface conduction channels, owing to a relatively large charge conduction in the bulk. One way to reduce the bulk contribution and to increase surface-to-volume ratio is by nanostructuring. Here we report on the synthesis and characterization of Sb2Te3, Bi2Te3 nanowires and nanotubes and Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3 heterojunctions electrochemically grown in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with varied (from 50 to 150 nm) pore diameters. Stoichiometric rigid polycrystalline nanowires with controllable cross-sections were obtained using cell voltages in the 30 - 150 mV range. Transport measurements in up to 14 T magnetic fields applied along the nanowires show Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) quantum oscillations with periods corresponding to the nanowire diameters. All nanowires were found to exhibit sharp weak anti-localization (WAL) cusps, a characteristic signature of TIs. In addition to A-B oscillations, new quantization plateaus in magnetoresistance (MR) at low fields (< 0 . 7T) were observed. The analysis of MR as well as I - V characteristics of heterojunctions will be presented. Supported in part by NSF-DMR-1122594, NSF-DMR-1312483-MWN, and DOD-W911NF-13-1-0159.

Nanowire structures and electrical devices

Science.gov (United States)

Bezryadin, Alexey; Remeika, Mikas

2010-07-06

The present invention provides structures and devices comprising conductive segments and conductance constricting segments of a nanowire, such as metallic, superconducting or semiconducting nanowire. The present invention provides structures and devices comprising conductive nanowire segments and conductance constricting nanowire segments having accurately selected phases including crystalline and amorphous states, compositions, morphologies and physical dimensions, including selected cross sectional dimensions, shapes and lengths along the length of a nanowire. Further, the present invention provides methods of processing nanowires capable of patterning a nanowire to form a plurality of conductance constricting segments having selected positions along the length of a nanowire, including conductance constricting segments having reduced cross sectional dimensions and conductance constricting segments comprising one or more insulating materials such as metal oxides.

Organic Nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balzer, Frank; Schiek, Manuela; Al-Shamery, Katharina

Single crystalline nanowires from fluorescing organic molecules like para-phenylenes or thiophenes are supposed to become key elements in future integrated optoelectronic devices [1]. For a sophisticated design of devices based on nanowires the basic principles of the nanowire formation have...... atomic force microscopy and from polarized far-field optical microscopy for various prototypical molecules are reproduced by electrostatic and Monte Carlo calculations. Based on the crystal structure, predictions on the growth habit from other conjugated molecules become in reach....

Fabrication of multilayer nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaur, Jasveer, E-mail: kaurjasveer89@gmail.com; Singh, Avtar; Kumar, Davinder [Department of Physics, Punjabi University Patiala, 147002, Punjab (India); Thakur, Anup; Kaur, Raminder, E-mail: raminder-k-saini@yahoo.com [Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, Punjabi University Patiala, 147002, Punjab (India)

2016-05-06

Multilayer nanowires were fabricated by potentiostate ectrodeposition template synthesis method into the pores of polycarbonate membrane. In present work layer by layer deposition of two different metals Ni and Cu in polycarbonate membrane having pore size of 600 nm were carried out. It is found that the growth of nanowires is not constant, it varies with deposition time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to study the morphology of fabricated multilayer nanowires. An energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results confirm the composition of multilayer nanowires. The result shows that multilayer nanowires formed is dense.

Fabrication of multilayer nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaur, Jasveer; Singh, Avtar; Kumar, Davinder; Thakur, Anup; Kaur, Raminder

2016-01-01

Multilayer nanowires were fabricated by potentiostate ectrodeposition template synthesis method into the pores of polycarbonate membrane. In present work layer by layer deposition of two different metals Ni and Cu in polycarbonate membrane having pore size of 600 nm were carried out. It is found that the growth of nanowires is not constant, it varies with deposition time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to study the morphology of fabricated multilayer nanowires. An energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results confirm the composition of multilayer nanowires. The result shows that multilayer nanowires formed is dense.

TiO2 nanowire-templated hierarchical nanowire network as water-repelling coating

Science.gov (United States)

Hang, Tian; Chen, Hui-Jiuan; Xiao, Shuai; Yang, Chengduan; Chen, Meiwan; Tao, Jun; Shieh, Han-ping; Yang, Bo-ru; Liu, Chuan; Xie, Xi

2017-12-01

Extraordinary water-repelling properties of superhydrophobic surfaces make them novel candidates for a great variety of potential applications. A general approach to achieve superhydrophobicity requires low-energy coating on the surface and roughness on nano- and micrometre scale. However, typical construction of superhydrophobic surfaces with micro-nano structure through top-down fabrication is restricted by sophisticated fabrication techniques and limited choices of substrate materials. Micro-nanoscale topographies templated by conventional microparticles through surface coating may produce large variations in roughness and uncontrollable defects, resulting in poorly controlled surface morphology and wettability. In this work, micro-nanoscale hierarchical nanowire network was fabricated to construct self-cleaning coating using one-dimensional TiO2 nanowires as microscale templates. Hierarchical structure with homogeneous morphology was achieved by branching ZnO nanowires on the TiO2 nanowire backbones through hydrothermal reaction. The hierarchical nanowire network displayed homogeneous micro/nano-topography, in contrast to hierarchical structure templated by traditional microparticles. This hierarchical nanowire network film exhibited high repellency to both water and cell culture medium after functionalization with fluorinated organic molecules. The hierarchical structure templated by TiO2 nanowire coating significantly increased the surface superhydrophobicity compared to vertical ZnO nanowires with nanotopography alone. Our results demonstrated a promising strategy of using nanowires as microscale templates for the rational design of hierarchical coatings with desired superhydrophobicity that can also be applied to various substrate materials.

Dynamics of homogeneous nucleation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toxværd, Søren

2015-01-01

The classical nucleation theory for homogeneous nucleation is formulated as a theory for a density fluctuation in a supersaturated gas at a given temperature. But molecular dynamics simulations reveal that it is small cold clusters which initiates the nucleation. The temperature in the nucleating...

On void nucleation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subbotin, A.V.

1978-01-01

Nucleation of viable voids in irradiated materials is considered. The mechanism of evaporation and absorption of interstitials and vacancies disregarding the possibility of void merging is laid down into the basis of the discussion. The effect of irradiated material structure on void nucleation is separated from the effect of the properties of supersaturated solutions of vacancies and interstitials. An analytical expression for the nucleation rate is obtained and analyzed in different cases. The interstitials are concluded to effect severely the nucleation rate of viable voids

Fabrication of porous silicon nanowires by MACE method in HF/H2O2/AgNO3 system at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

In this paper, the moderately and lightly doped porous silicon nanowires (PSiNWs) were fabricated by the ‘one-pot procedure’ metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) method in the HF/H2O2/AgNO3 system at room temperature. The effects of H2O2 concentration on the nanostructure of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were investigated. The experimental results indicate that porous structure can be introduced by the addition of H2O2 and the pore structure could be controlled by adjusting the concentration of H2O2. The H2O2 species replaces Ag+ as the oxidant and the Ag nanoparticles work as catalyst during the etching. And the concentration of H2O2 influences the nucleation and motility of Ag particles, which leads to formation of different porous structure within the nanowires. A mechanism based on the lateral etching which is catalyzed by Ag particles under the motivation by H2O2 reduction is proposed to explain the PSiNWs formation. PMID:24910568

Electrochemically grown rough-textured nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyagi, Pawan; Postetter, David; Saragnese, Daniel; Papadakis, Stergios J.; Gracias, David H.

2010-01-01

Nanowires with a rough surface texture show unusual electronic, optical, and chemical properties; however, there are only a few existing methods for producing these nanowires. Here, we describe two methods for growing both free standing and lithographically patterned gold (Au) nanowires with a rough surface texture. The first strategy is based on the deposition of nanowires from a silver (Ag)-Au plating solution mixture that precipitates an Ag-Au cyanide complex during electrodeposition at low current densities. This complex disperses in the plating solution, thereby altering the nanowire growth to yield a rough surface texture. These nanowires are mass produced in alumina membranes. The second strategy produces long and rough Au nanowires on lithographically patternable nickel edge templates with corrugations formed by partial etching. These rough nanowires can be easily arrayed and integrated with microscale devices.

Precise Placement of Metallic Nanowires on a Substrate by Localized Electric Fields and Inter-Nanowire Electrostatic Interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U Hyeok Choi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Placing nanowires at the predetermined locations on a substrate represents one of the significant hurdles to be tackled for realization of heterogeneous nanowire systems. Here, we demonstrate spatially-controlled assembly of a single nanowire at the photolithographically recessed region at the electrode gap with high integration yield (~90%. Two popular routes, such as protruding electrode tips and recessed wells, for spatially-controlled nanowire alignment, are compared to investigate long-range dielectrophoretic nanowire attraction and short-range nanowire-nanowire electrostatic interaction for determining the final alignment of attracted nanowires. Furthermore, the post-assembly process has been developed and tested to make a robust electrical contact to the assembled nanowires, which removes any misaligned ones and connects the nanowires to the underlying electrodes of circuit.

Homogeneous crystal nucleation in polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Schick, C; Androsch, R; Schmelzer, J W P

2017-11-15

The pathway of crystal nucleation significantly influences the structure and properties of semi-crystalline polymers. Crystal nucleation is normally heterogeneous at low supercooling, and homogeneous at high supercooling, of the polymer melt. Homogeneous nucleation in bulk polymers has been, so far, hardly accessible experimentally, and was even doubted to occur at all. This topical review summarizes experimental findings on homogeneous crystal nucleation in polymers. Recently developed fast scanning calorimetry, with cooling and heating rates up to 10 6 K s -1 , allows for detailed investigations of nucleation near and even below the glass transition temperature, including analysis of nuclei stability. As for other materials, the maximum homogeneous nucleation rate for polymers is located close to the glass transition temperature. In the experiments discussed here, it is shown that polymer nucleation is homogeneous at such temperatures. Homogeneous nucleation in polymers is discussed in the framework of the classical nucleation theory. The majority of our observations are consistent with the theory. The discrepancies may guide further research, particularly experiments to progress theoretical development. Progress in the understanding of homogeneous nucleation is much needed, since most of the modelling approaches dealing with polymer crystallization exclusively consider homogeneous nucleation. This is also the basis for advancing theoretical approaches to the much more complex phenomena governing heterogeneous nucleation.

From nanodiamond to nanowires.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnard, A.; Materials Science Division

2005-01-01

Recent advances in the fabrication and characterization of semiconductor and metallic nanowires are proving very successful in meeting the high expectations of nanotechnologists. Although the nanoscience surrounding sp{sup 3} bonded carbon nanotubes has continued to flourish over recent years the successful synthesis of the sp{sup 3} analogue, diamond nanowires, has been limited. This prompts questions as to whether diamond nanowires are fundamentally unstable. By applying knowledge obtained from examining the structural transformations in nanodiamond, a framework for analyzing the structure and stability of diamond nanowires may be established. One possible framework will be discussed here, supported by results of ab initio density functional theory calculations used to study the structural relaxation of nanodiamond and diamond nanowires. The results show that the structural stability and electronic properties of diamond nanowires are dependent on the surface morphology, crystallographic direction of the principal axis, and the degree of surface hydrogenation.

Ambient template synthesis of multiferroic MnWO4 nanowires and nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Hongjun; Yiu Yuen; Aronson, M.C.; Wong, Stanislaus S.

2008-01-01

The current report describes the systematic synthesis of polycrystalline, multiferroic MnWO 4 nanowires and nanowire arrays with controllable chemical composition and morphology, using a modified template-directed methodology under ambient room-temperature conditions. We were able to synthesize nanowires measuring 55±10, 100±20, and 260±40 nm in diameter, respectively, with lengths ranging in the microns. Extensive characterization of as-prepared samples has been performed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Magnetic behavior in these systems was also probed. - Graphical abstract: Systematic synthesis of crystalline, multiferroic MnWO4 nanowires and nanowire arrays with controllable chemical composition and morphology, using a modified template-directed methodology under ambient room-temperature conditions

Porous Silicon Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Yongquan; Zhou, Hailong; Duan, Xiangfeng

2011-01-01

In this minreview, we summarize recent progress in the synthesis, properties and applications of a new type of one-dimensional nanostructures — single crystalline porous silicon nanowires. The growth of porous silicon nanowires starting from both p- and n-type Si wafers with a variety of dopant concentrations can be achieved through either one-step or two-step reactions. The mechanistic studies indicate the dopant concentration of Si wafers, oxidizer concentration, etching time and temperature can affect the morphology of the as-etched silicon nanowires. The porous silicon nanowires are both optically and electronically active and have been explored for potential applications in diverse areas including photocatalysis, lithium ion battery, gas sensor and drug delivery. PMID:21869999

Nucleation in Synoptically Forced Cirrostratus

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, R.-F.; Starr, D. OC.; Reichardt, J.; DeMott, P. J.

2004-01-01

Formation and evolution of cirrostratus in response to weak, uniform and constant synoptic forcing is simulated using a one-dimensional numerical model with explicit microphysics, in which the particle size distribution in each grid box is fully resolved. A series of tests of the model response to nucleation modes (homogeneous-freezing-only/heterogeneous nucleation) and heterogeneous nucleation parameters are performed. In the case studied here, nucleation is first activated in the prescribed moist layer. A continuous cloud-top nucleation zone with a depth depending on the vertical humidity gradient and one of the nucleation parameters is developed afterward. For the heterogeneous nucleation cases, intermittent nucleation zones in the mid-upper portion of the cloud form where the relative humidity is on the rise, because existent ice crystals do not uptake excess water vapor efficiently, and ice nuclei (IN) are available. Vertical resolution as fine as 1 m is required for realistic simulation of the homogeneous-freezing-only scenario, while the model resolution requirement is more relaxed in the cases where heterogeneous nucleation dominates. Bulk microphysical and optical properties are evaluated and compared. Ice particle number flux divergence, which is due to the vertical gradient of the gravity-induced particle sedimentation, is constantly and rapidly changing the local ice number concentration, even in the nucleation zone. When the depth of the nucleation zone is shallow, particle number concentration decreases rapidly as ice particles grow and sediment away from the nucleation zone. When the depth of the nucleation zone is large, a region of high ice number concentration can be sustained. The depth of nucleation zone is an important parameter to be considered in parametric treatments of ice cloud generation.

Understanding InP Nanowire Array Solar Cell Performance by Nanoprobe-Enabled Single Nanowire Measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Otnes, Gaute; Barrigón, Enrique; Sundvall, Christian; Svensson, K Erik; Heurlin, Magnus; Siefer, Gerald; Samuelson, Lars; Åberg, Ingvar; Borgström, Magnus T

2018-05-09

III-V solar cells in the nanowire geometry might hold significant synthesis-cost and device-design advantages as compared to thin films and have shown impressive performance improvements in recent years. To continue this development there is a need for characterization techniques giving quick and reliable feedback for growth development. Further, characterization techniques which can improve understanding of the link between nanowire growth conditions, subsequent processing, and solar cell performance are desired. Here, we present the use of a nanoprobe system inside a scanning electron microscope to efficiently contact single nanowires and characterize them in terms of key parameters for solar cell performance. Specifically, we study single as-grown InP nanowires and use electron beam induced current characterization to understand the charge carrier collection properties, and dark current-voltage characteristics to understand the diode recombination characteristics. By correlating the single nanowire measurements to performance of fully processed nanowire array solar cells, we identify how the performance limiting parameters are related to growth and/or processing conditions. We use this understanding to achieve a more than 7-fold improvement in efficiency of our InP nanowire solar cells, grown from a different seed particle pattern than previously reported from our group. The best cell shows a certified efficiency of 15.0%; the highest reported value for a bottom-up synthesized InP nanowire solar cell. We believe the presented approach have significant potential to speed-up the development of nanowire solar cells, as well as other nanowire-based electronic/optoelectronic devices.

Quantum optics with nanowires (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Zwiller, Val

2017-02-01

Nanowires offer new opportunities for nanoscale quantum optics; the quantum dot geometry in semiconducting nanowires as well as the material composition and environment can be engineered with unprecedented freedom to improve the light extraction efficiency. Quantum dots in nanowires are shown to be efficient single photon sources, in addition because of the very small fine structure splitting, we demonstrate the generation of entangled pairs of photons from a nanowire. By doping a nanowire and making ohmic contacts on both sides, a nanowire light emitting diode can be obtained with a single quantum dot as the active region. Under forward bias, this will act as an electrically pumped source of single photons. Under reverse bias, an avalanche effect can multiply photocurrent and enables the detection of single photons. Another type of nanowire under study in our group is superconducting nanowires for single photon detection, reaching efficiencies, time resolution and dark counts beyond currently available detectors. We will discuss our first attempts at combining semiconducting nanowire based single photon emitters and superconducting nanowire single photon detectors on a chip to realize integrated quantum circuits.

Self-assisted GaAs nanowires with selectable number density on Silicon without oxide layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bietti, S; Somaschini, C; Esposito, L; Sanguinetti, S; Frigeri, C; Fedorov, A; Geelhaar, L

2014-01-01

We present the growth of self-assisted GaAs nanowires (NWs) with selectable number density on bare Si(1 1 1), not covered by the silicon oxide. We determine the number density of the NWs by initially self-assembling GaAs islands on whose top a single NW is nucleated. The number density of the initial GaAs base islands can be tuned by droplet epitaxy and the same degree of control is then transferred to the NWs. This procedure is completely performed during a single growth in an ultra-high vacuum environment and requires neither an oxide layer covering the substrate, nor any pre-patterning technique. (paper)

Reliable and cost effective design of intermetallic Ni2Si nanowires and direct characterization of its mechanical properties

OpenAIRE

Seung Zeon Han; Joonhee Kang; Sung-Dae Kim; Si-Young Choi; Hyung Giun Kim; Jehyun Lee; Kwangho Kim; Sung Hwan Lim; Byungchan Han

2015-01-01

We report that a single crystal Ni2Si nanowire (NW) of intermetallic compound can be reliably designed using simple three-step processes: casting a ternary Cu-Ni-Si alloy, nucleate and growth of Ni2Si NWs as embedded in the alloy matrix via designing discontinuous precipitation (DP) of Ni2Si nanoparticles and thermal aging, and finally chemical etching to decouple the Ni2Si NWs from the alloy matrix. By direct application of uniaxial tensile tests to the Ni2Si NW we characterize its mechanica...

Overview: Nucleation of clathrate hydrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Warrier, Pramod; Khan, M Naveed; Srivastava, Vishal; Maupin, C Mark; Koh, Carolyn A

2016-12-07

Molecular level knowledge of nucleation and growth of clathrate hydrates is of importance for advancing fundamental understanding on the nature of water and hydrophobic hydrate formers, and their interactions that result in the formation of ice-like solids at temperatures higher than the ice-point. The stochastic nature and the inability to probe the small length and time scales associated with the nucleation process make it very difficult to experimentally determine the molecular level changes that lead to the nucleation event. Conversely, for this reason, there have been increasing efforts to obtain this information using molecular simulations. Accurate knowledge of how and when hydrate structures nucleate will be tremendously beneficial for the development of sustainable hydrate management strategies in oil and gas flowlines, as well as for their application in energy storage and recovery, gas separation, carbon sequestration, seawater desalination, and refrigeration. This article reviews various aspects of hydrate nucleation. First, properties of supercooled water and ice nucleation are reviewed briefly due to their apparent similarity to hydrates. Hydrate nucleation is then reviewed starting from macroscopic observations as obtained from experiments in laboratories and operations in industries, followed by various hydrate nucleation hypotheses and hydrate nucleation driving force calculations based on the classical nucleation theory. Finally, molecular simulations on hydrate nucleation are discussed in detail followed by potential future research directions.

Overview: Nucleation of clathrate hydrates

Science.gov (United States)

Warrier, Pramod; Khan, M. Naveed; Srivastava, Vishal; Maupin, C. Mark; Koh, Carolyn A.

2016-12-01

Molecular level knowledge of nucleation and growth of clathrate hydrates is of importance for advancing fundamental understanding on the nature of water and hydrophobic hydrate formers, and their interactions that result in the formation of ice-like solids at temperatures higher than the ice-point. The stochastic nature and the inability to probe the small length and time scales associated with the nucleation process make it very difficult to experimentally determine the molecular level changes that lead to the nucleation event. Conversely, for this reason, there have been increasing efforts to obtain this information using molecular simulations. Accurate knowledge of how and when hydrate structures nucleate will be tremendously beneficial for the development of sustainable hydrate management strategies in oil and gas flowlines, as well as for their application in energy storage and recovery, gas separation, carbon sequestration, seawater desalination, and refrigeration. This article reviews various aspects of hydrate nucleation. First, properties of supercooled water and ice nucleation are reviewed briefly due to their apparent similarity to hydrates. Hydrate nucleation is then reviewed starting from macroscopic observations as obtained from experiments in laboratories and operations in industries, followed by various hydrate nucleation hypotheses and hydrate nucleation driving force calculations based on the classical nucleation theory. Finally, molecular simulations on hydrate nucleation are discussed in detail followed by potential future research directions.

Cytoplasmic Nucleation and Atypical Branching Nucleation Generate Endoplasmic Microtubules in Physcomitrella patens[OPEN

Science.gov (United States)

Nakaoka, Yuki; Kimura, Akatsuki; Tani, Tomomi; Goshima, Gohta

2015-01-01

The mechanism underlying microtubule (MT) generation in plants has been primarily studied using the cortical MT array, in which fixed-angled branching nucleation and katanin-dependent MT severing predominate. However, little is known about MT generation in the endoplasm. Here, we explored the mechanism of endoplasmic MT generation in protonemal cells of Physcomitrella patens. We developed an assay that utilizes flow cell and oblique illumination fluorescence microscopy, which allowed visualization and quantification of individual MT dynamics. MT severing was infrequently observed, and disruption of katanin did not severely affect MT generation. Branching nucleation was observed, but it showed markedly variable branch angles and was occasionally accompanied by the transport of nucleated MTs. Cytoplasmic nucleation at seemingly random locations was most frequently observed and predominated when depolymerized MTs were regrown. The MT nucleator γ-tubulin was detected at the majority of the nucleation sites, at which a single MT was generated in random directions. When γ-tubulin was knocked down, MT generation was significantly delayed in the regrowth assay. However, nucleation occurred at a normal frequency in steady state, suggesting the presence of a γ-tubulin-independent backup mechanism. Thus, endoplasmic MTs in this cell type are generated in a less ordered manner, showing a broader spectrum of nucleation mechanisms in plants. PMID:25616870

Plasmonic engineering of metal-oxide nanowire heterojunctions in integrated nanowire rectification units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Luchan; Zhou, Y. Norman, E-mail: liulei@tsinghua.edu.cn, E-mail: nzhou@uwaterloo.ca [Department of Mechanical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Centre for Advanced Materials Joining, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada); Zou, Guisheng; Liu, Lei, E-mail: liulei@tsinghua.edu.cn, E-mail: nzhou@uwaterloo.ca [Department of Mechanical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Duley, Walt W. [Centre for Advanced Materials Joining, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

2016-05-16

We show that irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses can produce robust nanowire heterojunctions in coupled non-wetting metal-oxide Ag-TiO{sub 2} structures. Simulations indicate that joining arises from the effect of strong plasmonic localization in the region of the junction. Strong electric field effects occur in both Ag and TiO{sub 2} resulting in the modification of both surfaces and an increase in wettability of TiO{sub 2}, facilitating the interconnection of Ag and TiO{sub 2} nanowires. Irradiation leads to the creation of a thin layer of highly defected TiO{sub 2} in the contact region between the Ag and TiO{sub 2} nanowires. The presence of this layer allows the formation of a heterojunction and offers the possibility of engineering the electronic characteristics of interfacial structures. Rectifying junctions with single and bipolar properties have been generated in Ag-TiO{sub 2} nanowire circuits incorporating asymmetrical and symmetrical interfacial structures, respectively. This fabrication technique should be applicable for the interconnection of other heterogeneous metal-oxide nanowire components and demonstrates that femtosecond laser irradiation enables interfacial engineering for electronic applications of integrated nanowire structures.

Plasmonic engineering of metal-oxide nanowire heterojunctions in integrated nanowire rectification units

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Luchan; Zou, Guisheng; Liu, Lei; Duley, Walt W.; Zhou, Y. Norman

2016-05-01

We show that irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses can produce robust nanowire heterojunctions in coupled non-wetting metal-oxide Ag-TiO2 structures. Simulations indicate that joining arises from the effect of strong plasmonic localization in the region of the junction. Strong electric field effects occur in both Ag and TiO2 resulting in the modification of both surfaces and an increase in wettability of TiO2, facilitating the interconnection of Ag and TiO2 nanowires. Irradiation leads to the creation of a thin layer of highly defected TiO2 in the contact region between the Ag and TiO2 nanowires. The presence of this layer allows the formation of a heterojunction and offers the possibility of engineering the electronic characteristics of interfacial structures. Rectifying junctions with single and bipolar properties have been generated in Ag-TiO2 nanowire circuits incorporating asymmetrical and symmetrical interfacial structures, respectively. This fabrication technique should be applicable for the interconnection of other heterogeneous metal-oxide nanowire components and demonstrates that femtosecond laser irradiation enables interfacial engineering for electronic applications of integrated nanowire structures.

On the Ice Nucleation Spectrum

Science.gov (United States)

Barahona, D.

2012-01-01

This work presents a novel formulation of the ice nucleation spectrum, i.e. the function relating the ice crystal concentration to cloud formation conditions and aerosol properties. The new formulation is physically-based and explicitly accounts for the dependency of the ice crystal concentration on temperature, supersaturation, cooling rate, and particle size, surface area and composition. This is achieved by introducing the concepts of ice nucleation coefficient (the number of ice germs present in a particle) and nucleation probability dispersion function (the distribution of ice nucleation coefficients within the aerosol population). The new formulation is used to generate ice nucleation parameterizations for the homogeneous freezing of cloud droplets and the heterogeneous deposition ice nucleation on dust and soot ice nuclei. For homogeneous freezing, it was found that by increasing the dispersion in the droplet volume distribution the fraction of supercooled droplets in the population increases. For heterogeneous ice nucleation the new formulation consistently describes singular and stochastic behavior within a single framework. Using a fundamentally stochastic approach, both cooling rate independence and constancy of the ice nucleation fraction over time, features typically associated with singular behavior, were reproduced. Analysis of the temporal dependency of the ice nucleation spectrum suggested that experimental methods that measure the ice nucleation fraction over few seconds would tend to underestimate the ice nuclei concentration. It is shown that inferring the aerosol heterogeneous ice nucleation properties from measurements of the onset supersaturation and temperature may carry significant error as the variability in ice nucleation properties within the aerosol population is not accounted for. This work provides a simple and rigorous ice nucleation framework where theoretical predictions, laboratory measurements and field campaign data can be

Structuring effects in binary nucleation : Molecular dynamics simulatons and coarse-grained nucleation theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braun, S.; Kraska, T.; Kalikmanov, V.I.

2013-01-01

Binary clusters formed by vapor-liquid nucleation are frequently nonhomogeneous objects in which components are not well mixed. The structure of a cluster plays an important role in nucleation and cluster growth. We demonstrate structuring effects by studying high-pressure nucleation and cluster

A silicon nanowire heater and thermometer

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xingyan; Dan, Yaping

2017-07-01

In the thermal conductivity measurements of thermoelectric materials, heaters and thermometers made of the same semiconducting materials under test, forming a homogeneous system, will significantly simplify fabrication and integration. In this work, we demonstrate a high-performance heater and thermometer made of single silicon nanowires (SiNWs). The SiNWs are patterned out of a silicon-on-insulator wafer by CMOS-compatible fabrication processes. The electronic properties of the nanowires are characterized by four-probe and low temperature Hall effect measurements. The I-V curves of the nanowires are linear at small voltage bias. The temperature dependence of the nanowire resistance allows the nanowire to be used as a highly sensitive thermometer. At high voltage bias, the I-V curves of the nanowire become nonlinear due to the effect of Joule heating. The temperature of the nanowire heater can be accurately monitored by the nanowire itself as a thermometer.

Optical haze of randomly arranged silver nanowire transparent conductive films with wide range of nanowire diameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Marus

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The effect of the diameter of randomly arranged silver nanowires on the optical haze of silver nanowire transparent conductive films was studied. Proposed simulation model behaved similarly with the experimental results, and was used to theoretically study the optical haze of silver nanowires with diameters in the broad range from 30 nm and above. Our results show that a thickening of silver nanowires from 30 to 100 nm results in the increase of the optical haze up to 8 times, while from 100 to 500 nm the optical haze increases only up to 1.38. Moreover, silver nanowires with diameter of 500 nm possess up to 5% lower optical haze and 5% higher transmittance than 100 nm thick silver nanowires for the same 10-100 Ohm/sq sheet resistance range. Further thickening of AgNWs can match the low haze of 30 nm thick AgNWs, but at higher transmittance. The results obtained from this work allow deeper analysis of the silver nanowire transparent conductive films from the perspective of the diameter of nanowires for various optoelectronic devices.

Vertical nanowire architectures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vlad, A.; Mátéfl-Tempfli, M.; Piraux, L.

2010-01-01

Nanowires and statistics: A statistical process for reading ultradense arrays of nanostructured materials is presented (see image). The experimental realization is achieved through selective nanowire growth using porous alumina templates. The statistical patterning approach is found to provide ri...

Diameter-dependent coloration of silver nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, Mindy S; Qiu Chao; Jiang Chaoyang; Kattumenu, Ramesh; Singamaneni, Srikanth

2011-01-01

Silver nanowires were synthesized with a green method and characterized with microscopic and diffractometric methods. The correlation between the colors of the nanowires deposited on a solid substrate and their diameters was explored. Silver nanowires that appear similar in color in the optical micrographs have very similar diameters as determined by atomic force microscopy. We have summarized the diameter-dependent coloration for these silver nanowires. An optical interference model was applied to explain such correlation. In addition, microreflectance spectra were obtained from individual nanowires and the observed spectra can be explained with the optical interference theory. This work provides a cheap, quick and simple screening method for studying the diameter distribution of silver nanowires, as well as the diameter variations of individual silver nanowires, without complicated sample preparation.

Superheating in nucleate boiling calculated by the heterogeneous nucleation theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerum, E.; Straub, J.; Grigull, U.

1979-01-01

With the heterogeneous nucleation theory the superheating of the liquid boundary layer in nucleate boiling is described not only for the onset of nuclear boiling but also for the boiling crisis. The rate of superheat depends on the thermodynamic stability of the metastable liquid, which is influenced by the statistical fluctuations in the liquid and the nucleation at the solid surface. Because of the fact that the cavities acting as nuclei are too small for microscopic observation, the size and distribution function of the nuclei on the surface necessary for the determination of the probability of bubble formation cannot be detected by measuring techniques. The work of bubble formation reduced by the nuclei can be represented by a simple empirical function whose coefficients are determined from boiling experiments. Using this the heterogeneous nucleation theory describes the superheating of the liquid. Several fluids including refrigerants, liquid gases, organic liquids and water were used to check the theory. (author)

Nucleation in ZBLAN glasses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Leede, G.L.A.; Waal, de H.

1989-01-01

Nucleation rates were detd. in a ZrF4-BaF2-NaF-LaF3-AlF3 glass (ZBLAN) using an optical method. The results were compared with a similar glass having a slightly different compn. The difference in the nucleation rate is explained by classical nucleation theory using calcd. free-energy differences

Nucleation phenomena at Suzuki phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acosta-Najarro, D.; Jose Y, M.

1982-01-01

Crystal of NaCl doped with Mn present regions with an increase in nucleation densities when observed by surface gold decoration; this increase is related to the nucleation of the Suzuki phases which are induced by cooling of the crystal matrix. Calculations based on atomistic nucleation theory are developed to explain the increased nucleation density. Experiments were made to compare with the theoretical results. In particular the density of nuclei was measured as a function of the rate or arrival of atoms to the surface. Therefore, the changes in the nucleation densities are explained in terms of change in migration energies between the Suzuki phase and the NaCl matrix excluding the possibility of nucleation induced by point defects. (author)

Methods for synthesizing metal oxide nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Sunkara, Mahendra Kumar; Kumar, Vivekanand; Kim, Jeong H.; Clark, Ezra Lee

2016-08-09

A method of synthesizing a metal oxide nanowire includes the steps of: combining an amount of a transition metal or a transition metal oxide with an amount of an alkali metal compound to produce a mixture; activating a plasma discharge reactor to create a plasma discharge; exposing the mixture to the plasma discharge for a first predetermined time period such that transition metal oxide nanowires are formed; contacting the transition metal oxide nanowires with an acid solution such that an alkali metal ion is exchanged for a hydrogen ion on each of the transition metal oxide nanowires; and exposing the transition metal oxide nanowires to the plasma discharge for a second predetermined time period to thermally anneal the transition metal oxide nanowires. Transition metal oxide nanowires produced using the synthesis methods described herein are also provided.

Protein crystal nucleation in pores.

Science.gov (United States)

Nanev, Christo N; Saridakis, Emmanuel; Chayen, Naomi E

2017-01-16

The most powerful method for protein structure determination is X-ray crystallography which relies on the availability of high quality crystals. Obtaining protein crystals is a major bottleneck, and inducing their nucleation is of crucial importance in this field. An effective method to form crystals is to introduce nucleation-inducing heterologous materials into the crystallization solution. Porous materials are exceptionally effective at inducing nucleation. It is shown here that a combined diffusion-adsorption effect can increase protein concentration inside pores, which enables crystal nucleation even under conditions where heterogeneous nucleation on flat surfaces is absent. Provided the pore is sufficiently narrow, protein molecules approach its walls and adsorb more frequently than they can escape. The decrease in the nucleation energy barrier is calculated, exhibiting its quantitative dependence on the confinement space and the energy of interaction with the pore walls. These results provide a detailed explanation of the effectiveness of porous materials for nucleation of protein crystals, and will be useful for optimal design of such materials.

Electron Transport Properties of Ge nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Hanrath, Tobias; Khondaker, Saiful I.; Yao, Zhen; Korgel, Brian A.

2003-03-01

Electron Transport Properties of Ge nanowires Tobias Hanrath*, Saiful I. Khondaker, Zhen Yao, Brian A. Korgel* *Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Dept. of Physics, Texas Materials Institute, and Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1062 e-mail: korgel@mail.che.utexas.edu Germanium (Ge) nanowires with diameters ranging from 6 to 50 nm and several micrometer in length were grown via a supercritical fluid-liquid-solid synthesis. Parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy (PEELS) was employed to study the band structure and electron density in the Ge nanowires. The observed increase in plasmon peak energy and peak width with decreasing nanowire diameter is attributed to quantum confinement effects. For electrical characterization, Ge nanowires were deposited onto a patterned Si/SiO2 substrate. E-beam lithography was then used to form electrode contacts to individual nanowires. The influence of nanowire diameter, surface chemistry and crystallographic defects on electron transport properties were investigated and the comparison of Ge nanowire conductivity with respect to bulk, intrinsic Ge will be presented.

EDITORIAL: Nanowires for energy Nanowires for energy

Science.gov (United States)

LaPierre, Ray; Sunkara, Mahendra

2012-05-01

This special issue of Nanotechnology focuses on studies illustrating the application of nanowires for energy including solar cells, efficient lighting and water splitting. Over the next three decades, nanotechnology will make significant contributions towards meeting the increased energy needs of the planet, now known as the TeraWatt challenge. Nanowires in particular are poised to contribute significantly in this development as presented in the review by Hiralal et al [1]. Nanowires exhibit light trapping properties that can act as a broadband anti-reflection coating to enhance the efficiency of solar cells. In this issue, Li et al [2] and Wang et al [3] present the optical properties of silicon nanowire and nanocone arrays. In addition to enhanced optical properties, core-shell nanowires also have the potential for efficient charge carrier collection across the nanowire diameter as presented in the contribution by Yu et al [4] for radial junction a-Si solar cells. Hybrid approaches that combine organic and inorganic materials also have potential for high efficiency photovoltaics. A Si-based hybrid solar cell is presented by Zhang et al [5] with a photoconversion efficiency of over 7%. The quintessential example of hybrid solar cells is the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) where an organic absorber (dye) coats an inorganic material (typically a ZnO nanostructure). Herman et al [6] present a method of enhancing the efficiency of a DSSC by increasing the hetero-interfacial area with a unique hierarchical weeping willow ZnO structure. The increased surface area allows for higher dye loading, light harvesting, and reduced charge recombination through direct conduction along the ZnO branches. Another unique ZnO growth method is presented by Calestani et al [7] using a solution-free and catalyst-free approach by pulsed electron deposition (PED). Nanowires can also make more efficient use of electrical power. Light emitting diodes, for example, will eventually become the

Electrodeposition of ZnO nano-wires lattices with a controlled morphology; Electrodepot de reseaux de nanofils de ZnO a morphologie controlee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elias, J.; Tena-Zaera, R.; Katty, A.; Levy-Clement, C. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Lab. de Chimie Metallurgique des Terres Rares, UPR 209, 94 - Thiais (France)

2006-07-01

In this work, it is shown that the electrodeposition is a changeable low cost method which allows, according to the synthesis conditions, to obtain not only plane thin layers of ZnO but different nano-structures too. In a first part, are presented the formation conditions of a compact thin layer of nanocrystalline ZnO electrodeposited on a conducing glass substrate. This layer plays a buffer layer role for the deposition of a lattice of ZnO nano-wires. The step of nano-wires nucleation is not only determined by the electrochemical parameters but by the properties of the buffer layer too as the grain sizes and its thickness. In this context, the use of an electrodeposition method in two steps allows to control the nano-wires length and diameter and their density. The morphology and the structural and optical properties of these nano-structures have been analyzed by different techniques as the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, the X-ray diffraction and the optical spectroscopy. These studies show that ZnO nano-structures are formed of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires, presenting a great developed surface and a great optical transparency in the visible. These properties make ZnO a good material for the development of nano-structured photovoltaic cells as the extremely thin absorber cells (PV ETA) or those with dye (DSSC) which are generally prepared with porous polycrystalline TiO{sub 2}. Its replacement by a lattice of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires allows to reduce considerably the number of grain boundaries and in consequence to improve the transport of the electrons. The results are then promising for the PV ETA cells with ZnO nano-wires. (O.M.)

Electrically Injected UV-Visible Nanowire Lasers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, George T.; Li, Changyi; Li, Qiming; Liu, Sheng; Wright, Jeremy Benjamin; Brener, Igal; Luk, Ting -Shan; Chow, Weng W.; Leung, Benjamin; Figiel, Jeffrey J.; Koleske, Daniel D.; Lu, Tzu-Ming

2015-09-01

There is strong interest in minimizing the volume of lasers to enable ultracompact, low-power, coherent light sources. Nanowires represent an ideal candidate for such nanolasers as stand-alone optical cavities and gain media, and optically pumped nanowire lasing has been demonstrated in several semiconductor systems. Electrically injected nanowire lasers are needed to realize actual working devices but have been elusive due to limitations of current methods to address the requirement for nanowire device heterostructures with high material quality, controlled doping and geometry, low optical loss, and efficient carrier injection. In this project we proposed to demonstrate electrically injected single nanowire lasers emitting in the important UV to visible wavelengths. Our approach to simultaneously address these challenges is based on high quality III-nitride nanowire device heterostructures with precisely controlled geometries and strong gain and mode confinement to minimize lasing thresholds, enabled by a unique top-down nanowire fabrication technique.

Nanowire-decorated microscale metallic electrodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vlad, A.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, M.; Antohe, V.A.

2008-01-01

The fabrication of metallic nanowire patterns within anodic alumina oxide (AAO) membranes on top of continuous conducting substrates are discussed. The fabrication protocol is based on the realization of nanowire patterns using supported nanoporous alumina templates (SNAT) prepared on top...... of lithographically defined metallic microelectrodes. The anodization of the aluminum permits electroplating only on top of the metallic electrodes, leading to the nanowire patterns having the same shape as the underlying metallic tracks. The variation in the fabricated structures between the patterned and non......-patterned substrates can be interpreted in terms of different behavior during anodization. The improved quality of fabricated nanowire patterns is clearly demonstrated by the SEM imaging and the uniform growth of nanowires inside the alumina template is observed without any significant height variation....

Optical characterization of InAs quantum wells and dots grown radially on wurtzite InP nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindgren, David; Kawaguchi, Kenichi; Heurlin, Magnus; Borgström, Magnus T; Pistol, Mats-Erik; Samuelson, Lars; Gustafsson, Anders

2013-01-01

Correlated micro-photoluminescence (μPL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements are reported for single core–shell InP–InAs wurtzite nanowires grown using metal–organic vapor phase epitaxy. Samples covering a radial InAs shell thickness of 1–12 ML were investigated. The effective masses for the wurtzite material were determined from the transition energy dependence of the InAs shell thickness, using a model based on linear deformation potential theory. InP cores with segments of mixed zincblende and wurtzite, on which quantum dots nucleated selectively, were also investigated. Narrow peaks were observed by μPL and the spatial origin of the emission was identified with CL imaging. (paper)

Designing and building nanowires: directed nanocrystal self-assembly into radically branched and zigzag PbS nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Fan; Ma Xin; Gerlein, L Felipe; Cloutier, Sylvain G

2011-01-01

Lead sulfide nanowires with controllable optoelectronic properties would be promising building blocks for various applications. Here, we report the hot colloidal synthesis of radically branched and zigzag nanowires through self-attachment of star-shaped and octahedral nanocrystals in the presence of multiple surfactants. We obtained high-quality single-crystal nanowires with uniform diameter along the entire length, and the size of the nanowire can be tuned by tailoring the reaction parameters. This slow oriented attachment provides a better understanding of the intricacies of this complex nanocrystal assembly process. Meanwhile, these self-assembled nanowire structures have appealing lateral conformations with narrow side arms or highly faceted edges, where strong quantum confinement can occur. Consequently, the single-crystal nanowire structures exhibit strong photoluminescence in the near-infrared region with a large blue-shift compared to the bulk material.

Platinum boride nanowires: Synthesis and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Zhanhui; Qiu Lixia; Zhang Jian; Yao Bin; Cui Tian; Guan Weiming; Zheng Weitao; Wang Wenquan; Zhao Xudong; Liu Xiaoyang

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Platinum boride nanowires have been synthesized via the direct current arc discharge method. ► XRD, TEM and SAED indicate that the nanowires are single-crystal PtB. ► Two broad photoluminescence emission peaks at about 586 nm and 626 nm have been observed in the PL spectroscopy of PtB nanowires. - Abstract: Platinum boride (PtB) nanowires have been successfully fabricated with direct current arc discharge method using a milled mixture of platinum (Pt) and boron nitride (BN) powders. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the compositions, morphology, and structures of the samples. The results show that PtB nanowires are 30–50 nm thick and 20–30 μm long. TEM and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns identify that the PtB nanowires are single-crystalline in nature. A growth mechanism based on vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) process is proposed for the formation of nanowires.

Semiconductor nanowires and templates for electronic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ying, Xiang

2009-07-15

This thesis starts by developing a platform for the organized growth of nanowires directly on a planar substrate. For this, a method to fabricate horizontal porous alumina membranes is studied. The second part of the thesis focuses on the study of nanowires. It starts by the understanding of the growth mechanisms of germanium nanowires and follows by the structural and electrical properties at the single nanowire level. Horizontally aligned porous anodic alumina (PAA) was used as a template for the nanowire synthesis. Three PAA arrangements were studied: - high density membranes - micron-sized fingers - multi-contacts Membranes formed by a high density of nanopores were obtained by anodizing aluminum thin films. Metallic and semiconducting nanowires were synthesized into the PAA structures via DC deposition, pulsed electro-depostion and CVD growth. The presence of gold, copper, indium, nickel, tellurium, and silicon nanowires inside PAA templates was verified by SEM and EDX analysis. Further, room-temperature transport measurements showed that the pores are completely filled till the bottom of the pores. In this dissertation, single crystalline and core-shell germanium nanowires are synthesized using indium and bismuth as catalyst in a chemical vapor deposition procedure with germane (GeH{sub 4}) as growth precursor. A systematic growth study has been performed to obtain high aspect-ratio germanium nanowires. The influence of the growth conditions on the final morphology and the crystalline structure has been determined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). In the case of indium catalyzed germanium nanowires, two different structures were identified: single crystalline and crystalline core-amorphous shell. The preferential growth axis of both kinds of nanowires is along the [110] direction. The occurrence of the two morphologies was found to only depend on the nanowire dimension. In the case of bismuth

Principles of nucleation theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clement, C.F.; Wood, M.H.

1980-01-01

The nucleation of small stable species is described in the problem of void growth by discrete rate equations. When gas is being produced the problem reduces to one of calculating the incubation dose for the gas bubble to void transition. A general expression for the steady state nucleation rate is derived for the case when voids are formed by vacancy fluctuations which enable an effective nucleation barrier to be crossed. (author)

Electrospinning synthesis of superconducting BSCCO nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duarte, Edgar A.; Quintero, Pedro A.; Meisel, Mark W.; Nino, Juan C.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x nanowires 150 nm to 250 nm thick are synthesized using the electrospinning. •Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x nanowires are obtained after a heat treatment at 850 °C. •Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x nanowires show a T c = 78.7 K consistent with bulk superconductor behavior. -- Abstract: This paper presents the synthesis and characterization of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x superconducting nanowires. Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x nanowires with a T c = 78.7 K are synthesized using the electrospinning process employing sol–gel precursors. A sol–gel methodology is used to obtain a homogeneous PVP solution containing Bi, Sr, Ca, and Cu acetates. Mats of randomly oriented nanowires and aligned nanowires are also collected. After a heat treatment at 850 °C in ambient atmosphere using heating rates of 100 and 400 °C/h, fully crystallized Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x nanowires are obtained. The morphology, microstructure, and crystal structure of these nanowires are then examined to reveal a rectangular morphology having typical wire thickness in the range of 150–250 nm, and a wire width between 400 and 600 nm. DC magnetization studies are conducted to investigate the critical transition temperature (T c ) of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x nanowires and to compare their magnetic properties to those of bulk Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x powder. The T c for the commercial powder is observed at 78.6 K, and that of the obtained nanowires at 78.7 K. These results point to the superconducting nature of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x nanowires, and the potential of the electrospinning process for the synthesis of this superconductor material

Micromagnetic simulations of cylindrical magnetic nanowires

KAUST Repository

Ivanov, Yurii P.

2015-05-27

This chapter reviews micromagnetic simulations of cylindrical magnetic nanowires and their ordered arrays. It starts with a description of the theoretical background of micromagnetism. The chapter discusses main magnetization reversal modes, domain wall types, and state diagrams in cylindrical nanowires of different types and sizes. The results of the hysteresis process in individual nanowires and nanowire arrays also are presented. Modeling results are compared with experimental ones. The chapter also discusses future trends in nanowire applications in relation to simulations, such as current-driven dynamics, spintronics, and spincaloritronics. The main micromagnetic programs are presented and discussed, together with the corresponding links.

Magnetostatic Interaction in Fe-Co Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Elbaile

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Arrays of Fe-Co alloy nanowires with diameter around 35 nm and several micrometers in length have been synthesized by codepositing Fe and Co into porous anodic alumina. The morphology, structure, and magnetic properties of the nanowires (hysteresis loops and remanence curves were characterized by SEM, TEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and VSM, respectively. The XRD patterns indicate that the Fe-Co nanowires present a body-centered cubic (bcc structure and a preferred (110 orientation perpendicular to the template surface. From the hysteresis loops obtained with the magnetic field applied in the axis direction of the nanowires, we can observe that the coercive field slightly decreases when the nanowire length increases. This magnetic behaviour is analyzed considering the shape anisotropy and the dipolar interactions among nanowires.

Resistance Fluctuations in GaAs Nanowire Grids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Marasović

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We present a numerical study on resistance fluctuations in a series of nanowire-based grids. Each grid is made of GaAs nanowires arranged in parallel with metallic contacts crossing all nanowires perpendicularly. Electrical properties of GaAs nanowires known from previous experimental research are used as input parameters in the simulation procedure. Due to the nonhomogeneous doping, the resistivity changes along nanowire. Allowing two possible nanowire orientations (“upwards” or “downwards”, the resulting grid is partially disordered in vertical direction which causes resistance fluctuations. The system is modeled using a two-dimensional random resistor network. Transfer-matrix computation algorithm is used to calculate the total network resistance. It is found that probability density function (PDF of resistance fluctuations for a series of nanowire grids changes from Gaussian behavior towards the Bramwell-Holdsworth-Pinton distribution when both nanowire orientations are equally represented in the grid.

Climate Impacts of Ice Nucleation

Science.gov (United States)

Gettelman, Andrew; Liu, Xiaohong; Barahona, Donifan; Lohmann, Ulrike; Chen, Celia

2012-01-01

Several different ice nucleation parameterizations in two different General Circulation Models (GCMs) are used to understand the effects of ice nucleation on the mean climate state, and the Aerosol Indirect Effects (AIE) of cirrus clouds on climate. Simulations have a range of ice microphysical states that are consistent with the spread of observations, but many simulations have higher present-day ice crystal number concentrations than in-situ observations. These different states result from different parameterizations of ice cloud nucleation processes, and feature different balances of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation. Black carbon aerosols have a small (0.06 Wm(exp-2) and not statistically significant AIE when included as ice nuclei, for nucleation efficiencies within the range of laboratory measurements. Indirect effects of anthropogenic aerosols on cirrus clouds occur as a consequence of increasing anthropogenic sulfur emissions with different mechanisms important in different models. In one model this is due to increases in homogeneous nucleation fraction, and in the other due to increases in heterogeneous nucleation with coated dust. The magnitude of the effect is the same however. The resulting ice AIE does not seem strongly dependent on the balance between homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation. Regional effects can reach several Wm2. Indirect effects are slightly larger for those states with less homogeneous nucleation and lower ice number concentration in the base state. The total ice AIE is estimated at 0.27 +/- 0.10 Wm(exp-2) (1 sigma uncertainty). This represents a 20% offset of the simulated total shortwave AIE for ice and liquid clouds of 1.6 Wm(sup-2).

Silicon nanowire hybrid photovoltaics

KAUST Repository

Garnett, Erik C.

2010-06-01

Silicon nanowire Schottky junction solar cells have been fabricated using n-type silicon nanowire arrays and a spin-coated conductive polymer (PEDOT). The polymer Schottky junction cells show superior surface passivation and open-circuit voltages compared to standard diffused junction cells with native oxide surfaces. External quantum efficiencies up to 88% were measured for these silicon nanowire/PEDOT solar cells further demonstrating excellent surface passivation. This process avoids high temperature processes which allows for low-cost substrates to be used. © 2010 IEEE.

Silicon nanowire hybrid photovoltaics

KAUST Repository

Garnett, Erik C.; Peters, Craig; Brongersma, Mark; Cui, Yi; McGehee, Mike

2010-01-01

Silicon nanowire Schottky junction solar cells have been fabricated using n-type silicon nanowire arrays and a spin-coated conductive polymer (PEDOT). The polymer Schottky junction cells show superior surface passivation and open-circuit voltages compared to standard diffused junction cells with native oxide surfaces. External quantum efficiencies up to 88% were measured for these silicon nanowire/PEDOT solar cells further demonstrating excellent surface passivation. This process avoids high temperature processes which allows for low-cost substrates to be used. © 2010 IEEE.

Functionalised zinc oxide nanowire gas sensors: Enhanced NO(2) gas sensor response by chemical modification of nanowire surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Waclawik, Eric R; Chang, Jin; Ponzoni, Andrea; Concina, Isabella; Zappa, Dario; Comini, Elisabetta; Motta, Nunzio; Faglia, Guido; Sberveglieri, Giorgio

2012-01-01

Surface coating with an organic self-assembled monolayer (SAM) can enhance surface reactions or the absorption of specific gases and hence improve the response of a metal oxide (MOx) sensor toward particular target gases in the environment. In this study the effect of an adsorbed organic layer on the dynamic response of zinc oxide nanowire gas sensors was investigated. The effect of ZnO surface functionalisation by two different organic molecules, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (THMA) and dodecanethiol (DT), was studied. The response towards ammonia, nitrous oxide and nitrogen dioxide was investigated for three sensor configurations, namely pure ZnO nanowires, organic-coated ZnO nanowires and ZnO nanowires covered with a sparse layer of organic-coated ZnO nanoparticles. Exposure of the nanowire sensors to the oxidising gas NO(2) produced a significant and reproducible response. ZnO and THMA-coated ZnO nanowire sensors both readily detected NO(2) down to a concentration in the very low ppm range. Notably, the THMA-coated nanowires consistently displayed a small, enhanced response to NO(2) compared to uncoated ZnO nanowire sensors. At the lower concentration levels tested, ZnO nanowire sensors that were coated with THMA-capped ZnO nanoparticles were found to exhibit the greatest enhanced response. ΔR/R was two times greater than that for the as-prepared ZnO nanowire sensors. It is proposed that the ΔR/R enhancement in this case originates from the changes induced in the depletion-layer width of the ZnO nanoparticles that bridge ZnO nanowires resulting from THMA ligand binding to the surface of the particle coating. The heightened response and selectivity to the NO(2) target are positive results arising from the coating of these ZnO nanowire sensors with organic-SAM-functionalised ZnO nanoparticles.

New trends in the nucleation research

Science.gov (United States)

Anisimov, M. P.; Hopke, P. K.

2017-09-01

During the last half of century the most of efforts have been directed towards small molecule system modeling using intermolecular potentials. Summarizing the nucleation theory, it can be concluded that the nowadays theory is far from complete. The vapor-gas nucleation theory can produce values that deviate from the experimental results by several orders of magnitude currently. Experiments on the vapor-gas nucleation rate measurements using different devices show significant inconsistencies in the measured rates as well. Theoretical results generally are quite reasonable for sufficiently low vapor nucleation rates where the capillary approximation is applicable. In the present research the advantages and current problems of the vapor-gas nucleation experiments are discussed briefly and a view of the future studies is presented. Using the brake points of the first derivative for the nucleation rate surface as markers of the critical embryos phase change is fresh idea to show the gas-pressure effect for the nucleating vapor-gas systems. To test the accuracy of experimental techniques, it is important to have a standard system that can be measured over a range of nucleation conditions. Several results illustrate that high-pressure techniques are needed to study multi-channel nucleation. In practical applications, parametric theories can be used for the systems of interest. However, experimental measurements are still the best source of information on nucleation rates. Experiments are labor intensive and costly, and thus, it is useful to extend the value of limited experimental measurements to a broader range of nucleation conditions. Only limited experimental data one needs for use in normalizing the slopes of the linearized nucleation rate surfaces. The nucleation rate surface is described in terms of steady-state nucleation rates. It is supposed that several new measuring systems, such as High Pressure Flow Diffusion Chamber for pressure limit up to 150 bar will be

Nanowire sensors and arrays for chemical/biomolecule detection

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Minhee; Lee, Choonsup; Vasquez, Richard P.; Ramanathan, K.; Bangar, M. A.; Chen, W.; Mulchandan, A.; Myung, N. V.

2005-01-01

We report electrochemical growth of single nanowire based sensors using e-beam patterned electrolyte channels, potentially enabling the controlled fabrication of individually addressable high density arrays. The electrodeposition technique results in nanowires with controlled dimensions, positions, alignments, and chemical compositions. Using this technique, we have fabricated single palladium nanowires with diameters ranging between 75 nm and 300 nm and conducting polymer nanowires (polypyrrole and polyaniline) with diameters between 100 nm and 200 nm. Using these single nanowires, we have successfully demonstrated gas sensing with Pd nanowires and pH sensing with polypirrole nanowires.

Ice nucleation triggered by negative pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcolli, Claudia

2017-11-30

Homogeneous ice nucleation needs supercooling of more than 35 K to become effective. When pressure is applied to water, the melting and the freezing points both decrease. Conversely, melting and freezing temperatures increase under negative pressure, i.e. when water is stretched. This study presents an extrapolation of homogeneous ice nucleation temperatures from positive to negative pressures as a basis for further exploration of ice nucleation under negative pressure. It predicts that increasing negative pressure at temperatures below about 262 K eventually results in homogeneous ice nucleation while at warmer temperature homogeneous cavitation, i. e. bubble nucleation, dominates. Negative pressure occurs locally and briefly when water is stretched due to mechanical shock, sonic waves, or fragmentation. The occurrence of such transient negative pressure should suffice to trigger homogeneous ice nucleation at large supercooling in the absence of ice-nucleating surfaces. In addition, negative pressure can act together with ice-inducing surfaces to enhance their intrinsic ice nucleation efficiency. Dynamic ice nucleation can be used to improve properties and uniformity of frozen products by applying ultrasonic fields and might also be relevant for the freezing of large drops in rainclouds.

Structural and tunneling properties of Si nanowires

KAUST Repository

Montes Muñoz, Enrique

2013-12-06

We investigate the electronic structure and electron transport properties of Si nanowires attached to Au electrodes from first principles using density functional theory and the nonequilibrium Green\\'s function method. We systematically study the dependence of the transport properties on the diameter of the nanowires, on the growth direction, and on the length. At the equilibrium Au-nanowire distance we find strong electronic coupling between the electrodes and nanowires, which results in a low contact resistance. With increasing nanowire length we study the transition from metallic to tunneling conductance for small applied bias. For the tunneling regime we investigate the decay of the conductance with the nanowire length and rationalize the results using the complex band structure of the pristine nanowires. The conductance is found to depend strongly on the growth direction, with nanowires grown along the ⟨110⟩ direction showing the smallest decay with length and the largest conductance and current.

Structural and tunneling properties of Si nanowires

KAUST Repository

Montes Muñ oz, Enrique; Gkionis, Konstantinos; Rungger, Ivan; Sanvito, Stefano; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2013-01-01

We investigate the electronic structure and electron transport properties of Si nanowires attached to Au electrodes from first principles using density functional theory and the nonequilibrium Green's function method. We systematically study the dependence of the transport properties on the diameter of the nanowires, on the growth direction, and on the length. At the equilibrium Au-nanowire distance we find strong electronic coupling between the electrodes and nanowires, which results in a low contact resistance. With increasing nanowire length we study the transition from metallic to tunneling conductance for small applied bias. For the tunneling regime we investigate the decay of the conductance with the nanowire length and rationalize the results using the complex band structure of the pristine nanowires. The conductance is found to depend strongly on the growth direction, with nanowires grown along the ⟨110⟩ direction showing the smallest decay with length and the largest conductance and current.

Semiconducting silicon nanowires for biomedical applications

CERN Document Server

Coffer, JL

2014-01-01

Biomedical applications have benefited greatly from the increasing interest and research into semiconducting silicon nanowires. Semiconducting Silicon Nanowires for Biomedical Applications reviews the fabrication, properties, and applications of this emerging material. The book begins by reviewing the basics, as well as the growth, characterization, biocompatibility, and surface modification, of semiconducting silicon nanowires. It goes on to focus on silicon nanowires for tissue engineering and delivery applications, including cellular binding and internalization, orthopedic tissue scaffol

Interactions between semiconductor nanowires and living cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Prinz, Christelle N

2015-06-17

Semiconductor nanowires are increasingly used for biological applications and their small dimensions make them a promising tool for sensing and manipulating cells with minimal perturbation. In order to interface cells with nanowires in a controlled fashion, it is essential to understand the interactions between nanowires and living cells. The present paper reviews current progress in the understanding of these interactions, with knowledge gathered from studies where living cells were interfaced with vertical nanowire arrays. The effect of nanowires on cells is reported in terms of viability, cell-nanowire interface morphology, cell behavior, changes in gene expression as well as cellular stress markers. Unexplored issues and unanswered questions are discussed.

Electrodeposition of rhenium-tin nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naor-Pomerantz, Adi; Eliaz, Noam; Gileadi, Eliezer

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Rhenium-tin nanowires were formed electrochemically, without using a template. → The nanowires consisted of a crystalline-Sn-core/amorphous-Re-shell structure. → The effects of bath composition and operating conditions were investigated. → A mechanism is suggested for the formation of the core/shell structure. → The nanowires may be attractive for a variety of applications. - Abstract: Rhenium (Re) is a refractory metal which exhibits an extraordinary combination of properties. Thus, nanowires and other nanostructures of Re-alloys may possess unique properties resulting from both Re chemistry and the nanometer scale, and become attractive for a variety of applications, such as in catalysis, photovoltaic cells, and microelectronics. Rhenium-tin coatings, consisting of nanowires with a core/shell structure, were electrodeposited on copper substrates under galvanostatic or potentiostatic conditions. The effects of bath composition and operating conditions were investigated, and the chemistry and structure of the coatings were studied by a variety of analytical tools. A Re-content as high as 77 at.% or a Faradaic efficiency as high as 46% were attained. Ranges of Sn-to-Re in the plating bath, applied current density and applied potential, within which the nanowires could be formed, were determined. A mechanism was suggested, according to which Sn nanowires were first grown on top of Sn micro-particles, and then the Sn nanowires reduced the perrhenate chemically, thus forming a core made of crystalline Sn-rich phase, and a shell made of amorphous Re-rich phase. The absence of mutual solubility of Re and Sn may be the driving force for this phase separation.

Gold nanowires and the effect of impurities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novaes Frederico

2006-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractMetal nanowires and in particular gold nanowires have received a great deal of attention in the past few years. Experiments on gold nanowires have prompted theory and simulation to help answer questions posed by these studies. Here we present results of computer simulations for the formation, evolution and breaking of very thin Au nanowires. We also discuss the influence of contaminants, such as atoms and small molecules, and their effect on the structural and mechanical properties of these nanowires.

Electric Conductivity of Phosphorus Nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jing-Xiang, Zhang; Hui, Li; Xue-Qing, Zhang; Kim-Meow, Liew

2009-01-01

We present the structures and electrical transport properties of nanowires made from different strands of phosphorus chains encapsulated in carbon nanotubes. Optimized by density function theory, our results indicate that the conductance spectra reveal an oscillation dependence on the size of wires. It can be seen from the density of states and current-voltage curves that the structure of nanowires affects their properties greatly. Among them, the DNA-like double-helical phosphorus nanowire exhibits the distinct characteristic of an approximately linear I – V relationship and has a higher conductance than others. The transport properties of phosphorus nanowires are highly correlated with their microstructures. (condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties)

A nanoscale temperature-dependent heterogeneous nucleation theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Y. Y.; Yang, G. W.

2015-01-01

Classical nucleation theory relies on the hypothetical equilibrium of the whole nucleation system, and neglects the thermal fluctuations of the surface; this is because the high entropic gains of the (thermodynamically extensive) surface would lead to multiple stable states. In fact, at the nanometer scale, the entropic gains of the surface are high enough to destroy the stability of the thermal equilibrium during nucleation, comparing with the whole system. We developed a temperature-dependent nucleation theory to elucidate the heterogeneous nucleation process, by considering the thermal fluctuations based on classical nucleation theory. It was found that the temperature not only affected the phase transformation, but also influenced the surface energy of the nuclei. With changes in the Gibbs free energy barrier, nucleation behaviors, such as the nucleation rate and the critical radius of the nuclei, showed temperature-dependent characteristics that were different from those predicted by classical nucleation theory. The temperature-dependent surface energy density of a nucleus was deduced based on our theoretical model. The agreement between the theoretical and experimental results suggested that the developed nucleation theory has the potential to contribute to the understanding and design of heterogeneous nucleation at the nanoscale

Failure mechanisms and electromechanical coupling in semiconducting nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng B.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available One dimensional nanostructures, like nanowires and nanotubes, are increasingly being researched for the development of next generation devices like logic gates, transistors, and solar cells. In particular, semiconducting nanowires with a nonsymmetric wurtzitic crystal structure, such as zinc oxide (ZnO and gallium nitride (GaN, have drawn immense research interests due to their electromechanical coupling. The designing of the future nanowire-based devices requires component-level characterization of individual nanowires. In this paper, we present a unique experimental set-up to characterize the mechanical and electromechanical behaviour of individual nanowires. Using this set-up and complementary atomistic simulations, mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires and electromechanical properties of GaN nanowires were investigated. In ZnO nanowires, elastic modulus was found to depend on nanowire diameter decreasing from 190 GPa to 140 GPa as the wire diameter increased from 5 nm to 80 nm. Inconsistent failure mechanisms were observed in ZnO nanowires. Experiments revealed a brittle fracture, whereas simulations using a pairwise potential predicted a phase transformation prior to failure. This inconsistency is addressed in detail from an experimental as well as computational perspective. Lastly, in addition to mechanical properties, preliminary results on the electromechanical properties of gallium nitride nanowires are also reported. Initial investigations reveal that the piezoresistive and piezoelectric behaviour of nanowires is different from bulk gallium nitride.

Study of spin dynamics and damping on the magnetic nanowire arrays with various nanowire widths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Jaehun [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Fujii, Yuya; Konioshi, Katsunori [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); Yoon, Jungbum [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Kim, Nam-Hui; Jung, Jinyong [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Miwa, Shinji [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); Jung, Myung-Hwa [Department of Physics, Sogang University, Seoul, 121-742 (Korea, Republic of); Suzuki, Yoshishige [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); You, Chun-Yeol, E-mail: cyyou@inha.ac.kr [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-07-01

We investigate the spin dynamics including Gilbert damping in the ferromagnetic nanowire arrays. We have measured the ferromagnetic resonance of ferromagnetic nanowire arrays using vector-network analyzer ferromagnetic resonance (VNA-FMR) and analyzed the results with the micromagnetic simulations. We find excellent agreement between the experimental VNA-FMR spectra and micromagnetic simulations result for various applied magnetic fields. We find that the same tendency of the demagnetization factor for longitudinal and transverse conditions, N{sub z} (N{sub y}) increases (decreases) as increasing the nanowire width in the micromagnetic simulations while N{sub x} is almost zero value in transverse case. We also find that the Gilbert damping constant increases from 0.018 to 0.051 as the increasing nanowire width for the transverse case, while it is almost constant as 0.021 for the longitudinal case. - Highlights: • We investigate the spin dynamic properties in the ferromagnetic nanowire arrays. • The demagnetization factors have similar tendency with the prism geometry results. • The Gilbert damping constant is increased from 0.018 to 0.051 as the increasing nanowire width for the transverse. • The Gilbert damping constant is almost constant as 0.021 for the longitudinal case.

Magnetic and superconducting nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Piraux, L.; Encinas, A.; Vila, L.

2005-01-01

magnetic and superconducting nanowires. Using different approaches entailing measurements on both single wires and arrays, numerous interesting physical properties have been identified in relation to the nanoscopic dimensions of these materials. Finally, various novel applications of the nanowires are also...

Vertically aligned nanowires from boron-doped diamond.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Nianjun; Uetsuka, Hiroshi; Osawa, Eiji; Nebel, Christoph E

2008-11-01

Vertically aligned diamond nanowires with controlled geometrical properties like length and distance between wires were fabricated by use of nanodiamond particles as a hard mask and by use of reactive ion etching. The surface structure, electronic properties, and electrochemical functionalization of diamond nanowires were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) as well as electrochemical techniques. AFM and STM experiments show that diamond nanowire etched for 10 s have wire-typed structures with 3-10 nm in length and with typically 11 nm spacing in between. The electrode active area of diamond nanowires is enhanced by a factor of 2. The functionalization of nanowire tips with nitrophenyl molecules is characterized by STM on clean and on nitrophenyl molecule-modified diamond nanowires. Tip-modified diamond nanowires are promising with respect to biosensor applications where controlled biomolecule bonding is required to improve chemical stability and sensing significantly.

Nanowire failure: long = brittle and short = ductile.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhaoxuan; Zhang, Yong-Wei; Jhon, Mark H; Gao, Huajian; Srolovitz, David J

2012-02-08

Experimental studies of the tensile behavior of metallic nanowires show a wide range of failure modes, ranging from ductile necking to brittle/localized shear failure-often in the same diameter wires. We performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of copper nanowires with a range of nanowire lengths and provide unequivocal evidence for a transition in nanowire failure mode with change in nanowire length. Short nanowires fail via a ductile mode with serrated stress-strain curves, while long wires exhibit extreme shear localization and abrupt failure. We developed a simple model for predicting the critical nanowire length for this failure mode transition and showed that it is in excellent agreement with both the simulation results and the extant experimental data. The present results provide a new paradigm for the design of nanoscale mechanical systems that demarcates graceful and catastrophic failure. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Strategies for specifically directing metal functionalization of protein nanotubes: constructing protein coated silver nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carreño-Fuentes, Liliana; Palomares, Laura A; Ramírez, Octavio T; Ascencio, Jorge A; Medina, Ariosto; Aguila, Sergio

2013-01-01

Biological molecules that self-assemble in the nanoscale range are useful multifunctional materials. Rotavirus VP6 protein self-assembles into tubular structures in the absence of other rotavirus proteins. Here, we present strategies for selectively directing metal functionalization to the lumen of VP6 nanotubes. The specific in situ metal reduction in the inner surface of nanotube walls was achieved by the simple modification of a method previously reported to functionalize the nanotube outer surface. Silver nanorods and nanowires as long as 1.5 μm were formed inside the nanotubes by coalescence of nanoparticles. Such one-dimensional structures were longer than others previously obtained using bioscaffolds. The interactions between silver ions and the nanotube were simulated to understand the conditions that allowed nanowire formation. Molecular docking showed that a naturally occurring arrangement of aspartate residues enabled the stabilization of silver ions on the internal surface of the VP6 nanotubes. This is the first time that such a spatial arrangement has been proposed for the nucleation of silver nanoparticles, opening the possibility of using such an array to direct functionalization of other biomolecules. These results demonstrate the natural capabilities of VP6 nanotubes to function as a versatile biotemplate for nanomaterials. (paper)

Ballistic superconductivity in semiconductor nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hao; Gül, Önder; Conesa-Boj, Sonia; Nowak, Michał P.; Wimmer, Michael; Zuo, Kun; Mourik, Vincent; de Vries, Folkert K.; van Veen, Jasper; de Moor, Michiel W. A.; Bommer, Jouri D. S.; van Woerkom, David J.; Car, Diana; Plissard, Sébastien R; Bakkers, Erik P.A.M.; Quintero-Pérez, Marina; Cassidy, Maja C.; Koelling, Sebastian; Goswami, Srijit; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Kouwenhoven, Leo P.

2017-01-01

Semiconductor nanowires have opened new research avenues in quantum transport owing to their confined geometry and electrostatic tunability. They have offered an exceptional testbed for superconductivity, leading to the realization of hybrid systems combining the macroscopic quantum properties of superconductors with the possibility to control charges down to a single electron. These advances brought semiconductor nanowires to the forefront of efforts to realize topological superconductivity and Majorana modes. A prime challenge to benefit from the topological properties of Majoranas is to reduce the disorder in hybrid nanowire devices. Here we show ballistic superconductivity in InSb semiconductor nanowires. Our structural and chemical analyses demonstrate a high-quality interface between the nanowire and a NbTiN superconductor that enables ballistic transport. This is manifested by a quantized conductance for normal carriers, a strongly enhanced conductance for Andreev-reflecting carriers, and an induced hard gap with a significantly reduced density of states. These results pave the way for disorder-free Majorana devices. PMID:28681843

Mechanisms of nucleation in flashing flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, F.; Giot, M.

1989-01-01

The mechanisms of nucleation have been analysed. Starting from the assumption that the activation of micro-cavities in the wall surfaces is the most probable nucleation mechanism in practical flashing system, the authors study in detail the nucleation in a micro-cavity. A three step nucleation criterion is proposed, namely: trapping cavity, activable cavity and active cavity. Then, a new nucleation model is presented. The output of the model is the prediction of the bubble departure frequency versus the thermodynamic state of the liquid and the geometry of the cavity. The model can also predict the nucleation site density if the nature of the wall and the surface roughness are know. The prediction have been successfully compared with some preliminary experimental results. By combining the present model with Jones'theory, the flashing inception is correctly predicted. The use of this nucleation model for the complete modelling of a flashing non-equilibrium flow is in progress

Heat transfer enhancement on nucleate boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuang, M.; Guibai, L.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on enhancement of nucleate boiling heat transfer with additives that was investigated experimentally. More than fifteen kinds of additives were chosen and tested. Eight kinds of effective additives which can enhance nucleate boiling heat transfer were selected. Experimental results showed that boiling heat transfer coefficient of water was increased by 1 to 5 times and that of R-113 was increased by 1 to 4 times when trace amount additives were put in the two boiling liquids. There exist optimum concentrations for the additives, respectively, which can enhance nucleate boiling heat transfer rate best. In order to analyze the mechanism of the enhancement of boiling heat transfer with additives, the surface tension and the bubble departure diameter were measured. The nucleation sites were investigated by use of high-speed photograph. Experimental results showed that nucleation sites increase with additive amount increasing and get maximum. Increasing nucleation sites is one of the most important reason why nucleate boiling heat transfer can be enhanced with additives

Role of nucleation in nanodiamond film growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lifshitz, Y.; Lee, C.H.; Wu, Y.; Zhang, W.J.; Bello, I.; Lee, S.T.

2006-01-01

Nanodiamond films were deposited using different microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition schemes following several nucleation pretreatment methods. The nucleation efficiency and the films structure were investigated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. C 2 dimer growth (CH 4 and H 2 in 90% Ar) cannot nucleate diamond and works only on existing diamond surfaces. The methyl radical process (up to 20% CH 4 in H 2 ) allows some nucleation probability on appropriate substrates. Prolonged bias enhanced nucleation initiates both diamond nucleation and growth. C 2 dimer growth results in pure nanodiamond free of amorphous carbon, while prolonged bias enhanced nucleation forms an amorphous carbon/nanodiamond composite

Long Silver Nanowires Synthesis by Pulsed Electrodeposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.R. Batevandi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Silver nanowires were pulse electrodeposited into nanopore anodic alumina oxide templates. The effects of continuous and pulse electrodeposition waveform on the microstructure properties of the nanowire arrays were studied. It is seen that the microstructure of nanowire is depend to pulse condition. The off time duration of pulse waveform enables to control the growth direction of Ag nanowires.

Preparation and characterization of CuO nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Dongliang; Ge Chuannan; Du Youwei

2009-01-01

CuO nanowire arrays were prepared by oxidation of copper nanowires embedded in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. The AAO was fabricated in an oxalic acid at a constant voltage. Copper nanowires were formed in the nanopores of the AAO membranes in an electrochemical deposition process. The oxidized copper nanowires at different temperatures were studied. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of a CuO phase after calcining at 500 0 C in air for 30 h. A transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the nanowire morphologies. Raman spectra were performed to study the CuO nanowire arrays. After measuring, we found that the current-voltage curve of the CuO nanowires is nonlinear.

Moessbauer study of Fe-Co nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Ziyu [Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou (China)]. E-mail: chenzy@lzu.edu.cn; Zhan Qingfeng; Xue Desheng; Li Fashen [Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou (China); Zhou Xuezhi; Kunkel, Henry; Williams, Gwyn [Department of Physics and Astronomy, the University of Manitoba (Canada)

2002-01-28

Arrays of Fe{sub 1-x}Co{sub x} (0.0{<=}x{<=}0.92) nanowires have been prepared by an electrochemical process, co-depositing Fe and Co atoms into the pores of anodic aluminium; their compositions were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscope results show that the nanowires are regularly spaced and uniform in shape with lengths of about 7.5 {mu}m and diameters of 20 nm. The x-ray diffraction indicates a texture in the deposited nanowires. For the composition below 82 at.% cobalt, the nanowires had a body-centred-cubic structure with a [110] preferred orientation. For the 92 at.% cobalt sample, the alloy exhibited a mixture of bcc and face-centred-cubic structure. The room temperature {sup 57}Fe Moessbauer spectra of the arrays of Fe{sub 1-x}Co{sub x} nanowires have second and fifth absorption lines of the six-line pattern with almost zero intensity, indicating that the internal magnetic field in the nanowires lies along the long axis of the nanowire. The maximum values of the hyperfine field (B{sub hf} 36.6{+-}0.1 T) and isomer shift (IS=0.06{+-}0.01 mm s-1) occur for 44 at.% cobalt. The variations of the isomer shift and the linewidths with composition indicate that the Fe{sub 1-x}Co{sub x} alloy nanowires around the equiatomic composition are in an atomistic disordered state. (author)

Diamond Nucleation Using Polyethene

Science.gov (United States)

Morell, Gerardo (Inventor); Makarov, Vladimir (Inventor); Varshney, Deepak (Inventor); Weiner, Brad (Inventor)

2013-01-01

The invention presents a simple, non-destructive and non-abrasive method of diamond nucleation using polyethene. It particularly describes the nucleation of diamond on an electrically viable substrate surface using polyethene via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique in a gaseous environment.

Biofunctionalized Magnetic Nanowires

KAUST Repository

Kosel, Jurgen

2013-12-19

Magnetic nanowires can be used as an alternative method overcoming the limitations of current cancer treatments that lack specificity and are highly cytotoxic. Nanowires are developed so that they selectively attach to cancer cells via antibodies, potentially destroying them when a magnetic field induces their vibration. This will transmit a mechanical force to the targeted cells, which is expected to induce apoptosis on the cancer cells.

Biofunctionalized Magnetic Nanowires

KAUST Repository

Kosel, Jü rgen; Ravasi, Timothy; Contreras Gerenas, Maria Fernanda

2013-01-01

Magnetic nanowires can be used as an alternative method overcoming the limitations of current cancer treatments that lack specificity and are highly cytotoxic. Nanowires are developed so that they selectively attach to cancer cells via antibodies, potentially destroying them when a magnetic field induces their vibration. This will transmit a mechanical force to the targeted cells, which is expected to induce apoptosis on the cancer cells.

Magnetic drug delivery with FePd nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pondman, Kirsten M.; Bunt, Nathan D. [Neuro Imaging, MIRA Institute, University of Twente, Enschede (Netherlands); Maijenburg, A. Wouter [Inorganic Material Science, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede (Netherlands); Wezel, Richard J.A. van [Biomedical Signals and Systems, MIRA, Twente University, Enschede (Netherlands); Kishore, Uday [Centre for Infection, Immunity and Disease Mechanisms, Biosciences, Brunel University, London (United Kingdom); Abelmann, Leon [Transducer Science and Technology group, MESA+ Institute for nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede (Netherlands); Elshof, Johan E. ten [Inorganic Material Science, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede (Netherlands); Haken, Bennie ten, E-mail: b.tenhaken@utwente.nl [Neuro Imaging, MIRA Institute, University of Twente, Enschede (Netherlands)

2015-04-15

Magnetic drug delivery is a promising method to target a drug to a diseased area while reducing negative side effects caused by systemic administration of drugs. In magnetic drug delivery a therapeutic agent is coupled to a magnetic nanoparticle. The particles are injected and at the target location withdrawn from blood flow by a magnetic field. In this study a FePd nanowire is developed with optimised properties for magnetic targeting. The nanowires have a high magnetic moment to reduce the field gradient needed to capture them with a magnet. The dimensions and the materials of the nanowire and coating are such that they are dispersable in aqueous media, non-cytotoxic, easily phagocytosed and not complement activating. This is established in several in-vitro tests with macrophage and endothelial cell lines. Along with the nanowires a magnet is designed, optimised for capture of the nanowires from the blood flow in the hind leg of a rat. The system is used in a pilot scale in-vivo experiment. No negative side effects from injection of the nanowires were found within the limited time span of the experiment. In this first pilot experiment no nanowires were found to be targeted by the magnet, or in the liver, kidneys or spleen, most likely the particles were removed during the fixation procedure. - Highlights: • Description of the magnetic properties of nanowires. • Design and characterisation of a biocompatible FePd nanowire. • In-vitro cytotoxicity analysis and immune system responses. • In-vivo magnetic drug delivery using the developed nanowires.

Epitaxy of advanced nanowire quantum devices

Science.gov (United States)

Gazibegovic, Sasa; Car, Diana; Zhang, Hao; Balk, Stijn C.; Logan, John A.; de Moor, Michiel W. A.; Cassidy, Maja C.; Schmits, Rudi; Xu, Di; Wang, Guanzhong; Krogstrup, Peter; Op Het Veld, Roy L. M.; Zuo, Kun; Vos, Yoram; Shen, Jie; Bouman, Daniël; Shojaei, Borzoyeh; Pennachio, Daniel; Lee, Joon Sue; van Veldhoven, Petrus J.; Koelling, Sebastian; Verheijen, Marcel A.; Kouwenhoven, Leo P.; Palmstrøm, Chris J.; Bakkers, Erik P. A. M.

2017-08-01

Semiconductor nanowires are ideal for realizing various low-dimensional quantum devices. In particular, topological phases of matter hosting non-Abelian quasiparticles (such as anyons) can emerge when a semiconductor nanowire with strong spin-orbit coupling is brought into contact with a superconductor. To exploit the potential of non-Abelian anyons—which are key elements of topological quantum computing—fully, they need to be exchanged in a well-controlled braiding operation. Essential hardware for braiding is a network of crystalline nanowires coupled to superconducting islands. Here we demonstrate a technique for generic bottom-up synthesis of complex quantum devices with a special focus on nanowire networks with a predefined number of superconducting islands. Structural analysis confirms the high crystalline quality of the nanowire junctions, as well as an epitaxial superconductor-semiconductor interface. Quantum transport measurements of nanowire ‘hashtags’ reveal Aharonov-Bohm and weak-antilocalization effects, indicating a phase-coherent system with strong spin-orbit coupling. In addition, a proximity-induced hard superconducting gap (with vanishing sub-gap conductance) is demonstrated in these hybrid superconductor-semiconductor nanowires, highlighting the successful materials development necessary for a first braiding experiment. Our approach opens up new avenues for the realization of epitaxial three-dimensional quantum architectures which have the potential to become key components of various quantum devices.

Synthesis of uniform CdS nanowires in high yield and its single nanowire electrical property

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Shancheng; Sun Litao; Qu Peng; Huang Ninping; Song Yinchen; Xiao Zhongdang

2009-01-01

Large-scale high quality CdS nanowires with uniform diameter were synthesized by using a rapid and simple solvothermal route. Field emission scan electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show that the CdS nanowires have diameter of about 26 nm and length up to several micrometres. High resolution TEM (HRTEM) study indicates the single-crystalline nature of CdS nanowires with an oriented growth along the c-axis direction. The optical properties of the products were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectra, photoluminescence spectra and Raman spectra. The resistivity, electron concentration and electron mobility of single NW are calculated by fitting the symmetric I-V curves measured on single NW by the metal-semiconductor-metal model based on thermionic field emission theory. - Graphical abstract: Large-scale high quality CdS nanowires (NWs) with uniform diameter were synthesized by using a rapid and simple solvothermal route. The reaction time is reduced to 2 h, comparing to other synthesis which needed long reaction time up to 12 h. In addition, the as-prepared CdS nanowires have more uniform diameter and high yield. More importantly, the I-V curve of present single CdS nanowire has a good symmetric characteristic as expected by the theory.

Electrochemical synthesis of CORE-shell magnetic nanowires

KAUST Repository

Ovejero, Jesús G.

2015-04-16

(Fe, Ni, CoFe) @ Au core-shell magnetic nanowires have been synthesized by optimized two-step potentiostatic electrodeposition inside self-assembled nanopores of anodic aluminium templates. The optimal electrochemical parameters (e.g., potential) have been firstly determined for the growth of continuous Au nanotubes at the inner wall of pores. Then, a magnetic core was synthesized inside the Au shells under suitable electrochemical conditions for a wide spectrum of single elements and alloy compositions (e.g., Fe, Ni and CoFe alloys). Novel opportunities offered by such nanowires are discussed particularly the magnetic behavior of (Fe, Ni, CoFe) @ Au core-shell nanowires was tested and compared with that of bare TM nanowires. These core-shell nanowires can be released from the template so, opening novel opportunities for biofunctionalization of individual nanowires.

Metal-dielectric-CNT nanowires for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Tiziana C.; Altun, Ali; Park, Hyung Gyu

2017-10-03

A sensor with a substrate includes nanowires extending vertically from the substrate, a hafnia coating on the nanowires that provides hafnia coated nanowires, and a noble metal coating on the hafnia coated nanowires. The top of the hafnia and noble metal coated nanowires bent onto one another to create a canopy forest structure. There are numerous randomly arranged holes that let through scattered light. The many points of contact, hot spots, amplify signals. The methods include the steps of providing a Raman spectroscopy substrate, introducing nano crystals to the Raman spectroscopy substrate, growing a forest of nanowires from the nano crystals on the Raman spectroscopy substrate, coating the nanowires with hafnia providing hafnia coated nanowires, and coating the hafnia coated nanowires with a noble metal or other metal.

Probabilistic approach to lysozyme crystal nucleation kinetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitrov, Ivaylo L; Hodzhaoglu, Feyzim V; Koleva, Dobryana P

2015-09-01

Nucleation of lysozyme crystals in quiescent solutions at a regime of progressive nucleation is investigated under an optical microscope at conditions of constant supersaturation. A method based on the stochastic nature of crystal nucleation and using discrete time sampling of small solution volumes for the presence or absence of detectable crystals is developed. It allows probabilities for crystal detection to be experimentally estimated. One hundred single samplings were used for each probability determination for 18 time intervals and six lysozyme concentrations. Fitting of a particular probability function to experimentally obtained data made possible the direct evaluation of stationary rates for lysozyme crystal nucleation, the time for growth of supernuclei to a detectable size and probability distribution of nucleation times. Obtained stationary nucleation rates were then used for the calculation of other nucleation parameters, such as the kinetic nucleation factor, nucleus size, work for nucleus formation and effective specific surface energy of the nucleus. The experimental method itself is simple and adaptable and can be used for crystal nucleation studies of arbitrary soluble substances with known solubility at particular solution conditions.

Design and Characterisation of III-V Semiconductor Nanowire Lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Dhruv

The development of small, power-efficient lasers underpins many of the technologies that we utilise today. Semiconductor nanowires are promising for miniaturising lasers to even smaller dimensions. III-V semiconductors, such as Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Indium Phosphide (InP), are the most widely used materials for optoelectronic devices and so the development of nanowire lasers based on these materials is expected to have technologically significant outcomes. This PhD dissertation presents a comprehensive study of the design of III-V semiconductor nanowire lasers, with bulk and quantum confined active regions. Based on the design, various III-V semiconductor nanowire lasers are demonstrated, namely, GaAs nanowire lasers, GaAs/AlGaAs multi-quantum well (MQW) nanowire lasers and InP nanowire lasers. These nanowire lasers are shown to operate at room temperature, have low thresholds, and lase from different transverse modes. The structural and optoelectronic quality of nanowire lasers are characterised via electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopic techniques. Lasing is characterised in all these devices by optical pumping. The lasing characteristics are analysed by rate equation modelling and the lasing mode(s) in these devices is characterised by threshold gain modelling, polarisation measurements and Fourier plane imaging. Firstly, GaAs nanowire lasers that operate at room temperature are demonstrated. This is achieved by determining the optimal nanowire diameter to reduce threshold gain and by passivating nanowires to improve their quantum efficiency (QE). High-quality surface passivated GaAs nanowires of suitable diameters are grown. The growth procedure is tailored to improve both QE and structural uniformity of nanowires. Room-temperature lasing is demonstrated from individual nanowires and lasing is characterised to be from TM01 mode by threshold gain modelling. To lower threshold even further, nanowire lasers with GaAs/AlGaAs coaxial multi

Void nucleation at heterogeneities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyyedi, S.A.; Hadji-Mirzai, M.; Russell, K.C.

The energetics and kinetics of void nucleation at dislocations and interfaces are analyzed. These are potential void nucleation sites only when they are not point defect sinks. Both kinds of site are found to be excellent catalysts in the presence of inert gas

Ice nucleation properties of mineral dusts

OpenAIRE

Steinke, Isabelle

2013-01-01

Ice nucleation in clouds has a significant impact on the global hydrological cycle as well as on the radiative budget of the Earth. The AIDA cloud chamber was used to investigate the ice nucleation efficiency of various atmospherically relevant mineral dusts. From experiments with Arizona Test Dust (ATD) a humidity and temperature dependent ice nucleation active surface site density parameterization was developed to describe deposition nucleation at temperatures above 220 K. Based...

Large scale synthesis of α-Si3N4 nanowires through a kinetically favored chemical vapour deposition process

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Haitao; Huang, Zhaohui; Zhang, Xiaoguang; Fang, Minghao; Liu, Yan-gai; Wu, Xiaowen; Min, Xin

2018-01-01

Understanding the kinetic barrier and driving force for crystal nucleation and growth is decisive for the synthesis of nanowires with controllable yield and morphology. In this research, we developed an effective reaction system to synthesize very large scale α-Si3N4 nanowires (hundreds of milligrams) and carried out a comparative study to characterize the kinetic influence of gas precursor supersaturation and liquid metal catalyst. The phase composition, morphology, microstructure and photoluminescence properties of the as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and room temperature photoluminescence measurement. The yield of the products not only relates to the reaction temperature (thermodynamic condition) but also to the distribution of gas precursors (kinetic condition). As revealed in this research, by controlling the gas diffusion process, the yield of the nanowire products could be greatly improved. The experimental results indicate that the supersaturation is the dominant factor in the as-designed system rather than the catalyst. With excellent non-flammability and high thermal stability, the large scale α-Si3N4 products would have potential applications to the improvement of strength of high temperature ceramic composites. The photoluminescence spectrum of the α-Si3N4 shows a blue shift which could be valued for future applications in blue-green emitting devices. There is no doubt that the large scale products are the base of these applications.

Using rheometry for determining nucleation density in colored system containing a nucleation agent

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ma, Z.; Steenbakkers, R.J.A.; Giboz, J.; Peters, G.W.M.

2011-01-01

A new suspension-based rheological method was applied to study experimentally the crystallization of a nucleating agent (NA) filled isotactic polypropylene. This method allows for determination of point-nucleation densities where other methods fail. For example, optical microscopy can fail because

Reversal modes in asymmetric Ni nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leighton, B.; Pereira, A. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Avda. Ecuador 3493, 917-0124 Santiago (Chile); Escrig, J., E-mail: jescrigm@gmail.com [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Avda. Ecuador 3493, 917-0124 Santiago (Chile); Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), Avda. Ecuador 3493, 917-0124 Santiago (Chile)

2012-11-15

We have investigated the evolution of the magnetization reversal mechanism in asymmetric Ni nanowires as a function of their geometry. Circular nanowires are found to reverse their magnetization by the propagation of a vortex domain wall, while in very asymmetric nanowires the reversal is driven by the propagation of a transverse domain wall. The effect of shape asymmetry of the wire on coercivity and remanence is also studied. Angular dependence of the remanence and coercivity is also addressed. Tailoring the magnetization reversal mechanism in asymmetric nanowires can be useful for magnetic logic and race-track memory, both of which are based on the displacement of magnetic domain walls. Finally, an alternative method to detect the presence of magnetic drops is proposed. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Asymmetry strongly modifies the magnetic behavior of a wire. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Very asymmetric nanowires reverse their magnetization by a transverse domain wall. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An alternative method to detect the presence of magnetic drops is proposed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tailoring the reversal mode in asymmetric nanowires can be useful for potential applications.

Thermodynamic and Dynamic Aspects of Ice Nucleation

Science.gov (United States)

Barahona, Donifan

2018-01-01

It is known that ice nucleating particles (INP) immersed within supercooled droplets promote the formation of ice. Common theoretical models used to represent this process assume that the immersed particle lowers the work of ice nucleation without significantly affecting the dynamics of water in the vicinity of the particle. This is contrary to evidence showing that immersed surfaces significantly affect the viscosity and diffusivity of vicinal water. To study how this may affect ice formation this work introduces a model linking the ice nucleation rate to the modification of the dynamics and thermodynamics of vicinal water by immersed particles. It is shown that INP that significantly reduce the work of ice nucleation also pose strong limitations to the growth of the nascent ice germs. This leads to the onset of a new ice nucleation regime, called spinodal ice nucleation, where the dynamics of ice germ growth instead of the ice germ size determines the nucleation rate. Nucleation in this regime is characterized by an enhanced sensitivity to particle area and cooling rate. Comparison of the predicted ice nucleation rate against experimental measurements for a diverse set of species relevant to cloud formation suggests that spinodal ice nucleation may be common in nature.

Stability of Organic Nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balzer, F.; Schiek, M.; Wallmann, I.

2011-01-01

The morphological stability of organic nanowires over time and under thermal load is of major importance for their use in any device. In this study the growth and stability of organic nanowires from a naphthyl end-capped thiophene grown by organic molecular beam deposition is investigated via ato...

Homogeneous ice nucleation from aqueous inorganic/organic particles representative of biomass burning: water activity, freezing temperatures, nucleation rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Knopf, Daniel A; Rigg, Yannick J

2011-02-10

Homogeneous ice nucleation plays an important role in the formation of cirrus clouds with subsequent effects on the global radiative budget. Here we report on homogeneous ice nucleation temperatures and corresponding nucleation rate coefficients of aqueous droplets serving as surrogates of biomass burning aerosol. Micrometer-sized (NH(4))(2)SO(4)/levoglucosan droplets with mass ratios of 10:1, 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 and aqueous multicomponent organic droplets with and without (NH(4))(2)SO(4) under typical tropospheric temperatures and relative humidities are investigated experimentally using a droplet conditioning and ice nucleation apparatus coupled to an optical microscope with image analysis. Homogeneous freezing was determined as a function of temperature and water activity, a(w), which was set at droplet preparation conditions. The ice nucleation data indicate that minor addition of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) to the aqueous organic droplets renders the temperature dependency of water activity negligible in contrast to the case of aqueous organic solution droplets. The mean homogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient derived from 8 different aqueous droplet compositions with average diameters of ∼60 μm for temperatures as low as 195 K and a(w) of 0.82-1 is 2.18 × 10(6) cm(-3) s(-1). The experimentally derived freezing temperatures and homogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficients are in agreement with predictions of the water activity-based homogeneous ice nucleation theory when taking predictive uncertainties into account. However, the presented ice nucleation data indicate that the water activity-based homogeneous ice nucleation theory overpredicts the freezing temperatures by up to 3 K and corresponding ice nucleation rate coefficients by up to ∼2 orders of magnitude. A shift of 0.01 in a(w), which is well within the uncertainty of typical field and laboratory relative humidity measurements, brings experimental and predicted freezing temperatures and homogeneous ice

Nucleation in Polymers and Soft Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiaofei; Ting, Christina L.; Kusaka, Isamu; Wang, Zhen-Gang

2014-04-01

Nucleation is a ubiquitous phenomenon in many physical, chemical, and biological processes. In this review, we describe recent progress on the theoretical study of nucleation in polymeric fluids and soft matter, including binary mixtures (polymer blends, polymers in poor solvents, compressible polymer-small molecule mixtures), block copolymer melts, and lipid membranes. We discuss the methodological development for studying nucleation as well as novel insights and new physics obtained in the study of the nucleation behavior in these systems.

A dynamical theory of nucleation

Science.gov (United States)

Lutsko, James F.

2013-05-01

A dynamical theory of nucleation based on fluctuating hydrodynamics is described. It is developed in detail for the case of diffusion-limited nucleation appropriate to colloids and macro-molecules in solution. By incorporating fluctuations, realistic fluid-transport and realistic free energy models the theory is able to give a unified treatment of both the pre-critical development of fluctuations leading to a critical cluster as well as of post-critical growth. Standard results from classical nucleation theory are shown to follow in the weak noise limit while the generality of the theory allows for many extensions including the description of very high supersaturations (small clusters), multiple order parameters and strong-noise effects to name a few. The theory is applied to homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation of a model globular protein in a confined volume and it is found that nucleation depends critically on the existence of long-wavelength, small-amplitude density fluctuations.

Diluted magnetic semiconductor nanowires exhibiting magnetoresistance

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Peidong [El Cerrito, CA; Choi, Heonjin [Seoul, KR; Lee, Sangkwon [Daejeon, KR; He, Rongrui [Albany, CA; Zhang, Yanfeng [El Cerrito, CA; Kuykendal, Tevye [Berkeley, CA; Pauzauskie, Peter [Berkeley, CA

2011-08-23

A method for is disclosed for fabricating diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) nanowires by providing a catalyst-coated substrate and subjecting at least a portion of the substrate to a semiconductor, and dopant via chloride-based vapor transport to synthesize the nanowires. Using this novel chloride-based chemical vapor transport process, single crystalline diluted magnetic semiconductor nanowires Ga.sub.1-xMn.sub.xN (x=0.07) were synthesized. The nanowires, which have diameters of .about.10 nm to 100 nm and lengths of up to tens of micrometers, show ferromagnetism with Curie temperature above room temperature, and magnetoresistance up to 250 Kelvin.

Au nanowire junction breakup through surface atom diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Vigonski, Simon; Jansson, Ville; Vlassov, Sergei; Polyakov, Boris; Baibuz, Ekaterina; Oras, Sven; Aabloo, Alvo; Djurabekova, Flyura; Zadin, Vahur

2018-01-01

Metallic nanowires are known to break into shorter fragments due to the Rayleigh instability mechanism. This process is strongly accelerated at elevated temperatures and can completely hinder the functioning of nanowire-based devices like e.g. transparent conductive and flexible coatings. At the same time, arranged gold nanodots have important applications in electrochemical sensors. In this paper we perform a series of annealing experiments of gold and silver nanowires and nanowire junctions at fixed temperatures 473, 673, 873 and 973 K (200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C and 700 °C) during a time period of 10 min. We show that nanowires are especially prone to fragmentation around junctions and crossing points even at comparatively low temperatures. The fragmentation process is highly temperature dependent and the junction region breaks up at a lower temperature than a single nanowire. We develop a gold parametrization for kinetic Monte Carlo simulations and demonstrate the surface diffusion origin of the nanowire junction fragmentation. We show that nanowire fragmentation starts at the junctions with high reliability and propose that aligning nanowires in a regular grid could be used as a technique for fabricating arrays of nanodots.

Core-shell magnetic nanowires fabrication and characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalska-Szostko, B., E-mail: kalska@uwb.edu.pl [Institute of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Bialystok (Poland); Faculty of Physics, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1L, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland (Poland); Klekotka, U.; Satuła, D. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Bialystok (Poland); Faculty of Physics, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1L, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland (Poland)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • New approach for nanowires modification are presented. • Physical and chemical characterization of the nanowires are shown. • Properties modulations as an effect of the surface layer composition are discussed. - Abstract: In this paper, a new way of the preparation of core-shell magnetic nanowires has been proposed. For the modification Fe nanowires were prepared by electrodeposition in anodic aluminium oxide matrixes, in first step. In second, by wetting chemical deposition, shell layers of Ag, Au or Cu were obtained. Resultant core-shell nanowires structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray. Whereas magnetic properties by Mössbauer spectroscopy.

Template-based fabrication of nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Zuxin; Liu Haidong; Schultz, Isabel; Wu Wenhao; Naugle, D G; Lyuksyutov, I

2008-01-01

The fabrication and structure characterization of ordered nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays embedded in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes are reported. Arrays of TiO 2 nanotubes were first deposited into the pores of AAO membranes by a sol-gel technique. Co nanowires were then electrochemically deposited into the TiO 2 nanotubes to form the nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy measurements showed a high nanowire filling factor and a clean interface between the Co nanowire and the TiO 2 nanotube. Application of these hybrids to the fabrication of ordered nanowire arrays with highly controllable geometric parameters is discussed

Computer simulation of chemical nucleation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, J.S.

1979-01-01

The problem of nucleation at chemical instabilities is investigated by means of microscopic computer simulation. The first-order transition of interest involves a new kind of nucleation arising from chemical transformations rather than physical forces. Here it is the chemical state of matter, and not matter itself, which is spatially localized to form the nucleus for transition between different chemical states. First, the concepts of chemical instability, nonequilibrium phase transition, and dissipative structure are reviewed briefly. Then recently developed methods of reactive molecular dynamics are used to study chemical nucleation in a simple model chemical reactions. Finally, the connection of these studies to nucleation and condensation processes involving physical and chemical interactions is explored. (orig.)

Electrical conductivity measurements of bacterial nanowires from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maruthupandy, Muthusamy; Anand, Muthusamy; Beevi, Akbar Sait Hameedha; Priya, Radhakrishnan Jeeva; Maduraiveeran, Govindhan

2015-01-01

The extracellular appendages of bacteria (flagella) that transfer electrons to electrodes are called bacterial nanowires. This study focuses on the isolation and separation of nanowires that are attached via Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial culture. The size and roughness of separated nanowires were measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The obtained bacterial nanowires indicated a clear image of bacterial nanowires measuring 16 nm in diameter. The formation of bacterial nanowires was confirmed by microscopic studies (AFM and TEM) and the conductivity nature of bacterial nanowire was investigated by electrochemical techniques. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), which are nondestructive voltammetry techniques, suggest that bacterial nanowires could be the source of electrons—which may be used in various applications, for example, microbial fuel cells, biosensors, organic solar cells, and bioelectronic devices. Routine analysis of electron transfer between bacterial nanowires and the electrode was performed, providing insight into the extracellular electron transfer (EET) to the electrode. CV revealed the catalytic electron transferability of bacterial nanowires and electrodes and showed excellent redox activities. CV and EIS studies showed that bacterial nanowires can charge the surface by producing and storing sufficient electrons, behave as a capacitor, and have features consistent with EET. Finally, electrochemical studies confirmed the development of bacterial nanowires with EET. This study suggests that bacterial nanowires can be used to fabricate biomolecular sensors and nanoelectronic devices. (paper)

A classical view on nonclassical nucleation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smeets, P.J.M.; Finney, A.R.; Habraken, W.J.E.M.; Nudelman, F.; Friedrich, H.; Laven, J.; De Yoreo, J.J.; Rodger, P.M.; Sommerdijk, N.A.J.M.

2017-01-01

Understanding and controlling nucleation is important for many crystallization applications. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is often used as a model system to investigate nucleation mechanisms. Despite its great importance in geology, biology, and many industrial applications, CaCO3 nucleation is still a

Quantum transport in nanowire-based hybrid devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guenel, Haci Yusuf

2013-05-08

We have studied the low-temperature transport properties of nanowires contacted by a normal metal as well as by superconducting electrodes. As a consequence of quantum coherence, we have demonstrated the electron interference effect in different aspects. The mesoscopic phase coherent transport properties were studied by contacting the semiconductor InAs and InSb nanowires with normal metal electrodes. Moreover, we explored the interaction of the microscopic quantum coherence of the nanowires with the macroscopic quantum coherence of the superconductors. In superconducting Nb contacted InAs nanowire junctions, we have investigated the effect of temperature, magnetic field and electric field on the supercurrent. Owing to relatively high critical temperature of superconducting Nb (T{sub c} ∝ 9 K), we have observed the supercurrent up to 4 K for highly doped nanowire-based junctions, while for low doped nanowire-based junctions a full control of the supercurrent was achieved. Due to low transversal dimension of the nanowires, we have found a monotonous decay of the critical current in magnetic field dependent measurements. The experimental results were analyzed within narrow junction model which has been developed recently. At high bias voltages, we have observed subharmonic energy gap structures as a consequence of multiple Andreev reflection. Some of the nanowires were etched, such that the superconducting Nb electrodes are connected to both ends of the nanowire rather than covering the surface of the nanowire. As a result of well defined nanowire-superconductor interfaces, we have examined quasiparticle interference effect in magnetotransport measurements. Furthermore, we have developed a new junction geometry, such that one of the superconducting Nb electrodes is replaced by a superconducting Al. Owing to the smaller critical magnetic field of superconducting Al (B{sub c} ∝ 15-50,mT), compared to superconducting Nb (B{sub c} ∝ 3 T), we were able to studied

Nursing Faculty Members' Perspectives of Faculty-to-Faculty Workplace Incivility among Nursing Faculty Members

Science.gov (United States)

Amos, Kimberly S.

2013-01-01

In recent years, nursing faculty incivility has been a searing topic of research. Nursing research included studies on incivility among nursing students, incivility between nursing students and nursing faculty, and incivility in the clinical setting. However, literature specifically on nursing faculty incivility was limited. This descriptive,…

Electrochemical synthesis of highly crystalline copper nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaur, Amandeep; Gupta, Tanish; Kumar, Akshay; Kumar, Sanjeev; Singh, Karamjeet; Thakur, Anup

2015-01-01

Copper nanowires were fabricated within the pores of anodic alumina template (AAT) by template synthesis method at pH = 2.9. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to investigate the structure, morphology and composition of fabricated nanowires. These characterizations revealed that the deposited copper nanowires were highly crystalline in nature, dense and uniform. The crystalline copper nanowires are promising in application of future nanoelectronic devices and circuits

Nucleation barrier reconstruction via the seeding method in a lattice model with competing nucleation pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Lifanov, Yuri; Vorselaars, Bart; Quigley, David

2016-12-07

We study a three-species analogue of the Potts lattice gas model of nucleation from solution in a regime where partially disordered solute is a viable thermodynamic phase. Using a multicanonical sampling protocol, we compute phase diagrams for the system, from which we determine a parameter regime where the partially disordered phase is metastable almost everywhere in the temperature-fugacity plane. The resulting model shows non-trivial nucleation and growth behaviour, which we examine via multidimensional free energy calculations. We consider the applicability of the model in capturing the multi-stage nucleation mechanisms of polymorphic biominerals (e.g., CaCO 3 ). We then quantitatively explore the kinetics of nucleation in our model using the increasingly popular "seeding" method. We compare the resulting free energy barrier heights to those obtained via explicit free energy calculations over a wide range of temperatures and fugacities, carefully considering the propagation of statistical error. We find that the ability of the "seeding" method to reproduce accurate free energy barriers is dependent on the degree of supersaturation, and severely limited by the use of a nucleation driving force Δμ computed for bulk phases. We discuss possible reasons for this in terms of underlying kinetic assumptions, and those of classical nucleation theory.

Chemically assisted crack nucleation in zircaloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williford, R.E.

1985-01-01

Stress corrosion cracking models (proposed to explain fuel rod failures) generally address crack propagation and cladding rupture, but frequently neglect the necessary nucleation stage for microcracks small enough to violate fracture mechanics continuum requirements. Intergranular microcrack nucleation was modeled with diffusion-controlled grain-boundary cavitation concepts, including the effects of metal embrittlement by iodine species. Computed microcrack nucleation times and strains agree with experimental observation, but the predicted grain-boundary cavities are so small that detection may be difficult. Without a protective oxide film intergranular microcracks can nucleate within 30 s at even low stresses when the embrittler concentration exceeds a threshold value. Indications were found that intergranular microcrack nucleation may be caused by combined corrosive and embrittlement phenomena. (orig.)

A classical density functional investigation of nucleation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Satinath; Ghosh, Swapan K.

2009-01-01

Study of nucleation and growth phenomena in condensation is of prime importance in various applications such as crystal growth, nanoparticle synthesis, pattern formation etc. The knowledge of nucleation barrier in condensation is necessary to control the nucleation kinetics, size of the nanoparticles etc. Classical nucleation theory (CNT) assumes the density of the drop as bulk density irrespective of the size of the drop and overestimates the nucleation barrier. Here we are interested in solving the problem analytically using density functional theory (DFT) with square gradient approximation along the lines of Cahn and Hilliard. Nucleation barrier and density profile obtained in this work are consistent with other works based on nonclassical theory. (author)

Enhanced ionized impurity scattering in nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Jung Hyun; Lee, Seok-Hee; Shin, Mincheol

2013-06-01

The electronic resistivity in silicon nanowires is investigated by taking into account scattering as well as the donor deactivation from the dielectric mismatch. The effects of poorly screened dopant atoms from the dielectric mismatch and variable carrier density in nanowires are found to play a crucial role in determining the nanowire resistivity. Using Green's function method within the self-consistent Born approximation, it is shown that donor deactivation and ionized impurity scattering combined with the charged interface traps successfully to explain the increase in the resistivity of Si nanowires while reducing the radius, measured by Björk et al. [Nature Nanotech. 4, 103 (2009)].

Freezing nucleation apparatus puts new slant on study of biological ice nucleators in precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Stopelli, E.; Conen, F.; Zimmermann, L.; Alewell, C.; Morris, C. E.

2014-01-01

For decades, drop-freezing instruments have contributed to a better understanding of biological ice nucleation and its likely implications for cloud and precipitation development. Yet, current instruments have limitations. Drops analysed on a cold stage are subject to evaporation and potential contamination. The use of closed tubes provides a partial solution to these problems, but freezing events are still difficult to be clearly detected. Here, we present a new apparatus where freezing in closed tubes is detected automatically by a change in light transmission upon ice development, caused by the formation of air bubbles and crystal facets that scatter light. Risks of contamination and introduction of biases linked to detecting the freezing temperature of a sample are then minimized. To illustrate the performance of the new apparatus we show initial results of two assays with snow samples. In one, we repeatedly analysed the sample (208 tubes) over the course of a month with storage at +4 °C, during which evidence for biological ice nucleation activity emerged through an increase in the number of ice nucleators active around -4 °C. In the second assay, we indicate the possibility of increasingly isolating a single ice nucleator from a precipitation sample, potentially determining the nature of a particle responsible for a nucleation activity measured directly in the sample. These two seminal approaches highlight the relevance of this handy apparatus for providing new points of view in biological ice nucleation research.

Bending and tensile deformation of metallic nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDowell, Matthew T; Leach, Austin M; Gall, Ken

2008-01-01

Using molecular statics simulations and the embedded atom method, a technique for bending silver nanowires and calculating Young's modulus via continuum mechanics has been developed. The measured Young's modulus values extracted from bending simulations were compared with modulus values calculated from uniaxial tension simulations for a range of nanowire sizes, orientations and geometries. Depending on axial orientation, the nanowires exhibit stiffening or softening under tension and bending as size decreases. Bending simulations typically result in a greater variation of Young's modulus values with nanowire size compared with tensile deformation, which indicates a loading-method-dependent size effect on elastic properties at sub-5 nm wire diameters. Since the axial stress is maximized at the lateral surfaces in bending, the loading-method-dependent size effect is postulated to be primarily a result of differences in nanowire surface and core elastic modulus. The divergence of Young's modulus from the bulk modulus in these simulations occurs at sizes below the range in which experiments have demonstrated a size scale effect on elastic properties of metallic nanowires. This difference indicates that other factors beyond native metallic surface properties play a role in experimentally observed nanowire elastic modulus size effects

Solution-processed copper-nickel nanowire anodes for organic solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Ian E.; Rathmell, Aaron R.; Yan, Liang; Ye, Shengrong; Flowers, Patrick F.; You, Wei; Wiley, Benjamin J.

2014-05-01

This work describes a process to make anodes for organic solar cells from copper-nickel nanowires with solution-phase processing. Copper nanowire films were coated from solution onto glass and made conductive by dipping them in acetic acid. Acetic acid removes the passivating oxide from the surface of copper nanowires, thereby reducing the contact resistance between nanowires to nearly the same extent as hydrogen annealing. Films of copper nanowires were made as oxidation resistant as silver nanowires under dry and humid conditions by dipping them in an electroless nickel plating solution. Organic solar cells utilizing these completely solution-processed copper-nickel nanowire films exhibited efficiencies of 4.9%.This work describes a process to make anodes for organic solar cells from copper-nickel nanowires with solution-phase processing. Copper nanowire films were coated from solution onto glass and made conductive by dipping them in acetic acid. Acetic acid removes the passivating oxide from the surface of copper nanowires, thereby reducing the contact resistance between nanowires to nearly the same extent as hydrogen annealing. Films of copper nanowires were made as oxidation resistant as silver nanowires under dry and humid conditions by dipping them in an electroless nickel plating solution. Organic solar cells utilizing these completely solution-processed copper-nickel nanowire films exhibited efficiencies of 4.9%. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr01024h

Nucleation of voids - the impurity effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, I-W; Taiwo, A.

1984-01-01

Nucleation of voids under irradiation in multicomponent alloys remains an unsolved theoretical problem. Of particular interest are the effects of nonequilibrium solute segregation phenomena on the critical nucleus and the nucleation rate. The resolution of the multicomponent nucleation in a dissipative system also has broader implication to the field of irreversible thermodynamics. The present paper describes a recent study of solute segregation effects in void nucleation. We begin with a thermodynamic model for a nonequilibrium void with interfacial segregation. The thermodynamic model is coupled with kinetic considerations of solute/solvent diffusion under a bias, which is itself related to segregation by the coating effect, to assess the stability of void embryos. To determine nucleation rate, we develop a novel technique by extending the most probable path method in statistical mechanics for nonequilibrium steady state to simulate large fluctuation with nonlinear dissipation. The path of nucleation is determined by solving an analogous problem on particle trajectory in classical dynamics. The results of both the stability analysis and the fluctuation analysis establish the paramount significance of the impurity effect via the mechanism of nonequilibrium segregation. We conclude that over-segregation is probably the most general cause for the apparently low nucleation barriers that are responsible for nearly ubiquitous occurrence of void swelling in common metals

Nanowire sensor, sensor array, and method for making the same

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Minhee (Inventor); Myung, Nosang (Inventor); Vasquez, Richard (Inventor); Homer, Margie (Inventor); Ryan, Margaret (Inventor); Yen, Shiao-Pin (Inventor); Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Bugga, Ratnakumar (Inventor); Choi, Daniel (Inventor); Goddard, William (Inventor)

2012-01-01

The present invention relates to a nanowire sensor and method for forming the same. More specifically, the nanowire sensor comprises at least one nanowire formed on a substrate, with a sensor receptor disposed on a surface of the nanowire, thereby forming a receptor-coated nanowire. The nanowire sensor can be arranged as a sensor sub-unit comprising a plurality of homogeneously receptor-coated nanowires. A plurality of sensor subunits can be formed to collectively comprise a nanowire sensor array. Each sensor subunit in the nanowire sensor array can be formed to sense a different stimulus, allowing a user to sense a plurality of stimuli. Additionally, each sensor subunit can be formed to sense the same stimuli through different aspects of the stimulus. The sensor array is fabricated through a variety of techniques, such as by creating nanopores on a substrate and electrodepositing nanowires within the nanopores.

Diamond nanowires: fabrication, structure, properties, and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yuan; Wu, Liangzhuan; Zhi, Jinfang

2014-12-22

C(sp(3) )C-bonded diamond nanowires are wide band gap semiconductors that exhibit a combination of superior properties such as negative electron affinity, chemical inertness, high Young's modulus, the highest hardness, and room-temperature thermal conductivity. The creation of 1D diamond nanowires with their giant surface-to-volume ratio enhancements makes it possible to control and enhance the fundamental properties of diamond. Although theoretical comparisons with carbon nanotubes have shown that diamond nanowires are energetically and mechanically viable structures, reproducibly synthesizing the crystalline diamond nanowires has remained challenging. We present a comprehensive, up-to-date review of diamond nanowires, including a discussion of their synthesis along with their structures, properties, and applications. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Guided Growth of Horizontal p-Type ZnTe Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

A major challenge toward large-scale integration of nanowires is the control over their alignment and position. A possible solution to this challenge is the guided growth process, which enables the synthesis of well-aligned horizontal nanowires that grow according to specific epitaxial or graphoepitaxial relations with the substrate. However, the guided growth of horizontal nanowires was demonstrated for a limited number of materials, most of which exhibit unintentional n-type behavior. Here we demonstrate the vapor–liquid–solid growth of guided horizontal ZnTe nanowires and nanowalls displaying p-type behavior on four different planes of sapphire. The growth directions of the nanowires are determined by epitaxial relations between the nanowires and the substrate or by a graphoepitaxial effect that guides their growth along nanogrooves or nanosteps along the surface. We characterized the crystallographic orientations and elemental composition of the nanowires using transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence. The optoelectronic and electronic properties of the nanowires were studied by fabricating photodetectors and top-gate thin film transistors. These measurements showed that the guided ZnTe nanowires are p-type semiconductors and are photoconductive in the visible range. The guided growth of horizontal p-type nanowires opens up the possibility of parallel nanowire integration into functional systems with a variety of potential applications not available by other means. PMID:27885331

Pattern analysis of aligned nanowires in a microchannel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeon, Young Jin; Kang, Hyun Wook; Ko, Seung Hwan; Sung, Hyung Jin

2013-01-01

An image processing method for evaluating the quality of nanowire alignment in a microchannel is described. A solution containing nanowires flowing into a microchannel will tend to deposit the nanowires on the bottom surface of the channel via near-wall shear flows. The deposited nanowires generally form complex directional structures along the direction of flow, and the physical properties of these structures depend on the structural morphology, including the alignment quality. A quantitative analysis approach to characterizing the nanowire alignment is needed to estimate the useful features of the nanowire structures. This analysis consists of several image processing methods, including ridge detection, texton analysis and autocorrelation function (ACF) calculation. The ridge detection method improved the ACF by extracting nanowire frames 1–2 pixels in width. Dilation filters were introduced to permit a comparison of the ACF results calculated from different images, regardless of the nanowire orientation. An ACF based on the FFT was then calculated over a square interrogation window. The alignment angle probability distribution was obtained using texton analysis. Monte Carlo simulations of artificially generated images were carried out, and the new algorithm was applied to images collected using two types of microscopy. (paper)

Charging effects and surface potential variations of Cu-based nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunes, D., E-mail: daniela.gomes@fct.unl.pt [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Calmeiro, T.R.; Nandy, S.; Pinto, J.V.; Pimentel, A.; Barquinha, P. [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Carvalho, P.A. [SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, PB 124 Blindern, NO-0314, Oslo (Norway); CeFEMA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisboa (Portugal); Walmsley, J.C. [SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, Materials and Nanotechnology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7034 Trondheim (Norway); Fortunato, E., E-mail: emf@fct.unl.pt [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Martins, R., E-mail: rm@uninova.pt [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)

2016-02-29

The present work reports charging effects and surface potential variations in pure copper, cuprous oxide and cupric oxide nanowires observed by electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The copper nanowires were produced by wet synthesis, oxidation into cuprous oxide nanowires was achieved through microwave irradiation and cupric oxide nanowires were obtained via furnace annealing in atmospheric conditions. Structural characterization of the nanowires was carried out by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. During the EFM experiments the electrostatic field of the positive probe charged negatively the Cu-based nanowires, which in turn polarized the SiO{sub 2} dielectric substrate. Both the probe/nanowire capacitance as well as the substrate polarization increased with the applied bias. Cu{sub 2}O and CuO nanowires behaved distinctively during the EFM measurements in accordance with their band gap energies. The work functions (WF) of the Cu-based nanowires, obtained by KPFM measurements, yielded WF{sub CuO} > WF{sub Cu} > WF{sub Cu{sub 2O}}. - Highlights: • Charge distribution study in Cu, Cu{sub 2}O and CuO nanowires through electrostatic force microscopy • Structural/surface defect role on the charge distribution along the Cu nanowires • Determination of the nanowire work functions by Kelvin probe force microscopy • Three types of nanowires give a broad idea of charge behavior on Cu based-nanowires.

Interaction of the nucleation phenomena at adjacent sites in nucleate boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sultan, M.; Judd, R.L.

1983-01-01

The present investigation is an original study in nucleate pool boiling heat transfer combining theory and experiment in which water boiling at atmospheric pressure on a single copper surface at two different levels of heat and different levels of subcooling was studied. Cross spectral analysis of the signals generated by the emission of bubbles at adjacent nucleation sites was used to determine the relationship of the time elapsed between the start of bubble growth at the two neighbouring active sites with the distance separating them. The experimental results obtained indicated that for the lower level of heat flux at three different levels of subcooling, the elapsed time and distance were directly related. Theoretical predictions of a temperature disturbance propagating through the heating surface in the radial direction gave good agreement with the experimental findings, suggesting that this is the mechanism responsible for the activation of the surrounding nucleation sites

Selective growth of gallium nitride nanowires by femtosecond laser patterning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, D.K.T.; Hong, M.H.; Tan, L.S.; Zhou, Y.; Chen, G.X.

2008-01-01

We report on gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires grown using pulsed laser ablation, adopting the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism. The GaN nanowires are obtained based on the principle that a catalyst is required to initiate the nanowires growth. Locations of the GaN nanowires are patterned using femtosecond laser and focused ion beam. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to characterize the nanowires. This patterning of GaN nanowires will enable selective growth of nanowires and bottom-up assembly of integrated electronic and photonic devices

Selective growth of gallium nitride nanowires by femtosecond laser patterning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ng, D.K.T. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore); Hong, M.H. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore)], E-mail: HONG_Minghui@dsi.a-star.edu.sg; Tan, L.S. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Zhou, Y. [Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore); Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Chen, G.X. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2008-01-31

We report on gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires grown using pulsed laser ablation, adopting the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism. The GaN nanowires are obtained based on the principle that a catalyst is required to initiate the nanowires growth. Locations of the GaN nanowires are patterned using femtosecond laser and focused ion beam. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to characterize the nanowires. This patterning of GaN nanowires will enable selective growth of nanowires and bottom-up assembly of integrated electronic and photonic devices.

Quantum transport in semiconductor nanowires

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Dam, J.

2006-01-01

This thesis describes a series of experiments aimed at understanding the low-temperature electrical transport properties of semiconductor nanowires. The semiconductor nanowires (1-100 nm in diameter) are grown from nanoscale gold particles via a chemical process called vapor-liquid-solid (VLS)

Ultraviolet photodetectors made from SnO2 nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jyh-Ming; Kuo, Cheng-Hsiang

2009-01-01

SnO 2 nanowires can be synthesized on alumina substrates and formed into an ultraviolet (UV) photodetector. The photoelectric current of the SnO 2 nanowires exhibited a rapid photo-response as a UV lamp was switched on and off. The ratio of UV-exposed current to dark current has been investigated. The SnO 2 nanowires were synthesized by a vapor-liquid-solid process at a temperature of 900 o C. It was found that the nanowires were around 70-100 nm in diameter and several hundred microns in length. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) image indicated that the nanowires grew along the [200] axis as a single crystallinity. Cathodoluminescence (CL), thin-film X-ray diffractometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the as-synthesized nanowires.

Pd nanowire arrays as electrocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hong; Cheng, Faliang [Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523106 (China); Xu, Changwei; Jiang, Sanping [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2007-05-15

Highly ordered Pd nanowire arrays were prepared by template-electrodeposition method using anodic aluminum oxide template. The Pd nanowire arrays, in this paper, have high electrochemical active surface and show excellent catalytic properties for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media. The activity of Pd nanowire arrays for ethanol oxidation is not only higher that of Pd film, but also higher than that of commercial E-TEK PtRu(2:1 by weight)/C. The micrometer sized pores and channels in nanowire arrays act as structure units. They make liquid fuel diffuse into and products diffuse out of the catalysts layer much easier, therefore, the utilization efficiency of catalysts gets higher. Pd nanowire arrays are stable catalysts for ethanol oxidation. The nanowire arrays may be a great potential in direct ethanol fuel cells and ethanol sensors. (author)

Synthetic Strategies and Applications of GaN Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guoquan Suo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available GaN is an important III-V semiconductor material with a direct band gap of 3.4 eV at 300 K. The wide direct band gap makes GaN an attractive material for various applications. GaN nanowires have demonstrated significant potential as fundamental building blocks for nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices and also offer substantial promise for integrated nanosystems. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review on the general synthetic strategies, characterizations, and applications of GaN nanowires. We first summarize several growth techniques of GaN nanowires. Subsequently, we discuss mechanisms involved to generate GaN nanowires from different synthetic schemes and conditions. Then we review some characterization methods of GaN nanowires. Finally, several kinds of main applications of GaN nanowires are discussed.

Dimensional effects in semiconductor nanowires; Dimensionseffekte in Halbleiternanodraehten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stichtenoth, Daniel

2008-06-23

Nanomaterials show new physical properties, which are determined by their size and morphology. These new properties can be ascribed to the higher surface to volume ratio, to quantum size effects or to a form anisotropy. They may enable new technologies. The nanowires studied in this work have a diameter of 4 to 400 nm and a length up to 100 {mu}m. The semiconductor material used is mainly zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc sulfide (ZnS) and gallium arsenide (GaAs). All nanowires were synthesized according to the vapor liquid solid mechanism, which was originally postulated for the growth of silicon whiskers. Respective modifications for the growth of compound semiconductor nanowires are discussed. Detailed luminescence studies on ZnO nanowires with different diameters show pronounced size effects which can be attributed to the origins given above. Similar to bulk material, a tuning of the material properties is often essential for a further functionalization of the nanowires. This is typical realized by doping the source material. It becomes apparent, that a controlled doping of nanowires during the growth process is not successful. Here an alternative method is chosen: the doping after the growth by ion implantation. However, the doping by ion implantation goes always along with the creation of crystal defects. The defects have to be annihilated in order to reach an activation of th introduced dopants. At high ion fluences and ion masses the sputtering of surface atoms becomes more important. This results in a characteristic change in the morphology of the nanowires. In detail, the doping of ZnO and ZnS nanowires with color centers (manganese and rare earth elements) is demonstrated. Especially, the intra 3d luminescence of manganese implanted ZnS nanostructures shows a strong dependence of the nanowire diameter and morphology. This dependence can be described by expanding Foersters model (which describes an energy transfer to the color centers) by a dimensional parameter

Dimers in nucleating vapors

Science.gov (United States)

Lushnikov, A. A.; Kulmala, M.

1998-09-01

The dimer stage of nucleation may affect considerably the rate of the nucleation process at high supersaturation of the nucleating vapor. Assuming that the dimer formation limits the nucleation rate, the kinetics of the particle formation-growth process is studied starting with the definition of dimers as bound states of two associating molecules. The partition function of dimer states is calculated by summing the Boltzmann factor over all classical bound states, and the equilibrium population of dimers is found for two types of intermolecular forces: the Lennard-Jones (LJ) and rectangular well+hard core (RW) potentials. The principle of detailed balance is used for calculating the evaporation rate of dimers. The kinetics of the particle formation-growth process is then investigated under the assumption that the trimers are stable with respect to evaporation and that the condensation rate is a power function of the particle mass. If the power exponent λ=n/(n+1) (n is a non-negative integer), the kinetics of the process is described by a finite set of moments of particle mass distribution. When the characteristic time of the particle formation by nucleation is much shorter than that of the condensational growth, n+2 universal functions of a nondimensional time define the kinetic process. These functions are calculated for λ=2/3 (gas-to-particle conversion in the free molecular regime) and λ=1/2 (formation of islands on surfaces).

Transformation of bulk alloys to oxide nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Danni; Benson, Jim; Magasinski, Alexandre; Berdichevsky, Gene; Yushin, Gleb

2017-01-01

One dimensional (1D) nanostructures offer prospects for enhancing the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of a broad range of functional materials and composites, but their synthesis methods are typically elaborate and expensive. We demonstrate a direct transformation of bulk materials into nanowires under ambient conditions without the use of catalysts or any external stimuli. The nanowires form via minimization of strain energy at the boundary of a chemical reaction front. We show the transformation of multimicrometer-sized particles of aluminum or magnesium alloys into alkoxide nanowires of tunable dimensions, which are converted into oxide nanowires upon heating in air. Fabricated separators based on aluminum oxide nanowires enhanced the safety and rate capabilities of lithium-ion batteries. The reported approach allows ultralow-cost scalable synthesis of 1D materials and membranes.

Superconductive silicon nanowires using gallium beam lithography.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henry, Michael David; Jarecki, Robert Leo,

2014-01-01

This work was an early career LDRD investigating the idea of using a focused ion beam (FIB) to implant Ga into silicon to create embedded nanowires and/or fully suspended nanowires. The embedded Ga nanowires demonstrated electrical resistivity of 5 m-cm, conductivity down to 4 K, and acts as an Ohmic silicon contact. The suspended nanowires achieved dimensions down to 20 nm x 30 nm x 10 m with large sensitivity to pressure. These structures then performed well as Pirani gauges. Sputtered niobium was also developed in this research for use as a superconductive coating on the nanowire. Oxidation characteristics of Nb were detailed and a technique to place the Nb under tensile stress resulted in the Nb resisting bulk atmospheric oxidation for up to years.

An analysis of the growth of silver catalyzed In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}As nanowires on Si (100) by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarkar, K.; Banerji, P., E-mail: pallab@matsc.iitkgp.ernet.in [Materials Science Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302 (India); Palit, M.; Chattopadhyay, S. [Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700098 (India)

2016-08-28

A model is proposed here to understand the nucleation of III–V semiconductor nanowires (NW). Whereas the classical nucleation theory is not adequately sufficient in explaining the evolution of the shape of the NWs under different chemical environment such as flow rate or partial pressure of the precursors, the effect of adsorption and desorption mediated growth, and diffusion limited growth are taken into account to explain the morphology and the crystal structure of In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}As nanowires (NW) on Silicon (100) substrates grown by a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique. It is found that the monolayer nucleus that originates at the triple phase line covers the entire nucleus-substrate (NS) region at a specific level of supersaturation and there are cases when the monolayer covers a certain fraction of the NS interface. When the monolayer covers the total NS interface, NWs grow with perfect cylindrical morphology and whenever a fraction of the interface is covered by the nucleus, the NWs become curved as observed from high resolution transmission electron microscopy images. The supersaturation, i.e., the chemical potential is found to be governed by the concentration of precursors into the molten silver which in the present case is taken as a catalyst. Our study provides new insights into the growth of ternary NWs which will be helpful in understanding the behavior of growth of different semiconducting NWs.

Silicon nanowire-based solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stelzner, Th; Pietsch, M; Andrae, G; Falk, F; Ose, E; Christiansen, S [Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, D-07745 Jena (Germany)], E-mail: thomas.stelzner@ipht-jena.de

2008-07-23

The fabrication of silicon nanowire-based solar cells on silicon wafers and on multicrystalline silicon thin films on glass is described. The nanowires show a strong broadband optical absorption, which makes them an interesting candidate to serve as an absorber in solar cells. The operation of a solar cell is demonstrated with n-doped nanowires grown on a p-doped silicon wafer. From a partially illuminated area of 0.6 cm{sup 2} open-circuit voltages in the range of 230-280 mV and a short-circuit current density of 2 mA cm{sup -2} were obtained.

Silicon nanowire-based solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stelzner, Th; Pietsch, M; Andrae, G; Falk, F; Ose, E; Christiansen, S

2008-01-01

The fabrication of silicon nanowire-based solar cells on silicon wafers and on multicrystalline silicon thin films on glass is described. The nanowires show a strong broadband optical absorption, which makes them an interesting candidate to serve as an absorber in solar cells. The operation of a solar cell is demonstrated with n-doped nanowires grown on a p-doped silicon wafer. From a partially illuminated area of 0.6 cm 2 open-circuit voltages in the range of 230-280 mV and a short-circuit current density of 2 mA cm -2 were obtained

Long-range magnetostatic interactions in arrays of nanowires

CERN Document Server

Raposo, V; González, J M; Vázquez, M

2000-01-01

Experimental measurements and micromagnetic simulations of the hysteresis loops of arrays of cobalt nanowires are compared here. Arrays of cobalt nanowires (200 nm in diameter) were electrodeposited into the pores of alumina membranes (thickness 60 mu m). Their hysteresis loops along the axial direction of nanowires were measured using vibrating sample magnetometry. Micromagnetic simulations were performed considering dipolar interaction between nanowires leading to similar hysteresis loops as those obtained experimentally.

Heterogeneous nucleation of calcium oxalate on native oxide surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, L.; Pattillo, M.J.; Graff, G.L.; Campbell, A.A.; Bunker, B.C.

1994-04-01

The aqueous deposition of calcium oxalate onto colloidal oxides has been studied as a model system for understanding heterogeneous nucleation processes of importance in biomimetic synthesis of ceramic thin films. Calcium oxalate nucleation has been monitored by measuring induction times for nucleation using Constant Composition techniques and by measuring nucleation densities on extended oxide surfaces using an atomic force microscope. Results show that the dependence of calcium oxalate nucleation on solution supersaturation fits the functional form predicted by classical nucleation theories. Anionic surfaces appear to promote nucleation better than cationic surfaces, lowering the effective energy barrier to heterogeneous nucleation

The lateral In2O3 nanowires and pyramid networks manipulation by controlled substrate surface energy in annealing evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Shariati, Mohsen; Darjani, Mojtaba

2016-02-01

The continuous laterally aligned growth of In2O3 nanocrystal networks extended with nanowire and pyramid connections under annealing influence has been reported. These nanostructures have been grown on Si substrate by using oxygen-assisted annealing process through PVD growth technique. The formation of In2O3 nanocrystals has been achieved by the successive growth of critical self-nucleated condensation in three orientations. The preferred direction was the route between two pyramids especially in the smallest surface energy. The effects of substrate temperature in annealing process on the morphological properties of the as-grown nanostructures were investigated. The annealing technique showed that by controlling the surface energy, the morphology of structures was changed from unregulated array to defined nanostructures; especially nanowires 50 nm in width. The obtained nanostructures also were investigated by the (transmission electron microscopy) TEM, Raman spectrum and the (X-ray diffraction) XRD patterns. They indicated that the self-assembled In2O3 nanocrystal networks have been fabricated by the vapor-solid (VS) growth mechanism. The growth mechanism process was prompted to attribute the relationship among the kinetics parameters, surface diffusion and morphology of nanostructures.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of an inclined nanowire array solar cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yao; Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia; Ren, Xiaomin

2015-11-30

An innovative solar cell based on inclined p-i-n nanowire array is designed and analyzed. The results show that the inclined geometry can sufficiently increase the conversion efficiency of solar cells by enhancing the absorption of light in the active region. By tuning the nanowire array density, nanowire diameter, nanowire length, as well as the proportion of intrinsic region of the inclined nanowire solar cell, a remarkable efficiency in excess of 16% can be obtained in GaAs. Similar results have been obtained in InP and Si nanowire solar cells, demonstrating the universality of the performance enhancement of inclined nanowire arrays.

Constricted nanowire with stabilized magnetic domain wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sbiaa, R.; Al Bahri, M.

2016-01-01

Domain wall (DW)-based magnetic memory offers the possibility for increasing the storage capacity. However, stability of DW remains the major drawback of this scheme. In this letter, we propose a stepped nanowire for pinning DW in a desirable position. From micromagnetic simulation, the proposed design applied to in-plane magnetic anisotropy materials shows that by adjusting the nanowire step size and its width it is possible to stabilize DW for a desirable current density range. In contrast, only a movement of DW could be seen for conventional nanowire. An extension to a multi-stepped nanowire could be used for multi-bit per cell magnetic memory. - Highlights: • A stepped nanowire is proposed to pin domain wall in desired position. • The new structure can be made by a simple off set of two single nanowires. • The critical current for moving domain wall from one state to the other could be tuned by adjusting the geometry of the device. • The device could be used for multi-bit per cell memory by extending the steps in the device.

Electrical and Optical Characterization of Nanowire based Semiconductor Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Ayvazian, Talin

This research project is focused on a new strategy for the creation of nanowire based semiconductor devices. The main goal is to understand and optimize the electrical and optical properties of two types of nanoscale devices; in first type lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition (LPNE) method has been utilized to fabricate nanowire field effect transistors (NWFET) and second type involved the development of light emitting semiconductor nanowire arrays (NWLED). Field effect transistors (NWFETs) have been prepared from arrays of polycrystalline cadmium selenide (pc-CdSe) nanowires using a back gate configuration. pc-CdSe nanowires were fabricated using the lithographically patterned nanowire electrode- position (LPNE) process on SiO2 /Si substrates. After electrodeposition, pc-CdSe nanowires were thermally annealed at 300 °C x 4 h either with or without exposure to CdCl 2 in methanol a grain growth promoter. The influence of CdCl2 treatment was to increase the mean grain diameter as determined by X-ray diffraction pattern and to convert the crystal structure from cubic to wurtzite. Transfer characteristics showed an increase of the field effect mobility (mu eff) by an order of magnitude and increase of the Ion/I off ratio by a factor of 3-4. Light emitting devices (NW-LED) based on lithographically patterned pc-CdSe nanowire arrays have been investigated. Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of CdSe nanowires under various biases exhibited broad emission spectra centered at 750 nm close to the band gap of CdSe (1.7eV). To enhance the intensity of the emitted light and the external quantum efficiency (EQE), the distance between the contacts were reduced from 5 mum to less than 1 mum which increased the efficiency by an order of magnitude. Also, increasing the annealing temperature of nanowires from 300 °C x4 h to 450 This research project is focused on a new strategy for the creation of nanowire based semiconductor devices. The main goal is to understand

Nanowires and nanobelts, v.2 nanowires and nanobelts of functional materials

CERN Document Server

Wang, Zhong Lin

2010-01-01

Nanowires, nanobelts, nanoribbons, nanorods ..., are a new class of quasi-one-dimensional materials that have been attracting a great research interest in the last few years. These non-carbon based materials have been demonstrated to exhibit superior electrical, optical, mechanical and thermal properties, and can be used as fundamental building blocks for nano-scale science and technology, ranging from chemical and biological sensors, field effect transistors to logic circuits. Nanocircuits built using semiconductor nanowires demonstrated were declared a ""breakthrough in science"" by Science

Nucleation behavior of glutathione polymorphs in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zhi; Dang, Leping; Li, Shuai; Wei, Hongyuan

2013-01-01

Nucleation behavior of glutathione (GSH) polymorphs in water was investigated by experimental method combined with classical nucleation theory. The solubility of α and β forms GSH in water at different temperatures, and the nucleation induction period at various supersaturations and temperatures were determined experimentally. The results show that, in a certain range of supersaturation, the nucleation of β form predominates at relatively higher temperature, while α form will be obtained at lower temperature. The nucleation kinetics parameters of α and β form were then calculated. To understand the crucial role of temperature on crystal forms, “hypothetic” nucleation parameters of β form at 283.15 K were deduced based on extrapolation method. The results show that the interfacial tension, critical free energy, critical nucleus radius and nucleus number of α form are smaller than that of β form in the same condition at 283.15 K, which implies that α form nucleates easier than β form at low temperature. This work may be useful for the control and optimization of GSH crystallization process in industry

Nucleation in an ultra low ionization environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jens Olaf Pepke; Enghoff, Martin Andreas Bødker; Paling, Sean

Atmospheric ions can enhance the nucleation of aerosols, as has been established by experiments, observation, and theory. In the clean marine atmosphere ionization is mainly caused by cosmic rays which in turn are controlled by the activity of the Sun, thus providing a potential link between solar...... activity and climate. In order to understand the effect ions may have on the production of cloud condensation nuclei the overall contribution of ion induced nucleation to the global production of secondary aerosols must be determined. One issue with determining this contribution is that several mechanisms...... for nucleation exist and it can be difficult to determine the relative importance of the various mechanisms in a given nucleation event when both ion induced and electrically neutral nucleation mechanisms are at work at the same time. We have carried out nucleation experiments in the Boulby Underground...

Effect of the nanowire diameter on the linearity of the response of GaN-based heterostructured nanowire photodetectors

Science.gov (United States)

Spies, Maria; Polaczyński, Jakub; Ajay, Akhil; Kalita, Dipankar; Luong, Minh Anh; Lähnemann, Jonas; Gayral, Bruno; den Hertog, Martien I.; Monroy, Eva

2018-06-01

Nanowire photodetectors are investigated because of their compatibility with flexible electronics, or for the implementation of on-chip optical interconnects. Such devices are characterized by ultrahigh photocurrent gain, but their photoresponse scales sublinearly with the optical power. Here, we present a study of single-nanowire photodetectors displaying a linear response to ultraviolet illumination. Their structure consists of a GaN nanowire incorporating an AlN/GaN/AlN heterostructure, which generates an internal electric field. The activity of the heterostructure is confirmed by the rectifying behavior of the current–voltage characteristics in the dark, as well as by the asymmetry of the photoresponse in magnitude and linearity. Under reverse bias (negative bias on the GaN cap segment), the detectors behave linearly with the impinging optical power when the nanowire diameter is below a certain threshold (≈80 nm), which corresponds to the total depletion of the nanowire stem due to the Fermi level pinning at the sidewalls. In the case of nanowires that are only partially depleted, their nonlinearity is explained by a nonlinear variation of the diameter of their central conducting channel under illumination.

Carrier gas effects on aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ke, Yue; Hainey, Mel Jr; Won, Dongjin; Weng, Xiaojun; Eichfeld, Sarah M; Redwing, Joan M

2016-01-01

Aluminum-catalyzed silicon nanowire growth under low-pressure chemical vapor deposition conditions requires higher reactor pressures than gold-catalyzed growth, but the reasons for this difference are not well understood. In this study, the effects of reactor pressure and hydrogen partial pressure on silicon nanowire growth using an aluminum catalyst were studied by growing nanowires in hydrogen and hydrogen/nitrogen carrier gas mixtures at different total reactor pressures. Nanowires grown in the nitrogen/hydrogen mixture have faceted catalyst droplet tips, minimal evidence of aluminum diffusion from the tip down the nanowire sidewalls, and significant vapor–solid deposition of silicon on the sidewalls. In comparison, wires grown in pure hydrogen show less well-defined tips, evidence of aluminum diffusion down the nanowire sidewalls at increasing reactor pressures and reduced vapor–solid deposition of silicon on the sidewalls. The results are explained in terms of a model wherein the hydrogen partial pressure plays a critical role in aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth by controlling hydrogen termination of the silicon nanowire sidewalls. For a given reactor pressure, increased hydrogen partial pressures increase the extent of hydrogen termination of the sidewalls which suppresses SiH_4 adsorption thereby reducing vapor–solid deposition of silicon but increases the surface diffusion length of aluminum. Conversely, lower hydrogen partial pressures reduce the hydrogen termination and also increase the extent of SiH_4 gas phase decomposition, shifting the nanowire growth window to lower growth temperatures and silane partial pressures. (paper)

Electrodeposited highly-ordered manganese oxide nanowire arrays for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Haifeng; Lu, Bingqiang; Wei, Shuiqiang; Bao, Mi; Wen, Yanxuan; Wang, Fan

2012-07-01

Large arrays of well-aligned Mn oxide nanowires were prepared by electrodeposition using anodic aluminum oxide templates. The sizes of nanowires were tuned by varying the electrotype solution involved and the MnO2 nanowires with 10 μm in length were obtained in a neutral KMnO4 bath for 1 h. MnO2 nanowire arrays grown on conductor substance save the tedious electrode-making process, and electrochemical characterization demonstrates that the MnO2 nanowire arrays electrode has good capacitive behavior. Due to the limited mass transportation in narrow spacing, the spacing effects between the neighbor nanowires have show great influence to the electrochemical performance.

Biofunctionalization of zinc oxide nanowires for DNA sensory applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudolph Bettina

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract We report on the biofunctionalization of zinc oxide nanowires for the attachment of DNA target molecules on the nanowire surface. With the organosilane glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane acting as a bifunctional linker, amino-modified capture molecule oligonucleotides have been immobilized on the nanowire surface. The dye-marked DNA molecules were detected via fluorescence microscopy, and our results reveal a successful attachment of DNA capture molecules onto the nanowire surface. The electrical field effect induced by the negatively charged attached DNA molecules should be able to control the electrical properties of the nanowires and gives way to a ZnO nanowire-based biosensing device.

Morphology Controlled Fabrication of InN Nanowires on Brass Substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huijie Li

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Growth of semiconductor nanowires on cheap metal substrates could pave the way to the large-scale manufacture of low-cost nanowire-based devices. In this work, we demonstrated that high density InN nanowires can be directly grown on brass substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. It was found that Zn from the brass substrates is the key factor in the formation of nanowires by restricting the lateral growth of InN. The nanowire morphology is highly dependent on the growth temperature. While at a lower growth temperature, the nanowires and the In droplets have large diameters. At the elevated growth temperature, the lateral sizes of the nanowires and the In droplets are much smaller. Moreover, the nanowire diameter can be controlled in situ by varying the temperature in the growth process. This method is very instructive to the diameter-controlled growth of nanowires of other materials.

Surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy using interacting gold nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neubrech, Frank; Weber, Daniel; Pucci, Annemarie [Kirchhoff-Institut fuer Physik, Heidelberg (Germany); Shen, Hong [Universite Troyes, Troyes (France); Lamy de la Chapelle, Marc [Universite Paris 13, Bobigny (France)

2009-07-01

We performed surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy (SEIRS) of molecules adsorbed on gold nanowires using synchrotron light of the ANKA IR-beamline at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany). Arrays of gold nanowires with interparticle spacings down to 30nm were prepared by electron beam lithography. The interparticle distance was reduced further by wet-chemically increasing the size of the gold nanowires. The growth of the wires was proofed using IR spectroscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy. After this preparation step, appropriate arrays of nanowires with an interparticle distance down to a few nanometers were selected to demonstrate the surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy of one monolayer octadecanthiol (ODT). As know from SEIRS studies using single gold nanowires, the spectral position of the antenna-like resonance in relation to the absorption bands of ODT (2850cm-1 and 2919cm-1) is crucial for both, the lineshape of the molecular vibration and the signal enhancement. In contrast to single nanowires studies, a further increase of the enhanced signals is expected due to the interaction of the electromagnetic fields of the close-by nanowires.

Synthesis and electrical characterization of tungsten oxide nanowires

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Huang Rui; Zhu Jing; Yu Rong

2009-01-01

Tungsten oxide nanowires of diameters ranging from 7 to 200 nm are prepared on a tungsten rod substrate by using the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method with vapour-solid (VS) mechanism. Tin powders are used to control oxygen concentration in the furnace, thereby assisting the growth of the tungsten oxide nanowires. The grown tungsten oxide nanowires are determined to be of crystalline W18O49. Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves are measured by an in situ transmission electron microscope (TEM) to investigate the electrical properties of the nanowires. All of the Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves observed are symmetric, which reveals that the tungsten oxide nanowires are semiconducting. Quantitative analyses of the experimental I V curves by using a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) model give some intrinsic parameters of the tungsten oxide nanowires, such as the carrier concentration, the carrier mobility and the conductivity.

Semiconductor Nanowires and Nanotubes for Energy Conversion

Science.gov (United States)

Fardy, Melissa Anne

In recent years semiconductor nanowires and nanotubes have garnered increased attention for their unique properties. With their nanoscale dimensions comes high surface area and quantum confinement, promising enhancements in a wide range of applications. 1-dimensional nanostructures are especially attractive for energy conversion applications where photons, phonons, and electrons come into play. Since the bohr exciton radius and phonon and electron mean free paths are on the same length scales as nanowire diameters, optical, thermal, and electrical properties can be tuned by simple nanowire size adjustments. In addition, the high surface area inherent to nanowires and nanotubes lends them towards efficient charge separation and superior catalytic performance. In thermoelectric power generation, the nanoscale wire diameter can effectively scatter phonons, promoting reductions in thermal conductivity and enhancements in the thermoelectric figure of merit. To that end, single-crystalline arrays of PbS, PbSe, and PbTe nanowires have been synthesized by a chemical vapor transport approach. The electrical and thermal transport properties of the nanowires were characterized to investigate their potential as thermoelectric materials. Compared to bulk, the lead chalcogenide nanowires exhibit reduced thermal conductivity below 100 K by up to 3 orders of magnitude, suggesting that they may be promising thermoelectric materials. Smaller diameters and increased surface roughness are expected to give additional enhancements. The solution-phase synthesis of PbSe nanowires via oriented attachment of nanoparticles enables facile surface engineering and diameter control. Branched PbSe nanowires synthesized by this approach showed near degenerately doped charge carrier concentrations. Compared to the bulk, the PbSe nanowires exhibited a similar Seebeck coefficient and a significant reduction in thermal conductivity in the temperature range 20 K to 300 K. Thermal annealing of the Pb

Rare earth silicide nanowires on silicon surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanke, Martina

2008-01-01

The growth, structure and electronic properties of rare earth silicide nanowires are investigated on planar and vicinal Si(001) und Si(111) surfaces with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). On all surfaces investigated within this work hexagonal disilicides are grown epitaxially with a lattice mismatch of -2.55% up to +0.83% along the hexagonal a-axis. Along the hexagonal c-axis the lattice mismatch is essentially larger with 6.5%. On the Si(001)2 x 1 surface two types of nanowires are grown epitaxially. The socalled broad wires show a one-dimensional metallic valence band structure with states crossing the Fermi level. Along the nanowires two strongly dispersing states at the anti J point and a strongly dispersing state at the anti Γ point can be observed. Along the thin nanowires dispersing states could not be observed. Merely in the direction perpendicular to the wires an intensity variation could be observed, which corresponds to the observed spacial structure of the thin nanowires. The electronic properties of the broad erbium silicide nanowires are very similar to the broad dysprosium silicide nanowires. The electronic properties of the DySi 2 -monolayer and the Dy 3 Si 5 -multilayer on the Si(111) surface are investigated in comparison to the known ErSi 2 /Si(111) and Er 3 Si 5 /Si(111) system. The positions and the energetic locations of the observed band in the surface Brillouin zone will be confirmed for dysprosium. The shape of the electron pockets in the vector k parallel space is elliptical at the anti M points, while the hole pocket at the anti Γ point is showing a hexagonal symmetry. On the Si(557) surface the structural and electronic properties depend strongly on the different preparation conditions likewise, in particular on the rare earth coverage. At submonolayer coverage the thin nanowires grow in wide areas of the sample surface, which are oriented

As-Grown Gallium Nitride Nanowire Electromechanical Resonators

Science.gov (United States)

Montague, Joshua R.

Technological development in recent years has led to a ubiquity of micro- and nano-scale electromechanical devices. Sensors for monitoring temperature, pressure, mass, etc., are now found in nearly all electronic devices at both the industrial and consumer levels. As has been true for integrated circuit electronics, these electromechanical devices have continued to be scaled down in size. For many nanometer-scale structures with large surface-to-volume ratio, dissipation (energy loss) becomes prohibitively large causing a decreasing sensitivity with decreasing sensor size. In this work, gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires are investigated as singly-clamped (cantilever) mechanical resonators with typical mechanical quality factors, Q (equal to the ratio of resonance frequency to peak full-width-at-half-maximum-power) and resonance frequencies, respectively, at or above 30,000, and near 1 MHz. These Q values---in vacuum at room temperature---indicate very low levels of dissipation; they are essentially the same as those for bulk quartz crystal resonators that form the basis of simple clocks and mass sensors. The GaN nanowires have lengths and diameters, respectively, of approximately 15 micrometers and hundreds of nanometers. As-grown GaN nanowire Q values are larger than other similarly-sized, bottom-up, cantilever resonators and this property makes them very attractive for use as resonant sensors. We demonstrate the capability of detecting sub-monolayer levels of atomic layer deposited (ALD) films, and the robust nature of the GaN nanowires structure that allows for their 'reuse' after removal of such layers. In addition to electron microscope-based measurement techniques, we demonstrate the successful capacitive detection of a single nanowire using microwave homodyne reflectometry. This technique is then extended to allow for simultaneous measurements of large ensembles of GaN nanowires on a single sample, providing statistical information about the distribution of

Self-Assembled PbSe Nanowire:Perovskite Hybrids

KAUST Repository

Yang, Zhenyu

2015-12-02

© 2015 American Chemical Society. Inorganic semiconductor nanowires are of interest in nano- and microscale photonic and electronic applications. Here we report the formation of PbSe nanowires based on directional quantum dot alignment and fusion regulated by hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite surface ligands. All material synthesis is carried out at mild temperatures. Passivation of PbSe quantum dots was achieved via a new perovskite ligand exchange. Subsequent in situ ammonium/amine substitution by butylamine enables quantum dots to be capped by butylammonium lead iodide, and this further drives the formation of a PbSe nanowire superlattice in a two-dimensional (2D) perovskite matrix. The average spacing between two adjacent nanowires agrees well with the thickness of single atomic layer of 2D perovskite, consistent with the formation of a new self-assembled semiconductor nanowire:perovskite heterocrystal hybrid.

Self-Assembled PbSe Nanowire:Perovskite Hybrids

KAUST Repository

Yang, Zhenyu; Yassitepe, Emre; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Janmohamed, Alyf; Lan, Xinzheng; Levina, Larissa; Comin, Riccardo; Sargent, Edward H.

2015-01-01

© 2015 American Chemical Society. Inorganic semiconductor nanowires are of interest in nano- and microscale photonic and electronic applications. Here we report the formation of PbSe nanowires based on directional quantum dot alignment and fusion regulated by hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite surface ligands. All material synthesis is carried out at mild temperatures. Passivation of PbSe quantum dots was achieved via a new perovskite ligand exchange. Subsequent in situ ammonium/amine substitution by butylamine enables quantum dots to be capped by butylammonium lead iodide, and this further drives the formation of a PbSe nanowire superlattice in a two-dimensional (2D) perovskite matrix. The average spacing between two adjacent nanowires agrees well with the thickness of single atomic layer of 2D perovskite, consistent with the formation of a new self-assembled semiconductor nanowire:perovskite heterocrystal hybrid.

Theory and Simulation of Nucleation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuipers, J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304832049

2009-01-01

Nucleation is the process where a stable nucleus spontaneously emerges in a metastable environment. Examples of nucleation abound, for instance the formation of droplets in undercooled gasses and of crystals in undercooled liquids. The process is thermally activated and is key to understanding

Nonclassical nucleation pathways in protein crystallization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fajun

2017-11-08

Classical nucleation theory (CNT), which was established about 90 years ago, has been very successful in many research fields, and continues to be the most commonly used theory in describing the nucleation process. For a fluid-to-solid phase transition, CNT states that the solute molecules in a supersaturated solution reversibly form small clusters. Once the cluster size reaches a critical value, it becomes thermodynamically stable and favored for further growth. One of the most important assumptions of CNT is that the nucleation process is described by one reaction coordinate and all order parameters proceed simultaneously. Recent studies in experiments, computer simulations and theory have revealed nonclassical features in the early stage of nucleation. In particular, the decoupling of order parameters involved during a fluid-to-solid transition leads to the so-called two-step nucleation mechanism, in which a metastable intermediate phase (MIP) exists between the initial supersaturated solution and the final crystals. Depending on the exact free energy landscapes, the MIPs can be a high density liquid phase, mesoscopic clusters, or a pre-ordered state. In this review, we focus on the studies of nonclassical pathways in protein crystallization and discuss the applications of the various scenarios of two-step nucleation theory. In particular, we focus on protein solutions in the presence of multivalent salts, which serve as a model protein system to study the nucleation pathways. We wish to point out the unique features of proteins as model systems for further studies.

Nonclassical nucleation pathways in protein crystallization

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fajun

2017-11-01

Classical nucleation theory (CNT), which was established about 90 years ago, has been very successful in many research fields, and continues to be the most commonly used theory in describing the nucleation process. For a fluid-to-solid phase transition, CNT states that the solute molecules in a supersaturated solution reversibly form small clusters. Once the cluster size reaches a critical value, it becomes thermodynamically stable and favored for further growth. One of the most important assumptions of CNT is that the nucleation process is described by one reaction coordinate and all order parameters proceed simultaneously. Recent studies in experiments, computer simulations and theory have revealed nonclassical features in the early stage of nucleation. In particular, the decoupling of order parameters involved during a fluid-to-solid transition leads to the so-called two-step nucleation mechanism, in which a metastable intermediate phase (MIP) exists between the initial supersaturated solution and the final crystals. Depending on the exact free energy landscapes, the MIPs can be a high density liquid phase, mesoscopic clusters, or a pre-ordered state. In this review, we focus on the studies of nonclassical pathways in protein crystallization and discuss the applications of the various scenarios of two-step nucleation theory. In particular, we focus on protein solutions in the presence of multivalent salts, which serve as a model protein system to study the nucleation pathways. We wish to point out the unique features of proteins as model systems for further studies.

Guiding modes of semi-infinite nanowire and their dispersion character

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Yuming; Su, Yuehua; Dai, Zhenhong; Wang, Weitian

2014-01-01

Conventionally, the optical properties of finite semiconductor nanowires have been understood and explained in terms of an infinite nanowire. This work describes completely different photonic modes for a semi-finite nanowire based on a rigorous theoretical method, and the implications for the finite one. First, the special eigenvalue problem charactered by the end results in a distinctive mode spectrum for the semi-infinite dielectric nanowire. Meanwhile, the results show hybrid degenerate modes away from cutoff frequency, and transverse electric–transverse magnetic (TE–TM) degeneracy. Second, accompanying a different mode spectrum, a semi-finite nanowire also shows a distinctive dispersion relation compared to an infinite nanowire. Taking a semi-infinite, ZnO nanowire as an example, we find that the ℏω−k z space is not continuous in the interested photon energy window, implying that there is no uniform polariton dispersion relation for semi-infinite nanowire. Our method is shown correct through a field-reconstruction for a thin ZnO nanowire (55 nm in radius) and position determination of FP modes for a ZnO nanowire (200 nm in diameter). The results are of great significance to correctly understand the guiding and lasing mechanisms of semiconductor nanowires. (paper)

Role of stacking disorder in ice nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lupi, Laura; Hudait, Arpa; Peters, Baron; Grünwald, Michael; Gotchy Mullen, Ryan; Nguyen, Andrew H; Molinero, Valeria

2017-11-08

The freezing of water affects the processes that determine Earth's climate. Therefore, accurate weather and climate forecasts hinge on good predictions of ice nucleation rates. Such rate predictions are based on extrapolations using classical nucleation theory, which assumes that the structure of nanometre-sized ice crystallites corresponds to that of hexagonal ice, the thermodynamically stable form of bulk ice. However, simulations with various water models find that ice nucleated and grown under atmospheric temperatures is at all sizes stacking-disordered, consisting of random sequences of cubic and hexagonal ice layers. This implies that stacking-disordered ice crystallites either are more stable than hexagonal ice crystallites or form because of non-equilibrium dynamical effects. Both scenarios challenge central tenets of classical nucleation theory. Here we use rare-event sampling and free energy calculations with the mW water model to show that the entropy of mixing cubic and hexagonal layers makes stacking-disordered ice the stable phase for crystallites up to a size of at least 100,000 molecules. We find that stacking-disordered critical crystallites at 230 kelvin are about 14 kilojoules per mole of crystallite more stable than hexagonal crystallites, making their ice nucleation rates more than three orders of magnitude higher than predicted by classical nucleation theory. This effect on nucleation rates is temperature dependent, being the most pronounced at the warmest conditions, and should affect the modelling of cloud formation and ice particle numbers, which are very sensitive to the temperature dependence of ice nucleation rates. We conclude that classical nucleation theory needs to be corrected to include the dependence of the crystallization driving force on the size of the ice crystallite when interpreting and extrapolating ice nucleation rates from experimental laboratory conditions to the temperatures that occur in clouds.

Catalyst-free, III-V nanowire photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, D. G.; Lambert, N.; Fry, P. W.; Foster, A.; Krysa, A. B.; Wilson, L. R.

2014-05-01

We report on room temperature, photovoltaic operation of catalyst-free GaAs p-i-n junction nanowire arrays. Growth studies were first performed to determine the optimum conditions for controlling the vertical and lateral growth of the nanowires. Following this, devices consisting of axial p-i-n junctions were fabricated by planarising the nanowire arrays with a hard baked polymer. We discuss the photovoltaic properties of this proof-of-concept device, and significant improvements to be made during the growth.

On the thermomechanical deformation of silver shape memory nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Harold S.; Ji, Changjiang

2006-01-01

We present an analysis of the uniaxial thermomechanical deformation of single-crystal silver shape memory nanowires using atomistic simulations. We first demonstrate that silver nanowires can show both shape memory and pseudoelastic behavior, then perform uniaxial tensile loading of the shape memory nanowires at various deformation temperatures, strain rates and heat transfer conditions. The simulations show that the resulting mechanical response of the shape memory nanowires depends strongly upon the temperature during deformation, and can be fundamentally different from that observed in bulk polycrystalline shape memory alloys. The energy and temperature signatures of uniaxially loaded silver shape memory nanowires are correlated to the observed nanowire deformation, and are further discussed in comparison to bulk polycrystalline shape memory alloy behavior

The impact of student-faculty ratio on pharmacy faculty scholarship.

Science.gov (United States)

Benavides, Sandra; Garcia, Angela S; Caballero, Joshua; Wolowich, William R

2010-10-11

To determine the relationship and impact of student-faculty ratio on scholarship of pharmacy faculty members. The number and rank of faculty members, pharmacy program characteristics, and faculty productivity data were collected to determine the impact of student-faculty ratio on faculty scholarship. Faculty scholarship was not predicted by student-faculty ratio. Factors impacting positively on faculty productivity included National Institutes of Health funding; presence of clinical associate professors, instructors, and lecturers; and programs located in public universities. Faculty productivity is not related to the student-faculty ratio, wherein more faculty members and fewer students equates to increased scholarship. However, public universities may have different infrastructures which are associated with greater academic productivity compared to private institutions. Additionally, utilizing instructors and clinical or nontenure-track faculty members can significantly increase scholarship among faculty members.

Homogeneous nucleation of water in synthetic air

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fransen, M.A.L.J.; Sachteleben, E.; Hruby, J.; Smeulders, D.M.J.; DeMott, P.J.; O'Dowd, C.D.

2013-01-01

Homogeneous nucleation rates for water vapor in synthetic air are measured by means of a Pulse-Expansion Wave Tube (PEWT). A comparison of the experimental nucleation rates with the Classical Nucleation Theory (CNT) shows that a more elaborated model is necessary to describe supercooled water

Simple improvements to classical bubble nucleation models.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Kyoko K; Tanaka, Hidekazu; Angélil, Raymond; Diemand, Jürg

2015-08-01

We revisit classical nucleation theory (CNT) for the homogeneous bubble nucleation rate and improve the classical formula using a correct prefactor in the nucleation rate. Most of the previous theoretical studies have used the constant prefactor determined by the bubble growth due to the evaporation process from the bubble surface. However, the growth of bubbles is also regulated by the thermal conduction, the viscosity, and the inertia of liquid motion. These effects can decrease the prefactor significantly, especially when the liquid pressure is much smaller than the equilibrium one. The deviation in the nucleation rate between the improved formula and the CNT can be as large as several orders of magnitude. Our improved, accurate prefactor and recent advances in molecular dynamics simulations and laboratory experiments for argon bubble nucleation enable us to precisely constrain the free energy barrier for bubble nucleation. Assuming the correction to the CNT free energy is of the functional form suggested by Tolman, the precise evaluations of the free energy barriers suggest the Tolman length is ≃0.3σ independently of the temperature for argon bubble nucleation, where σ is the unit length of the Lennard-Jones potential. With this Tolman correction and our prefactor one gets accurate bubble nucleation rate predictions in the parameter range probed by current experiments and molecular dynamics simulations.

Aluminum-catalyzed silicon nanowires: Growth methods, properties, and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hainey, Mel F.; Redwing, Joan M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)

2016-12-15

Metal-mediated vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth is a promising approach for the fabrication of silicon nanowires, although residual metal incorporation into the nanowires during growth can adversely impact electronic properties particularly when metals such as gold and copper are utilized. Aluminum, which acts as a shallow acceptor in silicon, is therefore of significant interest for the growth of p-type silicon nanowires but has presented challenges due to its propensity for oxidation. This paper summarizes the key aspects of aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth along with wire properties and device results. In the first section, aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth is discussed with a specific emphasis on methods to mitigate aluminum oxide formation. Next, the influence of growth parameters such as growth temperature, precursor partial pressure, and hydrogen partial pressure on nanowire morphology is discussed, followed by a brief review of the growth of templated and patterned arrays of nanowires. Aluminum incorporation into the nanowires is then discussed in detail, including measurements of the aluminum concentration within wires using atom probe tomography and assessment of electrical properties by four point resistance measurements. Finally, the use of aluminum-catalyzed VLS growth for device fabrication is reviewed including results on single-wire radial p-n junction solar cells and planar solar cells fabricated with nanowire/nanopyramid texturing.

Flexible integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bigeng; Wu, Hao; Xin, Chenguang; Dai, Daoxin; Tong, Limin

2017-06-14

Silicon photonics has been developed successfully with a top-down fabrication technique to enable large-scale photonic integrated circuits with high reproducibility, but is limited intrinsically by the material capability for active or nonlinear applications. On the other hand, free-standing nanowires synthesized via a bottom-up growth present great material diversity and structural uniformity, but precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a great challenge. Here we report hybrid integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics with high flexibility by coupling free-standing nanowires onto target silicon waveguides that are simultaneously used for precise positioning. Coupling efficiency between a free-standing nanowire and a silicon waveguide is up to ~97% in the telecommunication band. A hybrid nonlinear-free-standing nanowires-silicon waveguides Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a racetrack resonator for significantly enhanced optical modulation are experimentally demonstrated, as well as hybrid active-free-standing nanowires-silicon waveguides circuits for light generation. These results suggest an alternative approach to flexible multifunctional on-chip nanophotonic devices.Precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a challenge. Here, Chen et al. integrate free-standing nanowires into silicon waveguides and show all-optical modulation and light generation on silicon photonic chips.

Truncated Dual-Cap Nucleation Site Development

Science.gov (United States)

Matson, Douglas M.; Sander, Paul J.

2012-01-01

During heterogeneous nucleation within a metastable mushy-zone, several geometries for nucleation site development must be considered. Traditional spherical dual cap and crevice models are compared to a truncated dual cap to determine the activation energy and critical cluster growth kinetics in ternary Fe-Cr-Ni steel alloys. Results of activation energy results indicate that nucleation is more probable at grain boundaries within the solid than at the solid-liquid interface.

Homogeneous versus heterogeneous zeolite nucleation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dokter, W.H.; Garderen, van H.F.; Beelen, T.P.M.; Santen, van R.A.; Bras, W.

1995-01-01

Aggregates of fractal dimension were found in the intermediate gel phases that organize prior to nucleation and crystallization (shown right) of silicalite from a homogeneous reaction mixture. Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering studies prove that for zeolites nucleation may be homogeneous or

Tunable magnetic nanowires for biomedical and harsh environment applications

KAUST Repository

Ivanov, Yurii P.; Alfadhel, Ahmed; Al-Nassar, Mohammed Y.; Perez, Jose E.; Vazquez, Manuel; Chuvilin, Andrey; Kosel, Jü rgen

2016-01-01

We have synthesized nanowires with an iron core and an iron oxide (magnetite) shell by a facile low-cost fabrication process. The magnetic properties of the nanowires can be tuned by changing shell thicknesses to yield remarkable new properties and multi-functionality. A multi-domain state at remanence can be obtained, which is an attractive feature for biomedical applications, where a low remanence is desirable. The nanowires can also be encoded with different remanence values. Notably, the oxidation process of single-crystal iron nanowires halts at a shell thickness of 10 nm. The oxide shell of these nanowires acts as a passivation layer, retaining the magnetic properties of the iron core even during high-temperature operations. This property renders these core-shell nanowires attractive materials for application to harsh environments. A cell viability study reveals a high degree of biocompatibility of the core-shell nanowires.

Multi-spectral optical absorption in substrate-free nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Junpeng; Chia, Andrew; Boulanger, Jonathan; LaPierre, Ray, E-mail: lapierr@mcmaster.ca [Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7 (Canada); Dhindsa, Navneet; Khodadad, Iman; Saini, Simarjeet [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada); Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

2014-09-22

A method is presented of fabricating gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanowire arrays of controlled diameter and period by reactive ion etching of a GaAs substrate containing an indium gallium arsenide (InGaP) etch stop layer, allowing the precise nanowire length to be controlled. The substrate is subsequently removed by selective etching, using the same InGaP etch stop layer, to create a substrate-free GaAs nanowire array. The optical absorptance of the nanowire array was then directly measured without absorption from a substrate. We directly observe absorptance spectra that can be tuned by the nanowire diameter, as explained with rigorous coupled wave analysis. These results illustrate strong optical absorption suitable for nanowire-based solar cells and multi-spectral absorption for wavelength discriminating photodetectors. The solar-weighted absorptance above the bandgap of GaAs was 94% for a nanowire surface coverage of only 15%.

Tunable magnetic nanowires for biomedical and harsh environment applications

KAUST Repository

Ivanov, Yurii P.

2016-04-13

We have synthesized nanowires with an iron core and an iron oxide (magnetite) shell by a facile low-cost fabrication process. The magnetic properties of the nanowires can be tuned by changing shell thicknesses to yield remarkable new properties and multi-functionality. A multi-domain state at remanence can be obtained, which is an attractive feature for biomedical applications, where a low remanence is desirable. The nanowires can also be encoded with different remanence values. Notably, the oxidation process of single-crystal iron nanowires halts at a shell thickness of 10 nm. The oxide shell of these nanowires acts as a passivation layer, retaining the magnetic properties of the iron core even during high-temperature operations. This property renders these core-shell nanowires attractive materials for application to harsh environments. A cell viability study reveals a high degree of biocompatibility of the core-shell nanowires.

Orientation-controlled synthesis and magnetism of single crystalline Co nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Gui-Fang; Huang, Wei-Qing; Wang, Ling-Ling; Zou, B.S.; Pan, Anlian

2012-01-01

Orientation control and the magnetic properties of single crystalline Co nanowires fabricated by electrodeposition have been systematically investigated. It is found that the orientation of Co nanowires can be effectively controlled by varying either the current density or the pore diameter of AAO templates. Lower current density or small diameter is favorable for forming the (1 0 0) texture, while higher current values or larger diameter leads to the emergence and enhancement of (1 1 0) texture of Co nanowires. The mechanism for the manipulated growth characterization is discussed in detail. The orientation of Co nanowires has a significant influence on the magnetic properties, resulting from the competition between the magneto-crystalline and shape anisotropy of Co nanowires. This work offers a simple method to manipulate the orientation and magnetic properties of nanowires for future applications. - Highlights: ► Single crystalline Co nanowires have successfully been grown by DC electrodeposition. ► Orientation controlling and its effect on magnetism of Co nanowires were investigated. ► The orientation of Co nanowires can be effectively controlled by varying current density. ► The crystalline orientation of Co nanowires has significant influence on the magnetic properties.

Nucleation reactions during deformation and crystallization of metallic glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perepezko, J.H.; Imhoff, S.D.; Chen, M.W.; Gonzalez, S.; Inoue, A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► New approach to the examination and analysis of shear band nucleation. ► Discovery of multiple shear band nucleation sites. ► Identification of a method of using transient kinetic behavior to provide a more realistic evaluation of the diffusivity that is relevant to nucleation. - Abstract: Nucleation reactions play a central role in the synthesis of both bulk metallic glasses and nanostructured materials. For nanostructured materials it is necessary to promote a high nucleation density without significant growth or coarsening. Beyond crystallization reactions nucleation of shear bands is critical for promoting a homogeneous flow and useful ductility for structural applications of bulk metallic glass. The study and analysis of nucleation reactions for these different situations requires a consideration of the stochastic nature of nucleation, the influence of heterogeneous sites, and the controlling transport properties. For shear band nucleation, the stochastic nature can be effectively probed by instrumented nanoindentation tests. The analysis of a statistically significant number of measurements of the first pop-in shear band nucleation events reveals at least two main nucleation sites. In nanostructured composites, the initial nucleation stage is influenced by transient effects as reflected in the delay time prior to steady state nucleation and by heterogeneous nucleation sites that are related to medium range order regions in Al-base amorphous alloys. Moreover, the early growth characteristics are linked to the maximum achievable particle density. The new developments and insight on the fundamental understanding of nanostructure reaction mechanisms offer valuable guidance for control of nanoscale microstructures and for promoting ductile deformation behavior.

Piezoresistance of top-down suspended Si nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koumela, A; Mercier, D; Dupre, C; Jourdan, G; Marcoux, C; Ollier, E; Duraffourg, L; Purcell, S T

2011-01-01

Measurements of the gauge factor of suspended, top-down silicon nanowires are presented. The nanowires are fabricated with a CMOS compatible process and with doping concentrations ranging from 2 x 10 20 down to 5 x 10 17 cm -3 . The extracted gauge factors are compared with results on identical non-suspended nanowires and with state-of-the-art results. An increase of the gauge factor after suspension is demonstrated. For the low doped nanowires a value of 235 is measured. Particular attention was paid throughout the experiments to distinguishing real resistance change due to strain modulation from resistance fluctuations due to charge trapping. Furthermore, a numerical model correlating surface charge density with the gauge factor is presented. Comparison of the simulations with experimental measurements shows the validity of this approach. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the piezoresistive effect in Si nanowires.

Preparation and Characterization of Tin Oxide Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Kabiri

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is preparation of SnO2 nanowires by means of Thermal chemical reaction vapor transport deposition (TCRVTD method from SnO powders. The morphology, chemical composition and microstructure properties of the nanowires are characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM, EDS, and XRD. The XRD diffraction patterns reveal that the SnO2 nanowires have been grown in the form of tetragonal crystal structures with the lattice parameter of a=b=0.440 nm, and c=0.370 nm. The SEM images reveal that SnO2 nanowires have successfully been grown on the Si substrate. The EDS patterns show that only elements of Sn, O and Au are detected. Prior to the VLS process the substrate is coated by a thin layer of Au. The diameter of nanowires is measured to be something between 20-100 nm.

Determination of critical nucleation number for a single nucleation amyloid-β aggregation model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Preetam; Vaidya, Ashwin; Kumar, Amit; Rangachari, Vijayaraghavan

2016-03-01

Aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide are known to be the key pathological agents in Alzheimer disease (AD). Aβ aggregates to form large, insoluble fibrils that deposit as senile plaques in AD brains. The process of aggregation is nucleation-dependent in which the formation of a nucleus is the rate-limiting step, and controls the physiochemical fate of the aggregates formed. Therefore, understanding the properties of nucleus and pre-nucleation events will be significant in reducing the existing knowledge-gap in AD pathogenesis. In this report, we have determined the plausible range of critical nucleation number (n(*)), the number of monomers associated within the nucleus for a homogenous aggregation model with single unique nucleation event, by two independent methods: A reduced-order stability analysis and ordinary differential equation based numerical analysis, supported by experimental biophysics. The results establish that the most likely range of n(*) is between 7 and 14 and within, this range, n(*) = 12 closely supports the experimental data. These numbers are in agreement with those previously reported, and importantly, the report establishes a new modeling framework using two independent approaches towards a convergent solution in modeling complex aggregation reactions. Our model also suggests that the formation of large protofibrils is dependent on the nature of n(*), further supporting the idea that pre-nucleation events are significant in controlling the fate of larger aggregates formed. This report has re-opened an old problem with a new perspective and holds promise towards revealing the molecular events in amyloid pathologies in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monomer-dependent secondary nucleation in amyloid formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Linse, Sara

2017-08-01

Secondary nucleation of monomers on the surface of an already existing aggregate that is formed from the same kind of monomers may lead to autocatalytic amplification of a self-assembly process. Such monomer-dependent secondary nucleation occurs during the crystallization of small molecules or proteins and self-assembled materials, as well as in protein self-assembly into fibrous structures. Indications of secondary nucleation may come from analyses of kinetic experiments starting from pure monomers or monomers supplemented with a low concentration of pre-formed aggregates (seeds). More firm evidence requires additional experiments, for example those employing isotope labels to distinguish new aggregates arising from the monomer from those resulting from fragmentation of the seed. In cases of amyloid formation, secondary nucleation leads to the formation of toxic oligomers, and inhibitors of secondary nucleation may serve as starting points for therapeutic developments. Secondary nucleation displays a high degree of structural specificity and may be enhanced by mutations or screening of electrostatic repulsion.

Bubble nucleation in an explosive micro-bubble actuator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van den Broek, D M; Elwenspoek, M

2008-01-01

Explosive evaporation occurs when a thin layer of liquid reaches a temperature close to the critical temperature in a very short time. At these temperatures spontaneous nucleation takes place. The nucleated bubbles instantly coalesce forming a vapour film followed by rapid growth due to the pressure impulse. In this paper we take a closer look at the bubble nucleation. The moment of bubble nucleation was determined by both stroboscopic imaging and resistance thermometry. Two nucleation regimes could be distinguished. Several different heater designs were investigated under heat fluxes of hundreds of W mm −2 . A close correspondence between current density in the heater and point of nucleation was found. This results in design rules for effective heaters

Nanowires: properties, applications and synthesis via porous anodic ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Moreover, periodic arrays of magnetic nanowires hold high potential for recording media application. Nanowires are also potential candidates for sensor and bio-medical applications. In the present article, the physical and chemical properties of nanowires along with their probable applications in different fields have been ...

Corrosion detection of nanowires by magnetic sensors

KAUST Repository

Kosel, Jü rgen; Amara, Selma; Ivanov, Iurii; Blanco, Mario

2017-01-01

Disclosed are various embodiments related to a corrosion detection device for detecting corrosive environments. A corrosion detection device comprises a magnetic sensor and at least one magnetic nanowire disposed on the magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor is configured to detect corrosion of the one or more magnetic nanowires based at least in part on a magnetic field of the one or more magnetic nanowires.

Corrosion detection of nanowires by magnetic sensors

KAUST Repository

Kosel, Jürgen

2017-10-05

Disclosed are various embodiments related to a corrosion detection device for detecting corrosive environments. A corrosion detection device comprises a magnetic sensor and at least one magnetic nanowire disposed on the magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor is configured to detect corrosion of the one or more magnetic nanowires based at least in part on a magnetic field of the one or more magnetic nanowires.

A superconducting nanowire can be modeled by using SPICE

Science.gov (United States)

Berggren, Karl K.; Zhao, Qing-Yuan; Abebe, Nathnael; Chen, Minjie; Ravindran, Prasana; McCaughan, Adam; Bardin, Joseph C.

2018-05-01

Modeling of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors typically requires custom simulations or finite-element analysis in one or two dimensions. Here, we demonstrate two simplified one-dimensional SPICE models of a superconducting nanowire that can quickly and efficiently describe the electrical characteristics of a superconducting nanowire. These models may be of particular use in understanding alternative architectures for nanowire detectors and readouts.

Magnetic phase shift reconstruction for uniformly magnetized nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akhtari-Zavareh, Azadeh [Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia (Canada); De Graef, Marc [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Kavanagh, Karen L. [Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia (Canada)

2017-01-15

A new analytical model is developed for the magnetic phase shift of uniformly magnetized nanowires with ideal cylindrical geometry. The model is applied to experimental data from off-axis electron holography measurements of the phase shift of CoFeB nanowires, and the saturation induction of a selected wire, as well as its radius, aspect ratio, position and orientation, is determined by fitting the model parameters. The saturation induction value of 1.7 T of the CoFeB nanowire is found to be similar, to be within the measurement error, to values reported in the literature. - Highlights: • We describe a mathematical model for the magnetic phase shift of a cylindrical nanowire. • We discuss electron holography experiments on magnetic nanowires. • We obtain an accurate fit of the measured magnetic phase shift profile. • We extract the magnetic induction of the nanowire from the phase shift model. • The magnetic induction of 1.7 T agrees well with literature results.

Effects of shear flow on phase nucleation and crystallization.

Science.gov (United States)

Mura, Federica; Zaccone, Alessio

2016-04-01

Classical nucleation theory offers a good framework for understanding the common features of new phase formation processes in metastable homogeneous media at rest. However, nucleation processes in liquids are ubiquitously affected by hydrodynamic flow, and there is no satisfactory understanding of whether shear promotes or slows down the nucleation process. We developed a classical nucleation theory for sheared systems starting from the molecular level of the Becker-Doering master kinetic equation and we analytically derived a closed-form expression for the nucleation rate. The theory accounts for the effect of flow-mediated transport of molecules to the nucleus of the new phase, as well as for the mechanical deformation imparted to the nucleus by the flow field. The competition between flow-induced molecular transport, which accelerates nucleation, and flow-induced nucleus straining, which lowers the nucleation rate by increasing the nucleation energy barrier, gives rise to a marked nonmonotonic dependence of the nucleation rate on the shear rate. The theory predicts an optimal shear rate at which the nucleation rate is one order of magnitude larger than in the absence of flow.

A shortcut hydrothermal strategy for the synthesis of zinc nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Jianqiang; Chen Zhiwu; Xie Jingsi; Yu Ying

2008-01-01

Synthesis of metal nanowires has opened many new possibilities for designing ideal building blocks for future nanodevices. In this work, zinc nanowires with lengths of micrometre magnitude were synthesized in high yield by a shortcut hydrothermal strategy. The synthesis involves a template-free, non-seed and catalyst-free solution-phase process to high-quality zinc nanowires, which is low-cost and proceeds at relatively short time. In this process, zinc nanowires were prepared through the reduction of zinc acetate with absolute ethanol in the presence of silver nitrate under hydrothermal atmosphere. The strategy suggests that silver ion plays a vital role in the synthesis of zinc nanowires, without which the substituted product is zinc oxide nanowires. X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy measurements confirm the final formation of zinc nanowires and component transformation from zinc oxide nanowires in the introduction of silver ion. We believe that with the efficient synthesis, longer zinc nanowires can be fabricated and may find potential applications for superconductors and nanodevices. (fast track communication)

Rare earth silicide nanowires on silicon surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wanke, Martina

2008-11-10

The growth, structure and electronic properties of rare earth silicide nanowires are investigated on planar and vicinal Si(001) und Si(111) surfaces with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). On all surfaces investigated within this work hexagonal disilicides are grown epitaxially with a lattice mismatch of -2.55% up to +0.83% along the hexagonal a-axis. Along the hexagonal c-axis the lattice mismatch is essentially larger with 6.5%. On the Si(001)2 x 1 surface two types of nanowires are grown epitaxially. The socalled broad wires show a one-dimensional metallic valence band structure with states crossing the Fermi level. Along the nanowires two strongly dispersing states at the anti J point and a strongly dispersing state at the anti {gamma} point can be observed. Along the thin nanowires dispersing states could not be observed. Merely in the direction perpendicular to the wires an intensity variation could be observed, which corresponds to the observed spacial structure of the thin nanowires. The electronic properties of the broad erbium silicide nanowires are very similar to the broad dysprosium silicide nanowires. The electronic properties of the DySi{sub 2}-monolayer and the Dy{sub 3}Si{sub 5}-multilayer on the Si(111) surface are investigated in comparison to the known ErSi{sub 2}/Si(111) and Er{sub 3}Si{sub 5}/Si(111) system. The positions and the energetic locations of the observed band in the surface Brillouin zone will be confirmed for dysprosium. The shape of the electron pockets in the (vector)k {sub parallel} space is elliptical at the anti M points, while the hole pocket at the anti {gamma} point is showing a hexagonal symmetry. On the Si(557) surface the structural and electronic properties depend strongly on the different preparation conditions likewise, in particular on the rare earth coverage. At submonolayer coverage the thin nanowires grow in wide areas

Additional compound semiconductor nanowires for photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, F.

2016-02-01

GaAs related compound semiconductor heterostructures are one of the most developed materials for photonics. Those have realized various photonic devices with high efficiency, e. g., lasers, electro-optical modulators, and solar cells. To extend the functions of the materials system, diluted nitride and bismide has been paid attention over the past decade. They can largely decrease the band gap of the alloys, providing the greater tunability of band gap and strain status, eventually suppressing the non-radiative Auger recombinations. On the other hand, selective oxidation for AlGaAs is a vital technique for vertical surface emitting lasers. That enables precisely controlled oxides in the system, enabling the optical and electrical confinement, heat transfer, and mechanical robustness. We introduce the above functions into GaAs nanowires. GaAs/GaAsN core-shell nanowires showed clear redshift of the emitting wavelength toward infrared regime. Further, the introduction of N elongated the carrier lifetime at room temperature indicating the passivation of non-radiative surface recombinations. GaAs/GaAsBi nanowire shows the redshift with metamorphic surface morphology. Selective and whole oxidations of GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires produce semiconductor/oxide composite GaAs/AlGaOx and oxide GaOx/AlGaOx core-shell nanowires, respectively. Possibly sourced from nano-particle species, the oxide shell shows white luminescence. Those property should extend the functions of the nanowires for their application to photonics.

Nano-soldering of magnetically aligned three-dimensional nanowire networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Fan; Gu Zhiyong

2010-01-01

It is extremely challenging to fabricate 3D integrated nanostructures and hybrid nanoelectronic devices. In this paper, we report a simple and efficient method to simultaneously assemble and solder nanowires into ordered 3D and electrically conductive nanowire networks. Nano-solders such as tin were fabricated onto both ends of multi-segmented nanowires by a template-assisted electrodeposition method. These nanowires were then self-assembled and soldered into large-scale 3D network structures by magnetic field assisted assembly in a liquid medium with a high boiling point. The formation of junctions/interconnects between the nanowires and the scale of the assembly were dependent on the solder reflow temperature and the strength of the magnetic field. The size of the assembled nanowire networks ranged from tens of microns to millimeters. The electrical characteristics of the 3D nanowire networks were measured by regular current-voltage (I-V) measurements using a probe station with micropositioners. Nano-solders, when combined with assembling techniques, can be used to efficiently connect and join nanowires with low contact resistance, which are very well suited for sensor integration as well as nanoelectronic device fabrication.

Nanowire Electrodes for Advanced Lithium Batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Lei; Wei, Qiulong; Sun, Ruimin; Mai, Liqiang, E-mail: mlq518@whut.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, WUT-Harvard Joint Nano Key Laboratory, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan (China)

2014-10-27

Since the commercialization of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) in the past two decades, rechargeable LIBs have become widespread power sources for portable devices used in daily life. However, current demands require higher energy density and power density of batteries. The electrochemical energy storage performance of LIBs could be improved by applying nanomaterial electrodes, but their fast capacity fading is still one of the key limitations and the mechanism need to be clearly understood. Single nanowire electrode devices are considered as a versatile platform for in situ probing the direct relationship between electrical transport, structure change, and other properties of the single nanowire electrode along with the charge/discharge process. The results indicate that the conductivity decrease of the nanowire electrode and the structural disorder/destruction during electrochemical reaction limit the cycling performance of LIBs. Based on the in situ observations, some feasible optimization strategies, including prelithiation, coaxial structure, nanowire arrays, and hierarchical structure architecture, are proposed and utilized to restrain the conductivity decrease and structural disorder/destruction. Further, the applications of nanowire electrodes in some “beyond Li-ion” batteries, such as Li-S and Li-air batteries are also described.

Nanowire Electrodes for Advanced Lithium Batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei eHuang

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Since the commercialization of lithium ion batteries (LIBs in the past two decades, rechargeable LIBs have become widespread power sources for portable devices used in daily life. However, current demands require higher energy density and power density of batteries. The electrochemical energy storage performance of LIBs could be improved by applying nanomaterial electrodes, but their fast capacity fading is still one of the key limitations and the mechanism needs to be clearly understood. Single nanowire electrode devices are considered as a versatile platform for in situ probing the direct relationship between electrical transport, structure change, and other properties of the single nanowire electrode along with the charge/discharge process. The results indicate the conductivity decrease of the nanowire electrode and the structural disorder/destruction during electrochemical reactions which limit the cycling performance of LIBs. Based on the in situ observations, some feasible structure architecture strategies, including prelithiation, coaxial structure, nanowire arrays and hierarchical structure architecture, are proposed and utilized to restrain the conductivity decrease and structural disorder/destruction. Further, the applications of nanowire electrodes in some beyond Li-ion batteries, such as Li-S and Li-air battery, are also described.

Nanowire Electrodes for Advanced Lithium Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Lei; Wei, Qiulong; Sun, Ruimin; Mai, Liqiang

2014-01-01

Since the commercialization of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) in the past two decades, rechargeable LIBs have become widespread power sources for portable devices used in daily life. However, current demands require higher energy density and power density of batteries. The electrochemical energy storage performance of LIBs could be improved by applying nanomaterial electrodes, but their fast capacity fading is still one of the key limitations and the mechanism need to be clearly understood. Single nanowire electrode devices are considered as a versatile platform for in situ probing the direct relationship between electrical transport, structure change, and other properties of the single nanowire electrode along with the charge/discharge process. The results indicate that the conductivity decrease of the nanowire electrode and the structural disorder/destruction during electrochemical reaction limit the cycling performance of LIBs. Based on the in situ observations, some feasible optimization strategies, including prelithiation, coaxial structure, nanowire arrays, and hierarchical structure architecture, are proposed and utilized to restrain the conductivity decrease and structural disorder/destruction. Further, the applications of nanowire electrodes in some “beyond Li-ion” batteries, such as Li-S and Li-air batteries are also described.

Position-controlled epitaxial III-V nanowires on silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roest, Aarnoud L; Verheijen, Marcel A; Wunnicke, Olaf; Serafin, Stacey; Wondergem, Harry; Bakkers, Erik P A M [Philips Research Laboratories, Professor Holstlaan 4, 5656 AA Eindhoven (Netherlands); Kavli Institute of NanoScience, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5046, 2600 GA Delft (Netherlands)

2006-06-14

We show the epitaxial integration of III-V semiconductor nanowires with silicon technology. The wires are grown by the VLS mechanism with laser ablation as well as metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy. The hetero-epitaxial growth of the III-V nanowires on silicon was confirmed with x-ray diffraction pole figures and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. We show preliminary results of two-terminal electrical measurements of III-V nanowires grown on silicon. E-beam lithography was used to predefine the position of the nanowires.

Position-controlled epitaxial III-V nanowires on silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roest, Aarnoud L; Verheijen, Marcel A; Wunnicke, Olaf; Serafin, Stacey; Wondergem, Harry; Bakkers, Erik P A M

2006-01-01

We show the epitaxial integration of III-V semiconductor nanowires with silicon technology. The wires are grown by the VLS mechanism with laser ablation as well as metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy. The hetero-epitaxial growth of the III-V nanowires on silicon was confirmed with x-ray diffraction pole figures and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. We show preliminary results of two-terminal electrical measurements of III-V nanowires grown on silicon. E-beam lithography was used to predefine the position of the nanowires

AC surface photovoltage of indium phosphide nanowire networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lohn, Andrew J.; Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P. [California Univ., Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Baskin School of Engineering; California Univ., Santa Cruz, CA (US). Nanostructured Energy Conversion Technology and Research (NECTAR); NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States). Advanced Studies Laboratories

2012-06-15

Surface photovoltage is used to study the dynamics of photogenerated carriers which are transported through a highly interconnected three-dimensional network of indium phosphide nanowires. Through the nanowire network charge transport is possible over distances far in excess of the nanowire lengths. Surface photovoltage was measured within a region 10.5-14.5 mm from the focus of the illumination, which was chopped at a range of frequencies from 15 Hz to 30 kHz. Carrier dynamics were modeled by approximating the nanowire network as a thin film, then fitted to experiment suggesting diffusion of electrons and holes at approximately 75% of the bulk value in InP but with significantly reduced built-in fields, presumably due to screening by nanowire surfaces. (orig.)

Biotemplated synthesis of PZT nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Cung, Kellye; Han, Booyeon J; Nguyen, Thanh D; Mao, Sheng; Yeh, Yao-Wen; Xu, Shiyou; Naik, Rajesh R; Poirier, Gerald; Yao, Nan; Purohit, Prashant K; McAlpine, Michael C

2013-01-01

Piezoelectric nanowires are an important class of smart materials for next-generation applications including energy harvesting, robotic actuation, and bioMEMS. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT), in particular, has attracted significant attention, owing to its superior electromechanical conversion performance. Yet, the ability to synthesize crystalline PZT nanowires with well-controlled properties remains a challenge. Applications of common nanosynthesis methods to PZT are hampered by issues such as slow kinetics, lack of suitable catalysts, and harsh reaction conditions. Here we report a versatile biomimetic method, in which biotemplates are used to define PZT nanostructures, allowing for rational control over composition and crystallinity. Specifically, stoichiometric PZT nanowires were synthesized using both polysaccharide (alginate) and bacteriophage templates. The wires possessed measured piezoelectric constants of up to 132 pm/V after poling, among the highest reported for PZT nanomaterials. Further, integrated devices can generate up to 0.820 μW/cm(2) of power. These results suggest that biotemplated piezoelectric nanowires are attractive candidates for stimuli-responsive nanosensors, adaptive nanoactuators, and nanoscale energy harvesters.

Semiconductor Nanowires: What's Next?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Peidong; Yan, Ruoxue; Fardy, Melissa

2010-04-28

In this perspective, we take a critical look at the research progress within the nanowire community for the past decade. We discuss issues on the discovery of fundamentally new phenomena versus performance benchmarking for many of the nanowire applications. We also notice that both the bottom-up and top-down approaches have played important roles in advancing our fundamental understanding of this new class of nanostructures. Finally we attempt to look into the future and offer our personal opinions on what the future trends will be in nanowire research.

Excitonic terahertz photoconductivity in intrinsic semiconductor nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jie-Yun

2018-06-01

Excitonic terahertz photoconductivity in intrinsic semiconductor nanowires is studied. Based on the excitonic theory, the numerical method to calculate the photoconductivity spectrum in the nanowires is developed, which can simulate optical pump terahertz-probe spectroscopy measurements on real nanowires and thereby calculate the typical photoconductivity spectrum. With the help of the energetic structure deduced from the calculated linear absorption spectrum, the numerically observed shift of the resonant peak in the photoconductivity spectrum is found to result from the dominant exciton transition between excited or continuum states to the ground state, and the quantitative analysis is in good agreement with the quantum plasmon model. Besides, the dependence of the photoconductivity on the polarization of the terahertz field is also discussed. The numerical method and supporting theoretical analysis provide a new tool for experimentalists to understand the terahertz photoconductivity in intrinsic semiconductor nanowires at low temperatures or for nanowires subjected to below bandgap photoexcitation, where excitonic effects dominate.

Contact planarization of ensemble nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Chia, A. C. E.; LaPierre, R. R.

2011-06-01

The viability of four organic polymers (S1808, SC200, SU8 and Cyclotene) as filling materials to achieve planarization of ensemble nanowire arrays is reported. Analysis of the porosity, surface roughness and thermal stability of each filling material was performed. Sonication was used as an effective method to remove the tops of the nanowires (NWs) to achieve complete planarization. Ensemble nanowire devices were fully fabricated and I-V measurements confirmed that Cyclotene effectively planarizes the NWs while still serving the role as an insulating layer between the top and bottom contacts. These processes and analysis can be easily implemented into future characterization and fabrication of ensemble NWs for optoelectronic device applications.

Plasmonic Waveguide-Integrated Nanowire Laser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bermudez-Urena, Esteban; Tutuncuoglu, Gozde; Cuerda, Javier

2017-01-01

Next-generation optoelectronic devices and photonic circuitry will have to incorporate on-chip compatible nanolaser sources. Semiconductor nanowire lasers have emerged as strong candidates for integrated systems with applications ranging from ultrasensitive sensing to data communication technolog......Next-generation optoelectronic devices and photonic circuitry will have to incorporate on-chip compatible nanolaser sources. Semiconductor nanowire lasers have emerged as strong candidates for integrated systems with applications ranging from ultrasensitive sensing to data communication...... technologies. Despite significant advances in their fundamental aspects, the integration within scalable photonic circuitry remains challenging. Here we report on the realization of hybrid photonic devices consisting of nanowire lasers integrated with wafer-scale lithographically designed V-groove plasmonic...

Metadynamics studies of crystal nucleation

Science.gov (United States)

Giberti, Federico; Salvalaglio, Matteo; Parrinello, Michele

2015-01-01

Crystallization processes are characterized by activated events and long timescales. These characteristics prevent standard molecular dynamics techniques from being efficiently used for the direct investigation of processes such as nucleation. This short review provides an overview on the use of metadynamics, a state-of-the-art enhanced sampling technique, for the simulation of phase transitions involving the production of a crystalline solid. In particular the principles of metadynamics are outlined, several order parameters are described that have been or could be used in conjunction with metadynamics to sample nucleation events and then an overview is given of recent metadynamics results in the field of crystal nucleation. PMID:25866662

Metadynamics studies of crystal nucleation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federico Giberti

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Crystallization processes are characterized by activated events and long timescales. These characteristics prevent standard molecular dynamics techniques from being efficiently used for the direct investigation of processes such as nucleation. This short review provides an overview on the use of metadynamics, a state-of-the-art enhanced sampling technique, for the simulation of phase transitions involving the production of a crystalline solid. In particular the principles of metadynamics are outlined, several order parameters are described that have been or could be used in conjunction with metadynamics to sample nucleation events and then an overview is given of recent metadynamics results in the field of crystal nucleation.

Review: The nucleation of disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahn, R.W.; Johnson, W.L.

1986-01-01

Four types of phase transformation that involve the conversion of crystalline phases into more disordered forms are reviewed: melting, disordering of superlattices, amorphization by diffusion between crystalline phases, and irradation amorphization. In the review emphasis is placed on evidence for the heterogeneous nucleation of the product phases; in this connection, the role of surfaces, antiphase domain boundaries, dislocations, vacancies, and grain boundaries is specifically discussed. All of these features have been either observed, or hypothesized, to play a role as heterogeneous nucleation sites in one or more of the four transformations. An attempt is made to draw parallels between nucleation mechanisms in the various processes

Simulation study of dielectrophoretic assembly of nanowire between electrode pairs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tao, Quan, E-mail: taq3@pitt.edu; Lan, Fei; Jiang, Minlin [University of Pittsburgh, The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (United States); Wei, Fanan [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation (China); Li, Guangyong, E-mail: gul6@pitt.edu [University of Pittsburgh, The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (United States)

2015-07-15

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) of rod-shaped nanostructures is attractive because of its exceptional capability to fabricate nanowire-based electronic devices. This efficient manipulation method, however, has a common side effect of assembling a certain number of nanowires at undesired positions. It is therefore essential to understand the underlying physics of DEP of nanowires in order to better guide the assembly. In this work, we propose theoretical methods to characterize the dielectrophoretic force and torque as well as the hydrodynamic drag force and torque on the nanowire (typical length: 10 μm). The trajectory of the nanowire is then simulated based on rigid body dynamics. The nanowire is predicted to either bridge the electrodes or attach on the surface of one electrode. A neighborhood in which the nanowire is more likely to bridge electrodes is found, which is conducive to successful assembly. The simulation study in this work provides us not only a better understanding of the underlying physics but also practical guidance on nanowire assembly by DEP.

Epitaxy of advanced nanowire quantum devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gazibegovic, S.; Car, D.; Zhang, H.; Balk, S.C.; Logan, J.A.; De Moor, M.W.A.; Cassidy, M.C.; Schmits, R.; Xu, D.; Wang, G.; Krogstrup, P.; Op Het Veld, R.L.M.; Zuo, K.; Vos, Y.; Shen, J.; Bouman, D.; Shojaei, B.; Pennachio, D.; Lee, J.S.; van Veldhoven, P.J.; Koelling, S.; Verheijen, M.A.; Kouwenhoven, L.P.; Palmstrøm, C.J.; Bakkers, E.P.A.M.

2017-01-01

Semiconductor nanowires are ideal for realizing various low-dimensional quantum devices. In particular, topological phases of matter hosting non-Abelian quasiparticles (such as anyons) can emerge when a semiconductor nanowire with strong spin-orbit coupling is brought into contact with a

Permanent bending and alignment of ZnO nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borschel, Christian; Spindler, Susann; Oertel, Michael; Ronning, Carsten [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany); Lerose, Damiana [MPI fuer Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, 06120 Halle/Saale (Germany); Institut fuer Photonische Technologien, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, 07745 Jena (Germany); Bochmann, Arne [Institut fuer Photonische Technologien, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, 07745 Jena (Germany); Christiansen, Silke H. [Institut fuer Photonische Technologien, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, 07745 Jena (Germany); MPI fuer die Physik des Lichts, Guenther-Scharowsky-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Nietzsche, Sandor [Zentrum fuer Elektronenmikroskopie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena, Ziegelmuehlenweg 1, 07743 Jena (Germany)

2011-07-01

Ion beams can be used to bend or re-align nanowires permanently, after they have been grown. We have irradiated ZnO nanowires with ions of different species and energy, achieving bending and alignment in various directions. We study the bending of single nanowires as well as the simultaneous alignment of large ensembles of ZnO nanowires in detail. Computer simulations show that the bending is initiated by ion beam induced damage. Dislocations are identified to relax stresses and make the bending and alignment permanent and resistant against annealing procedures.

Recent progress on understanding the mechanisms of amyloid nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatani, Eri; Yamamoto, Naoki

2018-04-01

Amyloid fibrils are supramolecular protein assemblies with a fibrous morphology and cross-β structure. The formation of amyloid fibrils typically follows a nucleation-dependent polymerization mechanism, in which a one-step nucleation scheme has widely been accepted. However, a variety of oligomers have been identified in early stages of fibrillation, and a nucleated conformational conversion (NCC) mechanism, in which oligomers serve as a precursor of amyloid nucleation and convert to amyloid nuclei, has been proposed. This development has raised the need to consider more complicated multi-step nucleation processes in addition to the simplest one-step process, and evidence for the direct involvement of oligomers as nucleation precursors has been obtained both experimentally and theoretically. Interestingly, the NCC mechanism has some analogy with the two-step nucleation mechanism proposed for inorganic and organic crystals and protein crystals, although a more dramatic conformational conversion of proteins should be considered in amyloid nucleation. Clarifying the properties of the nucleation precursors of amyloid fibrils in detail, in comparison with those of crystals, will allow a better understanding of the nucleation of amyloid fibrils and pave the way to develop techniques to regulate it.

Effects of Nanowire Length and Surface Roughness on the Electrochemical Sensor Properties of Nafion-Free, Vertically Aligned Pt Nanowire Array Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiyang Li

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, vertically aligned Pt nanowire arrays (PtNWA with different lengths and surface roughnesses were fabricated and their electrochemical performance toward hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 detection was studied. The nanowire arrays were synthesized by electroplating Pt in nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO template. Different parameters, such as current density and deposition time, were precisely controlled to synthesize nanowires with different surface roughnesses and various lengths from 3 μm to 12 μm. The PtNWA electrodes showed better performance than the conventional electrodes modified by Pt nanowires randomly dispersed on the electrode surface. The results indicate that both the length and surface roughness can affect the sensing performance of vertically aligned Pt nanowire array electrodes. Generally, longer nanowires with rougher surfaces showed better electrochemical sensing performance. The 12 μm rough surface PtNWA presented the largest sensitivity (654 μA·mM−1·cm−2 among all the nanowires studied, and showed a limit of detection of 2.4 μM. The 12 μm rough surface PtNWA electrode also showed good anti-interference property from chemicals that are typically present in the biological samples such as ascorbic, uric acid, citric acid, and glucose. The sensing performance in real samples (river water was tested and good recovery was observed. These Nafion-free, vertically aligned Pt nanowires with surface roughness control show great promise as versatile electrochemical sensors and biosensors.

Synthesis and characterization of Au incorporated Alq3 nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Mohammad Bilal; Ahmad, Sultan; Parwaz, M.; Rahul, Khan, Zishan H.

2018-05-01

We report the synthesis and characterization of pure and Au incorporated Alq3 nanowires. These nanowires are synthesized using thermal vapor transport method. The luminescence intensity of Au incorporated Alq3 nanowires are recorded to be higher than that of pure Alq3 nanowires, which is found to increase with the increase in Au concentration. Fluorescence quenching is also observed when Au concentration is increased beyond the certain limit.

Effects of clustered nucleation on recrystallization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storm, Søren; Juul Jensen, Dorte

2009-01-01

Computer simulations are used to study effects of an experimentally determined 3D distribution of nucleation sites on the recrystallization kinetics and on the evolution of the recrystallized microstructure as compared to simulations with random nucleation. It is found that although...... the experimentally observed clustering is not very strong, it changes the kinetics and the recrystallized microstructural morphology plus leads to a recrystallized grain size distribution, which is significantly broadened compared to that of random nucleation simulations. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd...

Facile synthesis of porous Pt botryoidal nanowires and their electrochemical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Zhongyuan; Zhou, Haihui; Chen, Zhongxue; Zeng, Fanyan; Chen, Liang; Luo, Wucheng; Kuang, Yafei

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Porous Pt nanowires were synthesized by combination of soft and hard templets. • Te nanowires were used as the hard templet and reductant. • The Pt nanowires are composed of many small Pt nanoparticles and pores. • The Pt nanowires have very good electrochemical activity and stability. - Abstract: Long and porous Pt botryoidal nanowires (Pt BNWs) were facilely synthesized by combination of soft and hard templates accompanying chemical reduction of ascorbic acid and replacement of Te nanowires. This bis-template and bis-reductant method is proved to be an effective way to prepare nanowires with special structure. The scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show the as-prepared product is botryoidal nanowires with diameter of 20–30 nm and length of several micrometers. High resolution transmission electron microscopy shows the Pt botryoidal nanowires are composed of many small Pt nanoparticles (about 3 nm in diameter), which is just like that many grapes grow on the branch. These small nanoparticles make Pt nanowires have botryoidal and porous structure. Moreover, the diameter of Pt BNWs can be adjusted by changing the dosage of Pt precursor, polyvinylpyrrolidone and L-ascorbic acid. The electrocatalytic performance of Pt botryoidal nanowires is studied, which shows that the as-prepared Pt botryoidal nanowires have not only high activity but also good stability for oxygen reduction reaction

Quantum-confined nanowires as vehicles for enhanced electrical transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammad, S Noor

2012-01-01

Electrical transport in semiconductor nanowires taking quantum confinement and dielectric confinement into account has been studied. A distinctly new route has been employed for the study. The fundamental science underlying the model is based on a relationship between the quantum confinement and the structural disorder of the nanowire surface. The role of surface energy and thermodynamic imbalance in nanowire structural disorder has been described. A model for the diameter dependence of energy bandgap of nanowires has been developed. Ionized impurity scattering, dislocation scattering and acoustic phonon scattering have been taken into account to study carrier mobility. A series of calculations on silicon nanowires show that carrier mobility in nanowires can be greatly enhanced by quantum confinement and dielectric confinement. The electron mobility can, for example, be a factor of 2–10 higher at room temperature than the mobility in a free-standing silicon nanowire. The calculated results agree well with almost all experimental and theoretical results available in the literature. They successfully explain experimental observations not understood before. The model is general and applicable to nanowires from all possible semiconductors. It is perhaps the first physical model highlighting the impact of both quantum confinement and dielectric confinement on carrier transport. It underscores the basic causes of thin, lowly doped nanowires in the temperature range 200 K ≤ T ≤ 500 K yielding very high carrier mobility. It suggests that the scattering by dislocations (stacking faults) can be very detrimental for carrier mobility. (paper)

Electronic transport in narrow-gap semiconductor nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bloemers, Christian

2012-01-01

Throughout this work the electronic transport properties of InAs, InN, and GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires have been analyzed. This includes the analysis of specific resistivity at room temperature and low temperatures as well as the breakdown of resistivity by a contribution of mobility and carrier concentration using gate measurements. While the InN nanowires showed homogeneous transport properties, there was a large statistical spread in the properties of InAs nanowires. Differing crystal structures and the surface conditions are identified to be the main reasons for the statistical spread. Both quantities of influence have been pointed out by comparing the transport parameters before and after a surface treatment (electron irradiation and long time ambient air exposure), and by comparing the transport parameters of wires grown by different growth methods which exhibit different kinds of crystal structure. In particular, the temperature dependence of the conductivity revealed different activation energies in nanowires with differing crystal structures. An explanation has been suggested in terms of stacking fault induced potential barriers. A field-effect measurement setup has been utilized to determine the nanowire mobility and carrier concentration. Even though this method is widely used for nanowires, it is subject to a serious disadvantage concerning the influence of surface and interface states on the measurements. As an alternative method which does not suffer from this drawback, Hall measurements have been successfully performed on InAs nanowires for the first time. These measurements became possible because of the utilization of a new electron beam lithographic procedure with an alignment accuracy in the 5 nm range. Carrier concentration values could be determined and compared to the ones obtained from conventional field-effect measurements. The results of the Hall measurements revealed a methodical overestimation of the carrier concentrations obtained

Electronic transport in narrow-gap semiconductor nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bloemers, Christian

2012-10-19

Throughout this work the electronic transport properties of InAs, InN, and GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires have been analyzed. This includes the analysis of specific resistivity at room temperature and low temperatures as well as the breakdown of resistivity by a contribution of mobility and carrier concentration using gate measurements. While the InN nanowires showed homogeneous transport properties, there was a large statistical spread in the properties of InAs nanowires. Differing crystal structures and the surface conditions are identified to be the main reasons for the statistical spread. Both quantities of influence have been pointed out by comparing the transport parameters before and after a surface treatment (electron irradiation and long time ambient air exposure), and by comparing the transport parameters of wires grown by different growth methods which exhibit different kinds of crystal structure. In particular, the temperature dependence of the conductivity revealed different activation energies in nanowires with differing crystal structures. An explanation has been suggested in terms of stacking fault induced potential barriers. A field-effect measurement setup has been utilized to determine the nanowire mobility and carrier concentration. Even though this method is widely used for nanowires, it is subject to a serious disadvantage concerning the influence of surface and interface states on the measurements. As an alternative method which does not suffer from this drawback, Hall measurements have been successfully performed on InAs nanowires for the first time. These measurements became possible because of the utilization of a new electron beam lithographic procedure with an alignment accuracy in the 5 nm range. Carrier concentration values could be determined and compared to the ones obtained from conventional field-effect measurements. The results of the Hall measurements revealed a methodical overestimation of the carrier concentrations obtained

The Joule heating problem in silver nanowire transparent electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Khaligh, H. H.; Xu, L.; Khosropour, A.; Madeira, A.; Romano, M.; Pradére, C.; Tréguer-Delapierre, M.; Servant, L.; Pope, M. A.; Goldthorpe, I. A.

2017-10-01

Silver nanowire transparent electrodes have shown considerable potential to replace conventional transparent conductive materials. However, in this report we show that Joule heating is a unique and serious problem with these electrodes. When conducting current densities encountered in organic solar cells, the average surface temperature of indium tin oxide (ITO) and silver nanowire electrodes, both with sheet resistances of 60 ohms/square, remains below 35 °C. However, in contrast to ITO, the temperature in the nanowire electrode is very non-uniform, with some localized points reaching temperatures above 250 °C. These hotspots accelerate nanowire degradation, leading to electrode failure after 5 days of continuous current flow. We show that graphene, a commonly used passivation layer for these electrodes, slows nanowire degradation and creates a more uniform surface temperature under current flow. However, the graphene does not prevent Joule heating in the nanowires and local points of high temperature ultimately shift the failure mechanism from nanowire degradation to melting of the underlying plastic substrate. In this paper, surface temperature mapping, lifetime testing under current flow, post-mortem analysis, and modelling illuminate the behaviour and failure mechanisms of nanowires under extended current flow and provide guidelines for managing Joule heating.

Solution-processed core-shell nanowires for efficient photovoltaic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jinyao; Huo, Ziyang; Brittman, Sarah; Gao, Hanwei; Yang, Peidong

2011-08-21

Semiconductor nanowires are promising for photovoltaic applications, but, so far, nanowire-based solar cells have had lower efficiencies than planar cells made from the same materials, even allowing for the generally lower light absorption of nanowires. It is not clear, therefore, if the benefits of the nanowire structure, including better charge collection and transport and the possibility of enhanced absorption through light trapping, can outweigh the reductions in performance caused by recombination at the surface of the nanowires and at p-n junctions. Here, we fabricate core-shell nanowire solar cells with open-circuit voltage and fill factor values superior to those reported for equivalent planar cells, and an energy conversion efficiency of ∼5.4%, which is comparable to that of equivalent planar cells despite low light absorption levels. The device is made using a low-temperature solution-based cation exchange reaction that creates a heteroepitaxial junction between a single-crystalline CdS core and single-crystalline Cu2S shell. We integrate multiple cells on single nanowires in both series and parallel configurations for high output voltages and currents, respectively. The ability to produce efficient nanowire-based solar cells with a solution-based process and Earth-abundant elements could significantly reduce fabrication costs relative to existing high-temperature bulk material approaches.

Heterogeneous ice nucleation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bogdan, A. [Helsinki Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Physics

1994-12-31

The classical theory of heterogenous ice nucleation is reviewed in detail. The modelling of ice nucleation in the adsorbed water films on natural particles by analogous ice nucleation in adsorbed water films on the walls of porous media is discussed. Ice nucleation in adsorbed films of purewater and the HNO{sub 3}/H{sub 2}0 binary system on the surface of porous aerosol (SiO{sub 2}) was investigated using the method of NMR spectroscopy. The median freezing temperature and freezing temperature region were shown to be highly sensitive both to the average thickness of the adsorbed films and to the amount of adsorbed nitric acid. The character of the ice phase formation tends to approach that of bulk liquid with increasing adsorbed film thickness. Under the given conditions the thickness of the adsorbed films decreases with an increasing amount of adsorbed nitric acid molecules The molar concentration of nitric acid in the adsorbed films is very small (of the order of 10{sup -}3 10{sup -}2 (M/l)). Nitric acid molecules tend to adsorb on the surface of aerosol to a greater extent than in subsequent layers. The concentration is greatest in layers situated close to the surface and sharply decreases with the distance from the surface. The difference between the median freezing temperatures for adsorbed pure water and for the binary system was found to be about 9 K for films of equal thickness. This is about 150 times greater than the difference between the median freezing temperatures of bulk pure water and a solution with the same concentration of nitric acid. (orig.)

On Capillary Rise and Nucleation

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, R.

2008-01-01

A comparison of capillary rise and nucleation is presented. It is shown that both phenomena result from a balance between two competing energy factors: a volume energy and a surface energy. Such a comparison may help to introduce nucleation with a topic familiar to the students, capillary rise. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)

Magnetic Nanowires as Materials for Cancer Cell Destruction

KAUST Repository

Contreras, Maria F.

2015-12-01

Current cancer therapies are highly cytotoxic and their delivery to exclusively the affected site is poorly controlled, resulting in unavoidable and often severe side effects. In an effort to overcome such issues, magnetic nanoparticles have been recently gaining relevance in the areas of biomedical applications and therapeutics, opening pathways to alternative methods. This led to the concept of magnetic particle hyperthermia in which magnetic nano beads are heated by a high power magnetic field. The increase in temperature kills the cancer cells, which are more susceptible to heat in comparison to healthy cells. In this dissertation, the possibility to kill cancer cells with magnetic nanowires is evaluated. The idea is to exploit a magnetomechanical effect, where nanowires cause cancer cell death through vibrating in a low power magnetic field. Specifically, the magnetic nanowires effects to cells in culture and their ability to induce cancer cell death, when combined with an alternating magnetic field, was investigated. Nickel and iron nanowires of 35 nm diameter and 1 to 5 μm long were synthesized by electrodeposition into nanoporous alumina templates, which were prepared using a two-step anodization process on highly pure aluminum substrates. For the cytotoxicity studies, the nanowires were added to cancer cells in culture, varying the incubation time and the concentration. The cell-nanowire interaction was thoroughly studied at the cellular level (mitochondrial metabolic activity, cell membrane integrity and, apoptosis/necrosis assay), and optical level (transmission electron and confocal microscopy). Furthermore, to investigate their therapeutic potential, an alternating magnetic field was applied varying its intensity and frequency. After the magnetic field application, cells health was measured at the mitochondrial activity level. Cytotoxicity results shed light onto the cellular tolerance to the nanowires, which helped in establishing the appropriate

Biotemplated Synthesis of PZT Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-25

electromechanical coupling coefficient , Y is the Young’s modulus, and Ri is intrinsic resistance. The PZT nanowire- based film is taken to have negligible...robotic actuation, and bioMEMS. Lead zirconate titanate ( PZT ), in particular, has attracted significant attention, owing to its superior...electromechanical conversion performance. Yet, the ability to synthesize crystalline PZT nanowires with reproducible and well-controlled properties remains a

Rate of Homogenous Nucleation of Ice in Supercooled Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, James D; Murray, Benjamin J; O'Sullivan, Daniel

2016-08-25

The homogeneous freezing of water is of fundamental importance to a number of fields, including that of cloud formation. However, there is considerable scatter in homogeneous nucleation rate coefficients reported in the literature. Using a cold stage droplet system designed to minimize uncertainties in temperature measurements, we examined the freezing of over 1500 pure water droplets with diameters between 4 and 24 μm. Under the assumption that nucleation occurs within the bulk of the droplet, nucleation rate coefficients fall within the spread of literature data and are in good agreement with a subset of more recent measurements. To quantify the relative importance of surface and volume nucleation in our experiments, where droplets are supported by a hydrophobic surface and surrounded by oil, comparison of droplets with different surface area to volume ratios was performed. From our experiments it is shown that in droplets larger than 6 μm diameter (between 234.6 and 236.5 K), nucleation in the interior is more important than nucleation at the surface. At smaller sizes we cannot rule out a significant contribution of surface nucleation, and in order to further constrain surface nucleation, experiments with smaller droplets are necessary. Nevertheless, in our experiments, it is dominantly volume nucleation controlling the observed nucleation rate.

Tunneling magnetoresistance in Si nanowires

KAUST Repository

Montes Muñoz, Enrique

2016-11-09

We investigate the tunneling magnetoresistance of small diameter semiconducting Si nanowires attached to ferromagnetic Fe electrodes, using first principles density functional theory combined with the non-equilibrium Green\\'s functions method for quantum transport. Silicon nanowires represent an interesting platform for spin devices. They are compatible with mature silicon technology and their intrinsic electronic properties can be controlled by modifying the diameter and length. Here we systematically study the spin transport properties for neutral nanowires and both n and p doping conditions. We find a substantial low bias magnetoresistance for the neutral case, which halves for an applied voltage of about 0.35 V and persists up to 1 V. Doping in general decreases the magnetoresistance, as soon as the conductance is no longer dominated by tunneling.

Perspectives of single cast nanowires technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioisher, Anatolii; Badinter, Efim; Postolache, Vitalie; Leporda, Nicolae; Tiginyanu, Ion; Monaico, Eduard

2011-01-01

The paper is dedicated to production potential of glass-coated cast nanowire with metal-, semimetal- and semiconductor-based cores by means of Taylor-Ulitovsky method. Criteria of melted core-formative material penetration into a drawing capillary were analyzed. Theoretical preconditions of the reduction of cast microwire diameter up to nano-dimensions of core are reviewed and an improved method of cast nanowire manufacturing is proposed. Correctness of conclusions was experimentally proved and laboratory samples of micro- and nano-wires with core diameter of about 200-300 nanometers were produced, even in case of materials with poor adhesion.

Disorder-induced enhancement of conductance in doped nanowires

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xu Ning; Wang Bao-Lin; Sun Hou-Qian; Kong Fan-Jie

2010-01-01

A new mechanism is proposed to explain the enhancement of conductance in doped nanowires. It is shown that the anomalous enhancement of conductance is due to surface doping. The conductance in doped nanowires increases with dopant concentration, which is qualitatively consistent with the existing experimental results. In addition, the I-V curves are linear and thus suggest that the metal electrodes make ohmic contacts to the shell-doped nanowires.The electric current increases with wire diameter (D) and decreases exponentially with wire length (L). Therefore, the doped nanowires have potential application in nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Sensitivity of ice-nucleating bacteria to ultraviolet irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obata, Hitoshi; Tanahashi, Shinji; Kawahara, Hidehisa (Kansai Univ., Suita, Osaka (Japan). Faculty of Engineering)

1992-01-01

The effect of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the ice-nucleating activity of the ice-nucleating bacteria was examined. Bacterial suspension was irradiated with UV (254 nm, 6Wx2) for 5 min at a distance of 20 cm from UV source. Although no viable cells were detected, the ice-nucreating activity of the cells was not affected. Furthermore, after UV irradiation for 3 hr, the ice-nucleating activity of Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. syringae was only slightly decreased, although that of P. viridiflava and Erwinia herbicola was significantly lowered. We succeeded in killing the ice-nucleating bacteria, while retaining their ice-nucleating activity with UV irradiation. (author).

Increasing the efficiency of polymer solar cells by silicon nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eisenhawer, B; Sivakov, V; Pietsch, M; Andrae, G; Falk, F [Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, 07743 Jena (Germany); Sensfuss, S, E-mail: bjoern.eisenhawer@ipht-jena.de [Thuringian Institute for Textile and Plastics Research, Breitscheidstrasse 97, 07407 Rudolstadt (Germany)

2011-08-05

Silicon nanowires have been introduced into P3HT:[60]PCBM solar cells, resulting in hybrid organic/inorganic solar cells. A cell efficiency of 4.2% has been achieved, which is a relative improvement of 10% compared to a reference cell produced without nanowires. This increase in cell performance is possibly due to an enhancement of the electron transport properties imposed by the silicon nanowires. In this paper, we present a novel approach for introducing the nanowires by mixing them into the polymer blend and subsequently coating the polymer/nanowire blend onto a substrate. This new onset may represent a viable pathway to producing nanowire-enhanced polymer solar cells in a reel to reel process.

Increasing the efficiency of polymer solar cells by silicon nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisenhawer, B; Sivakov, V; Pietsch, M; Andrae, G; Falk, F; Sensfuss, S

2011-01-01

Silicon nanowires have been introduced into P3HT:[60]PCBM solar cells, resulting in hybrid organic/inorganic solar cells. A cell efficiency of 4.2% has been achieved, which is a relative improvement of 10% compared to a reference cell produced without nanowires. This increase in cell performance is possibly due to an enhancement of the electron transport properties imposed by the silicon nanowires. In this paper, we present a novel approach for introducing the nanowires by mixing them into the polymer blend and subsequently coating the polymer/nanowire blend onto a substrate. This new onset may represent a viable pathway to producing nanowire-enhanced polymer solar cells in a reel to reel process.

Focus: Nucleation kinetics of shear bands in metallic glass.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J Q; Perepezko, J H

2016-12-07

The development of shear bands is recognized as the primary mechanism in controlling the plastic deformability of metallic glasses. However, the kinetics of the nucleation of shear bands has received limited attention. The nucleation of shear bands in metallic glasses (MG) can be investigated using a nanoindentation method to monitor the development of the first pop-in event that is a signature of shear band nucleation. The analysis of a statistically significant number of first pop-in events demonstrates the stochastic behavior that is characteristic of nucleation and reveals a multimodal behavior associated with local spatial heterogeneities. The shear band nucleation rate of the two nucleation modes and the associated activation energy, activation volume, and site density were determined by loading rate experiments. The nucleation activation energy is very close to the value that is characteristic of the β relaxation in metallic glass. The identification of the rate controlling kinetics for shear band nucleation offers guidance for promoting plastic flow in metallic glass.

Elastic properties and electron transport in InAs nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Migunov, Vadim

2013-02-22

The electron transport and elastic properties of InAs nanowires grown by chemical vapor deposition on InAs (001) substrate were studied experimentally, in-situ in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). A TEM holder allowing the measurement of a nanoforce while simultaneous imaging nanowire bending was used. Diffraction images from local areas of the wire were recorded to correlate elastic properties with the atomic structure of the nanowires. Another TEM holder allowing the application of electrical bias between the nanowire and an apex of a metallic needle while simultaneous imaging the nanowire in TEM or performing electron holography was used to detect mechanical vibrations in mechanical study or holographical observation of the nanowire inner potential in the electron transport studies. The combination of the scanning probe methods with TEM allows to correlate the measured electric and elastic properties of the nanowires with direct identification of their atomic structure. It was found that the nanowires have different atomic structures and different stacking fault defect densities that impacts critically on the elastic properties and electric transport. The unique methods, that were applied in this work, allowed to obtain dependencies of resistivity and Young's modulus of left angle 111 right angle -oriented InAs nanowires on defect density and diameter. It was found that the higher is the defect density the higher are the resistivity and the Young's modulus. Regarding the resistivity, it was deduced that the stacking faults increase the scattering of the electrons in the nanowire. These findings are consistent with the literature, however, the effect described by the other groups is not so pronounced. This difference can be attributed to the significant incompleteness of the physical models used for the data analysis. Regarding the elastic modulus, there are several mechanisms affecting the elasticity of the nanowires discussed in the thesis. It

Oxygen deficiency in MoO{sub 3} polycrystalline nanowires and nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Varlec, Ana, E-mail: ana.varlec@ijs.si [Condensed Matter Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Arčon, Denis [Condensed Matter Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska cesta 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Škapin, Srečo D. [Advanced Materials Department, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Remškar, Maja [Condensed Matter Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2016-02-15

We report on the synthesis of polycrystalline molybdenum oxide (MoO{sub 3}) nanowires via oxidation of molybdenum-sulfur-iodine (Mo{sub 6}S{sub 2}I{sub 8}) nanowires. This unique synthesis route results in an interesting morphology comprising porous nanowires and nanotubes. We found the nanowires to have the orthorhombic MoO{sub 3} structure. The structure is slightly oxygen deficient which results in the appearance of a new resonant Raman band (1004 cm{sup −1}) and paramagnetic defects (Mo{sup 5+}) of both the point and crystallographic shear plane nature. - Highlights: • Polycrystalline MoO{sub 3} nanowires were obtained via oxidation of Mo{sub 6}S{sub 2}I{sub 8} nanowires. • Nanowires are porous and tubular with either filled or empty interior. • Nanowires are slightly oxygen deficient which leads to a new Raman band.

Novel Flame-Based Synthesis of Nanowires for Multifunctional Application

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-13

pattern (SAED) of SnO2/WO2.9 heterojunction for case 7. TEM (Fig. 14(a)) reveals that the coating on the tungsten- oxide nanowires is actually a...tungsten oxide nanowire,s resulting in radial growth of Zn2SnO4 nanocube/WO2.9 nanowire heterojunction . Furthermore, the combined flame and solution...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Progress for the project has been made in various areas. Specifically, we report on: (i) flame synthesis of metal- oxide

A classical view on nonclassical nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Smeets, Paul J M; Finney, Aaron R; Habraken, Wouter J E M; Nudelman, Fabio; Friedrich, Heiner; Laven, Jozua; De Yoreo, James J; Rodger, P Mark; Sommerdijk, Nico A J M

2017-09-19

Understanding and controlling nucleation is important for many crystallization applications. Calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) is often used as a model system to investigate nucleation mechanisms. Despite its great importance in geology, biology, and many industrial applications, CaCO 3 nucleation is still a topic of intense discussion, with new pathways for its growth from ions in solution proposed in recent years. These new pathways include the so-called nonclassical nucleation mechanism via the assembly of thermodynamically stable prenucleation clusters, as well as the formation of a dense liquid precursor phase via liquid-liquid phase separation. Here, we present results from a combined experimental and computational investigation on the precipitation of CaCO 3 in dilute aqueous solutions. We propose that a dense liquid phase (containing 4-7 H 2 O per CaCO 3 unit) forms in supersaturated solutions through the association of ions and ion pairs without significant participation of larger ion clusters. This liquid acts as the precursor for the formation of solid CaCO 3 in the form of vaterite, which grows via a net transfer of ions from solution according to z Ca 2+ + z CO 3 2- → z CaCO 3 The results show that all steps in this process can be explained according to classical concepts of crystal nucleation and growth, and that long-standing physical concepts of nucleation can describe multistep, multiphase growth mechanisms.

Microtubule nucleation and organization in dendrites

Science.gov (United States)

Delandre, Caroline; Amikura, Reiko; Moore, Adrian W.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Dendrite branching is an essential process for building complex nervous systems. It determines the number, distribution and integration of inputs into a neuron, and is regulated to create the diverse dendrite arbor branching patterns characteristic of different neuron types. The microtubule cytoskeleton is critical to provide structure and exert force during dendrite branching. It also supports the functional requirements of dendrites, reflected by differential microtubule architectural organization between neuron types, illustrated here for sensory neurons. Both anterograde and retrograde microtubule polymerization occur within growing dendrites, and recent studies indicate that branching is enhanced by anterograde microtubule polymerization events in nascent branches. The polarities of microtubule polymerization events are regulated by the position and orientation of microtubule nucleation events in the dendrite arbor. Golgi outposts are a primary microtubule nucleation center in dendrites and share common nucleation machinery with the centrosome. In addition, pre-existing dendrite microtubules may act as nucleation sites. We discuss how balancing the activities of distinct nucleation machineries within the growing dendrite can alter microtubule polymerization polarity and dendrite branching, and how regulating this balance can generate neuron type-specific morphologies. PMID:27097122

Nucleation versus instability race in strained films

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kailang; Berbezier, Isabelle; David, Thomas; Favre, Luc; Ronda, Antoine; Abbarchi, Marco; Voorhees, Peter; Aqua, Jean-Noël

2017-10-01

Under the generic term "Stranski-Krastanov" are grouped two different growth mechanisms of SiGe quantum dots. They result from the self-organized Asaro-Tiller-Grinfel'd (ATG) instability at low strain, while at high strain, from a stochastic nucleation. While these regimes are well known, we elucidate here the origin of the transition between these two pathways thanks to a joint theoretical and experimental work. Nucleation is described within the master equation framework. By comparing the time scales for ATG instability development and three-dimensional (3D) nucleation onset, we demonstrate that the transition between these two regimes is simply explained by the crossover between their divergent evolutions. Nucleation exhibits a strong exponential deviation at low strain while ATG behaves only algebraically. The associated time scale varies with exp(1 /x4) for nucleation, while it only behaves as 1 /x8 for the ATG instability. Consequently, at high (low) strain, nucleation (instability) occurs faster and inhibits the alternate evolution. It is then this different kinetic evolution which explains the transition from one regime to the other. Such a kinetic view of the transition between these two 3D growth regimes was not provided before. The crossover between nucleation and ATG instability is found to occur both experimentally and theoretically at a Ge composition around 50% in the experimental conditions used here. Varying the experimental conditions and/or the system parameters does not allow us to suppress the transition. This means that the SiGe quantum dots always grow via ATG instability at low strain and nucleation at high strain. This result is important for the self-organization of quantum dots.

Optical properties of indium phosphide nanowire ensembles at various temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lohn, Andrew J; Onishi, Takehiro; Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P

2010-01-01

Ensembles that contain two types (zincblende and wurtzite) of indium phosphide nanowires grown on non-single crystalline surfaces were studied by micro-photoluminescence and micro-Raman spectroscopy at various low temperatures. The obtained spectra are discussed with the emphasis on the effects of differing lattice types, geometries, and crystallographic orientations present within an ensemble of nanowires grown on non-single crystalline surfaces. In the photoluminescence spectra, a typical Varshni dependence of band gap energy on temperature was observed for emissions from zincblende nanowires and in the high temperature regime energy transfer from excitonic transitions and band-edge transitions was identified. In contrast, the photoluminescence emissions associated with wurtzite nanowires were rather insensitive to temperature. Raman spectra were collected simultaneously from zincblende and wurtzite nanowires coexisting in an ensemble. Raman peaks of the wurtzite nanowires are interpreted as those related to the zincblende nanowires by a folding of the phonon dispersion.

Optical properties of indium phosphide nanowire ensembles at various temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lohn, Andrew J; Onishi, Takehiro; Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P [Baskin School of Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Nanostructured Energy Conversion Technology and Research (NECTAR), Advanced Studies Laboratories, University of California Santa Cruz-NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)

2010-09-03

Ensembles that contain two types (zincblende and wurtzite) of indium phosphide nanowires grown on non-single crystalline surfaces were studied by micro-photoluminescence and micro-Raman spectroscopy at various low temperatures. The obtained spectra are discussed with the emphasis on the effects of differing lattice types, geometries, and crystallographic orientations present within an ensemble of nanowires grown on non-single crystalline surfaces. In the photoluminescence spectra, a typical Varshni dependence of band gap energy on temperature was observed for emissions from zincblende nanowires and in the high temperature regime energy transfer from excitonic transitions and band-edge transitions was identified. In contrast, the photoluminescence emissions associated with wurtzite nanowires were rather insensitive to temperature. Raman spectra were collected simultaneously from zincblende and wurtzite nanowires coexisting in an ensemble. Raman peaks of the wurtzite nanowires are interpreted as those related to the zincblende nanowires by a folding of the phonon dispersion.

Large-scale fabrication of vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhong L; Das, Suman; Xu, Sheng; Yuan, Dajun; Guo, Rui; Wei, Yaguang; Wu, Wenzhuo

2013-02-05

In a method for growing a nanowire array, a photoresist layer is placed onto a nanowire growth layer configured for growing nanowires therefrom. The photoresist layer is exposed to a coherent light interference pattern that includes periodically alternately spaced dark bands and light bands along a first orientation. The photoresist layer exposed to the coherent light interference pattern along a second orientation, transverse to the first orientation. The photoresist layer developed so as to remove photoresist from areas corresponding to areas of intersection of the dark bands of the interference pattern along the first orientation and the dark bands of the interference pattern along the second orientation, thereby leaving an ordered array of holes passing through the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer and the nanowire growth layer are placed into a nanowire growth environment, thereby growing nanowires from the nanowire growth layer through the array of holes.

Growth and characterization of bismuth telluride nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Picht, Oliver

2010-05-26

Polycrystalline Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} nanowires are electrochemically grown in ion track-etched polycarbonate membranes. Potentiostatic growth is demonstrated in templates of various thicknesses ranging from 10 to 100 {mu}m. The smallest observed nanowire diameters are 20 nm in thin membranes and approx. 140-180 nm in thicker membranes. The influence of the various deposition parameters on the nanowire growth rate is presented. Slower growth rates are attained by selective change of deposition potentials and lower temperatures. Nanowires synthesized at slower growth rates have shown to possess a higher degree of crystalline order and smoother surface contours. With respect to structural properties, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy verified the growth of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and evidenced the stability of specific properties, e.g. grain size or preferential orientation, with regard to variations in the deposition conditions. The interdependency of the fabrication parameters, i.e. temperature, deposition potential and nanochannel diameters, is demonstrated for wires grown in 30 {mu}m thick membranes. It is visible from diffraction analysis that texture is tunable by the growth conditions but depends also on the size of the nanochannels in the template. Both (015) and (110) reflexes are observed for the nanowire arrays. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis further points out that variation of nanochannel size could lead to a change in elemental composition of the nanowires. (orig.)

Growth and characterization of bismuth telluride nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picht, Oliver

2010-01-01

Polycrystalline Bi 2 Te 3 nanowires are electrochemically grown in ion track-etched polycarbonate membranes. Potentiostatic growth is demonstrated in templates of various thicknesses ranging from 10 to 100 μm. The smallest observed nanowire diameters are 20 nm in thin membranes and approx. 140-180 nm in thicker membranes. The influence of the various deposition parameters on the nanowire growth rate is presented. Slower growth rates are attained by selective change of deposition potentials and lower temperatures. Nanowires synthesized at slower growth rates have shown to possess a higher degree of crystalline order and smoother surface contours. With respect to structural properties, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy verified the growth of Bi 2 Te 3 and evidenced the stability of specific properties, e.g. grain size or preferential orientation, with regard to variations in the deposition conditions. The interdependency of the fabrication parameters, i.e. temperature, deposition potential and nanochannel diameters, is demonstrated for wires grown in 30 μm thick membranes. It is visible from diffraction analysis that texture is tunable by the growth conditions but depends also on the size of the nanochannels in the template. Both (015) and (110) reflexes are observed for the nanowire arrays. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis further points out that variation of nanochannel size could lead to a change in elemental composition of the nanowires. (orig.)

High mobility ZnO nanowires for terahertz detection applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Huiqiang; Peng, Rufang; Chu, Shijin; Chu, Sheng

2014-01-01

An oxide nanowire material was utilized for terahertz detection purpose. High quality ZnO nanowires were synthesized and field-effect transistors were fabricated. Electrical transport measurements demonstrated the nanowire with good transfer characteristics and fairly high electron mobility. It is shown that ZnO nanowires can be used as building blocks for the realization of terahertz detectors based on a one-dimensional plasmon detection configuration. Clear terahertz wave (∼0.3 THz) induced photovoltages were obtained at room temperature with varying incidence intensities. Further analysis showed that the terahertz photoresponse is closely related to the high electron mobility of the ZnO nanowire sample, which suggests that oxide nanoelectronics may find useful terahertz applications.

Do protein crystals nucleate within dense liquid clusters?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maes, Dominique; Vorontsova, Maria A.; Potenza, Marco A. C.; Sanvito, Tiziano; Sleutel, Mike; Giglio, Marzio; Vekilov, Peter G.

2015-01-01

The evolution of protein-rich clusters and nucleating crystals were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), confocal depolarized dynamic light scattering (cDDLS) and depolarized oblique illumination dark-field microscopy. Newly nucleated crystals within protein-rich clusters were detected directly. These observations indicate that the protein-rich clusters are locations for crystal nucleation. Protein-dense liquid clusters are regions of high protein concentration that have been observed in solutions of several proteins. The typical cluster size varies from several tens to several hundreds of nanometres and their volume fraction remains below 10 −3 of the solution. According to the two-step mechanism of nucleation, the protein-rich clusters serve as locations for and precursors to the nucleation of protein crystals. While the two-step mechanism explained several unusual features of protein crystal nucleation kinetics, a direct observation of its validity for protein crystals has been lacking. Here, two independent observations of crystal nucleation with the proteins lysozyme and glucose isomerase are discussed. Firstly, the evolutions of the protein-rich clusters and nucleating crystals were characterized simultaneously by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and confocal depolarized dynamic light scattering (cDDLS), respectively. It is demonstrated that protein crystals appear following a significant delay after cluster formation. The cDDLS correlation functions follow a Gaussian decay, indicative of nondiffusive motion. A possible explanation is that the crystals are contained inside large clusters and are driven by the elasticity of the cluster surface. Secondly, depolarized oblique illumination dark-field microscopy reveals the evolution from liquid clusters without crystals to newly nucleated crystals contained in the clusters to grown crystals freely diffusing in the solution. Collectively, the observations indicate that the protein-rich clusters in

The Leipzig Ice Nucleation chamber Comparison (LINC): An overview of ice nucleation measurements observed with four on-line ice nucleation devices

Science.gov (United States)

Kohn, Monika; Wex, Heike; Grawe, Sarah; Hartmann, Susan; Hellner, Lisa; Herenz, Paul; Welti, André; Stratmann, Frank; Lohmann, Ulrike; Kanji, Zamin A.

2016-04-01

Mixed-phase clouds (MPCs) are found to be the most relevant cloud type leading to precipitation in mid-latitudes. The formation of ice crystals in MPCs is not completely understood. To estimate the effect of aerosol particles on the radiative properties of clouds and to describe ice nucleation in models, the specific properties of aerosol particles acting as ice nucleating particles (INPs) still need to be identified. A number of devices are able to measure INPs in the lab and in the field. However, methods can be very different and need to be tested under controlled conditions with respect to aerosol generation and properties in order to standardize measurement and data analysis approaches for subsequent ambient measurements. Here, we present an overview of the LINC campaign hosted at TROPOS in September 2015. We compare four ice nucleation devices: PINC (Portable Ice Nucleation Chamber, Chou et al., 2011) and SPIN (SPectrometer for Ice Nuclei) are operated in deposition nucleation and condensation freezing mode. LACIS (Leipzig Aerosol Cloud Interaction Simulator, Hartmann et al., 2011) and PIMCA (Portable Immersion Mode Cooling chamber) measure in the immersion freezing mode. PIMCA is used as a vertical extension to PINC and allows activation and droplet growth prior to exposure to the investigated ice nucleation temperature. Size-resolved measurements of multiple aerosol types were performed including pure mineral dust (K-feldspar, kaolinite) and biological particles (Birch pollen washing waters) as well as some of them after treatment with sulfuric or nitric acid prior to experiments. LACIS and PIMCA-PINC operated in the immersion freezing mode showed very good agreement in the measured frozen fraction (FF). For the comparison between PINC and SPIN, which were scanning relative humidity from below to above water vapor saturation, an agreement was found for the obtained INP concentration. However, some differences were observed, which may result from ice

Single cell detection using a magnetic zigzag nanowire biosensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hao-Ting; Ger, Tzong-Rong; Lin, Ya-Hui; Wei, Zung-Hang

2013-08-07

A magnetic zigzag nanowire device was designed for single cell biosensing. Nanowires with widths of 150, 300, 500, and 800 nm were fabricated on silicon trenches by electron beam lithography, electron beam evaporation, and lift-off processes. Magnetoresistance measurements were performed before and after the attachment of a single magnetic cell to the nanowires to characterize the magnetic signal change due to the influence of the magnetic cell. Magnetoresistance responses were measured in different magnetic field directions, and the results showed that this nanowire device can be used for multi-directional detection. It was observed that the highest switching field variation occurred in a 150 nm wide nanowire when the field was perpendicular to the substrate plane. On the other hand, the highest magnetoresistance ratio variation occurred in a 800 nm wide nanowire also when the field was perpendicular to the substrate plane. Besides, the trench-structured substrate proposed in this study can fix the magnetic cell to the sensor in a fluid environment, and the stray field generated by the corners of the magnetic zigzag nanowires has the function of actively attracting the magnetic cells for detection.

The Role of Surface Passivation in Controlling Ge Nanowire Faceting.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamalski, A D; Tersoff, J; Kodambaka, S; Zakharov, D N; Ross, F M; Stach, E A

2015-12-09

In situ transmission electron microscopy observations of nanowire morphologies indicate that during Au-catalyzed Ge nanowire growth, Ge facets can rapidly form along the nanowire sidewalls when the source gas (here, digermane) flux is decreased or the temperature is increased. This sidewall faceting is accompanied by continuous catalyst loss as Au diffuses from the droplet to the wire surface. We suggest that high digermane flux and low temperatures promote effective surface passivation of Ge nanowires with H or other digermane fragments inhibiting diffusion and attachment of Au and Ge on the sidewalls. These results illustrate the essential roles of the precursor gas and substrate temperature in maintaining nanowire sidewall passivation, necessary to ensure the growth of straight, untapered, ⟨111⟩-oriented nanowires.

Optical properties of nanowire metamaterials with gain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Isidio de Lima, Joaquim Junior; Adam, Jost; Rego, Davi

2016-01-01

The transmittance, reflectance and absorption of a nanowire metamaterial with optical gain are numerically simulated and investigated. It is assumed that the metamaterial is represented by aligned silver nanowires embedded into a semiconductor matrix, made of either silicon or gallium phosphide....... The gain in the matrix is modeled by adding a negative imaginary part to the dielectric function of the semiconductor. It is found that the optical coefficients of the metamaterial depend on the gain magnitude in a non-trivial way: they can both increase and decrease with gain depending on the lattice...... constant of the metamaterial. This peculiar behavior is explained by the field redistribution between the lossy metal nanowires and the amplifying matrix material. These findings are significant for a proper design of nanowire metamaterials with low optical losses for diverse applications....

Shear-driven phase transformation in silicon nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, L; Djomani, D; Fakfakh, M; Renard, C; Belier, B; Bouchier, D; Patriarche, G

2018-03-23

We report on an unprecedented formation of allotrope heterostructured Si nanowires by plastic deformation based on applied radial compressive stresses inside a surrounding matrix. Si nanowires with a standard diamond structure (3C) undergo a phase transformation toward the hexagonal 2H-allotrope. The transformation is thermally activated above 500 °C and is clearly driven by a shear-stress relief occurring in parallel shear bands lying on {115} planes. We have studied the influence of temperature and axial orientation of nanowires. The observations are consistent with a martensitic phase transformation, but the finding leads to clear evidence of a different mechanism of deformation-induced phase transformation in Si nanowires with respect to their bulk counterpart. Our process provides a route to study shear-driven phase transformation at the nanoscale in Si.

Nucleation of colloidal crystals on configurable seed structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermes, M; Vermolen, E.C.M.; Leunissen, M.E.; Vossen, D.L.J.; van Oostrum, P.D.J.; Dijkstra, M.; van Blaaderen, A.

2011-01-01

Nucleation is an important stage in the growth of crystals. During this stage, the structure and orientation of a crystal are determined. However, short time- and length-scales make nucleation poorly understood. Micrometer-sized colloidal particles form an ideal model system to study nucleation due

Dynamics of ice nucleation on water repellent surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Alizadeh, Azar; Yamada, Masako; Li, Ri; Shang, Wen; Otta, Shourya; Zhong, Sheng; Ge, Liehui; Dhinojwala, Ali; Conway, Ken R; Bahadur, Vaibhav; Vinciquerra, A Joseph; Stephens, Brian; Blohm, Margaret L

2012-02-14

Prevention of ice accretion and adhesion on surfaces is relevant to many applications, leading to improved operation safety, increased energy efficiency, and cost reduction. Development of passive nonicing coatings is highly desirable, since current antiicing strategies are energy and cost intensive. Superhydrophobicity has been proposed as a lead passive nonicing strategy, yet the exact mechanism of delayed icing on these surfaces is not clearly understood. In this work, we present an in-depth analysis of ice formation dynamics upon water droplet impact on surfaces with different wettabilities. We experimentally demonstrate that ice nucleation under low-humidity conditions can be delayed through control of surface chemistry and texture. Combining infrared (IR) thermometry and high-speed photography, we observe that the reduction of water-surface contact area on superhydrophobic surfaces plays a dual role in delaying nucleation: first by reducing heat transfer and second by reducing the probability of heterogeneous nucleation at the water-substrate interface. This work also includes an analysis (based on classical nucleation theory) to estimate various homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation rates in icing situations. The key finding is that ice nucleation delay on superhydrophobic surfaces is more prominent at moderate degrees of supercooling, while closer to the homogeneous nucleation temperature, bulk and air-water interface nucleation effects become equally important. The study presented here offers a comprehensive perspective on the efficacy of textured surfaces for nonicing applications.

Fabrication and morphology of uniaxially aligned perylenediimide nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Machida, Shinjiro; Tanikatsu, Makoto; Itaya, Akira; Ikeda, Noriaki

2017-06-01

Uniaxial alignment of crystalline nanowires consisting of N,N‧-dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide (PTCDI-C8) was achieved on poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) layers prepared by friction transfer method on a glass substrate. The nanowires were formed by spin-coating a trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) solution of PTCDI-C8 on the PTFE layers and were further grown under TFA vapor atmosphere. The morphology of the PTCDI-C8 nanowires were characterized using atomic force microscope (AFM) and fluorescence optical microscope with changing the dye concentration in the spin coating solution, annealing time in the TFA vapor, and substrate materials. The nanowires prepared on the PTFE layer on a silica-coated silicon or a mica substrate did not grow so well as those on the glass substrate. This result suggests that the surface roughness would affect the PTFE layer and the growth of the PTCDI nanowires.

Direct electrodeposition of metal nanowires on electrode surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gambirasi, Arianna; Cattarin, Sandro; Musiani, Marco; Vazquez-Gomez, Lourdes; Verlato, Enrico

2011-01-01

A method for decorating the surface of disk electrodes with metal nanowires is presented. Cu and Ni nanowires with diameters from 1.0 μm to 0.2 μm are directly deposited on the electrode surface using a polycarbonate membrane filter template maintained in contact with the metal substrate by the soft homogeneous pressure of a sponge soaked with electrolyte. The morphologic and structural properties of the deposit are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The latter shows that the head of nanowires with diameter of 0.4 μm is ordinarily polycrystalline, and that of nanowires with diameter of 0.2 μm is almost always monocrystalline for Cu and frequently also for Ni. Cyclic voltammetries and impedance investigations recorded in alkaline solutions at representative Ni electrodes decorated with nanowires provide consistent values of roughness factor, in the range 20-25.

A detailed study of magnetization reversal in individual Ni nanowires

KAUST Repository

Vidal, Enrique Vilanova; Ivanov, Yurii P.; Mohammed, Hanan; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

Magnetic nanowires have emerged as essential components for a broad range of applications. In many cases, a key property of these components is the switching field, which is studied as a function of the angle between the field and the nanowire. We found remarkable differences of up to 100% between the switching fields of different nanowires from the same fabrication batch. Our experimental results and micromagnetic simulations indicate that the nanowires exhibit a single domain behavior and that the switching mechanism includes vortex domain wall motion across the nanowire. The differences between the switching fields are attributed to different cross-sections of the nanowires, as found by electron microscopy. While a circular cross-section yields the smallest switching field values, any deviation from this shape results in an increase of the switching field. The shape of the nanowires' cross-sections is thus a critical parameter that has not been previously taken into account.

A detailed study of magnetization reversal in individual Ni nanowires

KAUST Repository

Vidal, Enrique Vilanova

2015-01-19

Magnetic nanowires have emerged as essential components for a broad range of applications. In many cases, a key property of these components is the switching field, which is studied as a function of the angle between the field and the nanowire. We found remarkable differences of up to 100% between the switching fields of different nanowires from the same fabrication batch. Our experimental results and micromagnetic simulations indicate that the nanowires exhibit a single domain behavior and that the switching mechanism includes vortex domain wall motion across the nanowire. The differences between the switching fields are attributed to different cross-sections of the nanowires, as found by electron microscopy. While a circular cross-section yields the smallest switching field values, any deviation from this shape results in an increase of the switching field. The shape of the nanowires\\' cross-sections is thus a critical parameter that has not been previously taken into account.

Synthesis of the cactus-like silicon nanowires/tungsten oxide nanowires composite for room-temperature NO{sub 2} gas sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Weiyi, E-mail: zhangweiyi@tju.edu.cn [School of Electronic Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 (China); Hu, Ming [School of Electronic Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 (China); Key Laboratory for Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Liu, Xing; Wei, Yulong; Li, Na [School of Electronic Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 (China); Qin, Yuxiang, E-mail: qinyuxiang@tju.edu.cn [School of Electronic Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 (China); Key Laboratory for Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

2016-09-15

In the present work, the tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) nanowires functionalized silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with cactus-like structure has been successfully synthesized for room-temperature NO{sub 2} detection. The novel nanocomposite was fabricated by metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) and thermal annealing of tungsten film. The WO{sub 3} nanowires were evenly distributed from the upper to the lower part of the SiNWs, indicating excellent uniformity which is conducive to adsorption and desorption of gas molecules. The gas-sensing properties have been examined by measuring the resistance change towards 0.25–5 ppm NO{sub 2} gas. At room temperature, which is the optimum working temperature, the SiNWs/WO{sub 3} nanowires composite showed two-times higher NO{sub 2} response than that of the bare SiNWs at 2 ppm NO{sub 2}. On the contrary, the responses of composite sensors to high concentrations of other reducing gases were very low, indicating excellent selectivity. Simultaneously, the composite sensors exhibited good sensing repeatability and stability. The enhancement in gas sensing properties may be attributed to the change in width of the space charge region, which is similar to the behavior of p-n junctions under forward bias, in the high-density p-n heterojunction structure formed between SiNWs and WO{sub 3} nanowires. - Highlights: • SiNWs/WO{sub 3} nanowires composite with cactus-like structure is synthesized. • The morphology of WO{sub 3} nanowires depends on the thermal annealing temperature. • The nanocomposite sensor exhibit better gas response than that of bare SiNWs. • The gas sensing mechanism is discussed using p-n heterojunction theory.

Electroless Fabrication of Cobalt Alloys Nanowires within Alumina Template

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nazila Dadvand

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A new method of nanowire fabrication based on electroless deposition process is described. The method is novel compared to the current electroless procedure used in making nanowires as it involves growing nanowires from the bottom up. The length of the nanowires was controlled at will simply by adjusting the deposition time. The nanowires were fabricated within the nanopores of an alumina template. It was accomplished by coating one side of the template by a thin layer of palladium in order to activate the electroless deposition within the nanopores from bottom up. However, prior to electroless deposition process, the template was pretreated with a suitable wetting agent in order to facilitate the penetration of the plating solution through the pores. As well, the electroless deposition process combined with oblique metal evaporation process within a prestructured silicon wafer was used in order to fabricate long nanowires along one side of the grooves within the wafer.

Faculty's Perception of Faculty Development

Science.gov (United States)

Premkumar, Kalyani; Moshynskyy, Anton; Sakai, Damon H.; Fong, Sheri F. T.

2017-01-01

Faculty Development (FD) is a vital component across the medical education continuum of undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing medical education. However, the positioning of FD in medical institutions varies widely. The perceptions of faculty on FD should be examined in order to provide effective FD. The perceptions of faculty involved in…

Well-dispersed gold nanowire suspension for assembly application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Cailing; Zhang Li; Zhang Haoli; Li Hulin

2005-01-01

A method for fabricating well-dispersed nanowire suspension has been demonstrated in the paper. Thin gold nanowires were prepared by template synthesis, and then functionalized with sulphonate group-terminated thiols before suspended in different solvents. The degree of aggregation of the obtained suspension was evaluated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. It was found that the degree of aggregation was predominated by the solvents, and the best degree of dispersion was obtained when isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was used as the solvent. The gold nanowires from the suspension can be selectively assembled onto chemically patterned substrates. This well-dispersed nanowire suspension is potentially useful for fabricating novel nanodevices

Controlling nanowire emission profile using conical taper

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gregersen, Niels; Nielsen, Torben Roland; Mørk, Jesper

2008-01-01

The influence of a conical taper on nanowire light emission is studied. For nanowires with divergent output beams, the introduction of tapers improves the emission profile and increase the collection efficiency of the detection optics....

Modelling the role of compositional fluctuations in nucleation kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ženíšek, J.; Kozeschnik, E.; Svoboda, J.; Fischer, F.D.

2015-01-01

The classical nucleation theory of precipitate nucleation in interstitial/substitutional alloys is applied to account for the influence of spatial A–B composition fluctuations in an A–B–C matrix on the kinetics of nucleation of (A,B) 3 C precipitates. A and B are substitutional elements in the matrix and C is an interstitial component, assumed to preferentially bind to B atoms. All lattice sites are considered as potential nucleation sites. The fluctuations of chemical composition result in a local variation of the nucleation probability. The nucleation sites are eliminated from the system if they are located in a C-depleted diffusion zone belonging to an already nucleated and growing precipitate. The chemistry is that of an Fe–Cr–C system, and the specific interface energy is treated as a free parameter. Random, regular and homogeneous A–B distributions in the matrix are simulated and compared for various values of the interface energy. An increasing enhancement of the role of compositional fluctuations on nucleation kinetics with increasing interface energy and decreasing chemical driving force is observed

Poly(1-(2-carboxyethyl)pyrrole)/polypyrrole composite nanowires for glucose biosensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Hairong; Zhang Aifeng; Sun Yanan; Ru Xiaoning; Ge Dongtao; Shi Wei

2012-01-01

A novel glucose biosensor based on poly(1-(2-carboxyethyl)pyrrole) (PPyCOOH)/polypyrrole (PPy) composite nanowires was developed by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOD) on the nanowires via covalent linkages. The PPyCOOH/PPy composite nanowires were fabricated by a facile two-step electrochemical synthesis route. First, PPy nanowires were synthesized in phosphate buffer solution using organic sulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonate acid, as soft-template. Then, PPyCOOH/PPy composite nanowires were obtained by polymerizing 1-(2-carboxyethyl)pyrrole onto PPy nanowires via electrochemical method. Scanning electron microscopic, FT-IR spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammograms were used to characterize the structural and electrical behaviors of the composite nanowires. The PPyCOOH/PPy composite nanowires exhibited uniform diameter, high reactive site (-COOH), large specific surface, excellent electroactivity and good adhesion to electrode. The glucose biosensor was constructed by covalently coupling GOD to the composite nanowires. The biosensor response was rapid (5 s), highly sensitive (33.6 μA mM −1 cm −2 ) with a wide linear range (up to 10.0 mM) and low detection limit (0.63 μM); it also exhibited high stability and specificity to glucose. The attractive electrochemical and structural properties of PPyCOOH/PPy composite nanowires suggested potential application for electrocatalysis and biosensor.

Tuning Ice Nucleation with Supercharged Polypeptides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yang, Huige; Ma, Chao; Li, Kaiyong; Liu, Kai; Loznik, Mark; Teeuwen, Rosalie; van Hest, Jan C. M.; Zhou, Xin; Herrmann, Andreas; Wang, Jianjun

2016-01-01

Supercharged unfolded polypeptides (SUPs) are exploited for controlling ice nucleation via tuning the nature of charge and charge density of SUPs. The results show that positively charged SUPs facilitate ice nucleation, while negatively charged ones suppress it. Moreover, the charge density of the

Ice nucleation rates near ˜225 K

Science.gov (United States)

Amaya, Andrew J.; Wyslouzil, Barbara E.

2018-02-01

We have measured the ice nucleation rates, Jice, in supercooled nano-droplets with radii ranging from 6.6 nm to 10 nm and droplet temperatures, Td, ranging from 225 K to 204 K. The initial temperature of the 10 nm water droplets is ˜250 K, i.e., well above the homogeneous nucleation temperature for micron sized water droplets, TH ˜235 K. The nucleation rates increase systematically from ˜1021 cm-3 s-1 to ˜1022 cm-3 s-1 in this temperature range, overlap with the nucleation rates of Manka et al. [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 14, 4505 (2012)], and suggest that experiments with larger droplets would extrapolate smoothly the rates of Hagen et al. [J. Atmos. Sci. 38, 1236 (1981)]. The sharp corner in the rate data as temperature drops is, however, difficult to match with available theory even if we correct classical nucleation theory and the physical properties of water for the high internal pressure of the nanodroplets.

Template-assisted fabrication of tin and antimony based nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Zaraska, Leszek; Kurowska, Elżbieta; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-10-01

Antimony nanowires with diameters ranging from 35 nm to 320 nm were successfully prepared by simple, galvanostatic electrodeposition inside the pores of anodic alumina membranes from a citrate based electrolyte. The use of the potassium antimonyl tartrate electrolyte for electrodeposition results in the formation of Sb/Sb2O3 nanowires. The structural features of the nanowire arrays were investigated by FE-SEM, and the nanowire composition was confirmed by EDS and XRD measurements. A distinct peak at about 27.5° in the XRD pattern recorded for nanowires formed in the tartrate electrolyte was attributed to the presence of co-deposited Sb2O3. Three types of dense arrays of Sn-SnSb nanowires with diameters ranging from 82 nm to 325 nm were also synthesized by DC galvanostatic electrodeposition into the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes for the first time. Only Sn and SnSb peaks appeared in the XRD pattern and both phases seem to have a relatively high degree of crystallinity. The influence of current density applied during electrodeposition on the composition of nanowires was investigated. It was found that the Sb content in fabricated nanowires decreases with increasing current density. The diameters of all synthesized nanowires roughly correspond to the dimensions of the nanochannels of AAO templates used for electrodeposition.

Non-chemotoxic induction of cancer cell death using magnetic nanowires

KAUST Repository

Contreras, Maria F.; Sougrat, Rachid; Zaher, Amir Omar; Ravasi, Timothy; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

In this paper, we show that magnetic nanowires with weak magnetic fields and low frequencies can induce cell death via a mechanism that does not involve heat production. We incubated colon cancer cells with two concentrations (2.4 and 12 μg/mL) of nickel nanowires that were 35 nm in diameter and exposed the cells and nanowires to an alternating magnetic field (0.5 mT and 1 Hz or 1 kHz) for 10 or 30 minutes. This low-power field exerted a force on the magnetic nanowires, causing a mechanical disturbance to the cells. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the nanostructures were internalized into the cells within 1 hour of incubation. Cell viability studies showed that the magnetic field and the nanowires separately had minor deleterious effects on the cells; however, when combined, the magnetic field and nanowires caused the cell viability values to drop by up to 39%, depending on the strength of the magnetic field and the concentration of the nanowires. Cell membrane leakage experiments indicated membrane leakage of 20%, suggesting that cell death mechanisms induced by the nanowires and magnetic field involve some cell membrane rupture. Results suggest that magnetic nanowires can kill cancer cells. The proposed process requires simple and low-cost equipment with exposure to only very weak magnetic fields for short time periods. © 2015 Contreras et al.

Non-chemotoxic induction of cancer cell death using magnetic nanowires

KAUST Repository

Contreras, Maria F.

2015-03-01

In this paper, we show that magnetic nanowires with weak magnetic fields and low frequencies can induce cell death via a mechanism that does not involve heat production. We incubated colon cancer cells with two concentrations (2.4 and 12 μg/mL) of nickel nanowires that were 35 nm in diameter and exposed the cells and nanowires to an alternating magnetic field (0.5 mT and 1 Hz or 1 kHz) for 10 or 30 minutes. This low-power field exerted a force on the magnetic nanowires, causing a mechanical disturbance to the cells. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the nanostructures were internalized into the cells within 1 hour of incubation. Cell viability studies showed that the magnetic field and the nanowires separately had minor deleterious effects on the cells; however, when combined, the magnetic field and nanowires caused the cell viability values to drop by up to 39%, depending on the strength of the magnetic field and the concentration of the nanowires. Cell membrane leakage experiments indicated membrane leakage of 20%, suggesting that cell death mechanisms induced by the nanowires and magnetic field involve some cell membrane rupture. Results suggest that magnetic nanowires can kill cancer cells. The proposed process requires simple and low-cost equipment with exposure to only very weak magnetic fields for short time periods. © 2015 Contreras et al.

Janus effect of antifreeze proteins on ice nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kai; Wang, Chunlei; Ma, Ji; Shi, Guosheng; Yao, Xi; Fang, Haiping; Song, Yanlin; Wang, Jianjun

2016-12-20

The mechanism of ice nucleation at the molecular level remains largely unknown. Nature endows antifreeze proteins (AFPs) with the unique capability of controlling ice formation. However, the effect of AFPs on ice nucleation has been under debate. Here we report the observation of both depression and promotion effects of AFPs on ice nucleation via selectively binding the ice-binding face (IBF) and the non-ice-binding face (NIBF) of AFPs to solid substrates. Freezing temperature and delay time assays show that ice nucleation is depressed with the NIBF exposed to liquid water, whereas ice nucleation is facilitated with the IBF exposed to liquid water. The generality of this Janus effect is verified by investigating three representative AFPs. Molecular dynamics simulation analysis shows that the Janus effect can be established by the distinct structures of the hydration layer around IBF and NIBF. Our work greatly enhances the understanding of the mechanism of AFPs at the molecular level and brings insights to the fundamentals of heterogeneous ice nucleation.

Generic nano-imprint process for fabrication of nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pierret, Aurelie; Hocevar, Moira; Algra, Rienk E; Timmering, Eugene C; Verschuuren, Marc A; Immink, George W G; Verheijen, Marcel A; Bakkers, Erik P A M [Philips Research Laboratories Eindhoven, High Tech Campus 11, 5656 AE Eindhoven (Netherlands); Diedenhofen, Silke L [FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics c/o Philips Research Laboratories, High Tech Campus 4, 5656 AE Eindhoven (Netherlands); Vlieg, E, E-mail: e.p.a.m.bakkers@tue.nl [IMM, Solid State Chemistry, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen (Netherlands)

2010-02-10

A generic process has been developed to grow nearly defect-free arrays of (heterostructured) InP and GaP nanowires. Soft nano-imprint lithography has been used to pattern gold particle arrays on full 2 inch substrates. After lift-off organic residues remain on the surface, which induce the growth of additional undesired nanowires. We show that cleaning of the samples before growth with piranha solution in combination with a thermal anneal at 550 deg. C for InP and 700 deg. C for GaP results in uniform nanowire arrays with 1% variation in nanowire length, and without undesired extra nanowires. Our chemical cleaning procedure is applicable to other lithographic techniques such as e-beam lithography, and therefore represents a generic process.

Non-chemotoxic induction of cancer cell death using magnetic nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Contreras MF

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Maria F Contreras,1 Rachid Sougrat,2 Amir Zaher,3 Timothy Ravasi,1,3 Jürgen Kosel3 1Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, 2Advanced Nanofabrication Imaging and Characterization, 3Division of Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abstract: In this paper, we show that magnetic nanowires with weak magnetic fields and low frequencies can induce cell death via a mechanism that does not involve heat production. We incubated colon cancer cells with two concentrations (2.4 and 12 µg/mL of nickel nanowires that were 35 nm in diameter and exposed the cells and nanowires to an alternating magnetic field (0.5 mT and 1 Hz or 1 kHz for 10 or 30 minutes. This low-power field exerted a force on the magnetic nanowires, causing a mechanical disturbance to the cells. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the nanostructures were internalized into the cells within 1 hour of incubation. Cell viability studies showed that the magnetic field and the nanowires separately had minor deleterious effects on the cells; however, when combined, the magnetic field and nanowires caused the cell viability values to drop by up to 39%, depending on the strength of the magnetic field and the concentration of the nanowires. Cell membrane leakage experiments indicated membrane leakage of 20%, suggesting that cell death mechanisms induced by the nanowires and magnetic field involve some cell membrane rupture. Results suggest that magnetic nanowires can kill cancer cells. The proposed process requires simple and low-cost equipment with exposure to only very weak magnetic fields for short time periods. Keywords: cell death induction, low frequency alternating magnetic field, nanomedicine, nanowire internalization, nickel nanowires

Long term stability of nanowire nanoelectronics in physiological environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wei; Dai, Xiaochuan; Fu, Tian-Ming; Xie, Chong; Liu, Jia; Lieber, Charles M

2014-03-12

Nanowire nanoelectronic devices have been exploited as highly sensitive subcellular resolution detectors for recording extracellular and intracellular signals from cells, as well as from natural and engineered/cyborg tissues, and in this capacity open many opportunities for fundamental biological research and biomedical applications. Here we demonstrate the capability to take full advantage of the attractive capabilities of nanowire nanoelectronic devices for long term physiological studies by passivating the nanowire elements with ultrathin metal oxide shells. Studies of Si and Si/aluminum oxide (Al2O3) core/shell nanowires in physiological solutions at 37 °C demonstrate long-term stability extending for at least 100 days in samples coated with 10 nm thick Al2O3 shells. In addition, investigations of nanowires configured as field-effect transistors (FETs) demonstrate that the Si/Al2O3 core/shell nanowire FETs exhibit good device performance for at least 4 months in physiological model solutions at 37 °C. The generality of this approach was also tested with in studies of Ge/Si and InAs nanowires, where Ge/Si/Al2O3 and InAs/Al2O3 core/shell materials exhibited stability for at least 100 days in physiological model solutions at 37 °C. In addition, investigations of hafnium oxide-Al2O3 nanolaminated shells indicate the potential to extend nanowire stability well beyond 1 year time scale in vivo. These studies demonstrate that straightforward core/shell nanowire nanoelectronic devices can exhibit the long term stability needed for a range of chronic in vivo studies in animals as well as powerful biomedical implants that could improve monitoring and treatment of disease.

Immersion freezing of ice nucleation active protein complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Hartmann

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Utilising the Leipzig Aerosol Cloud Interaction Simulator (LACIS, the immersion freezing behaviour of droplet ensembles containing monodisperse particles, generated from a Snomax™ solution/suspension, was investigated. Thereto ice fractions were measured in the temperature range between −5 °C to −38 °C. Snomax™ is an industrial product applied for artificial snow production and contains Pseudomonas syringae} bacteria which have long been used as model organism for atmospheric relevant ice nucleation active (INA bacteria. The ice nucleation activity of such bacteria is controlled by INA protein complexes in their outer membrane. In our experiments, ice fractions increased steeply in the temperature range from about −6 °C to about −10 °C and then levelled off at ice fractions smaller than one. The plateau implies that not all examined droplets contained an INA protein complex. Assuming the INA protein complexes to be Poisson distributed over the investigated droplet populations, we developed the CHESS model (stoCHastic modEl of similar and poiSSon distributed ice nuclei which allows for the calculation of ice fractions as function of temperature and time for a given nucleation rate. Matching calculated and measured ice fractions, we determined and parameterised the nucleation rate of INA protein complexes exhibiting class III ice nucleation behaviour. Utilising the CHESS model, together with the determined nucleation rate, we compared predictions from the model to experimental data from the literature and found good agreement. We found that (a the heterogeneous ice nucleation rate expression quantifying the ice nucleation behaviour of the INA protein complex is capable of describing the ice nucleation behaviour observed in various experiments for both, Snomax™ and P. syringae bacteria, (b the ice nucleation rate, and its temperature dependence, seem to be very similar regardless of whether the INA protein complexes inducing ice

Energetics of dislocation nucleation under a nanoindenter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chuanli; Xu Guanshui

2005-01-01

We present an analysis of dislocation nucleation under an idealized nanoindenter based on the variational boundary integral formulation of the Peierls-Nabarro dislocation model. By solving the embryonic dislocation profiles, corresponding to the relative displacements between the two adjacent atomic layers along the slip plane, we have determined the critical conditions for athermal dislocation nucleation as well as the activation energies required to thermally activate embryonic dislocations from their stable to unstable saddle point configurations. The effect of the size of the indenter on the energetics of dislocation nucleation is quantitatively characterized. The result is compared with a simplified analysis based on the application of the Rice model for dislocation nucleation at a crack tip

Energetics of dislocation nucleation under a nanoindenter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Chuanli [College of Mechanical Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023 (China); Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 (United States); Xu Guanshui [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 (United States)]. E-mail: guanshui.xu@ucr.edu

2005-07-25

We present an analysis of dislocation nucleation under an idealized nanoindenter based on the variational boundary integral formulation of the Peierls-Nabarro dislocation model. By solving the embryonic dislocation profiles, corresponding to the relative displacements between the two adjacent atomic layers along the slip plane, we have determined the critical conditions for athermal dislocation nucleation as well as the activation energies required to thermally activate embryonic dislocations from their stable to unstable saddle point configurations. The effect of the size of the indenter on the energetics of dislocation nucleation is quantitatively characterized. The result is compared with a simplified analysis based on the application of the Rice model for dislocation nucleation at a crack tip.

Molecular-dynamics simulations of urea nucleation from aqueous solution

Science.gov (United States)

Salvalaglio, Matteo; Perego, Claudio; Giberti, Federico; Mazzotti, Marco; Parrinello, Michele

2015-01-01

Despite its ubiquitous character and relevance in many branches of science and engineering, nucleation from solution remains elusive. In this framework, molecular simulations represent a powerful tool to provide insight into nucleation at the molecular scale. In this work, we combine theory and molecular simulations to describe urea nucleation from aqueous solution. Taking advantage of well-tempered metadynamics, we compute the free-energy change associated to the phase transition. We find that such a free-energy profile is characterized by significant finite-size effects that can, however, be accounted for. The description of the nucleation process emerging from our analysis differs from classical nucleation theory. Nucleation of crystal-like clusters is in fact preceded by large concentration fluctuations, indicating a predominant two-step process, whereby embryonic crystal nuclei emerge from dense, disordered urea clusters. Furthermore, in the early stages of nucleation, two different polymorphs are seen to compete. PMID:25492932

Molecular-dynamics simulations of urea nucleation from aqueous solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvalaglio, Matteo; Perego, Claudio; Giberti, Federico; Mazzotti, Marco; Parrinello, Michele

2015-01-06

Despite its ubiquitous character and relevance in many branches of science and engineering, nucleation from solution remains elusive. In this framework, molecular simulations represent a powerful tool to provide insight into nucleation at the molecular scale. In this work, we combine theory and molecular simulations to describe urea nucleation from aqueous solution. Taking advantage of well-tempered metadynamics, we compute the free-energy change associated to the phase transition. We find that such a free-energy profile is characterized by significant finite-size effects that can, however, be accounted for. The description of the nucleation process emerging from our analysis differs from classical nucleation theory. Nucleation of crystal-like clusters is in fact preceded by large concentration fluctuations, indicating a predominant two-step process, whereby embryonic crystal nuclei emerge from dense, disordered urea clusters. Furthermore, in the early stages of nucleation, two different polymorphs are seen to compete.

Purcell effect for finite-length metal-coated and metal nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Filonenko, Konstantin V.; Willatzen, Morten; Bordo, Vladimir G.

2014-01-01

We investigate the modification (enhancement and suppression) of the spontaneous emission rate of a dipole emitter in two configurations: inside a finite-length semiconductor nanowire surrounded by bulk metal and in the vicinity of a finite metal nanowire. Our analysis is based on a first......-principle approach, which is reduced to a seminumeric one in the limit of large nanowire aspect ratios. The numerical calculations are carried out for an emitter in a GaAs nanowire embedded in Ag or Au and for that nearby an Ag or Au nanowire in vacuum or dielectric. We consider in detail the Purcell and β factors...

Silicon nanowires: structure and properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nezhdanov, A.V.; Mashin, A.I.; Razuvaev, A.G.; Ershov, A.V.; Ignatov, S.K.

2006-01-01

An attempt to grow silicon nanowires has been made by electron beam evaporation on highly oriented pyrolytic substrate. Needle-like objects are located along the normal to a substrate (density 2 x 10 11 cm -2 ). For modeling quasi-one-dimensional objects calculations of nuclear structure and energy spectra have been accomplished. A fullerene-like structure Si 24 is proposed as a basic atomic configuration of silicon nanowires [ru

Non stationary nucleation: the model with minimal environment

OpenAIRE

Kurasov, Victor

2013-01-01

A new model to calculate the rate of nucleation is formulated. This model is based on the classical nucleation theory but considers also vapor depletion around the formed embryo. As the result the free energy has to be recalculated which brings a new expression for the nucleation rate.

Quantification of nanowire uptake by live cells

KAUST Repository

Margineanu, Michael B.

2015-05-01

Nanostructures fabricated by different methods have become increasingly important for various applications at the cellular level. In order to understand how these nanostructures “behave” and for studying their internalization kinetics, several attempts have been made at tagging and investigating their interaction with living cells. In this study, magnetic iron nanowires with an iron oxide layer are coated with (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), and subsequently labeled with a fluorogenic pH-dependent dye pHrodo™ Red, covalently bound to the aminosilane surface. Time-lapse live imaging of human colon carcinoma HCT 116 cells interacting with the labeled iron nanowires is performed for 24 hours. As the pHrodo™ Red conjugated nanowires are non-fluorescent outside the cells but fluoresce brightly inside, internalized nanowires are distinguished from non-internalized ones and their behavior inside the cells can be tracked for the respective time length. A machine learning-based computational framework dedicated to automatic analysis of live cell imaging data, Cell Cognition, is adapted and used to classify cells with internalized and non-internalized nanowires and subsequently determine the uptake percentage by cells at different time points. An uptake of 85 % by HCT 116 cells is observed after 24 hours incubation at NW-to-cell ratios of 200. While the approach of using pHrodo™ Red for internalization studies is not novel in the literature, this study reports for the first time the utilization of a machine-learning based time-resolved automatic analysis pipeline for quantification of nanowire uptake by cells. This pipeline has also been used for comparison studies with nickel nanowires coated with APTES and labeled with pHrodo™ Red, and another cell line derived from the cervix carcinoma, HeLa. It has thus the potential to be used for studying the interaction of different types of nanostructures with potentially any live cell types.

Atomic-Resolution Spectrum Imaging of Semiconductor Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamani, Reza R; Hage, Fredrik S; Lehmann, Sebastian; Ramasse, Quentin M; Dick, Kimberly A

2018-03-14

Over the past decade, III-V heterostructure nanowires have attracted a surge of attention for their application in novel semiconductor devices such as tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs). The functionality of such devices critically depends on the specific atomic arrangement at the semiconductor heterointerfaces. However, most of the currently available characterization techniques lack sufficient spatial resolution to provide local information on the atomic structure and composition of these interfaces. Atomic-resolution spectrum imaging by means of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is a powerful technique with the potential to resolve structure and chemical composition with sub-angstrom spatial resolution and to provide localized information about the physical properties of the material at the atomic scale. Here, we demonstrate the use of atomic-resolution EELS to understand the interface atomic arrangement in three-dimensional heterostructures in semiconductor nanowires. We observed that the radial interfaces of GaSb-InAs heterostructure nanowires are atomically abrupt, while the axial interface in contrast consists of an interfacial region where intermixing of the two compounds occurs over an extended spatial region. The local atomic configuration affects the band alignment at the interface and, hence, the charge transport properties of devices such as GaSb-InAs nanowire TFETs. STEM-EELS thus represents a very promising technique for understanding nanowire physical properties, such as differing electrical behavior across the radial and axial heterointerfaces of GaSb-InAs nanowires for TFET applications.

Flexible powder electroluminescent device on silver nanowire electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, K.W.; Jeong, H.S.; Park, J.H.; Deressa, G.; Jeong, Y.T.; Lim, K.T.; Park, J.H.; Lee, S.H.; Kim, J.S.

2015-01-01

We have demonstrated the flexible AC powder electroluminescent device based on Ag nanowire electrode. The Ag nanowire electrode showed the nanowire morphology of 20 nm in diameter and 15 μm in length, the transmittance of 87%, and the sheet resistance of 50 Ω/sq, and the higher flexibility than the conventional ITO substrate. The electroluminescence spectra of the Ag nanowire-based device in all frequency and voltage ranges were almost similar with the ITO-based device. In comparison with the ITO-based device, the luminous efficiency of the Ag nanowire-based device was almost same as 1.53 lm/W. - Highlights: • Flexibility of Ag NW substrate was higher than ITO substrate. • EL intensity of Ag NW-based EL device was almost similar with ITO-based EL device. • Charge density and turn-on voltage of Ag NW-based EL device were a little larger than ITO-based EL device

Flexible powder electroluminescent device on silver nanowire electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, K.W.; Jeong, H.S.; Park, J.H.; Deressa, G.; Jeong, Y.T.; Lim, K.T. [Department of Display Science and Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737 (Korea, Republic of); Park, J.H. [AIDEN company, Cheongju-si 361-911 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, S.H. [R& D Business Lab, Hyosung Corporation, Anyang 431-080 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, J.S., E-mail: jsukim@pknu.ac.kr [Department of Display Science and Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-15

We have demonstrated the flexible AC powder electroluminescent device based on Ag nanowire electrode. The Ag nanowire electrode showed the nanowire morphology of 20 nm in diameter and 15 μm in length, the transmittance of 87%, and the sheet resistance of 50 Ω/sq, and the higher flexibility than the conventional ITO substrate. The electroluminescence spectra of the Ag nanowire-based device in all frequency and voltage ranges were almost similar with the ITO-based device. In comparison with the ITO-based device, the luminous efficiency of the Ag nanowire-based device was almost same as 1.53 lm/W. - Highlights: • Flexibility of Ag NW substrate was higher than ITO substrate. • EL intensity of Ag NW-based EL device was almost similar with ITO-based EL device. • Charge density and turn-on voltage of Ag NW-based EL device were a little larger than ITO-based EL device.

Preparation and characterization of electrodeposited cobalt nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irshad, M. I.; Mohamed, N. M.; Ahmad, F.; Abdullah, M. Z.

2014-01-01

Electrochemical deposition technique has been used to deposit cobalt nanowires into the nano sized channels of Anodized Aluminium Oxide (AAO) templates. CoCl 2 Ðœ‡6H2O salt solution was used, which was buffered with H 3 BO 3 and acidified by dilute H 2 SO 4 to increase the plating life and control pH of the solution. Thin film of copper around 150 nm thick on one side of AAO template coated by e-beam evaporation system served as cathode to create electrical contact. FESEM analysis shows that the as-deposited nanowires are highly aligned, parallel to one another and have high aspect ratio with a reasonably high pore-filing factor. The TEM results show that electrodeposited cobalt nanowires are crystalline in nature. The Hysteresis loop shows the magnetization properties for in and out of plane configuration. The in plane saturation magnetization (Ms) is lower than out of plane configuration because of the easy axis of magnetization is perpendicular to nanowire axis. These magnetic nanowires could be utilized for applications such as spintronic devices, high density magnetic storage, and magnetic sensor applications

Preparation and characterization of electrodeposited cobalt nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Irshad, M. I., E-mail: imrancssp@gmail.com; Mohamed, N. M., E-mail: noranimuti-mohamed@petronas.com.my [Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 31750 PERAK (Malaysia); Ahmad, F., E-mail: faizahmad@petronas.com.my; Abdullah, M. Z., E-mail: zaki-abdullah@petronas.com.my [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 31750 PERAK (Malaysia)

2014-10-24

Electrochemical deposition technique has been used to deposit cobalt nanowires into the nano sized channels of Anodized Aluminium Oxide (AAO) templates. CoCl{sub 2}Ðœ‡6H2O salt solution was used, which was buffered with H{sub 3}BO{sub 3} and acidified by dilute H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} to increase the plating life and control pH of the solution. Thin film of copper around 150 nm thick on one side of AAO template coated by e-beam evaporation system served as cathode to create electrical contact. FESEM analysis shows that the as-deposited nanowires are highly aligned, parallel to one another and have high aspect ratio with a reasonably high pore-filing factor. The TEM results show that electrodeposited cobalt nanowires are crystalline in nature. The Hysteresis loop shows the magnetization properties for in and out of plane configuration. The in plane saturation magnetization (Ms) is lower than out of plane configuration because of the easy axis of magnetization is perpendicular to nanowire axis. These magnetic nanowires could be utilized for applications such as spintronic devices, high density magnetic storage, and magnetic sensor applications.

High-temperature superconducting nanowires for photon detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arpaia, R. [Quantum Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, S-41296 Göteborg (Sweden); CNR SPIN Institute – Superconductors, Innovative Materials and Devices, UOS–Napoli, I-80100 Napoli (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘Federico II’, I-80125 Napoli (Italy); Ejrnaes, M. [CNR SPIN Institute – Superconductors, Innovative Materials and Devices, UOS–Napoli, I-80100 Napoli (Italy); Parlato, L. [CNR SPIN Institute – Superconductors, Innovative Materials and Devices, UOS–Napoli, I-80100 Napoli (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘Federico II’, I-80125 Napoli (Italy); Tafuri, F. [CNR SPIN Institute – Superconductors, Innovative Materials and Devices, UOS–Napoli, I-80100 Napoli (Italy); Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale e dell’Informazione, Seconda Università di Napoli, I-81031 Aversa, CE (Italy); Cristiano, R. [CNR SPIN Institute – Superconductors, Innovative Materials and Devices, UOS–Napoli, I-80100 Napoli (Italy); Golubev, D. [Low Temperature Laboratory (OVLL), Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 13500, FI-00076 Aalto (Finland); Sobolewski, Roman, E-mail: roman.sobolewski@rochester.edu [Institute of Electron Technology, PL-02668 Warszawa (Poland); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, NY 14627-0231 (United States); Bauch, T.; Lombardi, F. [Quantum Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, S-41296 Göteborg (Sweden); and others

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Homogeneous YBCO nanowires have been fabricated for photon detection applications. • Serial-parallel nanowire configuration leads to a large detector active area. • The YBCO nanowires exhibit critical current densities up to 106 A/cm{sup 2}. • The devices have been excited using a 1550-nm wavelength, pulsed laser irradiation. • Photoresponse signals have been measured and analyzed from 4 K up to the device T{sub c}. - Abstract: The possible use of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) for realizing superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors is a challenging, but also promising, aim because of their ultrafast electron relaxation times and high operating temperatures. The state-of-the-art HTS nanowires with a 50-nm thickness and widths down to 130 nm have been fabricated and tested under a 1550-nm wavelength laser irradiation. Experimental results presenting both the amplitude and rise times of the photoresponse signals as a function of the normalized detector bias current, measured in a wide temperature range, are discussed. The presence of two distinct regimes in the photoresponse temperature dependence is clearly evidenced, indicating that there are two different response mechanisms responsible for the HTS photoresponse mechanisms.

Physical characterization of diesel exhaust nucleation mode particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lahde, T.

2013-11-01

An increasing concern of the adverse health effects of aerosol particles is forcing the combustion engine industry to develop engines with lower particle emissions. The industry has put most of their efforts into soot control and has achieved a significant reduction in diesel exhaust particle mass. Nevertheless, it is not clear that the large particles, dominating the mass, cause the harmfulness of the exhaust particles in the biological interaction. Nowadays, the harmful potential of diesel exhaust particles often connects with the particle surface area, and the view has turned to particle number below 100 nm size range. Unfortunately, the achieved low exhaust particle mass does not necessarily imply a low particle number. This text focuses on the physical characteristics of diesel exhaust nucleation model particles. The volatility characteristics and the electrical charge state of the particles are studied first. Second, the relation between the nonvolatile nucleation mode emissions and the soot, the nitrogen oxide (NO{sub x}) emissions and the engine parameters are covered. The nucleation mode particles had distinctively different physical characteristics with different after-treatment systems. The nucleation mode was volatile and electrically neutral with a diesel particle filter after-treatment system. Without an after-treatment system or with an after-treatment system with low particle removal efficiency, the nucleation mode was partly nonvolatile and included an electrical charge. The difference suggests different formation routes for the nucleation particles with different after-treatment systems. The existence of the nonvolatile nucleation mode particles also affected the soot mode charge state. The soot charge state was positively biased when the nonvolatile nucleation mode was detected but slightly negatively biased when the nonvolatile nucleation mode was absent. The nonvolatile nucleation mode was always negatively biased. This electrical charge

Return to nucleate boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shumway, R.W.

1985-01-01

This paper presents a collection of TMIN (temperature of return to nucleate boiling) correlations, evaluates them under several conditions, and compares them with a wide range of data. Purpose is to obtain the best one for use in a water reactor safety computer simulator known as TRAC-B. Return to nucleate boiling can occur in a reactor accident at either high or low pressure and flow rates. Most of the correlations yield unrealistic results under some conditions. A new correlation is proposed which overcomes many of the deficiencies

Superconducting Nanowires as Nonlinear Inductive Elements for Qubits

OpenAIRE

Ku, Jaseung; Manucharyan, Vladimir; Bezryadin, Alexey

2010-01-01

We report microwave transmission measurements of superconducting Fabry-Perot resonators (SFPR), having a superconducting nanowire placed at a supercurrent antinode. As the plasma oscillation is excited, the supercurrent is forced to flow through the nanowire. The microwave transmission of the resonator-nanowire device shows a nonlinear resonance behavior, significantly dependent on the amplitude of the supercurrent oscillation. We show that such amplitude-dependent response is due to the nonl...

Electrodeposition of Metal on GaAs Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chao; Einabad, Omid; Watkins, Simon; Kavanagh, Karen

2010-10-01

Copper (Cu) electrical contacts to freestanding gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanowires have been fabricated via electrodeposition. The nanowires are zincblende (111) oriented grown epitaxially on n-type Si-doped GaAs (111)B substrates by gold-catalyzed Vapor Liquid Solid (VLS) growth in a metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) reactor. The epitaxial electrodeposition process, based on previous work with bulk GaAs substrates, consists of a substrate oxide pre-etch in dilute ammonium-hydroxide carried out prior to galvanostatic electrodeposition in a pure Cu sulphate aqueous electrolyte at 20-60^oC. For GaAs nanowires, we find that Cu or Fe has a preference for growth on the gold catalyst avoiding the sidewalls. After removing gold, both metals still prefer to grow only on top of the nanowire, which has the largest potential field.

Transport Phenomena in Nanowires, Nanotubes, and Other Low-Dimensional Systems

KAUST Repository

Montes Muñ oz, Enrique

2017-01-01

and their dependence on the nanowire growth direction, diameter, and length. At equilibrium Au-nanowire distance we find strong electronic coupling between electrodes and nanowire, resulting in low contact resistance. For the tunneling regime, the decay

A nucleator arms race: cellular control of actin assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Campellone, Kenneth G; Welch, Matthew D

2010-04-01

For over a decade, the actin-related protein 2/3 (ARP2/3) complex, a handful of nucleation-promoting factors and formins were the only molecules known to directly nucleate actin filament formation de novo. However, the past several years have seen a surge in the discovery of mammalian proteins with roles in actin nucleation and dynamics. Newly recognized nucleation-promoting factors, such as WASP and SCAR homologue (WASH), WASP homologue associated with actin, membranes and microtubules (WHAMM), and junction-mediating regulatory protein (JMY), stimulate ARP2/3 activity at distinct cellular locations. Formin nucleators with additional biochemical and cellular activities have also been uncovered. Finally, the Spire, cordon-bleu and leiomodin nucleators have revealed new ways of overcoming the kinetic barriers to actin polymerization.

Simulations of a non-Markovian description of nucleation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuipers, J.; Barkema, G.T.

2010-01-01

In most nucleation theories, the state of a nucleating system is described by a distribution of droplet masses and this distribution evolves as a memoryless stochastic process. This is incorrect for a large class of nucleating systems. In a recent paper [ J. Kuipers and G. T. Barkema, Phys. Rev. E

Impact of surface nanostructure on ice nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiang-Xiong; Chen, Min; Fu, Ming

2014-09-28

Nucleation of water on solid surface can be promoted noticeably when the lattice parameter of a surface matches well with the ice structure. However, the characteristic length of the surface lattice reported is generally less than 0.5 nm and is hardly tunable. In this paper, we show that a surface with nanoscale roughness can also remarkably promote ice nucleation if the characteristic length of the surface structure matches well with the ice crystal. A series of surfaces composed of periodic grooves with same depth but different widths are constructed in molecular dynamics simulations. Water cylinders are placed on the constructed surfaces and frozen at constant undercooling. The nucleation rates of the water cylinders are calculated in the simulation using the mean first-passage time method and then used to measure the nucleation promotion ability of the surfaces. Results suggest that the nucleation behavior of the supercooled water is significantly sensitive to the width of the groove. When the width of the groove matches well with the specific lengths of the ice crystal structure, the nucleation can be promoted remarkably. If the width does not match with the ice crystal, this kind of promotion disappears and the nucleation rate is even smaller than that on the smooth surface. Simulations also indicate that even when water molecules are adsorbed onto the surface structure in high-humidity environment, the solid surface can provide promising anti-icing ability as long as the characteristic length of the surface structure is carefully designed to avoid geometric match.

Tree-like SnO2 nanowires and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao Tao; Chen Qiyuan; Hu Huiping; Chen Ying

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Tree-like SnO 2 nanowires can be grown as low as 1100 deg. C by a vapour-solid process using a milled SnO 2 powder as the evaporation source. → FT-IR and PL measurements have shown that the tree-like nanostructures lead to superb physical properties. → The PL spectrum of such tree-like nanowires exhibits a strong PL peak at 548 nm. - Abstract: Tree-like SnO 2 nanowires have been grown by a vapor-solid process using a milled SnO 2 powder as the evaporation source. Phase, structural evolution and chemical composition were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The process yields a large proportion of ultra-long rutile nanowires of 50-150 nm diameter and lengths up to several tens of micrometers. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) shows that the SnO 2 nanowires are single crystals in the (1 0 1) growth direction with scattered smaller crystals or nanowires as the tree branches. The SnO 2 nanostructures were also examined using Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. A strong emission band centered at 548 nm dominated the PL spectrum of the tree-like nanowires.

Heterogeneous nucleation of protein crystals on fluorinated layered silicate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keita Ino

Full Text Available Here, we describe an improved system for protein crystallization based on heterogeneous nucleation using fluorinated layered silicate. In addition, we also investigated the mechanism of nucleation on the silicate surface. Crystallization of lysozyme using silicates with different chemical compositions indicated that fluorosilicates promoted nucleation whereas the silicates without fluorine did not. The use of synthesized saponites for lysozyme crystallization confirmed that the substitution of hydroxyl groups contained in the lamellae structure for fluorine atoms is responsible for the nucleation-inducing property of the nucleant. Crystallization of twelve proteins with a wide range of pI values revealed that the nucleation promoting effect of the saponites tended to increase with increased substitution rate. Furthermore, the saponite with the highest fluorine content promoted nucleation in all the test proteins regardless of their overall net charge. Adsorption experiments of proteins on the saponites confirmed that the density of adsorbed molecules increased according to the substitution rate, thereby explaining the heterogeneous nucleation on the silicate surface.

Composition–dependent growth dynamics of selectively grown InGaAs nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohashi, Y; Hara, S; Motohisa, J

2014-01-01

We grew gallium-rich (x > 0.50) and indium-rich (x < 0.50) In 1 − x Ga x As nanowires by catalyst–free selective-area metal–organic vapor-phase epitaxy (SA-MOVPE), and compared their growth dynamics dependence on V/III ratio. It was found that the growth dynamics of In 1 − x Ga x As nanowires is clearly dependent on the alloy composition x. Specifically, for gallium–rich nanowire growth, the axial growth rate of nanowires initially increased with decreasing V/III ratio, and then started to decrease when the V/III ratio continued to decrease below a critical value. On the other hand, axial growth rate of indium-rich nanowires monotonically decreased with decreasing V/III ratio. In addition, the alloy composition was strongly dependent on the V/III ratio for gallium-rich nanowire growth, while it was relatively independent of the V/III ratio for indium-rich nanowire growth. We discuss the origin of dissimilarity in the growth dynamics dependence on V/III ratio between gallium-rich and indium-rich InGaAs nanowire growth, and conclude that it is due to the inherent dissimilarity between GaAs and InAs. Our finding provides important guidelines for achieving precise control of the diameter, height, and alloy composition of nanowires suitable for future nanowire-based electronics. (papers)

Tunneling and Transport in Nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldman, Allen M.

2016-01-01

The goal of this program was to study new physical phenomena that might be relevant to the performance of conductive devices and circuits of the smallest realizable feature sizes possible using physical rather than biological techniques. Although the initial scientific work supported involved the use of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to ascertain the statistics of the energy level distribution of randomly sized and randomly shaped quantum dots, or nano-crystals, the main focus was on the investigation of selected properties, including superconductivity, of conducting and superconducting nanowires prepared using electron-beam-lithography. We discovered a magnetic-field-restoration of superconductivity in out-of-equilibrium nanowires driven resistive by current. This phenomenon was explained by the existence of a state in which dissipation coexisted with nonvanishing superconducting order. We also produced ultra-small superconducting loops to study a predicted anomalous fluxoid quantization, but instead, found a magnetic-field-dependent, high-resistance state, rather than superconductivity. Finally, we developed a simple and controllable nanowire in an induced charged layer near the surface of a masked single-crystal insulator, SrTiO_3. The layer was induced using an electric double layer transistor employing an ionic liquid (IL). The transport properties of the induced nanowire resembled those of collective electronic transport through an array of quantum dots.

Ultralow surface recombination velocity in InP nanowires probed by terahertz spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Hannah J; Wong-Leung, Jennifer; Yong, Chaw-Keong; Docherty, Callum J; Paiman, Suriati; Gao, Qiang; Tan, H Hoe; Jagadish, Chennupati; Lloyd-Hughes, James; Herz, Laura M; Johnston, Michael B

2012-10-10

Using transient terahertz photoconductivity measurements, we have made noncontact, room temperature measurements of the ultrafast charge carrier dynamics in InP nanowires. InP nanowires exhibited a very long photoconductivity lifetime of over 1 ns, and carrier lifetimes were remarkably insensitive to surface states despite the large nanowire surface area-to-volume ratio. An exceptionally low surface recombination velocity (170 cm/s) was recorded at room temperature. These results suggest that InP nanowires are prime candidates for optoelectronic devices, particularly photovoltaic devices, without the need for surface passivation. We found that the carrier mobility is not limited by nanowire diameter but is strongly limited by the presence of planar crystallographic defects such as stacking faults in these predominantly wurtzite nanowires. These findings show the great potential of very narrow InP nanowires for electronic devices but indicate that improvements in the crystallographic uniformity of InP nanowires will be critical for future nanowire device engineering.

High-Performance Single Nanowire Tunnel Diodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wallentin, Jesper; Persson, Johan Mikael; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal

2010-01-01

We demonstrate single nanowire tunnel diodes with room temperature peak current densities of up to 329 A/cm(2). Despite the large surface to volume ratio of the type-II InP-GaAs axial heterostructure nanowires, we measure peak to valley current ratios (PVCR) of up to 8.2 at room temperature and 27...

Nanoscale heterostructures with molecular-scale single-crystal metal wires.

Science.gov (United States)

Kundu, Paromita; Halder, Aditi; Viswanath, B; Kundu, Dipan; Ramanath, Ganpati; Ravishankar, N

2010-01-13

Creating nanoscale heterostructures with molecular-scale (synthesis of nanoscale heterostructures with single-crystal molecular-scale Au nanowires attached to different nanostructure substrates. Our method involves the formation of Au nanoparticle seeds by the reduction of rocksalt AuCl nanocubes heterogeneously nucleated on the substrates and subsequent nanowire growth by oriented attachment of Au nanoparticles from the solution phase. Nanoscale heterostructures fabricated by such site-specific nucleation and growth are attractive for many applications including nanoelectronic device wiring, catalysis, and sensing.

Tungsten oxide nanowires grown on amorphous-like tungsten films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dellasega, D; Pezzoli, A; Russo, V; Passoni, M; Pietralunga, S M; Nasi, L; Conti, C; Vahid, M J; Tagliaferri, A

2015-01-01

Tungsten oxide nanowires have been synthesized by vacuum annealing in the range 500–710 °C from amorphous-like tungsten films, deposited on a Si(100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in the presence of a He background pressure. The oxygen required for the nanowires formation is already adsorbed in the W matrix before annealing, its amount depending on deposition parameters. Nanowire crystalline phase and stoichiometry depend on annealing temperature, ranging from W_1_8O_4_9-Magneli phase to monoclinic WO_3. Sufficiently long annealing induces the formation of micrometer-long nanowires, up to 3.6 μm with an aspect ratio up to 90. Oxide nanowire growth appears to be triggered by the crystallization of the underlying amorphous W film, promoting their synthesis at low temperatures. (paper)

Lasing in robust cesium lead halide perovskite nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, Samuel W.; Lai, Minliang; Gibson, Natalie A.; Wong, Andrew B.; Dou, Letian; Ma, Jie; Wang, Lin-Wang; Leone, Stephen R.; Yang, Peidong

2016-01-01

The rapidly growing field of nanoscale lasers can be advanced through the discovery of new, tunable light sources. The emission wavelength tunability demonstrated in perovskite materials is an attractive property for nanoscale lasers. Whereas organic–inorganic lead halide perovskite materials are known for their instability, cesium lead halides offer a robust alternative without sacrificing emission tunability or ease of synthesis. Here, we report the low-temperature, solution-phase growth of cesium lead halide nanowires exhibiting low-threshold lasing and high stability. The as-grown nanowires are single crystalline with well-formed facets, and act as high-quality laser cavities. The nanowires display excellent stability while stored and handled under ambient conditions over the course of weeks. Upon optical excitation, Fabry–Pérot lasing occurs in CsPbBr3 nanowires with an onset of 5 μJ cm−2 with the nanowire cavity displaying a maximum quality factor of 1,009 ± 5. Lasing under constant, pulsed excitation can be maintained for over 1 h, the equivalent of 109 excitation cycles, and lasing persists upon exposure to ambient atmosphere. Wavelength tunability in the green and blue regions of the spectrum in conjunction with excellent stability makes these nanowire lasers attractive for device fabrication. PMID:26862172

Manganese oxide nanowires, films, and membranes and methods of making

Science.gov (United States)

Suib, Steven Lawrence [Storrs, CT; Yuan, Jikang [Storrs, CT

2008-10-21

Nanowires, films, and membranes comprising ordered porous manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieves, and methods of making, are disclosed. A single crystal ultra-long nanowire includes an ordered porous manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieve, and has an average length greater than about 10 micrometers and an average diameter of about 5 nanometers to about 100 nanometers. A film comprises a microporous network comprising a plurality of single crystal nanowires in the form of a layer, wherein a plurality of layers is stacked on a surface of a substrate, wherein the nanowires of each layer are substantially axially aligned. A free standing membrane comprises a microporous network comprising a plurality of single crystal nanowires in the form of a layer, wherein a plurality of layers is aggregately stacked, and wherein the nanowires of each layer are substantially axially aligned.

Plasmonic Waveguide-Integrated Nanowire Laser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bermudez-Urena, Esteban; Tutuncuoglu, Gozde; Cuerda, Javier

2017-01-01

technologies. Despite significant advances in their fundamental aspects, the integration within scalable photonic circuitry remains challenging. Here we report on the realization of hybrid photonic devices consisting of nanowire lasers integrated with wafer-scale lithographically designed V-groove plasmonic......Next-generation optoelectronic devices and photonic circuitry will have to incorporate on-chip compatible nanolaser sources. Semiconductor nanowire lasers have emerged as strong candidates for integrated systems with applications ranging from ultrasensitive sensing to data communication...

Gas Sensors Based on Semiconducting Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Feng

2014-09-01

Full Text Available One-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures are unique sensing materials for the fabrication of gas sensors. In this article, gas sensors based on semiconducting nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs are comprehensively reviewed. Individual nanowires or nanowire network films are usually used as the active detecting channels. In these sensors, a third electrode, which serves as the gate, is used to tune the carrier concentration of the nanowires to realize better sensing performance, including sensitivity, selectivity and response time, etc. The FET parameters can be modulated by the presence of the target gases and their change relate closely to the type and concentration of the gas molecules. In addition, extra controls such as metal decoration, local heating and light irradiation can be combined with the gate electrode to tune the nanowire channel and realize more effective gas sensing. With the help of micro-fabrication techniques, these sensors can be integrated into smart systems. Finally, some challenges for the future investigation and application of nanowire field-effect gas sensors are discussed.

Fabrication and Characterization of Mg-Doped GaN Nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong-Dong, Zhang; Cheng-Shan, Xue; Hui-Zhao, Zhuang; Ying-Long, Huang; Zou-Ping, Wang; Ying, Wang; Yong-Fu, Guo

2008-01-01

Mg-doped GaN nanowires have been synthesized by ammoniating Ga 2 O 3 films doped with Mg under flowing ammonia atmosphere at 850° C. The Mg-doped GaN nanowires are characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and photo-luminescence (PL). The results demonstrate that the nanowires are single crystalline with hexagonal wurzite structure. The diameters of the nanowires are 20–30 nm and the lengths are 50–100 μm. The GaN nanowires show three emission bands with well-defined PL peak at 3.45 eV, 3.26 eV, 2.95 eV, respectively. The large distinct blueshift of the bandgap emission can be attributed to the Burstein–Moss effect. The peak at 3.26 eV represents the transition from the conduction-band edge to the acceptor level AM (acceptor Mg). The growth mechanism of crystalline GaN nanowires is discussed briefly. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Thermal interaction effect on nucleation site distribution in subcooled boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou, Ling; Jones, Barclay

2012-01-01

An experimental work on subcooled boiling of refrigerant, R134a, to examine nucleation site distributions on both copper and stainless steel heating surfaces was performed. In order to obtain high fidelity active nucleation site density and distribution data, a high-speed digital camera was utilized to record bubble emission images from a view normal to heating surfaces. Statistical analyses on nucleation site data were done and their statistical distributions were obtained. Those experimentally observed nucleation site distributions were compared to the random spatial Poisson distribution. The comparisons showed that, rather than purely random, active nucleation site distributions on boiling surfaces are relatively more uniform. Experimental results also showed that on the copper heating surface, nucleation site distributions are slightly more uniform than on the stainless steel surface. This was concluded as the results of thermal interactions between nucleation sites with different solid thermal conductivities. A two dimensional thermal interaction model was then developed to quantitatively examine the thermal interactions between nucleation sites. The results give a reasonable explanation to the experimental observation on nucleation site distributions.

AEROSOL NUCLEATION AND GROWTH DURING LAMINAR TUBE FLOW: MAXIMUM SATURATIONS AND NUCLEATION RATES. (R827354C008)

Science.gov (United States)

An approximate method of estimating the maximum saturation, the nucleation rate, and the total number nucleated per second during the laminar flow of a hot vapour–gas mixture along a tube with cold walls is described. The basis of the approach is that the temperature an...

Solar heating of GaAs nanowire solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shao-Hua; Povinelli, Michelle L

2015-11-30

We use a coupled thermal-optical approach to model the operating temperature rise in GaAs nanowire solar cells. We find that despite more highly concentrated light absorption and lower thermal conductivity, the overall temperature rise in a nanowire structure is no higher than in a planar structure. Moreover, coating the nanowires with a transparent polymer can increase the radiative cooling power by 2.2 times, lowering the operating temperature by nearly 7 K.

Nanoscale Electronic Conditioning for Improvement of Nanowire Light-Emitting-Diode Efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

May, Brelon J; Belz, Matthew R; Ahamed, Arshad; Sarwar, A T M G; Selcu, Camelia M; Myers, Roberto C

2018-04-24

Commercial III-Nitride LEDs and lasers spanning visible and ultraviolet wavelengths are based on epitaxial films. Alternatively, nanowire-based III-Nitride optoelectronics offer the advantage of strain compliance and high crystalline quality growth on a variety of inexpensive substrates. However, nanowire LEDs exhibit an inherent property distribution, resulting in uneven current spreading through macroscopic devices that consist of millions of individual nanowire diodes connected in parallel. Despite being electrically connected, only a small fraction of nanowires, sometimes current in the ensemble devices. Burn-in electronic conditioning is performed by applying a short-term overload voltage; the nanoshorts experience very high current density, sufficient to render them open circuits, thereby forcing a new current path through more nanowire LEDs in an ensemble device. Current-voltage measurements of individual nanowires are acquired using conductive atomic force microscopy to observe the removal of nanoshorts using burn-in. In macroscopic devices, this results in a 33× increase in peak EL and reduced leakage current. Burn-in conditioning of nanowire ensembles therefore provides a straightforward method to mitigate nonuniformities inherent to nanowire devices.

Vertical group III-V nanowires on si, heterostructures, flexible arrays and fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Deli; Soci, Cesare; Bao, Xinyu; Wei, Wei; Jing, Yi; Sun, Ke

2015-01-13

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for direct heteroepitaxial growth of vertical III-V semiconductor nanowires on a silicon substrate. The silicon substrate is etched to substantially completely remove native oxide. It is promptly placed in a reaction chamber. The substrate is heated and maintained at a growth temperature. Group III-V precursors are flowed for a growth time. Preferred embodiment vertical Group III-V nanowires on silicon have a core-shell structure, which provides a radial homojunction or heterojunction. A doped nanowire core is surrounded by a shell with complementary doping. Such can provide high optical absorption due to the long optical path in the axial direction of the vertical nanowires, while reducing considerably the distance over which carriers must diffuse before being collected in the radial direction. Alloy composition can also be varied. Radial and axial homojunctions and heterojunctions can be realized. Embodiments provide for flexible Group III-V nanowire structures. An array of Group III-V nanowire structures is embedded in polymer. A fabrication method forms the vertical nanowires on a substrate, e.g., a silicon substrate. Preferably, the nanowires are formed by the preferred methods for fabrication of Group III-V nanowires on silicon. Devices can be formed with core/shell and core/multi-shell nanowires and the devices are released from the substrate upon which the nanowires were formed to create a flexible structure that includes an array of vertical nanowires embedded in polymer.

The Self- and Directed Assembly of Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Benjamin David

This thesis explores the self- and directed assembly of nanowires. Specifically, we examine the driving forces behind nanowire self-assembly and the macro-structures that are formed. Particle-dense, oriented nanowire structures show promise in the fields of photonics, energy, sensing, catalysis, and electronics. Arrays of spherical particles have already found uses in electronic inks, sensing arrays, and many other commercial applications; but, it is a challenge to create specific arrays of morphologically and/or compositionally anisotropic particles. The following chapters illuminate the interactions that drive the assembly of anisotropic particles in high density solutions in the absence of applied fields or solution drying. Special emphasis is placed on the structures that are formed. The properties of micro- and nanoparticles and their assembly are introduced in Chapter 1. In particular, the properties of shape and material anisotropic particles are highlighted, while challenges in producing desired arrays are discussed. In this thesis, metallic nanowires of increasing complexity were used to examine the self-assembly behavior of both shape and material anisotropic particles. Nanowires were synthesized through templated electrodeposition. In this process, porous alumina membranes served as a template in which metal salts were reduced to form particles. Upon template dissolution, billions of nominally identical particles were released. We specifically focused on segmented, metallic nanowires 2-13 mum in length and 180 to 350 nm in diameter. Since these particles have strong van der Waals (VDWs) attractions, an electrostatically repulsive coating was necessary to prevent aggregation; we used small molecule, DNA, or amorphous silica coatings. Nanowires and their coatings were characterized by electron microscopy. In order to study self-assembly behavior, particle-dense aqueous suspensions were placed within an assembly chamber defined by a silicone spacer. The

Tunable, flexible antireflection layer of ZnO nanowires embedded in PDMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Min Kyu; Yi, Dong Kee; Paik, Ungyu

2010-05-18

In this article, we report the fabrication of ordered hybrid structures composed of ZnO nanowires and a polymeric matrix with a polymer precursor infiltrating the nanowire arrays. The antireflective properties of the resulting ZnO nanowire-embedded polydimethylsiloxane composite (ZPC) were investigated at various ZnO nanowire lengths and ZPC bending angles. Interestingly, we found that whereas the antireflective properties showed a strong dependence on the length of the embedded ZnO nanowires in PDMS, the bending of ZPC has little effect on the antireflective properties.

Effect of size on fracture and tensile manipulation of gold nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Fenying; Dai, Yanfeng; Zhao, Jianwei; Li, Qianjin; Zhang, Bin

2014-01-01

The fracture of metallic nanowires has attracted much attention owing to its reliability of application in nanoelectromechanical system. In this paper, we studied the fracture of [100] single-crystal gold nanowire subjected to uniaxial tension. The statistical breaking position distributions showed that the size effects had dominated the deformation and fracture of nanowires, and the quasi-static tensile deformations are insensitive to the styles of tensile rates. Furthermore, it was observed that the small-sized nanowire broke in the middle with disordered crystalline structure; for the middle-sized nanowire, although slippage plane had maintained the lattice degree, the fracture also happened in the middle due to symmetric tension; for the large-sized nanowire, the slippage was destroyed by symmetric tension, which induced the broken neck at one end of the nanowire. When the nanowire width is less than 5a (“a” means lattice constant, 0.408 nm for gold), the mechanical strength is relatively strong with obvious uncertainty, which can be attributed to the surface atom effect; when the width is larger than 5a, the influence of size on the mechanical property is more obvious at the constant strain rate than that at the absolute rate. Finally, the mechanical strength of the nanowire decreases with the size increasing

Oriented Mn-doped CuO nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Dongqiang; Wu, Zhaofeng; Wang, Zhihe; Yang, Shaoguang

2016-01-01

Using anodic aluminum oxide membranes as the nanoreactors and controller, oriented nanowire arrays of the diluted magnetic semiconductor Mn-doped CuO have been successfully fabricated using Mn(NO_3)_2 · 4H_2O and Cu(NO_3)_2 · 3H_2O as the starting materials. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the as-prepared oriented nanowire arrays are of high purity. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope studies showed the nanowires are oriented, continuous and uniform with a diameter and length of about 170 nm and several tens of micrometers, respectively, and thus of a high aspect ratio. Low-temperature magnetic measurements showed the ferromagnetic property of the oriented Mn-doped CuO nanowire arrays with the critical temperature at around 80 K, which will endow them with great potential applications in spintronics in the future. (paper)

Towards low-dimensional hole systems in Be-doped GaAs nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ullah, A. R.; Gluschke, J. G.; Jeppesen, Peter Krogstrup

2017-01-01

-gates produced using GaAs nanowires with three different Be-doping densities and various AuBe contact processing recipes. We show that contact annealing only brings small improvements for the moderately doped devices under conditions of lower anneal temperature and short anneal time. We only obtain good......GaAs was central to the development of quantum devices but is rarely used for nanowire-based quantum devices with InAs, InSb and SiGe instead taking the leading role. p-type GaAs nanowires offer a path to studying strongly confined 0D and 1D hole systems with strong spin–orbit effects, motivating...... our development of nanowire transistors featuring Be-doped p-type GaAs nanowires, AuBe alloy contacts and patterned local gate electrodes towards making nanowire-based quantum hole devices. We report on nanowire transistors with traditional substrate back-gates and EBL-defined metal/oxide top...

Synthesis and Growth Mechanism of Ni Nanotubes and Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Yiqian

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Highly ordered Ni nanotube and nanowire arrays were fabricated via electrodeposition. The Ni microstructures and the process of the formation were investigated using conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. Herein, we demonstrated the systematic fabrication of Ni nanotube and nanowire arrays and proposed an original growth mechanism. With the different deposition time, nanotubes or nanowires can be obtained. Tubular nanostructures can be obtained at short time, while nanowires take longer time to form. This formation mechanism is applicable to design and synthesize other metal nanostructures and even compound nanostuctures via template-based electrodeposition.

Smooth germanium nanowires prepared by a hydrothermal deposition process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pei, L.Z., E-mail: lzpei1977@163.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Zhao, H.S. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Tan, W. [Henkel Huawei Electronics Co. Ltd., Lian' yungang, Jiangsu 222006 (China); Yu, H.Y. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Chen, Y.W. [Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Fan, C.G. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Zhang, Qian-Feng, E-mail: zhangqf@ahut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China)

2009-11-15

Smooth germanium nanowires were prepared using Ge and GeO{sub 2} as the starting materials and Cu sheet as the substrate by a simple hydrothermal deposition process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterizations show that the germanium nanowires are smooth and straight with uniform diameter of about 150 nm in average and tens of micrometers in length. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum of the germanium nanowires display that the germanium nanowires are mainly composed of cubic diamond phase. PL spectrum shows a strong blue light emission at 441 nm. The growth mechanism is also discussed.

Smooth germanium nanowires prepared by a hydrothermal deposition process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pei, L.Z.; Zhao, H.S.; Tan, W.; Yu, H.Y.; Chen, Y.W.; Fan, C.G.; Zhang, Qian-Feng

2009-01-01

Smooth germanium nanowires were prepared using Ge and GeO 2 as the starting materials and Cu sheet as the substrate by a simple hydrothermal deposition process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterizations show that the germanium nanowires are smooth and straight with uniform diameter of about 150 nm in average and tens of micrometers in length. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum of the germanium nanowires display that the germanium nanowires are mainly composed of cubic diamond phase. PL spectrum shows a strong blue light emission at 441 nm. The growth mechanism is also discussed.

Reliability of Single Crystal Silver Nanowire-Based Systems: Stress Assisted Instabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandramoorthy, Rajaprakash; Wang, Yanming; Aghaei, Amin; Richter, Gunther; Cai, Wei; Espinosa, Horacio D

2017-05-23

Time-dependent mechanical characterization of nanowires is critical to understand their long-term reliability in applications, such as flexible-electronics and touch screens. It is also of great importance to develop a theoretical framework for experimentation and analysis on the mechanics of nanowires under time-dependent loading conditions, such as stress-relaxation and fatigue. Here, we combine in situ scanning electron microscope (SEM)/transmission electron microscope (TEM) tests with atomistic and phase-field simulations to understand the deformation mechanisms of single crystal silver nanowires held under constant strain. We observe that the nanowires initially undergo stress-relaxation, where the stress reduces with time and saturates after some time period. The stress-relaxation process occurs due to the formation of few dislocations and stacking faults. Remarkably, after a few hours the nanowires rupture suddenly. The reason for this abrupt failure of the nanowire was identified as stress-assisted diffusion, using phase-field simulations. Under a large applied strain, diffusion leads to the amplification of nanowire surface perturbation at long wavelengths and the nanowire fails at the stress-concentrated thin cross-sectional regions. An analytical analysis on the competition between the elastic energy and the surface energy predicts a longer time to failure for thicker nanowires than thinner ones, consistent with our experimental observations. The measured time to failure of nanowires under cyclic loading conditions can also be explained in terms of this mechanism.

Template synthesis of indium nanowires using anodic aluminum oxide membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Feng; Kitai, Adrian H

2008-09-01

Indium nanowires with diameters approximately 300 nm have been synthesized by a hydraulic pressure technique using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. The indium melt is injected into the AAO template and solidified to form nanostructures. The nanowires are dense, continuous and uniformly run through the entire approximately 60 microm thickness of the AAO template. X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that the nanowires are polycrystalline with a preferred orientation. SEM is performed to characterize the morphology of the nanowires.

Multi-segmented Magnetic Nanowires Fabrication and Characterization

KAUST Repository

Moreno Garcia, Julian

2016-04-28

In this work, nickel-gold multi-segmented magnetic nanowires were grown by electrodeposition in anodized alumina templates. The templates were fabricated by a two step anodization process of aluminum disks in an aqueous solution of oxalic acid. In this process, ordered pores grew in an alumina oxide layer at the exposed aluminum area. Each disk was electropolished before the anodization process and the features at its surface were characterized to assess the effect on the pore ordering. Nickel Watts and gold cyanide electrolyte baths were prepared to electrodeposit pure nickel and gold in the templates. Both solutions response to a range of externally applied voltages was characterized and a threshold voltage above which deposition occurs is reported. Single nanowires were isolated by chemically dissolving the template and dispersed in ethanol. Devices were fabricated with these isolated nanowires in which gold contacts were deposited to measure the resistance. A current pulse setup was implemented in a magnetoresistance system allowing to send current pulses with amplitude as low as 2nA and 50μs width. Magneto resistance measurement were carried out on the single nanowires devices and the effect of current pulses was studied. It was found that distinct resistance states can be achieved by applying a determined current pulse at a constant applied field and that the initial state can be recovered by removing excess charge from the nanowire. Finally, the effect of annealing the nanowires in an air atmosphere at 150°C for 24 hours is studied showing that the nickel sections oxidize and the gold sections remain unchanged.

Multi-segmented Magnetic Nanowires Fabrication and Characterization

KAUST Repository

Moreno Garcia, Julian

2016-01-01

In this work, nickel-gold multi-segmented magnetic nanowires were grown by electrodeposition in anodized alumina templates. The templates were fabricated by a two step anodization process of aluminum disks in an aqueous solution of oxalic acid. In this process, ordered pores grew in an alumina oxide layer at the exposed aluminum area. Each disk was electropolished before the anodization process and the features at its surface were characterized to assess the effect on the pore ordering. Nickel Watts and gold cyanide electrolyte baths were prepared to electrodeposit pure nickel and gold in the templates. Both solutions response to a range of externally applied voltages was characterized and a threshold voltage above which deposition occurs is reported. Single nanowires were isolated by chemically dissolving the template and dispersed in ethanol. Devices were fabricated with these isolated nanowires in which gold contacts were deposited to measure the resistance. A current pulse setup was implemented in a magnetoresistance system allowing to send current pulses with amplitude as low as 2nA and 50μs width. Magneto resistance measurement were carried out on the single nanowires devices and the effect of current pulses was studied. It was found that distinct resistance states can be achieved by applying a determined current pulse at a constant applied field and that the initial state can be recovered by removing excess charge from the nanowire. Finally, the effect of annealing the nanowires in an air atmosphere at 150°C for 24 hours is studied showing that the nickel sections oxidize and the gold sections remain unchanged.

X-ray diffraction from single GaAs nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biermanns, Andreas

2012-11-12

In recent years, developments in X-ray focussing optics have allowed to produce highly intense, coherent X-ray beams with spot sizes in the range of 100 nm and below. Together with the development of new experimental stations, X-ray diffraction techniques can now be applied to study single nanometer-sized objects. In the present work, X-ray diffraction is applied to study different aspects of the epitaxial growth of GaAs nanowires. Besides conventional diffraction methods, which employ X-ray beams with dimensions of several tens of {mu}m, special emphasis lies on the use of nanodiffraction methods which allow to study single nanowires in their as-grown state without further preparation. In particular, coherent X-ray diffraction is applied to measure simultaneously the 3-dimensional shape and lattice parameters of GaAs nanowires grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. It is observed that due to a high density of zinc-blende rotational twins within the nanowires, their lattice parameter deviates systematically from the bulk zinc-blende phase. In a second step, the initial stage in the growth of GaAs nanowires on Si (1 1 1) surfaces is studied. This nanowires, obtained by Ga-assisted growth in molecular beam epitaxy, grow predominantly in the cubic zinc-blende structure, but contain inclusions of the hexagonal wurtzite phase close to their bottom interface. Using nanodiffraction methods, the position of the different structural units along the growth axis is determined. Because the GaAs lattice is 4% larger than silicon, these nanowires release their lattice mismatch by the inclusion of dislocations at the interface. Whereas NWs with diameters below 50 nm are free of strain, a rough interface structure in nanowires with diameters above 100 nm prevents a complete plastic relaxation, leading to a residual strain at the interface that decays elastically along the growth direction. Finally, measurements on GaAs-core/InAs-shell nanowire heterostructures are presented

Design and properties of a novel nucleating agent for isotactic polypropylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv, Zhiping; Yang, Yunfei; Wu, Ran; Tong, Yuchao

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Three new nucleating agents which is structurally similar to Al-PTBBA were prepared. ► These three nucleating agents were very effective in increasing T c and X c of iPP. ► Great improvement of mechanical properties of nucleated iPP was also obtained. ► Nucleating agent TSD was the most effective nucleating agent for iPP. -- Abstract: Three new nucleating agents TB, TD and TSD (titanate of benzoate or 4-tert-Butylbenzoate) were prepared. Isotactic polypropylene (iPP) nucleated were studied by using thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized light microscopy (PLM). The mechanical properties and Vicat softening temperature (VST) of iPP were also tested. The results indicated that these three nucleating agents were very effective in increasing the crystallization temperature (T c ) and crystallinity (X c ) of iPP. Mechanical properties of nucleated iPP were improved remarkably, especially nucleating agent TSD.

Magnetic domain wall motion in notch patterned permalloy nanowire devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Ting-Chieh; Kuo, Cheng-Yi; Mishra, Amit K.; Das, Bipul; Wu, Jong-Ching, E-mail: phjcwu@cc.ncue.edu.tw

2015-11-01

We report a study of magnetization reversal process of notch-patterned permalloy (Py) nanowires (NWs) by using an in-situ magnetic force microscopy (MFM). Three neighboring straight NWs and an individual straight NW with discs connected to the wires ends are fabricated by standard electron beam lithography through a lift-off technique. MFM images are taken in the presence of an in-plane magnetic field applied along the wires length. As a result, the nucleation, pinning and depinning of domain walls (DWs) along the NW are observed. The artificial constraints (notch) in such symmetrical geometry of NWs indeed serve as pinning sites to pin the DWs. The nature of magnetization reversal, pinning field and depinning field for the DWs that are observed in these permalloy NWs, indicate the key roles of notch depth, the terminal connection structure of NW end and the inter-wire interaction among the NWs. The in-situ MFM measurements are examined with the micromagnetic simulations. Consequently, good agreements are obtained for the DW structures and the effect of DWs pining/depinning, however a dissimilarity in experimental and simulation observations for the direction of propagation of DWs in NWs needs further investigation.

Nucleation, growth and transport modelling of helium bubbles under nuclear irradiation in lead–lithium with the self-consistent nucleation theory and surface tension corrections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fradera, J.; Cuesta-López, S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The work presented in this manuscript provides a reliable computational tool to quantify the He complex phenomena in a HCLL. • A model based on the self-consistent nucleation theory (SCT) is exposed. It includes radiation induced nucleation modelling and surface tension corrections. • Results informed reinforce the necessity of conducting experiments to determine nucleation conditions and bubble transport parameters in LM breeders. • Our findings and model provide a good qualitative insight into the helium nucleation phenomenon in LM systems for fusion technology and can be used to identify key system parameters. -- Abstract: Helium (He) nucleation in liquid metal breeding blankets of a DT fusion reactor may have a significant impact regarding system design, safety and operation. Large He production rates are expected due to tritium (T) fuel self-sufficiency requirement, as both, He and T, are produced at the same rate. Low He solubility, local high concentrations, radiation damage and fluid discontinuities, among other phenomena, may yield the necessary conditions for He nucleation. Hence, He nucleation may have a significant impact on T inventory and may lower the T breeding ratio. A model based on the self-consistent nucleation theory (SCT) with a surface tension curvature correction model has been implemented in OpenFOAM ® CFD code. A modification through a single parameter of the necessary nucleation condition is proposed in order to take into account all the nucleation triggering phenomena, specially radiation induced nucleation. Moreover, the kinetic growth model has been adapted so as to allow for the transition from a critical cluster to a macroscopic bubble with a diffusion growth process. Limitations and capabilities of the models are shown by means of zero-dimensional simulations and sensitivity analyses to key parameters under HCLL breeding unit conditions. Results provide a good qualitative insight into the helium nucleation

Nucleation, growth and transport modelling of helium bubbles under nuclear irradiation in lead–lithium with the self-consistent nucleation theory and surface tension corrections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fradera, J., E-mail: jfradera@ubu.es; Cuesta-López, S., E-mail: scuesta@ubu.es

2013-12-15

Highlights: • The work presented in this manuscript provides a reliable computational tool to quantify the He complex phenomena in a HCLL. • A model based on the self-consistent nucleation theory (SCT) is exposed. It includes radiation induced nucleation modelling and surface tension corrections. • Results informed reinforce the necessity of conducting experiments to determine nucleation conditions and bubble transport parameters in LM breeders. • Our findings and model provide a good qualitative insight into the helium nucleation phenomenon in LM systems for fusion technology and can be used to identify key system parameters. -- Abstract: Helium (He) nucleation in liquid metal breeding blankets of a DT fusion reactor may have a significant impact regarding system design, safety and operation. Large He production rates are expected due to tritium (T) fuel self-sufficiency requirement, as both, He and T, are produced at the same rate. Low He solubility, local high concentrations, radiation damage and fluid discontinuities, among other phenomena, may yield the necessary conditions for He nucleation. Hence, He nucleation may have a significant impact on T inventory and may lower the T breeding ratio. A model based on the self-consistent nucleation theory (SCT) with a surface tension curvature correction model has been implemented in OpenFOAM{sup ®} CFD code. A modification through a single parameter of the necessary nucleation condition is proposed in order to take into account all the nucleation triggering phenomena, specially radiation induced nucleation. Moreover, the kinetic growth model has been adapted so as to allow for the transition from a critical cluster to a macroscopic bubble with a diffusion growth process. Limitations and capabilities of the models are shown by means of zero-dimensional simulations and sensitivity analyses to key parameters under HCLL breeding unit conditions. Results provide a good qualitative insight into the helium

Classical nucleation theory in the phase-field crystal model.

Science.gov (United States)

Jreidini, Paul; Kocher, Gabriel; Provatas, Nikolas

2018-04-01

A full understanding of polycrystalline materials requires studying the process of nucleation, a thermally activated phase transition that typically occurs at atomistic scales. The numerical modeling of this process is problematic for traditional numerical techniques: commonly used phase-field methods' resolution does not extend to the atomic scales at which nucleation takes places, while atomistic methods such as molecular dynamics are incapable of scaling to the mesoscale regime where late-stage growth and structure formation takes place following earlier nucleation. Consequently, it is of interest to examine nucleation in the more recently proposed phase-field crystal (PFC) model, which attempts to bridge the atomic and mesoscale regimes in microstructure simulations. In this work, we numerically calculate homogeneous liquid-to-solid nucleation rates and incubation times in the simplest version of the PFC model, for various parameter choices. We show that the model naturally exhibits qualitative agreement with the predictions of classical nucleation theory (CNT) despite a lack of some explicit atomistic features presumed in CNT. We also examine the early appearance of lattice structure in nucleating grains, finding disagreement with some basic assumptions of CNT. We then argue that a quantitatively correct nucleation theory for the PFC model would require extending CNT to a multivariable theory.

Thermokinetics of heterogeneous droplet nucleation on conically textured substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Singha, Sanat K; Das, Prasanta K; Maiti, Biswajit

2015-11-28

Within the framework of the classical theory of heterogeneous nucleation, a thermokinetic model is developed for line-tension-associated droplet nucleation on conical textures considering growth or shrinkage of the formed cluster due to both interfacial and peripheral monomer exchange and by considering different geometric configurations. Along with the principle of free energy extremization, Katz kinetic approach has been employed to study the effect of substrate conicity and wettability on the thermokinetics of heterogeneous water droplet nucleation. Not only the peripheral tension is found to have a considerable effect on the free energy barrier but also the substrate hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity are observed to switch over their roles between conical crest and trough for different growth rates of the droplet. Besides, the rate of nucleation increases and further promotes nucleation for negative peripheral tension as it diminishes the free energy barrier appreciably. Moreover, nucleation inhibition can be achievable for positive peripheral tension due to the enhancement of the free energy barrier. Analyzing all possible geometric configurations, the hydrophilic narrower conical cavity is found to be the most preferred nucleation site. These findings suggest a physical insight into the context of surface engineering for the promotion or the suppression of nucleation on real or engineered substrates.

Nucleation path of helium bubbles in metals during irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morishita, Kazunori

2008-01-01

Thermodynamical formalization is made for description of the nucleation and growth of helium bubbles in metals during irradiation. The proposed formalization is available or evaluating both microstructural changes in fusion first wall materials where helium is produced by (n, α) nuclear transmutation reactions, and those in fusion divertor materials where helium particles with low energy are directly implanted. Calculated nucleation barrier is significantly reduced by the presence of helium, showing that a helium bubble with an appropriate number of helium atoms depending on bubble size can nucleate without any large nucleation barriers, even at a condition where an empty void has very large nucleation barrier without helium. With the proposed thermodynamical formalization, the nucleation and growth process of helium bubbles in iron during irradiation is simulated by the kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) technique. It shows the nucleation path of a helium bubble on the (N He , N V ) space as functions of temperatures and the concentration of helium in the matrix, where N He and N V are the number of helium atoms and vacancies in the helium bubble, respectively. Bubble growth rates depend on the nucleation path and suggest that two different mechanisms operate for bubble growth: one is controlled by vacancy diffusion and the other is controlled by interstitial helium diffusion. (author)

Classical nucleation theory in the phase-field crystal model

Science.gov (United States)

Jreidini, Paul; Kocher, Gabriel; Provatas, Nikolas

2018-04-01

A full understanding of polycrystalline materials requires studying the process of nucleation, a thermally activated phase transition that typically occurs at atomistic scales. The numerical modeling of this process is problematic for traditional numerical techniques: commonly used phase-field methods' resolution does not extend to the atomic scales at which nucleation takes places, while atomistic methods such as molecular dynamics are incapable of scaling to the mesoscale regime where late-stage growth and structure formation takes place following earlier nucleation. Consequently, it is of interest to examine nucleation in the more recently proposed phase-field crystal (PFC) model, which attempts to bridge the atomic and mesoscale regimes in microstructure simulations. In this work, we numerically calculate homogeneous liquid-to-solid nucleation rates and incubation times in the simplest version of the PFC model, for various parameter choices. We show that the model naturally exhibits qualitative agreement with the predictions of classical nucleation theory (CNT) despite a lack of some explicit atomistic features presumed in CNT. We also examine the early appearance of lattice structure in nucleating grains, finding disagreement with some basic assumptions of CNT. We then argue that a quantitatively correct nucleation theory for the PFC model would require extending CNT to a multivariable theory.

Recrystallized arrays of bismuth nanowires with trigonal orientation.

Science.gov (United States)

Limmer, Steven J; Yelton, W Graham; Erickson, Kristopher J; Medlin, Douglas L; Siegal, Michael P

2014-01-01

We demonstrate methods to improve the crystalline-quality of free-standing Bi nanowires arrays on a Si substrate and enhance the preferred trigonal orientation for thermoelectric performance by annealing the arrays above the 271.4 °C Bi melting point. The nanowires maintain their geometry during melting due to the formation of a thin Bi-oxide protective shell that contains the molten Bi. Recrystallizing nanowires from the melt improves crystallinity; those cooled rapidly demonstrate a strong trigonal orientation preference.

Polarity Control of Heteroepitaxial GaN Nanowires on Diamond.